April 1, 2010 Happy April Fool's Day

a day for bureaucracy ... I have to renew my Brazilian passport and mom has my carteira de identidade. here we go. first we had a looooong procedure for me to get her paperwork from the Brazilian Consulate here in Mexico. it has taken so long that I will actually be at their office in LA about the same time that her papers are sent to San Diego (they are not even in Rio yet). I just hope that the carteira is in San Diego and not in Rio

our dump. unacceptable.

the guests are at the Copa Cabana. Yesterday they spent the day fixing bikes at Freddy and Yolie's house. really kind of them

Pancho came over last night - The baseball season this year is named after him !!!  His nickname when he played baseball was PANCHON ... who knew ???  Apparently Enrique and Panchito are both in town. we will have them to lunch since they have been so kind with everything Les and Blanca - from sending meds down ..... to sending a package for Bruce that they had to pay for .... to sending boxes of items for garage sales that mom put together :)

One of my favorite pics - I worked so hard the day I took this picture. Hours and hours on a filthy fence and empty lot.

today I sent off the letter requesting help from the homeowners association in Punta Chivato. Bunnie wrote that the cost is $10,000.   I knew it was expensive but not that much !!  Even if it were only $1,000. I don't have the moola. the dump is getting worse and worse day by day. I have said a lot of prayers asking that God help them to help me. In exchange, I can run some garage sales for them...maybe I can help them in other ways .... I have labor, I don't have money.

windows I got, bathroom, they got theirs and I got one for the library ...touche away !!

Jose in san diego has 6 more bikes i have to get down here !!!!  i need help with that !!!!  need him to take another vacation and bring them down ahahahaha !!!

this was the commemorative T-shirt :)))

UCSD will help with uniforms for the bike team. great great GREAT !!! Now i need prices ... time to get busy on that.

In the works. Need typing done right now :)

once the fundacion is up and running, we shall ask for donated equipment. I can't wait.

the day I went to Miramar was an eye-opener. Huge project. And we learned that NO ONE in San Diego pays for trash ... But we also saw where lots of people who could so easily have recycled at the entrance to the landfill - did not do it ... and because of insurance fears, the landfill cannot have people going thru and picking out cardboard or plastic in rolls and rolls and rolls that someone had dropped off.  The idiocy of insurance companies sometimes ....

of all the recycling people I have talked to, the guy in Guerrero Negro, JOrge, was the most incredible He has really started to make a difference and I want to use his EXACT system here in Bocana :)

Feb. 26, 2010 Friday

friday has crept up again ... this week was good - the bathroom at the Copa Cabana is moving along well.  The fish tile is gorgeous.  The white floor is gorgeous.  The trim they bought is nixed and we will try to find another color that works.

the man of the day: Bruce from Calgary, Canada, master tile maker of the Copa Cabana - yuuuuuuuuuuuhuuuuuuuuuu

Just heard that airlines are considering charging more for fatter passengers !!!  a HAHAHA !  I think this is only fair.  How funny though !!!!

We need doctors in La Bocana. We need permanent doctors. I am wondering if Cuba is the solution. They send doctors all over the world and they train doctors for free. They are making a huge difference ... we saw the most interesting news falsh on BBC yesterday. Anybody can go there to study on a scholarship, all they ask is that you go back to the neediest neighborhood to practice medicine.

The English classes with the doctors is going so well. They do not even realize how well they are doing. I am proud of them.

aquarium scene in the Copa Cabana

The meeting yesterday was intersting - the FUNDACION LA BOCANA is slowly going to get off the ground. The president is Nelo. The vice is Nael. The secretary is Oralia. The treasurere is Edith.  We forgot to include Luis and I am sure he left early because he was upset. I have sent messages to all. I would like him to be the vice president junior. REally, if he hadn't moved everyone and everything - nothing would have happened.  I am upset with Jose. I think he is a lot of blablabla and no team or community aciton. No matter what he says.  He is just not a team player.

Feb 17 Wed

garden at the Copa

the letter didnt go

how to get it to san diego fast ???

turns out Lance can take it. very kind of him since he will have to go out of his way tohit freeway 5.

he takes also letters for the kids in elementary school
and my carteira de trabalho
and mom's second extension phone :)

roses opened up beautifully

Jan. 12, 2010 Friday

it is Friday :)

bought a lot of plants today to add to the roses I bought yesterday - I am looking for color and I got it

the garden at Copa Cabana is coming along beautifully !!

Les is so busy at the new house - each day makes a huge difference - the electrician actually showed up as he promised. there are miracles...the water pump is up and water was delivered for the first time. the best part is that the electricity was read today and it is just about to change over to our name on Monday ... how perfect is that ?

Saw Scott today with his Idaho friends - they were fishing and caught halibut from the shore

Had a major ordeal getting the procuracao for mom to sell the house in Rio recognized as my signature. the delegado was quite accomodating - had the secretary type up a letter and  print it on letterhead. should work, right ?!  we shall see

Now, if Carol would only send me the cover letter, Pancho can take the letter to La Paz and mail it to the consulate and all will be good