72 - REVOLUTION DAY

Last Monday was a national Mexican holiday celebrating the  anniversary of the start of the 1910 - 1917 Revolution - a call to arms by Francisco I. Madero to unseat the dictator, Porfirio Diaz, who had remained in power for more than three decades.    

More recently, retail stores across the country offer discounts this weekend, also known as  "El Buen Fin" (The Good Weekend), emulating Black Friday in the U.S. and Canada.

Manzanillo is the destination for many Mexican families  to enjoy the long weekend at the beach. Although the beaches are busy with weekend visitors, it has been relatively quiet here at Villas Eureka except for a few Mexican families who came to enjoy the beach and the pool.  

Snow birds are slowly trickling in but the majority won't arrive until beginning of January.

It's exciting to renew friendships after half a year back in Canada.  The people in Eureka, for the most part, are new friends I made last year when I moved into Eureka.  They are lovely people and seem genuinely happy to see me again.  Being a single woman, I appreciate spending time with them at the pool.   Even though I 'm living in Paradise, it can still be lonely at times.  

Yesterday, I opened the container holding my painting supplies.  As I put everything on the patio dining table that will serve as my studio, I felt the stirrings of excitement about painting that I haven't felt since Covid changed all our lives so dramatically.   Fingers crossed that my passion to paint continues to grow - I used to get lost in the joy of painting and the hours flew by.   I have two paintings to complete - the commissioned portrait of Maureen's grandson and a seascape that is only blocked in but already sold.  Wish me luck!!! 

I am invited to go to Barra de Navidad today, an hour up the coast, and am looking forward to it.   This is the third winter since we had Jose drive two lady friends and myself to Barra, Melaquie and La Manzanilla.  These places are small towns, but magnets for Snow Birds, with many little shops and good restaurants.   I have a favourite ladies wear shop in Melaquie that shares space with a pub/snack bar, so guys can enjoy a cold one on the patio while their honeys try on styles that can't be found in Manzanillo. I always have luck there, including shoes and accessories to complete the outfit.  Fingers crossed that we get a chance to stop there today.

There's a food shop in Melaque that carries U.S. and Canadian cooking items that are hard, if not impossible, to find locally in Manzanillo. This is definitely on our agenda.  For example, they have a whole section on Asian food ingredients and even carry hot horseradish.  I've only been there once, about seven years ago, and had completely forgotten about this shop, until the Becketts reminded me when they invited me to accompany them.  It should be a fun day.  You'll hear about it next week.