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This weekend we had an unexpected guest at our house.  Pat had invited her best friends (who are a wonderful Mexican family) over to have dinner.  We had eaten and were enjoying our dessert when a stranger appeared at the door leading from our dining room to the garage.  He asked for help.  He said someone was trying to kill him. He was obviously in pain, holding his chest.  We were shocked to see him standing there as usually the garage door is shut and locked after dark and so is the 12 foot metal gate to our house. Our house is also surrounded by a 12 foot walls with barbed wire on it.  We could not figure how he had gotten in.  Somehow in the confusion of letting in our dinner guests, it had been overlooked.  We speak very little Spanish so Pat's friend asked the man who was after him and examined his chest.  He had scratches and was bleeding, but fortunately no gun shot or other wounds. He kept holding his chest and slumping over and said he was in terrible pain.  We did not know if he had heart trouble or what exactly was wrong.  We called the police and the ambulance.  He did not seem to be a threat, but we did not know who was after him.  About 6 police showed up and Pat's friend handled the whole situation.  So glad she was here with us.  The police took their flashlights and examined our yard for other intruders.  The ambulance showed up, and come to find out the man had escaped from his mother's house (about a block away) after being missing for a week and was being confined at home due to a drug and alcohol problem.  He got in the ambulance and was taken away.  The police were very helpful and polite to us.  What a Godsend it was to have Pat's friends here with us!

The weather here still feels like summer. We are wearing shorts and flip flops!  On our walk by the lake this morning, we encountered an artist painting on the skateboard wall.  She had no drawing, she just painted a little, stood back and examined her work, and continued painting.

The park by the lake is kept pristine.  There are always workers watering the grass, picking up trash, and sweeping the boardwalk as you can see in the next picture.  He is using a long palm branch to get the leaves and dirt off the walk.

 

The wind was making ripples in the lake and the clouds are always beautiful on the mountains.

 

There are many large white pelicans with black tipped wings that fly over the lake.

 

 

As we walk beside the lake and stop to talk with the other Americans and Canadians, they all say as we part..."Another beautiful day in paradise!"