Since getting back from Cozumel on Monday, we have been hanging close to the house. Both of us have been nursing fever-blistered lips and a sinus thing of some sort. Damn the good life! It can be hard on the body. We had to laugh as the first night we were back the neighbor dog seemed to bark all night. I came very close to getting out of bed and screaming profanities at him (in English!).
Based on our day yesterday, here is a regular day just hanging at the house -
We wake up early when we start to hear the morning traffic and the doves cooing...sometimes accompanied by our barking dog. We could drown out the barking dog noise but have chosen not to. We still haven't needed, nor wanted, to turn on the mini-split. We drink coffee in bed and usually have a conversation in Spanish. It's great because we are both pretty lenient on the others correct use of Spanish. Yesterday we got up and did some clothes washing. The hardest part about washing clothes is the wringing them out. It's a real work-out. Our clothesline is up on the rooftop so it makes for getting lots of sunshine. We LOVE the feel and smell of crunchy line-dried clothes. Wonder what they would think at Harborwalk if we strung a clothesline on the boat when we get back?!
Making breakfast is a two-person job --- it goes something like this. I usually chop/dice and Terry does the actual cooking . We have a real 4-burner gas stove....it even has a grill-type burner in the middle that's not all it's cracked up to be. A typical breakfast for us is scrambled, unrefrigerated eggs with chorizo, poblano pepper, and onion, served on a refried bean smeared tostado, topped with avocado, cheese and salsa that we wish we could bring back with us by the case....and it comes in a can. Sometimes we also have plantains, mango, or papaya. And a little glass of juice - whatever is in the frig. We eat every meal on the back terrace.
Then it is time for Spanish lessons...which we each go our separate ways and do on our own rather than together. The funny thing is - I learn more from eavesdropping on Terry's Spanish lessons than I learn from doing my own. It just kinda works that way.
Both of us do a lot of reading - we brought books, the Kindle, and we have three computers between us. Terry just got through reading Shutter Island, and I finished up an erotica novel. Never said I was down here to expand my mind! I have gotten somewhat addicted to reading blogs of expats in Merida. I have to keep an open mind because I have to admit most of them have some views that are very different from my own. But I follow the blog of the woman I realized lived across the street from us last year down on Calle 75. She posted something yesterday I found interesting regarding the recent earthquake in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The earthquake hit at 12:03 and measured 7.8 on the Richter. Well, it seems that back in February the Mexican state of Chiapas had decided to have a statewide earthquake drill. The drill was planned, in advance, to take place at 12:00 and would simulate a 7.9. The drill took place on the same day the earthquake hit Oaxaca!!!
Ok - so after reading we headed down to the Chedraui (big supermarket) which is about 10 blocks away...happens to be down on Calle 75. We try to find streets to travel on that we have not walked down previously - it's getting harder and harder. We managed to take a new route yesterday that was a little out of the way, but worth it because it was new territory. It seemed fairly quiet in town yesterday and we are guessing it is because people have left the city for the beaches because of Semana Santa. Going to the supermercado is always an experience because we see so many things to buy we are unfamiliar with. Such things as tamarind seeds, guava paste, unusual cheeses, and lots of things in bulk barrels...just to name a few. What the hell do you do with tamarind seeds? I'm going to go online today and find out!
The panaderia gets us every time. We can never resist the postres and breads. Yesterday we came home with some great rolls for sandwiches (emparedados...for the record). And we bought some plastico adherente...plastic wrap. We were so glad we found the Saran-type wrap on our own as we had flashbacks to the sewing kit day. Neither of us would have had a clue how to ask for plastic wrap, except for the plastico part...and there are LOTS of things made of plastico down here. And of course, once again we didn't have the translator with us.
Terry made awesome emparedados and nachos for lunch. After lunch we did some more reading and surfing and napping. Then we decided to go hang out on the rooftop mirador. It was sometime around 1PM or so by then. The bar next door had already cranked up the generator but what the hay - we're used to it and we just turn up our music a little louder. We were about half asleep with the sun shining, a light breeze blowing, a few cumulus clouds floating around....and that's when the Willywaw thing blew through. It started out just a pick- up in the wind speed and it kept getting gustier and gustier - trees started shaking, leaves were blowing, the trees started dropping sour oranges and green mangoes, and our eyes got big. It wasn't rainy or cloudy or nasty weather or anything. It was crazy! Like a tornado blew right over the top of us. We could see it as it traveled over us and just kept right on going....you know, like a WILLIWAW! When I came back in the house - I noticed leaves and debris had blown in through the front door, and a picture that hung in the foyer was lying on the floor so I know it blew down the middle of Calle 70 as well. Crazy, huh?
The remainder of the day was spent lounging around reading and surfing. Then about 4:30 (I wear a watch/Terry doesn't) we started discussing what time we would start Happy Hour. We decided 5:30 was a good time. Happy Hour consisted of 39% rum and Light Coke for me and Sols with lime and salt for Terry out on the terrace.
We had our usual dinner-at-home last night - Ground pork meat mixed with salsa, fideo, poblanas, and onion served with cheese, refried beans and tostados followed by our postres bought earlier. I guess it could sound rather redundant, but it's that good. We eat it alot...with a few variations.
After dinner we watched the latest episode of "Justified" that Terry had downloaded earlier in the day. And, folks, that concluded our day! BTW - the dog was very quiet last night, and so was the bar next door.
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