How we spent New Years Eve 2019/ Dane’s birthday

Birthdays come but once a year

This year we had the great fortune of both Christmas Eve and New Years Eve falling on a Tuesday. Since that is our mutual free day we always make an effort to get to our ranchito in Pescadero, and NYE was no different. It started with a 6 AM wakeup call before packing the car and heading out. Upon arrival we grabbed our bags and did a quick circle around the property gathering all of the passionfruit that had fallen, picking guava’s before the birds got to them, and bagging the last of the season’s limes.

Composting me crazy

The job of the day was one that I had put off all year. Our compost pile had become a four-foot mound of nature. Although I had tried in earnest to explain to our caretaker that large sticks, branches, and irrigation hosing were not to be put into the mini-mountain, there it lay. It was determined by my jefa that a true compost bin needed to be constructed. This required hand-digging into the hill to create a level surface of seven feet with enough space to be framed by pallets we had lying around. We used rocks at the base to stabilize them before filling them with palm fronds so the dirt wouldn’t fall through. The end result is below. What do you think?

Rumi Garden/ Baja Oriental

Building a compost bin can work up an appetite, plus we needed to go to the bank to pay our workers so a quick trip to Todos Santos fit the bill. For years I had passed by Rumi Garden at the entrance to town and for years I said to myself, I need to try that but never did. Under new ownership as “Baja Oriental” and is now on the “Our Local Favorites” list. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, a zen garden, a tea bar and the spring rolls, wonton soup, hot and sour soup, and shrimp pad thai all nailed it. Definitely going back. It should be noted, however, that they do not serve alcohol. With food like this do you really need booze? Don’t answer that.

Final swim of the decade

With the hard labor done and full bellies, we drove to San Pedrito beach for the last sunset of 2019. Pulling up we found a spot in between two RVs and a pickup truck. The beach was a popular place to be at this moment. Families and friends gathered for bonfires. Kids were sharing their lists that Santa fulfilled. Dogs were sniffing each other with total disregard of creed or breed. A snapshot of life the way it is meant to be enjoyed. As the sun set on the cloudy horizon, Shooter followed me into the surprisingly warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. Our final swim of the decade.

READY TO PARTY?

Driving back to San Jose del Cabo my phone buzzed non-stop. Messages like, “What’s ur plan?” and “READY TO PARTY?” lit up my notifications. The whole world was in a pre-party mode ready for the festivities of the evening. We arrived at the house at 7 PM. Unloaded the car by 7:15 PM. Hot showers at 7:30 PM. Turned off the light at 8PM and didn’t even make it to midnight EST. Happy New Year indeed!