Evi and Ivan's Plans this Winter

Nov. 1, 2011

Hello Dear Friends and Family,

Life has finally slowed down, after a busy summer helping keep the Cedar Rose afloat.  Ivan mastered a variety of baking inventions for the continental breakfasts, such as  mc-ivan-english muffin style treats with eggs and cheese inside, and all the standards ( cheese scones, blueberry muffins,  fruit treats etc.). 

I enjoyed a 15 year old Japanese student who spent two weeks with us on a study holiday.  Although this was my worst spring and summer lately re- my health….I managed to teach and entertain and learn from young Asaka.  She was delightful and wrote me saying she had the “best time in her life”. (It made me a little worried about the rest of her life, but she did have many new experiences as well a lot of adult attention and I think she was missing that.) I also had the privilege of learning many things from her.

I plan to continue teaching ESL very part time in Jocotepec.

I am starting my winter blog and want to test it before we head south. 

We leave to Cuba  Nov. 13- 28 (seven of us) to bring some humanitarian medical aid to the hospital in Sancti Spiritus and various clinics up in the mountains north of Trinidad, Cuba.  This is a beautiful area and we look forward to showing it to three of our seven who have never been there.

If all goes well ( no hurricanes etc.) we return Nov. 28  then leave to Roca Azul  Dec. 14 returning April 10/2012.

It will be our 4^th winter in Mexico care-taking Dona’s Casita and enjoying the familiarity of the town of Jocotepec and our dear friends.  Each year we make new discoveries and deepen our existing friendships. 

We both feel less pain under the sunny skies of Chapala, a dry climate with cool mornings and evenings (5200’ altitude)  and gorgeous sunny days approx. 20-25 degrees by noon.  It is ideal for activity but warm enough to feel nurtured and get that vitamin D that seems to perk us up.

Ivan now has a hearing aid and I am so anxious for him to hear the morning birdsong at Roca Azul, an eco- park with a little housing community, thermal pool, and lots of other charming attributes.

My Canadian B.C. Life

I am also taking this opportunity to share some photos of the amazing beauty of the hinterland where I spend my time scouting out hikes between March and October (usually) once a week (in slow motion) for the Gentle Hiking Group.  I am amazed how the puzzle of our local geography and back roads is starting to make sense. My best days have been scouting along rambling trails and old logging roads, discovering lakes on the map then finding them by foot, using maps and GPS.  Of course we leap in each lake and name the nameless ones. 

Each season offers surprises, wild turtles, rare frogs, early spring flowers, a herd of wild elk, autumn blueberries and summer huckleberry snacks, swims "au natural"  in both hidden lakes and the sea.

Let me know if you are able to access this blog.  I will post contact numbers and details but will be more relaxed about blog story telling in Mexico and only write when inspired.  The blog will keep you posted on how we are doing, where we are, and how to reach us.

We will be at the Mar del Sur Hotel in Varadero from Nov.  14-17 then we travel to the Ancon Peninsula Hotel near Trinidad Cuba from Nov. 17- 25 and return to Varadero on Nov. 26 ...fly home on the 28 if all goes as planned. (it is still Hurricane season until end of Nov.)  My Cuban friend Liliety who lives in Varadero can take messages for us, her phone number is  Liliety Celestrun 011-53-45-667148.  Communication from and to Cuba is exorbitant but we will check our emails once or twice when possible.

Here are my B.C. pictures which will be followed by our Cuban adventure but not until I get home due to lack of internet.


Warmest Greetings to Everyone.

Enjoy these gorgeous sunny autumn days!


Evi and Ivan