Meeting New Friends and Savoring the Old

I wrote in an earlier blog about leading a host of lives within one life. Being a military wife meant I could put to good use my chameleon skills. Honey would

come home & say, "Guess what? We're moving to, ..............". This meant it was time to meet new friends and enjoy the adventure of a new place and that is exactly how I viewed it. The kids on the other hand went through a lot more turmoil and adjustment, but they never had trouble making new friends. Well, there was that one time I got tired of their moaning & groaning and kicked them out of the house telling them to return when they had met a new friend and had their mothers name & phone number. CPS would probably lock me up if I did that today, but back then it was a different world, sad to say.

Our move to Belize meant leaving our good friends in Mississippi (not to mention all our family & friends from previous lives in the states), but I can still smell the bayou & imagine sitting on the Grafe's back porch or upper deck sipping some delicious beverage, watching nature unfold in the afternoon. I can

still feel the excitement of having all our kids arrive (as a surprise to me) for my 50th birthday. Of course no one will forget our daughters wedding taking place during one of the worst electrical storms & monsoon rains in the history of Moss Point. Note: for those of you not in the know, it was suppose to be a backyard wedding & reception, but that's a story for another day, but the overall success of a potential disaster was due to the love & help of GREAT FRIENDS!!!

In Belize it was easy to make friends There is a fairly large expat community there and being the "new kids on the block" opened the doors to making many good friends. A central hub for this is the Purple Toucan that host the "Friendship Luncheon". Belize (or Central America) is not for everyone, so some stay, some leave and some enjoy many years but later return to their homeland. Circles of friends change too (in high school we called these "clicks"), but when you are older you just call them circles of friends because these circles have different interests and what you don't find in one circle you can find in another circle. I was never part of a click in high school, I tended to socialize with many different ones at different times. That has not changed. I enjoy the friendship of many people for many different reasons or activities and I try hard to not burn bridges. I learned a long time ago to not say, "We'll never see these people again", because inevitably we do. In Belize I have met people that I either crossed paths with in previous places or should have, because we were in the same places at the same time but didn't meet. It's fun to discover how small the world gets the more we travel.

Now we live in Mexico although not far over the border from where we lived in Belize. Which makes it really nice because along with meeting new friends here,

we still see our friends in Belize. Either they come over for shopping & fun or visa versa. It's not uncommon to get an email that says, "Hey are you gonna be around on such in such a day. Want to meet up for lunch?" Works out great, they can store their cold goods from the store in my fridge while we go to lunch. So much gratitude we owe to those who also offer, "Hey would you like me to bring one or two of your boxes that are stored at Colleens?" By the time we finally receive our license to import our household goods, it won't take but a pickup truck.

While visiting this area before we moved here we made friends with several of the owners of restaurants on the waterfront (many of which are related to each other). We re-kindled friendships with a couple folks that had lived in Belize before Mexico. Then when we rented our house, the sister-in-law to the owner became a good friend and very helpful finding what we needed once we moved in. So far all these friends are spanish speaking so I get lots of practice with the language. Then we met a couple (husband is American, wife Mexican), who have become good friends. BBQ buddies he & CT are. And our latest introduction has been to a couple who we are still getting to know but seem delightful. They raise chickens, ducks, & pigs, he is a carpenter, & she is a massage therapist. Both of the last 2 couples are bi-lingual, so now I have lots of help learning Spanish.

I was looking for a good quote for this blog entry and found this:
“People come, people go – they’ll drift in and out of your life, almost like characters in a favorite book. When you finally close the cover, the characters have told their story and you start up again with another book, complete with new characters and adventures. Then you find yourself focusing on the new ones, not the ones from the past.”
― Nicholas Sparks, The Rescue 
 NOTE: I agree with the first part, but not the last. I believe that the best old friends are like a great novel, enjoying it once is great, but being able to pick it up again and enjoy it time & time again is FANTASTIC!! 

"I have been very fortunate to have friends that I may not see or talk to for long periods of time and when we have the good fortune to see or speak with one another,  its as if it was only yesterday." - Catherine Thomas, Aug 2013

It's Been a Long Time, But It Also Feels Like Yesterday

July is a month of emotional roller coaster rides. It is full of family birthdays, celebrating National Holidays such as Independence Day and other summertime fun. It also marks the anniversary of the most tragic thing that has ever happened in my life. That tragedy changed our family forever and put me on a path (a mission actually) to understand the why and how. I put all my energy in a life-long advocacy effort so no other family would EVER have to suffer through the loss of a child due to drowning.

The loss of my 14 month old nephew in my own backyard ripped a hole in my heart that from time to time feels as fresh as the day it happened. I will never forget the details of every second, minute and hour of that day or they days that followed. The sights and sounds can come rushing back to me like it was yesterday.

For the following six years after this tragedy, learning & advocating prevention is almost all I did. I researched, talked to experts and started a non profit. I became heavily involved in local & national organizations dedicated to the same thing. I wrote & delivered lectures to any group that would listen. I spoke at National Conferences and held Safety Expos. It was a passion that could not be sated. We moved to another state and I became a child safety advocate for another non profit, teaching child safety in a broader spectrum of subjects but my nephew was always at the core of why I did what I did.

There is no consolation to someone who was within 25 yards during the silent drowning death of a child they loved and the alarming truth, ...... 
   Safety Expert Mario Vittone stated it plainly in his bog: "It is the No. 2 cause of accidental death in children, ages 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents)—of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In some of those drownings (Personal Note: This was not in our case), the adult will actually watch the child do it , having no idea it is happening."

Click on the link to learn more about why

"Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning"

Drowning Risk - Age, Most Common Environment & Why 
The precursors for drowning are different by age group due to differences in physical & mental development. If you have read this far please keep reading. As saddening as this subject is it is imperative that people understand and work towards prevention in their own lives.

0-12 mos: Bathtubs, Toilets & Buckets. –Why? These environments are most available to the child. A brief lapse in supervision, to grab a towel, answer the phone or tend to a sibling can result in bathtub tragedy. As the child learns to crawl, pull them self up and "furniture walk", they feel accomplished and look for adventure. Water fascinates them and they love to play in it, but when that water is at the bottom of a bucket or a toilet, their top heavy bodies make it very easy for them to fall in, at which point they can not right themselves. Do not under estimate a child's capability. What they could not do yesterday, they may very well be able to do today. Keep bathroom doors secured, consider toilet lid locks, empty buckets and never leave a child alone in the bathtub.

1-4 yr old: Pools, Spas & Water Features (ponds & fountains), –Why? Children in this age group are walking, adventurous, have no fear and learn by experience (operant learners). They can learn to open a lock, if they see how you did it. They are problem solvers and will use a stool or climb to reach what they are too short to reach. What they learn, they learn by experience, problem solving and repetition. Children under the age of 4 do not have the mental capacity to understand danger. Which is why when you tell a child "don't touch that", they might even continue to reach for it. At this age & stage, water continues to be a fun thing and the briefest Lapse in Supervision + not enough barriers + no alarms for detection + no aquatic skills = highest risk for a submersion event. Do all you can do to buy yourself that precious moment in time to get to them before they get to the water alone.

5-12 yr old: Pools & Spas, -Why? Children in this age group have usually started to learn to swim, but at a varied level of skill. They interact with other children and play games in the water, some of which can be dangerous. Breath holding can lead to shallow water blackout, dunking and rough play can catch a weak swimmer off guard. Swimming and playing games under water are typical. Teach good water safety or enroll them in a water safety class. Vigilant supervision by parents is always the best drowning prevention. No one knows your child better than you. Parental supervision is paramount, even if a life guard is on duty. At social events where water is near; assign a WATER WATCHER, who focuses only on guarding that no child accidentally enters the water undetected and if a pool is being used the WATER WATCHER is totally dedicated to watching the children in & near the water.

12-18 yr old: Open Water, –Why? Teenagers are more independent and not always under the watchful eye of their parents. They are testing the boundaries, their abilities and often are very competitive around their friends. Drugs and alcohol are a big concern in this age group. Mix together no supervision, risky behaviors, possibly drugs and alcohol with water - Any combination and the outcome can be tragic. Talk to your teen-ager. Find examples of teenage drowning tragedies and help them understand the risk.

18-60 yr old: Pools & Open Water –Why? Risky Behavior: exceeding physical limitations, alcohol use during recreational water activities, failure to observe safety measures and failure to wear Coast Guard approved life jackets (PFD) while operating or riding in recreational water crafts. Underestimating open water environments and overestimating their abilities. Sudden drop offs, current and water temperature should be assessed before entering and use Coast Guard approved personal floatation devices (PFD, Life Jacket) when operating or riding in recreational water crafts.  

>60 yr old: Pools, Spas & Open Water –Why? With a lifetime of safe & experienced water activities there is an underestimated risk of engaging in water activities alone. Unexpected medical episodes while in the water can be fatal. Never Swim Alone. Do not mix water recreation with alcohol and use Coast Guard approved personal floatation devices (PFD, Life Jacket).

NOTE: The American Academy of Pediatrics has modified their position on what age a child should be before engaging in learning Aquatic Skills (it used to be age 6),but with the data reflecting high rates of drowning in the under 5 years of age group, they changed their policy. AAP Policy Update  

During the last three years (sometime after moving to Central America), I have not been actively working for any organization in the field of Child Safety or drowning prevention, but it is never far from my mind. I keep up with what others are doing and look at the data that the CDC post. I am so very proud of what the National Alliance for Drowning Prevention  and it's Chapters throughout the US of A are continuing to do!! 

"I wish I knew then what I know now" is a hind-sighted way of thinking that although true, will never undo what happened 9 years ago. After reading this, I hope that you will make a difference in drowning prevention, if only in your own family.

Thank you for reading,

C

Finding Love & Happiness

When my daughter was born, my dad asked me, "What do you want for her?"

At the time it seemed like such a big question. I gazed down at her and thought of all the great things she could do in life, like be a Doctor or an Olympic Gymnast. It's true, those where my first two career choices for her. Over the years the memory of that one question circled through my mind countless times and I always wondered why. Of all the things that were said to me when she was born, that one question remains so fresh in my mind. The wisdom in that one question inspires me to this day.

My dad was bigger than life to me, he was the epitome of success. A boy who grew up hanging out at fire stations, taken under the wing of a Fire Chief named Donald Key, who enrolled him in Boy Scouts and told him to put your John Henry on the line at the bottom of the form, which gave him the nick name of John Henry, because that's what he wrote on the

signature line. In his admiration of the man that would most shape his life, he did exactly what he was told and many times growing up I remember him saying, "Do as I say, not as I do". But of course, I did as he did, modeled my life after him, striving for success and excellence (when I wasn't getting into trouble - which was a lot, hence ignoring the "Do as I say" part). I had so many more advantages than he did, a home with two loving parents, security, and a Christian upbringing. It was important to me to make him proud. I think if I had the chance to ask him one question, it would not be "Did I make you proud?", it would be "When I was born, what did you want for me?"   If we are as much a like as people say we are I think I know what his answer would be.

The reason his question circled through my mind many times in the course of raising our children is because the answer changed every now and again. Of course as a basic desire I wanted our children to be healthy & happy. Hubby & I worked hard to provide things that made them happy, and for a healthy life; food, clothing, shelter, etc and we were blessed to be able to. As young children what I wanted for them was to be "well behaved" so focus went toward providing discipline balanced with love (at least I hope they feel it was balanced). During the school years I wanted for them "to learn and get good grades", but during their teenage years I wanted (prayed in fact) for them to "return from the alien planet that they had been

abducted & taken to". I say this because I can almost pinpoint the day that I went in to wake them for school and instead of finding the sweet children I had put to bed the night before, I found these alien creatures, that did not resemble my children in any way shape or form! They had bad attitudes, argumentative stances and nothing I said had any foundation of intelligence (at least to them).  I was fortunate, somewhere around the age of their mid 20's the aliens did return them to earth. One of my favorite stories about this transition took place between our daughter & I.

During her teen-age years I heard a lot from her about, "when I have my children I will do this or that and when I have my own house it will be this or that, or my husband will do or be this or that". Children rarely see how good they have it until later in life. My standard response to her rantings was, "OK, I'll make you a deal - when you have your perfect life, your perfect children, your perfect house & husband, CALL ME!! I will travel from the ends of the earth to you just so you can say, I told you so". And of course she would holler back, "I WILL!!!!"(there was always a door slam following that)  Sometime around her mid to late 20's she said, "remember when you told me to call you when I had my perfect life, children, house & husband?" Smiling I said, "yes". She then said, "uh you won't be getting that phone call". We had a good laugh & hug over that. She too will maybe one day have the same interaction with her daughter, who knows.

As young adults I wanted for them to be independent & self sustaining, in other words I wanted them to "get a job & get out of our house" and I say that in the most loving way possible!! I am profoundly proud of all of them for they all have jobs and homes of their own. I am finding when I visit them that they

acquired attributes I wasn't fully aware I had impressed on them when they were growing up. I will use the term "they" now as each have displayed one or more of the following, but not in any order, rhyme or reason. They worry about their home being clean enough when I visit or that I find what they have to be adequate and not in need of "fixing or adding to", but across the board they want me to be comfortable in their home and I always am.

Over the last few years I still see the young child in them when they are worried about telling me something that I may not approve of,  will think poorly on it or them and I have found myself telling them each at different times, "Ya know, all I have really ever wanted for you was for you to be happy and feel loved". You see, it's not a matter of finding love or happiness, it's really about letting love & happiness find you. Let's start with love.

Love finds you when you are not looking for it. When you look too hard to

find love, you may actually be missing out on the simple pleasure of it finding you. Case in point: my husband had been in love with me for a couple years, but I was so busy trying to find love I completely overlooked what was right there waiting for me. It wasn't until I "gave up" on finding love that I realized love had found me. I fell deeply in love & married my best friend and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel loved, cared for and grateful for his patience.

Happiness ......., it finds you too. It creeps up on you when you least expect it. It's the warmth you feel deep down when you know what you are doing is the right thing, it's the contentment of peace when you know you don't have it all but you are grateful for what you have. It's the beauty you see that the rest of the world misses because they are not looking at the simplest forms of beauty: a star filled sky, clouds that take on shape in your imagination, a child playing without knowledge of the pressures in the world and the smile on the face of someone you love. It's the comfort you bring another who is hurting. It's the joy you bring to someone by just being you. 

Here's to love & happiness finding you because it sure has found me!
 

Shopping Adventures in Mexico

Before Papi arrived I had the fantastic opportunity to "set up house". This included the purchase of a new stove, refrigerator, sofa (which we have not owned one since leaving the states) & a bed (yes I know we own a bed but now we have 2 bedrooms). Of course Papi & I had looked & priced the kitchen appliances so I knew what he wanted & in what price range.

So off I go, Yee Haw! Chedraui (pronounced Ched-ra-we) is a like an upscale Walmart. They have everything from groceries (including a fantastic selection of wines & cheeses), to hardware, housewares, appliances & furniture. I found the stove & refrigerator I wanted and with my Spanish dictionary in hand approached a store clerk to help me. He had no problem understanding what I wanted. "Neccesito esta y esta" (pointing works well too). Now the hard part, I need it delivered today. "Neccesito es entragar hoy" (not the best grammer but he got the gist). I gave him the address & cross street, made the purchase & nervously left the store. Low & behold, as promised a truck pulled up at 1pm and in came the new stove & refrigerator!! BUENO!!

Now here is the other end of the spectrum. A week or so later I go shopping for a sofa & bed. A store in the same Mall (YES we have a MALL!!!) named Coppel has a fairly large selection of furniture. I looked through there and thought I found what I wanted but just to be sure I had seen all that was available I asked a friend here (Rosa) to take me to where she would shop for a sofa & bed. Turns out we went to the same places. The advantage is that she could communicate the details for me. We find a clerk, show her what I want, she tells us it can be delivered in 2-3 days. (Note: I can't give you the Spanish because they said way to much for my comprehension) OK not as good as the first purchase but ok. When I went to pay for it, the clerk punches it in to the computer and then says, "oh, .., this can not be delivered for 10-14 days. Rosa says, that's no good, we will arrange someone to come in a truck & pick it up. (This is on a friday) Clerk says, OK - Tuesday, it will be in the store Tuesday, but call first and make sure it arrived from the main warehouse. Bueno!

On Saturday I ran into one of the restaurant owners & his wife that we have become friends with and I explain (in my broken Spanish way) that I have bought a sofa & bed at Coppels and need a truck to pick it up on Tuesday. Jose says, "Sure, I can help you with that".  Papi came for a visit on Sunday and his Spanish is much better than mine, so we stop in at Lauva and he speaks to Jose's wife Teresita to explain that I will come to the restaurant Tuesday morning and if she would make the call to Coppels to be sure the stuff is in fact at the store it would be very helpful. (the only thing harder than communicating in Spanish in person is communicating over the phone - no sign language assistance).

Tuesday comes, I go to the restaurant & Jose is there also, so I show him the receipt with the invoice number & phone number - he calls, no answer. Jose, Teresita & I have breakfast together and try a few more times, ....no answer. OK,.......... maybe the people in that dept don't start work until later so they agreed to call again later and I would come back around 4pm (Jose finishes work at 5 and the store is open til 9). I return at 4 and Teresita explains that they have called all day and no answer, DANG, this is not going as planned. So, I go see Rosa and explain whats going on. She says she needs to go near there to pick up her daughter, that I should come with her and we will stop in at Coppels and find out what the problem is. At Coppels the clerk can not explain why nobody answered the phone but after looking in the computer says that it is there and we can pick it up tomorrow (Wednesday) at 5pm. Bueno!!

Papi arrived on Wednesday morning (for good - YAY), so this is even better, he will be with us when we pick it up (it's a manly job). So we went to Lauva and when Jose finished work we went to Coppels to pick up the furniture. Now remember, the day before we were also set to do this but I was told to call & make sure the furniture was there, so called & called & called all day, but nobody ever answered the phone so finally Rosa took me to Coppels and they looked it up in the computer & said, "Oh yeah, its here" so arrangements were made to pick it up at 5pm Wednesday.
 

So we get there, I hand them the receipt, they look it up in the computer & nod (yes its here) the guy goes into the store room, after a while he returns and looks it up again in the computer, gets another guy to verify, goes back to the store room (you see where this is going right??) Finally I see them pulling the mattress out & then they tell us the sofa isn't there - it SHOULD be there, but its not. we load the bed in the truck and then Jose TOTALLY rips the guy a new one (all in Spanish but there was no mistake about what he was saying LOL). It went like this:
"You tell her to call, she calls,  I call, all day we call, no answer, you NEVER answer the phone, how can you do business if you never answer your phone. You tell your customer something is ready and its not. How do you stay in business, if I did that I would starve. NOW you say it 'might' be here on Monday, and we should call. You never answer your phone and you said it was here today and its not, how are we to believe you" 

This went on a good 10 minutes. So Papi & I will probably GO there on Monday (because they never answer their phone) and if they say its there we will ask to SEE IT, then we will call Jose to come pick it up. I didnt have any issues at Chedrauri, I paid for the stove & fridge in the morning, it was delivered in the afternoon. Don't think I will be doing any more shopping at Coppels, BUT, .................. its all part of the adventure and we are blessed with  

GOOD friends here in Mexico.

The Turns & Twist of the Journey

Alas, I return to my blog for another riveting adventure in the lives of Papi & I. From my last post you should gather that we had made the decision to move from Belize to Mexico. The small fishing village we have spent a great deal of time in (Calderitas) has turned out to be the place we shall now call "home"

It's only 11 miles as the crow flies from Corozal, Belize, but is a world away, from the aspect of environment, cost and culture. We were concerned we would not be able to find a suitable abode as there is not much turn over here in the way of rentals. Calderitas is filled with long standing families (many of which are related), but score we did. Through friends we met here Papi learned of a place that would be vacant in the time frame we were looking at (March). It's a two story 3 bedroom, 3 bath home sitting on about a half acre of land with a small lot to the rear that is up for sale by the same owner.

In February, Papi arranged to have a fence put up and burglar doors put on the front, back & upstairs patio doors. The owner didn't think those were necessary as nobody has ever "messed" with their property, but we know from experience that an ounce of protection goes a long way. We really don't have much but foreign nationals (I like that term better than gringo) are always considered to be "rich".

We started the "permanent residency" visa process as soon as we had a signed rental contract, which is part of the new immigration laws in Mexico. You must have permission to live in Mexico before you can move household goods and you must apply from your country of residency. So down to Belize City we go to the Mexican Embassy with the documents we were told were required.

• Passport face page & residency stamp
• Bank statements showing income
• proof of pension
• passport size photos
• rental agreement contract

Simple enough. Now, you must also understand that Belize City is a 2 hour drive (we have no car) or a 3 hour bus ride. The Embassy is only open for this type of thing Mon-Fri from 9am-Noon. The first trip down we took the express bus that left Corozal at 5:30am. It was much more comfortable than the  "School Buses" than run throughout the day, but it is a very early wake up call to catch it. We arrived in Belize City and took a taxi to the Embassy, arriving at 7:30am, so we walked over to a nearby Hotel-Casino for coffee & tea.

When the Embassy was about to open we headed that way. We filled out the application and turned in our documentation. We were very impressed with the technology they were using. A far cry from our experience seeking permanent residency in Belize,  they scanned our application in to their computer attached a digital photo & took our finger prints, all of which became part of this electronic file that would be sent to Mexico City for interpol check & further processing. This new set of laws is so new they were not completely sure what step was next other than we would be interviewed by the Consulate, but not that day as he had been called out on "an emergency". So back to Corozal after a nice breakfast.

A week later another trip to BC, but this time we borrowed a friends car, turned in more requested documentation. We brought the inventory print out in the format their website said it had to be in, but when we got there they handed us "their form" and we had to hand write it all over, no problem. Finishing that we approached the window only to be informed the Consulate was called out on another "emergency", but that I would not be needed for the last step as long as Papi had my passport with him so back to Corozal we go. 

We had planned a luncheon with friends that day to say farewell at the Purple Toucan Restaurant and we arrived late (after our trip to BC), but in plenty of time to enjoy food, drink & fellowship. A good time was had by all. As I do everytime I leave a place or job I wrote my rendition of "Thanks for the Memories" (remember Bob Hope). It went like this:

• Thanks for the memories, four years ago we came, but we will not remain, we're off to Calderitas where things are much more tame, Hope I can learn Espanol. 
• This journey we've been traveling, has led us here & there, to many a different lair, To the average folk the moving might cause them to pull their hair, not this vagabond pair 
• Refrain: Here's to the Toucan and its following, we've shared many a good time with you. When we're gone don't be blue, we will raise a glass to you, when the Thunderbolt docks, cuz then it's 5 O'Clock. 
• So Thanks for the memories, each one of you that's here, let's raise a glass of cheer, I'm sure we'll see you once again, you are so very dear, we Thank you, soooooooooo much.

Our 2 dogs (Khan & Annie) and our cat (Simon) went to the vet for their worming and health certificates and as the end of the 10 days was approaching (having NO appt with the Consulate yet) we decided  to move me & the dogs to Calderitas. The Corozal house was all but packed and it was just one day after another sitting around waiting. Our very wonderful friends Pam & Billy Waldon agreed to transport us in their vehicle over the border and a very fine friend in Mexico Marvin agreed to pick us up on the Mexico side. All went very smoothly & the animals are very happy & comfortable in their new domain.

The list of good friends is long and we are very thankful for their kindnesses. Prior to this Gail Johnson & Libby Fitzgerald both brought me and "large suitcases containing things we would need in Calderitas" to the house and we made several trips on the bus to get as much over here as would law allow, but it's amazing how much more you can get over in a private vehicle.

I now have a new hammock, stove & refrigerator. I am quite comfortable but miss my wonderful husband!! Stay tuned for updates on the "Moving to Mexico Experience"

Calderitas, Mexico

Last year, Papi & I spent a couple weeks exploring southeast Mexico. An easy adventure as it's just over the Belize border with so many places to choose from within an hour radius of Chetumal. We prefer the coast so we explored Calderitas, Chetumal proper & Baccalar Lagoon. Of the three Calderitas was our favorite. A bayside town just northeast of Chetumal, it is known for its boardwalk stretch of Seafood Restaurants, friendly people and good traditional Mexican music. The sunrises & sunsets are spectacular!!

What is unique, to us anyway, is that during the week, by 7pm most of the restaurants close and by 8pm the only sounds you hear are children playing in the parks.  For the party people on vacation, this may not be appealing but for us old quiet folk it is quite refreshing. On weekends they stay open a bit longer, and is home to many who come to enjoy beautiful beaches, great food & a little revelry.

This year we wanted to stay an extended period of time and as fate would have it a couple we know from Hopkins were looking for a place to rent for the month of January. They were expecting their first baby and planned a home birth attended by our good friend Gail Johnson (http://www.midwifewithoutborders.com). This was a God send as it would give us a "house sitter" in exchange for rent free accommodations while they wait for their bundle of joy. BUENO!!

Part of the desire for an extended stay had to do with improving my Spanish speaking skills. I know a hand full of words but that's it. The hotel we stayed last year has apartments for rent by the month, so before we left I took a tour with the manager. The apartment in the main hotel building on the top floor with a kitchen seemed perfect. Papi came back a few months ago and paid a visit to secure the apartment only knowing the "top floor" part. The hotel also has a separate building of apartments so when he came that's where they took him. After climbing four stories of stairs (NO, there is no elevator), he viewed a two bedroom apartment with living room, a dining area and nice size kitchen. The view was great and breeze even better, so he locked in the reservation with a deposit.

I returned from my trip to the states with a meager three days with Papi before he would head to Calderitas, set up the apartment and wait for my arrival on the 5th or 6th. I delayed my departure so I could spend a day or so with Cheryl who would arrive on the 4th, get her settled in and acclimated. With her mom & sister arriving on the 7th everything was going as planned. She & her husband run a tour operation in Hopkins and with this being the "busy" season, his arrival would be closer to the due date as to not miss out on high season.

Papi mentioned he was having a few issues with the apartment getting the gas hooked up, but when I arrived 5 days later and it still had not been hooked up, plus being the "woman of the house" I saw some other issues that most definately need to be addressed. Not that he had not been diligently reminding them daily about the gas, but by the time I arrived, enough was enough, so off to the office I go with my limited Spanish skills. Lina had a favorite word, "Horrible" (pronounced har-eb-lee) when describing something terrible or completely unsatisfactory.

By the time I left the office, the girl at the desk knew I found the apartment horrible with no gas to cook, but since the details were "lost in translation" I indicated I would come back with "mi amiga" to help translate. As it turned out a friend named Elizabeth from Peru with perfect Spanish and an understanding of the culture and customer service skills went back with me to talk to the office staff a couple days later. After a tour of the apartment and notepad in hand, the office receptionist understood clearly that there were many maintenance issues and indicated she would talk to the general manager about moving us. She also came to the knowledge that I had expected to be in the main building, but said those apartments were a great deal more and she wasn't even sure there was a "monthly rental price".

The next day we stopped at the office and the General Manager generously offered us an apartment in the main building at no extra cost. The fridge was a small one and the open floor plan meant if we had visitors that wanted to stay overnite it would be more like a pajama party (a second bed but not in a separate room), but the furnishings much nicer, a TV, better internet, a private balcony, ... well let's just say we smiled, said "mucho gracias" more than once and planned a raving review on Trip Adviser.

Mean while, back in Corozal, Cheryl went into labor within hours of her mom & sister arriving and a "hurry up & get here papa" call made to her husband. The birth went very well and these two diver parents delivered their 6lb 14oz baby girl underwater in a pool birth, .... in our living room. How awesome is that?!!!! Now they have a leisurely 3 weeks to bond as a family before returning to Hopkins were it will be non stop visitors as they have many friends & associates that will be anxious to meet Khaya.


Stay tuned for my next post which will describe more of our adventures in Calderitas!

Ahh the holidays!

Goodness gracious, has it really been three months since I posted a blog? Well, there is much to catch up on. I left Belize mid November to spend the holidays with family. I arrived in Atlanta and was met by Sonia and beautiful little Mady Lu! What a site for sore eyes!  The next day we embarked on Mady's first long car ride. I didn't even have to unpack my suitcase just throw it in the car. Sonia on the other hand had to take half the house with her. I had forgotten how much you need to carry when you have a small child, but goodness me, we had a toy box full of toys, a high chair, playpen, gads of diapers, bottles formula, etc etc etc: you get the picture.

We knew the trip usually takes 8.5 hours and figured more time would be needed for extra & more lengthy stops. Mady did really well, .......... until the sun went down and there was nothing to look at outside the window. We were 8 hours into the trip and the "fussies" began, so as the intelligent people that we are we pulled into the nearest department store and purchased a portable DVD player & a Bubble Guppies CD. The last 4 hours whizzed by hardly needing a stop. We arrived in Portsmouth at the Great Grandma Powell's. Sonia unloaded the car while the grandma's played with Mady Lu.

Thanksgiving brought me another blessing, the "younger" Charles brought our other two grand daughters from Maryland to Portsmouth to see grandma!! My how they had grown! This was the first time they met their new cousin Mady Lu. We made a trip to City Park to feed the "Ducks" (actually they are geese but we have always called it feeding the ducks, go figure). This is a time honored activity Great Grandpa Powell enjoyed with Sonia from the time she was old enough to to tear bread into pieces, so it was time to introduce the next generation. It was so much fun. Lexi now 9 and Laci 4, they had both recently had birthdays. With Mady's first birthday coming up we decided to have a "Cousins Birthday Party" We all made birthday cards and had a wonderful time celebrating all three birthdays. Grandma enjoying it the most I think! Having all three together was "Grandma Heaven" I know Pop Powell looked down on it all and was smiling from ear to ear.  The visit with Charles, Lexi & Laci was short but oh so wonderful. Papi and I are so thankful for the wonderful children and grand children that we have.

After returning to Atlanta, it was time to go visit our youngest son Sean. Sean picked me up at the airport and took me back to school with him. What an outstanding opportunity to see him in action as a teacher. Yep, he definitely has the gift, made me quite proud. I was thrilled to meet his students and they all seemed to be interested in meeting Mr. Thomas' mom. Wow, how weird did that sound,...... Mr. Thomas. Of course he is, but I had not heard that before and as much as I recognize intellectually he's a grown man, it kinda made me feel old. Well of course I am old, not decrepit, but not the young chick I used to be. Sean was very good to his momma, and we had a great time, we walked hundreds of miles (or so it felt) and we did some interesting things. 

We went to Night at the Zoo, all lit up for Christmas, we went to a college basketball game, I don't think Sean expected me to "cheer so much" for the home team and we went to" Christmas in the Heights"

Christmas in the Heights started as a neighborhood event to encourage meeting each other and going house to house to see decorations and share treats. Over the years it grew to include people providing entertainment on their porches. The phrase, "if you build it they will come" held true here as the years passed, it got bigger and bigger, people from all over would come to enjoy it. It got "too big", so this year they scaled it back a bit, but to me it was like Mardi Gras in New Orleans!! People walking around all dressed crazy, pulling their wagons of children, beer or both, but it was GREAT!! Two different houses had hand-bell choirs performing, now you know how much I like hand-bell choirs, I was thrilled! I saw one decorated yard I had to get a picture of, they must be affiliated with the local Sail Club!
I helped Sean finish decorating his tree, made drop cookies with him, did his laundry, cooked for him and he took his momma shopping. It was a perfect visit!!

Back to Atlanta for Mady Lu's first birthday! Sonia & Scooter did it up right for their little girl!! She had a good time (probably had no clue what it was all about, but when shes older she will see the pictures). A good time was had by the adults too!! Mady doesn't like gushy things on her hands so the whole cake smashing thing was a struggle for her, momma had to show her how to do it LOL!! But she was a good sport about it all!! Wow, hard to believe its been a whole year but alas, time holds still for no one, not even grandmas!

And finally CHRISTMAS!! We decorated, Sonia baked cookies, we shopped, we wrapped, we hid the presents (like Mady was going to go looking for them LOL). Mady went to see Santa for the first time,...... she wasn't impressed, LOL! Christmas morning Mady came downstairs with her momma to find that Santa had come! Oh Boy!!! She learned how to rip paper and pull bows and for the most part mom, papa & grandma had the most fun seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child again. Scooter & Sonia put on a Christmas dinner spread that was scrumptious!! What a wonderful holiday; filled with love and joy!!  Mady went from crawling to full fledge walking and has discovered the tupperware cabinet in the kitchen!! Get your running shoes on Momma & Papa, Mady's on the move!!!

Made it back to Belize in time to celebrate New Year with Papi, but you'll have to wait for the next post to hear all about that!!!!!!  

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to All