Traveling the Song Line

I guess I am official now. I'm going to be here for a few months, so I joined the yacht club. I am now socio #850 and will soon have my photo ID. We'll see how that goes. I'll be "at the club" for the party tomorrow, with dinner and live music. I had this huge flashback to my parents, who belonged to the club at the golf course they lived in. I do get a discount on food and drinks, and now have reciprocal privileges with other clubs for a year. I think I get a flag, too. I can't tell if I've made it or sold my soul...they allowed me to add a family member, so Will, you are now an official member of the Vallarta Yacht Club, in case it shows up in a background check in the future.

As an aside, the club manager told me I now have access to the club's fleet of small sailboats and pangas. He suggested Will and I could borrow a panga and go check out the crocodiles. I am not sure if he was serious. The food is, however, excellent, and reasonable even without my discount. It is a comfortable and friendly place to hang out, which I appreciate. It's been a very long time since I had a "local," and it's a sweet touch of home.

There was the T/Th cards and dominoes group meeting yesterday, and I got introduced and welcomed. The guys asked if I played dominoes, and when I expressed an interest, the told me the buy in was $100, which was greeted by hoots and cries of derision from the card players. There is, of course, no buy in, but I suspect the tuition at Domino College may be paid in drinks. I had chats with a number of members, and it's all looking good.

My plan is to just take it easy until after the first. I love not being cold, but, as my mother often said, "Be careful what you wish for. You may get it." It's going to take a while to adjust to the heat. There is a bus into PV, and I know it is a beautiful town with lots to explore. Time to start working on my expat status. I like exploring new environments, and after seeing about 10 completely unfamiliar birds walking back to Song Line, I hit the internet. Turns out this area is a birders' paradise. One more thing to check out.

Having a very laid-back birthday. Slept in, played some music, cleaned and oiled my wooden flutes. I just finished lunch at the club, where the food is excellent. Just sitting here catching up on correspondence, enjoying the breeze, and watching the boats come and go. I'll head back to Song Line in a few, put some new strings on the mandolin, and get some time in playing. I didn't play much mandolin on passage, but I have a delrin flute that is bulletproof that saw much playing time in the cockpit, which is home out on the water. Playing to the sea, sometimes over the sound of the diesel, has done wonders for my tone and projection. Sort of like having a mouthful of pebbles and orating at the seashore.

If I'm feeling ambitious, I'll crack out the guitar. Movie time later, looks like Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Life is good.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Technology has made communication so easy, we forget what a challenge it used to be.

Fair winds, and happy holidays to all.

FWIW, Domino College is a Buffett tune:

Get on back to school
Domino college, back to school
Boneyard full of knowledge
Working vacation in a third world nation
Back to school
They don't rap your knuckles
If you cut the class
They just track you through the jungle boy
Then they kick your ass
It's a different kind of domino theory
They teach you down in Butler town
If you lose you buy the booze
And then the student body all falls down
Get on back to school