Hell’s Half Acre

If you don’t live in Peyton Place where some of your neighbors are hell-bent on making your life a living nightmare.

When your immediate neighbors are such complete and total sweethearts that you just want to bask in their intelligence and soothing presence.

If you’re not interested in routine, stability and expectations. If you thrive when all previous rules have been thrown out the window and you have no idea what the new ones are; it is paradise.

When the sky turns an absoloutely STUNNING color of pink and bright blue, making your errand of grocery shopping a breathtaking exercise of beauty.

If you enjoy trying to figure out if and when a bribe is warranted and how to go about the process. And on the other hand, trying to figure out if and when murder is warranted and how to go about the process.

When people you’ve just met and have hired to work exceed your expectations the day after you’d decided to fire them and make you wonder why you ever considered that they couldn’t pull it off.

If the only person who can put an end to your questions and concerns and ability to live in our purchased property can only be contacted by physically barring the exit of his house with your car. But honestly, he doesn’t mind. That’s the way it’s done.

Oh. My. Goodness. Who knew that a simple remodel of a hurricane-damaged palapa could cause such an uproar. All we can figure is that some people here have a LOT of time on their hands and a huge void in their lives. But at the same time, there are wonderfully supportive people here who make all the hair-tearing worth it.

The boys have made fast friends of two Canadian boys here in the park. We no longer worry that they are on the fast track to careers in international hermitude. They spend most all day playing with them and bouncing around the park. It has been such a relief to both them and us to have found friends; they had really shied away from starting new relationships even though they were starving for friendship. Sissy runs with the boys much of the day also, making for a quiet trailer and happy siblings. I think they’d pretty much gotten sick of each other to the nth degree.

As a complete contrast to my sleepless nights and incredible stress from the drama our foray into PaaMul seems to have caused, the renovation, that which has been allowed, has been going amazingly well. There were a couple days I was ready to fire the entire crew as I couldn’t imagine what was going through their heads, but they’ve more than made up for it in the last couple days. It is coming together beautifully and FINALLY the palapa next to us is done and we’re back on the front burner of the palaperos. Course, another straw and I’m only *this* close to shutting down the entire project and walking away. I think I need a vacation.