Tuesday, November 11, 2008

When Will I Learn My Lesson?

I try to keep a balance between posting about Mexico and posting about writing. With NaNo on the brain my posts have been heavy on the writing, so last night I was thinking I was due for another Mexico post. Problem is, nothing much has happened.

On Saturday, Ibis and I went to Ixtapa Island - a little island just offshore of Ixtapa, go figure - and had a lovely afternoon snorkeling (him), reading (me), and hitting the volleyball around (both). We even met an American man who works in the area, a man who we both said is the most normal ex-pat we've met. Yes, we got his number. ;)

That's all fine and dandy, but that doesn't make up an entire blog post. So last night I thought to myself, ah, something is bound to happen.

I really should know better than that.

While I was writing I smelled smoke, but didn't think much of it. People are always either cooking or burning things, and it usually goes away after ten minutes. But this persisted. I finally went to the window to see who's meal was out of control and saw smoke billowing from one of the homes below us. Thick, yellow smoke, with burning embers flying all over the place.

I had been so engrossed in my writing I didn't notice that the condo had filled with smoke, so I quickly turned to fans to point outside. Then I went back onto the deck to watch. It looked like they were burning something in their small courtyard, but one stiff wind and it would be out of control. Every now and then a flame would lick over the edge of the roof, taunting me. A nearby tree lost half its leaves and smoke covered the side of the hill.

I kept waiting for the fire department to arrive and put an end to their fun, but no such luck. Soon my freshly washed hair reeked of campfire and the house smelled like a bonfire, and after an hour the fire burned itself out.

From now on I'll stop myself before I wish for something to happen for the sake of my blog. ;)

22 comments:

Janna Leadbetter said...

Who wants S'mores? ;)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

No kidding. We have marshmallows, I should've pulled them out!

Jen said...

Yeah, gotta be careful what you wish for. :)

WendyCinNYC said...

You seem very calm about a fire so close to your home. I guess not much rattles you anymore!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Jen, I'm realizing that. I will bite my tongue next time. Or, bite my brain, whatever...

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Wendy, the way the houses are positioned there was little chance it could've reached my place. I was just upset I couldn't do anything to keep the smoke out.

Allen said...

Melanie, be thankful for small favors. If my wife came home smelling like a hometown bonfire and pig roast, I would be excited.

Next, we can work on the Ode De Budweiser. Two dollars a piece or two for Five dollars.

Do you see ex pats much there?

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Allen, lol. There are a lot of ex-pats here, but we don't have much in common with them. A lot of it stems from OUR reasons for being here - waiting on a visa - and THEIRS - retire in Mexico and drink till they pass out.

We don't go out much and lately whenever they do I have to fight the urge to smack the dirty old men - not the best way to make friends. ;)

Rachel Burton said...

Well if that doesn't put you in the autumn spirit. (at first I thought you were going to say they were burning leaves, and then I remembered where you were!) And that's intersting about the expats. I hadn't thought of a drunken retiree culture down there!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Rachel, I cannot believe I didn't make that association! I've been whining about how much a miss fall and there it was, right in my backyard!

Yeah, I'd talk more about the ex-pats here but some of them know I have a blog so I have to be nice. :)

Anonymous said...

Just when I am ready to complain about my neighbors.. you come up with a neighbor that makes mine seem like angels! You should've thrown your Crocs at them. That would show them! (besides... they can't burn Crocs!)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Stop it! No burning of the Crocs!

Spy Scribbler said...

ROFL! Seriously, what Jen said! I do love that smell, just not in the whole house in all my clothing!

Crocs don't burn?

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Oh, I'm sure they would, but I will not sacrifice them just to please my friends. Uh-uh. I never wear them anyways.

Amy Mullis said...

Sometimes, just sometimes, dull and boring is the same as peaceful and quiet. As for burning something OR cooking. . .well, they're the same thing in my house!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Amy, good point. :)

Travis Erwin said...

And you didn't roast not one weenie?

Unknown said...

You are seriously amazing... I just caught up on your writing and 'stuff'... I'll holler atcha more later, but keep at it... 2000+ words a day... insane... insane in the membrane!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Travis, sadly I'm all out of weenies. *snicker*

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Krey, I get comments sent to my email and when I saw Kreyfish I was thinking "who the F is kreyfish?" Now I see it's you. :)

Yeah, I'm trying to keep busy...

Robin said...

You're lucky a host of zombies didn't come tramping through your house. That's what would happen to me if I said, "Nothing ever happens."

Annoying about the smoke filled apartment. I think crocs would just melt and smell even worse.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Robin, that might be a little freaky, especially since I'm locked in with bars. And I thought the same thing about the melting crocs. Not quite as bad as melting tires, but I'm guessing not too far off either.