Just Another Fairly Boring Post, Another Sunny Day

Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico, Dec. 28 -- Yesterday was pretty low key and relaxed. We took one of the little shuttle carts -- Toro golf carts with covered seats for transporting el turistos up and down the many hills, a free fun thing in and of itself -- to the very top of the hill that comprises the condo portion of this resort. The resort itself is many (hundreds or even thousands) of acres and includes a huge, exquisite hotel and wholistic spa down below us a bit, is scheduled to have two golf courses (someday), has an exclusive housing area above us, plus the many condos here, the spa, three restaurants, etc. Quite nice and very self-contained. Anyway, the newest area (and it’s all pretty new here) is the upper pool area with a bird’s-eye view of the ocean. We rode up there and ended up eating lunch at the pool area. We did not see whales -- the water was very choppy yesterday afternoon and evening so it was hard to see their blows -- but we had seen some earlier from our room.

We lazed in the sun for a bit and then walked down the hill and back to our condo. The cleaning ladies were still there. It’s amazing how it takes them three hours to clean the condo. They scrub all the travertine marble floors, make little rosettes out of the toile paper, make swans out of the washcloths and bath mats, etc. We just wanted our room back. Again, hurry up and wait. The amenities are nice, especially when you first arrive, but I’d rather they just do their thing and get out so we can use our room. It’s one of the downsides of staying here.

On the way back down the hill we rode the elevator with one of the sales guys who talked Colleen into going to a guest breakfast. She will get certificates to the spa so we may get massages after all. She is there now so I have a little time to myself. I will go to my owner’s lunch this afternoon and get a $50 certificate for dinner. We may go to the prime rib dinner at the restaurant down below or the very fancy restaurant up here in the lobby building. This really is an amazing and beautiful place: Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach. It’s not right in Cabo so is much more peaceful and quiet.

We may walk down to the beach today. No definite plans. Tomorrow we may go into town on the shuttle. We’ll see. We don’t really have to do anything. I’ve already got the makings of a suntan and I like the way my face looks with a little kiss from the sun although I’m sure it’s not healthy for me. It just feels so good in late December to sit on the deck and let the sun warm us.

Colleen and I talked a bit about horoscopes last night. It’s supposed to be a good year for Saggitarians in particular, something to do with Pluto and Jupiter being in conjunction and a five-star lineup or something. Pluto only comes into a star’s conjunction every 200+ years or so. I confess I don’t know alot about all this stuff but my sister is very interested in all of it. I find it mildly entertaining but don’t put too much stock into any of it. So all you Saggitarians who believe in this stuff should have your charts read or something.

Today is my grandson’s Isaac’s 13th birthday. It is also the 5th Christmas since John was killed. That was the Christmas I spent in Minnesota with my sister. The following winter I took her to Cabo, bought this timeshare, and it’s been Cabo every December since. This is my 4th time staying here and 5th time in Cabo (we also spent a week in June a couple years ago: my was THAT hot!). And every year I think about not coming and every year once I get here and sit on my deck (I have the same unit every December) I am glad I came. You can see both the sunrise and the sunset from the deck in December. The sun is low enough in the southern sky and we are at the very southern tip of the Baja.

We did turn the car in yesterday and they only charged me for one day, plus the gas I forgot to put in the tank -- about 1/3 of a tank for $17. Next year -- assuming I come -- I will need to remember to make shuttle reservations at least 72 working hours ahead. I called on Saturday and they were closed; should have called on Friday. I will need to remember that. Colleen is taking notes for me on the “benefits” of owning and I will make my own notes. Then I will know more about renting this out, exchanging it, etc. That will give me some options. It’s kind of a nice change being here with so much room and personal attention compared to living in my Mo. But I DO miss Charlie.

TravelinLady

Hurry Up and Wait, You're on Mexico Time

Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico, Dec. 27 -- Yesterday was another day of hurry up and wait. I had a very relaxed and relaxing morning, sitting on my deck, sipping coffee. At one point in the early afternoon I even spotted a family or pod of whales cavorting in the Pacific. I think there was a young one -- at least there was a small whale that loved to jump and dive and play. There was a larger one with it and I saw fins/flukes primarily from this one. A short way away another whale was spouting. I had lunch down by the pool and got a little tiny bit of sunburn -- just enough to tan.

My sister was due at the airport at 2 so I left around 1:30. It is farther than I realized as I didn’t arrive at the airport until 2:30. Unfortunately there is so much air traffic at the San Jose del Cabo airport that they delayed all the flights by 90 minutes or more. So it was well after 4 when my sister finally arrived with her bags. I hated waiting. It’s just such a struggle for me to sit and do nothing. If I’d realized the flight was late I could have at least brought a book. I wandered through the very few shops -- all of which had overpriced merchandise -- several times but spent most of my time watching the exits with all the tour guides and taxi and shuttle drivers. Some of them were there when I arrived and still standing there when we finally left. Fortunately two hours of parking was less than $4 American ($38 pesos).

We stopped at the new WalMart Superstore that just opened about three weeks ago. What an adventure. The biggest coup was finding the last jar or peanut butter of unknown origin -- but one of the clerks went back into the warehouse and found two cases, one of Jif and one of Skippy chunky. So we bought a few fresh fruits and veggies, and a wash for them that is supposed to prevent cholera and other assorted nasty diseases. The water at the resort is safe and pure for gringoes but it’s hard to say where the produce has been and what it has been exposed to. We probably could have just gotten some bleach but whatever. Everything is in Spanish, of course, so half the time we were guessing as to what we were buying. We found brands we could identify, like Dannon yogurt, so are fairly confident we got what we thought. Also bought a small bottle of tequila, the holy water of Mexico according to one of the bell boys, and a bottle of Kahlua.

This morning I woke early, around 6:40, to the cries of the black swan below our window and got up in time to see the sunrise. The sky and ocean were a silvery blue, all the fishing boats heading north up the peninsula left trails of silver in their wake. Once the sun climbed out of the southern ocean it turned first the sky then the sea to molten gold. The sunrises and sunsets here are glorious.

I vacillate between thinking serious of selling the timeshare -- like yesterday when I was so frustrated with the airport and the lack of concern for amenities like doors that lock on your rental car -- and spending even more time here. This resort is like a safe little harbor where everyone takes great care of you and is concerned about your peace and anxious to help you meet your needs. It is easy to tip the people who work here. It is a five star resort and the people care very much about the guests. When I returned to the room yesterday, the maids had left the towels folded in the shape of swans, had left a little rose made out of toilet paper on the tp holder, the dish towels folded artfully -- little touches of drama and beauty. I’ve included photos of the view from my deck and the fountain in the courtyard by the spa outside the lobby, which is also where the wifi cafe is. Outside of the resort is reality in Mexico, which leaves much to be desired in terms of getting things done efficiently and without hassle. But overriding it all is the sun and the warmth and the beauty of the ocean and the warm and beauty of the Mexican people.

I turned the rental car in last night after picking my sister up. It is just too much hassle driving a stick and not being able to understand most of the traffic and directional signs. If we want to go to La Paz or Loreto or elsewhere we can just do a tour of some timeshare resort and get some freebies -- LOL! I think I’m content to just stay here and hang around the pool or my deck or walk down to the beach. That is enough for me. I have plenty of good books to read and there’s always a margarita or cactus slam waiting for my slightest whim.

TravelinLady

Muchas Gracias for Sun

Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico, Dec. 26 -- I have exchanged Canada geese flying above me for pelicans flying below me, down on the water’s edge; the song of the geese for the wail of caged swans. I have exchanged clouds and cold rain for warm sunshine. The surf here seems louder than on the Oregon coast. There is the constant rush and roar, but sometimes the breakers roll over with a loud clap or crash -- not quite a boom -- more like the sound of gunshot. I slept with the door to my deck open last night for the sound of the ocean and the warm breezes. I arose around 7:15 (that’s 6:15 Portland time) and am sitting on my deck in the sun. Wonderful.

Yesterday, however, was less than wonderful. I arose at 4 a.m. to get everything buttoned down with the Mo, and to take Charlie up to my brother’s in Vancouver. I arrived there around 5:30. Tom then drove me to the airport and I had no problems getting through the lines. There is some benefit to shuttling up to Seattle and catching a bigger flight onward. I was done in less than 20 minutes and found wifi and an electrical outlet for the computer at the Horizon gate. The mountains were all dusted in snow as we headed north. Flying into Seattle the sun was filtering through clouds and the Sound, lakes and rivers all shown with a beautiful gold. Wish I’d had my camera out and ready.

At first I thought I had the whole first row in the cabin to myself but a couple came stumbling in just before takeoff. The first thing he did was grab two air sickness bags. Great! Just what I need, two people who either have hangovers or the flu sitting next to me. I commented that I hoped it wasn’t contagious. He told me she was dealing with morning sickness. I was so ashamed of myself. She spent the better part of the flight from Seattle to well south in the bathroom. Way to be compassionate and kind, Lady! I did apologize for my insensitivity later. I hate when I am snotty like that; it really doesn’t happen that often and I always regret it. Turns out they were also on my shuttle to the rental car rental place.

Because I was in the front row (bulkhead?) I couldn’t store my bag under the seat ahead of me since there WASN’T a seat ahead of me. I was in the window seat and was kind of trapped because the woman with morning sickness was on the end and had her legs up on the wall much of the time. So no movie, no computer, no ipod, no books, no munchies. Loooonnnnggg flight. I slept a bit but mostly just looked out the window and tried to figure out where we were. Lots of desert and mountains and some very large, ugly towns/cities but I have no idea. I think we flew out over So. Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona but am not positive. The Baja peninsula down by Los Cabos was surprisingly green -- greener than I’ve ever seen it. They must have been having unusual amounts of rain.

I had failed to make my shuttle arrangements to get to my resort before the 72 hours since they only work M-F so I decided to rent a car. Stupid!! Ended up getting a little junker with more dings and scratches than a demolition derby car. Once I got in it I realized it was a stick and while I can drive them okay, I don’t really like to. Flashbacks to an Opal in France that I couldn’t get into reverse. Plus once I started driving I realized the engine light was on. Nice. I managed to make it to the resort without incident but am going to check with the Avis desk here to see if I can either exchange it for an automatic or just turn it in. I need to get my sister from the airport this afternoon but really don’t want to drive this car again. We will NOT be driving to La Paz or Loreto or elsewhere, I’m thinking. Do I know what those signs along the road say? No habla Espanol. I can only guess. Haven’t driven with kilometers since Europe 2-1/2 years ago.

By the time I got here I was exhausted and upset. I drove in and the guys at the resort who greet and help guests told me to just check in and they would take care of things. “Just go check in and have a margarita.” I didn’t manage to get the margarita but did get checked in, when they finally found my paperwork. Marcos helped me with my luggage, walking with me to my condo, which is fairly close. He had someone else park the car and I will retrieve it today, unless I make other arrangements with Avis. I gave him a well deserved $5 tip. Already I’m wishing I’d brought more cash but there is a machine on the grounds that dispenses pesos. I sat in my room, enjoying a beautiful sunset and drinking some of the wine I brought, and ordered a hot turkey sandwich from room service. Not very good -- the turkey was very dry: like cardboard slices. Usually the food here is very good but I’ve never done room service. But I choked it down and went to bed early, after taking a nice bubble bath. It’s remarkable how decadent a good soak can be when you’re only used to quick showers in a tiny bathroom. My condo is so much bigger than the Mo, especially if you count the decks. I am looking forward to a soak in my private hot-tub on my deck -- views of the Pacific Ocean. My mother would have absolutely loved this place.

This morning sitting with my coffee on the deck looking out at the Pacific, with the sunshine pouring down on me and looking down on this beautiful place that stole my heart the first time I saw it 4 years ago my spirit is refreshed, all is right with the world. I will unpack more completely, check on the car situation and soak up some sunshine. There is a wifi area so can post this and connect with friends and family. Felize Navidad prospero ano e felizidad.

TravelinLady

Christmas Blessings

Portland International Airport, Christmas, 2007 -- Merry Christmas. I am sitting in Portland International Airport waiting to board my shuttle to Seattle and then hop on Alaska’s direct flight to Cabo San Lucas. I am very much looking forward to the warmth and sun. It has been cold and rainy in Portland. Hurrah for the Port of Portland for supplying wifi access here in the airport. Hurrah for Alaska/Horizon for providing plenty of electrical plugs so I don’t have to use my battery.

My family celebrated Christmas on Sunday, the 16th, at my son’s home in Vancouver. My daughter and her husband drove up from Coos Bay. So everything -- shopping, wrapping, etc., -- pretty much had to be done by then. That gave me more than a week to just relax without a million things to do, which is so often the case in the week leading up to Christmas. It was incredibly nice! I also got to spend lots of quality time with Jeff, who came down from Seattle for a week. Things continue to be very positive for our relationship. He met my children, their spouses and Dee’s kids, and my brother Tom. He already knew Charlie and they continued to get along famously. He gave me a beautiful pair of earrings -- white gold with emeralds -- that I am wearing all the time.

Last night I sang at Mass and enjoyed it tremendously. The young lady I used to sing with once a month at the Contemplative Mass was home from Alaska for Christmas so we got to sing together again. Lots of warm hugs and hellos and Merry Christmases, lots of families together at Mass. It made me miss that life I used to have when my family was gathered together to celebrate Christ’s birth. I was feeling a little lonely and sorry for myself as I drove home, contemplating spending Christmas Eve -- and Christmas Day, for that matter -- alone. I was thinking about calling Jeff and just as I thought about it, my cell phone range and it was Jeff calling me. That morning we had sent each other text messages at almost exactly the same moment, too. Funny. It’s like he was reading my mind. But thinking about being alone on Christmas made me remember all the people who really ARE alone, EVERY Christmas. When I got back home, I called both my kids and wished them a merry Christmas.

So I will spend most of today flying south. Then will be alone until my older sister arrives on Wednesday to join me. I have had so many people tell me to have a margarita for them in Cabo I’m sure I can’t possibly ever drink that many -- well, maybe I can. I can try, anyway.

So on this day that celebrates and commemorates the birth of our Lord, Jesus, God’s son and our Brother, I wish you many blessings and the warmth of family and friends if you aren’t someplace where the sun is shining warmly.

TravelinLady

As an Exciting Year Draws to a Close

Portland, Ore, Dec. 14 -- The sun is shining very weakly through a thin spot in the clouds. It has been surprisingly cold here already -- at or below freezing a significant amount of time for this early in winter here on the West Coast. Thankfully there hasn’t been much rain since the big storm almost two weeks ago. That storm resulted in some serious flooding in parts of the Northwest and a number of road closures from floods and landslides. In view of people who are shoveling out mud and throwing away furniture because of the floods, I shouldn’t complain about the $800 it cost to (hopefully) fix the leak that appeared while I was down in Coos Bay. It was unexpected but I am thankful I have the resources to be able to pay it. It was offset by a nice surprise: I did my taxes wrong and ended up having the IRS send me an additional $500 -- how often do we get good news from the IRS??

Speaking of the IRS and taxes, I am looking at the possibility of purchasing a hybrid SUV down the road. I like the green aspects, the fuel economy, and I especially like the tax credits. Once I figure out where I want to live and find a place, I will probably try to sell the Mo and the tow car (toad or dinghy) and find a hybrid I like. I have been looking at property north of Seattle. I like the idea of living in Washington because they don’t have a state income tax. Of course, I don’t like the idea of a state sales tax so that’s the down side. I am intrigued by the Puget Sound area, especially with my interest in sailing. So maybe I’ll sell the mo and buy a sailboat. Actually, sailing has been kind of a life-long love and dream; I want to sail the San Juans. And then maybe I’ll tackle the Caribbean and then the Mediterranean. That’s probably like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. If I think a motorhome is a money pit . . . they say boats are just a hole in the water you throw money into. So I’ve been looking on line, with the help of a realtor friend I went to high school with, at properties in Island County, and Skagit and Snohomish counties. I would love to find a little place with water views and maybe someplace close to dock a boat. There is absolutely no coincidence that my friend Jeff lives north of Seattle; no connection atall atall. This would only cut the commute down to an hour or so instead of three or four.

This is a busy week, just a couple weeks before Christmas. Lots of things going on at church, lots of Christmas things happening. The sailboats in the marinas across the highway from me have their Christmas lights strung and look so pretty bobbing on the water. The Christmas ships will be coming by this area a couple times in the next week or so. I went to a Trailblazers game (you know, those big tall guys who are paid tons of money to throw a ball at a little hoop) with a girlfriend. We had a great time and the Blazers won, beating Golden State by 10 points, so that was a plus. I think my daughter and son-in-law will be here this weekend from Coos Bay and Jeff is coming down on Sunday for several days. I am hoping to get everyone together with my son and his wife and family in Vancouver. It’s like herding cats to get everyone’s schedule to align in the proper order. I also have a couple of parties to go to this weekend if I can squeeze them in. Sometimes I sit home alone for days and nights but then I have weeks like this when I have plenty to do and lots of friends to be with. The quiet times are good for reflection but the “friends” time is also really important. It gets back to keeping everything in balance, and making sure there’s variety.

I was reading the little magazine I get as a member of the Good Sam Club. This month’s issue has an article about a couple who are -- get this -- following in the footsteps of John Steinbeck. And they are writing about their travels in a blog. What an interesting concept!! And they plan to publish a book about their travels. Wow! Wonder how they ever came up with an idea like that. I sent a letter to the publication telling them about my own travels with Charlie and including my blogsite and a photo of Charlie and I on top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine. Wonder if they’ll publish it. If I’d been on top of things, I would have sold my story to the mag before them. Oh well. Now I just need to find myself a publisher and get MY book done.

In the meantime, I am hunkered down in Portland, trying to stay warm and dry. The Mo feels like a snug little nest, my own little coccoon. But it truly does get a bit cramped with Charlie and I and especially if anyone comes to visit. I would not want to live here on a permanent basis; I miss having a house and fireplace and laundry facilities and dishwasher. My brother has brought his dog, Nick, over a couple times and with two people and two big dogs there’s barely room to turn around; it gets especially crazy when the dogs start wrestling and tussling and playing. Charlie is so cute whenever he sees Nick: he starts whining and wriggling and is so excited to see his buddy. Nick does the same. We get them together for walks whenever our schedules and the weather allow.

My next big trip will be by airplane to Cabo for a few days between Christmas and New Years. I am looking forward to warm sun and margaritas and room to stretch out. In the meantime, wishing all my friends, old and new, a very blessed Christmas filled with peace and joy and family and love. May 2008 be your best year yet! I’m counting on it!

Travelin’Lady

On the Road Again

Coos Bay, OR, Dec. 1 -- Well, after parking in Portland for almost a month, I find myself with a new view. This morning I am looking at blue skies and the bay. I have this thing about water, apparently. In Portland I was within about a block or less from the Columbia River and had Canada geese flying overhead on probably an hourly basis (not to mention all the jets from PDX and the National Guard just down the road). Coos Bay is on a huge bay -- the largest deep draft ocean port between San Francisco and Puget Sound -- with lots of interconnecting inlets and sloughs and waterways. I am looking right at the bay or part of it. On Thursday I will be in LaConner for a week and that rv park is right on Puget Sound. So water and travel, two things that seem to be critical to me. Last time I was down here with the Mo I stayed at a place just steps from the beach but had no wifi or cell service.

This rv park is right next to a Safeway (and Starbucks) and a Fred Meyer, has cell and wifi and cable, and is within a mile of my daughter’s, so is more convenient than the place I stayed before down here. Also, they are predicting very heavy winds tomorrow and Monday so I don’t want to be in an unprotected place -- there are hills between me and the ocean here. There is a nice paved path along the bay that Charlie and I walked on for a bit this morning, but the rain came before we were done with our walk. One of the interesting things about being right on the coast is how quickly the weather changes -- from good to bad and then back to good again. You have to be ready for anything; fortunately I took my raincoat so had my hood and stayed pretty dry. Can’t say the same for Charlie, though.

I actually left Portland a day earlier than I had expected to. They were predicting snow down the I-5 corridor and throughout the Willamette Valley for today and I didn’t want to tangle with snow. As it was, I ran into very wet snow on the way down here yesterday, but it wasn’t sticking on the road. In addition, on Friday morning, very early (1:30) I awoke to the realization that there was no heat. I tried several times to get it going but finally decided I must be out of propane. One of my great fears had come to reality. It dropped as low as 50 degrees in the Mo. I had all my blankets and throws pile on the bed, as well as Charlie to try to stay warm. Problem is, Charlie snores so I didn’t get much sleep. When I finally did get warm enough to sleep the smoke alarm batteries started beeping. Dang! What a nuisance. Fortunately I had a spare battery so replaced it and then got up early and unhooked the Mo and drove to Jubitz for diesel and propane. $220 later . . . Yikes!! So much for living frugally. It’s costing me $130 to stay here for five nights so I’m overbudget and it’s only the 1st!!

Since I didn’t get to see my daughter for Thanksgiving and probably won’t get to see her for Christmas, it is important for me to be here to see her and her husband. They are having a rodent problem so are a little freaked out about having unwanted guests in their walls. Her puppies -- my grandpuppies -- are so cute. They are cockapoos or something similar. Furry with big black button eyes and so cuddly. I want them to meet Charlie and bond with him so they can hang out. Last time they met the puppies went crazy barking at him. Apparently they don’t like big dogs. But Charlie will win them over, I’m sure.

Today we will take advantage of the nice weather and go to the beach south of here. There are some really nice beaches west and south of here. Tonight we will go to the light show at one of the state-owned gardens along the coast. I will try to take photos and include some. I went to this a couple years ago and it was very impressive, but raining very hard all night so that diminished the experience. If we’re lucky it will stay dry tonight.

December 5, Eugene, Ore, -- Well, those blue skies that greeted me to Coos Bay were there under false pretenses; bait and switch. Late Saturday morning it started raining and just kept raining heavily until Monday -- more than two inches; but it rained three inches or more in Portland so I don’t feel too badly. We didn’t go to the beach and we didn’t go to Shore Acres Park in Coos Bay because of the rain, and then it began blowing and didn’t stop -- until Tuesday, I think. Terrible wind and heavy rain. Several storms converging on the Pacific Coast. At least the last one -- which I think was actually the strongest -- brought warmer weather even if it was wet and windy. Finally got up into the 50s. Winds were over 100 mph gusts in some places along the coast; though they were only in the 60s I think in Coos Bay with sustained winds in the mid-40s.
Somewhere in the midst of all the rain and wind I discovered a leak at my bedroom slider. My bedroom carpet got pretty wet near the slide. Hence my stopover in Eugene -- actually Junction City -- at the RV repair place. They tell me it will require installing drip cups to catch and funnel off some of the water that drips down the outside before it can pool up and leak through the rubber sealant that is supposed to keep things dry. Anyway, these will take 5-6 hours to install and will undoubtedly cost me about $600, mostly in labor. This is just for the bedroom slider; the living room one hasn’t leaked . . yet and would be much more expensive to fix, they say. They would have been covered by warranty if the previous owners had taken it in and had them installed. Dang it all! If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Life, I guess. Lucky for me I just got my Federal and State 06 refunds so that’s where those will go. RV repairs. Right, just what I wanted to spend my hard-earned tax refunds on.

Before leaving Coos Bay, Kristin and I took some time Tuesday to explore the storm damage. We drove out to Sunset Bay State Park and near Cape Arago. The surf was still very high -- 30 foot waves. The action on the rocks was amazing and breathtaking. It was very grey out so there isn’t much definition between the water and the sky but I am attaching some photos anyway. We took the puppies and Charlie and they got along just fine. They actually got to know each other when Kristin’s electricity went out Monday (right in the middle of me doing laundry at her house) and she brought the puppies to the Mo. Charlie loved the company. While we were on the beach Charlie did his Charlie thing and found something very vile to roll in (probably a well-decayed fish). So the next stop was a doggy laundromat where he got an unscheduled bath. He smells much better. Just to pay him back, I sprayed doggie cologne on him after the bath. Take that, you dog you!

I was scheduled to drive up to LaConner tomorrow but I-5 is closed for a 20-mile stretch south of Olympia because of heavy flooding and the alternate route is to go east 150+ miles to the Tri-Cities (or else over Satus Pass), then north, then west, a total of about 400 miles, according to the State Highway Department. I looked at the possibility of driving up 101 to Raymond/Aberdeen and then east on 12, but 12 is closed in two places also because of flooding and/or landslides. The route I drove to Coos Bay on from I-5 is also closed because of landslides so I took an alternate route through Florence. It never was my intent to be driving a motorhome all over the Northwest in winter but here I am! So I may end up just driving back to Portland and parking there until after Christmas. Or maybe until after spring.

TravelinLady