I received an email from Mariachi mama this morning, and she asked me to write a diary thanking everyone here for their out pouring of love and offers of help.

I had a wonderful day and wanted to share it with you all today.  My friend Jean and I decided to drive to Puerto Vallarta today.  Just a small adventure and Jean is stressed with her job.  Puerto Vallarta is about four hours from here so we left early this morning.                                

I am all fired up for our yearly Cisco's Spay and Neuter Clinic which starts tomorrow and ends on Friday.  Each year we bring vets in from Mexico City who know their stuff.  That cannot be said about our local vets.

Many Canadians and Americans sponsor the event and we get pretty excited since we are saving lives.  Animal rescue is almost impossible here, but we do rescue them, one at a time.

We are able to do this each year with thanks to the tourists who come and choose to donate their time and money.  We get pretty excited since in a small way we are saving lives by preventing more unwanted animals from being born.  Animal rescue is very difficult here, but we do rescue them one at a time.

First, I want to thank those of you who donated to the people who are hurting here in Melaque!  You have been so generous and helped families that were just lost and were suffering.
First, we walked the town and saw those who were in the worst shape.  Then we drove around and tried to decide who needed help the most.  When the money came in, we would go to their door and put money in their hand and say that they had friends in the US.  Everyone of them were stunned and tears were shed on both sides.  Jose, one of the men has offered to work for me for the rest of his life!  Another came to my house and washed my car.  Funny, since my car was flooded and wouldn't start.  My car is bright and shiny though

As many of you know, my village suffered a horrific disaster on Monday morning.  I have posted diaries here.  Many of the families have lost all their belongings and there have been deaths.  There are photos that show the devastation in the diaries. I have tried to link the diaries but just cannot do it tonight.  There are photos in the diary written on the sixth.  If someone can link to my other diaries for me, I would appreciate it.  I have shut down mentally today.

I published a diary Monday night after experiencing a flood in my village of Melaque.  I didn't even know what had happened that day, and I thought it was the tail of tropical storm Henrette.  Our village was flooded within fifteen minutes.  I had water to my hips in my living room.  My dogs had to swim through the house to reach the stairs.  I am staying with a friend for a couple of weeks until my house is livable again.  I am very lucky that I survived and didn't lose much.
This diary is dedicated to those who were not so lucky!

As some of you know, I live in a beach village in southwest Mexico.  We have had heavy rain for over twenty four hours here as we experienced the tail of Henriette.  At about ten this morning, I decided to brave the storm and walk into town to the bank.  When I got to my gate and saw that the street was flooded I had second thoughts.  A neighbor walked by and said not to go because there was mucha aqua.  I returned to the house and called my friend and mentioned that the street was flooded.  

South of the border edition.
Tonight I am filling in for Darryl from the beach in Jalisco, Mexico.

I hope you will join me in sharing your happy story.
 Patience is the keyword to surviving in the land of manana.

I woke up this morning, anxious to get out and check the damage that Lane brought to my little piece of paradise.  The sky is still dark and cloudy, but my street, at least in front of my house was drying up  I am a block from the center of town, and went I got to the main street I was stunned!

This morning, Laine was a tropical storm heading my way.  Not much to worry about since it has been raining steadily for the past two days.  About the time it arrived here it had become a hurricane and I was unaware of that.  I noticed that it was raining heavily and the wind had picked up but its that time of year here.
Around one this afternoon, I heard a big commotion on the street, so I went to my gate to see what was going on.  I wish I had a digital camera so I could share this afternoon with you.  It was amazing what was happening!  The street was crowded with people who were drenched, working their asses off and having the time of their lives!  The street was flooding and folks were sandbagging, the military were marching down the street with pick axes, and the kids were riding their bikes through sprocket deep muddy water and having the time of their life!

As some of you know, I am a lady living in a small coastal village in southwest Mexico.  Today I want to share a small story that took place this morning.  I have a family who work for me who are very poor, and they have two teenaged sons and a special little ten year old named Luz, which means light.  This is a wonderful family who do everything for me for less than forty dollars a week.  I cook.  

Last week, I noticed that Luz was wearing a pair of my shoes that I had thrown into the trash, and that was fine.  I usually buy their shoes and other things that they consider luxuries but this past month has been rough on me in the money department and they know it.  I had moving expenses that were unexpected and quite frankly I am a little broke this month.  She was sitting next to me while blogging and I noticed the shoes!   The shoes she was wearing were torn up.

As some of you know, I am a retired lady living on the Mexican coast.  Right in the path of this monster that is barreling towards my little village!  Since this is my first experience with a storm of this magnitude, I thought I should make some preparations for the heavy wind and rain.  I went into town about noon today and the place was humming.  No one was even aware or concerned about this storm that is approaching.  Business as usual, bustling food carts, music, all the shops open and everyone in their usual good mood.

I went to see a family who work for me who live in a very unsafe shack across from the beach, and offered them a place to ride it out.  They laughed and said, "no problemo, its not going to hit here".  

It is finally here!  The election for a new president in Mexico and it is very exciting to be here, at this time!  I walked into the village at ten thirty this morning, and the place is teeming with people!  I saw one line of voters at the city hall that was two and a half blocks long! Keep in mind, the temperature is 91 degrees, with the humidity at 60%.  The whole family takes part, and the children deposit their parents ballots in the box!  Since I am an American who just gets by in Spanish, my knowledge is scanty regarding the candidates, but I wanted to share with you the excitement that is going on here.  Voter turnout in Mexico is HUGE!  My first diary, so be gentle.