Monday, January 12, 2009

The Continuing Adventures of Candy, Kathy and Joey

Yesterday morning, Katharine, Candice and I ate breakfast at the Zamago’s and met Payaso, the father of the family. He had just returned from his annual trip to the Mexican mainland to visit his brother. We also said good bye to Olga. She was planning to return to La Paz, but later she decided to stay for a few more days. Olga was in a computer school for graphic design, but it closed and now she will be looking for a job when she returns to La Paz.

Then we went to visit Punto Suenos (Point of Dreams), a gated and deeded community in a protected cove just south of Mulege, buying dates and banana bread in the gas station along the way, with gas for the truck. In the community, one real estate sign said homes starting at $60,000, but after listening to Colette (one of the founders and a friend of Candice’s) speak about living there, we surmised that non-ocean front lots must start at that price. Colette said that a spec house (finished and empty for a year – anybody interested?) cost $200,000 for the frame. We didn’t find out the asking price. No need to go there, eh? The houses are really lovely, though. Everything is run on solar and the views of Conception Bay are magnificent. Whales come up into this bay to give birth every spring. Maybe it should have been named Parturition Bay? Schools of dolphins come through too.

Then Katharine, Candice and I met up with the others and went to eat lunch at Ellen’s house. Ellen is a friend of Audrey’s. Her home is on the water at the southern border of the community; she is an Americano retired psychiatrist.

I am so amazed at this aspect of the trip: that we are 9 women in a 3 bedroom house with 2 bathrooms (and the water is turned off every other day in Mulege) and there’s enough room for all of us and we are all having the times of our lives! And y’all were worried about the three of us getting along! (Still, knock on wood.) In true Mexican style, it’s just all working out.

So we are all staying at Audrey’s house. She is from British Columbia and has been coming to Mulege for the winter for the last 10 years. She is renting the house that we are in, and is planning a move soon to another house (actually, a parked 5th wheel) at the end of this month.

Evelyn is originally from the Philippines and is friends with Audrey and sleeps on the couch. Evelyn used to work in a restaurant with the other 3 or the 4 women who came with her. Audrey had never met the other 4 until they arrived in Loreto the other day.

Jessica is the youngest and sleeps outside in the camper van. She has an imaginary friend, Oscar, who is accidentally left behind for walks. Then there’s a pair of sisters: Margaret (who did not work in the restaurant and has the best Canadian accent of the whole group) and Sylvia. They share a bed. And the last one is Cheryl, who sleeps on the floor in the sister’s bedroom. They are all from BC.

In our bedroom, I’ve got the floor. :) I’m grateful for the good camping mat I bought before the trip!

After lunch, Katharine, Candice and I returned to Audrey’s for an appointment with a patient. We’ve treated 5 or 6 people so far and have a few appointments for new patients in the next week. On Wednesday, we will meet with one of Ellen’s dogs in Lorraine’s office (the local vet). This dog was hit by a car about 3 years ago, when she was about a year old and has a lot of pain. Too bad we didn’t bring Four Paws, Five Directions, but thank goodness we remembered that Zee has a copy!! haha. Thanks for the doggy point location info, Zee!!

Then, finally, time to study. Down to Pancho Villa’s, and after procuring drinks and snacks and discussing the merits of diatomaceous earth in Spanglish with Pancho, we limped through yang tonics. I don’t know why this section is so difficult for me. While we were sitting there, we noticed that the wind (blowing and blowing for 2 days), suddenly calmed down. That was a welcome shift in the weather!

Behind Audrey’s house, we built a fire the fire pit (a washing machine tub that Candice retrieved from the dump a few years ago) and watched as our paltry wood supply burned. Then we sat in the house and entertained ourselves, laughing and talking until 10 pm – an hour past “Mulege midnight” – so then we went to bed.

The end.

P.S. The day before yesterday, the whole lot of us went into Santa Rosalia and bought bread and cookies at the bakery. Audrey warned us that the cookies would look stunning but taste like sawdust, and she was right! Then we went to the prison and bought earrings and key chains and the like from the prisoners. They have to make money in order to pay for their food while incarcerated. It was quite a scene – we were separated by a chain link fence and they were all calling to us in Spanish, trying to call our individual attention to them and their crafts. Candice says that most of them are in prison for drugs and plans to day trips to the prison to treat the prisoners for addiction after she gets a clinic set up here.

1 comment:

  1. If Mexico doesn't regulate who can administer acupuncture, the NADA protocols are very easy to teach, so you could potentially get treatment in place even before you leave. The big thing would be to ensure that a supply of clean, non-reused needles was available, and that the people administering the treatments understood the importance of not re-using needles, (or, if re-sterilization was used to keep costs down, maintaining one set of needles per patient and not allowing cross-patient use, even with re-sterilization.)

    Jennie

    P.S. I'm really enjoying the blog!

    ReplyDelete