a fond adieu.....( not to be confused with fondue)

Yesterday afternoon my friend Sarah came out to the house. After hanging out and chatting for a while we went to La Lagunita for dinner ( the local restaurant). Since it was a Sunday afternoon, it was packed with families who had come to the beach for the day. Cars, vans, trucks and busses full of people filled little Santa Clara like a tummy on Thanksgiving. Beach towels, sundresses and laughing children flavored the scene like any other summer hot spot. Music pumped through the speakers as we ate botanas and drank lemonade waiting for our food. Vendors strolled by , the breeze was hot and above it all blazed a crystal blue sky. I got stung on the back of the arm by a wayward bee but isn´t that part of summer as well? The fish was freshly caught and delicious. Sated, I leaned back and took it all in. My last day. For now. We went back to the house and relaxed, talking , reading, laughing. It was a really pleasant evening. I felt so glad to have met sarah and become friends with her. That led me to think about all of the people i have had the pleasure of getting to know here. A varied and quirky bunch each with their own odd story and set of circumstances but all sharing the spirit of adventure it takes to create a life here.

This morning we ate the last of the yogurt with some granola. sarah had brought sweet rolls with her and I set them on a plate. We had a leisurely breakfast, sipping tea and talking. When we finished, I washed the dishes and put them away. Not on the counter to dry as usual, away. After showering, I stripped the bed and bagged the sheets along with my bath, hand and dish towels. These would get dropped off at Marcias house for Marciel to wash, bring back and put away. He will be looking after the house. I then proceeded to pack the couch cushions into large plastic bags. I ran to the dump, and returned with the truck, rolled up the windows and patted the dash thanking it for being such a trusty steed to me. For driving me safely over many, many miles. We loaded the kennel in the car-realizing it wouldnt fit, we had to take it apart. This means I will have to re-assemble it tomorrow morning at 4 am at the airport (my friend Michelle who flew down for two days just to bring it to me wins bonus points ). From Merida we go to Mexico City and on to Las Vegas where i will rent a car and we will drive home.

I locked the casita, closed the back protector, shut the windows, turned off the fans and closed the door. Closing my new protector on the front door, I slid the shiny new lock into place. Sarah started the car and pulled it out to the road as I walked behind her and shut the gate slipping the chain into place and securing the last lock. I looked at the house as we pulled away. Melancholy. Sad to leave..so much work and heart put into it. A five year plan in preparation to move here and two years here slowly creating a little piece of perfection. But also excited about going back to friends and family. Home for the holidays, an oven! Soups, fall leaves, pumpkins, halloween, turkey, movies, Red Vines and Hot Tamales! Mexican food! and along with it all a return to work, a phone that rings a lot, schedules, a much different life. I was reading a book and in it they were discussing how people go to work, spend the day thinking about going home and spend a lot of time thinking about when they can relax or go on vacation to some sunny, carefree place. Ive gotten to live in that carefree sunny place and its been amazing but it has also been a bit lonely from time to time. Circumstances change, plans need to be altered and life goes on. How lucky am I that Ive gotten to live out not one , but several dreams. I don´t feel like my dream is over, I get to launch into a new one. So many people truly care about me, I am loved, I am healthy and still filled with the spirit of adventure. Let the games begin!

( sound of a scream)...!!!!!!

So, I´m at the internet place in Dzidzantun where I currently spend a good portion of each morning..I won´t go into a lengthy explanation of my cancelled reservations, lack of ability to manage my own affairs, feelings of frustration, powerlessness and just generally being on the edge...i would rathe spend this brief time telling you a story...
The other day, I was quietly sitting and reading a book about the brain. Still no functioning DVD player ( though last night I had the portable DVD player on the counter and the one thats hooked up to the TV both open trying to hand spin the DVDs to get them playing...I was SUOER stressed and needed a distraction..) anyway, the afternoon clouds and thunder rolled in and a deluge started. ¨wow! listen to that¨I said to, of course, Lucky. Then I heard an odd noise and looked up. It took me a second to realize it was a small human on the prch huddled by the door. Being Sunday, i thought it might perhaps be Didier, ChuChos son...maybe they were there for a Sunday visit. i got up and as i approached the door i see who I believe to be Marie, his mom. As i open the door and beckon the saurated two inside, i realize it is in fact not Didier and Marie. I don´t know these folks but regardless, they need to get out of the rain. Not like its cold or anything, but still. So, I put a big rag on the floor where they are standing to soak up the puddle they are creating. She takes off the childs wet shirt ( i see he´s very tiny..small and frail like a fledgling). I offer them water, don´t have much else..tea? No gracias...so, the idle chit chat, such as it it when the other person speaks no English and i am limited...we go through this for a bit and establish she is riding a scooter..ok, so i cant really give them a ride in Dzidzantun where they live. While we are struggling with more conversation topics, here strolls Mr Iguana across the front near the porch. This is Luckys nemesis. He is constantly on red alert to get this guy but of course hes much too fast and wiley for Lucky to ever catch. as i wonder what the heck he´s doing out in this downpour, Lucky spots him and flies out the back door. We all laugh as we see him running around the front in pursuit of senor iguana. However, Mr I is for some reson impaired and Lucky is catching him!! Next thing you knwo, they are thrashing around on the porch in front of the door. Im screaming ¨Lucky no!¨as the iguana gets pinned to the screen door, hissing , he has no option but to climb so up the door he goes! Where he stays out of sheer terror forthe next hour or so....Once this excitement dies down. i realize they have been here a long time now and the conversation has sadly lapsed...I decide to play solitaire..what else can I do? I have given the tyke a car to play with ( it was my grandsons) so hes busily playing and making universal car noises..then i hear a different noise..? what? what the..its liquid..liquid hitting the floor and i realize with horror that he is casually relieving himself down the stool and onto the floor and mom is just sitting there like its all in a day...when the sound ceases, she casually removes his tiny underpants and wrings them out near the front door. as in inside the front door..ah yes..the smell ..¨he needs to drink more water¨is the first thought that comes to mind. I want to start laughing. in light of all thats going on with me, here i am, a very large iguana has stationed himself to my screen door and this little boy just peed on my stool and his mother wrung the underwear out on my floor...ahhhh yes...ya gotta love it...So, anoth half hour passes and Im thinking its going to start getting dark soon. When are they leaving?? As if she telepathically registered that thought, she got up and walked out front. soon she returned with a fella. ¨Papa!¨little bird exclaims. So, after initial banter, they start to get the little guy dressed and ready to go. Here is something Ive noticed here...the child goes on the childs time. this is not the first time Ive seen this. The parents are giving the child direction like¨come here and let me put your shirt on because we have to go¨but it might be 5 min or so before the kid decides..ahhh Ok..I guess...so, as they left, thanking me, the guy got a stick and dislodged mr iguana sending him on hisway. By the time the sun started to set, it was as if nothing had ever happened. The rain had stopped, the reptile was presumably back in his hole under the back step. But there was that urine smell to deal with......

as i make crazy preperations to extricate myself from my life here in the Yucatan with harried facebook messages about reservations and friends phone calls in the evening to ground me and the internet guy graciously letting me spend three hours in the place with my dog, I feel so blessed that i got to experience all of this. The giant spiders, scorpions, iguanas, friendly people, urinating children......I wouldnt trade any of it....I´ll be keeping you posted, as of today, Im shooting for leaving a week from today flying into vegas and driving home from there..we shall see.....

tic tock .....

As if I haven´t been brief enough in the last few months.....this too will be short. As I wind down my affairs here and prepare to close up shop as it were, my computer has thrown in the moist, humid towel that it has been engulfed in for the past two years. It has made a valiant effort indeed. But alas, I am now left without contact to the outside world!! On top of that, the DVD player has stopped working as well..( or as poorly..). Now, its not that Im hooked on video viewing. I´ll admit I occasionally buy a bootleg (oh no! Ive gone public with my criminality..I could get picked up....) movie. Sometimes they are so bad I can´t watch them. For example on one the volume was so low I actually had to position myself inches from the television. Then there was one where I kept hearing the rustling of the recorder going on through out most of what little I watched. The best was one dubbed in Russian with Spanish subtitles. But I digress....What i watch DAILY is Seinfeld. I was recently discussing this with my neighbor. ¨I dont know how you do it¨she said. The other night when the DVD player decided to give it up ( this is actually the second time..it resurrected itself so Im holding out hope for a second coming) I felt so saddened that I couldnt watch i fell into a slight depression. Now, is this because I really find epesodes Ive seen many many times so hilarious I cant stand the thought of being deprived? Well, partially..but more then that, living in a remote village in another country without a computer, the cast of Seinfeld is the closest thing I have to friends. I know, it sounds crazy but think of it.I know them all so well, Ive had them in my home for years now, through thick and thin they´ve been there for me. Right now, as I wind things down here, packing away hammocks, getting the rugs washed and packed away, showing the caretaker what i need him to do, I am feeling a lot of loss. Loss of a home I love, loss of the terrain, the flamingos , loss of a dream. Thats not to say im not looking forward to and thankful for the house, the wonderful people, the love I am heading back to, but hey, loss is loss. So as I sit here cut off, for now, from everything and everybody, my Seinfeld family was a comfort to me. A rudder, something Im familiar with that makes me laugh. Nothing unexpected, safe. That is, until the DVD player breaks. There are no guarantees in life. We knew going into this that the future was unclear and thank god we did it anyway. What an adventure its been! So this isnt the first or tenth or twentieth go round of launching into something unfamiliar..its just these places in between the steps I dont care for. I am waiting, in a holding pattern until my next launch. There are many times in life we have to go through things alone. So though my friends and family are thousands of miles away, my video pals are a comfort. Until I leave, Ill keep trying to get the player to work, and though the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results, sometimes I push ¨play¨and it works...you never know if you dont try, right? 12 days and counting........

Headin' for the finish line.....

Well, I've been away (as some of you may have noticed...those with keen powers of observation...) for a while. I was trying to get some business drummed up to no avail. So, forget that and lets move on, shall we?
Where to begin...well, I can't catch you up on everything so we'll hit the highlights...John came back in May and I left ( not because he came back..). Went to Portland, from there to istanbul, back to portland and finally returned to Santa Clara. Upon my return, John informed me he couldn't stay here anymore ( not because I came back..). He can't take the heat and humidity. It wears him out so much all he can do is nap. So two weeks later he was gone. I put it out there on Facebook he needed somewhere to stay and-poof! Accomodations were offered, literally, within minutes. Tell me there aren't nice people in the world. So, off he went. Lucky and I have been holding down the proverbial fort ( or in our case, plantation) since then. We will be leaving here on August 21st, flying into Houston where another one of those nice people I previously mentioned will be picking us up and driving us to Portland. I am going to have my buddy Marsial take care of the house and yard while i'm gone, so I was thinking " how long does it take to water the yard?" He could stop by twice a week, open the gate and windows ( he comes by every weekday anyway because he works at my neighbors), let things air out, then stop by on his way home and water for an hour. one day front, one day back. So, how long would that take? I'm out there with the hose and i'm thinking "OK, I don't just stand here with the hose, I put it down, weed a bit, pick up downer palms and throw them over the fence, then move the hose, etc. So i start to do this. My first clue that perhaps i should let it go was when i grabbed the very first palm and got stung by a big 'ol ant. Now, this has happened to me before so i usually do a visual inspection of where Im going to grab ( John would be yelling at me at this point in the story-" why weren't you wearing your gloves?!"). Be that as it may, I got stung and let me tell you, it feels like a red hot needle piercing you. Well, shake it off and move on...After about an hour of weeding ( I use a metal hook attached to a wooden handle for this task), cleaning up palms and watering I think, " Ok, this can get done in an hour..". By now I am pretty darn hot and sweaty anyway and figure its time to stop. Just needed to throw this one last palm over the fence down behind the casita..oh wait- there's one more hanging off that tree...it's a low lying one about waist high and its stubborn. Doesn't come off on the first pull so i plant my feet, turn to the right and pull for all im worth...."Skkrritc" I HEAR my knee say as the palm gives up and I land on my ass. Ok..assessment time..visual check- knee is there, nothing protruding or out of place...can you bend it? "Aaah!" "OK..get up off your ass and get to the house. You're out back where nobody would see you". So, up I go with the aid of the hook, hobble my way to the back porch where my faithful dog has been laying in the shade ( so much for Lassie running for help.."whats that? Timmy's in the well?" or in this case" whats that? Jill's on her ass behind the casita?"). Lucky just about trips me as I tell him" get out of the way I hurt my knee". At last I'm in. Bag of ice, ibuprofen, ace bandage and put it up. About half hour later my neighbor Marcie comes over ( who by the way is the ONLY person who lives nearby). She was a nurse for many years and she tells me sounds/looks like I tore some cartilege. Great. So I stay off of it for the most part for the next 3-4 days. Marcie also tells me there is a place in Dzilam de Bravo ( the next village down and, literally, the end of the road) where I can get physical therapy. Thats like saying there is a place in
Estacada where you can get a heart transplant. However, shes been there and had it done. So, Monday i head on down. Now, according to Marcie, I don't need a referral. Well, this part of the story in not accurate. I do. So the lady informs me there is a doctor in Dzilam I can go see. After asking several people directions, I find it. It's not that it's such a big town, mind you, I just don't understand a lot of what they're telling me so it's sort of like a scavenger hunt. Dzilam de Bravo is known ffor two things- it;'s the burial place of Jean LaFitte the pirate and its full of alcoholics. Its a bit tumble down even by mexico standards...but i digress. So, here I am at the clinic. There are a number of women my age sitting out front. I ask them if they are waiting to see the doctor " No, no. You go ahead' they enthusiastically motion me inside where there are four other folks in chairs. I find a seat and i wait, keeping my eyes open to what this process is. There is no desk or check in point. Soon a woman emerges from down the hall and one of the ladies next to me gets up and goes there. Ok...after a while, a woman with a white top and a stethascope around her neck comes out and gets a little lady with her arm in a sling....after a bit, out comes the lady that went in before her. Ok..we're moving along. But wait, in comes a new player. A young woman with a newspaper and she walks right down the hall. maybe she came for the lady with her arm in a sling...Nobody comes out. Ok...now another newbie comes in, young woman with a baby..and SHE walks down the hall..OK, now I ask the little old lady next to me whats up. She tells me I need to go down the hall.Oh! So I do and sure eneough theres a little room down there with three people in it. The lady yells down top the girl with the baby that I've been sitting there quite a while but i just didn't know the drill ( this is all speculation on my part as I really didnt get most of what was being said) . So the girl with the babt motions that i can go ahead of her. Well, after some more waiting and jockeying around, I finally am seated across from the doctor. Nice looking, clean professionally dressed young man. I ask him if he lives in Dzilam Bravo and he looks at me like Im nuts. He informs me he lives in Mexico City but when he's working here he hs a house in Merida. Still a hell of a commute. Anyway, after we exchange words, pantomime various knee movements and recount the story of the injury, he tells me I need to stay off of it for five days,. As he's writing me a prescription, i gaze around the room. Against the wall is an exam table covered in what reminds me of a once white tablecloth after a Thanksgiving meal and next to it on the floor is a metal bucket that reminds me of something from a civil war hospital tent. i do NOT want to speculate on what is stuck on the outside of said bucket let alone look at what might be inside. The doctor hands me the paer with the prescriptions and informs me its for pain and inflammation. We shake hands and on the way out i'm given my meds. All of this, free of charge. I hobble back out to the truck and carefully stick my straightened leg in, positioning it over the gas pedal. As I drive away, i see the little old lady who gave me the heads up on going down the hall. I stop and ask her if she'd like a ride. She opens the door and gets herself in. Just a couple of gals truckin' along the streets of Dzialm de Bravo we are...after only a few blocks, she tells me this is it and turns to thank me. She also tells me as she's getting out, that she's 83 years old. Spry gal...we exchange " have a good day"s and i head out of town......Since then, I have been off my foot. i ice it twice a day and take the naproxen and wear the ace bandage. its still swollen but its getting better. Im told it will take a long time before it's actually back to normal and that, in fact, I'll be wearing this ace bandage for quite a while...I have also messaged my young doctor friend from home and she did an online quasi diagnosis of a meniscus (sp?) tear- torn cartilege. So, there you have it. I went online and read about it. Evidently as we get older, we can tear it simply by getting up out of a chair wrong! Great..something to look forward too.. So, I had told myself I was going to get out there on my windsurfing board I drug down two years ago and have never used before I left.That wont be happening.....A friend- another one of those nice people- is flying all the way down from Potland for 3 days to bring me a kennel to take Lucky home in. After that, its all about how do i close up this house? Mouse poison for sure or they will eat my cushions and nest in my mattress, talk to Marsial about coming over twice a week..Marcie needs a set of keys, she'll be driving the truck for me once a week. I only have a very small carry on bag to bring home with me which means everything will be left behind. my new sheets that folks lugged down for me, my art on the walls, things Ive acquired or made since I've been here. All the things that make this place so nice. I'll be going back to my old houe but have nothing to put in it. No pots, pans, sheets. But Ive started from scratch before. I have no aversion to Goodwill and I have lots of photos I can get enlarged to fill my walls with. My pal Lynda is giving us our couch back and the rest will come. The most important , irreplacable things are my family, those great friends I have and my memories of this wonderful experience. The house will still be here, and at some point I will make it back. I have another nearly five weeks here to continue to post this blog." As it was in the beginning, so it shall be in the end". From this blogs early beginnings when I was sorting out and getting rid of all my possessions in Portland, to stepping down from my job, along with us on the drive down and our whole time here, thank you faithful followers, for sharing this whole grand experience with me. Stay tuned.....

House for rent......

Tired of dreary weather? Don't want to get sucked into another holiday spend fest?  Well here's your answer- A perfect little retreat  in Santa Clara, Yucatan, Mexico.
 The Yucatan is the safest state in Mexico. The easiest airport to fly in/out of is Merida which was recently voted one of rthe ten safest cities in the world.

This one bedroom charmer has everything from a small pool to a two man kayak. While close to the beach ( across the street) you won't have all the sand to deal with in the house so it's very low maintenance. The most work you will have to do is blow up an air mattress to float around the pool or walk out back to the hammock.

If you want to bring friends or family with you, the guest house in back (casita) can also be rented.
$450.00 a week for the house, an additional $250.00 per week for the casita. Two couples could stay comfortably with privacy. If interested contact me at kahnerts@hotmail.com. I am in the process of listing  on VRBO or Homeaway.....

Casa Tranquilo

At long last -

You've found your own little slice of heaven.

Casa Tranquilo has been newly remodeled and is available as a guest rental.

In the little fishing village of Santa Clara, on the Yucatan peninsula, is a charming little bungalow nestled among forty two coconut trees.

Flamingos congregate across the street in the salt lagoons. Sit on the porch, put your feet up and watch them fly.

It's an easy stroll to a local restaraunt where fresh fish, shrimp, octopus and cold beverages await under a large palapa roof.

A double bed sleeps two, a hammock can also be hung for napping or for those looking for an authentic sleeping experience.

While there is much to do in the area, Casa Tranquilo is not for those looking for non stop action and fast paced activities. Nor is it a place in which to party. It is, however, the perfect, quiet spot where you can experience a genuine local flavor while being hosted by an English speaking couple who. They will be right next door to offer suggestions, answer questions, and serve you breakfast ( lunch and dinner are up to you. A refrigerator is in the casita, there is no cooking).




















The nearest airport is in Merida. Rent a car to explore the area- charter a boat, experience the mangroves, visit a Mayan ruin, a colonial city, tour an hacienda, swim in a cenote or take a dip in the pool. Stop on the way and pick up some food. Drive north from Merida a short half hour to the beach town of Progresso ( home of the worlds longest pier). From there, head east for a one hour drive along the gulf coasts blue waters passing villages and estuaries that are home to large flocks of egrets, herons and flamingos. As you enter our puebla, be looking for the Santa Clara sign - stop. You've arrived!


Unpack, settle in, grab a hammock, a good book, a cool drink and relax.

Casa Tranquilo is $50.00 (US) a night with a three night minimum ( breakfast included). If you'd like a longer stay, let's talk...

for more info or reservation- call jill.kahnert on Skype or e-mail luckykahnert@yahoo.com

We look forward to seeing you

Finally! a new post...

My, my, my....how time does fly. I can't believe it's been so long since we last chatted....

 I was just out trying to fill the cistern with water. It's one of those days when the water pressure seems to be experiencing the same lethargy as every other living thing. The sun is a seering orb that feels as though it couldn't possibly, really be capable of being that piercing when it hits you. The only thing to do is close the curtains, turn on the fans and stay indoors. The water lines though..well, they can't. I'm sure the sun has nothing to do with the water flow but when i'm standing in it's glare, bent over trying to coax a tiny stream of water, a trickle really, up an 8 inch incline into the half empty cistern, well, I can't help but think heat exhaustion has played a role in my flacid hose. The poor rubber is so warm it's actually abnormaly pliable. One has to be patient. You have to try many tactics; there's the quick pull up and thrust which theoretically gets the hose ij before the water knows the course has shifted. There is also the snake like zig zagging of the line to gradually get it up. Another option is the up and over an item prior to the up and over the lip of the cistern. You have to be ready to try all of these several times before, for no particular reason, one of them works. I believe i have discussed Santa Claras water issues before. We are OK here because we use very little water but our poor neighbor, who has a very large, modern home complete with all the water sucking bells and whistles, is in a constant frenzied state in her relentless quest for water. Lately, she has taken to hauling a large water tank in the back of her truck, back and forth to the water pump halfway between here and Dzidzantun. Some new folks are starting to build an enormous home next to hers. One of the other residents tried to give them a heads up that water was really something to consider when building. They poo-pooed her telling her their architect had a system all figured out. OOO.KKKK...let me know how that works for you. Keep it simple folks! keep it simple.......Some of us moved to a remote fishing village in search of a low key existence and it's working for us. So, my tanks are about full, so is the pool. All is well at the Kahnert hacienda...
 Saturday we went on a kayaking adventure. Some friends from Texas paddled about on a trip that took a couple of hours. We cruised to the next village down-about 8 miles. On the way, we saw a couple of really big sea turtles that stuck their heads up and checked us out. There was also an extremely large beast of a fish that rolled very near us prompting me to dig,dig,dig that oar! Thought i was going to have to turn into Spencer Tracy...
 As for the photo- that was taken in Sisal. There isn't really a direct road to get there so we ( Carol and I..my new Texas, Republican, Southern Baptist friend) had to drive to Merida and come at it from the other direction. There wasn't much to see but they have a nice pier and a great little restaurant which is where the photo was taken.
 So, after spending three and a half months alone here..well, with my faithful pal Lucky, my boyfriends back. Is there gonna be trouble? I don't think so...It makes me feel very resourceful and competent to know I can navigate another country totally alone. Not just another country, a remote spot in another country. The way I see it, I navigated a remote spot in my country for years and managed it...OK..it was pretty unmanageable but..you know what i mean...
 I'll be leaving Sunday to go back to Oregon for a few days then I'm off to Istanbul. I know...quite the jet setter eh? hardly...the king of the jet setters is a guy..well, Carols husband, who flies regularly around the world on business. Its amazing...if only I could tap into those frequent flier miles....The thing that is painful to me is that he doesn't see any of the places he goes. He flies in, goes to the hotel, goes to his meetings, back to the hotel. He could be in Pittsburg or Duluth instead of Dubai or Santaigo. Its one of lifes twists..kind of like youth being wasted on the young.
 i will leave you with two things- 1.) I am going to start a line of cards using photos I've taken here.   " Lucky Dog Productions" I've appropriately named my venture. I hope to have some sort of website, blog something to show them...remember, christmas is just around the corner....I'll be selling them in packs of 5 so its a GREAT gift idea..and 2.) I'm going to get the casita up and running as a rental. I'll be showing lots of photos and info so again, possibly a blog of its own or website. Oh! and number 3). for those who haven't heard of "Wild " yet, I'd say its a must read. I cant recommend it highly enough. I read it in two sittings.
 Guess thats it for now, better go check the hose. Remember, Easy Does It, Keep It Simple and The Dude Abides......till next time......

Hola! Well, nothing really exciting and or interesting to report to you this week, which is not necessarily a bad thing....I got two new ceiling fans, had them put in, so I have a lovely breeze/wind blowing even when its calm outside. now, this may sound like a simple enough thing, but it took several steps. First, my friend who fixes up houses sent one of her workers to get the fans- he knows the cheap place...then I had to pick them up from her during one of my weekly merida junkets. Next step, go over to marcies ( where Marsial works ) and ask him to call his brother in law Lucio to see if he can come install them. Lucio shows up on a Saturday to look at the job and Monday he returned and installed them...Two weeks later......Then there is the crack in the front of the house that needed to be fixed. This happens ALL THE TIME at the beach. That simple repair took about a month. My concrete guy didnt have minutes on his phone, then the phone wasnt working so he couldnt read the texts...finally he brought the family over for a visit, their little boy Didier swam in the pool and the next day the crack was fixed. Of course, all of this work involves concrete and concrete involves POLVO!! Anyone who has ever spent anytime here and had work done knows what an incredible mess polve ( concrete dust) makes. it gets into every nook and cranny and takes at least 3 days to clean up. So, thats what I've been up to.

My grinning co-pilot on one of our hot trips into Merida. They say people look like their dogs and i am beginning to notice a smiling resemblance......

Here is the tree at the hotel ( I see I have inadvertantly shown it to you twice) There was a mini hurricane a week or so ago and unfortunately, this very old tree lost its life. The little mayan man who's probably in his 50's who works here, has been slowly hacking away at it with a machete! Talk about job security....It changes the whole look of the place. The back courtyard used to be a shady oasis. Speaking of hurricanes, its supposed to be a big hurricane season here because it got so hot so early. Evidently the gulf heating up contributes to hurricane formation. i must confess, Im not much of a meteorologist, so i'll take their word for it. With that in mind i set out yesterday after i checked into the hotel, to renew our hurricane insurance. I found the bank that we went through ( this is common with insurance here) , went in , figured out the system ( you get a number from a somewhat secret location-by the front door! Maybe if they didn't hide it in an obvious spot...) and wait your turn. Now, with the help of Irma at the hotel, I found out that the insurance is automatically renewed- yes! That makes it easier-BUT- that means i need to find out how much money i have in there and make a deposit. Of course the teller , all the tellers, spoke only spanish. there was one young lady at the door who spoke a bit of english and we finally got it all figured out. With her assisstance, I used the ATM card they had given us last year when we opened the account ( which has been tucked away in my files since then) to check the balance. the teller couldn't do this as , evidently, the account is in my husbands name. They couldnt give me any info so had to use the card...Long story short, all is well. We are covered, the fans are in, the crack is fixed. So it took a little doing to accomplish these tasks...What else have i got to do right? It's these challenges that drive some people nuts and they get crazy or they leave.You just need to ask for help, start doing it long before it needs to get done,and remain open to learning how to do things a different way. And aren't those great lessons to learn and be reminded of? I've been working on letting go of control for years and I ended up in the perfect place to work on that.

I do occasionally have to exert my will though. The other night as I was walking out the back door, Lucky darted out ahead of me and latched onto something. Not knowing what it was, i didnt say anything to him. It could have been a very large spider or a humongous cockroach. What it was though, was a sweet little gecko. " No Lucky!!" I shouted in my stearnest dog command voice. He looked at me like really? "Give Lucky"...again the 'do i have to?' as the squirming back half of the little creature tried to break free. He must have been holding it carefully because when he dropped it, it scampered away with all legs and tail intact. So, there's your weekly update. Nothing big, just enough to keep me out of trouble...Oh, I'll leave you with this mystery item.

The other night I was at Carols house ( she lives on the beach). She was telling me about how the night before she got up to go to the bathroom and saw a string of lights out on the water stretching all across the horizon. at first in her sleepy delirium, she thought maybe she was somehow seeing the pier in Progresso ( its the worlds longest pier but we are an hour away...come on...) Then she thought a cruise ship but again, even the Titanic or the QE2 wouldn't stretch that far. She said all of the lights were evenly spaced and it kind of freaked her out because she thought maybe it was some sort of invasion. We pondered possibilities and came up with nothing. as I got up to leave, what did i see out on the water?...lights. The longer we stood there, the more the little open spaces filled in until almost the entire horizon was filled with evenly spaced lights....

Road trip to Cuzaman

OK, so this is going to be a bit annoying..im afraid I cant figure out why the underlining is happening so we are just going to forge ahead...Lucky and i are sitting in the now wide open( due to the recent loss of the bougainvilla) eating area at the hotel and I want to get rolling before it gets blasting hot.

I told you , when last we spoke, that my friend maggi was arriving. Well, the airport pickup went off without a hitch. Im such a local now.( Oh! There goes the line....) The day after her arrival we went, in air conditioned comfort courtesy of Marcies air conditioned land yacht, to Yoxcopuil, (and im probably not spelling that right..guess Im not totally a local yet), on the way to Uxmal. Yoxcopuil is a hacienda that is somewhat intact. It is still owned by the same family and some of the original pictures and furnishings remain. there was a great little guy there that showed us around then let us wander on our own. you can see how glorious it all was at one time but knowing some of the hacienda history ( the mayans were basically indentured servants..one step up from slaves) I couldnt help but ask the guy if the people were nice or "malo"-bad. ' malo" came the reply. We left there and went to another refurbished hacienda for a lovely lunch and finally made it to Uxmal for a brief visit as the temperatures were soaring by then. We returned to merida where we lazed about for a couple of days before heading out to casa de Kahnerts. The difference between merida and Santa Clara is like night and day but it took maggi no time to adjust to a very slow pace...like a crawl really...like a snails crawl...Reading, napping, hammock time, Yahtzee, gin...when we really got fired up we went to the beach. Pretty busy schedule. After a few days at that non stop pace, we hooked up with my friend peggy and took a road trip to the cenotes of Cuzama. Peggy drove since she has air conditioning, Maggi was navigator and i relaxed in the back. There was no direct route to this place and getting there involved passing through very small towns and villages with no real idea of where we were going other then a southern heading. The map we were using gave no description of the quality of the roads and at one point we found ourselves creeping over pavement that looked like a war had been fought in the area and it involved a lot of road bombing. Potholes like caverns awaited a false turn. peggys little car would have been sucked in head first. we seemed to leave civilization behind from time to time and i wondered about the gas situation but pushed it out of my mind.

As we rounded a bend, in the distance we saw some sort of wall or building. ' Whats that?" we all leaned forward ( as if that would help) and as we got closer we realized it was the remnants of a hacienda. here we were in the middle of nowhere....( sidenote- Im told there were over 900 hacindas here in the henequen heyday. It was sort of like the french revolution when the mayans revolted and overthrew the rich. many of the haciendas were damaged, others abandoned)

This particular building was the machine house. The huge wheels and cogs were still in place. I realized this as I looked up and saw that I was standing under some rotting timbers that were supporting..oh, a few tons of metal. Needless to say i moved. There was another building across the street and around the bend 4 or 5 more. There was also a tiny ramshackle structure where the caretakers currently live. In the end, the Mayans ended up the overseers of this hacienda...too bad they didnt get to live in grand style.

Wow, I must apologize....this posting is very problematic today....I selected several other photos that are somehow gone...i will have to post them seperately.....

From here we passed through several little villages, took a picture of a lovely little lady with gold earrings and a beautifully embroidered huipil (sp?-traditional dress)...

At last we reached Cuzaman. We stopped in a restaraunt with the tallest palapas roof Ive ever seen, had some wonderful fresh coconut and mango ice cream, then headed out to find our ride. They have taken the old rail cars that were used to transport the henequin and converted them to people movers. A little horse pulls you along the rails as you sway and bump along, you realize how huge the hacienda was. our time is running out so we tell our guy we can only visit one cenote. The cart stops, they detach our pony for a little break and we approach the mouth on the centote. Its an opening in the ground. A hole the size of a 57 chevy. God forbid you were drunk and staggering around in the dark because youd fall to your death. We clung to the handrail as we made our descent straight down concrete stairs. The temperature dropped dramatically as we headed into the darkness and once our eyes adjusted we saw a beautiful, blue, crystaline pool. The ceiling was adorned with stalagtites and swallows darted about.I was wishing id have brought my swimming suit as I watched a family diving in and swimming around.

I later found out that all three of the cenotes at Cuzama are underground and that the one we stopped at was , in fact, the least spectacular of the three. well, i know where im going back one day.....

So, things are heating up....gonna wrap this up for now. I hope i dont end up with doubles of the pics but if thats what happens so be it...till next time!

vehicular distress

A couple of weeks ago, the day before my friend Maggi was due to arrive, my friend Peggy and i were hanging out at her place down the road in San Crisanto. We sat around her place for a while then decided to drive into progresso and go to Aurora Bodega soIi could tap the ATM ( i needed to get enough money together to pay cash for the car insurance and you can only get out so much at a time and once a day) and pick up some groceries. On the way back, i hear..what is it?..the fan belt. we are only a few miles out of Progresso so we are on a two lane highway. Where am i going to get this fixed? I'm thinking..oh I know! The place i had the muffler done. OK, no sweat....noise getting louder..please let me make it to San Crisanto I silently ask. We approach a slow moving car and about this time i realize that the temp gauge is showing a bit of warming...nothing hot mind you but headed in that direction. I stay put behind the slow car and see that the truck likes this..the temp gauge lowers. Ohhhhhh....thats all she wrote. The gauges STOP and so does the engine. Game over...on the side of the hiway. Okayyyy..." I think this is the house my friend Kevin is working at" Peggy says so we head up the driveway and introduce ourselves to a lovely couple- both professors somewhere in maine- who have the house for 20 years. the first 6 of which they had no power or water. nice house...well, Kevin isn't there, the husband has the flu and excuses himself to the bed and i call our friend Babakar who dons his cape and heads out to get us. he lives in San Crisanto as well so we know it'll be a good 20 min before he gets there so the lady of the house takes us on a tour, we thank her for her hospitality and walk back up the driveway to await our heroes arrival. As we approach the car there is some discussion of stories involving people who are sitting in their broken down cars when-WHAM!! they are smashed from behind by a speeding car. We opt to stand by the car...We also notice that it will soon be dusk...
Like a ship at full sail heading to a drifting raft, Babakars white farm truck appears on the horizon. Babakar is a tall ,lanky, African man who is as black as this keyboard. he is also one of the most laid back people I've ever met. After exchanging greetings, taking a cursory look under the hood and making a plan to tow the truck to a mechanic he knows in san Crisanto, he tied a thick rope securely from my bumper to his. Peggy and i climb in my truck and belt up...we're in for a bumpy ride I think to myself. Now, I hate being towed. Even under the best of circumstances it is really nerve racking to me and these are NOT the best of circumstances...Babakars truck has boards on the side of the bed so i can NOT see around it at all, his break lights dont work and as we pull out onto the road, i notice there are two plastic gas tanks in the back of his truck..directly in front of me...so as i realize the rope we are using is so short I dont see how I could possibly stop in time, I also realize I dont really need to worry about it because we will probably burst into a red hot fireball before I break any bones...
Here we go! We are cruisin now..." you're doin' great" Peggy assures me as i grip the wheel like the last life vest on the Titanic. I feel like Im all over the road. The truck has power steering so without the engine running both the steering and brakes leave a bit to be desired. Ok..we approach Telchac Puerto- the first town- topes! ( speed bumps)-'he's braking!" Peggy says ( she can evidently see a lite on the back of his truck that I can't)..ohhhhh..just when I think Im gonna test that fireball theory he pulls away and takes the front end of my truck over the bump but..oh..a little lag on the back and SNAP! there goes the rope...babakr stops, gets out, backs up and casually reties the rope " maybe it would be better if you put your arm out when you are going to stop babakra. Jill cant see your brake lites". oh, ok..Now, the rope was short to begin with..with this latest re-tying it is now even shorter..round two ' Im turning my lights on" click..." youre doin great" comes more reassurance..." As we pass parked cars, kids on bikes, pedestrians, on coming cars, I see NONE of it before its there..."theres a curve in the road coming up" my co-pilot informs me..At times I am reminded of going roller skating as a kid and having your friend "whip" you..this is what i picture my truck doing as we round a bend. There is water on both sides of us a we go over a small bridge. i feel like he is going to whip me to the left and as the rope snaps Peggy and i will launch over the guard rail and into the water below. " Doesnt it seem like he's going really fast?!" I ask...' yes, it does" she concurs.."Im going to flash the lights"...nothing " maybe you should honk the horn" she suggests..' hes braking" she tells me." I thought he was going to put his arm out?" Its too dark- his arm is too dark I cant see it. So several topes and three rope brakes later, we are almost there. it is totally dark now and i swear the rope is a foot long and im riding the brake for fear ill never be able to stop. At last we make it to san Crisanto and I pry my fingers off the wheel. " you did a great job' peggy tells me once again. " who needs drugs?!" I giddily yell to no one in particular as i relish once again feeling solid ground beneath my feet.
Now, remember the part about maggi flying into merida tomorrow? That leaves the slight problem of getting into town to get her..Luckily, well, for me, Marcie is having knee surgery and lets me borrow her truck for three days. Perfect! I am able to go to town, get Maggi, we drive in air conditioned luxury to Uxmal and a couple of haciends over the next two days before stopping in dzidzantun for groceries on the way home and returning marcies truck. For the next several days we are without a vehicle but Carol takes us to check on the ruck...it needs a new battwry...off to merida we go. Spent a nice day shopping around and eating at Costco! Ooh! Big day in the big city...at last we return to San Crisanto and the truck which has been partially rebuiltt. One pulley went out causing a chin reaction of problems including water pump, fan, alternator...anyway, $500 dollars later, new battery in place, Im on the road again. Oh, amd that car insurance i needed? babakar told me about a cheaper place when he took me home that fist night so all the money I had taken out to pay for that went to pay for the truck repair. After it was all said and done, i was $40.00 to the good....
So maggi is winding down her visit, it was a good one but all good things must come to an end, or so they say. She will fly out in the morning and Lucky and I will drive home, newly rebuilt and with a fresh new insurance policy....next week?- hurricane insurance...I'm told we are due for one this year due to the warm spring we've had. Looks like another bumpy ride!

Hmmmmm....

Well dear readers...I know I have been remiss. It's hard for me to drum up a topic sometimes. I've talked about the blue skies, the birds, the beach, Lucky, the locals, the gossipy gringos, the multitude of catholic holidays and festivities, Carnival, Semana Santa ( which is coming in 3 weeks or so..) when the vacationers flood Santa Clara....I've discussed all of these things with you. I've tried to share the challenges of accomplishing things that, at home, are as simple as a phone call or two like getting internet, car insurance ( which i have to renew next week...took me two people who spoke spanish to call last years agent, get an address- which i'll take a cab to because it's too difficult for me to find in 95 degree heat, no air conditioning and crazy drivers), hurricane insurance and paying the electric bill ( its like playing the lottery trying to find out when the office in Dzidzantun is open). Its all an incredible adventure and every day is different. Like today, i picked up a couple of guys in Cansahcab with four crates and a hand truck. and gave them a ride to santa clara. They had to stop in Dzidzantun with me while i picked up my laundry and bought a phone card. I bought them cokes and in exchange, at the end of the ride they gave me 4 ears of corn and two fresh mangos. Just like the beach is different every time i go on it. some days its covered with beautiful shells, some days stinky seaweed. At times its completely devoid of anything other then pristine sand. Low waves, the glasslike surface when its calm and the heat hangs on you like a warm, wet sweater...
Whats missing from this grand adventure are my friends and family. The ability to create and share a common experience. Now, luckily, I have had my true blue people visit me. As a result, they know what im talking about and can visualize the orange municipal building in Dzidzantun, the little tienda where i buy my fruits and vegies, the hotel i stay at, the english libray where the meeting is held, the road to Merida, the topes ( speed bumps) that are ever present through all the villages, the tricycles, the little village ladies in their embroidered dresses. All the things that make up my day to day life. But the little mundane things like what I'm having for dinner or where I found a new place to buy a chicken breast go unspoken, unshared. The " oh my gosh! look at that flower that opened up!" only gets voiced to Lucky, who i must say wags his tail and is very interested in my obvious excitement. Am I sad about this? I wouldn't say sad...melancholy. I don't miss the cold, the grey, the wet,the high cost of everything. I enjoy living a simple, basic, toasty, existence. I guess everything comes with a price.
As the sun sets in a blaze of orange, the pelicans fly down the coastline like a ribbon in the wind, the palm leaves rustle, a fishing boat motors its way in for the night and the grackles call to each other, there is no one to turn to and say " pretty cool isn't it?" with a satisfied smile. So everybody- close your eyes and picture it..feel the warm wind, smell the salt, check out that orange globe as it flares and turns purple........pretty cool isn't it?

I know , I know....." but Jill, you showed us this on Facebook..?" Since when can you get too much of a good thing huh? I ask you...This picture of the fabulous Mr. Lucky ( in this shot, Lynda referred to him as Slum Dog Millionaire and i believe that perfectly encapsulates it). I actually tried to post 5 new pics last night from the hotel but for some reason it didn't work. This picture was taken at my friend Deborahs' stunning home in Merida. notice the old, original tiles? lovely... I've been staying at Debs and , though she said i could stay in her absence, and i do have a key, I don't feel right about it so Lucky and i stayed at the hotel last night.

After a quick cup of coffee, toast, a little fresh melon and a skype call to my pal Lynda, Lucky and I hit the road. it gets hot pretty early and i really had no other business in town so by 9:30 all that remained of us was some dog hair and a chewed up coke bottle...

Once we got through the traffic of the city and hit the open road, we were cruisin'. All the windows were down, Lucky had his head sticking out of his, the i pod played a variety of tunes from India Aries ' Mr. Wonderful" to Eric Clapton still wailing his plaintive "layla" decades later, M.I. A. cockin' her gun and blastin' off a few rounds, Roy Rogers' crowd pleasin', toe tappin' " Josephines" ( had to play that one twice..) , Ella Fitzgerald, morroccon music, african music, greek music, ten years after,...you get the picture...a wide variety of tunes in my I Pod..So, while all of this is playing, picture me with a black bandana tied around my head, a sundress on, Lucky alternating between his head out of the window and a three foot length of orange tubing resembling a bendy straw sticking out of his mouth ( he likes to chew on it) going about 65 passing dump trucks from the 50's, tricycles full of grass, guys working on the side of the road clearing brush with machetes, new SUV's passing me, the remains of dogs that didnt make it that now only look like bones wrapped in a frayed rug, and all the while i'm dancing in my seat and belting out the tunes and thinking about Lynda telling me she was standing by her heater while we were talking this morning.

We turned off the highway and wound our way through Cansacab. I'm telling Lucky it won't be long now even though it seems like we've only been in the truck for 15 minutes ( time flies when you're having fun...). We had to stop briefly in Dzidzantun to pick up yogurt, butter, vinegar ( Peggy turned me on to the fact that it TOTALLY cleans the rust off of all the faucets and the shower head) and thought I'd see if they had any cheese. The girl had no idea about the Mennonite cheese so picked out something else, sliced it up and gave it to me. What the hell, Ill try it.. Its hard to find cheese that has any taste here. Most of it is similar to a mouth full of Silly Putty...thats right, Ive had Silly Putty in my mouth....Much to my delight, the cheese is killer! What a great surprise. It really is the little things I took for granted at home, where there is an enormous selection of anything you could possibly think you might want, that ive come to appreciate here.

As i headed out of town, i gave lucky a pat on the head and cranked the music back up. Just as we closed in on santa Clara, right before the mangroves, I was stretching my neck from side to side as it was pretty tight. I told myself even though there was not another car in sight, front or back, it might not be a good idea. Better pay attention. Well! My spidey senses must have been on high alert because no sooner had that thought passed through my music addled mind then- BOOM! Out of the brush on the left side of the road came something out of Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom but the white haired guy wasnt there to tell me all about it...... I slammed on the brakes and quickly geared down launching Lucky to the floor. In a flash he had gotten back up because he too had seen the creature and wanted another look. I swear, it was the size of Lucky, had a face kind of like a racoon, a long, ringed tail like a lemur and its back legs were longer then the front. Looking directly at us, it scampered across the road and was swallowed up by the foliage of the manglar. Wow! who gets to see something like that on their way home from the store?!

I'll tell you what, i miss my kids, my friends, meetings and the ability to easily access just about anything ( including mail) but oooeee baby! what an amazing adventure this is. I can't tell you, well, yes i can and i will, how many times I find I am just grinning. Isn't that what life is supposed to be like? a sense of wonder? excitement? adventure? That awe that seems to fade away as we get older and the daily grind of responsibilities sets in? And even though i know this, sometimes i still get lazy and pass up a chance to do something out of the ordinary. It just seems like it takes too much energy, its too complicated, i'm not sure how to do it...After years sitting in dark, dirty, ugly places thinking those same thoughts, thank you baby jesus ( sorry...) that i have the ability to kick my own ass and get out there and LIVE life. As Jackie Gleason would say " How sweet it is!"

Auto repair and drag queens

Whew! Lucky and I have been on the go! We drove into Merida and spent the night at my friends ( I took pictures but am not posting them yet..), on the return trip, we stopped in Motul to get the muffler fixed. The man I had scheduled the work with who spoke english -Arahel- wasn't in but the woman behind the counter remembered me and gave instructions to a leathery fellow. He was to show me where the welder lived/worked. We approached the truck and he hopped in back (Lucky had already called shotgun). After a very ciruitous path, we arrived and after a bit of rearranging of cars, I parked in front. My "guide" walked back to the shop ( about 2 blocks away). The welders shop was filled with various automobile shells, fenders, unidentifiable parts and a couple of dogs that roamed around. There was a tin roofed awning sheltering his collection of relics and he motioned for Lucky and I to seek shelter from the sun amidst the metal. We carefully entered and stood between two vehicles. One was an a big truck that looked like it might still be in use, the other was something I'm sure my husband would have excitedly told you what year and model it was. I , however, can only tell you it was- or had once been- a '50 something Ford, two tone red and white convertable. Two of the tires were flat, the back seat was gone and the roof hung in tatters like a broken unbrella. Amazingly, I saw no rust. A few minutes later, an ancient looking man that would have weighed in wet at about 85 pounds arrived teetering through on a bicycle. " Buenos tardes'" were exchanged and he shortly returned with a kitchen chair, kindly motioning for me to sit. It only took about half an hour for the welder to remove the old muffler and attach the new. I asked him if I was to pay him or the shop. The gist i got was, the shop, so after thanking him and wishing him a good day i left. Now, i could have been an unscrupulous person who giggled to myself about what suckers they were as i drove silently home with my new muffler, but we know thats not how the story goes...I of course returned to the shop, reminded him I wanted undercoating (diesel) sprayed on the truck to keep it from rusting out. Again, someone brought out a chair for me, this time a very young man, and a few minutes later, they were done. All of this, parts and labor, cost me $450 pesos- about $34.
The next day, i was businly painting the inside of the casita a brilliant sky blue when i remembered I needed rto pick up my laundry. I needed a break anyway so I grabbed my keys and called to lucky who ran to the truck with an excited grin and off we went to dzidzantun. As we passed a farm, a man who appeared to be the smaller brother to the tiny man from the auto shop, waved me down for a ride. I was going about 45 so had to slow down before I could stop. i looked in the rearview mirror and saw that he had a bad leg so i reversed it. He started to open the door to get in when he saw Lucky in the passenger seat. Now, folks around here treat dogs very differently then we do in the states. I'm sure he was dumbfounded by a dog riding in the front of the truck and, though he didnt say anything, probably wasnt happy about having to ride his skinny behind in the back of the truck while the dog rode in comfort...I let him out by the town square and he thanked me and toddled off. I rode the three blocks or so to the lavenderia and picked up my clean, folded laundry that cost me about $3 to have done. I also dropped off two throw rugs that will cost me about $1.50 to have washed.....
Lucky and i stopped at the tienda at the edge of town, some of you may know it, the "Santa Clara tortilliaria" where I got us a coka lite and some Cheetos ( they had no Chiwis torchiditos, my favorites..). As we rolled out of town, a truck that is normally used to haul livestock came towards me with a gaggle of sequined gals practicing their parade waves. It almost carnival you see.People everywhere are creating costumes and practicing dance steps for the big parades. These babes were wearing matching black sequined outfits that looked like something the Rockettes would wear, with fish nets, garters, feathers in their hair...and they were all men! I love it!! This is a very small town in southern mexico that, like most of the places Ive been here, have no problem at all supporting not just gay people but transgender, cross dressing people as well. What do you think the response would be to this truck load of hot mamas in say...Estacada?! I happily smiled and waved to them and they vigorously returned my greeting. Lucky and I opened the chips and coke as we passed and headed out of town to get back to our painting duties. "Did you see those fancy girls?" I asked him. He just smiled and watched an iguana cross the road....