BajaBlanca - 2-21-2015 at 04:22 PM
Today was one of those wonderful days that will be ever etched in my mind - first of all, the 7th graders asked if they could go on a cleanup so we
scheduled it for today - Saturday. They wanted 10am but it is really far too hot at that time, so I set it up for 8 am - at the western union office
with a party afterwards at Ana Fischer's house. She lives pretty close to the gathering spot, so I took over table, she provided a tablecloth, my
friends Alba and Minerva provided 2 gallons of water and the cake, I brought the bags for trash (small ones and the donated big ones from Canada)
which were brought by Bruce and another Canadian group. I also brought milk because it does a body good (and that was one of the mini lessons today
- how important milk is for bones, that it has calcium).
On my way to the cleanup, I stopped by the B&B to say hi to our guests and Jeff pipes up "Blanca, can I go with you to the cleanup?"
Why sure, I answer. And they three of them say they will meet me there at 8. So, I look Les in the eye and say " Amore, if you want to join us, I
will do the breakfast dishes for you!"
He laughed and I wasn't sure if he would come or not but he did!
Here we are at the onset:
Here are the girls who cleaned up the whole arroyo behind them:
Yours truly as happy as can be!
Greg, Bruce and Jeff put off fishing to help with the clean up - they are pretty cool dudes in my book! Like I told them, I want the kids to see that
everyone - adults and kids alike - are responsible for the Earth.
Here is Greg doing his part:
I like doing before and after pics - and we separated into small groups - these boys and I cleaned up the natural barrier tree area:
After an hour of cleaning, the big boys went fishing, the little kids and ladies went eating!!!!!
and the proof that the boys went fishing is that Jeff donated one fish he caught off the shore to the high school janitor of the school (whose son is
my middle school student)
Panchito's wife with lunch:
We had a wonderful day and I can honestly say that LA BOCANA is like night and day. Plastic bags have been banned at the main supermarket and it has
made a huge difference. We collected two construction size bags all together but even two years ago - it would have easily been triple that number.
and there was a downer today although I guess one has to look at the positive side (no more pain for a dog):
As I deliver the fish to Panchito's family, I notice that they have a dog on a chain.....and I ask if it bites since it is a bulldog. Since they said
no, I went to pet it and noticed that the chain was far too heavy for his neck and it had rubbed it raw.
No one sells dog collars here so the solution was to run home and get Rex's (he said it was for a good cause and gave it up with hardly a struggle).
Then I went back with some Neosporin and Rex's beautiful leather collar and put it on the dog. He got so calm as I rubbed the Neosporin on ... it
has a slight numbing effect and I think the relief was immediate. The dad was not there but I educated the family - the son is now on a mission to
walk the dog every day - he is to wash the dog once a month and most importantly, to never chain the neck with such a heavy chain again....no pics of
this nightmare. It is over 
)))
And
for next Saturday I had a brainstorm that may or may not work - I am going to send out special invites to the 7th grade families to come and clean up
as a family. The after party will then be at the B&B.
We shall have to see if it flies!
