Outside, yet ANOTHER snow storm (followed by yet more freezing rain) is raging and after spending 10 spectacular days in Mexico, it's harder than normal to take! I'm frozen all the time and find myself hunkering in front of the fireplace to keep warm. I've played the video of the beach and waves 10 times today--just to take me to 'another place' for a while.

However, it won't be long until Spring arrives--Feb is half over--and this year we will focus on the garden and pool deck. Wayne worked so hard on renovating the house all last summer that there wasn't much time to devote to landscaping. I tried to keep one corner of the garden nice so that I'd have a place to 'escape' when the mess of replacing siding and insulation got to be too much but I don't think my heart was really in it. I know that I need to move, remove, or divide a lot of plants this year, which requires more muscle that I have, ergo I need man-muscle..aka Wayne! The pool deck needs to be replaced as well. Most of it is the original deck from 15 years ago so it's time. I've got big plans but it will depend on man-willingness to help.

About this time of year, I find myself pulling gardening books off the shelf or drifting to the gardening section in Chapters. This is always a sure sign that the winter blahs are passing and there is a definite possibility that Spring will arrive.

Last Day in Paradise

I know for a fact that there are many places that are just as beautiful as this and where the weather is just as good..yada yada..but I know that I've loved it here. It's been a wonderful holiday and that is evident by the fact that I have no money left and I wish I could stay longers.

We went into town today--I had to get just TWO more pairs of sandals and just a COUPLE more pairs of silver earrings. I know it drives Wayne crazy and I just tell him that I'm preparing for retirement when I won't have any money to buy 'stuff'. Hopefully that's not true!

I went down to the beach very early this morning and took a video of the waves so that we would see and hear what they looked like when we get home, perhaps during the next big snow storm. One of the things I looks forward to most is not having to go out early in the morning, clean off the car and fight traffic to work. I hope that for the worse of the winter, I'll be in Mexico or somewhere equally as warm, feeling sorry for all those at home who can't be enjoying what I am.

I think what I enjoy most about being anywhere south is all the lushness and green-ness around, especially the flowers. Here they have Hybiscus hedges and Boganvillia everywhere in the most vibrant colours...even in pots all over the patios. Oh well, we'll just have to start saving our money to come back...and stay longer!

Saw Whales!!!

Today we took a catamaran out to Mesmaloya, a small fishing village about an hour down the coast. We stopped to do some snorkling and after the crew threw some bread crumbs into the water, the tropical fish were everywhere. However, the highlight of the day, absolutely, was seeing whales.

We saw one whale on the way down and the captain slowed the boat so that we could watch it. They are humpbacks that come down to this bay each year to calve and fatten up before heading back to Alaska. However, the biggest event occurred on the way home. As we were pulling out of the village, the captain saw a whale blow (it can be seen for miles) and headed over closer. As we approached, it leaped out of the water and you could hear the BANG when it landed. Much to our delight, it continued to breach over and over. The crew all ran for cameras as they said they had never seen a whale do that so many times. I'm betting it leaped at least 10-12 times and would then roll on it's side and wave it's fluke in the air. I only had my small camera with me for convenience but got a few good pictures but it certainly made our day. What a sight!

Claire and I sat on the beach in the village while the men hiked to a waterfall. Doug said he got some good photos of the local habitants so I look forward to getting their CD with photos. The crew of the ship was tremendous and entertained us...and I mean entertained us...all the way down and back. They were lots of fun and when we left we all agreed that for what we paid, we got one heck of a fabulous day! It was a bit cloudy over the island and once the sun goes in here, it's a bit chilly. That's a laught...chilly at 70 degrees! It may have more to do with the fact that we all have tans..some more than others.

Hard to believe tomorrow is our last day. So far we decided that we will spend some time on the beach and then head downtown to buy a few last minute things we've put off buying. Leather shoes here are very cheap and of course, that's where I'm headed. Hate to say goodbye but it just makes coming back all the more attractive.

Flying thru the Trees

We went on the canopy tour yesterday...that means you are tethered by harness to a wire up to 250 metres above the ground and go sailing through the trees tops. It was simply exhilerating and after 14 runs of up to 1/3 mile, I was ready to sign up to do it all over again. The whole process was extremely well orchastrated by guides who were on every platform to catch you, unhook your tether from one wire, and rehook you to the next. There was a beautiful restaurant and we spent another hour just sitting in the shade watching the next tour fly back and forth thru the trees and across the river.

Oh yes, we saw some wildlife but most of it behind cages in the restaurant. You could have your photo taken with a terantula crawling across your face...NOT...or another photo of a huge python wrapped around you...YES...when would I get the chance to do that again? He wasn´t at all slimey but had a real musty smell. I was ready to put my bathing suit on a go down the water slide but then I saw this pet deer they had step into the stream and have two big poops which floated down to the bathing area...decided to forego the swimming!

We went to a wonderful restaurant last night..Pipi"s...people were lined up down both sides of the street to get in and the food was the reason why as well as the mega party atmosphere. The boys had over indulged a bit at happy hour so it was an early night. Tomorrow we are going on a catameran to a secluded beach and do some snorkling & kyaking.

What a wonderful place when you know every night when you go to bed that the weather the next morning is going to be spectacular. We have the address for a place in Puerto Escondito that has apartments for $500 a month..2 bedroom with private pool...so we are anxious to get home and on the internet and check it out. Greece may have to wait for another year as I´d certainly be willing to do 3 mos there vice 3 weeks in Greece this year. We´ll see. Tomorrow we are going to the bull fight, not sure how successful that will be but if we really hate it, we can leave.

That's all for now. Today is shopping day and there are cheap, cheap, leather shoes and lots of silver to be had.

Puerto Vallarta is Heaven

It´s day 4 in Puerto Vallarta...really day 3 1-2 but it´s going to be another fabulous day. We arrived and settled in to our hotel and because it is such a large complex, we spent the night looking around and trying to get our bearings. Our hotel is in a larger condo complex and the grounds are nothing short of spectacular! Although we are probably 3 kms from town (a $4 cab ride), it is quieter and so beautiful. I´m glad we didn´t stay right in town..too noisy. Anyway, there are 7 swimming pools and because it´s so spread out, never crowded. A lovely restaurant on the premises for breakfast and we love it here.

We´ve gone into town the past couple of days to walk the boardwalk. It was a bit crowded on the weekend but should be much quieter through the week, although this is prime tourist season. Yes, I´ve hit many of the hundreds of stores and will get to the main silver buying through the week. Doug & Claire are going downtown today to meet her daughter who is travelling through so we decided to do the beach thing on our own and have a quiet day.

I love Puerto Vallarta and it´s everything people have said it is. The people are very friendly and once you learn the tactic of shutting down the damn time share people, you can walk and really enjoy the town. We´ve learned not to make eye contact and the buggers make out they are ´tourist information´places so you can´t stop to ask questions. The weather is spectacular, mornings are a tiny bit cool until the sun comes out and then it´s HOT but as soon as you step into the shade it´s very comfortable...no humidity. I can definitely see us coming back here and we may try to ask around about places to stay longer, ie 4-6 weeks.

Tomorrow we are going on the canopy tour...the Hussons aren´t keen so we´ll go alone and then everyone but Wayne wants to go to the bullfight on Wed night. I want to see all the pagentry involved but when it comes time for the poor old bull to die, I might leave.

Internet access is good at the hotel but sometimes the whole system shuts down in the middle of everything so any response is best sent to my hotmail account. I will spend some time today trying to download photos on a CD and then perhaps I can include a couple of photos with another blog.

No problems at all with the food or water. We get two big bottles in our room every day. After 6pm we don´t drink water anyway...it´s happy hour until 8 pm and pina coladas are terrific as are the margueritas. The first night we arrived is a bit of a blur...those darn fishbowls will get you every time. All that to say, we are having a great time and while we did get a bit burned the first day, the red glow is starting to diminish as is the pain, and we are starting to brown up.

Tune in again in a day or two and hopefully there will be some photos. Of course, the flowers are extraordinary and the grounds are just plain lush. This was a good decision.

Busy day as we finish packing and head for Mexico. There's something so exciting about going somewhere new. As always, I'll overpack and swear when I get there that 'next time' I'll take much less...I must write that down because I never remember to do that!

I finally submitted a photo for the camera club competition and was very pleased to get an 'honourable mention' for the fern photo. There's a very complicated process one must go through to move from the 'novice' to 'master' class which involves submitting a specific number of competitions, collecting points for each win, and moving up through the three levels when enough points are accumulated. Although the judge felt the background should be a tad more blurred (he's right of course), he gave it the 'OM'. There were so many photos submitted and I'm impressed with the quality of work that we amateurs are capable of capturing. There are some very talented people in the club.

As hectic as this week has been, I stopped after work and brought Aunt Mable over for dinner. She's 87 years old and about to face her 3rd cancer operation but although she's having more difficulty getting around, her mind is as sharp as a tack. Colin was here also and she enjoyed seeing him and having a chance to talk to him. He made her fall in love with him all over again when he asked if he could drop around next week to see her and get a knitting lesson! Mable took her role as my Godmother very seriously and has always felt strongly that she was my 'pseudo Mother'. Sometimes it was difficult as she wanted the same time & attention that I gave to Mom but she's always been very good to me and it's payback time. We had a nice dinner and I made up a plate for her to take home which she thought was great. When we come back I think we'll spend a day cleaning up her kitchen and getting rid of some stuff in her fridge...I worry she'll end up with food poisoning but we've been saying that for many years and she's still around.

Hopefully I can find a place with internet access while we are in Mexico..a test run for my new notebook computer.