Los Barriles...week 3

How the time does fly....this was a big week, starting with my daughter's sentencing. We had been waiting for this day since last July and there have been enough trial dates and meetings between the DA and Lauryn's attorney to know what was going to happen, but actually knowing that she was going to jail on that day made it as real as it can get. I spoke to her on the phone before she went to court and she sounded very strong and ready to accept her punishment. She still had to plead guilty to many felony counts and have that on her record, but with the six+ months she's been in rehab and the time she served last July the judge sentenced her to serve half of her remaining sentence of three months in the county jail, as opposed to a year or more in prison. There is a chance that this sentence could also be shortened, but we won't know that until May. I am hoping she will have access to AA meetings and keep herself strong with her reading and meditation, but I know it will be a challenge. She was able to sign up for "school" and attends a drug abuse class from 8-11, Monday through Friday. For every 15 hours she is in school she can earn a day off of her sentence. Her dad has been by her side throughout all of this and continues to call, visit and show up in every possible way. I think this support over the last 6 months has helped her "recover" more than anything else. We are all just praying she can maintain where she is at with her rehab, and continue to mature and grow. Part of the reason I chose to be in Baja during this time was so that I could remove myself somewhat from the situation. Lauryn and I are extremely close and although it is killing me to not be in touch with her by phone right now, I think it's best for her growth and my sanity. I have tried for weeks now to figure out a way to get her collect calls from jail, but the internet is just too slow down here to make anything work. My ex bought me an ATT "Go" phone that my friend, Laurie, is going to bring down here the first week in April and I am hoping that I can forward the google voice call to that phone and the cell service on the phone will work better than just through the internet, but that all remains to be seen. I have sent letters to her through emails to my mom and whenever someone leaves Baja for the US I send mail with them too. I was also able to send her stuff through mycarepack.com. But a huge part of my day has been involved with this.

We started the day with a green rum smoothie!

In the meantime it was also St. Patrick's Day and who knew, but down here in Los Barriles it's kind of a big deal! The little bar down the block from us - Smokeys, had two bands starting mid-afternoon and going all night. They set up a flat-bed truck in the street (taking up one of the two lanes) and  by the time the sun went down there was dancing in the street and anywhere there was room.

Before it got all crazy....the next time you see Bill he may be wearing a big-ass cowboy hat like the dude in the band!

And the best thing that happened that night was that we met Jim! Yes, another Jim, this one hails from San Rafael. He sat next to us at the bar and we've been enjoying each other's company ever since. Sadly, he leaves on Thursday but he's owned a house here for 20 years, is retired and flies back and forth all winter, so we're sure to see him again.

Wednesday was open-mic night at the Roadrunner Cafe and we finally made it over there. A lot of the guys who played in the bands on St. Patty's day showed up, with a scattering of others - it was a fun night, made especially so when we headed over to the Vagos Bar, after the music, for some pool-playing and dancing. Bill has been fixing up the pool cues that were in poor shape, bringing a couple home at a time, replacing the tips, sanding them down and fixing whatever else was needed. The owner keeps asking what he can do for Bill - we've been invited for lunch, now...we'll see if there is anything we can eat.

At the end of the week Bill and I finally broke down and got ourselves a $35, hour long massage and boy was it worth every penny, and then some. I think next week we'll try some of the other spas in town just to see who we like best! And then the week ended with another campground Bocce Ball tournament...we're having fun!