The wind shifts here are not subtle. It goes from one door to the other, bang, 180 degrees. It was breezy this morning, and cool, such a relief from the heat. But after I started my outside work, the wind shut off and the sun took over, making it 90 degrees in the shade. Worse yet, it was 85 degrees in the cabin without any air movement at all. There’s a bit of a leftover from the system you all saw this weekend, and I must admit, the sky is lovely. It should be a stunning sunset… Another giveaway of the wind shifts: the flight pattern of the jets bringing folks to the area. This morning, the jets were coming in to the airport from the over the ocean, right into the wind. This afternoon, the jets are coming in from over the large arroyo that usually chutes the north wind on down to the ocean. The wind has indeed shifted.
Today saw me doing silly little mending work. I spliced all of my three-strand line, making tie-downs that are vital on a boat. I don’t know where I’ll put these until I find a much-needed location. I whipped all of my lines’ ends. I fixed the brace for my ‘air conditioner’ aka wind scoop, using the next-best-thing-to-duct-tape, electrical tape, and then sewed it up. I sewed up a pillow that had been spilling its filling. After the sun began to burn, I went below and began cooking. I triple washed some fresh spinach grown in Ventura, CA and bought in San Jose del Cabo, BCS, Mexico. The majority of the produce found in Baja comes from the States, and I found myself buying mushrooms literally from across the street from where I used to live, the CA Mushroom Farm. Pretty interesting. Eggs are not refrigerated here as a rule, and stay fresh much longer. If they are never cooled down, then they don’t go ‘bad’ for a much longer period. Butter made in the US I haven’t found yet, but I have found Danish butter, and it’s good. The chicken here is amazing. The meat is a yellow color, probably something we’d throw away at home. The flesh is so sweet, flavored with marigolds, a huge portion of the bird’s feed. After rinsing the spinach, I made our family favorite, creamed spinach, and roasted a chicken breast. It’s an idealistic thing to cook in the tropics, but I’m sure I’ll become accustomed to it as I continue to acclimate. Needless to say, I’m stuffed, hot, and looking forward to the evening breeze and cold shower. I have not flipped the switch for hot water since I left Turtle Bay. I’m even entertaining the thought of giving the hot water heater away, but I won’t do that until after winter has come and gone. I’m still learning…
There’s always a fragrance here. In the early morning with the offshore breeze, the smell of desert sage is strong and pungent. It takes me awhile to identify it, then I breathe deeply. In the afternoons and evenings, there’s the smell of burning, and I recall that Mexico burns much of its waste. As the wind shifts, if you close your eyes and don’t pay attention to the temperature difference, you will always know what time of day it is…
Today is my birthday, and I’m 51!!!! I’m absolutely astounded that I’m where I am and doing what I’m doing. I did some fun things for myself, including giving myself a pedicure. This was a 100% organic and natural one, attained as I walked 3 miles in the rough sand. This naturally pumiced all of the rough skin down to smooth, cleaning away a few weeks worth of dirt road that had been ground into my skin. My cuticles are happy and smooth! This was followed by a manicure, given courtesy of rubbing out and waxing my cockpit using a wax rich in oils and emollients. For a boat wax, it sure smelled good. It’s 1715 now, I’m enjoying a gin and tonic, and writing to my friends and family. I remember in years’ past, I would ask Mom if I could give myself a new birthday, just like we used to our patients at Rescue 9. I have always hated this time of year, the shorter days, holidays and commitments, real and imagined. I wanted my birthday to be in June, summertime, with sunshine and longer days. As I walked along the beach today, I realized I finally had my summertime birthday! What a lucky girl I am!
I’m so absolutely thankful for all I have, including my family and friends. Having a boat like Willow to keep me safe, and my health to keep me strong are among the things I am thankful for today. Everyday, I am thankful for those who work for my benefit individually, and for mankind as a whole, including taking care of this place, wherever it is, we call ‘home.’ Even though it’s a day early, I wish you all Happy Thanksgiving, and hope we all remember and appreciate something to be thankful for, today, tomorrow, and always. Always remember I love you all. And I’m thankful for you all sharing in this thing I’m doing, and thankful for your encouragement and support.
wendyonwillow 