March 12:

I realize that I will not be able to finish After the Storm as there is far too much left to do.

The list of projects continues to grow and I only have two days left. The good news is that my body has behaved and I have logged three weeks of intensive work without a bio medical breakdown. I will return to two jobs in shop and melting snow winter pretty much over I hope, \\This has been an interesting month that has given me renewed strength and interest in the tropics. My body likes the warm and I have marketable skills. The pace and the lack of regulation a most attractive aspect.

Today I will put the finish touches on the windows and address the final holes in the hull.

March 13:

This is the day after a Bank Holiday weekend and Carlos was somewhere else in his mind. Everything I sent him to do he messed up First he completely ground through my repair to the aft corner then he broke one of the frames for the berth/settee I had given him to hand saw.

Miguel was barley sanding with only limited progress noticeable but I was far too busy with the berth to stop to hassle him.

I did finally put all the pieces together and have a working show and tell of the settee / berth late afternoon. However, it was not a very productive day overall. All with the settle up went as promised and it was early to bed buck in my jeans for the last night.

Travel day started early for me a 02:30 AM checking my gear and getting the coffee on. By the time we got going it was around 03:00 which should allow us more than adequate time. The journey through the early morning hours went without much to distinguish it if you left out that this is canning season and we would encounter huge trailers full of cane looming out of the fog with unnerving frequency.

As we hit the last Belize police check point the cop got into an argument with Charlie over his drivers license that had apparently expired. In a true tropical ending the cop kept his license and let us drives away. Duhh.

Mexico has changed a huge amount since last I was there. NAFDA has propelled the overall wealth sky-high to where it feels like Canada. Chetemal Airport saw the Mexicana Click ground crew fleece me for USD exchange on my ticket change. The flight to Mexico City was all daylight and the number of spectacular volcanoes close to Mexico City amazed me...

I spent almost five hours in the ground in Mexico City this time most of it in the Cantina bar neutralizing my system for the coming cold. That reflective note next on the update parade.