The bilge pump stopped working again. Luckily, for no reason whatsoever, Mike decided to let it fill with water and see how things were. The automatic pump did not kick in. He tested the manual electric pump which uses the same motor and sucker thing (I have no idea what the thing that actually sucks the water up is called) as the automatic - both working fine. So it wasn't the motor or the sucker thing. He checked the electrical connections - working fine. I hate it when he messes with the electrical system - only because I am sort of afraid of electricity. (One time when I was a kid I took a bulb out of a lamp, turned the lamp on, and then stuck my finger where the bulb would go to see what it felt like. It felt very bad.) All of this took a couple of hours. Then he dug the automatic switch out of the bilge and low and behold it did not work. And miracle of miracles - thank you Nuestra Senora Del Carmen - there was a spare switch in our spare parts locker. Mike changed the switch and it worked just fine - for a few minutes. Then neither the automatic or the manual was working well - both were erratic. So Mike then checked the electrical connections again, and discovered the connections were corroded, and the movement when he was fixing the switch caused them to work only off and on. So he got out his soldering stuff and wire strippers and before long there were nice tidy new connections that worked perfectly. I do not think there is anything Mike can't fix if he has the proper tools. We were really glad to discover this while at the dock and not while underway.
Today we are just laying around doing nothing and it feels good. Really good. We don't have to be on the go every single day. I had a yoga class this morning, which felt really good. We have it outside on the grass. Mike came walking by on his way back from the showers, and hollered at my to get straighter or some such nonsense. We all laughed and I called him a Zen Whacker when I got back. I was expecting him to do something like that and I knew he'd have to walk past the class coming back from the shower. (Even though we have a shower on board, we use the marina showers a lot because they are bigger and have unlimited hot water. Our hot water tank is small.)
In spite of my blood sugar issues, I have discovered I can have some fruit if I balance it properly by avoiding other sugars or carbs. I gave up the milk in my coffee, added protein, and have been careful about alcohol consumption and it seems to be paying off. My sugar level readings are getting better and I have lost weight. Being more active can't be hurting either. Of course, when I look at pictures of myself I still look too heavy, but I can wear things I wasn't able to get into when we left San Diego. So there is proof positive this is a good way of life for me. I really missed the fruit, and don't actually miss the milk in the coffee.
Another good thing is how well my Spanish is progressing. I get a lot of nice comments from the people here, and everyone is eager to help me when I get stuck. Sometimes though, especially when under pressure, I can't think of a single word and just stand there with my mouth open. But if I take a breath and start slow, it will come back. I still have trouble with my tenses, and pretty much have to stay in the present tense. So I say stuff like "En el pasado voy a lo tienda" which means "In the past I go to the store" instead of "I went to the store." But everyone understands me and all are patient about it. I have a new respect for people who come to the US and have to learn English!
Tomorrow we plan to take a little trip to Stone Island (Isla de Piedra). We can't take the dinghy because there is too much open ocean to go through because it is in the main harbor, which is a few miles south of where the boat is in the marina. So we take the bus to the southern end of town and then get on a little ferry that takes us over there. It has a nice beach, a couple palapa restaurants, and some hiking trails. We will take some pictures with my camera, so I can download them and post them here. The view is supposed to be really good.
So that is what is happening with us here in Mexico. After we get back from the US, we plan to head a little further south before turning back north for the Sea of Cortez this summer. Anyone who wants to visit is more than welcome!
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