Take a Walk on the Chacala Side

BUSY DAY ON CHACALA BEACH

After a day around the house gardening, housecleaning, sewing, and writing, eating, and napping, I finally decided to go for a walk about 6pm. It is getting dark now by 8pm so I had a couple of hours to walk around.

I hadn't talked to anyone all day, and it was nice to walk thru town visiting with people. Little Ana, whose not so little anymore, is back in town with her Dad, Terry, and her mom. She was full of energy and invited me to her 10th birthday in July. She is out of school in the US for the summer but school goes thru the first week of July here, so maybe she'll put in some classroom time here too. She is lucky enough to be bilingual.

Fidel, one of the longer-time waiters at Chico was standing in front of Socorro's waiting for a ride home with a friend of his. He reinjured his knee playing soccer last month and his having a hard time climbing the steps at Chico's. He doctor apparently told him that Vitamin B complex would cure a torn meniscus in a couple of weeks. Very interesting.

Went by Frankie's new store, looking for some apple juice, and visited with the people hanging around there. Lots of joking and laughing. Walked around the back way into Berta's lot and visited with her Mom, Lupe, and a bunch of relatives. Lately there are almost always a handful of relatives at the extra house next to Berta's (built, I think, for her mom and Dad in case another Hurricane runs them out of their beach house). Berta's sister is very ill with a chronic illness and someone is always there with her.

Beto, Aurora's husband was visiting with a friend near the church, and said Aurora wanted me to come by their house.

Adrian, son of Hector, great-nephew (?) of Berta (Susana's housekeeper), was playing in her house with his cousins, jumping around and having a great time. All the little boys in that extended family (Markito, Carlito, Adrian) are so much fun to be around. Full of energy and spunk.

There was apple juice in glass bottles at Juan's tienda for the first time in months. My very favorite! But I only had enough cash for two bottles. I got four and a drinking water, and will pay the rest of the money tomorrow. Four year old Juli, and Juan's 9 month old son Jesus were at the store and we played for a few minutes.

Then I started walking up the hill to Aurora's. Juan, the painter, walked with me, and he asked me to send Ana, his American landlady, an email saying "Hi!" and best wishes. He started living at Ana's, caretaking, the same time I started housesitting at this house. Except I go elsewhere in the winter, and Juan stays at Ana's. She may be down this next winter, according to a friend that saw her last month. I hope so.

I stopped to visit with the oldest guy in Chacala, or maybe second or third oldest (in his mid eighties), Miguel Hector, and to pet my favorite dog, Lukey (which apparently means "Buggy", as in fleas). It's interesting to me that there are hardly any ladies in town older that I am. And the women who look older usually aren't.

Things were very up at Aurora's. She is moving into her new kitchen/living/dining room. It's very nice. I know she will miss the social aspects of her old outside dining room, which was about five feet off the road. The kitchen is very nice, lots of space and lights. I admire Aurora so much. She has done so much with her life. She always has goals and plans for what she will do next. I wish I had managed my life the way manages hers. She has dreams, and she is making them come true.

Aurora is coming up in the next few days to type an email to some mutual friends, David and Linda, who have been strong friends and supporters of her family for maybe 10 years. And we are going to practice making popcorn on the microwave here. Someone gave her a new one without a book and she is afraid to use it. I am afraid to use them too, but my addiction to popcorn helps me overcome my fear.

After admiring everything in the new kitchen, Aurora and I walked up the road and took a look at the new house some Canadian's have built just off the paved road, up the hill from the new hotel. It looks great, all painted, with the front steps poured, the garden rocks arranged, tarps over the windows for the rain, and the new road put in. The new electric post is all installed on new the road and waiting for power to arrive.

The new road (dirt only) runs north from behind the new hotel north, opening up the second row of lots behind Clemen's and Benjamin's, and the motor home garage house, which is partly built. Three lots are cleared up there, or maybe more. I have been told that builders are going to start working up there very soon. Who knows. It looks so different it's amazing.

Walked on home, visited with the security guy at the Gate, and he offered me a ride into Las Varas in the morning. I am expecting another package at the Correo so I will probably go in with him.