STILL HERE STILL GOOD

 Well friends, my apologies for the long lag from our last post. It's not that anything drastic has happened but mostly I just got lazy and the time flew by. Herein lies one of the things you have to get used to in Ecuador: the weather never changes drastically from one day to the next. Whereas we Canadians tend to mark life's significant  moments by their proximity to major weather events... "Remember the big snowfall of '08?!" Here, in Ecuador, the weather is pretty much the same year round. In the almost two years we have been here the only thing we have remarked on, weather wise, is that it seems a little cooler and wetter in July and August. Since we have no central heating or air conditioning, it is notable that a sweater is sometimes necessary during the evenings in those months. And if it gets really bitter, maybe an extra blanket. Hardship indeed! As a consequence, months can go by as one day blends into the next. Before you know it a year has flown by. Luckily though, since we are in the valley of longevity, I am actually younger than I was last year. Shades of Shangri-La. If I go back to Canada now I will probably age twenty years as I step off the plane. I even began to feel guilty about posting my "Another lovely day in Loja" pictures on Facebook. I shudder to think I might be becoming a better person in my old age...?  Nah!  There is a secondary reason for that as well of course. We love the fact that there are so few expats in Loja that we are required to speak Spanish every day. As we see America sliding more and more into anger and chaos every day, the idea that hordes of them might suddenly come to their collective senses and decide to move here is a prospect we don't even want to entertain. So we are trying to keep quiet about how much we enjoying ourselves. You can help us out by telling people you know, that you've heard horrible things about life in Ecuador and you know a couple of people who live there who are suffering badly. Thanks for that. Of course, you, yourself are more than welcome to join us. Just sssssshh!

So now that the Covid thing seems to under control here, for the time being, with zero cases in the hospital, things are feeling more normal. Sharon is getting out hiking once or twice a week and is going to start teaching yoga classes at her old gym next week. Luckily for me the question, "Do you want to come hiking with me?" has not, as yet, crossed her lips. I do keep a secret calendar hidden away and surprisingly I always seem to have things to do on her hiking days. This sometimes requires a bit of quick thinking and invention on my part. After all, clipping the dogs nails or getting a haircut, are excuses that are only good once a month. And overuse could result in baldness! But this is South America, and, in a pinch, claiming a touch of upset stomach "from something I ate" will usually get me off the hook. I dread the day when Covid is over and I can no longer claim I have to stay home because I am so old that a case of Covid in Argentina I read about is a threat to my fragile health. Any new suggestions that will keep me sitting at home on my boney butt will be gratefully accepted.

Admit it, you would much rather see this picture of a gorgeous happy young woman doing what she loves, than one of a wizened curmudgeon,  obviously making everyone around him miserable with his constant complaining about having to trudge up  another hill that looks exactly like the last four he just climbed. I rest my case.

Next month is the big arts festival here, with music, street performers, bands, concerts et al, for two solid weeks. Performers and artists are coming from all over South America. Everyone here is looking forward to it, especially after being locked up for so long. Now that I will get off my backside for, and I will post at length about all the goings on. A good reason for you to come back soon and visit the blog, knowing that there might actually be something interesting to see for a change. So, thanks for coming by, it was a pleasure to see you again, but I'm afraid I have to go now. The cat's claws need trimming.

A New Reality

       

    We were at a dinner with some friends the other night to welcome a couple who had just arrived from the States and were busy setting up their new apartment here in Loja. As the evening progressed and I listened to everyone talking about where they had come from, and how they were enjoying their new life here in Ecuador, I was struck by my own lack of perception or introspection about what was going on in our lives.

   The pandemic has turned everything on it’s head for everyone, but it has been particularly jarring for us I think. At least for me. Our journey here was never supposed to be leaving home forever. It was simply a new adventure, and it has definitely been that, but not in the way I expected. When we left Canada it was to continue our exploration of different cultures and different places maybe for one last time before, as I put it at the time, “I have to start wearing a diaper.” I have to admit that not a lot of introspection went into what the ultimate goals were, or how long this latest adventure was going to last. Were we going to be out here until Sharon had to dig a hole for me somewhere? Or were we going to go back to the frozen North when we decided we had had enough. Those discussions never happened. And sitting at dinner the other evening I suddenly realized that, whether I liked it or not, circumstances have made a lot of choices for us while we weren’t looking. While we were just trying to avoid Covid, a lot of other things were changing for us as well.

   Firstly, it has become fairly evident that our “home and native land” is rapidly becoming a place we can no longer afford, even if we decided we wanted to go back. Being debt free in comfortable surroundings has become addictive. Oh I can hear you, and I am well aware that my profligate ways in my misspent youth are the direct cause of the four digit bank balance I now enjoy, and not the seven or eight digit one I would need to live this way in Canada. Do I regret my youthful choices? No, but had I known that at this point in my life, my options were going to be; Ecuador or an old refrigerator box on the downtown east side in Vancouver, I would have at least paused for a moment before deciding that it was still better to be the grasshopper than the ant. But every day I thank Ecuador for being here to save my sorry …backside.

Secondly, I have become accustomed to predictably decent weather these past 18 months, Having the occasionally gloomy rainy day every few weeks is a giant leap up from the five months of doom that the Vancouver winter provides. The dog used to look at me with his, “please, can we go outside just for a minute!” Now he looks at me with his, “What?!! we’re going walking again?”

But I have to admit that at that dinner the other night it came as a shock to realize that some fairly important decisions had been made by circumstances while I was engaged in my usual hobby of  just looking out the window thinking of nothing. And that means there needs to be a whole re-evaluation of what’s happening here. Turns out we are no longer visiting here, we are home. This is where we live. At least for the foreseeable future. Who knew? Well of course I should have, and, with that in mind, I need to start looking around me with the eyes of a resident and not the fleeting gaze of a tourist. I have travelled all over the world my whole life, but always with the knowledge that I was Canadian and that's where I would eventually turn up my toes. This new reality is a whole different head space to absorb, and some considerable mental adjustment will have to take place over the next little while.  So, you, dear reader, will have to give me a moment to adjust and, when I have digested this new reality, I’ll get back to you. No doubt with some blinding flash of perception that will change your life forever. Until then, just wear the dam mask will you. At least then I'll have someone to share emails with!

 

A Night Out

 I am sure there are a few of you out there that think we are living in the wilds of some far off place where the food is strange and the people are threatening and foreboding. You have pictures in your mind of us driving in rickety old vehicles as we pass donkeys in the dirt streets and llamas gaze down on us from the mountainous hillsides, tended by their brightly attired shepherds. And guess what, you are right! It is exactly like that! 

But occasionally we put on our 'Go-to town clothes' and head out for some entertainment . With that in mind I thought I would show you that we have indeed got a bit of civilization here and are having a fine old time, thank you very much. Here are some scenes from a recent night out.   

This is the new theatre in Loja where most of the large musical events are held. It's also where the symphony usually plays. And best of all, we have yet to pay for anything! Shows are usually sponsored by the city.

Unfortunately, while you wait you have to constantly put up with poor Gringos bothering you. Somebody really should do something about these unfortunate souls. They are becoming a plague!

As is usual at all events of this type, while you wait, there will be a brass band playing and men in traditional costume will dance to Andean music while dangling forty feet in the air above your head. Ho Hum.

                                                                              

    When you are sufficiently bored by all the antics outside you may proceed into the modern theatre with plush seating and more than sufficient leg room, even for a North American giant like myself. Of course everyone is masked (Loja has the best vaccination rate in Ecuador) and then the show can begin. I have put a short clip below from what was a two and a half hour show.                                                                        

 

          So there you have it. I am sure that your care packages will be arriving in the very near future and Sharon and I thank you in advance for your generosity.  We poor wandering wretches in third world countries have many privations to put up with and it is always encouraging when we realize that your thoughts are with us . No prayers please. Until next time.                                                 

We're Back

 

    Well friends, after a long break, we are back to regale you with more fantastic adventures from distant Ecuador!  Oh how I wish that was true, at least the adventure part. Actually we are recovering from a computer crash which, at my age , is not dissimilar to being flung into the stone age again. Or suddenly finding yourself on another planet. My knowledge of computers is confined to, press this button to start, and then keep pressing random buttons until something you like happens. When I talk to people who understand computers they just shake their heads in wonderment. How I got this far is a mystery to them, and to me when it comes to that. At any rate we seem to be up and going again even though now I have to log into this blog through my phone and understanding my phone as well has added another layer of impenetrable mental fog to the whole process. One of these days I will just throw the whole lot out the window and, mercifully, you will never hear from me again.

   So, to recap the last month, .................................................. and here we are! I joke of course. The dots represent what, at my age, I remember of the last month. Sharon of course, continues to go out and make new friends whom I can only assume she doesn't really like much, because she brings them home and then tortures them by forcing them to converse with the grizzled hermit in the corner. During that time she has also managed to get her first covid 19 shot and is due to get her second shot this week. Then two more weeks after that we can relax, a bit. At least I can quit worrying that she is going to die and wondering who will feed me! Because, as you have probably already guessed, it is all about me. We might soon be able to get out and about a bit more and finally start enjoying Ecuador . Of course it is winter here now so the weather is a bit less than its normal fabulous. Now it's just fine, bordering on great! Another jest, but just to show you how we are becoming acclimatized, I was "A Bit Chilly" the other day! And today I am wearing a t-shirt AND a shirt! In July and August the daytime temperature is a bone chilling 17-18 Celsius, as opposed to 21-22, and the night time temperature is around 13-14 as opposed to 16 to 17. (If you are American and are confused by those numbers, please think about joining the rest of the world.) As you can imagine, huge variations in temperatures like that can be very trying on the system, especially for someone as delicate and fragile as myself. But, growing up in the Yukon, I learned to handle such extremes in temperatures. It also rains a bit more here during these two months, and, for that, my severe weather training  experiencing the daily drenching in BC comes in handy. What I am trying to say is, please don't feel sorry for us, we are coping as best we can and no doubt we will survive.

   The new additions to our family continue to grow apace and are a constant source of joy and amusement as they chase each other around the apartment destroying

everything we hold dear. They are a never ending lesson in not getting to attached to "Things". Everything breakable that we cherish is now hanging from the ceilings! I'm sure they will calm down one day but in the meantime, just when you get really angry, they do something wildly cute and postpone their demise for another day or two.

   On the political front, Ecuador seems to be managing the whole Covid thing better than most of the other South American countries. Watching the news from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru is a lesson in how lucky we got ending up where we are. Things have not fully opened up of course but, after starting with the half dead like myself, the government is now vaccinating people 30 years old, and getting younger every week. Life seems to be getting back to some small semblance of normal. They have even started to have the occasional concert and art exhibition which is heartening. One side affect of all of all this stay at home business is my current inability to make decisions. For 18 months all I've done is walk the dog. Otherwise I've been inside. The other night we went to someone else's apartment for dinner and I had to converse with people other than Sharon for several hours! I was so traumatized I took to my bed and slept for three days! Sharon held my hand and told me it would get easier, but I'm not sure I believe her! She's always making me do things that frighten me! But I guess that's why we are here, and not broke and living in a cardboard box in Vancouver.  (For you Pythonites..."Cardboard box!? Luxury!!!")

   These are pictures from a friends balcony as we have our first barbeque in Ecuador. This is a traditional handmade earthenware BBQ and, of course, Sharon is determined we must have one. If you come to visit I promise to burn some meat for you! In the traditional way of course! Which makes all the difference.

   

   The picture at the top of this post is of a restaurant we went to with these same friends that is part of a trout farm just outside of town. Had a wonderful meal of fresh trout and a lovely evening watching the sun set over Loja. Drinks and dinner for two, $15! Then, on the way home, their car lost it's headlights and we spent half an hour driving down narrow dirt roads, in the mountains, in the pitch black. People, dogs, and donkeys kept looming out of the darkness every few minutes. Thoughts of plunging over the edge and not being found for months kept crossing my mind. Why is everything always an adventure with us?

So, as you can see, our life continues to be completely untethered to reality. Hopefully, now that it appears I have conquered technology one more time, we will be back blogging on a more regular basis. Whether that is a cause for celebration, only you can decide. So, from us to you, as the English would say, "Keep your pecker up".

This is a test post. Our computer crashed and we have been having trouble getting up and running again. Sorry for the delay but if you can see this things may be fixed! Enjoy the picture of our new kittens.

Advice- Part three

 I had originally thought I would do a two part thing on advice about moving to Ecuador and how certain things are different here. But a couple of other things came up that I thought people contemplating a move to Ecuador should be aware of so I decided to do a part three.

If you are deciding whether to move to Ecuador you will be wondering if you should buy or rent a place in your new country. The surprising answer is ... don't do either! "But what do I do?" I hear you asking. "Do I live in a tent in the woods? How can I not rent or buy?" I hear you, and here are the answers. In terms of buying, houses etc. are very cheap here compared to what you are used to in North America. We're from Vancouver and what we would pay a million, two hundred thousand for in Canada, can be had here for ten percent of that. BUT, things do not turn over quickly here and if for some reason you are not satisfied after you have moved in to your new house, it may take you many months or even years to sell. No quick flippers in Ecuador. Why wouldn't you be satisfied with your purchase you ask? Well, some things only become evident here after you have moved in. Barking dogs for instance. Lots of people here have dogs but they are not treated like they are at home. A lot of them spend their lives on the roof and never get out to walk etc. Currently we live in an apartment with two dogs in two houses across the street.  In one house the dog on the roof barks on and off all day long, in the other, whenever the owners go out for the evening the dog is in a tiny patio in the back and barks constantly until they come home. And I mean constantly, without letup. If they go out at 6pm and return at 10pm that means the dog barks non stop for four hours. And no one seems to care! Get used to it, or move. And what if that cute church on the corner rings its bell every hour starting at five in the morning? Or the park across the street has fireworks every Friday night? Believe me, fireworks are very popular here, for any occasion. Hundreds of people might be standing across the street from your new house every weekend while explosions go off over your head. It's things like this that you need to be aware of before you rent or buy.

Our apartment building in the center  With apartments, as I mentioned in one of our first posts, you will find that most are rented unfurnished, and here that means no appliances. So after renting your lovely apartment you will have to shop for stoves and fridges etc., all of which are very expensive due to the import duties charged. But you decide to bite the bullet, buy your stuff, settle in, and then the barking starts!  Or you find that there is a weekend disco across the street that you never knew about because there is no sign, and you were only here during the day. So, reluctantly, you decide you have to move. But you put down a four month deposit! And then you discover your new appliances don't fit your replacement apartment! Good luck selling your new/used appliances. If you're lucky you will get 30 percent of what you paid. Remember the bargaining I mentioned in our last post? Try bargaining with a used appliance dealer! On a good day he'll have you leaving the shop feeling grateful that he gave you 10 percent of the new value and didn't want your watch in the bargain. Next you  have a giant fight with your ex landlord to try and get your deposit back. How's your Spanish? And I will warn you that the avenues open to you here to try and fight a dispute with a landlord are severely limited. These are only a few of the draw backs you will face when buying or renting in Ecuador. Which does not mean you shouldn't do either, it just means you should be much more cautious before you take the plunge. And finally, remember, you have six months after receiving your residency permit to bring in your personal effects duty free. After that you will be charged.                      

Our Air BnB

So what do you do instead? I highly recommend Air BnB. With Air BnB you will get a fully furnished apartment, including linens and cookware, that comes with recommendations, and no deposit required.  Granted it will cost considerably more in the short term but you will know what you are getting, and you are now free to scope out the city of your choice to discover the downside of any prospective rentals or purchases you might be considering, before you plop you money down and find yourself in something you hate, with no way out. When you find something you like, take a few days to visit at different times so you can see the activity. Very seldom is it a "I have to grab it or it will be gone! " situation here. Take your time, there's lots available. And never, never, sign a lease without having a lawyer look it over!

So now that I have given you a scare, let me temper that with some good news.

Have you looked at your bank statement lately? Enjoying the .05% interest rate you are receiving on your savings? Well, what if I were to tell you that here, you can get anywhere from 7-9%? Guaranteed by the government. Yes, go back and read that again: 7 to 9 percent. Most of the big banks and co-ops here will sell you CD's at somewhere between 7-9% interest depending on the term. There are some conditions of course, when are there not? The government guarantee is for up to $32,000 US, per person!! So you, your spouse and your two kids could be getting 7%  on a total of $128,000 US. Be sure to ask, because some CD's are not guaranteed. Some of the banks will require you to be at least a temporary resident but others will give that rate to anyone, provided it is a maximum of 32 thousand per person. Feel like gambling? They will sell you more but it is not guaranteed. On your head be it.

So those are my cautionary tales for the day. Nothing that should scare you from moving here but just another example of how things are different and that there is no downside that can't be overcome with a bit of sweat equity put into research, research, research. Then, as you sit on your patio in a T-shirt watching the news from home regarding the latest blizzard, you'll realize it was worth it.

See you when you get here! 

                      Me and Dylan heading out to look for the next Blog post idea

Advice -Part two

  I promised a Part Two which unfortunately means I have to provide one. Here it is. Enjoy.

   Understand one thing when you come to Ecuador, there is such a thing as the Gringo Price. On a lot of things. But understand another thing. You can bargain. Everywhere! Even the big box department stores will bargain. But you have to ask. More on that in a moment. Lets get back to the Gringo Price. 

When you go in to buy something here, the proprietor will quickly size you up and ask for whatever he thinks you might accept depending on his estimation of what he thinks you can pay. As a gringo it is just assumed you have money. Get used to it. Cry poverty all you want. In reality, even if you are as poor as a church mouse, I'll bet you live in a house or apartment with a bed for everyone and I'll bet you have money in the bank. So already you are better off than at least twenty five percent of the people here. Which doesn't mean you should have to pay more for everything, it just means the vendor is going to try to get a bit more from you than from someone that he knows is still cooking over an open fire in their house. And if he does get a bit more from you he can afford to get a bit less from that other person and, at the end of the day, still pay his bills.  So the question becomes, what are you going to do about it? You have three options; get mad, pout or bargain. We already covered option one previously. Option two is surprisingly ineffective. Which leaves, bargaining!

   Now sometimes it's just not worth it. If the going rate at the market for a dozen bananas is one dollar and you get asked for a dollar twenty five, is it worth it to bargain for twenty five cents? Personally, I don't think so. Pay and forget it, or don't shop there next time. However, if I get asked for a dollar fifty, I feel like I'm being taken advantage of and I will start the

process. Which means of course that you need to do some research. Shop a bit. See what other people are paying before you buy. And guess what, hanging around the market is FUN! Remember what I said last time about asking questions? People, no matter how or where they live, are proud, and are pleased to answer questions from someone who is genuinely curious to know and understand their culture. You will certainly see things you don't recognize and if you inquire about what they are and how to prepare them, people are more than happy to explain. And free samples are always proffered. Next time you come back you are suddenly bargaining with a smiling friend and no doubt you will get the local price. You can still bargain but now you are bargaining with a smile on your face. You are in on the game and not a sucker being taken advantage of. Practice your disappointed face. Whip it out when the price is mentioned. In the beginning it takes a bit of time but eventually when you go to the market you are spending time with friends rather than in a soulless, shrink-wrapped supermarket. And, because I know you have fully absorbed the lessons in part one, you are not rushing from one meeting to the next appointment so you can enjoy yourself.

   But what about the big box store I hear you ask? What if I'm buying a TV for instance? An aside here. Bring your heart medication with you if you are buying anything with a plug. There are no bargains here for those items compared to North America. The customs duties on items like this are heavy compared to the US and Canada, you will pay more. A lot more! But because the amounts are bigger it is even more important to shave some off if you can. 

   

   So bargain hard, having done your research of course. And don't be afraid to walk out. With a smile remember, you may be coming back if you can't do better elsewhere. Don't worry, if you left on good terms, even if you didn't buy, you will be welcomed back. Actually the owner will be very happy to see you because he knows the ropes. He knows you went looking and couldn't find a lower price so now you are back.  He'll probably throw in something to make you feel better now that he is clearly the winner. You will recognize when you have reached the final price, believe me. More than you want to pay? Well, you watch too much TV anyway!

   So now we move on to two other things which you will notice immediately when you  arrive in Ecuador. The first is how much smaller personal space is here. On the street you will start thinking people dislike Gringos . They will bump you in crowds and they will be breathing down your neck when you are standing in line for something. Relax, it's just that in public, personal space is not as important here as it is at home. It might be that it seems people will cut in line here without a thought if they can, so maybe people bunch up to stop it. I don't know. Just be aware. It's not you. It's the one thing Covid-19 helped, with the emphasis on social distancing. We will have to see if that carries on. I just mention it here so you won't take it personally.

   The second thing is a flip of the above, if you are older. There is a lot of respect for the elderly here. As a consequence, if you are older or have grey hair, as a general rule you will be immediately be waved to the front of the line. In fact, in many places there will be lines just for the elderly. And you qualify even if you are a Gringo. And believe me I take full advantage! As a result when I go to pay the phone bill or go to the bank, I will be in and out before the other line has even moved. Revel in your geezer-hood my friends, here it has advantages.

So, in conclusion, ask for the discount (sometimes called a "yapa"), bargain like an east coast fishwife, remembering that it's not personal so leave with a smile. And take advantage of those wrinkles, here they are respected. As they should be if you ask me.

Advice, part one

       Well loyal followers, it's been awhile. I have been derelict in my duties to you so I will try to make it up to you today. After all, I know you are all depending on me to provide you with the straight dope on what's happening down here. I thought it might be time for an overview of the little we have learned about living in Ecuador as an expat. So here goes.

    I know I've said this before, but if you are considering coming here and living you are going to have to give up some, or many, of your expectations. If you are thinking you will just live exactly as you are now but with better weather and for less money then you should stay home. Because you will have to adjust. A lot. So give me your hand and I will try to lead you around some of the pot holes you will encounter.

   Here's your first lesson, learn it well. It is crucial to you mental health. Ready? OK.

  Time means nothing here!  Seems an innocuous statement but it will affect every aspect of your life. And unless you accept it as a fact of life, and not something you can do something about, it will drive you crazy and send you home with your tail between your legs. Here's an example. You make an appointment with someone, a tradesman, a dentist, a friend, whatever, and you say you will meet them at a particular place at two pm. You show up at the designated meeting place at one fifty-five and you wait.  And you wait. And wait! Now they may show up at two thirty, at three, or never. What you have failed to realize is that your appointment is only a loose expectation and something more urgent may happen, which might preclude them keeping the appointment, and why wouldn't you understand that . Happens to everyone right? Why would you get upset? Unless you are dying and need urgent surgery, everything can wait until tomorrow, or the next day. It will happen, just not necessarily on your time schedule. And believe it or not, for you this attitude has some benefits if you take a moment to think about them. For a start if you look at your watch and realize you are going to be late for an appointment, don't sweat it. Relax, just get there when you can. And if you get to your meeting and the other person is not there, call them. They weren't sure YOU were going to be there so they are probably close by and will show up after you call. And if your mother fell out of her rocker and you had to take her to the hospital this morning, the person you were supposed to meet at ten am will be completely understanding when you call at 4pm to explain. After all , life happens right. No need to get your knickers in twist, as the English say. All of this makes the everyday stress level go way down and will, after awhile, make you realize how wound up everyone in North America is. 

   So this brings us to point two that is essential to you maintaining your sanity here. So here it is. No one here wants to say "no", or "I don't know" to you. They will twist themselves in knots to be friendly and

helpful. This can't be a bad thing right? Well... if you ask someone "Can you tell me how to get to get to such and such?" they will say "Of course (por supuesto)," just go straight for two blocks, turn left, go three blocks, turn right, go half a block and you are there". One of two things will happen now. You will get there fine, or you will end up in the river! Why would someone do that I hear you saying. Well, they want to be friendly and helpful. And it might be there, or you might pass it on the way. You will leave happy and by the time you realize that its not there they will be long gone and you will be someone else's problem. And that person will probably have the right answer, so everyone wins!

   There is a solution to the above problem which is an essential part of living in Ecuador, so focus and pay attention. Ready? Here it is. Ask Lots of Questions! Never accept the first answer at face value. Remember, everyone wants you to be happy so bad news is hard to pry loose. If you are talking to a contractor and he says the job will be done Friday, ask questions! What he means is, if the concrete shows up on time, and his lazy ass brother-in-law actually gets back from wherever he has disappeared to, then maybe it will be done a week from next Wednesday. If you ask questions he will grudgingly admit this with a grin and you will have a better idea of what's happening. And don't just walk away and come back a week from Tuesday expecting the job to done, the way you would at home, Call! Regularly! That way you stay on the top of the To Do pile at your contractors home office. Your job will be done, and done well. Just not necessarily on your preferred timetable. And everyone gets to enjoy life and not ruin it with stress trying to juggle too many balls.

   Which brings up another point. NEVER get mad and raise your voice!!! This is a nonconfrontational society. Remember the To Do pile in your contractors office I mentioned above? The quickest way to the bottom of the pile is to raise your voice. And this is true everywhere, stores, Government offices, restaurants, you name it. If you are the angry American (or any nationality) you will get nothing done quicker by raising your voice. Just the opposite. "Who are you again?" On the other hand, a smile and a pleasant attitude will work miracles. And everyone wants to live where people are smiling and pleasant right? Well here they are.

So, those are a few things you should be prepared for when you get to lovely Ecuador. Friendly people who want to help in any way they can but who also remember that life is to be lived and enjoyed, not stressed over every day. And if you need help, believe me, they will be the first to step up. I will have another advice page in a few days . Stay tuned.

Footnote:

As you saw from our last post, we lost Coral after a long battle with diabetes and cancer. After much soul searching the picture below are the two new additions to our family. Say hello to brother and sister,

                                              NICK and NORA

And, in the future, if the blog posts seem a bit disjointed this is why

What Greater Gift is There Than the Warmth and Purr of a Cat?

                     What greater gift is there than the warmth and purr of a cat?

Our foursome has been broken.

Ken, Dylan and I said goodbye to Coral, my precious, longtime furry friend on March 18th.

Coral died of a cancerous tumor, a common occurrence in cats with diabetes as they age. But we made sure she didn't suffer. Her last few weeks were full of attention and  lots of her favourite treats. 

She had a full life. One that was extraordinary for a cat. Her life first started on a sailboat then continued on a trawler. Sailing and cruising around the beautiful gulf islands and the coastline of British Columbia at her leisure. She was almost carried away by an eagle in Barkley Sound. She fell into the water twice but somehow jumped or climbed back aboard, appearing like a drowned rat. (We will never know how she was able to arrive back onto our boat safely.) Her final year was spent in the warm sunny climate of Ecuador after successfully making the five day journey from Vancouver, through Mexican customs into Quito, Ecuador where we all travelled in a mini van for two days to Loja. Wherever we landed, she got out of her carrier, looked around, looked at us, and settled right in. As long as we were together she was happy.

Her lack of presence during these past few weeks has been heartbreakingly difficult especially since we have spent more time together than ever this past year in curfews and lockdowns throughout this pandemic.

                                            Coral's nickname was Beannie.

Beannie was buried with her Canadian beaver toy in a Loja finca under a flowering bougainvillea. She was 15 years old.

We've all either been given the poem 'The Rainbow Bridge' or read it when a beloved pet has passed... perhaps we will meet again on the rainbow bridge.

 

Cabin Fever

 

 I'm sure you are all aware of the term "cabin fever". On the off chance that you are not, think of a lonely prospector in the far north, or a trapper up in the mountains, getting ready for winter. He gets his provisions stored, cuts and stacks the winter's firewood, and as the first snow flies he closes all the windows, fires up his stove and settles back for six or seven months of frozen solitude. 

   At first things are fine. He reads books, cooks, stokes the fire, goes back to his book and then goes to bed. In the morning, possibly he has to break some ice in order to carry some water from the nearby stream for washing and coffee and maybe he (or she!) has to split a few logs for the stove . But after breakfast, basically it's back to his book until dinner and bedtime. And this is the routine day after day, for months. And months. And months! No one to talk to, no one to share a laugh with, no one to argue with except maybe his cat or dog if he's lucky enough to have one. 

   Then one day he has a very interesting conversation with himself, out loud! He broods for days over this, and what he should have said to himself. A few days later he has an argument. With himself! And then another. A week later he throws his dinner against the wall and tells himself that he will no longer put up with the crap that his self is cooking for him. He almost comes to blows with himself, and he threatens to sleep in the other room if things don't improve. After another few days he makes good on his threat and starts sleeping in the second bedroom, in the one room cabin. In the spring his partners discover his frozen body on the porch of his cabin!     Cabin Fever!

   The world is getting cabin fever! I am getting cabin fever! And it hasn't been a few months, it's been a year!! And just when it looked like the cold weather was breaking and spring was around the corner we are told, "get back inside, another blizzard is coming!" I haven't spoken a coherent conversation to anyone except Sharon for months. At least not live. There are zoom calls, but I am now having trouble distinguishing them from the television. Are you people real or am I in The Truman Show? And after sitting inside for a year doing nothing I now have nothing to say. Nothing new has happened to me. Sharon gets out hiking with a few friends regularly but because I am the living embodiment of the 2000 Year Old Man, and have no spleen, I have to be wary of people walking by our apartment building, three floors below! Sharon had to drag me off the balcony the other day when I started shouting at someone a block away who was not wearing a mask. If you saw me early in the morning out walking the dog you would mistake me for The Elephant Man as I scurry through the shadows staying as far away from all those diseased wretches as possible. Sharon keeps looking at me as if she expects me to suddenly shout "HERE'S JOHNNY!"

   So what's my point you ask? Why am I on this strange tirade? The following is an excerpt from my latest inner monologue and is meant for my ears only. You can safely skip it and go on to the conclusion.

   "But I'm so bored, when is this going to end? HEY! Remember when Niles slapped Frasier's face for suggesting they go to a restaurant where they didn't even NEED a reservation. Wake up! No one is asking you to charge over a hill in the face of rifles and artillery. No one is asking you to suit up with three layers of PPE and spend 14 hours on your feet trying to save the life of someone who had to go to work or face starvation. All they are doing is asking you to stay at home and watch another bad movie on your big screen TV. But its been a year and I'm afraid it will never end. HEY! Remember when Cher slapped Nicholas Cage's face and shouted Snap Out of It? Well, SNAP OUT OF IT! This is going to end and you will go out and bask in the freedom and never again take your privilege for granted, I hope. Remember, I know you. You will remember and will exaggerate your sacrifice to anyone who will listen until their eyes roll back in their heads. So buckle up, pull up your socks and get back inside and watch the latest episode of The Rich Housewives of Salt Lake City. You can do it, I know you can."

   What, are you still here? I thought I could hear you snoring. I guess the point of this is, don't give up when the gold, and the goal, is so close. Once again the hospital intensive care is overflowing and the system is stretched to the limit and beyond. Much as we want it to be, this is not over. Take a deep breath and carry on carrying on. If we are not on the front lines of this fight we have only one job. Don't make it harder for those that are. I can do this, WE can do this. The fighting will stop one day. The snow will melt. And when it does and we stumble, bleary eyed, out of our fox holes, and cabins, we want to be able to say  "I love the sound of laughter in the morning".

   And my apologies to all the script writers I twisted and plagiarized!