August 12, 2008 -- Ahhh home is good

We are back home where the thermometer travels from about 90 to 110 degrees with 100% humidity every single day, BUT we have a beautiful pool, an amazing garden, and a lovely air-conditioned oasis inside. So, we are happily settling back in.

Started the day off with a mechanic who said we needed a new battery for the car which basically sat idle for the last 2 1/2 months. He came over to collect the money for the new battery (1000 pesos or about $100) and then charged us 80 pesos ($8 or so) to bring the new battery over to our house (rolled it on a cart the two blocks from his place of business), install it, and test it. And it seems to be working just great. Then another man came to try once again to fix our solar hot water heater. We have always had hot water powered by the sun, but the tank has leaked in some fashion almost since we got it, so this has been an ongoing saga. And he will probably be back tomorrow to see if he can in fact finish this up. Then yet another man came to try to repair the air conditioner in our bedroom. We have what are known as mini-splits which have a unit mounted on a wall somewhere in a room and then the condenser for each unit sits on the roof. We have three different brands of air conditioners (and 6 different units) and the ones we have the most trouble with are Samsung (unfortunately, since Marilla's brother-in-law-to-be works for the company in Korea). The fellow came, idenitified the problem, ordered the part, and will come back soon to repair it, we hope. This repair only has a 30 day guarantee, which is another thing about Samsung that gives us pause. Finally, grocery store and then doctor visit for Eva. She has tendonitis around her knee and two neuromas (nerve problems) on her left foot. These explain the pain she has been having so we hope the shot and medicines the doctor gave her will alleviate same quickly.

So, the garden!! We had a 4 foot stalk when we left Merida which we knew at some point would turn into a tree but had no idea it would grow 8 feet while we've been gone this summer and sprout leaves. No kidding. And our pitaya has been blooming and sprouting fruit (see picture above). Some people may know this fruit as dragon fruit -- it has an inside like a kiwi but with white fruit and small black seeds -- with astoundingly pretty and fragrant white flowers that bloom only one night and then begin to fade and become fruit. And our 20 foot tall tall cactus has blooms all over it. You can hardly believe the bamboo which started as a stalk about 2 years ago and now needs thinning often to keep it from taking over and the stalks are 25 or so feet tall. Everything has grown in an amazing fashion. Even the orchids seem to be hanging on and thriving during this annual rainy season.

And of course, our darling Jose has been taking care of everything while we've been away and everything is just as it should be or better. He painted the guest room ceilings and several walls in the house in addition to cleaning and gardening and such while we were away.

We had a lovely dinner with the extended Lane family while we were in Chicago and found they could hang with the extended Sweet family, phew, and maybe even liked it a bit. Here are my brothers and me enjoying ourselves (photo courtesy of sister-in-law Carol). Marilla is very lucky to be marrying into such a great family. And my brothers are trying to wangle an invitation to be part of the groom's bachelor party which they are also trying to organize as a Vegas extravaganza weekend or week-long event. Not sure if this is for Rhodri or my brothers!!

We also attended a linen shower for Marilla, the first to kick off her engagement year, hosted by my long-time dear friends, Carla and Emily. It was great fun to meet some of Claudia's friends and spend more time with her daughter and daughter-in-law, see many of Marilla's friends and bridesmaids, and gather some of my pals together once more. And it was wonderful to meet Carla's neice, Catherine, who is as poised and fun as her favorite aunt. We did miss Emily's daughter, bridesmaid Stacy, who could not manage to come from NYC to Chicago just for lunch.

And finally, we had a fabulous time in the pool at Angie and Betty's with my niece and nephew, Hannah and David, courtesy of brother David and wife Tricia. Baby Ford hung by the side of the pool and smiled at everyone and everything. David learned to jump into the pool by himself and swim a bit. Hannah (almost 6 years old) mastered the dead man's float under the watchful eyes and sunburned backs of Aunt Sandy and Tia Eva.