Always Pack A Camera.
Now, you might consider that it was a lofty
goal for me to even think that I wouldn’t bring
my camera along on our trip~and you’d be right!
I am actually starting to feel beads of sweat
building up just thinking about it.
Therefore, I’m going to at least bring the 10D.
That then leads to packing the laptop as well!
Gary always says, “can we unplug on this trip?”
my response this year is, “only if we sit in the
shade and don’t drink any beer!” 
I think it sounds like a good compromise!
This is a shot that Anne took when we were in
Mexico a couple of years ago. The hotel lied
about having internet connections for guests.
Well, more like stretched the truth.
The day the girls got their braids, I found a
computer and they charged about a buck a minute!!
There’s WiFi at the Mimi so it pains me not
to bring the laptop. And AT&T told me that
as long as there’s WiFi I can get on my iPhone
and so I may even mobile upload shots to my
Facebook account! Trust me, this is how I relax.
Gary likes to read and float, I like to write!
However, I just write in the morning, he’ll read
all afternoon. hmmmm
Thank goodness we both like the beach and buckets
of beer!
Again…me, relaxing!
…and Gary relaxing.
…me relaxing.
Gary relaxing.
Woops…here’s Jimbo relaxing!
Gary’s best friend, Jimbo, likes to
join us from time to time when we hit
Playa del Carmen…I’m certain this year
will be no different!
Good times. Noodle salad.
Tic Toc!
Each year I seem to remark at how quickly the
time passes. Winter doesn’t even seem to last
as long, it’s already February!
I always say that I look forward to the time
when all the months that end in ‘ber’ and ‘ary’
have passed us by! Being full into the first
week in February I can’t help but cheer a little
inside about our pending vacation!
Talisman, Jose Maria, Indiana (Nedi & Verana’s kids)
I’m having trouble reaching Rene’ at the Mimi
so I’m concerned that he may not be managing it
anymore which would, of course, be a HUGE bummer!
18 days and counting!
Another Sunny Day!
Lois and I did a little shopping yesterday and
had a little lunch. It was so beautiful out I
hated to be inside so when I got back and saw
Gary out on the porch laying in the sun with a
beer, I joined him! 
Sort of just hung out last night and chatted it
up with Gary’s dad & Lois. We dined on ribs at
the house (yum!) and sat around solving the
world’s problems! 
Kind of an early night but it was a really
wonderful day.
We are all checked in for our flight tonight
and will get in kinda late.
This trip went pretty fast but I guess short
ones do.
Next we hit Mexico for about 11 days, that should
feel like a month!
Sunny Arizona!
Wow! I guess I didn’t realize how much I
really miss the warm weather. I mean, I
know that it’s cold in Minnesota but it’s
also January and it’s supposed to be cold.
We ordinarily set our warmth radar for the
end of February and just look forward to
Mexico. We’ve come to Arizona in January
in years past but it never seems to be quite
this nice. 70s. Indeed, nice! Oh, and not
a cloud in the sky so that’s always remarkable
too…it’ so beautiful.
I’ll back up a few days to Tuesday, the day
before we flew down only because I think
it’s worth it to explain that I worked a 12
hour day to make it possible for me to join
Gary on this trip. Then we were up until
about 11 or 12, set the alarm for 4, caught
the airport shuttle from the (my) Hilton over
to the HHH terminal, breezed through security,
hopped in seats 8 C & D for our 6am flight,
landed around 9:20 AZ time and then got an
early check in to our hotel, walked over to
the golf tournament, and proceeded to walk
the course for the next 4 hours! All the while
imbibing in the occasional beer
At around 4 we ventured over to the infamous
Birds Nest, a giant tent with live music, food
and libations galore! We ran into some friends
that live down here (Tony Schindler) and a
couple that gave me her wrist band and lanyard
to access the VIP area (nicer bathrooms, free
fabulous food and drinks)…well, I’m worth it!
We the took a cab to the “Tilted Kilt” and had…
shocker….PIZZA!!! back to the room around 11.
Need I say that this was a very long day and
it’s quite possible that I was “over served”!~
Um, yea, we slept in on Thursday and then drove
to Surprise and settled in to the cutest casita
on the planet! Owned by a couple from Oregon.
Donny & Cory live here full time now. Cory has
impeccable taste and a flare for fun. The casita
is just darling…a beachy theme.
Breakfast with Dean and Lois this morning and
now off to hit some balls and get in the warm sun.
More later….
Welcome Jet.
Jet (Jet-son..or son of Jet) arrived on a flight
from Portland on Thursday.
Grieving the loss of a four legged friend is just
too tough. When Scott & Jacquie made the decision
to put Lucius down in December the devastation
just continued day after day after day.
I knew that they were in contact with Lucius’
breeder but to my surprise when Gary picked us
all up at the airport Thursday evening he said,
“Scott & Jacquie got a puppy!” I was sooo
excited for them! Scott has just been miserable.
This is just what they needed. I stopped over
yesterday to meet the gorgeous little guy.
His name is Jet.
My mom pointed out to me yesterday that I never
gave the reason for perhaps not returning to Cabo.
Sorry…I meant to. Well, there’s really no big
answer, it’s just that most of the time Gary and
I like to stay at little placed right on the beach.
I get so sick and tired of people waking up at
5am just to lay 15 towels out on all the best
chairs at the pool. I go to Mexico to sit my *ss
in the sand! The water was colder, the sand was
hot, a bucket of beer on the beach at the Mimi is
10 bucks…here, 25. I don’t know, It’s not that
I hated being there or anything like that it’s just
different. I must say that the photography opportunities
here were amazing…even National Geographic was
there shooting…
There was a steady flow of peddlers on the beach
each and everyday…that gets annoying.
I mean, sure, I bought some stuff from them but
every day they come right up to you and stand
there in hopes that you’ll cave in and decide
that you actually NEED a turtle whistle necklace!
I taught Ben the Spanish phrase for “go away!”
I’ve never had to actually use it before, but I
used it 2 or 3 times on this trip. Ben thought
it was hilarius!
So to sum up, It was beautiful there, pure blue
sky everyday, tons to do day and night, great
food, God knows I love the language, days got
to be about 80 degrees, nights about 60,
diving was awesome, fishing was incredible,
the villa was impeccable…the perfect trip
for families. Gary and I will do that sort of
thing once in a while, but we prefer to go and
do nothing and hang in the local haunts.
Who knows, maybe he and I will go to Cabo to
together sometime soon.
Make no mistake, I would not trade this tip
for anything. I had a FABulous time!
Thank you Anne and Pete for considering me
to come along. It really was a memory maker!
Check this out…REDRUM. This is the deep sea
fishing outfit that we used in Cabo.
It’s also the exact yacht we were on.
The diving group that Pete, Ben and I used
was Underwater Diversions.
Lars was our Dive Master and just the 4 of us
went out. We first went to Pelican Rock and
then to Neptune’s Finger.
Pete has all of those photos on his camera.
I’ll put those up when I get them from Pete.
I have a huge couple of weeks in front of me so
I must make an attempt to get back into my
reality zone.
I’m missing WPPI due to these
vacations but next year I WILL be attending!
Enjoy today!
Good to be home…
Wow!
As most of you know, I have been in and out
of Mexico the past couple of weeks. Once with
Gary to Playa del Carmen and just last night
I returned home from Cabo with my sister’s family.
And altho’ I don’t know if I would necessarily go
back to Cabo (for reasons I’ll mention later) I
wouldn’t trade this trip for anything! This was
maybe one of the coolest trips I’ve every taken.
I got THE single most FABulous massage at the
spa at this hotel (along with Anne & Tiffany),
I experienced my first 2-tank dive, I parasailed
for the first time and saw whales, turtles & sea
lions, I rode horseback on the beach, went deep sea
fishing for tuna on a 50+ foot yacht!
It must have taken me over 5 minutes to reel mine
in from the outrigger…CRAZY. Saw tons of
dolphin, sailfish, a sword fish and a HUGE whale
tail in those 5 hours. It was truly amazing.
Gary and I take vacations to relax and have gotten
really good at it, I love those trips.
This trip was just…oh, I don’t know…like
5 trips in one, sort of. I loved this trip too.
I have so many photos to share that I don’t even
know where to start. I also have some recommendations
and some great companies to share with you as well
should you travel to Cabo.
This condo place where we were was pretty spectacular,
just really expensive. We had a full kitchen so
we did breakfast and sometimes lunch there but
dinners were always out and amazing…so were the
bar tabs at the pool/beach. I mean really, who
gets to charge 5 bucks for a can of Modelo and
8 somethin’ for a margarita in a plastic glass!
c’MON!!
I had been deleting a little bit on the fly this
whole trip and I have just popped my card into
my monitor…901 images! Not bad for 2 families
and all those activities. I used Pete’s camera
and Amanda’s too (on the horse back riding excursion).
So, I think I covered this trip pretty well!
I’ve more to share but if Gary doesn’t see me
getting my taxes together, he’s gonna toss me
out in the snow!
I hope you enjoy looking at the photos as much
as I enjoyed taking them!
It’s good to be home.
2-Tank Dive
Hola from Cabo San Lucas in the Baja California Sur.
Wow, this is totally a different place here.
First, I’m with my sister, Pete and their kids along
with their neighbors Mark & Tiffany and their 2 kids.
Our group is in a fantastic 2 room suite. It’s amazing!
The kids think it’s pretty terrific too. Master suite,
second bedroom and a living room separates them.
3 tv’s, 2 kitchens…one, complete with a dishwasher and
full sized fridge…Plus laundry.
The other room with a kitchenette.
3 bathrooms and a patio/lanai that’s as big as my first
apartment! CRAZY.
We are nearly directly underneath the web cam so
we have the same view as the link.
First night was pretty cool and the first morning was
as well. But we packed for it so it was great!
The guys took a van into town and went grocery shopping
and so we are set for breakfast and lunch for many days.
The nights we reserve for going out to dinner.
Last night to a really fun seafood place.
The fish was sea bass and you had your choice of not only
preparation but sauce as well. Anne did the almond,
Mark did the “devil sauce” and I did the garlic (shocker!)
the kids ate plain noodles, quesadillas and the boys had
cheeseburgers that the staff had to go elsewhere to get.
MIghty nice! Mariachi’s came in and insisted on playing
“la bamba” for us and I may just get sick soon if I here
that one more time!!
I hit the sack early last night due to the dive today.
We taxied to the marina and found the dive shop..
Underwater Diversions..Great group of guys!
Lars was actually called in to guide us and give Ben
& I a little refresher in the pool on sight. everything
was A-okay! got in out 7mil suits and fitted for fins &
masks (Pete has all his own stuff…he’s so cool!!)
hopped in the boat and our first stop was “pelican rock”.
Translation…a huge structure that sticks out of the water
that pelicans sit and poop on. But make no mistake, this
was no “shitty” dive, this was an amazing dive and so much
fish, coral, eels..you name it, we saw it. very cool.
Ben was not interested in a 2nd dive, but for another 20
bucks, Pete and I thought, why not, so we dropped Ben
off at the Marina and headed back for the second dive
out near “the arch” but the current was pretty strong
so we went to “Neptune’s finger”…clearer, but with a
swift current as well…It was such a great diving
experience. Pete has an underwater camera case so
we took lots of pictures. I’ll get them from him when
I get back.
I’ll post pictures soon. Maybe even later today.
Buen Viaje…
I’m heading out this morning, with my sister’s
family to Cabo. I’ve never traveled there so
I’m a little excited to have this experience.
Thanks Anne & Pete!
I plan to get some more sun, take some amazing
photos and of course, scuba with Pete and Benji.
their neighbors are joining us as well and we
are all praying for a great time.
(See the top link on my “check these out” for
the web cam to the villas that we are staying at.
I’ll blog from there if I can and so for now
I will leave you with what I woke up to yesterday
morning…..
Oh, and thanks to Gary Fong for commenting on
my blog yesterday about The Puffer
image that I shot in Playa the other day.
tooo funny!!!
Tanya, what happened to your blog? It’s gone…
Jacquie, did you get my vm?
Mom, I love you. I’ll visit when I get back.
Jen, have fun with the new kittens.
Suzie, I got your Girl Scout Cookie message.
Go ahead and bring them over anytime.
Yum!
Tres de Marso
Okay. today, Spice’s kittens are one week old!
Wow! I have been showing everyone the photos on
my blog of the new arrivals…they think it’s cool!
Well, indeed, Nedi’s kids came to the beach yesterday
and wore me out (as usual).
Did I mention that Indiana received a scholarship to
attend English school. She attends everyday of the
week after her regular classes for 1 & 1/2 hours.
She is learning a lot and I am so proud of her.
She seems genuinely interested in learning our
language now..just a couple of years ago she didn’t.
I hope I had something to do with that!
I have gotten much better at communicating with her
now too as she is older and doesn’t go on and on
like little kids can..
Jose Maria (the middle child), on the other hand, has
little interest in his OWN language. Nedi tells me
that he is not up to his class level yet. Hopefully
Indiana will have an influence on HIM.
Talisman (or Tallis as they refer to him) will turn
3 in june. He is a ball of fire, that one.
All the swim suits I brought down fit perfectly!
Last night we sat on our balcony and a “dance-off”
took place right below us. Mexican break dancing.
A “you’ve been served” sort of thing. I have photos
and these kids were pretty good. When they finished
they held out their hats…I crumpled up a 50 (5 bucks)
and I tossed it down. That was cool.
Sadly, with all that there is to see and do here,
we had Playa’s best hamburger at EZ (in the “dip” for
those of you savvy Plays people) and watched some
kids dance in the street from our balcony.
Hey, that’s the kind of people we are…
the past 3 days were supposed to be all rain.
Just like at home, they can’t get the weather right.
It’s been the best 3 days of the trip!!! HOT
and sunny.
Well, we had breakfast on the beach with Nedi and
now I’m going to go join Gary on the beach.
I sat right outside the office today in the breeze
and blogged today. It’s sooooo nice here.
We return home tomorrow and we will close the
chapter on yet another fabulous trip to Playa.
Adios.
Mas luego….
Dos de Marso
WOW, It’s Sunday already, hard to believe.
Making new friends and getting together with
old ones. We do love it here so even though it
seems that everyone now knows about Playa.
In years past, the streets were dirt and the
beers were a buck. Now all of 5th avenue is
done in pavers and the beers are $2.50.
Hmmmmm, change…I don’t like it.
I wouldn’t trade it for the people we have met
here or the friends we have made to get the
dollar beers back~make no mistake.
Today is Rene’s day off (the manager of the Mimi).
If you wish to stay here in the future, always
e-mail him directly and tell him that Gary and
Sue sent you!
We had a big night last night…no nap, just
straight to big fun. We’ve tried a few new
places but like Nicki and I used to say..
“they don’t love us here…!”
So we just go back to Las Mananita’s and
order a botella de tinto y dos copas and
dig on the folks passing by…it’s fun.
I think that Nedi’s kids are going to come
to the beach today. That always wears me out!
Oh, so yesterday, I witnessed a baptism right
here on the beach. 4 people were baptized in
the gulf of Mexico! New believers in Christ.
I went over and recited my “Estamos Aqui”
that I memorized and then they wanted my photo
with the 4 ladies that were baptized…
very cool and very uncommon I am told here
in Mexico, but there are many more Mexicans are
coming to Christ…neat, huh!?
okay, it’s 9:30, I gotta go get some sun.
escribo mas, luego…..
buen dia a todos!
te amo.
