The Need to Accept the Things I Cannot Change

Well, tomorrow is my birthday and I will be 55.  Like my friend Tom Kelly said, I will now be a speed limit. 

We are doing fine here and planning a trip back to the US to see family and friends and handle taxes.  This year will be more complicated than in the past, but I am hoping for the best and am well prepared should the worst happen.  This does NOT mean I won't break down and cry in the preparer's office if it goes south, but I have whatever I am going to need should that happen.  How is that for discusing taxes without naming any dollar amounts?  My father taught me it was rude to discuss money, and to this day it is easier for me to discuss sex than money.

I met a man yesterday in the swimming pool and while standing in nice warm water up to our necks we compared blood sugar levels.  I guess I am getting old.  

A couple days ago we took a walk up to Crespin Lighthouse - "faro" in Spanish - and it was an incredible view.  Mike took the pictures with his camera so I don't have them yet -but I will post them when I get them.  It was a fairly long walk all uphill with steps, and I did a very good job even though it was hot out and at high noon to boot.  Then we walked all the way back through town - I don't know how many miles, but the walk went from one end of town to the other.  Crocs are very comfortable walking shoes, by the way.  The next day we took our dinghy and rode out to these two islands.  One of them is Bird Island and you can't go on it because of nesting  birds.  Unfortunately, we did not know this until we landed the boat and THEN saw the sign saying "Do Not Disembark."  We left quickly, of course.  From the water, we could see literally thousands of pelicans sitting in trees.  I had no idea pelicans did that.  It was really amazing - pelicans, frigate birds gliding overhead, cormorants, and seabirds that even Mike did not know what they were.  We really need a bird book.  The other island is Deer Island and we could get out there.  It had a  beautiful beach.  Yesterday we spent the day going to the store (I love grocery shopping here) and mailing stuff off.  The mail my sister sent via Fed Ex arrived in only two days!  The staff at the harbormaster's office even brought it right to the boat for us. 

I haven't written in a couple days because sometimes there isn't always something interesting to say.  I still have really mixed feelings about the TV.  It is fun to watch movies and some shows, but we do get the news, which is almost always these days a total downer.  I know there are a lot of problems here in Mexico, but the atmosphere is that of hope and optimism.  Everyone works hard and wants their kids to be educated.  Teachers are respected here, not treated like parasites.  People are actually kind to each other.  I see less beggers here than I did in San Diego.  They advertise their social services and encourage people to apply if they are in need.  I am not ignoring the drug crime issue, but they aren't using it as an excuse to limit the rights of everyday people and to call each other names and be mean and hateful to those with differing opinions and faiths. 

I read today that the four people taken by Somali pirates are now dead.  A sobering note, for sure.  I guess I will have to pass on that part of the world - or stay with a flotilla.  Apparently this boat was with a group and then split off on their own.  Safety in numbers?  I have no idea what happened - how the boat was boarded or what happened to the people or anything else.  Why does everything have to be so horrible these days?  It seems like everything is falling apart.

But I can't spend all my time feeling bad about things I can't fix - got to keep that serenity prayer in mind, and just do what I can and stand up for what I believe needs my support.  At this point, I think it is all I can do.