I'm a traveler, not as frequently as I would like , but I plan on doing more. After working full time at Mount Rainier National Park during the summer of 22 I have decided to retire completely and forever. Prior to that I was semi retired as a Wedding Officiant I officiated at about 20 weddings a season, and with my small delivery service I handled the distribution of a local high-quality Home and Garden magazine .
Prior to my "semi retirement" I was in corrections and before that I owned and operated a bail bond agency.
I now plan to travel to new places and exciting places, getting ready to do that as a solo as the Senior is no longer with me, his choice, and I am OK with that. For hobbies I'm a reader and love my kindle. And I enjoy writing.
The Chick Party is an annual Zihuatanejo event that has been going on for many many years and I can’t even tell you how it originally began. I’ve gone for the last 4-5 years, each year I try to bring someone who hasn’t been before. Vickie and Laura were the
Vickie and Laura
newbies this years. It’s kind of a “see and be seen” social event for the ladies of
Sale of fascinators to benefit charities
Zihuatanejo. Where they gather together to socialize, purchase some local and hand made items from the 4-6 vendors, have a bite to eat, drink some wine and possible win a door prize all while watching the sunset from the largest and most gorgeous patio high on the hill over looking Zihuatanejo and the bay. A very pleasant evening! I did marvel at the cat that wandered through this group of about 150 women, making it quite obvious that this was his home and no amount of noisy women were going to make him feel uncomfortable in his own home. Signing off KO
The Senior is TV addicted, and believes we shown own all the latest gadgets advertised. Admittedly some are very functional but many are not. He also like catalogs and when he saw the full face snorkel mask he thought I should have one. Finally we saw a sale price for one so I bought it. I’ve used it about 3 or 4
KO with full face snorkel mask
times with varying results. The first time was probable the best, just a tiny trickle of water at the temple near the end of my swim. Now I have since discovered that I can mount my go pro camera directly on it for under water pictures and have done so the last two times I have used it, but I now have a leak. One big enough where you have to empty it out. Need to do more experimenting, but possibly the weight of the camera on the mask causes it. I would really like to get some under water fish pictures.
Our tomatoes are flourishing, we have about 10,
tomatoesMystery plant
we just hope they ripen before we have to return home. The attractive weed that we thought might be a coleus. Isn’t! It is still a mystery, it looks like it is a climber and now has developed spines on the stem. If it behaves it can share our planter box, at least for now? Any ideas what it might be?
Everything in Zihuatanejo seems so colorful.These Roseated Spoonbill birds are some of my favorites. They can always be seen at the Refugio at Playa Linda, but I have seen them at the canal on the way to Playa Madera too. This beautiful, colorful candy cart can be founds rolling all over town. It’s as beautiful as a painting.
The Senior and I along with friends Dave and Vickie went to Troncones on Friday to stay and play at Mi Casa Es Su Casa before doing the 1.1 mile Sharkfest swim on Saturday. Enjoyed the food and the pool there but have discovered cabs are very expensive in Troncones and in future years will stay closer to Hacienda Eden where us Sharkfesters assemble Saturday morning.
There were 22 entrants this year, with the youngest swimmer being 24 years old and the oldest 79, I was the next oldest. The surf was quite flat which pleases me easier to get in and out of. And I have learned a bit about riding the waves or diving through them and they are not quite as intimidating as before. But nonetheless getting in the water at Majhua was a bit of a challenge as we were walking on rocks for quite a way before the water was deep enough to swim and one swimmer never made it off the beach due to a stingray. Once I get to water deep enough to float then I can get my fins on, I prefer to do this after I have passed the breakers, but didn’t wait today as I wanted off those miserable rocks. Now my fit-bit says I swam just mile and did it in 47 minutes. That’s about a standard time for me swimming in a pool. I was sure I swam more than a mile as the paddle boarders who keep us on course were forever turning me in the right direction. I can’t swim a straight line in a pool and sure try to head out to sea in the open ocean.
This is not a competition, there are no time keepers, most of us are happy to finish
Swimmers coming in
swimming strong, and of course I never want to be the last one in. I had asked the senior to be ready to help me get standing after the swim. I always find it difficult to stand up at the shore edge with the sand and waves pulling you back and with my
me at the finishline
new knee my balance is still a bit unsteady at times. Once at the shore edge I had a heck of a time getting my fins off as the breakers, small as they maybe, kept pushing me around and by the time I got the right one off I had done some damage to my 3rd toe. Probably just a sprain, but it hurts and is purple and has me limping a bit. Swimming is easy, getting in
Purple toe
and out of the ocean is not easy for me.
The Senior only had his “pre smartphone” cell phone to take pictures with and then the only way I could transfer them to the computer was to use my phone to take a picture of the picture on his cell phone. So picture not so good. All and all it was a good day, I will keep lap swimming and participating. Signing off KO
I am an early riser, frequently up long before the sun. I used to say the roosters would wake the dogs and the dogs would wake the people and that is how Zihuatanejo comes to life each morning. But I’m not hearing roosters this year, and I miss that, but I still hear the dogs. Another sound I miss is the musical sound of the gas man as his horn tooted the “charge call ” followed by him calling out GAAAAAAZ. Some mornings we hear revelry from the Navy base, that’s familiar music to the Seniors ears.
Frequently I wake up to the scritch scritch of the street sweepers as they clean our street, shortly followed by the bakery man singing out “bollios” as he winds his way through the streets. He will be followed by the coconut man calling “coco, coco”.We have a neighbor with a parrot which adds a whole cacophony of interesting sounds. Next the sound of metal garage style doors being rolled up as one by one shops and restaurants begin to open. I still hear the tin whistle sound of the knife sharpener and the clown bell sound of the ice cream vendors. But I haven’t heard the steam whistle sound of the sweet potato man yet this year. All these sounds make up the rich fabric that makes Zihuatanejo so special.
The tomato farm
The Senior’s tomato farm is flourishing, the Senior noticed his first tomato today. Granted it is the size of a pea, but the photo shows not only one
red arrows show tomatoes
tomato, but two. Retirement is such fun, you get excited over the simplest of things. Signing off KO
There is nothing like a day at the beach with good friends, sunshine, swimming and cool drinks just can’t be beat. A table with a white table cloth was set up in the water for us to enjoy our drinks with our feet in the water. You actually do stay very cool even in the sunshine that way.
There is nothing quite as tasty as a beach margarita and with a banana boat in the background.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
But to add to the excitement we had to take a ride on that banana boat. Five of the six of us ladies decided we had never done this and the time was right. So 10 folks got on the banana boat and the boat driver fastened the rope to his ankle and then swam out to the boat that would be pulling the banana while towing 10 of us on the banana. Quite a strong swimmer. He then climbed in the boat attached the tow from banana to the tow boat and we were on our way up and moving, well almost. The tow rope broke reminding Vickie that this was her second water mishap as their water taxi died mid channel and had to transfer to another boat then and there. But no problem the tow rope was retied and away we went. Got a fast, bumpy ride all around the bay and no one fell off. We were very proud that we all hung on.
I was very excited to try out my full face snorkel mask with my go pro attached only to discover the disc was full. Oh well maybe Monday at Isla Ixtapa I can photograph the fish. Still it was a great day. Signing off KO
Sometimes things happen that just give you a creepy feeling and set your imagination running wild. I’m a daily lap swimmer, most mornings around 8 you will find me at the “Alberca Olympica”, Zihuatanejo’s Olympic size community pool. Usually there are 3-4 lap swimmers, always the “pool dude” who has a student or two he is working with. And occasionally high school swimmers arrive for training. This morning I arrived at the pool about 15 minutes later than usual and no one was there. No “pool dude” no swimmers, I didn’t even see any of the usual maintenance people. It was empty. So I decided to use the “pool dude”s lane as it is the only one that the sun hits and is a tad bit warmer. Since they covered the pool the water in the morning is cold. I figured I’d swim in that lane until the “pool dude arrived and he would then run me off. He has a charming way of getting my attention. He just shouts hey, hey until I look up and points to another area of the pool and I dutifully move, never sure if I’m complying with what he has requested as I don’t understand his rapid fire Spanish. So I swam a few laps, and no one came, I swam a few more laps and no one came. Now I’m a pretty fair swimmer, I usually swim for 45 minutes but even though I had my music going on my swim I pod, Creedence Clearwater couldn’t keep my mind off the “what if”s” What if I got a bad cramp, what if I had a heart attack no one was there to help. Since my first swim lesson at 5 years old I’ve been taught you never swim alone, and here I was 70 some years later in an Olympic size pool swimming all by myself. Then the imagination came to play, why was no one there, did someone plant deadly fish in the pool, is the water toxic on and on like that until I said enough and cut my swim short. The only person I saw there, was as I was leaving, the friendly maintenance man. He was just arriving and joked that maybe everyone was still on holiday. I was very disappointed in myself for cutting my swim short as my “Sharkfest Swim” is just a week and half away and I need to be in good shape for it but I also need to be safe.
After a trip through the Mercado to get fruit and vegies I get back to our apartment, fixed breakfast and as we sit down to eat our attention was directed to the movie theater rooftop.
Vulture feasting on dead pigeon
A very large dark bird had landed. Obviously we are easily entertained as our breakfast got cold as we kept trying to decide what he was and why he was there. Thankfully we have a camera with a telephoto lens and the ability to zoom in once the picture is on the computer so we could decide with certainty that it was a vulture breakfasting on a dead pigeon. It surprised me that several other pigeons calmly stayed around while one of there own was being devoured, but then I believe Vultures aren’t hunters but scavengers.
waste management,useful, but creepy
They are like crows, part of the “waste-management” of the animal world and do provide a useful service. Creepy, but useful! Signing off KO
New years 2018 has to be some of the biggest crowd Zihuatanejo has ever seen. And from my point of view the best behaved New Years crowd hands down, I’ve been to private parties with more over drinking, pushing, shoving and squabbling than I witnessed last night.
The night was warm with a bright full moon already decorating the sky as folks strolled through the streets, some on their way to dinner at restaurants, many just out strolling and socializing others, selecting street food and a blanket on the beach. There were young people, old people, children and babies. Teenagers in groups, tourists both, gringo and Mexican nationals, lots of Mexican Nationals. Part-timers like us socializing and resuming friendships from past. Everyone enjoying the balmy night and anxiously waiting the start of the fire works. The sidewalks and streets of El Centro were jammed with people and the restaurants kept expanding as one more white table was mysterious pulled from some back hideaway along with a set of chairs to accommodate another family wanting to dine there.
Music was everywhere, large speakers at the Zocolo made sure everyone could hear music whether they wanted to or not. Every bar had it’s own music, bands, recorded music and then of course the strolling street musicians.
Dinner menu at Daniels, very good meal
At Daniels, where we were it was the great Jimmi Mamou.
About 11:30 folks began setting off their own personal fire works, mostly firecrackers and anything that makes horrible noise. At the stroke of 1200 midnight the firework displays began from Playa La Ropa, Playa La Madera and Playa Principal simultaneously. The sky became one color burst after another, going on and on and on. Fantastic! When it was over the crowd moved off the beach, some going to dance at the Zocolo other headed back to their lodgings, us back to our apartment.
FireworksFireworks
There was no officials to direct traffic, no “in and out” lanes, no one checking for bottles or weapons, no children or small dogs were trampled. Everyone just seemed to move on to where they were going in a surprisingly orderly fashion, especially considering we were elbow to elbow with folks going in many different directions and a large
Folks on the beach waiting for fireworksBusy sidewalk
portion of them celebrating with some form of alcohol. Zihuatanejo was on her very best behavior! Happy New Year to all. Signing off KO
I have always loved Christmas. I loved the lights, the glitter, the excitement and always made it a full on production for my kids which wasn’t always easy as their Dad could be a bit of a grinch about it. . The stocking stuffers were a big thing with my 4 children, a tradition I carried on into their adulthood, soon realizing the fortune I was spending on the little funny stuff would be better spent getting them something useful.
Once the bulk of gift buying was under control I could then busy myself with outfitting a couple of Barbies in all the latest fashions, often not starting my sewing until 9 or 10 at night and sewing until the wee hours of the morning. There were Christmas dresses for the girls to be made, new vests for the boys. The house had to be decorated, a tree had to located and cut down and decorated. Black Friday shopping was a must. Packages had to be wrapped and some to Post Office. Holiday meal for 10 or twelve folks to be prepared and lots of pumpkin pies, (my specialty) to be made from the Halloween pumpkins. From Halloween to Christmas was a constant whirlwind of activities with Thanksgiving thrown in in the middle along with November and December kids’ birthdays.
And I loved it, even when it just became the Senior and I. We decorated the house, eight storage boxes, six more for the outside decorations.We did look festive! But with our children and grand children scattered over 5 states and one foreign country there was no more big holiday gatherings and we began to say why? Why are we doing this? And the answer was habit!
Now we have developed this wonderful new habit. Christmas in Zihuatanejo. Two poinsettias and a nativity scene and we are decorated. Christmas dinner with friends is a sharing of cooking between our small mexican kitchens. We now do much of our Christmas shopping while sitting in the shade of a palapa on a warm beach and let the “stores” come to us. It’s so easy to buy lovely jewelry for the ladies in our family and before we arrive home in March most of the Christmas presents have been bought. We no longer have to contend with pushy, stressed out holiday shoppers, just happy beach crowds. Life is good, no stress, no mess. Merry Christmas to all! Signing off KO
Our balcony has two planter boxes, one has some shrubbery growing in it the other is just dirt. We decided it would be fun to grow a tomato plant in the other, but we have never seen tomato starts anywhere local.
All the necessary ingredients
While shopping at the Bodega we found tomato seeds and a bag of “starter dirt” and decided to give it a try.
The dirt in the planter was hard and dry and had a lot of broken tiles in it but we loosened it up spread a layer of “starter dirt” sprinkled the seeds, and added another layer of starter dirt and hand
Dry hard dirt in planter
sprinkled it so as not to flood it and wash the seeds away.
Hand sprinkling the seeds
The senor was insistent that we needed a sprinkler can. So I took a plastic water bottle using a needle punched a lot of holes in the top /cap end, filled the bottle up with water
sprinkling the seeds
put the cap back on and we have a great sprinkler bottle. After 2 days we have sprouts
day2 we have sprouts
After a week we have little tomato plants but a ton of grass also. So some judicious weeding took care of that and 10 days into this project we have 6-8 inch little tomato plants growing happily in the sunshine. Who knows we might get a tomato by mid March when we leave.
Having heard about the Ixtapa Marina, and the big expensive yachts that moor there naturally I wanted to go and see how the other half live. Our friends Faye and Paul offered to be our “tour guides” on this breakfast adventure as they knew the places to go on this adventure. So off we are on the Ixtapa/Marina bus where our first stop was the liquor store, probably the largest liquor store in the area, huge selection, prices seems normal and it also has so some interesting goodies.
The Oyster Bar/Fischers
Next stop “The Oyster Bar” well at least until 1:00 when it becomes Fishers with a whole new set of prices. The menu was full of items I had never heard of. While I am a believer that ” breakfast is what you call a meal with out wine” but here this menu had 3 suggestions under the heading BREAKFAST COCKTAILS. Now how can you refuse that! I ordered a Pepenillo or something spelled similar to that . It was
The Senior, Paul and Faye
Tangeray, cucumber and lime soda and probably the most refreshing drink ever created beautifully served in a large green rimmed glass. So pretty and tasty that Faye found it necessary to have one too.
I always enjoy trying something new so I ordered a poblano enchilada with eggs which arrived on a large platter smothered in a delicious sauce. It was super good, but too much so I was able to share some with Paul and Faye. The Senor, who rarely tries anything new, stuck with his fish tenders refusing my offer to share with him.
Ixtapa Marina
We had a great view of the marina with all the big expensive yachts. This is quite a change for us coming from Puget Sound, the small boat capitol of the world were every marina is jammed full but not many of these big boys.
This is definitely a place to revisit. Signing off KO
through this group of about 150 women, making it quite obvious that this was his home and no amount of noisy women were going to make him feel uncomfortable in his own home. Signing off KO
Zihuatanejo 