The Importance of Doing Nothing

The blog today is aimed at myself and Terri.  Sometimes it is important to sit down and have a good talk with yourself.  So listen-up Russ, this is for you.

We are finishing up the third year of our nomadic lifestyle.  In that time we have learned a few lessons about ourselves.  As a matter of fact we keep learning the same lessons over and over.  Maybe in a decade or so those lessons will sink in.  I doubt it, because I am a Ranger and we don't learn quickly.

On Saturday we start a three month adventure of travel around Europe.  This is where our lessons in life need to be applied.  Given my "normal" nature I would be trying to cram as many things into that time as possible.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.

The best memories of our travels have come when sitting around, listening, observing and letting life pass by.  It's not about doing stuff, it's about being present in the moment and letting "life" happen all around us.

We were given a great lesson in our first few weeks on the road.  We were at Craters of the Moon National Park in Southeastern Idaho.  We had great plans of climbing a cinder cone/mountain at night to see a completely unobstructed night sky.  It was a Ranger lead hike and as we began going up the small mountain the atmospheric conditions began to cloud the sky.  By the time we hit the top there were no stars or planets to be seen.

At this point the lady Ranger sat down and asked us all to sit down with her.  She explained that she was going to teach us a lesson she had learned early in her career.  LISTENING.  It was amazing.  After we all quieted down the sounds of nature began happening all around us.  It turned into one of our best evenings ever.  It was the "importance of doing nothing".

We have applied that principle many times through the past three years.  Sit down, shut up and observe.

We had hiked along a cliff edge overlooking the Colorado River thousands of feet below us.  As we became tired we sat down with our feet hanging over the edge of the cliff.  As we sat there we watched the birds using the thermals to soar in the lifting winds.  The longer we sat the closer they would fly to us.  Soon they were coming within feet of our heads as they crested the shear cliff.  At that point we were rewarded with a discovery.  Small birds flying a bazillion miles per hour past your head sounded like little jet engines.  The "importance of doing nothing" was the discovery of a sound we had never heard before.

One day amidst the hectic pace of New Orleans I was tired.  I picked a park bench and sat down.  I closed my eyes.  I had successfully closed out the over stimulation that was all around me.  In the distance street musicians were playing.  The tuba players notes stood out above the rest of the band.  I sat and listened.  That bass line still replays in my head when I think of New Orleans.

So what is the lesson to be learned from writing to myself?  Sit down.  Shut up.  Observe.  Listen.

It will provide more memories than museums, castles, crowds and tourist stuff.

Eva seems to have the "sit down, shut-up and close your eyes" thing down pat.

We're Home..... We're Leaving

We had a nice 13 day drive from Mazatlán to Tacoma.  We made several stops along the way to visit family and friends during the 2,584 mile trip.  The motorhome got 7.1 MPG burning 268 gallons of fuel.  The saving grace was the cheap price of gas, $1.84 to $2.25 in most places.  $589.64 of fuel for the USA part of the trip.

There were no camping costs due to our boondocking and mockdocking all the way up the coast.  Many thanks to all who provided their streets or driveways during our drive.  It is such a great way to do a visit and bring our own home with us.  Always my own bed, priceless.

The sun sets on another year in Mexico.

We're only here in Tacoma at Tamra and Robby's place for a week until we fly off to Europe.  The kids have an RV storage space in their backyard that will hold the motorhome for three months.  Rumor has it that grandson Andrew will be using the RV when he visits from Kettering University this summer.  He no longer has a bedroom in the house so Grandma and Grandpa's place will be his "pad" while we are off traveling.

We picked the RV out of storage in Tucson.

It's hard to explain but each 6 months we have a drastic change in our living place.  We go from a big condo in Mazatlán back to our 342 square foot motorhome.  It may sound funny but I enjoy the more confined living space.  I like my leather recliner in the motorhome better than the multiple seating options in the condo.  I like the compact kitchen.  I like the sound of rain on the roof of the motorhome.  For me the motorhome feels more like home.



Terri's friend Cheryl's granddaughter takes over driving the RV in San Diego.

On Saturday we are flying down to San Francisco to fly to Europe with Terri's sister who works for United Airlines.  We are getting an unbelievable rate to fly and combined with staying part of the time with our son Matt, we can have an extended stay without breaking our budget.

Shari toured United Airlines latest new plane, a 787, this week.  It does a non-shop flight from San Francisco to Frankfort.  If Shari can get us on that flight we will make that slight detour.  If not we will fly into Brussels.

Eva will be spending the next 3 months with my cousin, Sandi.

My brother Dave and SIL Jamie are boarding a cruise ship on Thursday for a 17 day cruise from Florida to the Mediterranean.  We will be meeting up with them in Brussels later in May after they tour Eastern Europe.  Our parents seem to have given us all the "travel gene".  Sister Sara is staying home to await the arrival of her next grandchild.  She was planning to come along until Margaret's due date fell in the middle of our trip.

I had to leave my final painting of the year unfinished.  More work waiting for next year.

See ya later.

As always, life is good.

Mazatlan Winter Ends

Winter is over here in Mazatlán.  It's time to head North.  It has been a good six months but we have reached the end of our tourist visa so we will start the drive to Tucson on Saturday morning.  We'll cover 475 miles before spending the night in Guaymas, Senora.  On Sunday it's an easy 330 mile drive to West Tucson to reunite with our motor home.

We are planning on stopping in San Diego, Livermore and Touttle to visit friends and family.  We'll be back in Tacoma in the middle of April following a 2447 mile drive.

Trinity and David fly home tomorrow after their 17 day visit.  We ate at all the vegan places in town during that time.  They also did a little drinking.

We all lived through a busy Samena Santa week.  150,000 nationals come to town for their Spring vacation.  The beaches are full but we stayed in our end of town most of the time.

I finished my last oil painting of the season.  I am still working on a final acrylic painting.

Eva has had her final beach run of the year.  She will miss her runs in the surf but will really miss the hot sun most.  Her coat has grown longer to be ready for her time in the northwest weather.

Last night as the sun is setting.

It's been good being here but we are ready to head home and get ready for our trip to Europe at the end of April.

Life is good.

Mazatlan Winter Coming to an End

As our Winter winds down we had our first rain in three months.  It only lasted for a few hours and we are back to sunshine.  It should be 80 something until we pack-up and leave in a few weeks.

We are sitting at Chill & Grill listening to an afternoon of live music.
We are facing East so this shot of our condo is a reflection of the sunset in the West.

Last week Terri's brother Shan and sister-in-law Beth ended their time with us.  It was a nice visit and we hope they enjoyed their first visit to Mazatlán.  They got to know Diego while they were here.

We ate lots of good food during their visit.

Diego is ready for adoption after 3 weeks of rehab.  He is just about finished with his meds and has gained enough weight that he is looking good.  Eva will miss their playing and wrestling.  The new owners are taking him for a trial run on Friday.  They have a female Chihuahua so he will have a new playmate.

Diego has grown a full set of hair on his bald head.

I've been painting two mornings a week this Winter.  So here are a few of the Winter's water colors and oils.

16" x 20"  Oil on Canvas
Katrina I

16" x  20" Oil on Canvas
Katrina II

20" x 48" Triptych - Oil on Canvas
Dancer 

Now for several watercolors on paper.

I've still got a few weeks to paint so I'll see if I can't do a "good" painting.  It could happen.  Here are a few random photos from the last couple of weeks wandering around town.

A few centuries of wear and tear on this old wall.

Cerritos fishing boats beached after sunset.

Panorama looking back at Portofino, our home.

Looking up in the cathedral in El Centro.

We come to Mexico on a tourist visa so were are only allowed to stay for 180 days.  That means our Winter must end in early April.  Oldest daughter Trinity and her husband David arrive in a few days and will spend our last 17 days with us.  When they fly out we will be driving North the next morning.  It's back to being "trailer trash".

We will wander up the West coast of the US visiting folks as we go.  We'll be back in Washington just in time to leave for 3 months in Europe.  Brussels grandkids here we come.

Life is good.  Almost time to leave Portofino until next year.

Diego the Dog

We've been busy with a new house guest the last three days.  We did not expect to be hosting a visitor but sometimes life gives you an unexpected surprise. 

Eva oversees her new shadow, Diego.

Here's the story.

The last few weeks there has been a stray dog wandering around the Marina area.  We have seen the dog in the wetlands across the street and in the vacant lot/construction site next door to us.  Terri had  tried to call the pup but it would run and hide when seeing a human.  We had walked through the mud to bring it food but that was not working.

Finally Terri went to Amigos de los Animales to get a safe trap to see if she could capture the pup.  Terri set the trap early Tuesday morning.  We had little hope, but when I went to the Marina boardwalk an hour later I could hear the whimper of the pup coming from the hidden trap.

Diego in jail.

We quickly drove the car through the construction site to discover what was making the sounds in the trap.  When I saw what we had trapped I stood there and cried.  Skin, bones and buggy eyes looking up at us.  The dirty starving little dog was wagging its' tail.

After an hour of holding and hugging him it was time for a bath.  He was muddy, insect bitten and had scabs over his entire body.  Terri did her magic and picked ticks until he was free of bugs.  Once we had him clean he looked even skinnier.  His ribs were poking out and his spine looked like a alligators' spine.  His hind quarters are a fraction of the normal size due to lack of food. 

He was a mess.  But he made up for it all with his loving personality.  Within hours he was following us wherever we walked.  Tail wagging and great lap sitting are his specialties.  He's a lover.

Scrubbing the mud away.

All wet but clean.

We took him to Amigos and had them look him over.  Their evaluation was 1 to 1 1/2 years old, 2.5 pounds, a little mange, and skinny as a rat, but doing fine.  We will take him to see the vet at Amigos this morning to get medicine for his mange.

Out enjoying the sun on the deck.  Nice ribs Diego.

We will be keeping him at our place until we fatten him up and get him socialized for his future home.  If you are interested in adopting Diego let us know.

Curled up next to me on the couch.

At 2.5 pounds he fits right in my hand.

How he ended up wandering around as a stray is only my guess.  Whoever dumped him probably thought he would be picked up quickly by one of the Marina residents.  They were wrong. The poor little dog wandered for weeks while starving.  There is a special place in Hell waiting for that idiot.  Yes, I am a little mad.

I'm glad to have a wife that cares enough to do the right thing.  Good job Terri.

Carnaval 2016, the "Donald" Wins Big Time

Carnaval 2016  "Mazatlántida: la alegoría que emergió de las olas" is in full swing here in Mazatlán.  Every hotel room is full.  50,000 visitors are in town.  The king and queen have been coronated.  I am going to watch the best part of Carnaval tonight, so I'll have pictures when I get home at midnight.

Carnaval in 1910

Tonight is the naval battle "Combate  Naval".  It is the reenactment of an actual naval battle that happened on the Olas Altas beach.  A sailing ship came in and began firing their canons at the small town of Mazatlán.  In the end the local Mexican population fired back and the invasion was thwarted.

Tonights battle will involve a ship sailing into the harbor and blasting about a hundred thousand of us idiots standing on the beach with hundreds of fireworks and loud explosions.

But we are not afraid because we have four embankments of fireworks, rockets and aerial bombs ready to return fire.  After the ships fire power lessens all Hell will break loose.  Several hundred explosions will rain down on the ship until the ship goes dark and disappears until next years battle.

The last battle I attended was the best fireworks show I have ever seen.  Only in Mexico would they shoot fireworks at each other.

Still to come are two days of parades.  My favorite is the night time "lighted" parade.  Below is a picture of the parade strung out over the 4 1/2 mile Malacon.


Looking down the Malacon.

A poster showing last years nighttime parade.

A tradition at Carnaval is the event called "the burning of bad humor".  Each year they pick one person (usually a local politician) to be mocked by being "burned in effigy".  Somehow it is considered an honor to be chosen.  This year the committee has dropped tradition and gone international.

Tonight a 30' tall "Monigote" of Donald Trump will be burned.  I don't care about your political affiliation, this is one of the funniest things I have ever heard.

Somehow I believe that even "the Donald" would see the humor in this and be laughing his head off.  It will be interesting to see his hair go up in flames.

Only in Mexico, only in Mexico.

Life is good.  See you tonight Donald.