wow! ... nine days back in my NM home with my honey ... I still miss the tropical weather, but it is nice to be able to hug Zane whenever I want ... I missed that.  Came back to 47 night time temp on the day I flew in and 39 degrees in the morning ... no more tank tops and bare feet for a bit. 

Its still cool here in the early mornings, but the days are more Belize like ... mid 80's but no humidity to speak of...that part is nice.  Lots of nose bleeds since I've been back, due to the dryness.

Zane is busy planting the summer garden and I am re-acclimating ... cleaning up the house and purging myself of "stuff" ... living in such a small space in Belize made me much more conscious of all the "stuff" I have accumulated over the years and my need to reduce that clutter in my life ... it is a challenge, however ... since I like "my stuff" ... well, slowly but surely it will happen.  It's hard, being raised by "Depression" parents in a non throwaway society, it is difficult to purge myself of things I "might need" or "could use" ... paring down to essentials.  Wow, what a Herculean task.

I need to go to town today to buy a new dvd player as our house sitter apparently too the cord that connected our current one and doesn't know where it might be ... I also need to get batting for Jacob's quilt to get that to the quilter ... anyway, live goes on.

That's about it for now
From NM ... Peace.  Out.

oops, never mind ... change of plans ... today is my last day in the village ... transport issues with Jay's truck, so we have to get another vehicle (borrow from Shannon, Nigel's brother by a different Mother) ... so, tomorrow AM @ 4:00 we will leave for Belize City.

Yesterday, Nigel, Myrtle, Jason and I went by boat out to the sea ... very cool, video taped it, but havn't had much luck downloading videos here, so won't try ... we saw a nose of a Manatee on our way back, but it never surfaced.  :-(  ... we beach combed and fished out there ... I videoed some ocean sounds to listen and watch whenever I miss the sea.  I caught a 20 inch Boney fish, which is in the top 5 of sport fishing catches!  It hit hard and was a challenge to land, but I did.  Myrtle caught a smaller version of that and Jason and Nigel got a bunch of Jack which are my favorite kind of fish from down here ... Myrtle cooked me one last night ... YUM!

Yesterday AM, Jay and I had coffee and listened to Jesse's live radio show ... mumbo king 'amenia'  very moving one's ass time!  So proud of Jes and hearing him streaming on live radio, knowing it was one of his goals in life, is very cool.

Not sure what is on the adgenda for today, but will take that as it comes

for now ... Peace.  Out.

Well, today is my last full day here in the village.  Tomorrow we are heading to Belize to stay overnight @ Shef and Sheryl's and then on to the airport on Thursday AM  ... winging home to Zane, NM and the coven.  It's been a wonderful 6 months here in Belize ... spending quantity and quality time with J&M and the grand kids.  Can't say though at this point that I am sorry to leave ... I will miss home #2 and will come back many times (especially during the cold season in NM) ... however, I am ready to be back in the arms of my honey ...

I am supposed to go out to the sea by boat with Nigel, we will see if that happens ... Myrtle is busy preparing the cashews to take home to Zane as a surprise and some sour sap ideal as well ...

This AM we got to listen to Jesse's radio show again ... lots of mumbo by Prez Prado, which was excellent listening and did make me "move my ass". Can't spell the Spanish -( mwavealas)  well, as I said before, I will continue to blog from NM and again when I return to Belize ... till next time

Peace.  Out.

MAMEY SAPOTE (Pouteria sapota) This is the largest (the mother) of all the sapotacea family of fruits, all of which originated in Central America. A mature tree loaded with Mamey Sapotes is a sight to see. The pink/red flesh of this fruit is soft and fibreless like an avocado, earning it the nick- name of the Orange Avocado. . The taste resembles something like sweet potato flavoured with dates. Or an American- style pumpkin pie dessert. In the few places where the fruit can be procured in the United States, the Mamey Sapote milkshake is a rage. It may also be added to green salads like avocado. The nutritional table of the Mamey Sapote is very similar to the table for the Canistel. It too is high in energy, calcium, phosphorous and niacin. It is also much higher in protein than most fruit. It contains an appreciable amount of vitamin C (29 mg per 100 grams). The oil from Mamey Sapote seeds is used among many Central American natives as a hair tonic. Tests have proven that it is effective against dermatitis of the scalp. A decoction of the bitter bark of the tree is administered in Costa Rica for hypertension.MAMEY SAPOTE (Pouteria sapota) This is the largest (the mother) of all the sapotacea family of fruits, all of which originated in Central America. A mature tree loaded with Mamey Sapotes is a sight to see. The pink/red flesh of this fruit is soft and fibreless like an avocado, earning it the nick- name of the Orange Avocado. . The taste resembles something like sweet potato flavoured with dates. Or an American- style pumpkin pie dessert. In the few places where the fruit can be procured in the United States, the Mamey Sapote milkshake is a rage. It may also be added to green salads like avocado. The nutritional table of the Mamey Sapote is very similar to the table for the Canistel. It too is high in energy, calcium, phosphorous and niacin. It is also much higher in protein than most fruit. It contains an appreciable amount of vitamin C (29 mg per 100 grams). The oil from Mamey Sapote seeds is used among many Central American natives as a hair tonic. Tests have proven that it is effective against dermatitis of the scalp. A decoction of the bitter bark of the tree is administered in Costa Rica for hypertension.

Very sad news for our family and village ... last night our friend and sister, Milly, passed into the Summerland having succumbed from breast cancer that went systemic.  Just yesterday, her son Stephen, was fishing with us and last night he called her in Belize and talked to her briefly ... at 21, he has been avoiding the fact of her severe status and put off going to see her in Belize ... at least he talked to her that last time.  She passed around three AM ... Her mother, Miss Esteline was with her as were other sons.  I will miss her wake and funeral by several days as they will wait for relatives from the States to get here.  I am now doubly glad I was able to transport her to Belize, thus seeing her and talking with her one last time ... I felt then that she was leaving the Village for good and now it appears I was correct. 

Yesterday the two kids, Jason, Nigel, Stephen, Poppy and I went out in the boat fishing ... each of us caught at least one fish ... they were the first fish 'Drea and Gabe ever caught and they were excited ... I caught a "look Down", several yellow snappers and a jack ... below are pictures from the excursion.

Today I had another Momme  fruit ... very nice  ... below is info on this ... Myrtle is going to attempt a guacamole type dish ...

MAMEY SAPOTE (Pouteria sapota)

This is the largest (the mother) of all the sapotacea family of fruits, all of which originated in Central America. A mature tree loaded with Mamey Sapotes is a sight to see. The pink/red flesh of this fruit is soft and fibreless like an avocado, earning it the nick- name of the Orange Avocado.

.

The taste resembles something like sweet potato flavoured with dates. Or an American- style pumpkin pie dessert. In the few places where the fruit can be procured in the United States, the Mamey Sapote milkshake is a rage. It may also be added to green salads like avocado.

The nutritional table of the Mamey Sapote is very similar to the table for the Canistel. It too is high in energy, calcium, phosphorous and niacin. It is also much higher in protein than most fruit. It contains an appreciable amount of vitamin C (29 mg per 100 grams).

The oil from Mamey Sapote seeds is used among many Central American natives as a hair tonic. Tests have proven that it is effective against dermatitis of the scalp. A decoction of the bitter bark of the tree is administered in Costa Rica for hypertension.

 their first fishing trip

 Tinsey, new boat dog!

 George Washingtonesque, crossing the (Delaware) Lagoon

 Stephen teaching Garbal to steer the boat

 My first snapper

 "Look Down"

 Better view of Look Down

 Drea's first catch!

 Stephen's Mackral

 Gabral's Look Down

 Chilly, tired and heading home

 On Golden Lagoon

 Nigel's Jack

 Poppy's Jack

 Most of the catch

 Rest of the catch

 Tired boat puppy

 Jason and his new 'daughter"

 Son and Dad

 Sherylan back from Women's retreat on Caye Caucker and me

 Drea, future Model

 Silly Gabe, couldn't scratch his nose!

 Nigel with part of the catch

Millie, from Christmas, may she rest in peace

Peace.  Out.

So, after weeks of dry, sunny weather, albeit sometimes hot and sticky, we got a prelude to the rainy season last night.  A storm passed through and within the 1/2 hour it lasted, blew, drove rain and roared with gusto.  Damage is really minor with a strong indicator to Jay and Myrtle what all still needs to be done before the hurricane season does arrive in June. 

What this last week has done for me is give me an awakening as to why Belize is an iffy chose for me and perhaps am glad Zane has decided we're not to live here permanently ... first is was the huge lumpy boil that formed under the back side of my left arm and I had to go to the ER to have it lanced, got antibiotics and painkillers.  Then on Wednesday night, it was the invasion of the (body snatchers) bugs in our house! ... (I later found out it was because of the weather pattern changing) ... termites flying everywhere within the house, huge cockroaches, an enormous green katydid,  ... they were dropping from the walls and ceiling like they were kamikaze's and even the spray wasn't knocking them down for a bit.  EEW!!!  Then last night, before the storm, a neat thing ... phytoplankton were in the water (what the shrimp feed on) and Jay and Myrtle's hand 'glowed' underwater with phosphorescence!

Anyway, this is all really redundant, as in 5 days I am leaving the village, staying in Belize City with Sheryl and Sheff over night and flying out on the morning of the 9th.  I think is will probably good to be home after all ... there are few bugs in NM due to the dryness of our climate.  I am not really a squeemish person but, that many bugs at one time was just overwhelming and taught me a lesson I needed to know ... that paradise is really where you are in your state of mind, not your physical location ... I will find paradise in NM and then in TX and there in CO ... so my state of mind will keep me in Paradise whereever I am.  I do plan to continue my blog, so you who are following, just be aware that it will take a different bent, a less tropical and a more desert bent, but still Zane and me on our adventures and mishaps of life...love and light to you all

Peace.  Out.