A dinner invitation

Saturday afternoon my neighbor Brett came by to ask if I would like to join him and Bob and their wives, Sharon and Gloria, for dinner that night.  I quickly accepted even before I learned that the entree for the evening was New York steak.  Naturally, I asked what I could bring and was promptly told that everything was covered.  Being a bachelor, I figured I could at least supply the wine.  Later that afternoon, Brett, Bob and I walked into Aticama where I purchased a bottle of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon for 85 pesos ($6.50 US).

While there we had to re-hydrate so we stopped by a favorite restaurant to enjoy a cold bottle of Pacifico while we watched the local fishermen unload the catch of the day.  These are "net" fishermen and they get a lot of fish that are too small to be of any value.  While we were there they filled up 4 milk crates with the throw-backs; carried them down to the rocks on the beach and dumped them.  It only took a few minutes before dozens of frigate birds began to circle, swoop down and make off with a midday snack.  The lazy frigates stayed up in the air and hassled any bird with a fish in its beak until the fish was dropped.  They would grab the dropped fish right out of the air.

Dinner that night included a New York steak cooked to medium-rare perfection; fresh green beans sauteed in olive oil and garlic; stuffed baked potatoes; roasted bell peppers and a wonderful Bearnaise sauce.  The meal was served by candle light with real china, wine glasses and cloth napkins.  I wish I had brought my camera with me because the table was set beautifully!  For dessert, we had flan (Mexican custard pie) which was baked especially for Brett (a diabetic) so it was healthy as well as delicious.

The meal was the equal of a steak dinner at a 5 star restaurant!

My new favorite sunset picture!

Sarah and her black lab friend dancing on the beach at sunset.

Monday night we were down on the beach at sunset.  This one was especially nice so I shot a lot of pictures.  When I got back to Dod and looked at the pictures on my computer, I discovered that I had gotten a lucky shot.  I say lucky because I didn't think any thing besides the sunset was captured.

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.  

A shopping trip . . .

Brett and Bob and I piled into Dod for a trip into San Blas (about 10 kilometers).  They needed to pick up the laundry they dropped off the day before and I needed some essential supplies.  I bought 2 bell peppers, 2 onions, 1 pablano pepper, 4 bananas, 4 tomatoes and a bag of tortillas for 80 pesos ($6. US),  I bought a smoked pork chop, a package of turkey wieners, a can of beans and a carton of cottage cheese for 70 pesos ($5. US), I bought 4 great sandwich rolls for 14 pesos (about $1. US).  Then I really got down to business and went to the liquor store.  I was really just window shopping and pricing the different brands and I found something I had never seen before.

Normally, J & B (my favorite scotch) comes in the same bottle but the bottle is a clear dark green.  These bottles had some type of heat-shrink wrap applied before the labels went on.  Same stuff, same price but "Limited Edition".  I had to buy one of each color.  The price for both bottles was 568 pesos or about $42. US which is still less than they would have cost in the USA.  I think they will make great, colorful candle holders!

No trip to San Blas is complete without stopping by the San Blas Social Club.  The owner Augustin is from New York City and is a great host.  If you are new to San Blas, either Augustin or one of the regular patrons can direct you to anything you need.  They are experts on San Blas and surrounding areas.

That's Augustin behind the bar.