Sunday morning

I get ready for church, I find one wrinkle free outfit, I have new black flip flops with some rhinestones on them, my toes nails are polished, my hair looks good too, soft and shiny, it must like the water. I realize that my bible is in storage, I will go without, moments later I walk past a mirror, my hair is all frizzy, I put on a hairband, Maybe I'll cut it short again. I dodge the horse poo on the road trying to get to church with clean toes, it doesn't happen, I arrive with dusty toes, shoes and sweating, it's so hot already. Everyone is sombre, a member of the congregation died last night, I don't get all the details, there is a new pastor giving the message, someone passes me a bible, I manage to follow along.*
After church I go to leave, I am summoned back, we follow 2 funeral home vans, I am assuming we are going to the deceased home to pay our respects to the family, my black pants feel like they are on fire. I'm not sure what is expected of me, I follow my friends. We arrive at the home, some members of the congregation stand back and don't go into the house, I join them. I say a silent prayer for the family, my headband hurts my head. I see Nina, we embrace, she cries, I say " I'm sorry" my heart breaks for her, I don't know how she is related to the deceased. I wait until I see others leave and hope it's appropriate to leave, I don't know whats expected, I hope they will have some grace for me if I am not doing the right thing. My pants are still on fire, a tractor and trailer of tourist pass me, they are laughing.....at my frizzy hair I'm sure. I'll never be a lady. There is a dead cockroach lying on his back on my kitchen floor when I get back. I open the fridge to get some yogurt and the side shelve inside the door falls off and my flaxseed oil hits the floor and spills all over, nice. I'm hungry but not for yogurt, maybe I'll go buy a chicken. As I get ready to head out I hear the produce truck, I run out, he is new, I don't know him. His papaya is rotten and so is the cantaloupe, I buy some tomatoes, his last avocado, 2 bananas and some limes, I'll buy some tostadas and make guacamole for lunch tomorrow. I see my thermometer that is hanging in the shade under my palapa shows 26C. I head off to the chicken place still wearing my hot black pants. Same people at the chicken place, I order 1/2  a BBQ chicken and sit down to wait. I chat with 2 ladies from church, we watch the chickens run around under the tables and the grill, one lady asks me which one I want, we laugh. A man walks up and waits at the second counter, no ones acknowledges him, he awaits. A boy on a motor bike pulls up with 2 plastic shopping bags full of raw beef, he has a harpoon pierced through his ear lobe, a lady takes the meat from him, she walks away and he waits to get paid. Man at the other counter says to no one in particular "do you have any ceviche?" no one answers him, he waits, no sign of impatience or annoyance on his face. Harpoon boys waits. My friends food is ready, they leave. "do you have any ceviche?" again, girl at the grill looks under the counter and says "no" she hesitates a bit and yells towards the house "grandma, someone wants ceviche". Grandma is sitting on a chair, says "ok" but doesn't get up. Man leans against counter and is watching traffic go by. A little girl knocks all the plastic cups off the counter onto the ground, her mother gathers them up from under the table and shoos a curious chicken away. Harpoon boy goes next door and buys himself an ice cream, no one is in a hurry, no one is annoyed. Grandma gets up and goes into the house and comes back with a container of ceviche and serves the man at the table, he looks happy, she gives harpoon boy his money, he drives away with one hand, ice cream dripping from the other. My chicken is ready, I ask for a glass of horchata as well, she pours it into a plastic cup, they have no lids, I ask or a fork and knife, they don't have any, will a spoon do. "yes" I now have a precious spoon. I manage to not spill my horchata on the way home. At the next corner I notice a business transaction, a boy hands over money to 2 other boys carrying pails, one boy hands over a pail...of fresh fish. I like it here. A few men are setting up band equipment at the cantina, I remember it's Sunday, the only day for live music, they stop playing at 10 pm, I like it here, you can party it up and still be home in bed at 10 pm. Back at my house 23 horse are trying to get shade out of one tree, there is a lot of poop, my pants are stuck to me like glue, I may as well keep them on as I don't think I can get them off, my thermometer says it's 28C now, it;s 1:30pm, my wind chimes have not made any noise yet at all. I start looking for a hammock, I find a sewing machine. A cowboy rides up with 10 saddled wet and sweaty horses, a lady takes them into her yard and unsaddles them and sends them back out, they immediately roll around in the sand/dust and huddle under the tree. Soon I find an ironing board, no iron yet.

* The message today as I understood it; It was about the importance of reading the bible. The word of God is essential to your walk with God. If you are not applying the word of God to your life you are not walking with God. If you are not continually reading the bible you don't have the word of God written on your heart, you are walking lost in the dark, no sun, just darkness. Think of the word of God as the sunrise, it comes everyday, there has to be a sunrise in order for there to be light, but yet the sunrise is not spectacular every day, It doesn't wow you everyday, but every once in awhile it is spectacular and it can stop you in  your tracks and take your breathe away and cause you to look up in awe. That is like the word of God if you read it everyday, some days you will feel like you don't get anything out of it but if you keep reading God will choose the time and the right words and you will be moved, to do something, to change something, or to learn something, a light will go on and It will be spectacular and it will be just for you.....just like the sunrise.
This is what I got out of the message this morning, not saying this is what he said.

I have arrived on Stone Island again

I have arrived on Stone Island. My friend Danny picked me up at the airport, with his sister Nina’s truck because his isn’t working. He had to take the starter out yesterday and drop it off somewhere in Mazatlan. He asked if I minded if he did some errands in Maz before we headed to the Island.....no problema, I am so excited to be here, and I am on vacation and there is no rush. As we are driving in he asks “are you hungry?”Well, let me thinkyes! We stop at one of my favourite places on the street off of the malecon by the fisherman’s monument. It’s called “negro...something” There was a short debate between us about what my first meal should be, should it be Chilli Rellenos or Tacos? That was a tough one, in the end we ended up having Chilli Rellenos and a Toni-Col in a glass bottle. It was awesome. I was trying to taste, smell and hear all at the same time...without choking of course, the traffic, the music, the ocean, the Carne asada, the humidity.....oh the humidity, did I mention it was 30C? He tells me about all the drama that has happened in his life since spring, some good, some sad, some bad. We have a good visit.

After some running around we head to the docks, Danny does a near impossible parking manoeuvre, I’m astounded, he laughs and says “everything is possible in Mexico”, yes because only a Mexican would even dare to try.

The captain of the boat taking us across shakes my hand and welcomes me home with a big grin....oh no, that was me that had the big grin, I was the one sitting at the bow of the boat with a goofy grin on her face, sticking my head out the side like a dog does on the back of a truck, it was sooo hot and the breeze felt so good.

We arrive on the other side, the big welcoming sign has been repainted a bright purple, nice. Danny gets on his quad to hunt down the key to my house I ride on the back of a taxi/truck to the house. The landlady and Danny arrive at the same time as I, she has the key, someone has cleaned the house from end to end, I am so happy.

I do a quick inventory and notice there is no toilet paper, I make a list and change into cooler clothes and head to the store. As I walk up my street I dodge horse poo, I smile, I’m home. I walk past my old house, I’m a bit sad. I notice the local cantina is empty, but it’s still early. Chabela has built a fishnet fence; it’s fast becoming green with vines, nice. Peanuts are roasting at the peanut place; I’ll pick some up on my way back. I see we have a new little Super Corner store sponsored by Tecate, our first liquor store in disguise....maybe. I reach the store and I smell the fish market, a fresh fish fry would be so good, but not today. I’m not even sure if all my utilities work. I realize I forgot my list, I “wing it”.  At the till....no at the counter, (there is no till, people here know how to count and make change) I notice my paper bills in my pocket are a waded up soggy mess already...oh the humidity, it’s hot. I think of how much the kid at the counter has grown since I first started living here, I try to remember when that was, I think 2007, he’s a young man now. I end up with 2 bags of groceries, I’m annoyed, I hate carrying stuff, heavy stuff, I can walk forever but hate carrying stuff. I envy women with husbands; they have someone to carry their stuff. I should have bulging biceps by now. I hate carrying stuff. I pass the peanut place and decide I have too much stuff. I pass Danny hard at work in his mechanic shop, he hoots, I hoot back, if you hoot you don’t have to stop and chat. Soon after I get home I find lots of mouse turds, should have bought some mouse traps. I have water in the house but not hot, no surprise. I don’t have internet, I’m told on Monday I will be connected. I have electricity but it seems the stove is gas; I have no idea how to turn that on. I’m drinking water as fast as I can, it’s hot, my hair is damp and flat and my clothes are sticky, I am happy. I notice that in the plantation across from has been ploughed; they are getting ready to build a resort, that makes me sad. I keep looking at the time, I don’t want to miss sunset on the beach, I am not sure when the sun sets these days, I have no internet to look that up. At 4:00 I head for the beach, about a 30 second walk, I walk past my old house I am sad again. As I step onto the beach I could have cried for joy, its home, it truly is. If one can have 2 homes I have it. I can almost feel my shoulders start relaxing, maybe it’s my imagination. I see my friend Contessa from www.contessajewall.com sitting in front of her RV reading, I stop and we share a quick whats new and whats not on the Island, so good to see friends coming back. Some of us don’t see or talk to each other during the summer months. Geeks like Contessa and I keep in touch through our blogs....sorry Contessa, at least we’re not nerds. I carry on, I must greet the ocean, the beach is long, it’s beautiful, I want to just jump in, I really do, I want it all over me, I want to soak it all in, but I would drown, I can’t swim. I take my shoes off, the water is warm, I walk, I breath, I meditate on how blessed I am to be here. A man with about 6 horses passes me, he grins and waves, he knows me, I watched him go to and from work every day last year, and the year after that. I walk for about 30 minutes and turn around to go back. I pass some surfer boys; they are here almost every evening too. I come off the beach before the sun has set, oh well, tomorrow. I wish I had bought some coconuts, I am so thirsty. I’ve had a headache since I got off the plane, I drink more water. There is everything in this house you could ever need except I can’t find the silverware. I’m not ready to cook yet but I would like a spoon to eat my yogurt in the morning. There is a blender maybe I’ll make a yogurt shake. I wonder what time the produce guy comes by in the morning. The dessert truck comes and I’m excited, I buy a pastry even though I missed sunset. Last year I had tea and a pastry every night at sunset hence the 20 extra pounds in the spring. I make another grocery list and head to Miguels tienda and restaurant, its pitch black outside (or stick dark in German) my street has no lights, it doesn’t bother me, I am home. I pass the cantina again; there are 2 people in it, no Saturday night bar brawls here. I order 4 taco even though I know I should only have 2, I’m not too smart when it comes to food. As I sit and watch the lady squeeze my oranges for my litre of orange juice I realize I forgot my list again. I remember I wanted tea, she doesn’t have any. Tacos come with 3 baggies of sauce, one is salsa, one caldo one is guacamole , in my haste I mix the salsa and caldo up and pour the whole baggies of salsa on my tacos, it’s soo good, I have guac and salsa running down my elbows, it’s hot, very hot.....member not too smart with food. I eat them all. I spend the rest of the evening trying to suck the flavour out of tongue, it’s so good. I save my orange juice for breakfast, don’t want to change the taste on my tongue. My head still hurts. I spend the evening sitting outside writing this story on paper with a pencil and listening to the sounds of my neighbourhood. I am content. It’s still hot. I remember I have a thermometer in my suitcase, I hang it up, it’s 25C at 7:30 pm, it feels hotter because of the humidity. I am happy. There are many many extension cords and power bars in this house, I try to figure out what powers what, I mange to turn on some lights. At some point I realize I am filthy dirty, my feet are black, this place seems to do that to you, I have a cold shower. At 8:00 I go to bed, I saw all the chickens and rooster outside on the street on front of my house and I know the first night will be rough; I should get an early start. My head still hurts. 

I sleep soundly until midnight and then I get up and turn some lights off, I sleep until 2 and then the roosters are up, from 2 to 6 it’s a restless dance with me and the sheets, I loose track of time and get out of bed at 7 and start the coffee maker, it’s daylight out, I missed sunrise, I’m annoyed. I can’t remember when the last time was that I missed a sunrise, so annoyed. The water truck comes by, I don’t need any water.  I hear a commotion outside, a cowboy has just herded 23 (I counted) horses in from the plantation and parks them in front of my house. I wander around the house with my coffee in hand and find a hot water tank but have no idea how to make it make hot water. I have a cold shower again. I discover all my clothes are wrinkled and I can’t find an iron. I put on a pair of black capris which I know I will regret but they are not wrinkled. My headache is gone, my street is very quiet, the roosters are asleep.  I wonder if I were to hide the silverware where would I hide it. I eat my yogurt with a measuring spoon.

Sorry no photos today. 

Too be continued;