Our ATV Ride

December 22nd, middle of winter, and Ron and I went exploring on the ATV. (Minnesota winters are rapidly dimming in my memories.)

Ron had seen earlier what looked to be a mine or cave high up on a rocky hill. We rode as far as the road goes, then started climbing.

The terrain was mobile granite-quartz rubble, interspersed with cholla cacti, thorny trees and bushes, and I am 100% inexperienced. Hard climb. Lots of rest stops. As we got closer, we could see the opening better.

Square, looked to be hand-hewn out of the rock, no sign of timber shoring, and absolutely no sign of a path, tailings, nothing. I had to quit about 2/3 of the way up. (I now know for a fact that only people who actually still have cartilage in their knees should attempt climbing.) I sat on a rock and examined rocks for an hour. Ron continued on and took the camera. I kept hearing "WOW!" OH WOW!"

Looking inside door of cave

View out from door of cave

View down from top.

Back wall and floor of cave

He said there were no artifacts, no sign of recent habitation, but maybe evidence of fires. His flashlight was weak, but he thought the cave went back 40 feet or so. Very cool, probably very old to have zero traces of any kind of path?

The return "slide" to where we parked the ATV was much faster. I'm still picking out thorns!

Then we drove over to a beach inlet, where we saw dozens of holes in the sand.

One hole had sand flying out of it, and I said "WOW! Maybe a turtle burying eggs?" Then a large brownish furry thing backed out of it, beaver-size, and went right back in. GOTTA go check that out! I left Ron up on the cliff, and made my gimpy way down. As I got closer I could see this:

Ron called down "What is it?' and I said "A squirrel?" As I got around behind him, I could see he was a tad larger than a squirrel:

He suddenly realized he wasn't alone, and backed out and started running. Scared me!

Turned out to be a BADGER! I had interrupted his meal, a 1/2 eaten crab.

I looked into all the other holes, and only one had any evidence of a find:

Ravaged turtle eggs!

He had struck the jackpot there, I can't believe he would dig all those holes at random, hoping for a cache. There must be a scent or sign?

Anyway, it was a grand day out. However, my knees are much worse the day after, and need babying. And a walking stick and meds and heat and ace wraps. Geez...

Birthday Report

I turned 59 yesterday, and no, I don't feel different. I've been trying to remember what my parents were like at 59, and it's so fuzzy. (We were living in Julian, CA.) Dad wasn't home much, travelling as the Kinney Shoes upper midwest window trimmer. I think my mom had retired. I know they were busy and involved with my brother's kids a lot. My general impression is I'm tired-er at 59 than they were at 69...

Yesterday was a hoot! It started with my husband having again screwed up getting me a birthday present, so I was granted carte blanche on EBay and ordered a new pair of Birkenstocks. Rather bling, don't you think? They'll be here by Christmas.

Then I got picked up by my neighbor Karen, along with Grace and Jan, and was driven to Jorge's restaurant. We were 13 total, we Ladies Who Lunch, and they bought me TWO grande margaritas, a half-order of steamed clams, and a bowl of tortilla soup, always great. PLUS presents! They were all told no gifts, but they could buy me a drink instead. In retrospect, 12 drinks might have been 10 too many...

I have a new Demdeco "Free Spirit" from Bette, a hand-crafted silver wire bird's-nest pendant from Karen, those Navajo earrings EXACTLY like the ones I was coveting a few days ago in Delfie's house, the gorgeous crystal beaded drop to hang in a window from Grace, that double-strand turquoise necklace from Joyce, and Jan made that rose brooch with clamshells!  Plus this gorgeous plate from my friend Zee, the only non-WHR/Dos Palmas friend.

Earlier, Sal gave me a potted rose plant, and Jill gave me a bottle of good gin. Jan's hubby John baked me a huge batch of Toll-House cookies. What great friends!

Here's a group shot of us.

From bottom left, Marion, Maggy, Bette, Joyce, Karen, me, Zee, Grace, Delfie, Sal, Joan, and Jill.

More shots: (no, nobody was drinking shots...)

Jorge and granddaughter Natalia serenading us!

Sal and Bette left us to chat up our neighbor Jerry...

No photo of Jan because she was behind the camera. Here's Jan.

Then they poured me into the truck and delivered me home, where my husband made me a gooey, chocolate birthday cake. You all know Boots, Jaq's dog. He helped.

It was a grand day out, with a  chocolate cake and Survivor and X-Factor finale. Laughter, song, presents, good food, great drinks. There isn't much more, is there? Well, family.
But these women ARE my family.

Happy Birthday Girl

BusyBusyBusy

The Kino social season is heating up. Had to start my Google Calendar, and darn if there isn't something entered almost every single day. Mighty few jammies days. The WHR park and our Dos Palmas neighborhood is filling up. Lots of catching up, potlucks, happy hours, clamming, poker games, Ladies-Who-Lunch, and Club Deportivo events. Our park is hosting the Sunday breakfast there, and I'm assigned to chop onions today. Of the whole list of menu chores, that's the only one I probably wouldn't f#%& up.

Went to Tucson last week for Ron's first primary care appointment at the VA. Took neighbor Jack with us so he could get a visa on the way home (Hadn't had one for a couple of years). Jack is Ron's drinking partner, and that's what they did. I drove. It's been chilly nights here in Kino, but it snowed on us in Sonoita and dropped to 16 degrees in St. David AZ while we were there. Still had my Minnesota windshield scraper in the truck, though! So glad to be back home.

I'd been feeding a homeless cat, who I noticed was nursing. Four kittens showed up last week, just a few hours before we left for Tucson, so I didn't have a chance to re-home them. SO tiny, but ravenous for food and had no trouble eating dry cat food. The other day three kittens showed up without Mama: I boxed them up and they now have a new home with Jack's friend in Kino Viejo. The fourth one is still at large, and I plan to get Mama neutered.

I had to redo my shell-and-bone wreath from last year because my hula hoop broke. Now it's smaller because it's on a bike tire rim, so it's just skulls and carcasses.

Mostly coyote skulls and pelican skulls, with Seri Indian rope.

Last year's wreath, on hula hoop.

There was a full moon tonight, and an hour later there was this:

So that's what's up.

A Kino Bay Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving week in Mexico, a tad dissimilar to the Minnesota experience. No frozen nostril hairs and no noisy grandkids. Saw'em via Skype, though, and they blew us wet kisses. I swear I could almost feel the spit.

Mexico Thanksgiving week started with very low tides and great clamming, and ended with a huge feast at the RV park with 29 friends and neighbors. Everything was delicious, and the gravy was as good as Terry's. I made Freeda's cranberry salad, always a hit.

I also cooked at home, ensuring leftovers which you don't get when you eat elsewhere: turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, and gravy (which was NOT as good as Terry's...) And we've eaten nothing but ever since.

Yesterday I hauled out the Christmas decorations. Yes, I'm an atheist, but have always been willing to capitalize on the finer perks of religion. (I also enjoy Easter candy.)

Having lived with our crowded casita since installing the bed, I got Ron to help me rearrange the furniture prior to decorating. Now there's room to dance!

Guest seating!

Putting the TV up on that armoire thing necessitated finding a new place for my Christmas tree. Since I only used that table to store casserole dishes on anyway, I put them up above the kitchen cupboards.

I gave the kids most of the ornaments and lights, but kept a few faves to make extra-sure I get teary every holiday season from missing family and friends. The big mercury glass ones are on a lit garland over the window.

Hula Frog



Cone Cat

Society Lady Cat

Eeyore in the center, and I kept my Seri Indian carvings and basket in the window. Yes, the snake and bull are wearing tiny wool scarves. It's winter...

The small tree requires small ornaments, and each of these is so special to me.

My late brother and father, grandkids, and a seashell angel I made.

Fish vertebrae and crab claw wreaths, and Les Kouba bobber.

Bell given to me by my son Jon at age 5, Navajo horsehair ornament, saucer-sledding polar bears, and my pets in their holiday finery.

The room divider screens off the bed somewhat, and is also handy to hang stuff on. The TV can now swivel for viewing in bed. Neighbor Jaq gave me that wire scorpion, which he received in payment for work he did for a local. The Santa Candles are from Goodwill.

Last photo, promise: My Desk, the coffee table. The computer's displaying one of our 2012 Calendar Hunks, on sale at the park next week...

So aside from desperately missing my family and friends back home, we're plugging along and trying to avoid bedsores. My friends arrived last week, and we've been enjoying the beach and catching up. Ron's being kept busy (due to Maurice's negligent delay in arriving here) trying to fix internet connections for our friends. One night we experienced a local caretaker/laborer chasing and shooting at a bandito throughout the neighborhood. This next week will include a girls' day out in the city, another one in the segundas, and then we go to Tucson for a doctor appointment. Busybusybusy.

Hardly any Jammies Days lately. But we sure enjoy doing this! (I lied, one more photo)

Photo courtesy Jan Knickelbein

Wedded Bliss...

When I met Ron in 1980, I'd been separated from my husband of 7 years for only 2 weeks. Ron was like nobody I'd ever known before. He was a Marine Corps combat veteran. Tankers. Three tours in Viet Nam, including the Khe Sanh siege.

Normal daily bullshit would never again even faze him. He worked day labor jobs. He'd been married twice before, and had 5 daughters (two adopted, three biological, and two of those were only 6 months apart!) He was a San Diego native, and I'd never ever even seen California. He lived across the street from my new apartment-in-a-gay-neighborhood in downtown Minneapolis, and I assumed he was gay. But he wasn't. Isn't. And he was easy on the eyes.

Plus he loved my toddler son, Jon.

So we cohabited until my divorce was final, then we got married and moved to California. My ex, also a California native, was supposed to follow us out there (he's a great dad to our son) but he had a near-fatal motorcycle accident and was delayed a few years.

In the meantime, Ron's three daughters from wife #2 (Judy, a saint) spent some summers with us, became and remain very dear to me, have produced 5 most-remarkable grandchildren, and I love them like they're mine.

Lissandra, Juliana, and Caprice

My son Jon, single dad.

But they're not, and I'm so grateful they have Judy as ballast. Because Ron and I weren't ballast. We were happy drunks.

In time, we decided the drinking might be problematic, so we quit, for 16 years. Those 16 years allowed us to build a bit, amassing a fairly happy, extended-family unit and setting us up for an early retirement (mostly courtesy of the VA, who finally agreed Ron was worthy of compensation for his service).

And here we are, Mexico. We have a delightfully quirky little homestead here, in a perfect climate, and at 58.9 and 64.999 years old, respectively. None of our children has managed to visit us yet, but I think they will, in time, because this life is SO great. Plus it's all there is to inherit...

Our Mexico neighbors and friends are every bit as quirky as we are, some a tad more so. We only see the grandkids once a year, not nearly often enough. But with Skype, we still "see" them. Just can't touch them. I rationalize that they're better off without our influence/interference/meddling, and suspect nothing could be truer. They are all thoroughbreds, and I have zero doubt that each one will be happy, fulfilled, and will go on to found dynasties. Despite us!

Max, Linny, and Bryan

Ruby and Eli

Dylan

Nora

Nora and Dylan may have some genetic challenges to surmount, time will tell... Just kidding. Thoroughbreds. But these are their grandfathers:

Grampa Rene'

Grampa Brian

Ron's turning 65 on Thursday. We'll be married 30 years on Valentine's Day. Nobody I know (including us) thought it would last a year: we're so very different. He still makes me laugh every day, often just outta-nowhere slapstick stuff. One day I answered the phone, and a man asked for Ron. Sounded like a bill collector, who Ron insists he can't talk to on the phone because he gets too angry. I told the man that Ron couldn't speak very well since his stroke (he DID have a stroke, that part was true, but his speech had long recovered) This guy wasn't able to talk to me without having Ron's permission. I handed the phone to Ron, said "Just tell him he can talk to me." He screwed up his face and shouted garbled-ly "EHWHSSH? HEH! MMEH WIIIF!!! EERISH!! Then handed the phone back to me. I was absolutely liquid, quivering, shaking with laughter, tears pooling on my neck. I was eventually able to whisper into the phone "That was permission."