Oh well

So, Belize is off. For now. Our friends kindly offered to subdivide a piece of their farm for us, but they don't live on the creek and that was the main attraction of the other property. At least we know we are always welcome in case we feel the need to escape America.

As a consolation, G returned bearing gifts. The girls received wood carvings and a doll, and I received a gigantic, family-sized hammock. Not that I'm quite family-sized, yet, but G knew that everyone would have to jump on and give it a try anytime Mom has a few minutes to lay down and take a swing. The kids are all eager for Dad to get it hung up right away. I imagine many happy afternoons relaxing with a book or two.

The interesting part of his trip was catching up on all the dirt about the ex-pat neighbors: she kicked her husband out and took up with a Texas millionaire; he secretly wears women's panties; they made their initial money smuggling marijuana in their early years in country; their girls all ran off with local boys. We were always amazed at how gossip traveled down there. Something would happen to you in town, and by the time you arrived home, the people there were already talking about it. And they don't have telephones.

Now we have to call our prospective buyer and tell her there's no deal. She did give us some good ideas for renovation and expansion possibilities when she last came out to look, and maybe we'll end up implementing some of them.

When we saw the newborn baby porpoises jumping and playing with each other in the pass, and a full, end-to-end, brilliant rainbow across the bay yesterday, well, we thought this place will work for us after all.