April 12 ~ Everyone Arrives & Welcome Dinner

This is Easter and I'm up with the sunrise - excited - my Women's Mexico Retreat begins this evening!! Damaris and I leisurely discuss and go over our curriculum, filling in any holes and answering last minute questions we may have for one another. All feels like it's in order.

Around noon I take a break and enjoy a swim and some sun, soon everyone would be arriving and the "Welcome Dinner" will be in the making. I've finally gotten hold of Maria, our caterer, and she sounds concerned, stuck in traffic. Both Damaris and I sit in waiting, she reading, me, catching up on my journal. I love how all concerns disappear when I take to my journal pages.

Our agreed to time of arrival for Maria of 3pm, comes and passes. Finally around 4pm she and her assistant arrive and bustle into the kitchen, preparing our meal. I continue writing in my journal, but I'm keenly aware of the heavenly, varied smells that have begun filling the air. Maria is making everything from scratch. I recognize the aroma of roasting chilies, which she peels. All in the making of the 3 salsas to go with our chips and guacamole. My eyes sting slightly, while mouth waters in anticipation. Maria is at home in the kitchen!

I start paying closer attention to my watch, realizing the remaining two participants are arriving any moment. Damaris travels over to the participants condo with the extra key to let in Bonnie. When we find Bonnie, she lets us know Lena, who is staying in a small, private studio condo, is being guided to her lodging by our trusty Real Estate gentleman.

Everyone converges just after 5pm and Maria begins serving the appetizers. The salsas are fresh, distinctive and marvelous. To freshen our palette, we are served fresh Horchada and then , move into the large table. Maria continues to garner rave reviews for our dinner of Chile Rellenos, Chicken Enchiladas, Black Beans and Salad. By dinner's end we are cozy with conversation and stuffed food. All of us request an opportunity to take a full moon walk down to the beach before we have room for dessert.

For dessert, we sit at the outdoor patio table and savor the lime pie/cake with luscious wafers floating thru the soft layers. Damaris and I have planned the introduction to the Native American "Talking Stick" in preparation to creating our very own Retreat's Talking Stick to be used each evening when one of us will talk briefly in response to the question, "How has personal growth effected your creative process". Each of us has brought with us a small item, representing what feeling or value we'd like to bring to the gathering. It's comical, all of us attempting to use the wax gun but, finally we're done. This first evening, I chose to share, breaking the ice for being honest, intimate and trusting. After my share, comments are relative and understanding. We are beginning to weave a lovely tapestry together.

Finally, we deliver all ladies to their comfy nests, and Damaris and I return to quietly retire to our comfortable condo. I'm pleased to see the relationships of loving, kind women feeling at ease and playful in this very special retreat. Sweet gratitude lullabies me to sleep.