Where to begin?

A lot has happened since my last post in 2008. After I came back to Canada I went back to work at the golf course where I've been working for the last 4 summers. After the summer of 2008 I went to work for a forestry company doing regeneration surveys, cut block layouts and some brush pile burning...a brutal winter it was. I took a brief leave and went back to my beloved Stone Island for a brief 3 week visit, it truely felt like I came home...but alas, I had to get back to work. After that winter I went back to the golf course (I am planning on working there until I retire...but let's not tell them that) then as soon as the golf season was over and the course was put to bed ....viva Mexico! This time I am taking the scenic route down. I flew to Sacramento California where a friend picked me up and we drove to her home in Redding. (which is where I am now). She is also a winter resident on Stone Island and she has driven down for the last few years. She travels with 4 dogs and since you are only allowed to cross the border with 2 pets she has to bring a friend to claim 2....I volunteered this year. I arrived 2 days ago and am being a tourist here until the great migration happens on Tuesday (possibly Monday if we can get ourselves organized). We will be driving down central valley California, then cross over to Arizona and cross the border and down the coast to Mazatlan. Once in Mazatlan we will park the hillbilly wagon and load up a boat and head to Stone Island (not sure how that will all work with dogs and 18 banana boxes of "stuff"). It should be interesting....so, stay tuned.
What will I be doing in Mexico this year? Well, once again I have no plans, I had some plans but the Mexican goverment changed those for me when they changed their FM3 regulations this summer. In the past you could come to Mexico on a 6 month tourist permit, no charge and no questions asked, you automatically got a 180 day pass and as long as you did not work you could do whatever you wanted including volunteer work (as long as you didn't get paid) That has now changed. If you want to do more than 5 weeks of volunteering you need a FM3 card which I do not qualify for because I do not have a permanent residence there. (yet) So I will do my 5 weeks of volunteer work at Casa Damasco and the rest of my time there I am simply just going to live there and pray that God will direct me to people that I can help in some unofficial way. I pray he will help me to bless the people of Stone Island in whatever way I can. I really want to give back to the people of the Island for all they have done for me. I plan on spending more time relaxing, I want to try to be on the beach for the sunrises and sunsets, I want to work on my relationship with God, be more intuned to Him, take the time to listen to Him and get closer. I want to do some painting some knitting and just spend time with the people....as many people as I can. I know what you all are thinking....anti-social Mary ...spending time with many people ha. I am going to work on that, going to try to find a balance. Anyway, there it is in a nut shell. But now.....I am in California and I am liking it....yup, it's nice. It's old, it's a little mexican and a little old English, it's green, it's hilly and quiet, and surprisingly slow and relaxed. (Remember I'm in Redding, not LA) Life is good, I am blessed.

Since a good portion of my life is consumed by food (hahah consumed by food) here is something great I discovered here in Redding.

Jack Salad...goes like this;

• Romane Lettuce
• Kidney beans
• Grean beans
• Croutons
• Blue Cheese (crumbled)

All tossed up with some blue cheese dressing

And I also had spicy sweet chili Doritos with cottage cheese....so good!