Deep freeze

Wrapped any exposed pipes with foam, stuffed shopping bags in the nooks between the garage door where the cold air comes in. Sometimes I wish we had good solid garage doors but when so many other things need tending to in the house those are things you put on a back burner. We deal with best way we can. I dont like putting the heater down there but it is a balmy 40 degrees and I drip the pipes as soon as it hits 20 outside. Living in Athens GA in an older house taught me well about frozen pipes.

Malcolm wrote a note from Costa Rica, he went zip lining and loved it, says best he has ever seen. A few hours later he called from Boom Road in Belize near Dad's farm.

Back in the 60's my brother and I spent our summers there. He wanted to know the address but in those days when my brother and I spent our summers dad had mail go to a PO Box in town, Boom Rd was not even paved back in the days we didnt even have electricity. Dad would drive us into town once a week to pick up the mail, buy big blocks of ice for the vintage ice box, the water we had came from a rain water tank. It was culture shock for us flying down from NYC every summer but we loved it.

This is where I learned how to drive, first in dad's Anglia and later in his Land Rover, but for the life of me I cant remember how to drive stick.

Dad took us on camping trips to the recently - then - discovered Mayan pyramids; Machu Pichu, Chichen Itza, Altun HaThe latter our favorite because it was closest to the farm in Belize and dad would take us swimming at water falls in the jungle. No one else there but us.

When Malcolm asked me for the address I couldn't remember it, just that it was about half way from the beginning of Boom Road to the airport. Mal tells me they have a pretty cool Zoo now and he was on his way with a tour of cruise guests.

Back in the 60s baby tigers, leopards, monkeys...were poached and sold to people as pets. Thank goodness that is no longer allowed.

I bet there are some incredible fruit trees where Dad's property was located, he planted all sorts of avocado and various other fruit trees. I remember the jalapeno and habanero plants as well. We knew better not to touch those.

We still have relatives living there, a great aunt we call Nessie. That side of the family has no idea what happened to Mal last spring.

So in these freezing days it was good to get such a warm call from my son.