Is it really only week 2? Maybe a bit more 3ish, but time has a new meaning here and even with a watch, it’s hard to tell. Some things go quickly, like watching a cloud slide down the mountain in seconds, while waiting in line at the little market can take long enough to memorize an entire aisle of unfamiliar brands of foods I may or may not try. There is a timing here that is very relaxed and unhurried, yet you wouldn’t know it from the erratic driving of local drivers.
Our days have fallen into a rhythm of a little work each day and lots of time to digest the effects of said work. The little casita had a leak, so we took all the ceiling sheetrock down to find where the water was coming in. Dennis is trying to avoid a new roof, but we trekked into David anyway to visit the construction supply stores. We have been regulars, like most of the other expats, at Do-It Center, but decided to go to a local store, Hofsa, frequented by the local folks of the area. Better prices and more choices. We checked on roofing and ceiling materials and will make a decision soon as to whether or not we can do this on our own. Labor is inexpensive and Dennis needs a helper, as I am somewhat of a bust when it comes to the heavy lifting and climbing of very tall ladders. We have lined up a guy named Hechol to help him if we go that way.
Tearing all the sheetrock down left us with a pretty good size pile on the patio, along with branches we have trimmed around the place, so a phone call to Leopoldo got us a truck and workers (Dario and Ullyses) to haul it away and, as a bonus, the workers hauled an old mattress and some over stuffed chairs away for donation to the Indios in the area. Yipee! Bye bye mess.
We have a gardener now. His name is Alfonso, and looks to be around 70 years old. He lives down the road from us with his younger wife and children. He is very patient with our limited Spanish (he speaks no English at all) and we are so grateful for his knowledge and expertise of the plants in the area. He worked for 6 hours and will come back this week sometime to finish some trimming. Things grow very quickly in the tropics and I am hoping Alfonso will agree to become a regular around here. I want to get a vegetable garden in and plant some bushes and build a great little herb tower I saw on Pinterest.
Still no internet at the house, but we signed up to have it installed sometime this week. The library has free internet, but it is sporadic at best, and we found a good alternative. At Amigos, a local hangout, they have free wifi (muy rapido) and you can have a glass of wine to boot. Way better than the library in my book (no pun intended) ***UPDATE: Internet installed today. Yay! ( Although I will miss the wine with my wifi.)
We’re having a lot of fun finding new stores and each day is a treasure hunt to find what we need. It’s amazing how little we really need.
Today was the monthly flea market and we drove over to Porterillos to check it out. Friends Jim and Leisa joined us and introduced us to more people who have moved into the area. I didn’t find anything I needed, but met a fellow from Seattle who has just moved here with his wife. He is a chiropractor and she is a yoga teacher. (Choirs are singing halleluliah.) We chatted a bit, and lo and behold, he knows a surfer friend of ours from Santa Fe in Veraguas and we immediately had a wonderful connection. We talked of a study/meditation group and finding some like minded folks interested in getting together. I had put this out to the universe and she lovingly replied with perfect timing. We gave Bruce a ride home, made a quick stop at the Canasta Basica, our neighborhood market, bought some eggs and coffee beans, and the friendship was sealed. I AM OPEN TO NEW EXPERIENCES.
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