New Year in the Rainforest

I know.....it was a week ago. It's hard to keep up. But this is a very busy time for me what with fiscal and calendar year-end and an AGM looming for the Water Association this Saturday. I have a lot of work to do closing out 2009 and opening 2010 and preparing for the AGM. I'm not whining..that's just my reality.

On New Year's Eve I went to the local watering hole for happy hour, accompanied by my separation-anxiety ridden canine. There was a good crowd and I had been invited to a party later. I left and went home to put little Sally in her kennel but by that time the fireworks were underway and she was terrified and trembling. I decided to stay home with her since she wouldn't have been welcome at the party and besides, they always have the biggest, most impressive fireworks display in the community. She wouldn't have liked that!

So Sally and I watched the ball drop in Time Square and were safe and warm at home.

The next morning, we had the 24th annual Polar Bear Swim down on the beach in front of the Hotel Bahia del Sol...the original and for many years, the only hotel here. This event is pretty interesting. There is always a good turnout and many folks get in the water with a banner and everyone takes photos that wind up in Canadian and (perhaps) some American newspapers. Some years, every one is given an ice cube to hold. And, of course, there is a stuffed Polar Bear in attendance.

When it is over, all hands head to Perla's for breakfast. That was where we got the bad news. Overnight there had been a fire. Surfside Supermarket and adjoining real estate offices had been razed. This was an iconic establishment in the community. My heart goes out to all whose lives and livlihoods have been compromised by this unfortunate event.

Then we were alerted to the discovery of a body on the road. Cursory inspection confirmed that it was a corpse and belonged to an acquaintance of many of us...a gentleman who had recently arrived after a two-year absence and had planned to stay for a few months.

Kind of put a damper on ringing in the new...but hey, that's life in the rainforest.