Two weeks after the hurricane and we are still in the thick of cleaning up. Greg and I have washed most of our bigger windows and our sliding glass doors. The yard is looking pretty darn good, considering. My German shepherd and I walk the beach in the morning. I throw the ball for her and she is in absolute heaven. We allow the ocean to charge right up to us and we run and splash together. The sun is out in full force and the blue of the ocean has replaced the brown guck that it was after the storm.

Something close to a miracle has happened in Todos Santos. I saw it a few days after the storm and it was an unbelievable mess of organic matter, like plants and trees, littering the streets and houses. Other debris was heaped here and there. Most of the palapa roofs were a mess beyond repair or completely gone. Houses and cars were smashed by falling trees. But two weeks later it looks like a nice little town again. People are starting to sit together on their porches again and the little park in town is alive with children and parents.

It is my hope Todos will regain its charm and its lure. Those who desire a luxurious vacation may decide to go elsewhere. But for those who have always loved Todos Santos, I think there is still enough of it to love. The Hotel California and La Casa Toda, for example, are ready for business as usual. For the shop owners and the people who work in them, I am hopeful. On a selfish level I wouldn’t mind it being a bit more quiet this coming “high season”—November-April. But I have a feeling the Mexicanos will move on with a shrug and a smile. A hardy people, the natives of this area.

Restaurants are opening up again, now that the government has provided the town with power. It is impressive to see how much has been done in such a short time. Some dear friends of ours are taking us out to my favorite restaurant, La Casita, in TS tomorrow night to have an early celebration for my birthday. True to form, we continue to see life as something to celebrate. It makes my heart sing to see the happy faces of my neighbors in light of all they’ve been through.

My friend, Stephanie, came over a couple days ago and we took some time to just sit and visit. It was the nicest afternoon I’ve had in a long time. The sweet view from my outdoor living area is my (healing) cactus and palm trees and just beyond is the ocean. The waves keep pounding on the shore. The birds are back in the cactus and the trees and believe me, they have plenty to eat. It is unbelievable how many insects there are. I’m overwhelmed with the numbers.

We went over to our neighbors’ house for a pot luck dinner Firday night in honor of one of our young friend’s 42nd birthday. There were seven adults and two children enjoying the evening together—sharing stories of our experience during and after the storm. Laughing and commiserating with one another, we begin to get back to normal. When it was time for blueberry cobbler, we all sang Happy Birthday to Marc, and it reminded me of what is really important: sharing with others—marking special occasions and moving on with our lives.

The Mexicans here have a saying: Vive la paz—Live the peace. We can make our own peace, can’t we? We can do it together. Find joy in little things and share our talents and our strengths with others who are important to us. Let’s keep our loved ones close in our hearts. Let’s live the peace.