Cozumel - Dive Time

Cozumel is renowned for its diving. Any SCUBA diver worth his salt wants to dive there sometime in his life. Ray's already been twice. Although I'm certified and have dived a few times, I don't go anymore. I worry too much and am anxious about everything that can go wrong instead of just enjoying the scenery. Plus I'm a little claustrophobic and divers like to go through tunnels and into caves. Not really my cup of tea.

A few hurricanes in the last few years have damaged some of the coral and other sea life around Cozumel, so it's not quite as beautiful undersea right now as it has been in times past. Still, they had a great time diving and saw a lot of beautiful creatures.

Dave and Ray eating lunch

Ray, Dave Scott. There was a dock just down the road from us. The guys walked down and the dive boat picked them up right there.

Fred, Dave, Scott

Ray

Fred

Fred, Dave, Scott

Fred, Scott, Dave, Ray

Dave

Ray, Fred, Dave

Dave

Fred

Thanks to Fred for all the photos.

Cozumel - Pool Time

We just got back from a glorious week in Cozumel, Mexico. I don't know the last time I was able to relax so well for that long. I did not want to come home!

We have friends who rented a villa for the week who were kind enough to invite us along. There were four couples: us, the Badgers, the Mackenzies, and the Perrys. Ray's been to Cozumel twice before to SCUBA dive, but I've never been until now.

The villa was one stop shopping, so to speak. It was beach front property with its own pool, four lounge chairs, three hammocks, and two hanging hammock chairs. What more could you need? I can't think of a single thing. 

Rather than go day by day through our vacation, I thought I'd document with pictures of our activities. 

We spent hours in the pool. Hours and hours. It was so fun. We bought the floating noodles at the Mega (a Walmartish grocery store), and it was the best purchase we made all week. We became very creative in the use of those noodles. We floated and chatted away the time.  When we weren't in the water, we were reading or playing games. 

Here are pictures of us in and around the pool area. There are a lot of pictures!

Ray

Fred and Scott

Scott

Dave, Scott, Ray, Fred

Diane, Karen, Gayle - Tamara must be taking the picture. This is where we sat and played cards.

Karen, Tamara, Diane

Diane

Ray and Fred

Gayle

Dave, Ray, Scott - all engrossed in their iPads

Dave, Ray, Scott, condescending to look up for a moment

Tamara, Karen, Diane

Tamara

We spent a lot of time looking at the beautiful view

Karen, Tamara, Diane, Gayle

Gayle, Tamara, Diane, Karen

Karen, Tamara, Gayle, Diane - practicing some synchronized swimming routines

Gayle finding shade one way or another

Scott

Snail Migration

I believe our house was built on a Snail Migration trail. I would never have thought that in the desert there would be so many snails. I thought I left them behind in California and Seattle.

This morning as I was working in the yard I was so busy swiping away spiders and other unwanted creatures that I didn't pay any attention to what was happening around my feet. When I was finished and putting my tools away in the garage, I glanced down at my feet to see this:

He's just a small fella. And he probably is no longer in such great shape. I threw him to his destiny in the middle of Wasatch Boulevard. 

I Am Thankful For...

Modern conveniences.

You know it's hot in your house when the air conditioning repair man says, "It must be 100 degrees in here!"

We just thought the summer was really heating up and finally figured out on Sunday the 3rd that the air conditioner wasn't working. Ray called first thing Tuesday morning and Ryan, our repair man, said he could be out Wednesday evening. He actually apologized for making us wait that long. Then he actually showed up just when he said he would.

Maybe now I won't have a constant stream of sweat dripping off my brow. Thank heavens we live now, when we can have an air conditioner, and not 100 years ago. Plus we don't have to wear long dresses with long sleeves and a long petticoat underneath. I could go on, but I won't.

I am also thankful for a prompt, responsible repair person. Not a common thing these days.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

Well deserved winner of the National Book Award.

This is delightful juvenile fiction. The subtitle captures it neatly:
A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy.


I just found there are more Penderwicks books. I can't wait to dive into them. This book reminds me of Elizabeth Enright's books that I read and re-read when I was young - The Saturdays, and The Four-story Mistake.

The Lies that Bind by Kate Carlisle

Book 3 in the Bibliophile Mystery series. Just as fun as the first two.

Sisters, the Next Generation 2011

Following the lovely tradition begun in 1991 by Ray's sisters (all the sisters and sisters-in-law and my mother-in-law get together for a long weekend once a year, sans children and husbands), we have Sisters, the next generation in our own little family. 

We started Friday night. I drove down to Provo with Audrey to pick up Beth and Debra. First on the agenda, food. We ate at California Pizza Kitchen:

Beth, Debra, Audrey, Diane

 After that we went to see the movie 17 Miracles. It is the story of 17 miracles that occurred in the Martin and Willie handcart companies and their journey to the Salt Lake Valley in 1856. Ray's 4th great grandfather, John Linford, is mentioned in the film. It's very well done.

On Saturday morning we were up bright and early and went to the Draper Temple together.

Debra, Diane, Beth, Audrey

 After the temple we pampered ourselves with a pedicure.

Beth, Audrey

Debra, Diane

The finished products

 Then home to work on some projects (mainly our family photos from 2010) and watch Jane Austen movies. Well, Emma. It was the new version, which I hadn't seen. I loved it.

Sunday we went to church then home for more photo work and just being together. Monday was our last day together and the husbands and kids met us at Austin and Jen's pool for a little barbecue and swim time on the 4th.

We played Hand and Foot as many times as we could fit in, between photos and the movie and Xactica.

Debra, Audrey

One of our traditions is to give a gift. We give the same gift to each attendee. Here they are:

Sisters Gifts

I gave everyone this year's Caldecott (A Sick Day for Amos McGee) and Newbery (Moon over Manifest) winners. I also picked up a scarf and little cell phone purse in China for them.  Audrey gave us each a bar of Zote, which is spectacular for getting out stains. Debra is going to make all of us quilted camera straps (hers is the demo in the photo),and Beth gave us a cheese grater from Ikea. 

It was a grand time. I already can't wait until next year!

Debra, Beth, Diane, Audrey

If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle

Book 2 in the Bibliophile Mystery series. Just as fun as the first one.

How can you go wrong when it involves a bibliophile?