Cancun Day 3 - Monday March 11

 We got a text that Will was “starving” at 7:55.  We understood - well, we laughed first.  He slept for 11 hours and it was time to eat.  We agreed to meet for breakfast at 8:15.  Alex, Will, Mallory, and Shelby met me and grandma at the buffet.  What about everyone else?  Kathy and Hadley showed up at the pool about 10.  Nick and Wes sometime around 11.  And we did not see Andy and Austin until after lunch.  And that’s exactly how vacations are supposed to work.  Sleep when you’re tired, eat when you’re hungry, and do it all over again for a week!

So today, when the kids decided to build sand castles on the beach, we walked to the other side of the resort - where we found, yes sand, but also fewer rocks and tree stumps in the water.  All but the youngest grandchild went into the ocean again.  Then we collectively built Hadrian’s Wall to protect the castle  before erecting the towers.  This took long enough on all fours that we could feel the sun working too much on our backs.  We called off construction way too soon for the kiddos.  

Today’s weather was not quite as warm as yesterday’s.  It only made it to 87 F but there was a breeze today of 7 mph with gusts to 14.  That kept us a bit cooler and it was welcomed.  

You think the resort knows how to squeeze dollars from you?  You bet they do.  They walk around with parrots (on Monday it’s parrots and on Thursday is an iguana) and take professional photos of you - or in our case, your grandkids - posing with the parrots.  Now you must buy the pictures.  And what grandparent is not going to do that?  Haven’t met them yet.  We did see a preview and the pictures are good.  And we’ve been instructed by those under 10 years old that they need them to take back and show their friends.  Of course they do.  And no, the littlest one wanted nothing to do with parrots.

After some down time in the afternoon, we were all back in the pool.  We watched a water basketball game where the green team beat the red team 5 to 4.  Back to our rooms for showers.  Andy and Austin waited in line at the restaurant for us all.  In fact, they were third in line.  Why a line?  Tonight was the Mexican Show where a group of talented men & women performed dances from all over Mexico and all through the ages.  Me and Grandma?  We’ve seen it too many times already, but the grandkids have not.  It was a joy for us to see the show through their eyes.  We took way too many pictures and videos of them.  Will and Hadley even got up on stage to dance with them (by invitation of course).  Why not Mallory?  She wanted nothing to do with getting on stage.  Why not Wes?  The music and yelling was too loud.  He left after the second dance.  Again, that’s what you do on vacation.

We invited Andy & Austin back to our room for more cards, but Andy texted by 9 to say that Austin was too tired and he was thusly going to bed.  We figured he didn’t want to get whipped again but that’s our story.

There was a debate among us about whether or not the coati (pronounced co-aught-ee) were visiting our resort.  I said yes and on our return from dinner found definitive proof.  I showed a picture to Shelby and she said, “Oh, Mexico’s version of our trash panda (i.e raccoon).”  Yep.  Exactly.

I finished my first book and downloaded two more “samples” to test read before buying another one.  And then we were in bed (and me asleep) before 10:30.

Hadley and Will getting their pictures taken “wearing” parrots

A night photo from our balcony.  It’s the moon lighting up the clouds.

The “big boys” in the pool with Will swimming underwater towards the ledge.

Hadley sitting on Mommy and being thoroughly impressed with the Mexican dinner show.

The other three grandkids watching the show.

Mallory enjoying her pizza at lunch.

The coati

The grandkids watching the show.  Look at Mallory.  Impressed or scared?

Miss Hadley on stage dancing.

The crew watching the show.

Will and Hadley getting a chance to dance