Lets Re Set

 Before we jumped the jet for Moootana we were having supper with old friends who in this strange covid era had other health problems as well as difficulties getting their usual place to stay in Mazatlan.  Feeling just tired they told me and MPeasy that they being in their seventies were thinking that this was probably the last year for them in Mazatlan. They'd been coming for over 30 years and  were talking about pulling the plug....yikes...They love Mazatlan, who doesn't ?  So , I encouraged them to not be hasty and think it over, maybe all we really need is a reset, ya know, kind of start over . I told them that for us that I feel like somebody kinda stole two years of our lives. I know we can't get any of that back so maybe rather than slow down our goals and adventures what we really need to do is stomp down on the gas pedal a bit. And that's what we're doing....By the time we left Mazatlan our friends agreed to see us in MZT for another supper  in less than a year 😎

So that's the plan....what we really need are first's and not last's...Just yesterday I trimmed my first ever hedge, now that ain't a fun or adventuresome thing but...hey, it's new to me and me and MP had fun working together on it. This years first's,  and we'll see how many we make, I hope all and more.

1. My first Walleye's. I made that plural cuz I'm intending to learn that deal and you know me, when I do it will be like a Space X launch. Every ardent fisherman I know speaks about or knows about those fish so there must be something to it.

2. Our first drive to Mazatlan. Next fall we're road trippin for sure. Last year we came close with a trip to Green Valley AZ but next season we're going all the way...We'll stop and get our Mexican insurance and our FMM and our T.I.P. and enough cold Coca Cola's to give for propina's to every toll collector we meet along the way. 

3. Our first lower 48 salmon. Yup, they got em down here to and if we had to list what we miss about Alaska I guess eating, catching, talking and smoking salmon would be number one. They got em close by and I know how to get em.

4. MP's first Mariner game ( I've been to just one ) . They spent some money after coming so close last year we gotta go see it up close and personal. We'll get out to Seattle and visit all our friends in Squim and then grab Samuel John King and get us some of those right field baseline seats on a Thursday night game that starts at 6:00.  Pass the garlic fries !

5. My first real musical gig. Now I've played music for hundreds of people and even in a few fairly large venues but I'm feeling like I can do some good and of course have some fun. The Senior facility that MP's mom was at was looking for somebody to come in and play for the residents and I think I'm just the right guy...Not going to effect my tax situation but I'd bet ya I can get some cookies out of the deal.

So you get the idea. Speaking of music, here's a song I just love. The lyric is so simple that it's pure genius. It's what all of us older people in the new covid world are kind of feeling. The song was on the soundtrack of the movie Crazy Heart . Somebody told me one time that I reminded them of  Jeff Bridges character in the movie, well I don't think that's true but if loving that music is a reminder well then maybe it is. It's written by Ryan Bingam. 

In one month I'll have the new suspension in my old white truck so we'll have the camper on and ready to race. The ice is just about all out on the lakes so I'll get the boat over from HamBone and be out pretty soon. and I will, I really will do at least a couple posts per month, just squeezed in under the wire this month but hey, it's been busy. Hope ya all come back !

Fat Tuesday

 As you know, Mazatlan has the third biggest pre lent Carnaval in the world only behind New Orleans and Rio De Janiro. We've gone to the parade on Fat Tuesday every year since we've started coming to Maz. But there seems to be a view in the gringo community that the crowds are huge and unsafe and there's pick pockets and thieves preying on the unsuspecting....I won't say if that's true or false, I'll just say we go every year. As we walked out of the building on our way to the bus we bumped into a couple of friends who saw the folding chairs and beer cooler and said " oh, you're going to risk it "? Well....mmmm....what the real risk is in not going. What you risk is becoming an old cautious ' watch it on TV ' kind of couple and me and MPeasy ain't headed in that direction. Here's my favorite float of the night

The celebration like everything here  so family orientated. Every year we get adopted by a family that we end up sharing some real estate on the sea wall with. So here is pic of our new friends from 2022 who we had cheeto's in pepper sauce with and shared many a chuckle...Pura La Vida my friends.

I really didn't get the electro shock deal until the young guys who gave it a try went into hysterical laughter. Yup, at Carnaval you can  buy just about anything including getting hooked up to a car battery for 2 minutes. Me and their mother were watching with kinda ' I can't  believe this ' curiosity when they get the Mom to join hands left and right to complete a circuit ...she didn't seem to enjoy it as much as the young guys.

Parade food is outstanding and most everything comes with some kind of pepper sauce. A big thing is simply opening a bag of chips or better yet Dorito's and pouring your chile pepper sauce in . Kinda messy but it's sooo good.  I'd of jumped on this guys Tamales if I hadn't just woofed down a bacon wrapped hot dog with chili/mayo and grilled onions.  When it comes to protection from this pandemic that's changed all our lives you can't have to much. I got him to pose for this pic and it's typical, everyone is so engaging and fun.... I like that real good. And oh...he had free Wi Fi.

Now speaker scooter man took up  some real estate near us and we were liking him pretty good even if he was the loudest thing in ear shot...and that's saying a lot. But he just rested and recharged then moved along to continue what we know about Carnaval...you can be any thing or anybody you want. He was obviously a gadget guy, coolest watch I ever seen.

This new Lumix camera of mine is good for fishing as it's waterproof and shockproof but for quality shots I'm not so impressed.  My 'good' Lumix that died had a telescoping lens and low light sensors which took cool night shots....So these float pictures are a little disappointing but trust me, the floats are huge and each tows a generator for music and lights, very spectacular. This years Parade theme was Countries around the world or something similar.We had Marilyn Monroe in the smoke and the Beattles playing ' A Hard Days Night '....and a Mazatlan Venado ( Deer ) that shot confetti out of it's mouth.

So you're thinking " he ain't got no fish pics this edition ".....WRONG. I gotta tell ya about our new friend Dave. He's been fishing in front of the house here for a couple weeks . He sits in a fold up chair and has a cart for his stuff and mostly bait fishes although he keeps another spinning rod ready to cast with....but I'd never seen him use it. well the other morning I was casting long and hard because on several occasions I had seen the close white water ' get nervous ' with that tell tale that signals Robalo are chasing bait onto shore. So Dave gets out of his chair and grabs his spinner and on about the third cast he's on...He hollers, the fish jumps, I put my rod down and grab the gaff just in case and before you know it he tows this beauty up the beach....it's the magic of fishing. It was his last day in Mazatlan and the biggest Snook he'd ever caught or even seen. He was soooo excited and I was sooooo happy for him.  Well done Dave when you read this....and you flat  out earned that fish ....that's why we do it 😎