Goodbye Mexico....hello rest of my life!

It's time to go home...I know it is, I've been telling everyone how excited I am to be seeing my other home, my kids, my garden, my friends....but last night, when the full moon rose over Zihua Bay, I felt that incredible pull this place has on me....this is not going to be easy!

I've been busy for the past 10 days.  6 of my best friends who share a 42 year friendship beginning with our 3 years of living together in a nurses' residence in Calgary came here to play.  We called it a "mini-reunion" and based it around our shared 60th birthdays that all fall within a year more or less.   I wanted them to see where I spend approximatelly half of my life and I hoped they would see and feel what I feel and they did...they got it.  What I heard was " the people are so beautiful and so friendly", "you have a good life" and "it's so great to walk everywhere".  We ate, we drank and we did our best to see, hear and experience some of the charms that could go undiscovered on a typical one week AI vacation here.   We did well......

I have a lot to do on my second last day here today... but on the top of the list is to say goodbye to my special friends.  Monica, Lilly and Isabelle, the 3 women in Colonia La Madera who I now call "friends"....Our chance meeting and your always present smiles and friendliness has made living here such a great experience.  We count on you being here when we return. 

Paty on La Ropa Beach who runs the best yoga studio in town, thank you for your gift of a daily yoga class...  The sadness that Paty has had this month with the death of her mother has made us all realize how very special her everpresent smiles and caring ways have been in my life. 

Vanessa, Enrique, Marina and Raul who manage our home while we are away...we love you and appreciate all that you do to make this home a special, beautiful and safe place for this diverse group of "gringos".  We don't make it easy for you.   Some depend on you for everything, but Gene and I are trying to learn to be independent, we are trying to make our way in this strange place and we will miss you so much while we are gone.  Stay well and we will see you in October. 

And today we say goodbye to our special "family".   Our chance contribution to Ninos Adelante has enriched our life here so much.  We are having Doraliz and her 3 siblings come for a final swim, a pizza lunch and we want to leave them with some of the food we can't possibly finish.   We also need to leave the final payment for her quincineara dress that will be done while we are away.  We will miss their hugs, their laughter and their shy English - you are beautiful and we hope you are safe and well when we return in October for your party - we hope you stay in touch with us but I know it is not easy when we are gone. 

And of course how could  I forget my "ex-pat" friends....there aren't many of us left here, but my closest shopping buddy Iris, who has just returned from the fair in Uruapan will have a carload of treasures to show me and great tales of her adventure to recount.   We are planning how we can get together this summer in San Francisco so we don't spend so many months without seeing each other. 

My blog has taken a "hit".  My camera is broken, and one of my great joys which is to photograph the people and places I love has been disrupted.  But I promise to remain faithful to my goal of trying to describe what makes this place special. 

So,  I better get busy, lots of laundry, lots of packing and lots of hugs to do....adios Mexico, but welcome to my life in Canada....get ready cause here I come!