Let’s see if I can recap the last week… I ended up taking a lot more work than I had planned for the week because it was from a good client I’ve been saying no to a lot lately and then I had a bunch of social engagements!

Tuesday started with my landlady’s mother and the handyman coming over to work on my lack of hot water and water pressure issues. She said that they guy who did the plumbing for the house completely messed it up and they really need to start over. They lifted up the tinaco (rooftop water tank) and that helped a bit with the pressure issue. But hot water will continue to be hit or miss until they can upgrade me from the crappy ancient water heater to an on-demand one that will be installed in my shower. While they were there, I asked if they could lift up my clothesline since it had gotten slack and my sheets were almost touching the ground. Not a problem and they put it up almost too high, knowing that after a few loads, it’ll get slack again and come back down a bit. So many of my friends here with Mexican landlords complain about how slow things are to get done, but I have no problems and am thoroughly spoiled!

Shortly after they left, Wandering Mike arrived. I settled him into his suite and then went back to typing because we were going out to dinner at Miguel’s with Contessa and Colin at Miguel’s around 6PM. I didn’t know what I wanted, so I opted for both a chorreada and a shrimp burrito, and I tried their limonada for the first time. It was, of course, a good meal. We’re lucky to have Miguel’s!

Wednesday started off badly. I was really over scheduled with work and the internet kept going down in the first hour of my day (6AM to 7AM). I couldn’t even get data on my phone to send and receive emails, and even if I could have, I had too much transcription to do to spend the day sitting in my truck waiting on emails! Thankfully, the issue resolved itself and I was able to work the rest of the day without any more problems. I had two Skype calls, one to a client and one to my mother. It’s nice that the internet here is good enough that I can video Skype!

Part of the reason that work was so overwhelming that day was that I was meeting a bunch of friends on the beach for a late lunch, including L&N, whom I hadn’t seen since I arrived. I got there around 2:00 and was back home by 4:00. It was a coconut shrimp and coco (chilled green coconut with the top lopped off so you can drink the water inside) kind of day! I don’t really like the restaurant we met at, El Velero, but this was the best meal I ever had there.

I paid for my lunch with having to type until past 9PM. I did something like a 13-hour actual day of work (plus the break). I can’t believe that used to be a normal work day for me.

Thursday started off fun. I didn’t have a proofing shift, so I went to town with Mike to get a cake at Panamá’s for Christmas dinner. We took a pulmonía from the embarcadero (a real treat!), got the cake, and came right back. It was just over an hour door-to-door to run the errand. I then had to do a small job and then I got to work preparing an appetizer for happy hour at Contessa’s (guacamole).

Mike and I headed over to the RV park around 4:00 and met up with Chris and Juan. Happy hour is meant to be just that, but it always runs late and there’s enough food for it to be a meal!

I got a late start on Friday and headed down to the City Deli to pick up some crema (sour cream) for one of the dishes I was making for dinner as well as beer.

Most of the day involved cooking. I put together scalloped potatoes in Contessa’s crockpot liner and then brought it over to her place to cook all day. Then, I came back and got a ham cooking for the meat eaters at dinner. Even though it was a small ham, it was way too much and I have a pile of leftovers to fill the freezer with, and this is after giving away as much as I could!

Dinner was great, with everyone bringing a dish or two. We all ate our fill and there was tons left! We sat around till about 9:00 gabbing and having drinks and coffee.

Saturday was pretty much a write-off. I was up shockingly late, nearly 11!!! I was just exhausted and stayed in. I wouldn’t have gone out at all, but Contessa organized a blogger convention thing for 5:00. So I headed out around 4:30 for a long walk around the Isla and then met up with the gang at Lety’s restaurant on the beach. Service was slow and the other blogger joining us was super late showing up, so we would have been better off going to dinner in town. But I had a wonderful meal even if some of the others didn’t feel that way. Their shrimp quesadillas never disappoint and, this time, they came with a side of really good guacamole! I also treated myself to a piña colada!

Sunday was chilly. I was working yet again, so I only took a break midafternoon for a beach walk. There was an impromptu happy hour in the late afternoon and then Mike and I went to Miguel’s for dinner, where I had their steak platter (orden de carne asada) for the first time. Very good and surprisingly inexpensive!

Which brings us to today. Mike left early to catch the Baja Ferry and I finished up a small job this morning. I’ll be heading out to ride soon and then I’m going into town.

WHEW. I’m all social engagemented out and don’t plan to do anything for New Years! But it was a fun week and it was nice to spend time with everyone.