Storms All Around Us

One of the first things Belinda has shown us here on the coast is a weather watcher on the internet. Little did we understand just how important it is to know about the weather patterns around us. Saturday we woke up to a rainy day. (That was the day Logan's first soccer game was rained out.) Later that day the wind began to pick up. We commented several times on the size of the waves and the dip of the coconut trees. As lunch time approached, we decided to go to the fish market close by. While we were out, signs, leaves, and part of houses and businesses began to fly through the air around us. We decided we had better get back home...and it was none too soon!!! As the garage door opened, debris began to fly into the garage. We could barely get the car doors opened through the force of the wind. Bernard valiantly pressed through the wind to the front door and got it open, only to be greeted by a flood of rain water that had blown under the door. Poor Logan could barely stand as we ran the 5 meters to the door. Lightening flashed and huge claps of thunder roared. We directed Logan to the staircase where we felt there was less glass should it shatter. We ran through the house closing the windows and placing buckets where the roof is known to leak. I ran out on the balcony where our clothes were flying through the wind. Logan, white as a ghost whimpered, "I think it was a mistake to come to Mexico." Poor little guy...I remember hurricane winds hitting our house in Alabama. It's a scary thing. The storm didn't last long. It became eerily quiet and we ventured out into the street. Debris cluttered every direction, but as we looked across from Belinda's house, we noticed our neighbour's whole enramada (outdoor restaurant) had collapsed. It will be a big clean up job...perhaps a good way to begin our "Christian Philanthropy". Perhaps we'll learn how to put up the "palapas" (palm branch umbrellas) that make up the enramadas.


La Enramada del Ozo blew down




Belinda suggested that we walk the beach because amazing things blow up on the sand during a storm...sure enough...up walked two huge turtles looking for a place to lay their eggs. It was an awesome sight!!! Unfortunately right behind one of the turtles was a man robbing the many eggs, which is illegal. Belinda, always one to speak her mind made it clear that she was not in agreement with what this man was doing. The Mexicans count the turtle eggs as a real delicacy; most slurp them down raw...a real sign of manhood, so they say. With the storm behind us, the clean up begins. We've swept the street and cleared the debris...time to bag it all up and leave out for the trash.















BERNARD AND LOGAN HELP CLEAN UP THE NEIGHBOUR'S ENRAMADA

Another storm has taken place this week. The movers came in on Monday to pack up Belinda's possessions. It was a sad day. Her heart wants to stay here. There are so many people with whom she has formed meaningful relationships. It seems that just when we leave, people seem to open up as they never have before. The movers have been swift and thorough. As I write, the house now echos. The trucks have headed out toward Texas. Belinda leaves tomorrow (Thursday, Oct. 16) What a sad day for us all.