Just another day.....

Hello Everyone,

It has been a little while since I have posted... some times the days just blend and before you know it a few weeks have gone by.  We had to say goodbye to a really fantastic family that we met along the way.  The Bradford Family have become dear friends and we have had so much fun with them over the last 3 months.  It seems that we have known them our whole lives and I look forward to our continued friendship when we get home.  I feel like a part of us is missing now that they are gone.  The kids were constantly chatting on the radio, or organizing playdates, playing basketball, or board games on our boat.  It is so nice to find a boat that you can connect with so quickly at all age levels.  I sometimes find myself looking for them.  We have been playing a game where we sabotage the others boat by hiding Tiki somewhere on their boat where they wont find it until they leave for the next marina or bay.  It is always fun to either watch them find the Tiki or the anticipation of finding the Tiki on our boat when we are least expecting.  In the beginning it was just a fun who will be the last to have the Tiki game before we depart ways and then it became a little more competitive as to who could be the most creative.  Would the Tiki be going to Polynesia or to Scotland.  I have to say that the Tiki will love seeing Scotland but Amy and Mike get the award for the most creative.  On our last day with them in Petatlan, we received a going away package consisting of 2 pineapples and a bottle of rum from them... we were hurrying to get off the boat because a Panga was waiting for us to take us to the beach so I never thought to look in the bag or put the pineapple away...  Well when we got back to the boat they were coming over to say goodbye because they were leaving at 3am.  We wanted to give them a gift as well.  We needed a bag so we of course were going to regift the bag they gave us (reuse and recycle)... Low and behold the pineapple was leaking.  Chris thought it was just a bad pineapple until he picked it up and the bottom fell out of it... Amy or Mike had scooped out the inside of the pineapple and hid the Tiki in there and then used tooth picks to put the bottom back on.  They almost got away with it.... BRILLIANT!  Chris did a midnight run and attached the Tiki to the bow of their boat at midnight... The kids found it the next day when they were looking for dolphins....  Mike and Amy take lots of pictures of the Tiki in all the places for us!  Coffee Master Mike and Sailor Amy... Miss you guys tons!

Mike, Amy, Zander (12), Porter (9) and Kenna (4) live in Beaverton, next to my sister, so it will be fun to see them when we go up.  They are having an amazing journey.  They started from Portland and are cruising down the coast to Panama and then through the canal over to Florida, over the Atlantic to Scotland, down through Europe, back across to Panama, then Puddle jumping over to the Marquesas, and either sell their boat in Australia or sail it home to Portland.  This trip will take them the same 2 years as ours... My hats are off to them, they truly are an amazing family.

As Chris has said we have been enjoying all of our time with Oma.  We have been to a few beaches.
Of course the beach in Zihuatanejo, a day trip to Petatlan, and then back up here to Isla Grande.  It has been so wonderful sharing our time with Oma and showing her our daily routines and how our new life is.  Oma is taking everything in strides and really appreciating every sunset (cocktail with me), the pelicans that fly by in rows and rows, snorkeling with the little fish, the dinghy rides into the mercado and also a little bit of reading on the front of the boat watching for whales and dolphins while we are sailing or watching all the panga's and fisherman go by while we are at anchor.  There is definitely a lot to observe and watch while we are out here.

With Oma's arrival we received a care package of goodies that Chris showed in the last update... I am so loving my new washing machine and even more so now that Tristan and Amaia love to do the wash.  It is really easy to use and works pretty good.  At least we can get the mold smell out of the clothes... My main priority...I don't care about the stains, get rid of the smell!  I have also been using my yogurt maker to make yogurt.  It is really nice and has been nice having fresh yogurt on the boat.  The kids love it for breakfast so we were going through a big tub a day... it was just to much to keep and shop for.  Jane, I still use the coffee pot method but found that I need to make 2 tubs of yogurt a day in order to keep up with the demand... I had to cheat a little to get more production going.

We have had a great time body surfing the waves at Petatlan.  Like all kids they can play out there all day and never get board of it.  Every day, day after day after day.

We came back up to Isla Grande to get out of the bay in Zihuatanejo.  Even though we love it so much, it is a fishing village so the anchorage that we are in constantly smells like fish.  The fisherman are right on the beach so ofter you see dead fish floating around your boat.  Even the sand smells like dead fish... so it is nice to just get out of the bay for awhile.  Amaia loves this little island.  It is her little animal disneyland.  There are so many rabbits and deer on this island that are friendly Amaia can catch them.  Of course since we are in Mexico they love Tortillas. The kids can feed them tortillas from their hand or in one case with a deer they named Nacho, you can feed him out of your mouth.  They have had a blast rabbit hunting and playing on the beach.

We will be heading back to Zihuat tomorrow.  Chris is taking a "How to free dive" class from the Mexican free dive record holder (8 min).  He will be taking this class on Saturday and Sunday at the dive school the kids will be getting their scuba certification with.  The kids start on Monday, it will be a lot with homeschool and all but they are super excited.  I will be setting up the kids first dental appointments for cleaning after next week.  There is a dentist that all the ex pats recommend so we will be going to him.  We miss you Dr. Mori and Dr. Tom...and think of you often!

Everyone is having a great time, all the kids confidences are growing, we are all really healthy, sleeping more than we ever have before, eating healthier than ever, and just plain relaxing.  Amaia and Alina even feel comfortable wearing dresses while paddle boarding to go visit other boats in the anchorage.  Wish you all the best, take time to smell the roses.

Hugs and love,

Heather