Sunday 30th June 2013……..a bit of everything!!!

What a shock to my system..woke up to a  beautiful day having breakfast AND no tennis, soccer, or hockey to watch what am I going to do?  Wait till 5pm tonight when there is a soccer game!!!

So I went to Linda and Guy’s casa and did some work there getting it ready for their return I also had to climb on top of the closets for a box do not ask why …anyway got everything but I was a bit dirty and my shorts were also so I figured I was going to be here for about an hour time to wash my shorts and hang them outside to dry so I did and then I realized I had no shorts to wear so I just got my lounger out of the laundry room and sunbathed for a while yes in the all together!!!!!!  Sorry no photos ladies after all this is a family blog!!!!!  E mail me if you want photos and I will send them to you 50 pesos each!!!

I did not mention it yesterday but when I had approval to take Daniela out last Saturday I thought that was in addition to my regular day which was yesterday but I was wrong and I was told by staff at Casa Hogar that I could not see her yesterday but today at CH they were holding the quarterly Birthday party for the girls and I was invited..so that is where I went this afternoon.  It was a a strange feeling walking into the hall again after nearly 7 months I used to organize Christmas, valentine and all other kinds of events there but due to circumstances I have not been since before Christmas.

When I walked in I felt like a million dollars all the girls came rushing up to me for hugs..the smaller girls I know so well because for one winter I drove them to and from school everyday…they are awesome.  There was Daniela looking so beautiful and waiting for me it was so wonderful to see her she grows every day I am sure.

The girls were all so happy and of course the big event was the Piñata..it did not last long enough for me to get a photo but here is the aftermath!!!

It was a fun time and I was happy to spend a few extra minutes with Daniela!!

Came home and watered all the plants, did some laundry and starting getting my stuff together for the trip…the plan is to see Paola on Wednesday morning then earn some gas money at Poker and leave right after I reckon I can get to Guadalajara before dark.

 

Red 5 is my destination Puerto Penasco!!

At 5pm I was settled on the couch with ice tea and chips and watched the final live soccer game from Brazil between the host country and the World cup champions Spain…it was no contest and the home team prevailed…..I have to laugh after watching all these hockey games where the players are checked and hacked and fall down spitting out teeth, they get up right away and skate off the ice where as these players of the most beautiful game on earth, get tripped and roll over and over and over lie there like they have been steam rolled..such a farce!!

memories today are from

my ferry ride to the remote west coast of Vancouver island a few years ago!!

Last year in the beautiful Italian city of San Gimignano…

One of my hikes in the Scottish Highlands last August!!!

Yashi Koshi!!

Saturday 29th June 2013…..kid’s day!!

Saturday so again breakfast at Wimbledon before I go at 9am and do the real thing…this time it was just Loren and myself so 2 hours of good singles which is much harder and tiring than doubles but I really enjoyed the time and Loren’s banter!!!

Home in time to ice down and have some lunch all the time watching tennis on TV…at 1pm I  packed up and went to pick up Paola we had planned if the weather was nice to go to the hot springs…when I got to her house her 2 younger Brothers Leonardo and Andreas were there and of course Paola wanted them to come so I told her I would be back in 25 minutes and I went to get the car..we were at the pools by 2pm and for almost three hours they played constantly with Paola teaching young Andreas how to swim…..when we go into the big cave with the hot water the three of them, cling on to me..it was a lot of fun and they were so well behaved and happy…for the first since I cannot remember I forgot to bring my camera!!!!

it was a great visit and I sent them home with lots of fruit from the store.

Showered and cleaned up and went into town to my favorite restaurant, Hecho's where I met Chris….he and Juan are in SMA for 2 months without their RV and Juan arrives on Tuesday…..Chris is so interesting and he offers to help anyone wherever he goes…..be cause he has lived in Mexico for so long and speaks perfect Spanish his services are invaluable and I respect someone that will help other people.  We had a great catch up and as always the food was great.

Tomorrow starts my busy departure preparation days and I am leaving on Wednesday afternoon…….

Memory lane today!!!

Last year in Slovenia!!

Shave and a haircut Turkish style!!!!

2011 the Grand Tetons!!!

Same year Quebec City.

 

Yashi Koshi!!

Friday June 28th 2013………..party time!!

The usual breakfast with Wimbledon the timing is perfect so I watched for a couple of hours and then got ready for a big hike….I went again behind the casita into the canyons but took a different route this time.

I have never seen anyone else on these trails before but today I had company…

With all the desert like conditions it is surprising that anything grows but it does….

 

After about 5 km the trail came to an end..

So I retraced my steps and crossed over the bridge

and stopped for lunch.

Now the story I am about to tell is only my summation as I do not know the instincts of animals…anyway I am sitting on a bench overlooking the canyon and I had hung my very bright soccer shirt over a tree branch to dry as it was soaked from sweat.

So this is the canyon view I am facing…see anything??? Look closer at the white X in the center….

I think this is a fox and he was looking right where I am sitting and about 75 yards away on the other side on the canyon.

I watched him very quickly come down the side of the canyon

Then he crossed over and came on the path where I was

I do not know if he could smell my food, see me or attracted to the bright shirt but it was one of those encounters that last a short while but will stay with me for a long time..isn’t nature wonderful.

After lunch I decided to get a bit adventurous in previous visits here I had see a set of ladders that go down to the canyon floor and I felt it was time to take the time to explore…

 

That was the first set

This is the second and now I am on the canon floor and scrambled over huge rocks.

there really was not a path but I knew which direction I needed to go and after about 30 minutes came out here

I have no idea what this structure is but obviously very expansive and derelict.

I came out on the road about 3 km from my casita…I was gone almost 4 hours with only a short stop for lunch so I think it was about 18 km…I was tired from the rock climbing but it was a beautiful hike.

Tonight I was invited to my friends Doris and Herb’s 60th wedding anniversary….Herb is one of my poker buddies and the party was in the very lovely small hotel Santa Monica….

Unfortunately Doris was sick and spent most of the time with a doctor sitting outside but she did come in for a few minutes!!!

This lady was a very talented opera singer

 

I sat next to and flirted with Bebe..she was delightful and 92 years young!!!!

A wonderful evening!!!

Yesteryear!!!

Last year in Siena…beautiful!!

Janet and Malc dropped me off at the bus station in Ljubljana, Slovenia and I began my back pack odyssey!!!

 

Back yard Nanaimo with “ Bambi”

To my Canadian friends this is the start of the long weekend make it a happy, safe and loving one!!!

Yashi Koshi!!

Thursday 27th June 2013…..a bit of a lazy day!!!

After all the running around with frozen food and other stuff the last 3 days I decided today was going to be at a slower pace…so I went to tennis at 9am and again it was another lovely cloudless sky and the tennis was great and afterwards I went to L & G’s home and brought back all the food I had stored there..it  is amazing how much I can carry on the scooter!!!

Back at my place I iced down and had lunch whilst watching live tennis from Wimbledon no big upsets like there was yesterday….and at 2pm a great live soccer game from Brazil the games have progressed even though the country is in the midst of huge demonstrations.

So at 4.30pm I decided I better do something so went and checked on the other two casitas in the compound one of them will be occupied on Monday… swept my steps and the patio and watered all my plants they are all looking healthy and growing and I think before too long I will have to put some of them into bigger pots.

I have some busy days ahead so started planning I shall be leaving SMA on Wednesday afternoon for the drive to Puerto Penasco.

A is SMA and B is Puerto Penasco a drive of approximately 2225 km.

So lots to plan and do before then.

After supper and a hot soak just relaxing this evening did go for a walk around the neighborhood.

I hope you are enjoying the photos I am posting from previous blogs…even if you are not it is my blog and I am going to continue anyway!!

My Nanaimo harem…all lovely ladies!!!

A Corfu  beach 2008!!

On one of my kayak trips out of Nanaimo!!

When Janet and Malc (my bro and gorgeous SIL) came to visit  SMA a few years ago with guess who?????

 

My regular readers know of my love for sports both participating and watching and also my hiking and training for next year’s pilgrimage of 500 miles on the Camino de Santiago so I want to share with you one of my training techniques…

 

 

 

Just came across this exercise suggested for
older adults, to build muscle strength in the arms and shoulders. It
seems
so easy, so I thought I'd pass it on to some of my friends. The article
suggested doing it three days a week.
Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of
room at
each side. With a 5-lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms
straight
out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to
reach a
full minute, and then relax.
Each day, you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit
longer.
After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato sacks. Then try 50-lb
potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a
100-lb
potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a
full
minute. (I'm at this level).
After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the
sacks.

Yashi Koshi!!!

Wednesday 26th June 2013…Wild Wednesday!!!!

So woke up with no power and no fridge obviously so no morning tea almost a death sentence for an Old Limey!!!!

So I went out to L&G’s house where I managed a bowl of cereal and then went to pick up Paola we had errands around town to do and one of them was to go into the main square.

This is one of the things I love about this city there is always the  unexpected

Here we are 10.30am in the morning and

.   

What a wonderful scene and let me tell you these young  girls and boys were good!!!!

I asked around but no one seemed to know the reason for the incredible entertainment.

I did bump into the property manager for the casita’s and he told me he had just paid the electric light bill BUT it takes anywhere up to 5 days to re connect…..what could I do or say except thanks…. luckily I have great friends who are helping me.

My fanny pack

which Heather and Kirby gave me years ago finally had a melt down and needed a new zipper..so I found this hole in the wall seamstress

She said she could fix it and to come back later in the afternoon so I went back after poker and a new zipper and only 50 pesos another reason to love this town!!

As per usual on out Wednesday mornings I stopped with Paola and bought fruit and a whole cooked chicken for her to take home..she was all smiles very happy again.!!

I then dashed back to L & G”s before I went to poker where I donated 100 pesos to my friend’s pockets..I need that lucky streak to come back…..then it was back to L & G’s to get my car and take it to the new garage I found for Little Bluey….it is in a private home about 6 blocks from L & G’s…..undercover and safe so I am happy with that.

I then spent the evening at L & G …. .thank you so much for letting me do this

here is your buddy taken late this afternoon!!!!

….had supper, a lovely hot shower…watched some tennis and then came back to my place around 10pm…still no power!!!

So with candles I am writing this……..LIVE UP DATE      …power just came on!!!!!

Memory lane stroll today is

started the day with a parade in SMA finished with a parade at the Edinburgh tattoo last year!!

A great day out in Turkey!!!

Egglestone Abbey England….Yashi Koshi!!!

 

Almost forgot..today is the 26th of the month…so what you are asking……so what indeed…it is the first day for me to receive my Canadian and British pension……oh what a happy DAY!!!!!!!