My Angels - Blessing in Disguise

About a week before the BIG EVENT, I turned into a serious nail bitter. Just on one finger, my thumb. I was so nervous anticipating what was coming. Everyone said, "you have to get a guard!" I didn't want someone hanging around my house for a week and that expense! As always, I had faith that it would all be o.k. and kept biting my thumbnail, worrying about the what ifs.

The first day, Saturday, of the 2009 ISA Billabong World Surfing Games, they poured into Hermosa in droves. They had designated "PARQUEO" right next to the location of the event but everyone chose to park off the side of the road and down little dirt roads. My front filled up with cars first with everyone blocking each other in and stacked on top of one another. When it rains, I have a big sippy hole in the front (a sippy hole is what is created when you mix mud with water). Luckily, it didn't rain that first day and everything worked out. I was trying to get "the powers that be" to block off that area with tape and barrels like they did in other areas. No response. Sunday, the parking guys from San Jose show up. I wasn't to thrilled about THAT!! I still went out there to meet them and offer them coffee. I watched at a distance and they were doing an amazing job of keeping the traffic moving and getting cars in and out. I was impressed. The police didn't show up until later on Sunday when things got a little hairy with the mass exodus. By Tuesday, they were my best buds and I had a steady job of keeping the four of them in coffee, tea, ice, chairs, umbrellas, black plastic for rain, the garden hose to wash off beach sand for their clients and I even made PARQUEO name tags with their photo on it for I.D. purpose. They had claimed the whole front as their territory for the week long event.


What a week it was! Rains came, people got stuck in the "sippy holes", it was maddening at times but these guys kept everything under control. They even kept the trash picked up during the week. By the finals the following Friday and Saturday, I was feeling pretty blessed to have these guys here. The police did finally come the day before the finals when ALL OF CR (it seems) was here. They told the guys they had to leave. It really bothered me that they had worked so hard and was going to mi$$ out on the last days of the competition but, hey, pura vida, they had made money already. Turns out, they had done such a fabulous job, the police let them stay until the very last,,, till late Saturday night for the big concert. I feel so fortunate that everything worked out like it did. This was PEAK TIME for robberies and such. I felt my guardians angels really looked after me this time by sending me these great guys!! They gave me a huge tip, too!!
Thank YOU!!
If these guys show up at your house to park cars or you see them parking cars at another event, I recommend them highly,,, and please tell them, Macha says HOLA!!