Hail on Christmas Day.....What is that?

Hail on Christmas Day 2013

Yesterday, Christmas Day, was a surprise weather-wise.    Cloudy first of all and then in the afternoon there was thunder followed by a HAIL storm.  Hail is not normal for this time of year.

Hail stones on our lawn.

 

 

 

Our Christmas Eve Dinner was a lot of fun.  Including us, there were 12 people.  4 people from Quebec, a man originally from Alsace, a couple originally from Nicaragua, 1 person originally from England, 1 American and us.  English, French and Spanish were spoken, and sometimes we would forget and speak to a person in a language that they did not understand....but there was no lack of conversation.

My job was made much easier as I accepted help from everyone so my work load was light!  It wasn't quite a potluck but close.

At this point I should be showing you photos of our lovely evening....but, I was too involved with the food and forgot, and Bob was too involved with socializing (read into that what you may) to take photos.  Thus I am sad to say we have no photos of the event.

Today December 26 has been a dull day, with a little rain and the sun peaking out every now and then.

Bob was complaining about the cold, so we brought out the propane heater to warm the second floor.  When I showered I used our little electric heater to warm the bathroom.  To put this into perspective, we have not used these heaters for at least 2 years!

Last year , on the coast in Tenacatita Bay it was cloudy. On New Year's Eve it started to rain which made the New Year's Eve progressive dinner wet to say the least.   When it rains and you are on a sailboat, it is bad news as everything is so damp, and it is difficult to dry anything.  This rainy weather is fine when on land, and we do not have to take Patches, by dinghy, to shore for his ablutions.

Of course, when I spoke to my brother, who lives in Brandon, Manitoba I had to review my complaints.  He said that it wasn't really that cold, only   -10C!!  I guess I have become a wimp.

Our sailing plans for the season have changed again.  Bob could not get a permit to go to Socorro in January so now he will go in March.   Unless something comes up, Bob is going to drive me to Puerta Vallarta, mid-January, where Patches and I will stay in a hotel for a week or two, waiting on Bob to come from Mazatlan by boat.  From PV, we will do our usual to Tenacatita Bay and Barra de Navidad.  In early March Patches and I will return to Patzcuaro while Bob heads out to Socorro.  

Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR

2013 is rapidly coming to an end.  It has been a good year...the sailing season went well...we are well.  What more can a person ask of life?

Bob, Deanna and Patches December 2013

Our plans for sailing remain tentative as Bob still has not received the permit to sail to the Revillagigedo Islands.  These islands are approximately 400 miles from Mazatlan.  And yes Bob will be sailing alone as that is just too much water for me.  We are now owners of a sat phone so that should enable us to stay in touch, and should alleviate some of my anxiety.

If Bob can go to these islands, then he will return to Puerta Vallarta and Patches and I will meet him there.  From PV we will sail south as far as Barra de Navidad.

So what do we do other than sail....Bob goes to visit the boat and work on it during the off season.  I do not go to Mazatlan between May and November as the weather is too humid for me.   While he is away Patches and I live a decadent life style...eating out, reading the night away, and just doing whatever we want to do.

Bob and Patches still walk up the mountain 3 times a week.   I walk in the downtown area and meet them for breakfast at our favourite restaurant, Lupita's. 

This would be Julie, Mike and Bob sitting at Lupita's.

This year I have studied Spanish again and now after several months, I do believe that I am more confused than I was before!   I keep telling myself that all of the grammar will eventually fall into place and I will be speaking a level of Spanish somewhat above "pigeon Spanish".   Wishful thinking?

The Ladies Luncheon on Tuesday continues to flourish.  It is a great group,  very much in flux as people come and go.

The monthly cocktail party remains an excellent way to meet old friends and make new friends.

And of course we continue to work on the house and garden.  We do have a major project planned for 2014 and that is to redo the garden.  You may wonder why.  When we bought the house there was a fountain...painted bright yellow and totally too large for the garden.  After some thought I painted it brown..now it resembles a chocolate doughnut!

 

That would be said fountain when we bought the house.

This would be what we look at now.

Nevertheless it still is ugly and has to go.  The project involves removing the doughnut completely, and therefore there will be repairs to the wall and lawn.  Then we plan to put a fountain in the corner just to the right of the present fountain.   And to finish off the yard, we will put flower beds around 2 walls.

And now for a photo of my copper topped dresser....this is so Julie can see what it looks like in situ.

 Now I am looking for a suitable mirror.  That is always the problem when one buys a new piece of furniture.  The old what ever it is never suits the new stuff.  Tsk!

During the Day of the Dead holiday, friends, Mike and Julie came to visit.  It was fun for us being able to show them around our neck of the woods.

One of the many Day of the Dead posters

Flowers are very important for the Day of the Dead celebrations.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!