Bliss

Sitting at the airport I tell my shoulders to relax. I reflect on how many hands it has taken to get me here. Friends and family members picking and dropping me off at bus depos, airports, the golf course, someone picks up my mail, someone deposits money, someone mails my christmas cards, delivers gifts, emails me important stuff, someone waters plants, ..... I think at this moment someone is tiling my bathroom and someone is missing his grandma when he wakes up. I regret that this grandma is a phantom that comes and goes like a surprise schnook. I'm tired, my shoulders are tense, my hands looks like I've been in a cat fight, my big toe nail is blue, I'm dehydrated but I need coffee to make it through my 7 airports in the next 4 days. I think of my new swim suit in my carryon, will I wear it this year. Right now I can see me jumping  in the ocean. I really do. I can't wait to see the ocean.I stop in Louisiana for 4 days to visit some friends, we are connected by our mutual love of golf. I am toured through 4 golf courses and the country side, I see old plantation homes, winding bayous, alligators, rivers, lakes, and the ocean. I see furniture and household fixings to fit the finest of southern homes in the grandest fashion. I eat chicken and pork gumbo with bread that I will never forget, I eat shrimp stew, and a smorgasbord of so many things I can't even spell or tell you about. But let me tell you about the hotdog that I will never forget. A little hole in the wall, and 2 young men with an amazing idea named "Botsky's". It is a little gourmet hotdog shop. First you choose your dog, then you choose your toppings and your sauce. I choose the alligator and pork dog, it's about an inch think, for my toppings I choose red beans, tomatoes, guacamole, onions and for my sauce I choose spicy chipotle.......I will never be able to explain to you how great it was, the dog, the toppings, the sauce and the homemade bun...it was perfect and won't be forgotten ever. What a great idea.4 days gave me just a little taste of the south and I will be back for more.  Must come back to see yous  ya'll. I imagine how great it would be to see this place from the back seat of a bike. (sigh)

A plantation home

A alligator getting some sun

If you are ever in Lake Charles Louisiana take the time to have a hotdog at "Botsky's". I recommend the "gator"

Mexico

I arrive, fast off the plane, I have no luggage. My Mexican brother hustles me into his truck as I in hale deep the soft humid air, I think I can smell vanilla. It's hot, hot and very special kind of hot.  We are in a hurry, it's his father's (my Tio) birthday and there is a party happening on the beach. There are apples rolling around on the floor around my feet. It rained yesterday, the road is a mess, we pass a tractor pulling a dead cow with 8 cows walking behind in a procession. Brother whoops out the window at them in greeting. We struggle with the road and decide to take the beach.

Arriving at sunset....pinch me

 The sun is just setting and I am in awe and humbled at how blessed I am. Brother updates me on the Island gossip, this is why he is always the one to pick me up, gets to tell me his side first. We race along the beach dodging boat anchors, I can't believe I am here. He has been given orders to drop me by "our" sister's restaurant. A very excited 7 year old almost throws me over with her hugs and won't let go, we all group hug. I am told to go home and drop my bags off and come back for the party. I am soaked, it's so hot. Locks have been changed in my house, why? who knows, but my Tia across the street has the keys. My garden is a jungle, I am in awe again. In my house there is a new kitchen table, freshly  built, I smell sawdust, and a quapa tree planted right in front of the house that will block my view one day why? Who knows. Every item in the house is coated in dust, this will take a week to clean but i have a party to go to. I find a pillow and wipe down the futon, this will be my bed tonight. My hair is dripping down my back, my t-shirt is soaked. It's hot like no other hot. I wipe down, roll up my pant legs and find a dry t-shirt and head to the beach....slowly. Many hugs along the way, by now it's dark and I like it,  it's peaceful.

I see lights twinkling in the dark and hear the music above the surf as I approach the restaurant, I feel so at home. Nothing has changed and I like that. As everyone hugs me they all comment on my long hair and how skinny I am, no worries though, they will fatten me up, in one night apparently....food keeps ending up on my plate. We joke saying there is no food in Canada. My 73 year old tio dances all evening, it's his party. He dances with his wife, with his grand kids with his daughters, nieces, sisters, he loves the attentions and the applause. Grand kids take turns with the mike singing him songs, he's so happy and I forget how hot it is. I can't believe I am here. This party will go on into the night, as my Tio is doing the Mexican hat dance  I sneak away, I've been up since 3 am, a nephew gives me a ride home on his quad. Once home I realize I need toilet paper, coffee and cream, (the necessities)  I walk to the store. It's  still hot but I am no longer sweating, I must be adapting already. From my house to the store it's a meet and greet parade for me. As always there are new babies and many new puppies and people's houses have been painted but not much else has changed and I like that. I fall asleep to the distant soft sound of the surf, roosters letting me know I am in Mexico and the occasional kid whooping in the street, I sleep soundly on the futon.

My house cleaning went very slowly as I keep getting interrupted, I don't mind. I haven't gotten into a normal routine yet. I need  to find  a new system for storing my clothes, lots of them got mold stains from the humidity.First morning walk on the beach was pure bliss, I am humbled again at the faithfulness of God and am ever so grateful. To be able to say that I am living out my dream life is humbling....who am I to deserve this?First sunset is breathtaking, how can it be that the surf and sunset can be so different each time, I never get tired of it...never.  

November 11th, wherever you are....never foget

All is well in mi casita

I'll work on getting some color in here this season

there is so much going on in this tree

regardless of what you washes up ashore it's always beautiful, I think if I took a picture of a horse turd at the right angle and right light on the beach it would be beautiful.