Sorry - no blog last week because we were having so much fun with Nicky and Phil we didn’t have time! 

Nicky and Phil had a week of beautiful weather, a great mix of activity (golf, kayaking, hiking) and relaxation(pool time, beach time), and lots of wonderful and tasty food and drink - just the way a vacation should be!  They stayed at our neighbour Ed’s house (which is great) but we all agreed we are looking forward to next year when we will all be together in our new house. 

The house is moving along - the workers had 4 days off for Easter (or Semana Santa -“Holy Week”) so they are just back today. Everyday there is so much progress - today we have our first window installed, and the inside kitchen base cabinet foundations, the first 3 steps poured to the roof deck, the first of the wood ceiling beams and the beginnings of the border pool tiles! Wow… 

We leave La Paz one month tomorrow (April 26th) to fly home to Vancouver. We will be in Port Moody for the summer, and are looking forward to it - it seems like such a nice community. Can’t wait to arrange visits with lots of you. 

Still no news about our car, but thankfully “Joyce the Jeep” continues to get us around town and to the beach! Hopefully this week we will find out if “Stu the Subaru” can be repaired. 

This coming week is busy with band rehearsals, 2 dinner parties, and then 2 birthday parties on the weekend for Ed (our neighbour) who turns 95 years old on Sunday! Fun! 

The new FRuteria on the main road. Very friendly and very cheap!

After a couple of Jorge's Margaritas

At McFisher (Paul's favourite restaurant for Fish Balls)

Golf at Paraiso Del Mar

The new stairs to the roof

Kayaking in La Paz Bay

The view is worth the effort of the hike

The first of the beams on the patio

The first of the pool tiles

Molly has made her mark yet again

We now have railings and door frames

Margaritas on the roof

Nice nails!!

Nicky & Nicky!

Phil tries one of Jorge's 'specials' (with Mezcal and a worm)

Last night tequila binge (not really)

Yellow Fin Tuna...

In contrast to the heat last week, this week we had one afternoon/evening of thundershowers! It was quite a storm with lightening, thunder, and heavy rain….  It was a good opportunity to see how the drains function on the new roof, and how the pool looks with some water in it! That was only one day, and since then it is beautiful again. (sorry - I know that Vancouver is expecting another wind storm this afternoon…..) 

“Joyce” the Jeep continues to get us around town -  we hope to hear more about our car this week. 

Paul was invited to play at the Todos Santos (town about 45 minutes away) Arts Festival last Friday night with the Baja California Sur State Orchestra. He has played with them once before…. They played in the very quaint theatre in the town square and it was fantastic! I was able to go along too on the “band bus” with all the Mexican musicians! 

Yesterday was a triple birthday celebration for some of our tennis friends, including Raul - our good friend and the Contractor who is building our house. There was an all-day tennis tournament at our neighbour Ed’s house, followed by a BBQ. It was fun, fun, fun - especially the Tecate Piñata! 

We are counting the sleeps now until Nicky and Phil come…… 6 or 7 sleeps depending on the flight availability. Woohoo! 

Our new fridge arriving - thanks Jesus (one of the tennis players, not the other guy)

The guys shelter from the rain

The new fire pit is a good place for a planning meeting

On the 'band bus' with the youth choir in the background

The evening finished with Mambo #8 - Google it for the original 1956 version!

I hate to think what this will be like when it freezes

Molly has had her nose in something again

Ed had a VIP court -side seat for the tournament 

With Georgina and new friend Selene.

Raul with home made card

The beer can piñata

lots of cakes

Tournament winners were also the birthday people!

Wow! It is hot! The temperature has jumped in this last week, and we are averaging days between 30 and 35 degrees… Thankfully we always have a breeze up on this hillside, so the air is always moving. 

As some of you already know, we had a car accident a few weeks ago (we are fine!) but our car isn’t. “Stu” the Subaru got hit hard by a stolen pick up truck that was being chased by the Police. The car is still in the Police Impound yard pending the investigation, so we are on our 2nd Jeep in 2 weeks! Our neighbour Joyce has let us borrow her Jeep indefinitely (she has 2 cars here) and this is a huge help for us. Living outside of The Centro means a car is a must. Stay tuned for updates on this.

Lots of photos this week of the house progress. Shocking to see the first coat of Primer paint both inside and out! They started work on the exterior staircase too this week - it will be a lot easier than climbing the ladder to the top floor!  We are into choosing tiles and paint colours too now! 

We booked our flight home this week - April 26th. We were going to drive, but with “Stu’s” future undecided, we will fly - Molly in her crate and Paul’s computer and guitars in hard cases! We will be in Port Moody for the summer and plan to return here in Mid November at the latest.  Can’t wait to see all of you for lots of BBQ’s! 

The latest Jeep. Very thirsty, with paint damage from Hurricane Odile!

Coming together nicely. Just add water?

Molly likes the fire pit

The view from the upstairs bedroom

First coat of primer. Eventually the chain link will be a wall.

Soon they will start to tile the downstairs

Santos, Chowen and Jesus (with wheelbarrow) pouring the floor

Little fellow with the gammy arm

Downtown La Paz, back street

Big band rehearsal with (session legend) Willie Ornelas on drums

Favourite place for lunch.