Saturday August 31, 2013

Saturday August 31, 2013 update #558

Drat!  I woke at 4am and the mind started working overtime.  Finally I quit fighting it and just got up at 6am.  It was a blustery day today, and really chilly, so we bundled up and got some work done.

First I worked on an ambitious agenda for a possible meeting to unite all the Coopera groups.  Frankly I think it is an exercise in futility because the 2 Ecuadorian groups have already shown they desire their independence and don’t seek much input from us expats.  We will see if Trish is capable of luring both groups to a common table to plan some strategy.

Next I had to work on ideas for the Hearts Of Gold Gala in December.  We are having a test meal on Thursday so we hope that flies well because I sure don’t want to start from scratch again.

We both got ready and headed over to Joe’s Secret Garden.   Bella retrieved her umbrella from Wednesday’s birthday party (she loses an umbrella per month I think) while I was busy doing my usual photography business.  I even got paid for a couple of portraits I did for one couple 2 weeks ago.

Before we left, I hauled Joe out of the kitchen and turned him around and the whole room sang him Happy Birthday.   He mentioned that tomorrow is Joseph’s birthday, and I would have started a song for Joseph too but we had our cab waiting to go home.   Maybe someone else did, I don’t know.

That was the day’s excitement.  Cheers, Al   

Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Friday August 30, 2013

Friday August 30, 2013  update #557

I got up early and did my chores while Bella headed off to her charity crocheting and knitting group.  

Then I proceeded to carefully draft an email to all the major players in the 2 Coopera groups outlining many of the problems and asking that we amalgamate and organize properly.  There are too many things kept secret from us, especially the expats.  Everyone keeps talking about organizing but nobody is acting so I took the initiative to get something moving.  So far the only responses are from the very few people that are doing most of the work on the sidelines, those who are up on events and firmly realize the need for organization.  The apathy is truly disheartening.   This situation weighs heavily on my brain and is dragging me down daily.   Waking up angry every day is not the kind of retirement we had hoped for.

The morning was truly spectacular with fabulous cloudless blue skies.  It is days like this that make us thankful to be in Cuenca.  The blah days of July and August seem to be past us and we can feel alive again.

Jim & Cindy Wilkins came over for burgers tonight and we have made plans to go see their new house on Sunday morning.

That was the day’s excitement.  Cheers, Al   

Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Thursday August 29, 2013

Thursday August 29, 2013  update #556

Bella was off to teach Bridge today and is impressed with her crop of students, not one has dropped out yet…  One of her students at the party last night also commented on how good she is at teaching.  Way to go Bella!

I did my usual thing and tried to figure out some local news, some from Twitter.  Google Translate is pretty bad for translating anything from Spanish so a person has to guess a lot.   Apparently Coopera employees are striking because they have lost jobs????  And the Police in Quito are posting about violence in futbol stadiums and how they won’t use tear gas or rubber bullets….  I could find nothing about a recent incident that would have caused those remarks….

Then I again got ready and hobbled my way downtown for yet another Coopera meeting.  Typically the crowd kept filtering in until it was SRO.  We ended with a roomful of Ecuadorians and regrettably only 3 of us Expats.  Luckily I had a young man raised in Toronto next to me so he gave me some play by play.  When the lawyer and the VP of the group started calling each other liars, then most of the crowd was appealing for calm and unity.    There is just so much misinformation and paranoia now that it is a real chore to sit and listen to the repetitive rhetoric.  I left early, my back had had enough, and I asked the young fellow to send me a quick synopsis after the meeting.    I hope he does.

Our proposed venue for the Hearts Of Gold Xmas Gala is not being very cooperative and my patience is getting really short with them.  It doesn’t help that I am angry upon awakening these days.  The Coopera fiasco is wearing me down and is ruining my enjoyment of this lovely country.

That was the day’s excitement.  Cheers, Al   

Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Wednesday August 28, 2013

Wednesday August 28, 2013  update #555

Bella was off to play Bridge again today while I got many chores done before I departed for the west end to meet her.

Richard and Joyce Bungay had the honour of hosting a surprise 65^th Birthday party for Joe Spotts, just up the street from Joe’s Secret Garden.   There were about 24 people waiting to holler “Surprise” when Joe and Joseph came in at the appointed time.  We’re not quite sure if the party was a total surprise but Joe was a good sport about it.

There was lots of food and drink and good conversation.  Joe was genuinely touched at the Birthday card with about 100 signatures on it, secretly collected by me the last 2 weeks at Joe’s Secret Garden.  Then he was gushing over the collage of photos I had printed and mounted on canvas for him,   I can’t take all the credit, Frank & Marge Grillo contributed the idea of doing something, and some of the cost.  All in all, it was a lovely evening with a lot of our new friends.

Cindy and Jim have also bought a new house close to Avenida Loja so we are anxious to see that.

That was the day’s excitement.  Cheers, Al   

Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Tuesday August 27, 2013

Tuesday August 27, 2013  update #554

I woke up early and felt a little queasy so I went downstairs to the recliner for a while.   Then I transferred to the couch and actually stayed there until almost 10am.

Bella went off to teach Bridge while got myself prepared for yet another protest with the Coopera investors against SEPS.   I even made, and laminated, a small sign that said “SEPS = Extortion and Discrimination”.  I made the sign so I could use a lanyard and clip and then I tucked it inside my hoodie and off I went.

I am avoiding carrying the backpack for a while in an effort to give my back a rest.

When I arrived at the gathering place at San Blas park, I did receive many thumbs-up for my sign.  When 4pm rolled around I was worried that I would be the only person with a sign but gradually the other banners appeared magically.

Led by the lawyer Gustavo Quito and investor Marco Encalada the procession took to the streets and tied up Bolivar.  I am amazed at the patience of drivers for such interruptions.   Maybe they don’t dare toot the horn for fear that the crowd will turn on them?  Anyway, the tame demonstration/protest made it up the street to the Mayor’s office first but didn’t lag there very long.  Then they went to the Provincial Governor’s office.

I was walking ahead of the group to get photos, with this big yellow sign on my chest.   When I got to the Provincial Building I just flipped it over to show the blank side and just walked past the police cordon, into the building, up to the second floor balcony for a birds-eye view.   Those who knew me in the crowd were laughing and pointing at me, all alone on the balcony like some potentate or Pope.  I turned the sign back around and the Ecuadorians were now giving me the thumbs-up too.   Nobody inside the building was very concerned, there was a large police presence outside.

The crowd then continued to circle Parque Calderon, and past Immaculate Conception, where I managed to accidentally catch the results of an inattentive cyclist ramming into a streetlight, lol.   Even though he went flying onto the pavement, he bounced back up, more embarrassed than anything, and continued on his way.

Then we continued past the Justice Building, then the Old Cathedral, before returning in front of the Provincial Building.   I again repeated my trick of just walking in the front door and heading up to the balcony for more exposure and photographs.  Rob promised to send me a couple of shots he took but they didn’t arrive before I posted this Blog.

We still have not heard any response to our court challenge of yesterday, although we did hear that more of Coopera’s business managers had been arrested and jailed.   Fun, fun, fun.

That was the day’s excitement.  Cheers, Al   

Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Sunday-Monday August 25-26, 2013

Sunday-Monday August 25-26, 2013  update #553

Sunday

Bella played Bridge and I took a day off to rest my back.   Sitting on a regular-backed chair instead of the secretarial chair certainly helped.

I tried half-heartedly to locate sites where we could use our VPN to access proper television and movies but I think I need to do a lot more research.  I did find a couple of movie sites that are promising but I can’t see myself watching too many movies on the computer.

Monday

Hopefully the dreary days are at an end as we have had 2 sunny days in a row now, hooray!!!

Today is always a grocery day for Bella, while I was out the door early to see how we would fare in court today against SEPS.  The court was being asked to rule on the legality of the assemblies that SEPS had called last week.   Since we headed off those assemblies in a different fashion already, this court case is more to slap their face and get some brownie points.  I waited outside Carlos Heredia’s office for a bit, took a few flower photos then decided I had better head to the courthouse.   He came late, took a shortcut, and we met there anyway.

The court was held in a large “office”, or tiny courtroom, if you want to call it that.   There was barely seating for 15 people in there.  I grabbed a chair quickly because I had not taken any drugs and there was no way I was going to stand through the 100 minutes.  Our group started with 2 lawyers and ended with 3, although only the first two got maybe 20 minutes to talk.  The 3 SEPS lawyers dominated proceeding with lengthy discourses on why they were not in contravention of the Constitution in discriminating against us.  The female judge then decided she would issue a ruling in 3 days.  We doubt that very much will come from this, maybe a wrist slapped, and some moral victories that we can build on. 

After the hearing, the press was very active in getting our story, for which we are thankful.  Why we are not asking for criminal proceedings against the blatant extortion by SEPS is beyond me.

Another big demonstration is scheduled tomorrow to begin at San Blas park and continue up to the Governor’s building.  They want us to bring as many people as possible with lots of noisemakers.  Oh joy.

On the way home I stopped at Coral and bought a new office chair with proper lumbar support, etc.   Naturally it did not want to assemble properly as the back does not want to line up with the seat and screw on properly.   I did the best I could after stripping three bolts.   I can certainly feel the difference already.

That was the day’s excitement.  Cheers, Al   

Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Saturday August 24, 2013

Saturday August 24, 2013  update #552

Today we signed up for a VPN service so we can hopefully hook up with some programming from North America.   The VPN will fool the computer into thinking we are in either Miami, Toronto, or Montreal.  There are a couple of sites we know of that will work so Bella can watch Dancing With The Stars, and maybe I can catch the odd hockey game…   I may need some expert advice on how to take advantage of this.

I made my way over to Joe’s Secret Garden, even though I was debating all day whether my back would take the strain.  I gambled and went anyway.   Once the backpack was put away, I actually managed quite well and felt better coming home than when I went!!  And that was without any booze or drugs…

The chicken fried steak was superb and peppery, and the grasshopper pie was perfect for dessert.  I was really glad that I went, although I really ate way too much.

That was today’s excitement.  Cheers, Al   

Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/