Ants! Lunch! Birthday plans!

We awoke this morning to an ant invasion. There were easily a thousand ants busily streaming down one of the docklines, across the deck and right into the boat through the open hatches. We have been killing mercilessly but more emerge from little cracks in the woodwork as we get the exposed ones exterminated. We have even had to throw out candy. Lily thought we should set it on the dock and see if they would just all turn and stream off the boat the way they came in. This idea was not tested as we were to afraid to set the back of ant-covered candy so close to the dock line for fear that they were still determined to come onboard.

After a couple of hours of hand-to-ant combat, we took down our bimini and stack pack so we could drop both off at the local canvas shop. Both need restitched and the stack pack needs a few reinforcements to keep from tearing at the attachment points. Our cockpit will be in full sun for the next three days. We don’t know whether to hope for clouds or sunshine. Clouds would make the temps better but a hard rain in the exposed cockpit will probably reveal some new leak which is normally sheltered from the rain. Sunshine, of course, will heat up the best place on the boat for sitting and catching the evening breeze. I suspect we will get plenty of both.

Several old Singer sewing machines were going strong at the canvas shop.

I toted the camera with me when I went to order lunch. I asked if I could take a few pics and the girls laughed shyly. Finally, they gave their permission. I took a couple of pics and the guys under the nearby tree stopped eating their lunch in order to tease the girls so I took a few pictures of them, too. The girls had my plates ready in minutes and I paid the usual – 29 quetzales. That is about $1.25 per meal which includes a bag of icy tamarind juice to drink.

These empanadas are mucho sabor. They are served with a small serving of cabbage and mayo ensalada on top.

I could not tell what they were saying as I snapped pics of the girls. When I pointed to camera at them, they pointed at each other.

There are a few different items to choose from and lots of toppings. Sometimes I ask for the wrong topping for the dish being prepared and they laugh at me and point to the options meant for the dish.

Lily is busy planning tomorrow’s birthday party. There will be cake, of course, but a princess cake was the only one available on short notice. We have purchased a big iced cookie and may try to cover the unwanted princess. There will also be lots of creative crafting and possibly bike riding.

Bags of tamarindo juice – 2 quetzales (about a quarter).