Now that the solar panels are on and the windlass has been installed and Walt and Ricardo are done with the brightwork, it is time to get going and we are stuck here waiting for our passports. All our friends are heading south, and as usual, we are always the last. I suppose that isn't a big deal, but still - it is hard to watch everyone sail off when you can't join them.
The passports expire in January, so this was the time to do it. There really wasn't a better time, and Mike did not want to go up to LA to do it the fast (and more expensive) way, so we went through the consulate down here. They told us it would be three weeks - the three weeks were up on Tuesday. On Wednesday they told us tomorrow or Friday. It is Thursday and did not come today. So I will go down to the consulate tomorrow. If it isn't there, we have to wait to next week. I am really anxious to get going. I want to make La Cruz by Christmas. If I don't it is not the end of the world, but I like to have something to shoot for.
Mike and Walt went out tonight and I have the boat to myself tonight. That is pretty rare and I am savoring it. I plan to read as soon as I am finished with this post.
Lately I have been in a really reflective mood because it is the beginning of a bew year living this way. I want to make some changes and I also want some things to stay the same. I want to work on my writing, and maybe do some painting as well. I want to work harder cultivating friendships that I already have as well as forming new ones. Having friends is work and I am lazy when it comes to doing what you have to do to have friends. But I want to get better at it. After all, I can't just expect people to fall at my feel wanting to be my friend.
Yesterday Mike and I went for a dinghy ride along the estuarial area near here. I think it was originally a big saltwater marsh, and the developers made it into an estuary with big luxery houses all along the sides of it. It is full of fish that are constantly jumping out and splashing around. There are also some islands (probably formed by the product of dredging) that are covered with lots and lots of different kinds of birds. We saw at least three different types of herons, several kinds of egrets, seagulls, pelicans, sandpipers, grackles, purple finches, kingfishers - the list goes on and we were only there for an hour or so. It was wonderful. The jumping fish are mullet. Mike says they are not particularly good eating.
Tonight there was a little Christmas party at the bar here at the hotel - the marina sponsored it for us residents - it was really nice with free food and beer and margaritas. They gave away some prizes but we didn't win any - things for best decorated boat and things like that. We have lights on the boat, inside and out, but while it looks very nice and Christmas-y, we are not in a competitive decorating league. I am just relieved I don't have to deal with gettting and decorating a tree. I have been over that for about 8 years or so.
We saw a street procession yesterday or the day before for the Blessed Virgin of Guadaloupe - Nuestra Senora de Guadaloupe - the most important saint in Mexico. The people marched in the street with a band while carrying a big statue of the saint. It was really beautiful to watch - all ages, all sexes, all walks of life, walking and holding candles and singing.
Well, there isn't too much more to say tonight. I am reading "Typee" by Melville - it is pretty good. I am looking forward to reading it with no interruptions. Tomorrow I am hoping and praying that our passports come - I can then go to the store and provision up on Saturday and leave on Sunday. The only fly in the ointment (other than if the passports do not arrive) would be if the winds get stronger - they have been blowing hard the last few days. Today we sewed up a rip and patched a hole in the big genoa. The rip was new, but the hole that needed patching had been patched before. The tape I used was really old (it came with the boat) and didn't hold. I got new tape when I was in San Diego last month and this should do the trick. I could tell a difference in how it went on.
So - this is all for tonight, and I hope the next post I write will be from an underway status!
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