5C's Que Pasa

We have more wine than we need to get home and so I sold some yesterday and today.

The past few days have been spent packing up, moving our plants and cleaning. The dust has been so bad that the RV screens had to washed on both sides and wiped down. The RV roof was the dirtiest we have ever seen it.

Sadly the weather has cooled down again. This morning it was 66F and there was a great deal of fog. Colin loaded our Mr. Buddy, it appears that the road ahead is going to be chilly. April 6th we will be in Ely, Nevada.

Personally I have been reading the same book for close to a month. It is interesting but I need to read it more often to keep up with the story. I am sad to admit that I have totally stopped doing my kinesiology this month mostly because I have had no energy. Nor have I walked the beach but once or twice as I have been trying to protect my chest. A blog reader made a comment on my last post suggesting that I try using an antihistamine for a few days as it helped her cough disappear. Today was day two of using Claritin non drowsy as that is all I have. I think I might be just a bit better. I will take another one tomorrow.

The girls know that something is happening. They are sticking to each other and were not happy at loosing the freedom of their yard when we had to put them in a pen yesterday. They did have a great run on the beach and chased many birds. So happy that they were able to have a wonderful last day.

This blog post has taken a great amount of time, mostly because I have been unable to transfer photos from my camera to my desk top. I finally was able to download a few to share here by using the laptop. Complicated and time consuming. I still have favourites that I knew I took but can’t find. I think I need faster internet speed, etc. Hopefully I will have more of those photos to share with you in the days to come.

 

I do apologize for not posting. There have been a number of things occupying our minds and our time. I can’t believe that I have gone 16 days without posting. However I am still sick. Fortunately the sore throat is gone. I went to a doctor here on the Isla a week ago and have been on two different types of medications. The meds were to help suppress my constant, painful and irritating coughing.  My cough is still there although less frequent. I suspect that I have some sort of virus that just won’t go away. For some reason I have little vitality and need to sit more and even nap a few hours per day which is not usual for me. I wake up tired. It is not Covid as I have done numerous home tests over the past 25 days and am negative.

Colin had the same symptoms for about 5 days but while he rebounded back to normal I have not. In the middle of this under the weather time something happened to us which has created a huge amount of turmoil and resulting stress for us. It has taken us over 14 days of tension and anxiety to deal with the situation. Suffice to say that there will some changes for us here on the Isla next November, things that we have had to put into motion this past week.

Our departure day is in two sleeps, meaning we will begin our trek north this Wednesday. Colin has taken up the brunt of the work this month from grocery shopping, to planning and cooking meals. Oh and cleaning 😎 I am hoping that as we slowly drive away that my cough will miraculously disappear.

I have lots of photos to share with you but I need a few more days to get back on track. It has been exceptionally dusty ( perhaps my cough is related to this dust ) here this winter with constant fine dust flying because of ATV’s, horses, tractors and vehicles. We finally did get warmer weather. It actually reached over 84F inside the RV a few times last week.

I have shared a few miscellaneous photos taken this winter. Many more to come.

Once again I am very sorry of the lapse in my blog. I really could barely sit at the computer.

 

 

 

We attended two evenings out before Colin left for Culiacan.

We were so very surprised to discover that once out of that place it was not windy and was much warmer. We were worried about taking the lancha back to the Isla and freezing but instead it was calm with nary a ripple on the ocean.

A week ago today, Saturday evening we were invited to a bonfire and firework display.

We really did have a wonderful time at both of these events but I certainly could have done without my sore throat and horrid cough which I am still dealing with 😥 Am I being punished for going out two nights in a row? I am on the mend and I believe that within 2 days, 3 at the most I will be back to 100%. In other news we are finally warming up outside. Thanks for checking in.

 

 

 

 

 

The afternoon that Colin left, my good friend here in the RV Park who I have known for many many years, Ferne, came to visit for a bit. The girls love her and it was a good distraction for the girls. For some reason we always are having an enjoyable chin wag and photos are never taken.

We had an exceptional visit that of course included vino. Time breezed past and we were both surprised to see how close we were to 6PM. A memorable long afternoon well spent. Certainly both the girls and I enjoyed our cherished time with our amiga.

I have to say that the girls became very needy with Colin gone. This is the first time that they have not had us both at home 24/7. They were okay the first full day, Monday, but after that they clung to me. Literarily.  They had to both be sitting on me if not next to me.  And I do mean both in my lap at the same time. They would run to the window at night looking for Colin and start barking. They would not settle at night in the bed, of course every time I got up to go to the bathroom they got up and wanted out to see if Colin was back. It certainly was not relaxing for me. I had no freedom.  If I sat at the computer to write a blog they were both right there pushing against my leg with their noses. Then the whimpering began, a very soul wrenching cry 😥 Of course they were not having their daily beach walks. I can’t mange them on my own. Likely next winter as they should be moving slower 😆 Hmm I might be as well 😎 But we love them dearly and know that they will change as they get older.

The following is Colin’s return. Ferne graciously agreed to pick him up at the Embarcadero. I knew that they had arrived back to the RV park so I took the girls into the front yard to distract them. Colin came ever so quietly into our site. I did a one minute video. They were so surprised that they did not even bark.

We had a grand reunion and today was their first beach walk in four days.

I was unable to go with them as I have had a sore throat that started last Saturday. We had been to a function on ( I will post about it ) Friday that was outdoors and I caught quite the chill. Then I lost my voice on Tuesday and Wednesday. I have found my voice but still have a very sore throat. I did do a Covid test and I am just fine. But a beach walk will have to wait a bit longer.

 

They finally fell asleep but as soon as I went outside to turn on some lights and close the door they were up and following me. So I decided to make their supper which they had and then once again went out to do a check of our yard and finally lay down on the chesterfield. It did not take long for Ciela to fall asleep but Carlie just follows me with her eyes. They usually nap 3 -4 hours in the afternoon and they have been up since 9:30 AM when Colin took them for their beach walk. I really hope that they will settle down in bed with me later on.

Meanwhile Colin has texted a few times keeping me posted as to what he is up to. I wonder who is going to miss whom the most 😥

 

But really how did it get to be March 1st?

This sunset is from February 19th.

What do you think of the size of these photos? Would you prefer them to be smaller like below?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It remains cool for this time of year. There is a lot of wind and it has a chill to it. However compared to what is happening north of the border we are not complaining. Many who had planned to leave within the next few weeks have decided to stay and wait for some warmer weather. We are here as planned for another 31 sleeps. I have been spending more time inside but with all of our windows I can see the ocean, the sand and what is happening out there. There is just one day that the girls did not get to the beach cuz it was too cold for them to go into the water. They had a walk at Amaitlan instead.

Last Wednesday we went to a cocktail party. One of my friends had invited 50 of her closest friends to meet her daughter and her fiancé. Truly a lovely couple and the party was great. Sadly they are only here for six full days and the weather has not been its usual perfect self. Then Saturday afternoon we went to a fund raiser benefiting special needs students here on the Isla. There was live music, an auction of many original paintings and a client auction. Colin surprised me by biding on a lovely full size fleece throw. One side had puppies and the other teddy bears. Carlie has claimed it as her special blanket. I borrowed it for a nap today and it is very snuggly. Colin took new friends into Mazatlan to show them around and came home with all kinds of goodies.

Carnaval is over but there are still quite a few folks who have stayed over in town. We always enjoy watching families coming to the beach. Colin is planning on heading to Culiacan to see Heriberto and possibly the guitar festival. Plans are up in the air re dates. Our greatest problem these days is that we have run out of relish, first time ever. Also we only have one more can of vegetarian refried beans left. I have been experimenting with a few new recipes. Oh and my very old falling apart beach sandals were stolen on the beach today. Hopefully the person who took them will get some use out of them. I will pick up a pair of cheap flip flops tomorrow.

Thanks for checking in.

 

 

The theme of Carnaval this year was Deja Vu. Some of the floats carried Carnaval Queen’s as far back as 1973. There was a float dedicated to getting a man on the moon. Another float was all about the hippie era of peace and love. There were floats from Egypt, China and Brazil and likely more places. Here is a collage of the many floats taken from a variety of areas. Colin and I watched the entire parade on TV and some of these are photos I took from the TV. Just scroll though the photos and enjoy the colour, the LED lights, and the energy. Every person on each float has to keep dancing, waving, smiling for close to three hours. Between the floats are dancers relative the theme of each float. We thought that they were excellent this year but they are very difficult to photograph as a they never stop moving. So many huge smiles. These photos are in no particular order. This first one is carrying the Queen of Carnaval 2023.

 

So many people watching the parade.

 

 

The following photos are from the MS Carroza Official Bandams Mazatlan Carnival 2023. Sinaloa loves Banda, MS stands for Mazatlan, Sinaloa. The crowds went wild as this Banda playing float passed by.

 

 

 

It was a fun adventure and everyone had a great time. One of the best ways to see the fireworks.

 

That means Banda music to excess, plenty of lights, tons & tons of beer, two breathtaking parades and the 125th anniversary of the Carnaval fireworks, loads of parties and people galore.They say that there will be at least 1/2 million people on Olas Altas alone tonight to see the spectacular  pyrotechnics.

Every year there is a theme to the Carnaval. This year it is Dejavu, Dreams of a Carnival (Dejavú, Sueños de un Carnaval). Apropos considering that this is the 125th anniversary of the start of Carnaval here in Mazatlan. Mazatlan is said to be the 3rd largest Carnaval in the world after Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans.

In addition to the fireworks and the parades one thing that stands out are the giant Monigotes. They start going up about 10 -14 days before the start of Carnaval. They are usually construction out of wire and covered with a thin cloth and then covered with paper mâché and painted.

Sorry to cut this short but we are off to see the fireworks tonight with 47 friends 😀

This is a link to an interesting article about the giants.