Thursday, February 10, 2011 — High tide coming in

Sorry I haven't written for several days. It's been a busy time. Jean Pierre and I went to Vallarta yesterday to pick up Mimi, the last missing member of our second session. She is also going to join us for the Mexico City leg of the journey and couldn't get off work until this time. The pick-up was successful and we proceeded to a rule breaker for me. I unceremoniously lost my Walmart virginity. The easiest, and possibly only, place to reserve and pay for our bus tickets for the trip to Mexico City on February 16 is to go to the big box chain in which I had never set foot. Well, almost all rules are made to be broken once in a while. Mimi and I were the last to be ticketed and we learned that our little group of eight are so far only joined on the bus by two other people.

JP and Yael had held off our overnight beach trip for this session until yesterday so that Mimi could be with us. So midmorning we took off in two cars with JP driving the van and I driving the Explorer. It was a very easy trip down to Punta Perula where we had lunch. I had a seafood soup that was really tasty and dominated by very tender chunks of octopus. We finished up with two coffee flans for the table and drove for about ten minutes more down the highway to Villa Polonesia. I had the best swim I've had since leaving home, spending almost two hours in their charming pool. I did simple water exercises before getting up the nerve to try some laps without that trusty black line on the bottom of the pool that I'm so dependent upon. Much to my surprise and delight, I discovered that I could see my way easily due to the grout lines in the tiles that line the bottom. After that, it was sheer heaven and I had a hard time making myself finally get out at about five o'clock. Took a shower in an enclosure which has a door that can't be closed and won't stay fully open either. So it was scrub, scrub, bash the door back, scrub, rinse, bash the door until pool chemicals were fully washed out of my hair. We made sandwiches in a delightfully appointed kitchen area and had great conversation into the night. This whole little compound that we're at is one of several large palapas with group areas, an eating table in the center and bedrooms along the eastern exterior. Donna and I have a large room at the northern end and were happily settling in when she discovered that there were hundreds of tiny little golden beige ants all over the head of her bed. The proper authorities were called in and I must admit that a spray can with supposedly "safe for humans" product was finally used successfully on the critters. We left the door open for a few hours to get rid of any smell and had a fine night's sleep. We both awakened very early to the sound of a rapidly rising tide. We've been out here on the edge of the palapa watching the light change and welcoming others as they join us. Mimi is now drawing feverishly. She's designing her tapestry which features a hand image and which she'll warp up the minute we get back.

We have eight days before we leave for Mexico City. Yesterday Yael almost didn't come with us because she's been fighting off a respiratory infection and she seemed quite weakened. But at the last minute she decided to come and JP just said that she had a very good night's sleep. Thank heavens. She sounds like she may be on the mend, finally. I certainly hope so because we all know there will be some pollution when we reach our destination. The eight of us are so looking forward to all the things we're going to see and the showing of our tapestries in Mexico City and Oaxaca. Elaine knows a super guide who gets into all sorts of nooks and crannies and we're beginning to sign up for a few day trips with him. So now you know why I've stayed off line for a few days. I so appreciate those of you who have inquired, including the ones who wrote to Christine to see if I was OK. All's well and I love every one of you.