Vacation Time!

 Updates and photos from Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (today - which is also last day for 2023). Thursday was just like all other days.  Up and at pool by 0900.  Saw quite the unusual couple on the pool deck.  We laughed quite hard as even the 2 YO at the kiddie pool gave them the stink eye.  Dinner was at resort. Friday we went to Puerto Mudero steak house for dinner. Saw a large croc in the lagoon.  And Kathy & Alex got eaten by a shark. Weather has remained windy, which does help keep things cooler for us.  Mostly cloudy but temps in the mid 80’s.   Heading home this morning.  Due to land in Indy about 4:30-ish.  Be back in March 2024. Sunrise photo by Lorra.  Looks like a postcard. Obligatory selfies sent back to office mates in the States… “Working from home!” Yes, that’s TWO people using the same chair, right next to Alex. Why in the world is that woman laying on top of her man? We don’t know, but we saw it here at the kiddie pool! After dinner, in the lagoon, we were treat

 Not many people looked at yesterday’s post and I slept in this morning, not getting to Wednesday’s update.  Don’t feel guilty about any of that.  We are still alive and well in paradise… At the pool deck by 0900 as usual.  Kinda cloudy and lots of wind.  We held off until right after lunch and then decided that we should just make today a shopping day.  So we loaded up and hit La Isla shopping mall to buy vanilla and stuff for the grandkids. Back to the rooms before taking sunset pictures and then going off to dinner here at the resort.  We’ve had some laughs, as you can see from the photos below. Today’s Sunrise photo.  Awesome. Another sunrise shot. This old dude was wearing shells to protect his eyelids. What the shell? Alex and I found these two shells in the ocean and Kathy did a reenactment. Who wore it better??? Sunset over the lagoon from the top floor of our resort.

 Sandy and I walked out on the deck this morning and made a comment about how it’s a bit more chilly than previous days… And then we laughed.  We were claiming to be “chilly” in shorts and t-shirts while it feels like 5F (-15C) at home!  True, this morning here there was more wind, there were more clouds, and the temperature was not as high.  However, it was still just good enough for us to head for the pool!   Same as days before… pool, drinks, lunch, naps, pool, drinks, showers, dinner, sleep… Enjoy the photos. Just before this photo was taken, Alex was also under his towel. We were laughing because Kathy is usually the cold one and both Alex and Lorra were under their towels. The obligatory selfie that these two sent back to their office mates Alex holding two bowls of soup at dinner tonight. His laugh is due to the shape of the bowls and what they could resemble. This is my dessert being prepared tonight And here is the result. Yep, it was pretty delicious.

 Out on the pool deck by 9.  Headed for bar at 11.  Lunch was at Noon.  Quick re-slather before going back out.  Hot today so lots of pool dips.  Alex and I hit the ocean again.  Mostly full sun today.  Clouded over a bit in the evening.  Dinner at resort.  Watched some football before calling it a night by 11 pm. Temps today ran in the mid-80’s (29C), but it felt like mid-90’s (35C).  It was quite warm.  Not complaining.  Not at all.  Just stating the facts.  In fact, look below.  You can see we are suffering. Big Red coming up over Big Blue this morning Kathy & Lorra enjoying their Coco Loco drinks in the pool. Nutritious and Delicious!  Flexing in the pool during one of our cool off periods. Probably on our way to the pool bar! Nailed it.  Collecting drinks at the swim-up bar Alex, Kathy, and Sandy in the pool. Photo probably taken as proof that Sandy was actually in the pool. Sun setting over the lagoon This photo was actually taken last night This was Kathy’s specially smoked

 Up at 0700 after catching 10 hours of much-needed sleep.  We skipped breakfast and joined the others at the pool.  Alex and I went for a swim in the ocean.  We grabbed lunch at the pool and returned to our chairs for naps. While at lunch, we met with our concierge and made reservations for dinners, including tonight’s.  We came back to the room about 4:30 and showered.  We read until time for dinner at Hacienda Sisal, right here on the resort.  Back to the room for some football and another early bed time. Storms rolled in about 7 pm.  Lots of lightning and thunder but very little rain actually fell.  Weather has been exceptional otherwise.  Very pleasant.  Not suffering much at all, especially since snow flurries fell at home!   The ocean view, looking NE, from the top of the pool deck. Sandy’s sandy feet facing E toward the ocean, where I’m out there swimming somewhere. The view from our second story balcony during the daylight Lorra and Kathy at dinner tonight Notice the sad faces…

 Ah, yes.  “Welcome Home!” is the greeting we receive when stepping out of the shuttle van upon arrival at our condo down here in Cancun.  Certainly Cancun is our home away from home and we are always happy to return to the land of sun, sand, and ocean (and pool and drinks and relaxing and reading and…). We did not get much sleep as we left home at 0530.  The drive was easy and we only saw a few deer on the way.  Traffic was light.  We parked and then checked in.  The airport was not busy at all and we breezed through Security.  Our direct flight was probably half full, but the Clossin and the D. Lahrman families were on the flight with us (people we know from little ole Mulberry).  We were first in line at Immigration but we all did get searched at Customs (we were due as it has been forever since we’ve been stopped). We got to our condo at 12:30, checked in and then went to the pool deck for lunch. We changed into our swimming suits - Sandy & I headed for the beach and swam in th

 Up just slightly later today but made it to the pool about the same time - about 0915.  Laid in the sun and got in the pool to cool off before lunch at the poolside restaurant.  After lunch we played corn hole.  This time it was guys versus girls.  It did not end well for the ladies.  They lost 3 straight, although they at least did score points (not many tho).  Back into the pool to cool down.  Naps.  Back to the room about 4. We had dinner reservations at 1800 (6 pm) at the steak house inside the resort.  Dinner was just fine as the alternative was Hibachi night at the buffet.  Sandy and Greg would have been quite hungry as they are not fans of stir fry foods.  Sandy did get up to use the restroom (who here is surprised?).  And when she got back, she had the mark of a door on the side of her head, next to her eye.  She sat down and said, I think I just gave myself a black eye!  Seems that the foot plate to open the door (more sanitary than using the door handle) does not account for

 I was back up at 7:30 this morning, continuing to read my second book and updating the blog from yesterday.  Sandy asked what time it was, I said 10:30.  She called me a liar.  She rolled out of bed at 8:30 and we hit the pool deck by 9 am.  Pleasant weather with more wind today.  Waves were rolling in.  No ocean time today either. We went to lunch right at 11 as the girls had to do their massages and pedicures at 11:30 and 11:45.  The pool restaurant was to open at 11.  Not quite.  May have been 11:05 before we saw anyone.  Then we had to wait for our food.  The girls did not get to eat before their appointments.  Greg and I ended up taking their lunches back to the room refrigerators.   After we ate, Greg and I played more corn hole.  Games were closer today and he finally won a single game.  He lost 2-1 before we gave up and got back into the pool as it was quite warm.  The girls showed up and ate their lunch.  It sprinkled for all of 15 seconds but mostly sunny today. Christy went

 Compared to the rain, today was a beautiful day in paradise!  At least weather-wise.  We got up at 7:30 and went to the buffet for breakfast.  Why so early?  We had an 8:30 appt with the “time share” people to discuss changes in the plan since The Royal Resorts were bought out by Holiday Inn.  And yes, of course they are going to try and sell us something. They stated, in writing, that the “presentation” was going to be 75 minutes in length.  After 2.5 hours, we were all done.  The points have changed and the new system has some merit, however you have to buy-in to the new system.  Of course you do.  They want more money.  The problem now is that if you want to get payments interest free, then you have to put 50% down.  Not sure who has that kind of discretionary funds laying about, but it’s not me and probably not the people I run around with.  Oh well.  For our time, the girls got a $70 gift certificate at the spa and we got a $50 room credit.  Not a total loss.  However, they canno

 Got up and hit the pool deck by 0900.  Some sprinkles came in so the girls decided to paint some ceramics.  Greg and I played corn hole.  We got game 1 in and then it REALLY rained.  We paused, got game 2 in and then the sky opened up and we got some serious rain.  If you are wondering, Greg lost the first game of corn hole 21-0 and the second game he lost 21-3.  Not his day for corn hole!  He claims he is still sore from the beating he took. I grabbed fresh towels and headed back to the room.  The construction barricade blocking the steps up to our room blew over in the storms, so that as I walked up the ramp, I had to move it.  There were three maids there trying to stay dry - who assisted me in moving the barricade, and I think set me up.  As I walked away, the twine that had been used to hold the barricade in place wrapped around my foot - unbeknownst to me.  As I walked away, on sopping wet tile floor, my right foot (now securely tangled in the twine) got pulled out from under me