We Are Home

Our first 10 days were wonderfully blistering hot. After Kel and Len left the weather changed and it continued to be rather cold, cloudy and a bit rainy. HOWEVER even a cold rainy day on Isla is better than a snow filled day in MN. It is good to see our dogs who I know missed us and our neighbors too....right neighbors.

Some pictures that I took during our last couple of days.

A few of the very colorful houses and structures of Isla Mujeres. On the island these bright colors just seem to fit in. Back here in the states...well I just don't think it would work as well huh?

This guy seemed to be captain of his own boat



Against the wind

And all in a row just hoping to get a bite of left over fish. Isla used to be primarily a little fishing village. The islanders made their living fishing, some still do. Ordering fish in a restaurant means that you are getting the fresh catch of the day and it is FABULOUS.

It was cold even on our balcony the last couple of days. I had to wrap up in my beach towel while reading and thank goodness I took along slippers! The weather can change in a heartbeat on the island. You truly do learn to watch the way the wind blows which allows you to predict the weather...at least for the upcoming few hours.

Our popcorn man and the young fella that works at Sea Hawk. The popcorn man makes his living selling popcorn and some sort of chips AND bacon rinds (or whatever in the heck you call those things that are made out of bacon fat or grease or whatever. My mom loved them anyway!). He walks the beaches during the day and sits on the curb as the beach people leave for their hotels. He seems to do fairly well but then I think may spend much of his earnings on beer. UNLESS Jess is on the island to buy him a beer or two and give him a smoke. He is a sweet little man and I can see why many buy popcorn from him even if it gets thrown in the garbage down the road. Not me mind you I eat mine, I love popcorn of any kind.

Eduardo (who also works for Sea Hawk) and our maid's young daughter. It is the islander's custom to spend as much time with their little ones as possible. And if you are lucky you are allowed to bring your young ones to work with you as the gal who cleans rooms for Sea Hawk does. She is a young mom but a very good mom and her little one is a happy girl as well as cute as heck! Everyone at Sea Hawk seems to be an extended family to this little girl, she is a lucky one!

This guy got out of his fenced in yard and just couldn't seem to find his way back in. So he joined the traffic on the streets.

And of course you cant leave the island without taking in a sunset or two. I love to get boats as the go home in the setting sun.

I caught a couple of island birds flying across my lens as the sun was setting.

The day is almost done. There is nothing quite like the sun setting over the Caribbean ocean. We always wonder if people who see this every day take it for granted. Although last year we did see the owners of our hotel walking hand in hand on the beach as the sun was setting so maybe not huh?

Now that we are back what the hell am I gonna talk about? Oh I'll find something I am sure.....

What Ry were you hoping I would forget about you!!!!

Today is Ryan's birthday and I bet after looking at the pictures that I posted for Lenny and Rachel's birthdays he is hoping that either I forgot his or that I could not find any old pictures.....no such luck kiddo!

I used to tell Ryan that he was just like his dad......same mannerisms, same walk, same cheap (yes I said cheap...not frugal...haha) ways. Ryan is a carbon copy of his dad, even looks like him since he shaved his head.

Being like his dad also means that he is very thoughtful and understanding. I have used him as a sounding board on more than one occasion and have always appreciated his advice.

Ryan was always the kid that called me (just a step mom mind you) to wish me a happy mother's day or a happy birthday......he would call even when my biological kid would forget!

So Ry a very happy birthday to you.



And the promised pictures that I dug up:

The cutest little kid...still a cute kid so there.

You and your pop

Helping Dad?

Working...can you see him looking out the window. This is what Ry does for a living...drives trains...is that what you do is 'drive' them? What the heck do you do with a train anyway, it must be drive them right?

Christmas this year at he and Jen's home in Corpus Christi Texas. Nice Christmas tree behind Ryan isn't it? See what I mean about frugal...it's all he would let poor Jen buy for a tree...LOL.

Have a great day Ryan.

Dad and Bobbi

While Our Home State Is Getting

Snow drifts we are getting sand drifts.....would way rather have the sand drifts. It has been very windy here and the sand piles up on the street and sidewalks. It is quite the process to shovel it into either pails or wheel barrows and truck it, by hand, back to the beach which is only steps away.....ahhhhhh only in Mexico huh?

And of course we always need to get our pool fix. This is at a favorite little bar called Miguel's Moonlight Bar. It happens to be one of the only places with a pool table. Both Lenny and David play on a league back home so need to keep their skills 'honed' however last year they came back shooting crooked because the pool tables and the cues are all crooked and curved down here....too funny.



Kel, David and I on the newly installed swings at Miguel's.


Hey Jess and cousin....the bar is waiting for you on the beach. Lots of empty chairs!


An Isla dog.


A day on the windy side of the island on the rocks.




This young lad was on the beach one day doing acrobats....man he was good.

I know the sign does not say this but I imagine it saying, "This is my turf thank you".

Hey Lenny has his own boat here. Wonder if he could make enough money to support David and I?

The houses of the islanders. some in shacks in their own little town and others not so bad.

A face only a mother could love.

So today, Monday I think, is our first day alone on the island in years. We have always had someone traveling with us and have always enjoyed the company. Lenny and Kelly left yesterday. Last night we found ourselves wandering around with not much to do. No one to play cards with no one to shoot pool with......so home we went to read. And during the night in blew an 'El Norte' and today it is quite cold with the wind coming from the north. So here I am spending an hour or so blogging and David is back at the hotel reading. It is much too windy to sit on the north beach so today we will walk around town and perhaps venture to the navy store. You would not believe the naval base on this island, it is huge and they are rebuilding it......the islanders live in shacks but the naval base is beautiful....go figure that huh?

Sunny And Warm

Well here we are in the land of sun, sea, white sand, fresh fish and relaxation and most of our friends and family are just finishing one of the biggest snow storms to hit our area this winter. I feel so badly for you all.....NOT.

We are doing nothing but laying on the beach and eating. I am taking a few pictures though.

This is our first view of Isla as we are coming across on the ferry

We didn't make it far before we stopped for our first meal at Picus. It is a little place right near the ferry and as you can see is right on the beach. The garlic fish is to die for.

And this is what our first day on the beach looked like.......nice, very nice.

David walking down the street to our hotel. Our hotel is a little mom and pop joint with 6 rooms only. It is a very nice place, two rooms have kitchenettes and all have small refrigerators and coffee pots. Cousins, we are staying in your room this year after spending the first two nights in the suite above.

More shots of the north beach. The beach has been eroding away and in an effort to keep the sand they have put in these 'walls'. There is still plenty of beach however.

David, Lenny and Kel deciding on where we should eat. We didn't eat at that particular spot however it may have been less expensive (for David) to do so. We decided to go for pizza instead and it just so happened that they had live lobster for 70 pesos a gram. Now that is dirt cheap really but what I did not realize is that the whole lobster weighs LOTS.......like almost $100 worth! I am serious folks, when we got the meal I was afraid David was going to drop on the floor with a heart attack. Lenny laughed and said that granny would be laughing right now. I figured she probably was and maybe was the instigator of the whole thing! The lobster was good so there! Cousins please tell your mom that I had lobster and go ahead, tell her what I paid for it-when her and my mom came with us we always had a lobster supper......but never ever was it near that price. Try $20 maybe! Oh well huh.

The streets of Isla at night.

The new water fountain in the town square.

Our hotel.

The open air market where we buy our fruit and veggies. The also have very good looking fresh meat hanging for folks to buy....in this heat can you imagine!

Ok folks I have been trying for days to get this damned blog posted so I probably will not blog again until we come home...don't know we will see. I don't know if blogspot is experiencing problems or what but it is taking forever.....don't get lost in the next blast of snow that is coming your way.

David and Me

David's Mom

Celebrates 77 years on February 23rd. Since we will be away on her day in much warmer climates (even tho it is warming up here) I wanted to wish Lois a very happy birthday just a few days early.

We'll soak up a couple of sun shine rays for you on your day Lois. Happy birthday.

Dave and Bobbi

My Very First Project

So, I have spent the past couple of years searching for a 'hobby' that I could do while traveling in our RV after retirement (our plans have changed in regards to the RV but continued to search for a hobby). Our friends Mikey and Jan went so far as to give me a drawing kit one year for Christmas...needless to say that was a bust! My creative juices just do not flow in the way of drawing!

I like to quilt but you need tons of room for that so when I started chemo in 2005 I taught myself how to knit. I worked on a scarf, got stuck on a new stitch and quit totally. A few months ago I took a class at the Tangled Skein in StPeter which is the coolest place ever. They have tons of yarn and hold knitting classes of all types. The two that own the shop are wonderful, talented, patient people. Many folks grab a cup of coffee and sit in the store just knitting and yapping.


The class that I could get into was a felting class. You knit slippers and then felt them so they do not look as if they are knitted. Well during my first class I just could not seem to 'get it', nothing connected and I came home saying to David that I felt developmentally disabled...seriously. But knowing that stretching my brain in this manner was probably really good for me I trudged on. And thanks to the ladies at the tangled skein putting up with me coming in every few days saying 'HELP', I finished my first pair of slippers and here they are-

Because I enjoy doing this and I have the pattern down (sort of) I am now on my way to the second pair. I am almost done with the first slipper and have not (yet) had to go in and get help....proud of myself yes I am!

This is what they look like pre-felting (the sole is not sewn together yet either). When they are felted you can no longer see the knitted stitches. It's a process of washing them in hot water. They are made out of a wool blend so they are warm and made to fit.

My next class is going to be what is called a top down sweater-an easy sweater for beginner knitters. Fun fun fun.

A Very Happy Birthday

To Rachel.

As you can see she is expecting what is to be her and Melvin's first baby. To me there is nothing more beautiful than an expectant mom. Rach sent me a few pictures of her newly developing tummy so I made one black and white and am posting it on her birthday.

Happy birthday Rachel may your day be filled with only good things (and we hope you like the pea coat!)

I found some old old old pictures tucked away......here you are as a young one, enjoy.

This one was taken in 1978

Here you were 8 1/2 and Ry 6 1/2

Your dad doesn't look much different today does he?

Get a load of that hair do huh? I remember having one much like that!

Have a great day.