random thoughts – Day 1,659 – (Wednesday) – vacation life

Sunrise.

It had been part of the personal vacation plan to see the sun rise at the beach and this morning it all worked out. First, and most important, I  woke up in time. It wasn’t raining like the other morning. I pulled on some linen pants and a shirt and walked to the beach. There are a lot of people waking around at 6:30 am. At the posted time of 6:41, the clouds at the horizon were tinged in pink and gold and the water shimmered in silvery blue and golden pink. Eventually the orb of fire edged up over the water.

I was glad I had gotten out of bed and out the door. Not long after 7:00 I was settled in at a restaurant for coffee and breakfast before returning to the room to change clothes.

Part of the resort vacation thing is booking excursions off the property to stuff elsewhere, and we had one scheduled to leave at 10:00. Sometimes the side trips turn out to be a bit different that what is expected. Our little jaunt “into town” was billed as “Jewelry Factory, Free Tequila Tasting and open-air shopping.” We thought this was multiple fixed locations – visiting a factory making jewelry, some sort of tequila tasting event, and some shopping. Not quite.

The transport van picked us up on time, and about a half hour later we were let out at a souvenir shop and told the van would be back to pick us up at 1:00. The souvenir shop sold tequila and had lots of other stuff, and beyond its doors were more shops and restaurants and tour operators. We saw a bartender/waiter in town. It was his day off from the resort and he took us to his family’s shop which sells jewelry and tequila. We were given samples of it and it was really good. This was cool, but not quite the “jewelry factory” or “tequila tasting” we thought we signed up for.

French café lunch in a Mexican town.

We logged a lot of steps and bought a few souvenirs and then stopped for lunch. We ended up in the small outdoor dining area of Chez Celine: Boulangerie – Patisserie – Artisinale. French music filled the air. My three cheese sandwich featured fresh crusty bread with Boursin, brie, and gouda with salad greens, grapes, and pecans and the orange and ginger house jam. It was so delicious I have no words. 

One friend said the avocado toast was delicious, another enjoyed the coffee with three mini pastries (Crème Brulee, mouse, and lemon tart). It was an unexpected delight to be enjoying lunch at a French bakery café in Mexico. And we got a few mementos of our visit.

Back at the resort, it was back to the beach for a couple hours of floating on rafts and relaxing in lounger chairs. The fitness watched logged 13,169 steps, which is low because I didn't wear it at the beach in the afternoon. There is no doubt I could get used to this lifestyle. I need to get busy figuring out how to make it happen.

random thoughts – Day 1,658 – (Tuesday) – wild life

Friendly gang of croati.

The jungle wildlife sightings so far have been limited to capybara, the biggest rodent in the world; the white nose coati with a ringed tail like a raccoon; bats; and iguanas of various sizes. There are koi in the fish pond outside one of the restaurants, and lots of birds.

One member of our travel group saw a monkey in the tree directly outside his room, and I hope to see one before the week is done. There are stories of sightings of snakes and some gigantic spiders, but I won’t be sad if I miss seeing either of those.

This morning’s breakfast was at an open-air restaurant where we got to watch some of the local birds in action. As soon as a table was vacated by humans, the birds landed to check for portable scraps. One even made off with a packet of sugar snatched from a caddy that sat next to a coffee cup on an otherwise empty table.

The beach was breezy with bigger waves than Monday, and the water felt warmer than the breezy air. There are lots of almost clear fish with a stripe that seem to like corn flakes. It tickles when they swim past and brush my legs.

Croati scoping out the lunch buffet.

During our lunch in the open-air beach restaurant, one of the coati entertained from the thatched roof. It walked down the sloped roof to a beam and snuggled in a corner for a nap. Later, it made its way confidently across a beam, pausing directly above the spot where the hot dogs and hamburgers sat in the covered steam trays on the hot side of the buffet. The occupants of our table were transfixed, which caused other people to look at what we were looking at, and soon a bunch of us were waiting to see what would happen when someone raised the lid of one of the trays. Would the coati launch itself down for a snack? Anything seemed possible. We’d already been entertained on Monday by a carybara walking on the beach with a sandwich roll in its mouth.

The suspense was extinguished when a very official supervisor type worker with an earpiece arrived. He marched over to where the croati stood on the rafter and looked at it. It seemed they may have been previously acquainted because the critter looked at the worker and immediately scrambled up the thatched ceiling and disappeared though an opening along a beam.

random thoughts – Day 1,657 – (Monday) – food and entertainment

The day began early and with a bang. Literally. Before daylight there was a downpour, and a loud thunderclap that seemed to be directly over the hotel. It was soon followed by another one, equally loud. The rain lasted for about an hour, maybe more. I wasn’t really timing it as I went back to sleep. When it calmed down, several of us met for breakfast. Everyone else in the resort had the same idea and the line was long. 

Breakfast from the buffet.

We headed over to the sister resort next door, where the line was also long. The buffet offerings were plentiful, with stations offering foods for all tastes. There was yogurt, fruit, baked beans and toast, black beans and meats for breakfast tacos, eggs with the familiar meats, breads with salmon and trimmings, waffles, French toast, all sorts of muffins and pastries. I opted for a slice of rye bread with cream cheese and salmon, scrambled eggs, fruit, and a pastry thing. And of course, coffee. Vacation breakfast is significantly larger than the workday breakfast of a granola bar, if anything at all.

After breakfast, the rain stopped, the skies cleared and we hit one of the pools. From the pool, we went to the beach. Lunch was at the buffet located at the beach. Rafts were bought and floating took place. Life was good.

Beet salad and apple martini.

We tore ourselves from the beach to clean up for our dinner reservation. We thought we were booked at the Italian restaurant, but it turned out to be the Argentinian place. No worries, there were ravioli and gnocchi on the menu. It was amusing when the Aperol Spritzes my friend and I ordered were delivered as apple martinis instead, but it was ok. It wasn’t as good as Aperol Spritz, and now I know not to order it on purpose.

As we left the restaurant, lightning flashed in the distance, but the sky overhead was clear with a sliver of a moon visible.

After dinner we caught “The International Show” on the stage in the lobby. The production opened with a number with lots of scantily clad dancers doing some modern piece I couldn’t comprehend or even describe, but then the show sorted itself out in line with the title theme. 

One of the Argentinian dance numbers.

There were dances representing various countries including China, Japan, Spain, India, Cuba, France, The U.S, Argentina, and more. The Argentinian numbers were probably the most exciting, with lots of foot stomping and complicated looking steps, drumming, and the most exciting layer -- the boleadoras, a ball on a rope that is spun and slammed on the floor while doing footwork. It was really cool, and I couldn't help wondering how many blackened eyes and blows to the head might occur while learning the technique, especially on the complicated criss-cross maneuvers. When the entire dance company appeared on stage for their final bow, it was surprising to see what a small company they were. With the pace of the show and the many numbers presented, it seemed like a much larger company than the dozen or so dancers.

The distant storm seen earlier made a grand entrance during the dance show, delivering a powerful downpour. Thunder could be heard in pauses of the music, but the storm had moved through by the show’s finale. Mostly. Lightning was flashing during the walk to the rooms, and an hour later, the thunder was active again.

The first full day of resort life had it all – dramatic weather, beautiful weather, beach and pool time, a variety of great food, and professional entertainment. I could get used to this.

random thoughts – Day 1,656 – (Sunday) – food and fatigue

It was an early morning on the road by car then bus, then time in the sky, then back on the road by bus. Late this afternoon, friends and I were finally settled in a resort on the Gulf of Mexico where the weather is much warmer and more humid than at home and it feels great. My hair is full from the humidity. I’m comfortable outside and frozen in the restaurants, bars, and my room. I’ve tried to adjust the A/C to be less like a meat locker and I’m wishing I had brought winter pajamas or thermals. I suspected this might be the case, and then failed to cover that base. 

Fruit and veggie salads at the buffet.

The traveling food was a breakfast sandwich thing at Logan Airport and a bag of plantain chips on the plane. At the destination, despite multiple dining options, there have been lunch and dinner visits to the buffet restaurant because it was quick and ready. Several plates of salads, rice, vegetarian sushi, and pretty little cakes have been consumed. There was an Aperol Spritz in a massive glass served at a lobby bar.

I read almost an entire paperback on the plane. It would have been finished but a nap on the plane derailed the progress. Despite my best efforts at getting bed early Saturday night, the 9:00 bedtime resulted in extra tossing and turning and still getting only just over two hours of sleep before it was time to drive to Logan Express to catch the bus and get to the airport for 5:00 am.

Bird outside a restaurant in Mexico.

The local wildlife has been preening and posing. Birds, bats, and an iguana have patiently waited for our photos to be completed. So accommodating. 

It's been a long and tiring day. The ocean along Riviera Maya is warm. the food is plentiful. I can’t wat to enjoy it all after some much needed sleep.

random thoughts – Day 1,655 – (Saturday) – steps

It was warm and sunshiney and today felt more like we’ve taken a few steps back to summer than forward into fall. I'm not complaining, I wish summers were longer. There were lots of events going on to choose from, but I chose to stay home. There was no morning cemetery tour, no afternoon art studio open house, and none of the Lowell Celebrates Jack Kerouac events for me. Nope.

Domestic diva mode was activated. The sheets were laundered and put back onto the bed. The dishwasher was run and emptied. The rugs and floors were vacuumed. The litter box was changed.

Outside the house, a trip was taken to the gas station to finally deal with the low tire pressure situation. According to the alert on the instrument cluster, the driver-side front tire was at 29 psi and all the rest were at 32. For whatever reason, the driver front tire is always the lowest of the four. Now, they are all back at 35 psi where they belong, and hopefully it will last for a while.

The lawn was mowed, possibly for the last time this year. At least that is what I told myself. The backyard was shaggy and longer than I thought, and took a bit more exertion than it would have needed a week ago. At least mowing can be meditative, and the yard was shady and comfortable at 5:00. Steps were accomplished without breaking a sweat.

All Stars don't last like they used to.

The soles of my recently demoted to yard work shoes status Converse All Stars are worn smooth and slick and I nearly skidded out on the ramp going into and out of the shed. The rubber (or whatever cheap substitute is used now) on my several years newer All Stars has cracked and the last couple times I wore them, it started chipping off. The cost keeps increasing, but they sure don’t last like they used to. 

The deck chairs, used only two or three times all summer, were taken into the shed. The table still needs to be dealt with, which involves removing the glass top and rolling it to the shed, then carrying in the base.

It felt good. Well, not jump up and down eating ice cream good. It was more of a mildly content good in the sense of having accomplished something, no matter how basic.

Kiki, meanwhile, practices her life of a lady cat of leisure. Her schedule includes napping on the rug, the stairs, behind the couch, and on the chair. Today, Her Ladyship groomed herself on the chair – one leg extended high in a rather unladylike pose while she licked her legpit or whatever the feline equivalent of an armpit might be called. She used to hide to do her grooming and it's recent that she's come out of hiding. It seems like a positive sign of her comfort level that she now grooms herself whenever and wherever she feels like it.

random thoughts – Day 1,654 – (Friday) – wrap-up

The workweek is done, and it wrapped up not a moment too soon. It wasn’t a bad week, but the week before a vacation week is always filled with twitchy anticipation. Or maybe that’s just me because I don’t take enough vacation-vacations and I'm out of practice. Usually, I use random vacation days and staycation weeks for life maintenance stuff like appointments, house estimates or repairs, or dance rehearsals. The annual emails from HR about potential forfeitures of vacation time seem to back up the idea of my needing to use more time off. My need for some fun indicates it should be for leisure and not boring chores.

There has been recent anxiety over packing, an activity which used to feel as natural as sleeping but now is interrupting my sleep. Once upon a different lifetime chapter, I could throw all my favorite little outfits into one of several bags and be packed and ready for an adventure in minutes. Now, it’s an ordeal involving spreadsheets, overthinking, shopping, and imagining what people wear to the normal life activities I haven’t participated in for several years. For instance, what do people wear to a nice restaurant or cocktail party that isn’t guided by the business dress code in the company handbook? I have no clue. 

My summers are usually spent sequestered and freezing in the house/remote office or the downtown office-office, and I don’t know what to wear outside in warm weather. This is probably why I woke up at 4:00 this morning thinking about packing for 80-degree humid weather and the yoga class listed on the hotel’s app and how I better get out of bed right that minute to pack a gym top because a swimsuit top probably won’t be comfortable. And did I pick the right shoes? Will by pants be too long and the hems be stepped on in flat sandals? 

Anway. Work at the office-office was ok today. The drive in was as easy as the summer drives when school is on vacation. It was sunny and the view from the window included the continuing work on the cobblestone street four floors below. The to-do list had items crossed off it and the incomplete items are in a good place. There was time to purge some paper clutter from my desk. I remembered to visit the banking lobby downstairs to take care of some finances.

Pink evening.

After work, there was another stop at CVS for travel necessities recently added to the packing list (Imodium and aloe gel). Despite the traffic, I was home by 5:45 and ready to decompress. At 6:30, the clouds were streaked with pink and orange and I was glad I remembered to look outside to see it. 

Tomorrow, the carry-on bag will be settled and the house will be tidied. Soon, there will be a temporary leave from work and “regular life” at The BungaLowell and the adventure will begin.

random thoughts – Day 1,653 – (Thursday) – week of extras

Maybe too much extra.

So far, the work week has been a bit extra. The vacation packing has been done twice already and there seems to be too much extra stuff pulled from the closet and drawers. The bag was too full and the toiletries hadn't been dealt with yet. This is my own doing. Other extras of the week were beyond my realm of control.

Tuesday morning, the system needed a restart, which meant it took extra long to get logged in and be ready to rock the day. Late Tuesday afternoon, after an email from a colleague in another department, it was discovered that not all the programs that usually log in automatically did, and my work phone line wasn't connected.

Wednesday’s tech extras included all the icons for the latest file versions for my current projects disappearing from the desktop screen on the office-office computer. They were there, and then they were gone. When I tried to save a file to the desktop later, a message said the file was already there. Those must have been some extra-special invisible file icons. They came back to the desktop on the remote computer today, except they weren't all the current ones and some were previously deleted old ones. The haunting by previously deleted desktop files has been going on for months. 

Later on Wednesday, I checked my phone and was informed that the Verizon Message+ text program was going away on November 7. Options were an immediate, optional move to a Google platform, or a forced move in a few weeks. This was just a few days after the extra special surprise of being out of data nine days into the billing cycle.

There was a notice about a program plugin update needed on the work laptops before October 11, which could be done now. The update had to be done before logging into the remote system, which meant printing the instructions on an in-office day so I’d have them available to do the update before being able to log into my email. The plugin seemed to go okay and didn't take forever. Later, after a colleague texted my personal cell phone, I realized that not all the automatic programs logged in. I needed to do separate log ins for two or three programs including the chat messaging program that was showing me as MIA. So much extra nonsense.

Maybe I can take extras!

Also in the mix of extra fun this week was an apparent temperature change and the resultant angry red dashboard message about low tire pressure. Again. This is definitely the second, possibly third time in a few months. I’m starting to think I need to install my own air machine at the house. A computer tech might be a good idea, too.

The thermostat suddenly needed new batteries this morning. The replacing part is easy, but having to reprogram the thing afterward requires digging out the manual and dusting off the engineering degree I don't have. A text arrived, allegedly from a payment app about my supposed purchase of some very expensive computer equipment, with an 800 number I was told to call. Seriously, enough already with the bonus content this week.

When I talked about my extra wardrobe and packing issues with a colleague on Wednesday, she reminded me about the packing brilliance of compression packing cubes. A set was ordered Wednesday night from the mega-online purveyor of, well, everything. They arrived today, and after work I had a chance to check them out. What a difference! The bags zip and squash out the air and fit neatly into the suitcase, and this is the extra boost I needed. Maybe now I can take extra clothes.