Parting shots of Miss Ellie

Our next door neighbor is such a kind, sweet woman in her mid eighties from the other side of Mexico. In spite many health problems, she loves to tend to her garden and care for her home. One of her few complaints is that she had four sons and no daughters or granddaughters. So she was thrilled to meet Adrienne and Miss Ellie.



We have some definite favorite tee shirts in our family. There are tee shirts from the girls' high school swim team, there are the shirts from Texas A&M, CU, CSU, SMU Law and from Adrienne's wedding in Greece. One of our favorites is this one from the Austin Fire Department that Jamie B. gave Alex. As with so many outfits, two year old Alex handed this one down to Ellie. It goes nicely with the purse Ellie loves to carry around the house.

There certainly was a big hole left when the Hirst family went home to Texas. But now we are excited to show Alex and her Daddy, Eric, the island this week. Jamie, we're sure, will feel as Adrienne did, she's coming back to a familiar, comfortable island home.

Fun times with Ellie

Ed, aka Papa, and I have been waiting and waiting to show off the new park by the Municipal Palacio to grand kids. Our favorite is the slide that descends from a hippo's back side. Ellie, though, preferred the tiger and the zebra.

Our friends here were generous with their pools while Ellie was here. They did think that we were a little nutty to be using them this time of year. The "season" doesn't really begin until April when the water is warmer. It doesn't look like Damian and Ellie were suffering in Rita's pool, though.

A birthday party

Our friend, Edwin, invited us to his daughter's 1st birthday party. It was due to begin about the time that Adrienne, Damian and Ellie were scheduled to arrive. So, thinking that we would get there a few hours late, I tried to tell Edwin that we wouldn't be able to make it. No problem! Edwin explained that if a party is supposed to start at 3:00, Cozumelians start to think about getting ready at 3:00, actually do something about it at 4:00 and arrive at 5:00. So we got there just as the action began.

Adrienne helping Ellie take a swipe.

The birthday girl, Abril, is already getting the hang of the pinata.

Hammocks Part II

We had several important discussions with Ellie in this week. There's just something about lying in a hammock under a coconut tree that brings out those philosophical questions like "What do you think Mom's making for lunch? I did really like the avocado, papaya, mango and oatmeal I had this morning!" And, the most important of all "Ellie, who do you like best?"





Things can't all be serious though. You just gotta sing a few rounds of "The Wheels on the Bus" every once in a while!

Hammocks, Part I

We were very excited this past week to have our first family visitors come stay - Adrienne, Damian and baby Ellie. They all got into the swing of things down here by spending tons of time in our hammocks on the new patio. Ellie especially loved contemplating important issues like how her purse tasted in the blue hammock as opposed to the multi-colored hammock.







We know, we know! This picture does seem upside down but we can't figure out how to turn it rightside up! So just turn your computer upside down to view!

Patio and Bodega

After many visits and lots of heavy duty negotiations over several weeks, we hired Tomas to build a patio and a store house (bodega) for us. Work began early this week after we gave Tomas money to buy and rent materials. Tomas and his brother, Guadelupe, finished off half of the patio the other evening at 9:00 PM "under the lights". It seemed to take longer for us to decide on a diamond pattern than it did for them to implement our plan. This is not to say that "working" is a continuous process. The fellows work awhile, take off for awhile, come back and work awhile more. The process continues all day.

With half of the patio finished, we're excited to plant some of the starter nursery Ed has grown.

Yesterday, the guys were mixing concrete to pour the bodega's roof. Tomas hired a couple of day laborers who arrived on their bicycles. They helped to carry buckets of concrete from the street where they had mixed it, and then handed them up for Tomas to pour and level. Mixing concrete in the street makes sense. If enough people do it, the street will be paved!

This is Tomas on top of the bodega, pouring a bucket of concrete. The roof took some time, as setting forms of the rented wood took a good part of a day. Then, cutting, bending and tying the rebar in place took some hours. After that, the rush was on to mix concrete and pour! Our understanding is that this is the "rough" pour and that a smooth finish will be applied next.

The back wall will get a rough texture so plants can grow up it and we don't have to paint! The front of the bodega will get a smooth finsh, like the house. Maybe we'll paint a mural!

Everything is supposed to be done by Wednesday, the day before Adrienne and family arrive. Again, it's Cozumel, so we're giving odds and taking bets!