No mas comojenes (no more termites)

I went up to the house yesterday to do a little work.  Since I am in Mexico, I have to start thinking more like a Mexican.  In planning how to attack the super highways constructed by the termites I thought of what I could buy to do the job.  While cleaning out my utensil drawer in Dod I found an old barbecue cleaning brush and a light went on over my head.  It was perfect for the job!  It has stiff, brass bristles and a steel scraper.

I walked down the beach road and up to the house with nothing in my hands but a barbecue brush.  In less than an hour I had destroyed hundreds of "termite miles" from floor to ceiling.  A quick scrape and then some heavy duty brushing eliminated the highways superstructure.  The surface below, while stained, is ready for a fresh coat of paint.

In my web search, I identified a couple of paint additives that guard against insects and mold.  Mold is always a problem in areas with high humidity.  The problem now is how do I get the product delivered to Mexico.  I am wondering if I can order it from Walmart and have it shipped for free to the Walmart in Tepic or Puerto Vallarta.  It would be great if they could do that and if it works for paint additive there is no telling how many other items I would order that way.  Francisco has given me permission to paint whatever I want and also my choice of colors, as long as they are tropical!  I really like the colors that are there and will probably just try to match the existing colors.

There was another decision to be made:  How to repair the upper 30' of road that is suffering from severe erosion.  The choices were to hire a guy with a backhoe at $450. pesos per hour or hire the caretaker to do the job with a pick ax at $250. pesos per day.  I chose to go with the caretaker as I have seen the work he has done on the lower portion of the road.  Rather than a daily rate, we agreed on $500. pesos for the total job.  With Jesus (the caretaker) working on it I will be able to help and change my mind as we complete the project.  The option of changing my mind seems to have become a necessity in my life.

There is an abundance of wildlife here in the San Blas area.  On the way to the house I spotted this gathering of Pelicans just beyond the surf.  I can't remember ever seeing a gathering this large before.

This tree is adjacent to the cemetery where the trail up to the house begins.  It is a favorite roosting spot for the frigate birds.

When I got to the tree I stopped to take a picture of the house from the beach.

As I was taking the above picture, I heard a big "splat" on the ground right next to my foot.  Then I remembered where I was, looked up and took the picture below.

While relaxing outside Dod, I noticed this dragonfly.  He was working on his tan and would get buzzed by his friends every few minutes.  He would fly off and then return to this exact same spot, time after time.

Sarah enjoys her time in the sun; her time in the shade; her time eating, sleeping and playing.