Diana Helps again

Diana helped me with housework again today. She's only 11, but she was a real trooper. She took everything off the big metal unit in the kitchen, dusted it, dusted the shelf and put it all back, while I did the top. Then we washed and dried all the cutlery and put it away.

We followed that with dusting the bedroom and the living room, again with her getting the lower stuff. We cleaned the surfaces of all the tables in the living room. Then we washed and oiled the dining room suite.

After that, we went outside and swept the patio and the front area. That's a lot of work for an 11-year old! It took a couple of hours, and I gave her 100 pesos. It seems like a lot, but even in Mexico I believe women should get paid the same as men, and I pay her no-account brother those kinds of rates all the time.

She also got to try out the sewing machine. She had asked what was in that room, they can hear through the wall which adjoins the guest suite (warning to guests!). So I showed her today and said she could use it, but only with an adult, and if her grandmother wants to teach her that would be ok.

I went out to dinner last night with a Mexican lady and an American lady, Isabel and Pamela. Isabel teaches our class, and Pamela is one of the students. They've been friends for years. They are both very funny, and we had a great time.

Later...I listened to Rosie's radio show. Usually I work as I listen, but no extra work this week so I chatted with Carl instead over IM talking about where to take Wayne and Jen this August. Then I threw in a load of wash and took Shadow out to the beach at Tessoro. We walked and swam for about an hour - I went in as well).

There were vultures around one area waiting for the tide to go out so they could get back to whatever it was they were doing. And there was one cormorant sitting at the edge of the beach. It was still there on the way back, so obviously it's injured- I kept Shadow away from it. It was big!

I had a chat in Spanish with a guy who sells fantastical creatures he carves and paints. I already have a couple, and will buy more some day.

Now I'm going to grab a shower, hang out the clothes and then sit in the shade with a good book. I have Mexican snacks like dried fava beans with chili, grapes, watermelon, cheese, crackers, cucumber and zucchini. That will constitute supper. That pretty much is a typical Saturday.

Tomorrow I'll accept receipt of two tamales (she delivers every weekend), go to a segunda (second hand sale) to look for a fridge for the guestroom, take Shadow for a walk and then hit Pinky's and swim, sit in the shade, read, kibitz and maybe eat dinner depending on if the kitchen's open yet. And that's a pretty typical Sunday.

That's it for this week, not much going on what with Carl in Canada. The boat that we had our anniversary cruise on is having sunset cruises all summer, if 12 people want to go it's only  $15 each. Swimming in the Sea of Cortez at sunset, it doesn't get much better than that!

Stolen picture to illustrate: