An inkeeper's life

I am sitting here in wet clothes, waiting for my hot water heater to make the water hot enough to warm me up. I am a landlord and I turn my own hot water off when not using it.
Anyway, It all started in a downpour last night, when my house guest Marte and I toughed it out to go to happy hour at Villa la Bella. We had thought the weather broke, but alas, it didn't. Once there, we had hurricane-style fun, the locals amongst us telling the guests that it's like this in hurricane season.
When the weather did break, we took Anastasia home and Marte and I made a break for home. This morning looked iffy, but rather that go into town, I talked Marte into having a nice French breakfast at LoLo's, where I had coffee macaroons were reserved for later.
The breakfast was fantastic, with a natural yoghurt with fresh berries, nuts and dates, followed by an egg casserole with a French bread stick accompanied by juice and coffee to our liking.
LoLo broke a $100 bill for me so I could top off my cell phone at Chedraui, and off we went. While we were inside, the downpour began.
After much debate in which I took a break to go back inside to use the restroom, and nailed a sales associate for no answer on the issue of motorized shopping carts, I returned to find Julianne, ready to nail the same sales associate with the same question.
We lingered, debating whether to make a break or not because we were in the golf cart, not the trusty VW.
After a while, we did and it wasn't to bad until the BIG PUDDLE that literally flooded the engine. Rule of thumb is never take your foot off the ignition to matter how it sputters. That failed to work this time.
Suddenly, a group of people in ponchos appeared and pushed us into the beer drive-thru, Modelorama. They were French, so in gratitude, I started offering the macaroons. No no. But then a woman tried one and learned from me they were make by a French chef. LoLoLorena. The 10 macaroons disappeared just like that. The rain stopped and the French were off with their leader, a man from Cancun Sailing, who gave me his number for renting a pirate boat for next December. It's in my cell phone!
So, that is the life of an inn keeper. Marte bought a bottle of wine in Chedraui, my shower water is ready, and my next check in, Richard, landed 10 minutes early at 11:59. We'll be on our second glass of wine when he enters as the rain continues. That is the life of an inn keeper on Isla Mujeres. Not so bad!

LoLo's Back in Town

LoLoLorena was gone all summer helping Evaristo run his mother's business at a beach side community in Veracruz. Saturday night's dinner was proof she didn't lose her touch.
First there were cocktails or wine brought in to be uncorked. Then a little lentil ceviche with mint instead of cilantro and a fusion gazpacho made with cantaloupe and apples, seasoned with basil.
Next there was a Thai salad with enough browned ground beef to pass as a full meal, but there also was an alternate. What? Mussels! But I focused on my choice!
At this point, I put down the camera. The baby lobster was on its way. Absolutely perfect in every way and split lengthwise, served with a shrimp Hollandaise sauce. Well, I lingered and didn't let any tentacle rest until I had consumed every gram of juice and flesh. Another choice was fillet Mignon of pork with a mustard and green pepper corn sauce or a fish dish in the same shrimp Hollandaise.
The desert plate was anchored with a small servings of Belgian chocolate mousse and chocolate ice cream and varied fresh fruit with a caramelized glaze drizzled about.
I had hoped a friend would join me. But she called LoLo's dinner pricey. I respectfully disagree. At $30 ($40 for the lobster) while there may not be enough food for a doggie bag for breakfast or Fido, the human leaves feeling very satisfied for the experience and eager to come back for another gourmet dining adventure. Reservations for her dinners (at the moment limited to dates when she can assemble a seating) can be secured by email via LoLoLorena (at)hotmail.com. She is working now on a menu and pricing for her carry out deli, offering for the first time Mexican specialties affordable to Mexicans.

Fun and games

We amuse ourselves without tourists. Yesterday, Inge and I went to Soggy Peso for lunch and had a good long visit along with Rex. Freddy was entertaining! Then, I went to the Super for a few things and stopped at Sue and Miguel's to bum some media luna seeds. My vines died in the heat and apparently birds ate all but three seeds. Later this afternoon, I'll be a LoLoLorena's checking out the fruits of the cooking class with Kay.
In the meantime, Boca is learning her mean bark. On the bed, barking at the dog in the mirror.
She's easily amused!

Dog tired!

Boca blogs:
I am pooped! Big world out there. Mommie let me watch her plant lettuce seeds, then she and Sergio left and came back. They put me in the pet carrier and next thing I know, I'm at Lucien's with his mommie Lorena.
No one told me about cats. I never saw a cat before. I played jungle with them in the garden, but it was scarey. They are bigger than me. I am just a little puppy!
When Lucien the poodle took me to the swimming pool, I was fearless. I didn't realize what it was until I fell in. I could swim. I swim!
Lorena and mommie kept swimming. Then they had salad right where smaller parties at LoLoLorena's restaurant sit. Very nice.
Mommie gave me my food. But Lucien decided it was his place and ate a lot. Then the cat named Chocalate Kiss started to eat it!
MarLouisa came by. She knows doggies and put me back in the pool and taught me how to swim better. It was a hot day, so I didn't mind. But boy am I tired. Mommie says Alison would say DogGone tired! She says that's where I really came from. Alison's! That's Isla Animals to big people with big hearts.

Oh what a day!

The trip to Cancun had mixed results, but was always pleasant thanks to Carlos, the taxista whose family now embraces me when we see each other and who goes the extra kilometer for me.
The consulate could not help me with a Social Security issue, saying they had gotten out of the benefits business. The place was deserted, making me wonder what business they are in at all! On the other hand, tourism in the hotel zone has dropped so drastically, the whole section was nearly deserted!
Then, since I had left the island without eating, an obligatory stop for some authentic food. To Mercado 23 for cilaquiles. Carlos noted the way they were made and the way they are made in Isla is not the authentic chilango way, chilango being a derogatory term for a cheapskate from Mexico City, where the day old tortillas are not fried before being wetted with sauce and cheese.
So, we each at an order of Yucatan chilaquiles and were off to look for an umbrella for the deck and to night table lamps to replace one that fell and broke and one that just got tattered over time.
Not so easy to find. No little store in Mercado 23 had funky little ones. TechnoLuz was exhorbitant. We were off to Walmart, where there was one model. And it needs some adaption to hold the light bulb in place, being made for a totally round sphere with a stem, which Walmart does not carry.
Got some canned soup, some zip lock bags, a dish drainer and beef filet and yep, we were done.
Last week, I got a back pack on wheels that comfortablly holds frozen compresses. So Carlos packed the meat, and a beet I had gotten at the open air market into that, and we were back at the Ultramar.
I got home in time for a nap before a fabulous dinner at LoLoLorena's, where I saw Daniel, whom I hadn't seen in ages, and his friend Manuel. What a nice man. There were over a dozen of us at the table and although Lorena wasn't happy with herself, my pork loin in mustard glaze was great, as were the appetizers, salad and desert plate. Buy bien.
Luis did not do carpentry yesterday, but is here now, so the roof will soon be well shaded. And I will be living up there for sure!