Culebra Free Range Friday

Have you ever needed to get something done and it seems the universe is busy setting up obstacles that look like Arte Johnson falling off his tricycle...a few times? Around here it starts about 4:30 in the morning when you wake up and figure you might as well stay awake because the ferry leaves at 6:30, you hope. So you meet your friend, wait on the not terribly late ferry to leave, chat with friends and arrive on another shore. The good thing about being late is that the early morning traffic is gone. The bad thing is that the vehicle you've rented is a lot more than expected and has been left with only an 1/8 of a tank of gas.

Breathe in, breathe out photo credit: Sarah Shipley

You get to the first errand stop, only to find out the machine needed is broken. You get to the second stop, only to find out bureaucracy is alive and well and completely illogical. So illogical that after getting back in the car, you turn around and go back just to be sure it was that illogical. Yes, it is. Mission #2 unaccomplished. So you head to a visible Walgreens, to pick up some bad for you smokes. There is a man on the ground, doing something with a drill and hammer and there are nails scattered everywhere. Odd, but not terribly surprising, in fact not surprising at all; you just step over him. More surprising is when the automatic doors don't open. More surprising is when you peer inside and realize the store is still under construction. 3 for 3, now, or 4 if you count the almost gasless rental car. Or maybe 5. It's time to regroup.

The burrito at Lolitas was, unlike a dozen or more other visits, luke warm. But the margaritas are cold and delicious and the very expensive, non-productive day washes off in the gentle golden glow of tequila and mix. The driver doesn't get a fair share, that is just how that works.

But you start to think about living here.

Instead, you go home, where all is calm and all is well. Another day in Paradox, and luckily, a rare one.

Wah wah over, on to the food!

My daughter Sarah just got an iPad and has been having fun with it. Since I didn't really cook this week (that means, nothing interesting was done in the kitchen), I thought I'd share her photos of food, because she always does interesting things in the kitchen. I could probably sustain myself on her photos alone.

all photo credits: Sarah Shipley

Garlic spears zucchini yellow squash vidalia onions marinating to go with the cod later...

I didn't get a photo of the finished cod, but I have no doubt it was perfectly cooked and perfectly delicious. No surprises there. I wish I had more descriptions, but since I want her to start her own blog, I'll have to leave that to her. I think she's got a winner in the making, but of course, I'm the Mama and that's how we think!

Have a feel your way forward Friday. Do something far-reaching.