It's A Bit Of A Sisterhood

This breast cancer thing. While eating breakfast in Mexico one morning at an outdoor place the couple next to us asked us to join them for a bit. We did and the fella asked what my port was for (it's not easy to hide when you wear a swimsuit!) so I told him......we then found out that his wife had breast cancer 5 years ago as well. Of course this lead to all sorts of conversation. When she was diagnosed they purchased a property on Isla and have now built a nice home. We spent a day with these folks and next year will go back to see them again. (what the hell David how come you didnt deal with my diagnosis like this guy did???? Oh yes that is right....you worked on our cabin....hummmm)





Last week I was at the Tangled Skein (my favorite knitting store) and ran into a gal that I knew I should know....we both looked at each other and she knew my name but I of course could not remember hers for the life of me. Anyway, she too had breast cancer 5 years ago so we stood in the store and yapped for quite a while. Sue was the inspiration for my second knitting project. She told me about the buttonhole bag that you felt much like my slippers. I did this guys without a class if you can believe it...AND knitted this bag in probably 3 hours tops.

How cute is that bag huh? This one is quite small but you can make them really any size that you want. And did I say that I did this without a class????? This bag is my third completed project (I knitted a second pair of slippers before leaving for Mexico) and am now working on yet another project that is to be a surprise to someone so I am not going to talk about it so there.

Anyway, yes the sisterhood. Both of these ladies are doing well after 5 years and neither were fortunate to have had the benefit of Herceptin. Stories like their's are so good to hear. Both of these ladies also are suffering from the same cognitive stuff that I am...so there Lenny.....it's not just me being me...haha.

An aside....the job interview last week went very well and they would have liked to have hired me but the mandatory training did not work out with my Herceptin infusions. They did tell me to call them when I am all done. I went on another interview for a job in StPeter, they too would have liked to have hired me but again could not make the hours work to incorporate my Herceptin infusions. So there you have the job updates. I continue to look and will find something I just know I will.

Someone should just damned hire me to knit and to take pictures so THERE.

Spring Has Sprung

Well the ice is melting anyway. I am anxiously awaiting the first blooms to take pictures of.

There is nothing more relaxing for me than spending time with my camera in my hand. So this morning I went off to get pictures of the rising Minnesota River.

Taken on the walkway along Highway 22. Just yesterday Jess and I were able to walk the dogs along the entire path. Today the water is over the path and is rushing under the bridge.







Same are different view. Taken from top of the bridge by Brandt's junkyard looking towards St Peter. You can see the water coming up over the walkway on the upper right side.

Another view from the bridge but looking in the opposite direction.....is this upstream or downstream???

Taken at the city park in StPeter, the campground area. The bridge in the pictures is the 99 bridge towards the Whiskey River.

And at the History Center in StPeter. The pathway going to the river is, as you can see, flooded.

So I Was Going To Send Out A Mass Email

But then I remembered that that is what the blog is for....duhhhhhhhhhh.

NERVOUS I am nervous. I, yes me, have an interview on Wednesday. Oh my god I am almost panicking just thinking about it! But it will be OK so there no matter what. I mean come on, I have survived cancer nothing else should shake me right?

So in case you all are wondering (why sure you are aren't you?). I stumbled upon a customer care representative position on one of the job sites that I have been frequenting. I actually saw it before we went to Mexico but they had a 4 week mandatory training while we were gone so I thought oh well. Now its in the paper again. Now the good part, in my mind, is that it is an at home position......I know I know you all are crossing your eyes thinking boy oh boy did she get taken. But this is on the up and up because I called my good friend Bugsy (aka Michelle) who is a travel agent with Lutes Travel in Kato (there Bugs how's that for a plug!!!!) and talked to her about it. She has heard of it and gave me the sort of skinny. You know, pay isn't that good and hours are not the best...and all true...but it still intrigues me. And I want to push myself to do this interview because I am nervous about doing it so that means it will be good for me to do.... When you have only had like two major jobs your entire career interviews are a little scary!

The reason I called Michelle is because this job is for Northwest Airlines-they must contract out to a company for this service. But it is taking phone calls and emails from customers when they have questions about travel or their world perks mileage etc.

So there you have it. I am sure I will post more after the interview on Wednesday.

Hey I have spring fever, anyone else?

I am posting these pictures for no particular reason...just because I feel like i want to I guess.

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?