Leaving Mexico 3.20.10

How is it possible our time here went so fast?! Five and a half months just seemed to scream by! It always happens this way but it still doesn't make it any easier no matter how many years we've been doing it. Watching friends leave is always a bummer and when it's your time to leave it's even more of a bummer! I don't want to go!! The weather is perfect, Mexico is so beautiful, and there's still so much to do and see. We have the 'I don't wanna go' conversations often - let's just stay here! But well, that little guy on our shoulder reminds us we made a promise to work this summer in Alaska and, well, we're kinda looking forward to it too. Too bad we're not millionaires and could just stop working for good! haha... Maybe one day!

So we've been super busy putting the boat away for summer - cleaning, polishing, organizing, packing, washing, inventorying. Whew! It's a lot of work, work, work! But the boat was happy when we left her, clean & shiny with new polish, fans working away inside, & ready for us to return in 6 months.

I made things a little interesting the last week we were here by spraining my ankle getting off of a bus the Saturday before we left. It was a doosey. I don't know exactly what happened, whether the bus wasn't fully stopped, the bus lurched a little, I stepped on an uneven spot, or I just stepped wrong! All I know is I stepped off, it popped, and I went down! Of course my first thoughts were GET AWAY FROM THE BUS! So I moved away quickly so it could drive off and immediately sat down. Luckily, another passenger got off of the front of the bus and came over to help me. It was incredibly painful and the guy who was helping me spoke no english but we managed to communicate enough. I now know more spanish words - ankle and sprained - those words weren't in my repertoire before. He helped me with my shoe, cradled my foot while the pain was intense, and moved it around to make sure it wasn't broken. Once I felt it was good enough, he helped me to my feet and then walked me across the busy street. He had asked me where I lived and if I wanted him to find help, told me where I could find him if I needed anything, and left to go to work. How lucky I was to have him around, it made the whole ordeal less frightening. A few hours later, my ankle was swollen like a balloon and ice, rest, or elevation didn't seem to help. Doh! I spent the past week either walking gingerly on it, using crutches, or being the lady of leisure I was born to be! haha... Seriously, I tried to take it easy and walk as little as possible but it's difficult not walking when you're trying to get the boat cleaned, packed, & put away! While the swelling has gone down a little, I'm hoping the three day trip back to the States will be just what the Dr ordered. We'll see!

We slept in the van up in the parking lot of the marina beginning on Wednesday night, which made it a ton easier to pack the rest of the boat up. We visited with friends, had dock parties, ate at the best spots in town, made Dr visits, went for a beach day, and had a ton of fun. I miss everyone already and can't wait to get back for next season!

We leave bright and early Saturday morning, driving up to the border crossing in Nogales, stopping in Hermosillo for the night. We should be in the U.S. on Sunday afternoon or so. Woohoo!

More to follow...
Rene