Installing canales (drain spouts)

Installing 2 of 5 drain spouts. The other three will face the street off the front wall. They had to install them before the fine stucco in that area. The first "canal" I bought was $180 pesos (15 dollars) and when I went back to buy 4 more 3 weeks later the price went up to $250 pesos. That's why I don't like "El Pollo" ferreteria here in Melaque. I should have bought another style somewhere else.

Anyway, the second foto is Hugo measuring the length of the first one so they would be equal but he couldn't reach over the top of the wall. The third is Oscar filling in around the small tile wedge he installed to hold it in place.

They used me, standing on the ground, to see if it was straight and it turns out it's off a little to the right. Oh well, today we'll do the floor in the second bedroom.

Upper wall ready for fine stucco

Measure this

Filling in the wedge

FM3 in Manzanillo

Yesterday was my day to head to Immigration in Manzanillo but I couldn't drag myself out of bed early with these cold mornings we've been having. Got there about 9:30 and found 20 people (numbers at least) in front of me. That was with a stop at Farmacia Guadalajara in Cihuatlan to have pictures taken, cheaper and faster than most other places.

With 20 people in front of me I knew I had a few hours to wait so grabbed the camera and started walking the area. Immigration is at the harbor entrance so lots of activity, boats/ships coming in and out, people fishing or just doing what I was doing - killing time.

After 2 hours I was surprised to see only 5 numbers in front of me so took a seat. How easy the FM3 process has become I couldn't believe. They only wanted a copy of the first page of my passport and proof of where I live. They didn't make an issue of my change of address or suggest I use the Internet to apply. I had both my electric bill and a 'constancia de domicilio' issued by the local municipio, they preferred the constancia. The only hang up was the fotos were passport size and not 'tamaño infantil'. They said I could bring in the new pictures when I return. I dropped by Farmacia Guadalajara on the way back and they made up new fotos for no charge.

I walked up to the banjercito (government bank) like I always do to pay the $1285 pesos and found another long line. An Ensign in the Navy was getting the ships payroll or maybe for the whole Naval Base. That was another 30-40 minutes when it usually takes 5. Anyway, I return in a month to get the new card since they no longer issue books.

Immigration in the Port Captains building

Port entrance

Port from the breakwater

Downtown Manzanillo from the breakwater

Banjercito heavily guarded while issuing a ships payroll

Maestro enjarrando mi casa - video

Oscar is my maestro and here is finishing up the last part of the rough stucco (enjarrar). The music in the background is what we listen to all day ... and the other noise is Hugo mixing more mortar.

Sandia gratis

One of the workers on my house lives in the neighborhood and across the street from the very large sandia (watermelon) field. About mid morning he walked in with this delicious seedless (only white seeds) melon.

Part of the benefits of living in farmland are the fruits and veggies either free of very cheap. At the end of the day today a couple of kids brought me a large bag of serrano peppers. I gave them 10 pesos but originally they wanted nothing. I can eat serrano peppers fresh off the bush but do leave most of the seeds behind.

Delicious

Watermelon field from my roof

Guerro the cat

I now have a third cat. Well not actually but he likes my cats Wiskas in the bowl. He's a very fun cat but the extra food consumption is becoming an issue. I'll let you guess why the actual owner of this animal called him guerro (wear-o).

Pinal Villa posada

For the last few years a local English speaking church, San Patricio by the Sea, of Melaque has put on an after Christmas posada for the school kids of Pinal Villa. Well at least they hold it in front of the school with every kid within miles showing up including the migrant workers kids. A lot of fun and a very nice thing for the church to do.

I was just cleaning my lot after a week of construction when one of the neighbors told me it would start at 11am so had to check it out. I ran into Blogger Steve who is a member of the church and a few neighbors I hadn't seen for awhile.

Usually when I've watched a piñata party the pinata comes apart completely with one final wack but this time 5-6 kids would knock a few candies out before the final blow. The rules, this time, were that the few goodies were supposed to be for the person with the stick. Of course it was impossible to keep the surrounding crowd away from anything that landed on the ground. Fun mayhem

I think he got it

A well worn Piñata

Juice and cookies

The next Pinata

Ceviche de caracol y camaron

Last Friday was a quit work early day and everyone wanted ceviche. Stephen, my neighbor and a fisherman and I went shopping for caracol (snail) and shrimp. First stop was Pescaderia Ramos in Barra on the lagoon. Barra was a zoo with all the vacationers walking in the streets and Ramos only had shrimp.

Next stop was Pescaderia Aguilar near the northend of the mercado in Melaque and they had caracoles. Melaque was a little better for traffic but this holiday season is not the time to be driving any more than you need to.

So back to the house we go with a stop for a kilo of limes, veggies and crispy tortillas. My first time for caracoles and not overly impressed but was a great ceviche over all.

Stephen in front of Barra fish store

Fish store in Melaque

Hugo cutting caracoles after cleaning the shrimp