If you host a "party" - they will come and how I plan to wear red underwear and eat 12 grapes tomorrow

 

For 4 weeks each year, this normally sleepy little fishing village, Zihuatanejo,  hosts a party...it's a party where the national tourists, those residents of inland cities, big and small all head to the coast to frolic and play in the ocean and the sand.  We are nearing the end of the 2 week Navidad vacation and this year, I think the tourist numbers have surpassed last year.  Within the 4 walls of our condominium, albeit in the heart of Zihuatanejo, it's easy to not grasp the full impact of the vacationers on our little town...but one stroll through our carlined streets and down to the waterfront reveals the masses who have joined the pelicans to swim on our main Playa principal...

The next busy period will be Semana Santa and the same thing happens again...but that's the end of my winter here and I dont' want to think that far ahead yet. 

  

So for now we've been focusing on our own little Xmas celebration with Eric, including his preparing me a taste sample of "goose neck barnacles -  a delicacy in Europe selling for 200 Euros/kilo and for 100 pesos/kilo here,  and looking ahead to our week with Kristen and Kyle...but first came my 60th birthday!! 

I've always been a bit conflicted about my birthday...but this past year I've enjoyed the 60th  birthday parties of many of my friends, so this month,  Gene and I decided that we'd plan a small party for me.  As many of you know, I am a big fan of a local guitarist, singer, songwriter who goes by the name of Juanito Zihua.   He has a huge personality and I would like to think that behind that personality and very attractive exterior is also a huge heart.  He makes me feel good and feeling good is all I really wanted for my birthday.  I don't need things, I crave feelings and experiences so when Gene stood up at Pozole at Santa Prisca a couple of weeks ago and asked Juanito to step outside I knew something was up.  I'm glad this wasn't a surprise as I'm bad at surprises and I honestly wanted to host a nice party...so my job was the appetizers, table decorations and the menu and beverage choices for an evening of song at our place followed by a dinner out with friends at Coconuts Restaurant...a longstanding favorite that is attractive, intimate and within an easy walk of our almost downtown location. 

I had fun, I danced and embarassed myself by singing with Juanito...but you know that at 60 you need to do whatever you have the opportunity to do...I guess he may never ask my again, but I did it!!!  I felt good and I felt young, and what more can one ask for at 60!!  Gracias a Dios for this year of my life and for allowing me to spend my birthdays in a virtual paradise...Oh, it's not perfect- I miss my other friends who aren't here and my family, but it's a place where we can be outside, in a tropical garden, with a star filled sky overhead and dance and laugh like we didn't have a care in the world! 

So tomorrow is the last day of 2011, and my birthday.  I want to spend it doing a couple of my favorite things.  I will start the day at yoga.   Yoga has become my "roots"...it's where I go when I need to feel grounded, cultivate my inner smile and acknowledge the value my health has for my life.  Today our teacher was the beautiful Angelica from Zirahuen.  She gave us a class on "Opening the Heart"....I loved it and I want to be that person with an open heart, and a flexible spine to go with it.  Having an attitude of gratitude and energy to live well are my goals for 2012...there, I've said them, now I must live them!! 

Tomorrow, for my birthday, we are going to walk the beach from Barra de Potosi to Playa Larga - a perfect, pristine 10 mile arc of white sand where whales regularly skim through the waves and seabirds dive into the surf, it's about as close to heaven as I can imagine.  Eric plans to do part of his daily workout running while I walk.  Gene will fish and drive to a favorite small restaurant we've discovered enroute called "chula vida"...the sweet life! 

And if I can stay up to midnite, I'm going to wear my "red panties" and carefully make a wish on each of the 12 grapes we will eat as the church bell in Plaza Kyoto tolls to midnite....starting one more year with one of the Mexican traditions that I love.