ADIOS

Yesterday was our 32nd Anniversary. We spent about 27 years celebrating it on the 5th when one night over supper we relized it was actually the 4th. I went fishing with my buddies the day we got married and 32 years later I went fishing with my wife instead. I've changed. I caught a nice Toro but mostly as we're short timers here we walk the beach and visit. I actually had a chance to go out on the boat with the boys but with only 2 days left in Mazatlan theres really only one person I want to be with this morning. The next pic is a beautiful Snook or Robalo that my friend Alberto caught a couple days ago. I figure I better end my Mexico blogs with a neat fish pic and here it is. Its the best eating fish in Mazatlan I think but they were few and far between this year.

After a siesta and a couple hours of reading our friends Slah and Maria pick us up for a trip to Villa Union 20 miles south of here. They treat us to a special early supper as is the tradition here at their favorite restraunt El Cuchupetas. This place is all seafood (marisco's) and is to Mazatlan what Fletchers at the Captain Cook is to Anchorage. The place everyone goes and all the dignitaries dine when in town. Vincete Fox had been there just recently. We have crab and Ceviche appetizer, seafood soup just plug full of shrimp, scallop, abalone, Calamari and my favorite, Pulpo (octopus). To coin a phrase....MP can eat her own weight up in Shrimp meat...and she's still not tired of shrimp and has them in a creamy caper sauce. A few Pacificos as we discuss politics with Slah and Maria and its a wonderful time. I took this pic of Maria and MP buying desert as we leave, MP's got some gorgeous Macaroons. You can plainly see the coconut Macaroons as MP asks Slah what the difference in the two are....he says "the color". Timing is everything and we're home just in time for sunset.

But this morning I fish alone. Its cloudy and thats kind of how I feel. I'm kind of reflecting on all thats happened and all that I've learned here in the last 10 weeks. I've had everything from the strange to the fantastic occur. I've made friends, lots. I rescued a young women who was panicing from the inside of an overturned car. I removed a fish hook from a friend (human skin is very tough). I played music for my biggest crowd ever, and I think they liked it. I almost got beat up for washing my feet in our neighbors fountain. I set a new record, 5 roosters. I got new teeth. I read the most fascinating book about the wreck and recovery of the Central America, a ship lost in 1853 full of California Gold. I learned your knee feels better when you wear shoes. ....but the best part was it was me and MP. This morning as I hit the beach I turned to take this shot of the sunrise behind our building. It'll have to last me. I'll go through what I call re-entry and you might not see a blog entry until monday or tuesday. I love Mazatlan but for now our 10 weeks is about right. We have a great life at mile 14 and some of it has it roots here. I try to look for the good in everything and I think I'm actually starting to get it. Some of the good is that as we age we learn to not get in a hurry for anything. So we'll have fun and work hard in Alaska, refuel the fun engine. And when its time we'll be back and again saying "where'd that last year go".... A friend put it to me like this....don't feel bad about leaving, afterall, if you don't go, you can't come back.