Hell’s Half Acre

I thought some of you might find it interesting to watch while we organize and get the dispensas that you have been so generous in providing. I’ll update throughout the day with pictures. First, we transfer money into the ATM account so we can purchase said goods. And sorry, but no [...]

I had an amazingly wonderful day yesterday and learned such an important lesson, the writing of which seems to be such a trite and obvious one.  Each day is that which we make of it.  I expected that Jamie and the kids would forget it was my birthday; that is generally how it works, and [...]

“I never imagined a foreigner would ever come to our town”
“I didn’t think that a foreigner would care about the damage we received (from Dean)”
“God bless you”
The boys and I moved one of the benches out of the van and filled it with 100 dispensas. (an aside; I think I’ve been spelling dispensa [...]

We managed to give out 80 dispensas on Wednesday; we brought down 50 bottles of water, 40 litros of oil, 40 kilos of Maseca, 150 onions, 210 carrots, 46 boxes pure de tomate, 54 bolas of garlic (what do we call the whole thing of garlic in English?), 100 jalapeños, 150 potatoes, 50 chayotes, [...]

We travel down, again, to the destruction tomorrow. We have bribed the girls with a DVD and the boys with guilt. Though I hope not. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it were not true. All four are finally healthy at the same time, though Jamie is still fighting something [...]

I’m really very dumbfounded. I can’t believe how generous and trusting you all are and it humbles me. Thank you so much for all the donations; we’re at $2625 USD right now!!! Again, Thank You, so very very much.
We’ve seen a lot of poverty here in Mexico and I know it [...]

Today we are headed to a small pueblo to distribute dispensas. Last time we were in Majahual we met up with Noe Gonzales, from Manuel Avila Camacho, a 300 family pueblo directly in the path of Dean. After Dean hammered Majahual, he headed inland and hammered this town along with so very [...]

Yesterday Jamie and I sat down and made a list of all the stuff we need to do around here. We’ve been living with a “we’ll make this Home when we get back” ever since we purchased the palapa and now that we’re only leaving for a short time and have specific dates [...]

My hosting company is physically moving their datacenter, so Monday this site will be down for 4-8 hours.  Also, by that time, I PROMISE to return all the comments and lovely emails.  I’m too embarrassed to say how many there are and how old they are.  Now, carry on.

I have not had a single solitary drop of cawfee all day and I’m already jonsing for tomorrow’s cuppa. Jamie and I have started drinking cold green tea during the day in the hopes of ingesting more liquids (we have not yet, after close to a year, been able to drink Enough Liquid [...]