Rain, Rain, Rain

Well, the rainy season is upon us in all it's glory. We've had Hurricane Beatriz come from the Pacific Coast and then Hurricane Arlene come from the Gulf Coast. It's been cloudy, cool, and wet for a week. A friend told me last night that Arlene apparently had enough steam to completely move across the country and has reformed and is coming back inland on the west coast. Amazing!

In between the first major storm in early June and the hurricanes we did have a normal period of sunny skies and rainy nights which is perfection.

I LOVE the cool temps and the green mountains but I miss the sun and I am affected by SADD. I look forward to the sun coming back out.

Also, finished reading Geraldine Brooks first book, "Nine Parts of Desire" about women in Islam countries. It was written in 1995 but is amazingly relavent today. Highly recommend it.

40 years ago today

I remember it as if it were yesterday. I graduated from Martin Spalding High School, Severn, Maryland 1971. There were 150 ladies graduating that day. It was one of those great days in one's life that closes one door and opens the next. I worked that summer at a department store to save up money for my big move to NYC to study fashion merchandising at Tobé Coburn School on Madison Avenue at 71st Street. While I was in school I lived at the East End Hotel for Women on East End Avenue at 78th street. Nice easy walk to school from there (weather permitting).

My brother Don came to my graduation which was really a special thing. I always thought that I annoyed Don because he was 20 years older than me, his children were my age, and we had little in common except we shared a Mom and a Dad. Now, looking back, I realize that I was important to him -- I was his baby sister! :-)

One of my high school friends and I have reconnected through Facebook and she's trying to organize a class reunion. I haven't gone to any of the others. I left Maryland the Sept following graduation and moved to NYC. I lived there for 4 years and then moved to Dallas, Texas where my Mom and Spence had moved in 1971. I never really kept in touch with any of my friends from HS, so it was nice when Nina Picciano found me on FB and we starting chatting. She's still living in the area, Washington D.C. so she's kept up with more old friends then me.

Anyway, just was thinking about what today was this morning and thought I'd jot down my thoughts.

1971 - Graduated High School, Maryland

1971-1974 - NYC

1974-1999 Dallas, Texas

1999 - Married, moved to Houston, Texas (and retired --wooohooo)

2005- moved to Ajijic, Mexico

Beach, Rain & Pink Eye

Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico 2011

We went to Mazatlan over Memorial Day weekend (it's not MD here though) with Marta & Lupe et al and stayed at the Riu Mazatlan -- one of our favorite all inclusive resorts.

I love this picture 'cause the sun is reflecting on the ocean. Taken from our 11th floor balcony at the Riu Mataztlan.

I think the Pacific Ocean is so beautiful because of the rock formations that come all the way to the edge of the beach.

1st Day after 1st Rain of the Season

Morning after the first rain of the season. Lots of wind -- blew over the table and chairs on our neighbors mirador. I'm going to chronicle the changes to our mountain as the rainy season progresss. I want to see how long it takes for the mountains to turn green starting from the first official rain (that's when the water is running down the streets from the mountain to the lake).

Pink Eye

How in the world did I get pink eye????? I didn't ever get it as a child (which is when I thought you got this kind of thing). My friend Judy, who's a nurse, asked me if I'd been swimming recently. I just got back from a weekend in Mazatlan and I did got swimming in the pool, but I've been to this resort many times before and have never gotten pink eye! The day we were leaving (Mon May 30) I woke up with swollen glands and sneezing (not like allergies though) so I took some antihistamine meds I never leave home without and the symptoms seemed to go away -- hahaha!

It's very gross. I woke up on Thursday morning, June 2nd with my left eye crusted over and I googled conjunctivitis and figured that was what I had -- it's the infection kind, not allergic conjunctivitis -- oh joy. So by that evening my left eye was swollen almost closed and my right eye was getting yellow crusties in it too. Went to see Dr. Lastra on Friday morning and he agreed that was what I had. Still have swollen glands and sneezing like a cold. Dr. L said I probably was getting a cold and it settled in my eye -- Eye Flu!

Now on antibiotic drops and ointment for 14 days, but that's not doing anything for my swollen glands or overall feeling of exhaustion. Haven't been sleeping well -- feel achy all over my body and I have a low-grade fever on and off during the day and night. YUCK!

One good thing, we had our first heavy rains last night. Cooled everything down about 10 degrees which has been very nice today.

it's 5:20 a.m.

and I can't sleep ------- so pissed off. I'm exhausted, my legs are jumpy and my feet are aching. What's going on. I leave in 5 hours for the airport to go to Houston and I want to sleep but I'm sitting in the living room looking at the computer. ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH

Food & Wine Festival in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo

We are having dinner at the Ixtapa Marina -- (L-R) Elizabeth, Pat, Kae, Joan and me

Having comida at Carmalita's in Zihuatanejo. This was a wonderful surprise we discovered from Rick Bayless who tweeted about finding this place. He told us about it at one of the events and Carmalita (in the purple blouse) was visited by many of us who attended the Food & Wine Festival. BEST real Mexican food I've ever eaten. Her recipes are from her Mom and Abeulita!

I had the pleasure of going to "Food & Wine" magazine's Food & Wine Festival in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo - 32 Tastes of Mexico the last week of March, 2011. I went with friends from Ajijic Pat Owens and Joan Brummitt, and a couple of Pat's friends from Seattle, Elizabeth and Kae.

Rick Bayless was the featured chef and we got to see him cook twice. He has the most amazing countenance and spirit ALL the time -- it is real, not forced. It was such fun to meet him and see him work. We ate some amazing food and drank wonderful new wines from Baja California.

Señor Rick Bayless at the Market to Table event

This sign was in the lobby of our hotel -- I didn't make this up!

We also got to tour through 3 new homes in Zihuatanejo in a very private gated community of four homes called Monte Cristo. Our taxi driver had to leave his driver's license at the gate when he came to pick us up to go back to our hotel.

Casa Conte - the couple who owned this house were from Orange County, CA and actually were here for the event.

Casa Tulum - view from the infinity pool overlooking Pacific Ocean

Casa Alegría master bedroom pool -- nice!

This house had 5 swimming pools, 5 bedrooms, an amazing outdoor living area facing the wide open Pacific Ocean, and 3 casitas. The "owner" was a really rich man from San Diego who has never been to the house, and according to the architect just sent him lots and lots of money to build and furnish the house. Can you say laundered money! That was our story about the house! These are 2 of the 5 pools! The one above is off the master bedroom and the one below is off the outdoor terraza/living room.

Because the house is built on top of a bill the breezes were strong! At each of the houses there was a different vineyard represented and lovely tapas.

Cameron's a big boy

such a sweet face!

They love to take baths together

Forrest is under the little table and Cameron is starting to get up on his hands and toes -- won't be long before he's mobile too. Forrest started to walk when he was 9 months old.

Lauren called to tell us that Cameron went to his pediatrician for his 6 months check-up and he is in the 95% for his weight and height. He is 6 months old and weighs 22.5 lbs -- his OLDER brother who is 2 1/2 years old weights 28 lbs. They are almost the same size and they wear the same size diapers. OMG!

I am going to Houston this weekend for a visit -- and I told Lauren I was going to bring a back brace so I can pick Cameron up and not hurt my back -- LOL! Can't wait to see them!

He's our chunky monkey!!!!!