THE MAID, THE PAINTING, AND ME

Philodendron
all rights reserved
by Judy Westergard
Watercolor on Fabriano 300# hot press
5" x 5"

My husband and I returned recently from 11 days in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. We suspected a great trip when our 1/3 full Delta flight afforded us a change from row 43 to the bulkhead. (Gotta love that extra leg room.) Our pre-arranged driver met us promptly at the Cancun airport with a brand new Peugeot van. (Gotta love a clean new car.) When we arrived at our condo, Dive Aventuras, which manages the condos there, upgraded us from the small one bedroom/one bath unit we’d rented to a three bedroom/four bath condo. (Gotta love a place that’s larger than our house.) Maid service was included regardless of which unit we were in. We unpacked and headed for a walk around the small village to see dolphins, yachts, and one gorgeous ocean view. Day 2--I pinched a couple of plants from one of the myriad and lush gardens that surround the area and readied them for a small water color. Got the lighting just right. Paper was prepped. Paints and brushes were laid out. The basics were blocked in. I was excited and ready to dive in for real when the maid came. No problem, I thought. I’ll leave this for tomorrow. The light will be the same 24 hours from now so, per custom, we left for a walk while she took care of her duties. We returned to sparkling patio windows, a shining shower, and the one water glass we'd used washed and put away. But my painting? my paints? the brushes? All closed up and carefully replaced in the kitchen. And the plant? There it was in a glass of water, no longer in its just-so, eye-level arrangement. Significant Other and I laughed hard when we saw the unit, sans still life but once again looking like a potential photo shoot for "Better Homes and Gardens." But I really cracked up when I relayed this story to good friend Roz: “OMG! A maid with OCD...now that’s my idea of heaven!”
Puerto Aventuras addendum:
For the hands-down, Olympics gold-caliber brownie, it's Cafe Cafe. That, along with a cup of their Illy cappuccino, enjoyed on their patio under their cheery red umbrellas, will be the perfect start -- or end, or middle -- to your day. What the heck; why not three times a day? Chocolate prevents dental caries; make your next check-up a great one!
There are lots of fun shops in the area, but my favorite was Flamingos Crossing. Recently opened by a woman from Boston, this airy, friendly place held just the right collection of great looking summer wear that would look just as good in the upper Midwest as it did on the Mexican Caribbean. Looking for a good "how I reinvented my life" story? Ask her about her reasons for moving from Boston to P.A.
Significant Other and I aren't divers but our daughter and son-in-law are. They've been down there many times and speak highly of Dive Aventuras. "Great dive shop, great diving area." Their under-water photos are so good that I'm tempted to try a test dive myself when we return next year, and return we will.