Weekend in Chelem

The past week has been a calorie laden one for those of us from the US. After having a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, I felt that I should try and walk off a few of the pounds that I probably gained. This was my favorite pic from this morning:



The weather may be getting chilly back home, but it's always nice here in paradise!

Have a great weekend, Thanksgiving pictures will be posted soon! And of course, if you want to live the dream like we are, don't forget to check out our website, Mayan Living or give us a call at 302-200-0461, we'll be happy to help you or answer any questions.


Until then enjoy the weekend, warm breezes and cold beers coming at ya from Chelem!

20th Wedding Anniversary in Paradise!

On August 9th 1989, Doug and I got married. He picked the date, 8-9-89, so he would never forget it! This past Sunday was our 20th anniversary, in one way it seems like just yesterday, in another it is a lifetime ago. For the past couple of months we have been planning a renewal of vows, however we have been so very busy with real estate that it seems like we haven't had a moment to ourselves. This in when friends stepped in.....

Sean and Susan pulled off another wonderful event at their house, within 2 days of the event they called on Jack and Barbara for help and here are the results:

Barbara brought flowers for every table, bless her heart!

Sean and Susan fixed appies,
Sean pretending he is doing nothing!
Jack helped out with a Cuban and a smile!
In the midst of the festivities, a bird flew over and guess what it did to Susan's shoulder?
Barbara, Jack and Doug
Lori, Barbara and me
Of course the girls had to take a break in the pool!

Paul, Carlos and Roberto
Sean as master of ceremonies

Sean read us the Wedding Prayer from their wedding, it made us all tear up! Here it is:

The Wedding Prayer

Now you will feel no rain

for each of you will be a shelter to the other

Now you will feel no cold

for each of you will be warmth to the other

Now there will be no loneliness for you

Now you are two persons

but there is only one life before you

May beauty surround you both

in the journey ahead and through all the years

May happiness be your companion

and your days together be good and long upon the earth

You will find that your love will grow deeper with each passing of each day

With patience and understanding

With the willingness to recognize and accept each others’ strengths and weaknesses

With the determination to solve problems together

With the readiness to comfort each other in adversity

With the generosity to rejoice in each others’ successes and provide for each other

And to uphold each other in every worthy endeavour

§

Listening
It just touched all of our hearts.....
You may now kiss the bride!

The happy couple, 20 years later!
Awww come on, one shot of tequila won't kill ya!

Sean's speciality of the house, a 19 pound USDA prime rib. It was soooooo good, best meal we've had since we've been in Mexico and maybe in our entire lives!

Add a Cesear salad and baked potato yummy. Susan had fixed all the trimmings for the potato, sour cream, fresh bacon bits, chives, cheese and butter, does it get any better than this?
Barbara and Jack ordered a beautiful anniversary cake, stuffed with fresh strawberries and cream..

And Ms Barbara Bell, always so full of southern hospitality cuts the cake for me. I always make such a mess when I do it!


Jack and I watch....
Sharing a piece of cake


Sean and Susan the perfect hosts, always so ready to open their house and their hearts to their friends!
Lots of thanks to all for an absolutely wonderful anniversary!
Chillin' in Chelem!

Another Work Week and a Great Party!

Sometimes we all have "one of those days." June 15th started out as one. We have found that many times when people visit Mexico they forget how to act. When you work with people anywhere in the world you never know what is going to happen. But when they leave their home and go somewhere else where no one knows them it's really different. Doug and I sell real estate for a living, it is our profession, our bread and butter and normally it's a great life.........Then you run into one or two people who make appointments and never show up, or they just show up without an appointment. It sort of throws a wrench in things. We schedule appointments so that we can dedicate as much time as our clients need to show them the area and see if it would be a fit for them. Buying a home is serious business and we treat it as such. Would you just stop by your doctor or realtor and expect them to see you back home? Would you make appointments and not bother to call and cancel? Of course not, ahhhh but this is Mexico! It's all different here, right?
The beginning of this week was just a mish-mash of people coming and going, trying to fit them in. Our car broke down while were with clients and Sean had to come and tow us home, how embarrassing! Thank goodness his wife Susan was kind enough to lend us her car until ours came home from the shop. In the midst of mass confusion, Robert comes over and asks us to have a surprise birthday for Patrick, within the next 4 1/2 hours. OMG! Talk about a community coming together! I made a few phone calls and alot emails with the help of the Martha Stewart of Chelem, Susan, and somehow we pulled it off. Patrick has to be everyones favorite person, he is so kind and so funny, we had to do something for him. Without his sparkling wit and love of people the Bull Pen would not be where it is today! And Robert, we are not forgetting you either, we know without you there wouldn't be lights, fans or yummy mixed drinks!


So this is the start, some food and a few decorations.....

Robert leading the unaware Patrick to his suprise party.


Look how cute he is! How can you not love this guy?

And the birthday kisses start, first a Susan kiss.
Then a Barbara kiss,

Next a Doug hug.
Ut Oh a cake.....we all know what that means here in Chelem, not so happy now are ya Patrick?



The crowd watches......... and waits....................

The candles are lit........

Another mordita! Yeah!!!!!!!! Strawberries are good for the skin aren't they?


All cleaned up Patrick and Star laugh it off.

This crowd needs something beside liquid nutrition,
Barbara and Jorge work on getting the food ready
Patrick is ready for a Tanqueray and tonic not food! After all it is his birthday!


Looking at the crowd we saw people from Utah, Texas, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Mexico, Delaware and Canada
And a couple of my favorites from the Village Idiot Pub, Sean and Susan, really from British Columbia

All in all it was a great time, spent with great people. The harried work week was forgotten with the company of good friends. I am always surprised at what a strong, good group of expats we have here. We are building a new community in another country and it is unlike any other in the area. We are here for each other, we understand good times and bad times, but what we understand the most is the value of friendship. It's not always easy, it's not always fun, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

Until next time, chillin' in Chelem

Another Birthday Party in Chelem!

As most of us that live here know there is never an excuse needed for a party! However last night we had a valid reason, it was my friend Jennifer's birthday. Jennifer and her husband Bogie bought a house from us in Chelem last year and have been down many times since. They are great people who never forget to ask what we need and bring us down treasures from the US. They can't live here yet but are lucky enough to live in Houston so they can be here in just a couple of hours. These guys started out as real estate clients and I was lucky enought that they ended up being our friends!

Jennifer and Bogie, posing in front of the restaurant, La Playa


Jack and Barbara are also from Texas, Barbara's nephew is engaged to Jennifer and Bogies daughter, almost family! Jennifer recommended Mayan Living to Barbara after she bought her house, so Barbara can down and bought one too! I think that Jack is in the middle of a Texas tall tale!




More of Barbara's family that had come for a weeks visit, Cricket and Debbie.



Bogie, Jennifer, Carlos and me. I don't quite know how I got in the picture with Carlos instead of Doug! Carlos is the owner of La Playa restaurant, he speaks perfect English and is a wealth of information about the area as well as a great host.


After dinner it was time for the birthday cake. Here in Mexico it is a tradition to push the birthday girl's face in the cake. It is called a mordita (tiny bite, it also applies to paying a bribe......they take a small bite out of your money) However, since it's Jennifers first birthday here we cut her a little slack. But next year................watch out!

And finally, Jennifers favorite birthday gift of all, a hug from Victor!

So another typical night here in the Yucatan, hanging out with good friends. Until next time......Chillin' in Chelem!