Marital Bliss

Casa Azul (our home) sits atop two levels of a structure occupied by the senior members of one of the main families in Yelapa. Everyone who peers past their open door at street level, marvels at the family’s view of the bay. Our casita shares a similar view as seen through the run of continuous windows on the bay side. The view is the focus of our dwelling. 

In the village of Yelapa, each resident is responsible for sweeping and tending the path in front of their dwelling. Each morning parents, grandparents and even children on the weekend, sweep the cobblestone path and remove litter. One interesting piece of broom trivia: the villagers use the broom more as an instrument to push the debris than to pull it forward as those of us from the States do. As a results, the plastic bristles immediately assume the shape of a tangled mop. Each family possesses a commercial strength pooper-scooper to employ as required. They are available in all the markets.

Back to my downstairs neighbors; the patriarch is in his mid to late 80s, while his young bride approaches her mid-70s. Nikki and I depart for her morning convenience break around 7:45 a.m. Without fail, the senior chap is already in place push sweeping the leaves and debris which dropped the prior day. Twice per week his wife joins him as she sweeps her flower garden. This is perhaps a second bit of broom trivia: in Yelapa people sweep the dirt for the same reason they sweep the path---to remove the debris. Now here’s where this aged matrimonial ritual becomes amusing. If the gentleman is the first one on the scene, then he will have already swept a swath of the path. His wife ascends to the flower bed level, a full three feet or so above the path and begins crafting clouds of dirt, branches, leaves and on occasion the odd rotting mango down onto the path. She becomes so immersed in her endeavor that she fails to observe her husband working ahead of her. Despite the retention of most aspects of his physical mobility, it is abundantly clear that the bulk of his hearing departed some time ago. 

At the moment he completes his required swath of the path, he rotates to see his wife, activating huge clouds of dirt and debris over the entire length of path he has just tended. The look on his face speaks volumes---it has to be an ancient version of “WTF?” The verbal exchange which follows escapes my comprehension entirely. I can only guess what must be transpiring. He sets the broom against the wall, marking his spot for commencing the return trip the following morning. Shaking his head as he shuffles, he vanishes inside. A futbol game becomes audible. She finishes sweeping, or should it be brooming, the flower bed up to the exact site of her husband’s abandoned broom. She descends to the path, looks back and shakes her head. The debris will remain until her partner of nearly sixty years resumes his task the following morning.

    

Commercial Break

The seas continue to present challenges this week. Keep in mind, that for your safety, I reserve the right to cancel or re-schedule your Kayak adventure. Your safety and that of my equipment are the priority. Your understanding and cooperation are appreciated. Remember to check out the facebook page Yelapa Kayak Rentals. Contact phone number is at the top of the page. Happy Paddling----memo