While Cleve is painting, Susan is pruning the lime tree in the back yard.

 

All in a Sunday's Work in La Manz

 

My neighbor Cleve is getting ready to paint the sailboat that he brought down from Oregon, in the trailer above, on top of a huge load of furniture, and pulled by a green '73 International Travel-All. His wife Susan, says that once again, they looked like the Clampetts arriving into town - where was I with my camera that day?

The "Verduras" Truck

 

I love when this truck comes by, and I am out of vegetables. Especially without a car, it is just so convenient to have vegetables delivered to your door. Today I got potatoes, carrots, papaya, (a really sweet one), beets, cucumber, mandarinas (like tangerines, but tastier), and a chance to take a picture of little Carmen. As you can see, she has great stage presence - maybe she will sing Carmen one day.

Color

 

Waiting for a ride to Melaque with Nancy, I spotted this shot of color, and wanted to get back into painting - right away! Soon, soon....

Classes de Arte

 

Cori and her brothers, and several other kids have been asking when art classes are going to start again - soon, I hope! Maybe we will do them on the teraza of my house this year.

 

Humberto helps me set up the tent

 

When Enrique comes down to visit, we might have a campout in the back yard. The tent is just big enough for 2.

 

 

 

Monte trying out the new kitchen

 

Last year on this blog I started to tell the story of how a chef named David (from the Laughing Oyster restaurant in Powell River, BC) came along just in time to help re-design the kitchen. He is not only a great cook, but also an expert in space design, he said with the modesty of a typical chef. Anyway, the kitchen is almost finished... one day, I will be able to replace the crates with cupboards, David...and the important thing is, it really is a spacious kitchen to work in, for 2 or even 3 people. I love washing the dishes, (no dishwasher here) and being able to call out "buenas dias" to my neighbors walking by.

 

Rodolfo and his family go into the coco business

 

Delicious cocos "tierno" are now available for only 5 pesos, and only a block from my house.

... a photo of the kitchen taken from the side yard, looking through the very open kitchen window. By the time I get back, I am assured, the whole kitchen and a lot of the other areas will b e painted white (just the primer for now)

Packing to return to La Manzanilla

A friend, Kelly, emailed these pictures of the house in La Manzanilla - just before a big storm knocked down the big tree that you can see on the left of the balcony... it's going to be a different scene when I get down there this time. I hear that the fence was damaged, bougainvilleas are wrecked, and there is no electricity, because the mufa (electrical box) was also knocked down...still, I am so looking forward to settling in there again, and this incident can't dampen my spirits - the sun, sand, and sea is a powerful healer. I will post a few other pictures above this one, to show some of the improvements (most of which will not be affected by the falling over tree). Thank goodness it didn't fall towards the house, and that no-one was injured!