Merry Xmas!

Our first Christmas in Belize, and oh oh oh how jolly it is.

It's dark, and has been for awhile. But, since Matt traded the Trooper engine (and body) for a canoe and a rooster, the guys are here now trying to hook up the Trooper to the Land Rover to tow it to it's new home. No, they didn't bring flashlights.

look at those xmas buns!

Of course, this was not the original plan.

The plan was to drive the trooper away. But when they got here at sunset, they determined that it was impossible to drive away. So now, as I type, a motorcycle follows the Trooper, being towed by the Rover as it jerks and clanks up and down our dead end road towards a long night crawl down Honey Camp Road. I don't know who's driving or when they'll be back. At some point, I must back out of the negotiations. For this one, I backed out 3 days ago.

I have plenty of other things to occupy myself with. Tetra is doing great. She has 4 teeth coming through top and center. They are awful cute, and I adore watching her as she proudly chomps a banana.

Work is always there, and something I'm always trying to improve my practice with. As soon as I get a routine figured out, it seems that something goes and mucks it up. Most recently it was the stomach flu (which is not the flu at all, but an evil virus that rips your intestines out for at least a week).

I like it when Matt and TJ can time their naps together. I can get a lot done then.

My big accomplishment for today was saving our "pet" frog that lives in our bathroom. His (or her) name is Charlie. I hadn't seen her most of the day because I was keeping my eye on a green vine snake who snuck her way into our baño. About the 3 or 4th time that I came up to see if she had left yet, I saw her tail poking out of the shower. I opened the shower curtain and was aghast at the site of our sweet frog in the jaws of someone I thought to be harmless.

here, you can see part of the snake. she was really quite long. her body is all curled up behind the toilet.

I was pissed, and so was TJ! I grabbed that snake with my free hand and hurled her 15 feet across the yard. She dropped our sweet frog, who hopped to safety under the RV after regaining her senses. The snake–let's call her Snakey–slithered over to the chicken coop, where I'm sure she's set up camp to calculate her next murder. Lucy watched it all this happen, and considered taking advantage of Charlie in his weakened state... but thankfully, she did not.

It's xmas eve, and today I will try to string some popcorn for just a touch of xmas spirit. I think it would be so cool if the birds (and only the birds) come and eat the popcorn!

Love and Hugs to all our loved ones.

Updates!

Tetra

TJ is doing good. She's overcome her cold, and so there is no longer snot all over my boob, which is a major win. She's standing more. She likes to just pull herself into a standing position and play with whatever is in front of her. She still crawls... particularly to the edge of the concrete
in the palapa. She knows the risk, and she mostly goes only to the South side, where the water is very shallow. She talks, and laughs. What she is saying is still a bit unclear, but she doesn't mind, and neither do we. 

I'm constantly getting told how to bathe her, or dress her, or feed her, etc. It's a blessing and a curse. I try very hard to take the suggestions to heart, and to overcome any feelings of offense. It can be hard when I'm the only one caring for her all day. Then, someone wants to drop in and tell me to put socks on my baby... It's well intended, and often a good suggestion. It's just hard to hear after running solo all day.

And, it's not every day that it's just me. Matt does help a lot when he is around, and so do the other boys. But, when they go to town, I prefer to stay. I get much more work done when I don't have to socialize, even with TJ around. 

She's eating solids, but not as much as I would like. I get drained quite easily on only 3 adult meals a day. But, she'll take rice and beans, eggs, bananas, bread, tortilla or fry jack. Getting soft veggies without spices is kind of a challenge right now. I would have to cook them myself, and I've not quite got that worked into the routine yet.

Routine

There are some pieces of the routine coming together. Before breakfast, I wash and soak her cloth diapers from the day before. After breakfast, I finish with a light wash, a rinse and then hang to dry. I'll mind T for a bit, if Matt needs to do some stuff. Then she goes back to her dad so that I can get 2-3 hours of work in.

By then, it's time for lunch! And, am I ever starving by then. After lunch, I play with T for quite a bit, and do a few more chores. I reconnect with any outstanding work from the morning. I could be at the computer anywhere from .5-2 hours in the afternoon.

Dinner comes quick. We usually hang out for a while after dinner, then I find myself back in the RV with T around 6:30 or 7:00. I nurse her to sleep and work until about 10.

Guests

It's a ball having guests. I love meeting the new people; hearing their stories and sharing our own. They come wanting to be happy, wanting to enjoy their vacation, so they are always chipper. It brings new life and new perspective to our little ranch.

Before we came here, I was worried that T would not get enough socialization out here in the jungle. But, I didn't account for all the guests! We are booked for December, and I can't believe it's nearly half way over. We have guests on both ends of January, but we blocked the rest out for building.

Come February, we will hopefully be in our new home, and perhaps have visitors from WA or IL.

Homestead

NOTE: I don't have any photos to go with this post. Matt continues to post regularly at sm.brizbomb.com

So, we are home, but we actually have no structure that is “home.” This is how it’s been for 3 months. The first 10 days in the RV, then just over a month in the M’boro house. Next, it was 15 days in the RV. Now we bounce between the RV and cabana, and this will be how it is until our house is built… which could be 2-3 months. We’re rooting for 2. There remains an alternative to get a manufactured home. If we can find one we like in the next two days, we may go that route, and hope that we can move in sooner.

We have only five days before the cabana is occupied for one month. So, we know we’ll be in the RV for at least that long. When we’re there, we use the bathroom by the garage – which I actually like better than our cabana bathroom. The concrete with glass block controls the temperature so nicely compared to the wood with shutters. Jack prefers the RV. I think the cabana is too exposed for him.

At times, I would prefer the RV as well. The last few days have been windy and cold, and prior to that it was rainy, windy and cold. It seems that I caught a cold this past week, so sleeping in the open-weather cabana was no fun. Matt and Tetra faired fine. They will probably not even get sick.

We had one nice night last night, but Matt said another storm is coming through. I might take TJ and the Jack and sleep in the RV.

I don’t know if it was my cold, the lemongrass tea, or what, but last night I did have some crazy dreams. I met one spiritual advisor named BB Nemo, and another flying woman type. She had lost her cat. We helped her find it, and then she gave me a message written in frosting, but hidden discretely in a design, “hard times are yet to come.” And then she gave my brother a bunch of candy. :/ She dressed crazy and looked like me, so maybe she was just the crazy Sharon. BB Nemo told me that the river I liked was actually a freeway and begged me not to jump into the freeway. I won’t lie – I miss many of the conveniences of home. I also miss my friends and family, and culture.

I want to stick it out though. I want to learn from my experience, and I do want to enjoy all the wonderful things that Honey Camp does have to offer.

…I’m clearly still adjusting.

Holy adjustment period

Living in another country is one thing. Living in a “3^rd world” country is another, and yet living in the rural area of that country is quite another. Sometimes, I do wonder, “what was I thinking?” But then I quickly remember.

Honey Camp is magical–from the moon to the fish. Every day brings a new challenge–a change for my brain to think and to problem solve; to work beyond the daily routine in the states. I learn things here every day.

I learn patience.

I learn practicality.

Here are some other things I’ve learned:

Most babies sleep in hammocks. Simply tie knots on the sides to keep the baby from rolling out.

Help your fever out by slicing nopalito down the center and tucking it in your socks with the meat touching your feet.

Tuesday is infant and baby day at the hospital.

and people keep taking my baby. i can't express how conflicted i am about this.

Our banana bread is their banana cake.

Make a pillow out of the plant that sleeps when you touch it, to help your baby sleep more deeply.

And some challenges I’ve had:

The mosquitos have not been friendly as of late.

Resolution: put TJ to sleep during fly by, dinner after

photo taken prior to resolution

Mildew gets on everything!

Resolution: keep washing :/

My old laptop wouldn’t run for a few days.

Resolution: Is it the humidity? I packed it in the RV for a bit and it works again. I’m keeping computers enclosed at night just in case.

I’m hungry

Resolution: Beg regularly for food and keep a pot of beans

Childcare

Resolution: 1 day at Rosita’s, 1 day at Elisa’s, to be considered for expanded dates

at rosita's

Settling Down

We've been at Honey Camp for almost 2 weeks now, and are developing a routine. While guests are here, and until our home is built, we are staying in the RV. It's parked near the garage. We have quick access to the bathroom, and are shaded by bamboo. There are some charming little bamboo birds who visit the RV every morning to look at their reflection, and to perhaps, duel.

no birds on the wet and rainy mornings, but Jack is still pining for them

The mornings are exciting. I wake up and wonder what the day will bring. I wonder if I will establish a little more of the routine, if Matt will find joy in the day, if Tetra will eat a little more solids. Breakfast comes and goes, and is always delicious. I will do a little housework, or rather ranchwork, and then I am usually able to get in an hour or two of paid work. By then, it's time for lunch.

TJ normally takes a morning nap.

For many living and visiting, lunch is not a required meal. For me, it is a must. Generally, someone is around to help me out. When they are not, it's a banana and sweet bread to hold me over. If I can occupy TJ, I might even brave the kitchen myself one of these days.

Matt and TJ found some shells during an afternoon walk. I worked and called mom.

Much like the morning routine, I then do a little more ranchwork, followed by paid work. This is the more adjustable time of the day, when I might do ranchwork all afternoon, or paid work, or artwork, or just take a long break.

Dinner comes before or after sunset. On the days it comes after, I put TJ down first--around dusk. At least that's how it's been so far. It seems rare that she will take a nap longer than 10 minutes at any time of the day other than morning (when she takes a good half to hour nap). I don't mind though. She sleeps long and hard at night, and that's perfect for getting her in before the mosquitos, getting a solid block of work time, and just getting some time to myself.

Night sleep.

I'll have to put Matt to the keyboard one of these days, so you can hear his voice.
Bye bye for now.

Home Safely

We arrived at our Belize home on the evening of November 4th. After an hour of paperwork at the border on the evening of the 3rd, we were not permitted to pass without a vehicle inspection for tax purposes. That office was already closed for the day. We stayed in the parking lot of a casino with their permission. Everyone was very friendly, and all the girls wanted to hold Tetra. That is one common thing I see here---people see her and they just reach out.

The next morning, it was another 4 hours of inspection and paperwork before we were able to enter the country. Overall, the feeling was friendly. Belize is a poor country, and I didn't mind people doing their jobs thoroughly. If the US had put us through all that, I would've been a bit more impatient.

We made it to Orange Walk around 2:30 that day and went straight to Rosita's. Luciano showed up about a half hour later. No one was expecting us. After running some errands in town, we finally got to Honey Camp around 6pm. The road was rough: muddy, deep, wide holes for much of the latter part of the trip. I don't think the RV will want to travel that road again; at least until it can be graded or until it dries up.

Settling in to life here has been a fun experiment. We had problems with the wi-fi. Once we got that fixed, I had been locked out of my email. So, working has been problematic and I haven't been able to properly fit that into my schedule.

The pets are getting along fine. Lucy stays with us. She is too old and too much of a house dog to want to go wandering around alone. Jack stays in the RV, but is content. He watches the birds every morning and cuddles with us at night. Douglas is in his soft cage. There are a couple of wild iguanas that hang out on the other side of Sandfly's kitchen. I wonder if they know Doug is here. 

Tetra is getting into a routine. We eat breakfast, talk a bit afterward, and then she goes down for a nap in the hammock. Then it's time for the adults to do some more work, of one nature or another... We don't eat a big meal for lunch - just a few snacks throughout the day. Then we all come together for dinner. Tetra may take an early afternoon nap, and then she will usually go down again around 7pm for the night.

Luciano and Sandfly are great with TJ. They adore her and are kind to her. This morning Sandfly spoon fed her smoothie, and in the late morning, Luciano walked her around the yard to occupy her and show her things. Of course, she still always wants to be moving, so there is a lot of hand-holding while she walks around.

You can find a whole lot more photos from our trip at http://sm.brizbomb.com/photos/index.php?path=WA-to-BZ.

Dia de los Muertos in San Miguel

It was a 10 hour drive to San Miguel De Allende from TX. We didn't really know what to expect, but our friends Daryl and Julie told us it was amazing. What a perfect first stop for us in Mexico - and on the weekend of Day of the Dead.

We pulled into a little (tiny) RV park that we found in our "camping in Mexico" book. It's also a tennis court--actually, there are tennis courts on both sides of the RV park. 10 very small RVs could fit quite snugly. The owners are very nice. The showers are incredible. The landscape is beautiful. 

Since we got in around 6:30, we still had some evening to spare. The owners recommended that we go to the Parroquia and see the festivities. Boy did we!

The next day, we walked all over town. First, with Lucy. It was strange because usually, she stays with the vehicle. We're not often at a place where walking to stuff is an option. Since she was cooped up in TX (dogs under 35 lbs only at RV park) we thought she might like to get out. We took her to Parque Benito Juarez, then to the Parroquia. She peed in the middle of a cobblestone street, but everyone was too distracted by Tetra's cute cheeks to notice. 

After the parque, we stopped for a bite. The outdoor tables filled up quickly. We were at an 8 top, and invited two ladies to join us. Gayle and Jeannie were long time friends from New York. Jeannie was visiting Gayle, who now lives in San Miguel (as do many women of her generation). We chatted with them quite a bit, and it was a pleasure.

After a quick stop at "home" to drop off Lucy, change diapers and refill the water, we headed NW for a record store Matt saw on the internet. We couldn't find it, but we did find a more hispanic part of town. We stopped in a copy shop to print Doug's papers and strolled through an indoor market. There were quite a few of those - mostly with clothes, but some other goods too. I refused to get sweets at the bakery, and that made Matt sad.

It was time for another stop at home. We fed the Goose, changed TJ and headed out for dinner and the evening's activities.

We are a bit saddened that we have to leave San Miguel so soon. There is so much to explore in this interesting village just N. of Mexico City. We hope to be back one day. I would encourage anyone to take the 10 hr drive on the toll road (during daylight) to reach this little beauty of a community. The feeling is warm, historic, new and creative.

Biding our Time

Texas was something else. There were the good days. There were the bad days. There were the days in-between.

Our first stop was Houston, or - rather Magnolia, a northern suburb of Houston. Family friend, Brian, and his wife Sherrie live there and welcomed us to stay on their property (with rather short notice). They were all sorts of wonderful. Their home is very cool, and provided us a sort of oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of the city and suburbs. 

They have chickens, a sweet, sweet dog, a kitty cat, birds and deer. We arrive on Wed night. They had to work the next two days, so we had the place to ourselves. We spent most of our time on their upper deck - me working and freaking out about Douglas. Matt doing a very good job of occupying TJ.

We lost Jack once. Lucy played with their pooch, and they really got along well.

To the Coast!

From Memphis, we traveled South to the gulf coast. We made a long stop along the way for a work meeting and lunch. We had a hard time finding a place to park in this small town, and ended up at the lot of some Union workers. It was a small building, and a small, empty lot when we got there. During the meeting, very dressed up people started pouring in with their cars and their fancy shoes. At one point a limo and security-looking SUV pulled in, perhaps with another "official" looking vehicle. I'm glad nobody was too bothered by our presence. It looked like a big deal!

We drove quite well until we were about an hour away from our destination -- TJ got pissed, and needed that booby NOW! We pulled over and fed her in the parking lot of a Methodist Church in the middle of the country.

We arrived at a Ntl Park in Ocean Springs, MS. It was all swampy, and luscious and green. It was night-time when we arrived, and we were slightly bummed that we never get anywhere early enough to see where we are. We got over it soon enough. We built a fire, roasted tofurky kielbasas and smores. There were tons of animal noises, but nothing we felt a photo would capture well, so no photos of that.

Next, it was off to the visitor's area of Ocean Springs, and went directly to the Walter Anderson museum. He is such an inspiration to me. I could never leave life behind the way he did to embrace nature, but the depth in which he embraced it is moving, and his art is magnificent.

We ate at a strange restaurant that was delicious and had a lovely and friendly waiter. The bosses daughter followed her around and helped her. They were a fun team. We also stopped at a small local grocery. It was quite minimal, but very nice. We got a few things we needed.

There was just enough time to treck over to the Penny Pincher and see my old work-mates. It was so delightful visiting with them, and I became teary and sentimental a number of times. I suppose I was a blip in their busy lives, but they were a very significant blip in mine. I know they have fond memories of me, and that they did enjoy our visit. I only hoped we knew that we had more time. It would have been nice to have planned a bit better, seen Rex and the kids, chatted more and perhaps build a fire.

The sun was setting fast when we left, so we drove over to a large and lovely RV park in Waveland for the night.

The Memphis Zoo

Right now, we're in McAllen, TX, trying very hard to fulfill our duty to be responsible and respectful citizens and tourists. It's really hard, and awful frustrating. Nikolai Gogol, help me see the humor in all this...

But on the lighter side of things, let me tell you about our wonderful time at the Memphis Zoo. I will refer to the entire stay as a visit to the zoo. We had our traveling zoo. Brian has his own personal zoo (and rehab facility). And then, of course, there just weren't enough animals, so we had to go to the Zoo Zoo!

Brian and Laura were great hosts. They entertained us, feed us, and kept good company. We let them cuddle with Tetra and the other critters in return. They have a wonderfully large fenced in back yard. We were able to park there, with electric, and let the dog and cat roam free most of the time. When we went away for the day, they let Jack and/or Douglas stay in the catio. Douglas loved it.

Matt and I harangued Brian about eating healthy, and I made some reference to the planet, how we are all connected, our actions affect the rest of the world... etc. I can go on, but this is the travel blog. Let's just say, B is thinking about his consumption, and I was IMPRESSED that he was collecting his mountain dew bottles to see how much plastic waste he produced. He said he may make some changes after that.

For those of you who think that plastic is recyclable - think again. There are a lot of articles out there. Just do a search. And the "green fence" is certainly a barrier to recycling, but what about the shipping of our waste all the way over the pacific ocean??? Is it really making any progress if your wasting fuel and resources? And I hope you're all familiar with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch... Alright, enough of this banter... but consider this... challenge yourself to do something different. Change one part of your lifestyle and see what happens.

Back to Memphis -- in addition the the zoo, we went to B's work, Sun Studios and Brian's spooky front yard -- which was absolutely and totally spooky!