With the temperature continuing to rise, (89.6°F in the house with 78% humidity,) I find myself less and less inclined to cook. But eating out all the time is expensive – or is it? We have found several places that serve up a superb meal for less than $6.00 US – for both of us combined, including drinks. Here's my list:

Actually, we were the only ones surprised by the party, and it wasn't in our honor, so in the grand scheme of things the surprise only mattered to us.

This Sunday morning saw Jennifer and I having a lazy morning. The weather was beautiful and clear. We had been out rather late last night so it was nice to take things easy. Sundays are very quiet days here, with most shops closed and few people on the street. All of a sudden the tranquility was rudely interrupted by a sound that is very unusual here, but somewhat familiar. Even though it had been a while since we've heard it, it only took a second to place it because it was a regular, daily sound in Fort Worth. Sirens! Lots of them and very nearby.

Sunsets are pretty sacred for Chuck and me. We drop everything we are doing, grab a cold Pacifico, and go onto the upstairs terrace and enjoy a cool ocean breeze and the show. And the show is usually quite spectacular. Sometimes the sky is a riot of blues, greens, purples, oranges, yellows, reds and pinks, with the sun a fiery magenta disk in the middle. Other times, the sky is tranquil, and the yellow sun simply drops behind the sea.

It's 5 am. Its 5 am, and I'm awake. Its 5 am, and I am awake and upstairs and writing. We moved to paradise, the land of no schedules, no alarm clocks, and I'm up, alone, in the dark, writing. What's wrong with this picture? Its the bed. I hate it. Actually, we have two. I hate them both.