November 30, 2009 -- All's well that ends well

We are happy, indeed mighty gleeful, to report that all the mechanical issues have been solved at our house. I cannot stress enough how thrilled we were to come back from a week in Cancun to find really hot water pouring out of our pipes and onto us in the shower, in the sinks, and especially in the kitchen sink. Such a small thing has brought so much happiness back into our lives. The solar hot water repair is not actually done in the sense of 'this won't happen again' but more in the sense of 'it is working ok and not leaking too badly and provides hot water so we're gonna just live with it as it is for however long it works this way'. This is something we have learned to do in our four and a half years of living here in Mexico -- you do the best you can with what you have. And this means having a positive attitude every day for almost all of the day or just staying in bed!!
Our Cancun week was idyllic -- as always -- but we have to note that what began as a cheap and easy vacation has turned into an expensive week, but one we look forward to nonetheless, especially since we don't have airfare to contend with. The prices for food and services now rival or exceed those in Chicago especially in the hotel zone. That gorgeous Carribean blue water however, makes you just not care so much about the cost of things. This year, despite the best efforts of the government which paid for giant barges from Dubai to come and hoist some sand back onto the beaches, we have to say that the lack of sand on the beaches made that part of our stay in Cancun a bust. There was hardly enough sand to even walk the beach by the Royal Islander and large limestone formations not only visible but blocking the way. That said, we had fablulous meals several nights at restaurants we've come to love -- Puerto Madero, la Dolce Vita, and, our most favorite, Harry's. This year Harry's, which has always had amazing beef and seafood (and cushions the shock of the bill by delivering it with freshly made cotton candy), added an appetizer of tuna chunks and it was divine, $20 but melt-in-your-mouth-delicious. Sad to report that Perico's (the restaurant where they pour tequila down your throat and serve very iffy food and sometimes drop spiders down your back, but get people up dancing despite the terror) is closed, supposedly for remodeling but rumor has it that the owners just got tired of running the place.
Today, Eva gets out her stitches from the wrist surgery she had about 10 days ago to 'free' an entrapped nerve. She could not swim or get her right hand wet or really use it for the last 10 days, but she's been a good sport and has managed most of the time to do things for herself despite having one hand for doing. Fastening her bra is where she draws the line, but tomorrow she'll be able to do even that!
Now, the Christmas season starts. Decorations are already up on the streets and squares and around and in the malls here, and tomorrow we'll begin to decorate our house. We actually love this process now since we direct Jose to bring down certain boxes and containers, put up things like wreaths and trees, hang lights, and then we place ornaments on the tree and supervise everything else. It is a breeze!! We'll go out and buy some poinsettias from the viveros and voila, we will look like Christmas. We are SO spoiled and love every minute of it!!