Week #3 December 06 - 12, 2020
Week three already!
This week was much the same as last week - just finding things to do filling in the time during self isolation. You can see by the look on his face that Allan's heart isn't in this job.
this is their prompt and cheerful deliver person.
Pizza was not the meal of choice, instead we chose shrimp tacos, OH SO DELICIOUS!
I love this plant and hate to see it go, but it has become a bush/forest all in its own - I just don't have the room for it any more so I am passing it on to our Gardener Chucho to do with it as he sees fit. His love for plants tells me it will get a good home. Actually he is thinking of placing it in a piece of community park land near his home. If that is where it goes I know it will be happy there.
Allan can hide behind the plant as he pushes it around the house and yard with his new toy. He looks like Mr. Wilson in "Tim The Tool Man" - remember that show?
This is Chucho, you may remember him from my posts last year. He trimmed all of my plants that needed it including my succulents - they looked so much better when he was done.
Friday was our first day out of isolation - it felt so good.
We were so excited that we left the house at 9 am with mask donned and hand sanitizer and social distancing being our top priority!
Walking to Chedraui's it was like we had never been gone for 9 months except for a few changes.
The Wolf, a new barber shop, was our first surprise.
This was our second change, a pleasing site to the eye which made us say "awe, ever cute". I have seen several posts on fb and follow up comments about it so it is a hit within the community.
Oh, this is a a great idea! "El Sazon Mexicano" has a permanent sun shade at the front of their restaurant. Several times, when we have eaten here in the early part of the day, it has been difficult to get a shady spot to sit. That did not stop us of eating there of course, but the new shades will make our next visit there more comfortable.
Chedraui parking lot has its special Christmas Tree back again this year. I will try to get a night shot of it for an upcoming blog post. It is made of green plastic beverage bottles with a rope light going around it. What a great idea to recycle plastic bottles.
Awe - nice to see - an employee working outside
of Chedraui grocery store attending to my safety and yours.
You take a cart from the line of cart and walk to him.
He takes your cart, then sprays and wipes it down for you,
not just the handle but also all way around the top of it!
You step on a floor mat holding a disinfectant liquid to clean the soles of your shoes, then he gives you a squirt of hand sanitizer and your are on your way to do your shopping
in the store. Everyone wears a mask - COVID free is what they want to be. I have not been in a store in my part of Canada that is this dedicated to the fight against the virus. We are blessed in so many ways to be spending our winter in Puerto Morelos.
This is a great day, the store shelves are stocked to capacity with our favourite Antillano spiced rum! 140 mx pesos works out to approximately 9.00 Cnd. for one liter
AND, then there was Cazadores Tequila!!
My favourite at $449. mx pesos or approximately
$29.00 Cnd. for 750 ml. That makes it about $10.00 Cnd. cheaper here as compared with LCBO back home.
This is the giant version of the little ears cookies Claudia
treated Allan with last week.
The family of 6 people of 3 generations living in this house have received benefits from Claudia's contributions to the needy. They have received "pantry" or food baskets as we call them in Canada, tarps for their roof following the hurricanes and this day, Allan and I joined her while she delivered blankets, sheets and pillow cases - all of which had been donated. The hurricanes destroyed the roof, the rain did not allow for proper drying of the bedding so it became full of mold and the COVID has caused a great decrease in work for the family. This is just one family, there are many in the same situation this year.
This is the little park on Calle Brujula the cross street at the end of Calle Goleta, it was constructed about 2 years ago. A nice cool place for a walk on a hot day.
Walking through to the other side of the park you come upon
this school which holds classes
including daycare, primary and secondary.
Of course it is closed now due to
COVID while all children are learning on line.
A beautiful flowering cactus in someone's back yard. Beautiful.
After a busy first day out of isolation I took
a moment to treat myself to a
Margarita made with my favourite ingredients.
It tasted as good as
I thought it would - Awe, Paradise!
Mexico is a beautiful place with beautiful people.
We had a very good friend give us these lobster tails - Friend, you know who you are, it was very kind and thoughtful of you to do this. They were delicious - the best lobster we have ever eaten. Thank you again. We thank God for giving us friends like you in our lives.
We invited in chef Mauricio, a good friend of Claudia's, to take on the responsibility of cooking these lobsters for us. Mauricio is originally from Uruguay where he took his training before coming to Puerto Morelos.
He roasted the garlic over the open coals before adding it to the garlic butter sauce, he also made a second sauce - a white sauce called Thermidor Salsa . This one is not a popular menu item in restaurants here but OMG, it should be - I love garlic butter but this one is much better.
The lobster tails were prepared for the grill
Half of the tails were covered with the Garlic Butter,
and the other half were covered with the Termidor Salsa.
Wow, what a feast!
What a memorable evening!
I love taking walkabouts throughout town - each and every one is interesting. In the early mornings here at Casa Pura Vida we hear the roosters crow at dawn - such a unique experience, I look forward to these sounds each year as they are sounds I haven't heard since I was a child. One year someone close to us had sheep - now that was definitely pleasing to the ear.
A wall mural I don't remember seeing last year.
This building hasn't changed in years - still interesting to look at as you walk by.
My 2019/2020 salvation - last year when we lost our luggage I used this little store often. Haven't been in this year but must drop in one day. I don't remember the name of it, perhaps it is just that - the little second hand store.
We made a stop at La Cabanas on Timon for a beer and a snack (cerveza y botanas) on our way home from this day's walk.
Your temperature was taken before you entered into the restaurant, we were provided with hand sanitizer to use and then guided to our table. The seats were limited, well spaced, the manager and waitstaff were masked and remained at appropriate distance for serving. The exit gate had a jug of hand sanitizer for us to use as we left the premises. They really were trying to protect their customers and staff, helping everyone to stay COVID free. Impressive.
I bought a poinsettia for Casa Pura Vida - just to add to the
Christmas spirit - they do well for me here, the moisture in the air and the partial sun and shade they seem to love.
This has been a busy week considering we only had 2 days out in the community. We have plans for the upcoming week, it looks like it could be busy to.
Until my next post, stay healthy, stay happy, stay safe and keep smiling.
