We are back in Mexico after a lovely trip to Vancouver for Christmas.

Nicky and Phil looked after us really well while we were in Steveston. It was great to see so much of the kids - we have missed them these past 8 weeks.

The house is progressing incredibly well - the workers turn up every day at 7:15am and work flat out until 3:45 - 6 days days a week (finishing early on Saturday’s). We continue to provide plenty of beer and baking to keep them energized and it seems to be working.

On New Year’s Eve the concrete roof was poured - it involved many more workers than usual, including team of guys who mixed the cement, filled buckets and heaved them up to the roof one at a time in a chain. They literally didn’t stop from 7am to 5 pm when the whole roof was done.

We had no plans for NYE, but then Raul our builder/friend insisted we join his family for a traditional Mexican celebration. We were the only English speakers there, and learned about all their NYE rituals, including wearing red underwear (no one told us!), eating 12 grapes and wishing on each one, and a small bowl lentils which signifies having good employment for the coming year. Then literally sweeping the bad stuff out the door with a broom, each person had to run up and down the street carrying a suitcase to ensure safe travels!

Happy New Year to all our readers!!!

Looking up from the lot below us

The pool is starting to take shape

Raul & Georgina's family on New Year's Eve

Nicky & Phil Christmas Day

Sunday 'boozy brunch' at Fable

Ahhhh... Four Winds. I miss you (and the boys).

Christmas Day morning walk along the Fraser River

Brunch with N&P at Tsawwassen Springs

Buying corn from the back of a local's car.

The 'roof guys' were a different breed!

Cerveza - gracias!

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Things have to get bad before they get better

Me & Raul - NYE...

12 grapes (wishes) and lentils!

Raul's sister Sylvia - ensuring her year will be travel filled!

Sitting in LAX on our way back to Vancouver for Christmas. Finally found a beer for less than $10 - at Starbucks!!!
Here are some recent pics.

It's getting very festive on the streets

This store is located right outside a school

'The Boys" enjoying their breakfast - note the cookies and cupcakes!

assembling the Grill with Bill (and John)

This is Molly's vacation home for the next 11 days

Arlae & Sylvia (newly graduated vets) will take good care of her

Sunday morning, our last before flying home next Friday for Christmas. The ‘Love Boat’ cruise ship is just visible across the bay at Pichelingue. It’s quite windy, so that will not be good for all the excursions they will have on the water. Hopefully, tennis will not be affected this afternoon.

We’ve had a nice week and have eaten out quite a few times. Wednesday we tried a new place down on the main road called Ruby’s Cantina - it was pretty good. The next night we were going to have Iguana’s excellent wood-fired pizza, but when we arrived, Paco the chef opened the gate and said they were closed because he was painting in the outdoor kitchen… he was actually doing 2 original artworks for an auction to raise money for the K9 dog refuge (where Molly came from)… so we went to Ruby’s again!

Yesterday we were down in the local El Centenarrio ’hood’ and Leanne spotted a hand-written sign saying ‘pollo’. We walked into their back garden where a guy was just taking a rack of BBQ’d pollos off the wood fire. We said we would like one, and then were invited back by LuLu (his mother) to the open kitchen where she proceeded to load a plate for me with tamales and borrego out of huge pots on the stove. We asked ‘what’s borrego’ and she pointed at this goat-like creature tied up at the back of the yard (presumably next week’s dinner!) They insisted we sit down with them at the family table and we had a lovely time. We walked away with chicken dinner for 2 including homemade salsa, pasta salad and tortillas for about $5.  What a great Mexican moment, and the chicken was really good.

Last night we attended a charity art auction at La Morante to raise money for a school that Valerie is involved with. None of the art appealed to us, but at the end of the evening they ‘raffled’ a painting by the host - and guess what, Leanne won. It was actually the only painting we really liked all night, Geovanni Ibarra the artist signed the back and we will hang it the new casa next year.

Now for the bacon! We have found a great local place a few blocks away where they smoke the best bacon ever.

the whole fleet

the columns that hold the roof on the patio

at Ruby's with Brenda our neighbour from Alberta

1/2 kilo for just over $4

Molly can't resist scavenging after the builders leave

yard clearing (pre Paris climate agreement)

Me and LuLu will meet again soon

Leanne questions why we are washing the car

Leanne at the kitchen sink

Proud winner with Geovanni the artist

Almost ready for the roof!

Can't believe another week has gone by. We only have 10 days before we head back to 'Sunny" Tsawwassen (Steveston actually).

Last Wednesday I cooked my first curry down here and we had a meal up at Ed's. Bill cooked a very nice Prawn/Coconut Curry and prepared a bunch of condiments including homemade mango chutney. I also attempted Samosas fror the first time. Lots of work, but worth it.

There was another tennis tournament on Saturday - the winners got turkeys. Needless to say, me and my partner Carlos didn't win one, but we did pretty well winning 4 and loosing 3 matches... In his words we were "un equipo muy aguerido" - which translates as "a very gallant team". I like that.

Not much more to report, except the guys are going crazy on the house. It's really taking shape.

WCB would have a field day here

Part of our neighbourhood

Santos, Raul and Jesus in the 'pool'

Looking through the front door

The pillars for the deck/roof were added today

Everything is made by hand, including the ladders