Monday May 27, 2013

Monday May 27, 2013  update #465

I have been having a lot of trouble lately with friends not getting my emails.   I suddenly realized they all seem to be on Shaw.ca.   I Googled the Shaw site and it appears they have been having this problem all month (and I suspect a lot longer than that too) and they claim to have a solution, but obviously not…..  They admit to losing most incoming emails and are not overly apologetic about it either.   Good grief!   People are running businesses and need a reliable email provider.   If you are on Shaw, and are getting emails from me (or not!), please let me know.

I started off the morning by packaging a few orders for Eleggant Hooks and had to phone Bella for advice on how to replenish our optional hooks since a couple of the bins are empty after today’s orders.    Bella has sent me a long, convoluted way to do this so I will try to figure that out in the morning when my brain may be able to decipher the orders from headquarters.

Next I zipped in to Calgary to meet Bella’s brother Laurier’s wife Wendy at the Timmy’s at Avenida Shopping Center.  Gosh Wendy looked great.   I think I gained all the weight that she has lost.   We were having a lovely visit when I look up to see my brother Fern coming in the door.  Fern lives about 80 kms from Laurier and Wendy on Vancouver Island. 

We were trying to time everything so Fern and I could visit Mom at 3pm when she gets up from her rest.  Mom was waiting for us and almost broke down with tears of joy when we both came in.   Mom knew that Yvette, Lou and I were going to Leonie & Brian’s for supper so she hinted that she would like to come along.  My big Buick is her favorite because it is so easy for her to enter and exit and she doesn’t get out very often so we told her to get ready for the trip.   I called Leonie to give her a heads-up to add one more plate and off we went.  Yvette and Lou were sure surprised to hear that we had this extra special extra passenger.  We actually made it to Leonie’s, west of High River shortly after 5pm and there was one of those huge funnel-type rainstorm clouds hanging just in front of the Rockies.  Naturally the camera was out to record this along with all the neat things in Leonie’s yard.  I love going out there just for the sights.   I love the old stone shack on Ian Tyson’s property down the road where he goes to meditate and write songs.

Brian cooked up an enormous chicken feast (he usually does wild meat, deer, bear and the like) and we really enjoyed ourselves and overate like usual.  Nicole and Jeff and their three cute girls joined us and we had a lot of laughs.   Brian showed off the custom knives he made as wedding presents for Bryna and Dan.  I am a big fan of the Damascus steel blades that he fashions to a razor-sharp edge.

Mom was getting tired so we departed about 8pm and she commented on the long one-hour drive back.   I pointed out that dear Leonie makes that trek every Sunday to spend time with her but I am not sure that registered.  Mom is really tough on Leonie, who is the sole family member in the area now, and it really isn’t fair, but oncoming dementia signs are creeping in periodically.  On the good side, Mom had a wonderful outing, behaved herself, and she looks fabulous for being two days shy of age 97.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my new 15-85 lens?  This lens is incredible and doesn’t blow very many shots at all.

I was up until 2;30 processing the photos but didn’t have the stamina to stay up and finish the Blog, so my apologies for the lateness.

That was the day's excitement.  Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Sunday May 26, 2013

Sunday May 26, 2013  update #464

We were up early today to run into Calgary to meet all the family for brunch at Swiss Chalet at 11am.   It sure was nice to see all the family except the youngest, Normand, who had work commitments in Saskatchewan.   Germain, Billy-Jo and Deanna were going to head towards Jasper and see if would be possible to camp around there, otherwise they would just head home to Saskatoon.  Laurent & Cathy had also intended to stay around for a day or so but their grand-daughter wasn’t going to make home until real late so they headed home to Medicine Hat.  Yvette & Lou, and fern & Eileen, are intending to depart on Thursday after we celebrate Mom’s 97^th on Wednesday.

After brunch we came back home and I immediately went to work on processing 152 photos.  I have save the RAW files for doing a proper job once I get back home but, for now, I have just worked on the JPG’s so everyone can see the photos.

Lou and Yvette and Fern went back to see mom at 3pm and apparently she was in a pretty good mood, so that is a positive.  Lou and Yvette returned with a few groceries to replenish what we have used of Debbie’s.

I am exhausted, so this will probably be a very early night.  

That was the day's excitement.  Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Saturday May 25, 2013 The wedding

Saturday May 25, 2013  update #463

I downloaded Picasa to see if I would be able to process the RAW shots but it is just terrible.   It is so slow and really has so few options that it was just wasting my time.

We stopped at Timmy’s for a quick bite before going to the wedding at St. Michael’s in Black Diamond.  Bryna was just radiant today, but then she always is with her ready smile and hearty laugh. 

Today, at age 30, she married long-time boyfriend Dan Ronald.   The priest was the same age as them, being a classmate of Dan’s at Holy Trinity, and he had us in stitches with his candour.   It is not often that you hear a priest admit that he has to work with folks sometimes that he doesn’t like!  Our little great-nieces Erin and Emma were a hit as the cute flowergirls.

The reception was at the beautiful Dewinton Community Hall and I shouldn’t have been surprised to find my old clients, Harry and Martina of Hansel & Gretel’s Catering, were there to serve the supper. 

The reception didn’t hold many surprises, but there was a great slideshow of both the bride and groom growing up which was a trip down memory lane.    The DJ was very good and the music was very loud as befits a crowd of young people.   My Mom didn’t feel up to coming to the wedding or reception and that is good, she would just have complained about the loudness.   As it was most of the older folks departed very early, even me, after I danced a couple of dances with my sister Leonie.

That was the day's excitement.   Cheers, Al    Please see all new photos at

http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Saturday May 25, 2013

Saturday May 25, 2013  update #462

I awoke this morning to a strange feeling.   It was extremely light and quieter this morning and I could only hope it was for the right reasons.  Yes, the rain had stopped, the sun was attempting to shine through the clouds and YES, we could actually see the Rockies this morning!  Oh what a feeling!

Lou and I were up early to go for breakfast before going to the famous Okotoks Collector Car Auction which has been happening for over 40 years.  I remember going in 1977 with John Gilbert in his ’58 Fairlane retractable hardtop which garnered a lot of Looky-Lou’s.

It was kinda nice to get in at the senior’s rate of $7.  Grey hair does have its advantages.  Lou is quite a car buff  while I am more of a car buffoon these days.  Once upon a time I could guess the year and make of a vehicle at night just by its oncoming headlights and marker lamps.  Not today though, they all seem to look alike, with monochrome paint jobs and no style whatever.   My favorite cars are easily from the 30’s mostly, with running boards, lake pipes, skirts, rumble seats, etc.   Give me a Packard or a Duesenberg and I’d be in heaven.

The show today had a lot of the usual suspects with most of the vehicle offerings being from the 60’s and 70’s, mostly rebuilt muscle cars.  It is always fun to see a beautiful stock vehicle with original paint and equipment.

Some of the vehicles were auctioned for way less than we thought and many for way more, like a 66 Parisienne for about $15,000.  We figured it would go for around $6,000….  Glad it wasn’t our money being spent.

I was disappointed not to see more people that I knew from town.   This event attracts people from everywhere, sellers, buyers and aficionados.

We have the wedding later today but I doubt I will get much processed until late tomorrow so we will just put that on hold and get out this Blog early today.

Note the photos of the cars are right from the camera in JPG mode in the interest of expediency.

My present software won’t handle RAW photos so I am going to try to download Picasa because I think that may be my only option here.   I will take the wedding photos in both formats.

That was the day's excitement.  Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Friday May 24, 2013

Friday May 24, 2013  update #461

Today was a day filled with great anticipation as I awaited the delivery of the new 15-85 lens.   I waited until almost 2pm before checking the mailbox as I had a suspicion they would just drop off a card and not do a delivery to the door.  Well I was correct so we had to drive to the Southridge Post Office and get it.   I would like to say it was worth the wait but I am kicking myself for not getting it sooner, it is magnificent and I can’t wait to put it through its paces, especially tomorrow at the wedding.

I fooled around with the two remote controls and will need more practice with that, especially when the instructions are in Japanese-style English.   Lou is jealous of the wide end of the lens, although that is one thing that surprised me.  It is 72mm and I had honestly thought that the width was 58mm like the other 2 lenses….   Now I have all the wrong close-up lenses and other filters….

Bella wrote to say that she discovered a tooth problem with Pancho now so he is going in for a cleaning and maybe some extractions.   I hope he doesn’t end up toothless like poor Peso.

Lou and Yvette are off to visit friends they worked with in the High River Campground tonight while I was off to visit with friends at the Regal Beagle in Kensington in Calgary.   Road construction on Crowchild held me up and even taking another route caused me to be 10 minutes late, but I was still the first one there.  Keith showed up shortly therafter while we waited for Shannon and James to join us.  They had had car trouble and had kept in contact with Keith.   They had set the place and time for our get-together about 20 blocks from their home and then ended up not showing up at all.  I had come 45 kms so I was not too impressed with them.  Anyway, Keith is always good company so we had a good time in spite of the poor food service at the Regal Beagle.  We retired to Keith’s place for a bit and had a good chat with Bill Lemieux from upstairs.   I have been invited back for a BBQ on the 16^th.

The forecast continues to be awful for the next 5 days so we will have to make the best  of  things for Bryna’s wedding tomorrow.   Rain, rain, GO AWAY!

Sorry, since our meet-up tonight was a bust there were no photos taken.   I had only taken practice photos during the day with the new lens and they certainly weren’t anything worth posting.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al  

Thursday May 23, 2013

Thursday May 23, 2013  update #460

Bella told me that Pancho has been moping around the house, whining and looking for me.  It is nice to be missed.

The rain was relentless today so we just got caught up on things and had some breakfast sausage for brekkie then delicious corn on the cob for lunch.   Lou was showing off his “hat with hair” which is really hilarious.

I had meant to pop in to the Post Office to see what procedures they will use for my parcel tomorrow but I turned the wrong way without thinking.

We drove into Calgary to see Mom for 3pm and had a nice visit before going to visit with my brother Germain, his wife Billy-Jo and her daughter Deanna.   We had quite a few laughs, mostly at the expense of poor Stinkerbell, Billy’s 13 year-old deaf Chihuahua.    Germain said he felt it was cruelty to animals for owners to dress up their dogs in silly costumes, etc, and yet I had to admit Stinkerbell looked great in a Sou’wester!

Then we went to Chianti’s for a delicious meal before making it home.

Plans are already set for most of us for tomorrow evening to go into Calgary to meet old friends.

I think we are playing cards in a few minutes so I have to rush….

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Wednesday May 22, 2013

Wednesday May 22, 2013  update #459

Well I didn’t get lost and after 26 hours of travel I finally made it home to my welcome bed in Okotoks.  Really there were no hiccups en route, just a slightly late plane from Dallas-Fort Worth which the pilots tried to make up on the way to Calgary.   We arrived only 15 minutes late and I rushed to meet my ride only 10 minutes late.

I slept really good that night and tonight, again exhaustion simply taking over.

The weather here is dreary and drizzly wet and I understand the river levels are dangerously high here.   We certainly don’t want a repeat of the 2005 flood when the heavens opened the day after we moved into this house.   It is disappointing so far to not see the Rockies nor my deer friends.   The rain is supposed to continue until Saturday so we hope it clears up in time for Bryna’s wedding.   We have seen Prairie Chickens, the same couple that return here every year, but no chicks yet.   I also spotted a squirrel which is something new for this neighbourhood.

I had many chores to attend to right away, mailing some important papers for Mark & Karen, picking up mail, getting royally screwed on money exchange at the bank, depositing money on the credit card, getting a US money order to pay New York taxes, etc.   The crooks at the Bank take the US cash I have convert it to Canadian, keeping about 6% royalty, then convert it back to a US money order, again keeping about a 6% royalty.   Buy Canadian Bank stocks, these turds make a fortune!

I also had to hit the Dollar Store to pick up a few items.   Boy I sure missed that convenience in Ecuador.

I picked up a few groceries so that we would have something to munch on here because the fridge is pretty bare.

My brother Fern had mentioned that he stops at a 7-11 when he goes to the US and gets a Go-Phone really cheap so he can have some form of mobile communication.   I dread the thought of traveling without a cel phone so I gave it a try.  I picked up a cheap but fancy phone for $59 and added $25 of airtime that is good for 365 days so it will be useful for when Bella arrives here in November too. 

I went to the Southridge Post Office and refused acceptance of the package of the wrong lens that was sent to me as instructed.  Today I have to go to the Downtown Post Office to see if I can arrange to get the proper lens tomorrow when it arrives.

I am making appointments already to meet several people during my stay here.   It is always a juggling act to try to mesh schedules with everyone.

Yvette & Lou had called when they reached Canmore that they would just meet us all at Foxy’s for our Okotoks group’s usual Wing night, which they did.  It was so nice to see Gord (Em is sick with a hacking cough), Margaret & Frank, and Paul & Jackie.  Jackie had just retired yesterday from McFarlane Agencies and her smile was wall to wall.   It is still so nice that this group has maintained this get-together all these years.

When we returned home it was nice to see Debbie, our house-sitter, who I haven’t talked to in person since we left for Ecuador.   We all had a good chat and a few laughs before we headed downstairs.

I took a few photos with the new 75-300 lens and crossed my fingers that my version of PhotoShop Elements 6 would handle the RAW files but no such luck.   It does not recognize Canon’s RAW CR2 extension and I could not find any way around it, yet.   I really hate to have to take photos in JPG mode, especially the wedding photos.  I think I will take those in RAW and just wait to process those when I get back to Ecuador…   this computer is so darn slow, and the fan starts to give an annoying whine that gives me a headache….

Something is wrong with our cable connection because the feed to the big TV is really poor.  It works just great with a DVD but not with the cable.   We moved cables, even bypassing the VHS, changed splitters with no change.   Also, the stereo we have hooked up will not shut off!   If we shut it off, it restarts itself in Demo mode within 10 seconds and has annoying lights flashing like crazy.   It was easier just to leave it on the setting Aux 2 for use with the DVD because then there was only 1 light on.  This crazy combination has me thinking that maybe a lightning strike has fried some electrical and that we will never solve the issues….

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Monday May 20, 2013

Monday May 20, 2013  update #458

Today is a catch-up day for Bella and a final packing day for me.   I am trying to kill some time in the long day so I started by uploading more photos for sale.  Sooner or later I will have to start into my 2014 shots to replenish my work for sale.

It was raining on and off all morning so I watched a shoot-em-up movie then, in the afternoon, decided to head downtown again to see if that DG Artes store on Calle Larga was open.   This was our third try in 4 days and still no luck.   So I took a leisurely stroll down the Escalinata to the south side to catch the #15 home.   I was impressed that a bus driver actually waited for me to cross the road to catch the bus and I thanked him profusely.   I got off by the Monay Mall and walked down the hill just for the exercise. 

As I was crossing the river I saw a fisherman at work with a seine so I caught a few sequences of his throw.   He never caught anything while I was watching.   I am sure the trout were shy.

I had meant to stop at Coral to pick up some munchies for the bus ride but of course I forgot so I had to stop at one of my local tienda grocery stores to pick up some cookies and chocolate.   At one store, the teen was so engrossed in a video game he wasn’t even watching the counter, even though I stopped there twice.   You snooze, you lose.

So later I will shower ans be ready to catch a cab sometime after 10 to the bus station.   I probably will be lucky to arrive home in Okotoks tomorrow night by midnight.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Sunday May 19, 2013

Sunday May 19, 2013  update #457

Bella is off to Bridge again today and keeps getting disappointed by the people who say they are coming but who don’t show up.   

I was up early enough to get cracking at my laundry, etc. so I’ll be ready for the trip tomorrow night.

Turning on the computer was not a good experience this morning because the first message was from the folks I bought my new lens from, Merkle Camera in Toronto.   They are asking me if maybe they sent me an 18-200 by mistake!!  Then they wanted to send me a label so I can send it on to the rightful purchaser…   I replied that they better have sent me the right lens because I need to photograph a wedding on May 25!   I checked the tracking and the lens has reached Calgary by Canada Post.  This has sure ruined my good mood in a hurry.    I mean this email has no apology for not sending me the right lens,… nothing!    Now, in a subsequent email he says he wants me to refuse the first package and he will send me the right 15-85 lens by Friday, IF HE CAN FIND ONE!!!    Doesn’t that just give us the warm fuzzies……

Since the gorgeous morning was clouding over quickly I decided to upload more works for sale even though weekends are very slow for views.  It was a good decision because it rained heavily for about 10 minutes just as I was finishing.

The rain did not stop some sort of holiday celebrations going on in the neighbourhood.   Someone had been chattering on a bullhorn for hours already.   I had hoped to check it out but they must have stopped for church, or because of the recurring rain.

I am almost packed now which is really simple because I am not really taking much with me.  I am actually putting my sling bag plus my carry-on inside my big suitcase otherwise it would just get crushed in transit.  I am not looking forward to being stuck in tight seating for 25 hours starting tomorrow night.

Sorry no photos today as I concentrated on the upcoming trip.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   

Saturday May 18, 2013

Saturday May 18, 2013  update #456

Bella is having a stay-at-home day, getting caught up on her hobbies.   She is sitting under her mist fan, which I had not seen in operation until today and it really delivers as advertised!   Bella made another of the crocheted cowboy booties for babies so you will get to see it today.  

I was only planning to slip downtown to see if that art place was open then continue on to Joe’s.  However I got a call from my little language buddy, Juan, and the plans changed.   I showered and shaved while he drove over to get me and then we went to the art place only to find it closed again.    We decided to do a little walking around El Centro.

As we passed the church a couple of blocks north of the Coffee Tree I mentioned that I thought it was supposed to be a museum but I had never found it open.   Juan said the religious museum was on the far back side so we went to check it out.   It turns out it is “museum day” so entry to all the museums was free today so we wandered through.  Some of the old photographs from the nunnery were spectacular.   In many rooms they had photos of the nuns working with very old implements, and these old implements were actually on display in front of the photograph.   I though it was an ingenious way to display these.

We then wandered downtown to find the Old Cathedral closed and then surprisingly, also the big Cathedral too!   I had never ever seen Immaculate Conception closed, especially not at 4pm.   Very unusual.

After wandering back through the San Francisco market we made our way back to Calle Larga and checked out the Remigio Crespo Toral museum.  There was one statue that was so lifelike I wanted to talk to it.   I had seen most of the exhibit before, especially the old tile map of early Cuenca on the floor.   One of the tiles showed the hanging tree and I am sure I never noticed that part of it before.

Then we went over to Joe’s where Juan renewed acquaintances with my old friends Jim Mola and Chris and Bettye Petersen who he had met before in his travels with me.  Juan is a likeable little guy and just laughed when I introduced him as my boyfriend.  He and I sat with Alex from Romania and Irma from New Orleans (but Cuenca-born).  Juan was pleased to have someone to converse with in Spanish.   The meal was tasty and everyone ate more than their fill.  Alex figures he ate two whole chickens and I figured Juan ate three!   I kept looking under his chair to see where he was putting all that food!  I am sure he ate his own weight in pollo tonight.  Alex had bought a bottle of wine and served everyone, and Juan had 3 glasses of wine to boot.    I laughed on the way home when Juan said he was heading home to sleep.   Small wonder!

I will be posting 2 photo blogs tonight, one for the museums, etc, and one separately for Joe’s.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Friday May 17, 2013

Friday May 17, 2013  update #455

Again I was up early and working on things before crashing back to bed.

Bella was off to the weaving store with her newest baby booties made like cowboy boots.   She left them there so I did not get any photos unfortunately.

I uploaded possibly my final set of photos for sale before I head to Canada, although I may have time to upload another set on Monday.   I don’t bother on the weekends because they just don’t get the views then.

I dug out my fancy suitcase and tried to re-mould the corner where the baggage handling morons had broken a hole through the fiberglass.   Good old duct tape to the rescue once again.   Slowly but surely I will get packed before Monday night.

I caught up a little with my Clancy book to while away the afternoon before we headed downtown.   Our bus driver took us half-way, then got out of the bus, checked the back tire and got on his phone.    It was obvious we were not going anywhere soon so we just got off and hailed a taxi.   I could not see anything obviously wrong with the tire  but we couldn’t hang around forever, we were people on the move!

We headed first to the art store where we bought the figures on our living room wall.   Because of the configuration of the new furniture we really do need 2 more figures to balance things properly.   Unfortunately the store was not open since this fellow definitely determines his own hours.

Next on the agenda was to drop off the 9 movies I had borrowed from Carolina Bookstore.   We didn’t watch all of them and at least 3 were in Spanish.  We were also meeting the purchaser of my Projector, a fellow who was buying it as a gift for his wife at the bookstore.   Everything went as planned and we headed to the south side to the Chill Grill for burgers and to meet with Karen.and Mark. 

I got a few shots of activities in Parque De La Madre on the way by.   There were many gazebo tents set up, all empty, so there must be something happening there tomorrow.

Mark has agreed to take my place as the photographer for Joe’s while I am away, and I OK’d that with Joseph.   The instructions aren’t too difficult and Mark is a professional.   I tried the Chill Grill burger this time and it was much better than the Ranch burger I had last time.   Oddly all they had to drink was pop, ….no juice, beer, or even ice.   Very strange indeed.

I want to take this time to thank my faithful Blog followers.  There seems to be a core of 25 for this one, about 35 that follow the photos, and I also get an average of 55 hits a day on my Cuenca Residency blog.   THANK YOU ALL.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Thursday May 16, 2013

Thursday May 16, 2013  update #454

Happy 13^th Birthday Danai!!!

Bella hasn’t budged today, this is her day of rest.

I gave away the Canon Battery and Charger that my son Todd had found in Edmonton.  It didn’t fit my camera as we thought it might and I had tried selling it a few weeks back without success.  However everyone wants something for free.   The lady who took it lives on the other side of the river and knows our cat-sitter.

I am getting bites on my ad for the Projector so I hope it goes quickly and I can breathe easier about all the camera equipment I have bought.   I really hate to let it go but realize my uses for it will be extremely limited, and I do need the money now.

I slipped out to OperAzuay to see the latest their vans leave on Monday night.   The lady said 9pm, meaning I’ll be sitting in the airport for 7 hours, no thank you.   I stepped out and spotted the #7 bus at the corner so I caught that to the bus depot.   They have buses leaving right until 1am but I would need to catch the 11pm bus to arrive at 3am.  Because the flight leaves at 7am I need arrive prior to 4am, so that is the best I can do, and the bus is only $8.   This means a travel odyssey of over 25 hours probably, oh joy…..

Leaving the bus station and walking over to Huayna Capac I ran across a few interesting sights.   First was a hoop street performer, then a chopper-style moped (I want one of those), then a flower arrangement made to resemble a puppy, just too cute.   

Oh, and the menacing skies were a treat, one that we have learned to mostly ignore.   I was wrong yesterday, the river is down closer to 2 feet so we could hope those clouds break open in the Cajas and fill up the rivers again.

The back of San Blas may not be quite as interesting as the front but that yellow dome is still a sight to behold. 

Chili for supper, then a good movie is again on tap for tonight.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Wednesday May 15, 2013

Wednesday May 15, 2013  update #453

I was up at 5am and back to bed for a couple of hours at 8:30.   My mind got rolling on a few things I need for the trip home so I took care of those things, like car insurance, so I could rest.

Bella was up early and off to arrange for her new Cedula.   Most of her worries about having to get new documents were for naught as it is going to be treated just like a renewal.   The she was off again to her Bridge Club.   She needs some dedicated bridge players to come every Wednesday and Sunday or this Club will be folding soon.   It is so sad because she has worked so hard to help a lot of people, but unfortunately most of these older folks don’t retain things well, and that frustrates her.

I slipped up to Coral to get a new mouse for my computer because the last one got too loose and started doing stuff on its own.    I picked up what I though was a nice one but found it had the old round green connection.   My computer accepts this connection too but the mouse wouldn’t work because it is not compatible with XP, so I exchanged it on my way downtown.

On my walks across the river I have noticed how low the river is.   We have an extremely blustery day today but almost no moisture resulted from it.

As I was waiting for the bus I left a message for the people at Fundacion Avancar that I was on my way to pick up the Gift Certificate I had won for dessert and coffee for two somewhere.  Just as I sat down on the bus she called back to say they are only open from 9-1, and it was now 3:30.  Oh well, so I got off at San Francisco and went window shopping for a while.  Around 5pm the sky was spitting so I began my trek to La Vina to meet Bella for supper.   Bella actually arrived early and we ordered our pizzas, the best in town.  This little girl, a relative of the owners that we had met before kept circling us and waiting for me to take out my camera so she could pose.  She is ½ Colombian and is so very cute and sweet.

As we finished up another couple, Tony and his wife Marty, from Ohio sat near us so we chatted a long time.  They are very serious about moving soon and their ears really perked up when they heard the interest rates a person can obtain here, and our real estate prices.   I think we got some new converts because they are world travelers and they can understand other cultures so they would do well here.

I was disappointed to discover that 3 of the 5 artworks of mine that were bought last month were returned so I did not get paid as much as expected.  It is funny that Fine Art America did not say anything to me at all, so I assume the problem stemmed from their processing.

This means that the money I need to pay for the new lens is going to come up short.  Recently I had bought a micro projector that I was intending to use for Hearts Of Gold but I noticed they had a really good projector they had borrowed for yesterday’s meeting.   So…. as much as I love this little projector, it really would have gotten so little use that it is going on the block to allow me to complete my camera equipment purchases.   I just hope everything is there waiting for me when I arrive back in Okotoks.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Tuesday May 14, 2013

Tuesday May 14, 2013  update #452

Bella was off to the Book Exchange and to do chores.   I also gave her the phone number to pick up the dessert and coffee for 2 that I had won at the Fundacion Avancar Mural evening, if she has time.

I was intent on bidding for a new EF 15-85 USM lens that I have been craving for months.  The difference between buying a used one vs a new one is only $30-$40  so she rightfully suggested that a new one is a much better option.   I tried bidding at the last moment but got beat out by $10.   I found another new one that I could buy right away at a comparable price but decided to wait a moment to see if something would shake out of the woodwork.   I made a comment when I refused a counter-offer from another site that had refused my offer.    This one was used, but came with a few optional items so it was tempting, but I told them their discount wasn’t enough since a new one was available for just a few dollars more.

Then, lo and behold, I was given a second chance to bid and accept the prior new item because the other bidder wasn’t able to complete the transaction.  I hate having to pay the darn GST on top of it but I am really glad that hopefully this lens will be waiting for me when I return to Canada in a week.

Then it was off to Hearts Of Gold for another productive meeting.   We have new strategies and sources for the present School Drive and hopefully enough bodies in the area to keep it running.   It seems all the major players are gone at different times during the next 3 months.

Tarek gave us a nice dissertation on how to help HoG get its message out on social media.  It helps to have technically efficient people on the payroll.

Our couches look very nice in the living room at HoG and they are greatly appreciated by the staff.

No other photos today so I will just post this one here.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   

Monday May 13, 2013

Monday May 13, 2013  update #451

I had Hearts Of Gold deliver me the bid sheets from the April 13^th Silent Auction so we could determine what products or services did better than others, etc.   I spent most of the day doing the spreadsheet with breakdowns and percentages but there were few surprises.  The items that sold over retail prices were mainly food items and spices that did not bring in a great deal of money.   Many items did well with the Buy-It-Now feature although we probably expected more so that will be an item for discussion next year for sure.   The bottom line is that we probably averaged around 42% of retail overall which is understandable when we are dealing with retired folks on limited incomes.  Not too many big ticket items brought in more than 30% so that dragged the percentages down quite a bit.

I then had to follow that up with a plan of attack as Event Coordinator for our current Back To School drive.  It is an online drive to raise $6,150 to give 123 kids 2 pairs of shoes and their initial school supplies.  It is an ambitious number to raise but we are off to a good start.    Our main problem is a short timeline to be completed by July 5 and then we have to deal with most of our volunteers being gone during this period, including me.  

The tree directly in front our house is almost free of leaves as we are in the middle of our fall season.   Last year it only seemed to take about a week before the new leaves were sprouting again.   It is kinda different having a spring, a fall, and 2 summers, but we will live with it, lol.

I have been so busy with all this paperwork that I haven’t even stuck my head out the door, so sorry, no pictures today.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   

Sunday May 12, 2013

Sunday May 12, 2013  update #450

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all you Mothers out there.   You know who you are, lol…

Bella had won a “breakfast” at the Bingo on Tuesday at the Oro Verde Hotel that they told us only opens at noon so we went there for a Mother’s Day brunch before she had to scoot off to her Bridge game.

Buses were slow coming and they were usually a 40 minute ride so we grabbed a cab.  Road closures for Mother’s day around the main cemetery caused delays and the ride ended up being 30 minutes.  We arrived at 10 to 12 and they started giving us funny looks saying the buffet closed at noon.   Typical Ecuador, always giving a person the wrong story…   Anyway they rushed us in and we hurriedly chose from the buffet, where all the burners had long since been turned off so our entire meal was cold but we had a good feed anyway.

I walked Bella down to the Rio Tomebamba where she crosses to go to Bridge, over the bridge, and I continued east, getting a few snaps of the river laundry folks, and a few shots of Mark and Karen’s new apartment from the outside.   I slipped into Joe’s Secret Garden to give Joseph the photos from last night and also all the photos from last week’s Derby Day.   He claimed DropBox only contained about 10 shots however my end showed they had all uploaded.   While waiting I got shots of their great devil masks in the living room and their awesome goldfish mural while I had great natural afternoon light.

I then passed through Feria Libre, quite surprised at the abundance of fruit sellers on the west side.  I toyed with the idea of getting a small stereo to play music but ended up spending $15 for an 8Gb Memory stick that is all metal, flexible, and will stay on my key ring.  It is very handy when traveling to have your information so close at hand.

Because there is a Deportive Cuenca soccer/futbol game today our bus got re-routed and it always amazes us that they do not have a set alternate route to use.  They get all sidetracked in narrow sidestreets, going many blocks out of the way, and this bozo had to back up an entire block to get back on “his” route.    In the process he missed at least 4 stops entirely.

I wanted to be home by early afternoon to try to get in a late bid on the camera lens that I want.   There is a fellow in Ontario selling it, starting at $450 on eBay, with a Buy-It-Now price of $675.   They go for $600 new so I don’t know why he put such silly pricing on it.   I had offered him $525 for it earlier but he refused me so I hope to get it for a lot less now.   I waited until the last minute to get my bids in but one fellow beat me by $10 and I didn’t have time to re-bid.  It went for $535.

I found another used one that allows offers so I offered $490 plus the $31 shipping.   I noted this same store had 2 the same posted so I am hoping they will grab my offer.

I think tonight calls for popcorn and a good movie.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Saturday May 11, 2013

Saturday May 11, 2013  update #449

I had an early morning appointment with the new Executive Director of Hearts Of Gold to iron out a few issues and to brainstorm a few more ideas in preparation for Tuesday’s meeting.   After that I will be missing about 6 weeks of meetings so I need to get my areas of concern looked after.

A long nap was what the doctor ordered for the afternoon before we headed to the west end.   It started to rain as we attempted to access Mark & Karen’s new apartment but the security guard was nowhere to be seen so we did not get in.   We don’t complain about the recent rains because the rivers are really quite low.

So we backtracked to have a delicious BBQ supper at Joe’s Secret Garden followed by scrumptious cinnamon rolls.  It really is heartening that we have made so many good friends and acquaintances at Joe’s and how they go out of their way to say hello and goodbye and to ask advice on different matters.   It really is a good core bunch of folks that frequent Joe’s.

I see Bella finished the second baby booty so now I has some shots of the pair of them.   So cute…

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Friday May 10, 2013

Friday May 10, 2013  update #448

I was off early to get to Banco Pichincha and try again with my third visit for an International Credit Card.  We had carefully filled in the new application and therefore I was hopeful things would go smoothly, but this is Ecuador, and nothing runs smoothly.  First they needed a copy of our utility bill, which we don’t receive because they are paid automatically through this very bank.  Finally they managed to print off a copy somehow.   They got Diana down from the fourth floor and I explained the strange situation about our confusing address.   The tax bill shows us on 24 De Mayo and the utility bill shows us on Popayan so they agreed to use Popayan.  Then Diana tells us that because we entered a number in a box we shouldn’t have that they needed another new application, again with both signatures.   Of course Bella is not with me so my patience is wearing a little thin with this ridiculousness that you can’t just make a correction and initial it like anywhere else in the civilized world.  Then, to top it all off, now they say they need a $2,000 CD on deposit for an International Credit Card where they will only give you 70% for a limit!   I don’t know how I held my cool but I thanked them and left.   I called Bella and we will maybe be checking out other banking options upon my return from Canada.  

Bella was off to her Weaving Store classes and charity work.  The new little baby workboots she has made are just too cute.

I then decided to go to the Carolina Bookstore and sign out a few movies.    I went through their whole supply which some poor soul took three days to put in alphabetical order.  I grabbed about 7 movies and headed downtown towards the San Francisco church. 

The area of the flower market was very busy and the flowers intoxicating.   There was a mass going on in Santuario Mauriano.   The interior of that church is so photogenic.

I wandered through the big Immaculate Conception Cathedral trying to get some better shots of the interior and was heading out the far door when I noted a sort of security person hanging about, very unusual, then I noticed a small door open on the right leading to a brick circular staircase upwards.  Then I happily spotted a notice on the wall stating that this was now open to the public to access the cupolas of the cathedral!  The security fellow came over and said it was $1 so up began the long walk upwards.  I knew there was nothing in the twin towers because the openings are large and empty although it appears that there may be some construction starting.  Getting up to the level of the statue of Mary and Jesus is uplifting and the views spectacular.   I was hoping to be able to walk at the base of the blue domes but that was entirely wishful thinking.  I hope you enjoy the photos.

Passing by the Old Cathedral the harpist had taken a break so I got a shot of the top of his beautiful harp.  Then I went to the next corner and peered into the Justice Building.   I can hardly pass this building without stopping in, that fabulous courtyard is such a magnet to me.   They have made a beautiful shrine to Mary on the opposite side so that has added another dimension to it.

I caught the #3 to Monay and walked down the hill deciding that I was too tired to make lunch so I stopped in to the restaurant 2 doors from us that we have never tried before.  It was a delightful lunch for $2.50.   Hanging on the wall above me was this gorgeous painting of a mother and her son.   They have such wonderful artists here.

Bella is anxious to watch a movie so I have to run.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Thursday May 9, 2013

Thursday May 9, 2013  update #447

The morning was spent on picking up our new sofa and loveseat with the built-in recliners.  We had made a deal with Hearts Of Gold that they could get our existing 2 sofas if they would provide the transport and the strong backs.  Tarek and Marco drew the short straws and I met them at the office at 9am and we headed over to the Totems area to get the new set.  Recliners contain a lot of iron parts so the two new units weigh a ton, each.  

The boys managed to get the two items out of the apartment and into the elevator to go down the 4 floors.   The rest was relatively painless to get them strapped into the truck, a 1972 Datsun I think.

I had already dismantled our 2 sofas so they were easy to pitch outside once we arrived at home.  We put blankets on the tile floor and just slid the new units most of the way to their destinations.    We then loaded the old units on the truck for delivery to the HoG office where they were welcomed with open arms.

We set them up and they are about as good as we could expect in our small living room.  By using a different configuration we now have a lot more room and all 4 recliners are functional.   Bella is happy.   The boys were upset at being locked in while the transfer was occurring but that soon gave way to curiosity and picking out their spots on the new furniture.

I just was thinking of about 4 cars that I had bought over the years, …combined, that cost less than this furniture…  Ouch.   But we deserve some comfort in our old age.

We slipped up the hill to Coral and purchased a couple of solid little table lamps so we can have decent lighting and a comfortable place to read, etc.  We are quite happy with the results of our morning.

Most of the afternoon was spent on a sticky issue with Hearts Of Gold that had me drafting a notice of resignation but that was forestalled.   The problem will hopefully resolve itself with a clarification meeting in the next few days.

After supper we enjoyed watching Iron Man 3 while stretched out in the loveseat.  Life is good.

That was the day's excitement,   Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Wednesday May 8, 2013

Wednesday May 8, 2013  update #446

Bella went to Coral to pick up her new misting floor fan and brought it home for me to assemble.  Next she was off shopping for lamp stores then of course she had Bridge in the afternoon.

I did my uploading chores and finished some more Internet chores before deciding to start to dismantle the couches downstairs in preparation for the swap tomorrow morning.   I managed to get the small one stuffed into the dining room and the bigger one is now ready to go.

I then tackled the assembly of Bella’s new fan, sans instructions of course, but I took my time and did what made sense from the equipment in the box, the parts list, and the photo on the box.   Sonuvagun if it doesn’t actually work too!   I don’t know where Bella is going to stick anything else in that bedroom…

I took her old humidifier and cleaned it right out for use in the guest bedroom now.

I had a couple of hours open so I headed out to check a few stores I knew along Huayna Capac for lamps as well.  A few places had a single floor lamp only, and nothing like we are hoping for.    I then checked along the whole route to home but found nothing better.   I started formulating ideas of building our own so that it would hug the wall and not take up any space.   

Once we get the furniture tomorrow we can have a much better idea on where things will have to be placed.   

Sorry no photos today.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  

Tuesday May 7, 2013

Tuesday May 7, 2013  update #445

Bella was off on a lamp shopping expedition before we were to meet up later in the day.

I went back to Banco Pichincha and got bounced around amongst the personnel on different floors again before being given an entirely new credit card application and being told to return on Friday to complete the necessary documentation.

Next was another meeting at Hearts Of Gold to go over our expected online campaign to raise funds to help kids attend school.  Many kids don’t make it to school because the families can’t afford the $50 or so each for 2 pairs of shoes and the initial basic school supplies.   We have an ambitious goal of $6,150 to outfit 123 kids at 3 different partner organizations.   I was asked to write the Blog entry for our website before they do the teaser advertising in the social media.  We went over my offering and made a few revisions to satisfy everyone’s needs.

Then I had to hop a cab to meet Bella and friends at a Charity Bingo being put on at the Oro Verde Hotel for the Messengers Of Peace Orphanage for whom our friends Anne & Michal Roche volunteer.  There was a reasonable turnout of expats and Cuencanos and we enjoyed the Bingo in spite of the terrible caller who really had no clue what to do, changing his mind every 10 seconds.   At one point they replaced him on the podium then inexplicably let him back up there to finish the last games.  There were 50-50 draws, Latin American music and a light lunch too.   Our table ended up being the envy of the place because everyone won at our table, (except me, BooHoo), and some of them more than once.  I was playing 6 cards and we were using shirt buttons for markers.   We found several instances where cards had duplicate numbers, like two number 29’s on the same card!   Anyway, we had good company and contributed to another good cause.

Mark and Karen have bought a modern ground floor apartment along the Tomebamba this afternoon so they will be very busy with that purchase for a while.   It is about 8 blocks from where they live now.

We stopped again at the Chinese food place at the top of Gran Colombia and the food was again excellent, best Chinese food in town by far.   We had a few giggles at the antics of our little gangly waitress who was doing some fancy dance moves but didn’t realize we were watching.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Monday May 6, 2013

Monday May 6, 2013  update #444

Bella was off for groceries this morning while I zipped off to Banco Pichincha to see about arranging for a credit card in US funds.   I stopped to ask the first floor personnel who sent me to the second floor who then sent me to see Diana on the fourth floor.   It was a short conversation because they need patrons to open a one-year CD for a large amount then they will give a credit card for 90% of the amount.  Having a US credit card can save us a lot of conversion fees so we think it will be worth it.   Bella says I can try this tomorrow.

As I headed over to Hearts Of Gold I spotted this fellow brushing down what I think was artificial turf in a sports field, but pulling the brushes with a motorcycle!   We have all seen this kind of thing done with tractors or ATV’s before, but never with a motorcycle. 

The new Hearts Of Gold offices are much more spacious and it seems most of the staff are settled in nicely.  Apparently this beautiful home had been vacant for many years, for reasons unknown.   It would seem that they have lots of room for the two couches that we are donating to them on Thursday.

We got into some detailed discussions about a couple of fundraisers we are considering and they raised almost as many questions as they supplied answers.  One thing is for sure, HoG needs to get officially legal ASAP so we can really make our presence felt and get proper banking and money-handling issues all handled in-house.

My suggestion for an ongoing online fundraiser will necessarily be put on hold for a while not only because of the above but also because so many of our volunteers are going to be out-of-country over the next 3-4 months.   We still did up some ideas and suggestions for the executive to mull over and Bella helped us out enormously with her Excel skills.

We will be organizing a straight online fundraising effort designed to help poor kids attend school.   Last year it was very successful so we want to build on that if we can.   We have scheduled another meeting for tomorrow to gather information for a news bulletin that I have been drafted to write.

Yesterday we had 3 separate rainstorms and I took a couple of timed shots just for fun last night.  The rivers have risen nicely with the welcome moisture and another little rainshower is passing by as I type this. 

I spotted this colourful yellow bird quite a distance away and hurriedly took a shot.   I have cropped and enlarged it so the quality is pretty bad but I get the impression that this little bird has a small toucan-like beak.   I will have to keep an eye out for him.

I certainly can’t figure out Google.   I actually can open my Gmail much faster through Firefox than I can through Google Chrome…..   Does this make any sense???

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Sunday May 5, 2013

Sunday May 5, 2013  update #443

Gosh I had a decent sleep and got up thinking I would get out today and do some good.   The weather looked very changeable so I delayed while I did some chores.

Bella stayed in the sack until 11:30, no problem for her!   Then she was off to her Bridge Club again.

I tried to get a partner to go with me somewhere, anywhere, but he wasn’t feeling well.   Then the heavens opened and we got a good soaking.

Then suddenly my exhaustion kicked in and I just laid down and power-snoozed for an hour or so with Peso as my hot-water-bottle.   I awoke somewhat refreshed and packed up and headed to the Solano area to poke around.   The first order of business was to find the new Hearts Of Gold office which wasn’t too difficult.   The building seems to be a little larger than the last place.

Then I wandered down to the newly renovated Parque de La Madre (Park of the Mother) and soaked in some of the family atmosphere as the Cuencanos enjoy their Sunday afternoon.

Next I took a small walk along the Rio Tomebamba which is really very low now, so we can really use some of that rain we have been getting the last few days.

I searched around to find the first hotel we stayed at in Cuenca, the Hostal La Casona.   It is beautifully situated on a fairly quiet street close to the El Vergel Super Maxi store.   Kitty-corner is the first house we checked out that belonged to some beauty queen who wanted $250k for it when everyone around says it was only worth $100k.  The place was very nice, with fruit trees and separate maid’s quarters outside.   The inside had some beautiful woodwork and multiple bedrooms with ensuites but it had poor electrical, water damage, and a very basic kitchen.   It probably became someone’s money pit.

I had made arrangements to meet Bella for supper at the Chill Grill nearby but I arrived there early to find it closed.   I didn’t mind as I find their burgers very ordinary while Bella just loves them.  Bella thought they might open at 6pm but apparently not.   A nearby buffet had its doors open but had closed 20 minutes earlier.  A taco place did not look too exciting so we tried a Pronto Pizza place that seemed to have lots of clientele.   Their pizzas had a lot of mozzarella, but no tastable meat or tomato sauce or even crust, totally boring.   I had ordered the meat lover’s pizza and couldn’t taste any meat!!!   Oh well, we have to check out the different places.

There was a family with 3 young girls next to us at the pizza place and one of the kids took an interest in us so I took her picture.   Her father kept giving her English phrases to use with us and it was so cute.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Saturday May 4, 2013

Saturday May 4, 2013  update #442

I spent most of the day getting some electronic work done, synchronizing my desktop computer with my old laptop so they can access each other.   It was kinda neat to be able to move files so easily from one to the other.

It was Kentucky Derby Day at Joe’s Secret Garden so the emphasis was on hats, big and wild hats, so many of the women were indeed adorned accordingly.   We had a contest for the best hat and Joyce came out in front with her feathery creation.   Everyone was in such a good mood and there were again many newbies in the crowd as well as a lot of old and new friends.

The meal included beef tenderloin and a pie that had some Kentucky bourbon in the recipe.   That is probably the reason my eyes won’t stay open as I am typing.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Friday May 3, 2013

Friday May 3, 2013  update #441

Bella was off early to her Friday charity work at the Weaving Store, then she expected to spend all afternoon at the Immigration Office to finalize her own 9-1 Residency Permit.

I was also up early because I wanted to get a haircut around 9am before the gal got busy.   It seems the whole neighborhood had the same idea because there was one lady in the chair and 2 more ahead of me, and then very quickly 2 more behind me.   It is a good thing everyone seemed to be just getting a trim because this gal only takes 10 minutes, tops to do a good job.  At $1.50 a haircut and $1.75 for a quick style, she runs them through pretty quickly.

I had to be home for Rosa’s arrival and she was late again today.  I gave her some extra duties to try to make up the time we are paying her for.

We had quite a thunderstorm mid-afternoon and it was pounding on my window so the glide tracks were quite full of water.   As I was cleaning them out, Tom Thumb was impatiently waiting, while chasing of two interlopers, so I held out the feeder and he eventually came and ate from my hand.   I had not done this for a while so it felt good to regain the trust of our little friend.

Rosa was leaving early again and then asked for a raise, claiming that others are now paying her more.  I reminded her that we had just given her a raise and that she has been leaving early for months now.   I told her I would check with Bella.   I don’t mind paying her what she asks, as long as she actually works the hours.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Thursday May 2, 2013

Thursday May 2, 2013  update #440

Not much being done by me today except household chores and usual internet chores.  Bella was off to do banking, pay for the new couches, get some forms notarized and then some grocery shopping.

I fixed my leaky shower head and made arrangements to do the sofa swap next week.   Hearts Of Gold is happy to receive our existing couches, which are still like new, although I don’t know if they will use them for their new offices (they are moving today) or if some needy family or two will get them.

It was a blustery day today with a couple of rainshowers for the last day in Cuenca for Ed & Lynne who have vowed they are commencing the process to move here post-haste.

I never even heard Tom Thumb at all today…. and never had the camera out at all either.

Now we have just been notified, after fighting for months, that we now have been unilaterally given a new NetTalk phone number, and the old number does not work at all.   Please make a note that our new contact number is (Calgary number) 1-587-800-0259.   Now I have to re-do all our business cards, etc.   Grrrrrrrr

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all. 

Wednesday May 1, 2013

Wednesday May 1, 2013  update #439

I had my first good night’s sleep in weeks and wanted to stay in bed but I had so much to get done today.  Bella was even up early because we had a 10 o’clock appointment with Seguralmeida to research their health insurance offerings.  Cristina had emailed us setting the appointment for today so imagine our surprise when we arrived to find the office closed.   We called her and barely got an “I’m sorry”, just a request if we wanted to reschedule because today is a holiday.  Ecuadorians don’t seem to think that missing appointments is a big deal at all, and they don’t know our idea of proper etiquette or Gringo values at all.   I just told her that I would be in contact later after I had cooled down.

Bella had seen an ad for loveseat recliners and a sofa recliner on sale in GringoTree.   Both of us are not really happy with the 2 sofas we had purchased in haste on arrival so we went over to see them.  They were located in a fourth floor west end apartment with killer views but sadly lacking a terrace.  These folks are moving and this furniture won’t fit, except he was keeping the matching chair..   The fellow showed us his original receipts and they were letting the furniture go for less than ½ price.   They were the right colour and very cushy so we made a deal to take them.   I have missed my recliner since we left Canada, especially when I have a cold and need to rest slightly upright.   It is a lot more money than we would normally spend but the sofa and loveseat will complement our living room nicely and last for many years.   Bella has had the luxury of a recliner in her room for months and is now spoiled too.  Nothing beats a comfy recliner.

We then worked on striking a deal with Hearts Of Gold to donate our old set in exchange for help with transporting the new set.  Since Hearts of Gold is physically moving locations tomorrow we will have to try to arrange something next week.

Bella and I tried to get money out of a Banco Pichincha machine because all the banks are closed today and it wouldn’t accept my PIN number.   We ended up scraping nickels and dimes together to get a cheap lunch at Pizza Hut.   The taco salad was actually excellent!

Bella slipped off to her Bridge game while I came home and carefully drafted a strong note to Seguralmeida recounting our unsatisfactory experiences with their office and how my Blogs are now reflecting that.  I pointed out that service is the number one issue with Gringos and that if they don’t know this, and act on it, they should not solicit Gringo business because they are only fostering a bad reputation with their indifferent service. 

I had planned to do many other things today but those plans got waylaid by this nasty experience. 

Tom Thumb and an interloper were seriously sparring outside my window today so I took a lot of shots and have very little to show for my effort, but better than nothing I suppose.

I heard from Ed and Lynne that the Montezuma’s Revenge has subsided and that they are truly sorry to be leaving tomorrow.  They will be a good addition to Cuenca when they return as they are fun people and will catch on to the language quickly.   Come back soon.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Tuesday April 30, 2013

Tuesday April 30, 2013  update #438

I would kill for a good night’s sleep already.   In spite of taking two Melatonin tablets I was still watching the clock all night.   I couldn’t let that stop me because I had a really busy day planned.

I was downtown to pick up Ed & Lynne at 9:30 and we headed to the Rotary Market where they picked up some gifts for at home.  They were fascinated with the selection of wooden, leather, plaster, and metal articles available.  

We went back through the Civic Plaza and watched a youngster feeding the pigeons before heading to City Hall, then the Provincial Azuay building.  We went up to the second floor and got some shots of Parque Calderon before heading over to the Justice building.

Next I showed Lynne where I bought my solar powered dancing flowers and she fell in love with a BumbleBee one, and even bought one for me.  I showed them several stores including the big software store on the way to the Coffee Tree.  They actually found an iPad case for a real reasonable price so they grabbed one.

Then we went to the Book/Movie Exchange at the Windhorse Cafe where I exchanged one book and 2 movies.  Since it was noontime we decided to have lunch there, my first time too.  There were many new folks asking questions of everyone and all the folks were being real helpful.  

I got buttonholed by our friend Greg who wanted to talk to me privately.   He didn’t know how to ask what was on his mind so he just blurted it out.  “Someone told us to pray for Bella because she has cancer.  Does she really have cancer?”  I assured him that she was having a bout with the flu but she definitely did not have cancer.   However, once that bug got in my ear it did begin to bother me.   After having two previous bouts of wives with cancer, it didn’t take much to get that snakebit feeling.

Anyway, off we went again to the Carolina Bookstore for a moment where Lynne began to have a few stomach somersaults.   Time was running short on me so instead of going to the Banco Central Museum they decided we should head in the direction I needed to head, so down the Escalinata we went.   The CIDAP Museum was the next stop with all the devil masks and all the crucifixes on display.   Again Lynne spent a few moments in the washroom.

We took the short stroll along the Tomebamba towards Solano where a rest stop was needed.   Lynne was trying to be a trooper but common sense prevailed and they decided to grab a cab to their hotel.

That left me a few moments so I popped in to the Alianza Francesa (French Alliance) where they were having a photography display.  What a great display of action art so I took shots of most of it for you.

Next was a stop at Hearts Of Gold for a meeting to discuss the structure for the non-profit organization.  Since I was an hour early I took advantage of the couch to get a real needed rest.   The meeting generated a few surprises, like their move next week to another house behind the Monte Sinai Hospital.  We got some papers with an organizational chart and some openings for different Coordinator positions.   There are 3 positions open for Donations, PR/Marketing and Events.   I suppose I was the last Event Coordinator but I have hesitated to stick my name anywhere.   I think I will just wait and see where they need me.

Then I stopped at Papeleria Monsalves to grab a ream of blank paper because we have almost run out.

I caught the bus home hoping to have supper with Bella but she was not home.  That little cancer thingy was still burning at the back of my brain.  I made myself a quick cabbage salad (the last of the batch of 13 helpings from that huge head she got 2 weeks ago) and changed clothes to again head downtown.

The destination this time was.to a fundraiser to help them raise funds to build a 1000 foot mural to benefit the sick children at Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso.  It was a $20 entrance fee at an artist’s studio and you got a glass of wine and some hors d’oeuvres.  They were selling more wine, food, raffle tickets and art.  I knew most of the folks in attendance and we got to see a preview of part of the mural too.

I stayed an hour then headed back to parquet Calderon where it was International Jazz Day with a small concert in the park’s gazebo by the Jazz Society folks, Jim Gala, Vivian Slade and others.   I stayed only long enough to grab a couple of shots before catching a cab home.

Bella was home this time so I was really watching for her reaction when I recounted to her the cancer story.  When she burst out laughing I breathed a very large sigh of relief.  I really didn’t think she would have kept something like that from me.   Anyway, I guess she got dragged off to help at what she thought was a “tea”, but turned out to be a Bingo with about 250 Ecuadorians, and she was the only white face.   She even managed to come home with a soup pot and soup bowl set when she won the final Bingo game.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Monday April 29, 2013

Monday April 29, 2013  update #437

I was working on the photos last night until past 1am and sleep was fitful as usual.

Bella was off to do chores this morning, grocery shopping, etc, but is still sick and hacking away, now trying Vicks to calm her illness.  She claims all the medicines on offer contain aspirin and exactly the same antihistamine that only make her more sick, so there is no end in sight for her.

I didn’t want to get up but knew I had chores to do and lots of laundry so I just got at it.

Now it is 4 pm and I can’t keep my eyes open.    I just finished processing 30 more Pase Del Nino photos as that is a never-ending process.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Sunday April 28, 2013

Sunday April 28, 2013  update #436

Bella was heading for her Sunday bridge so I made arrangements to tour around with Ed and Lynne again.

We agreed to meet at Parque De La Madre which was officially opened on Friday.  There were many people wandering the park, clowns from Etapa and an open exercise class in full swing, enjoying another gorgeous, virtually cloudless, sunny day.   Near the river I encountered a lady in a heavy wool coat and looked over on the banks of the river to see what had to be 2 Canadian couples in shorts and bikinis!  

The city had closed off nearby roads for what looked like a bicycle race about to happen.

From there we wandered over to the small ruins at the bottom of the Todos Santos hill before walking over towards the Inca ruins at Pumapungo.   We were surprised to see a gate open at the bottom near the aviary so we went in to enjoy the birds, llamas and fish.   Ducks and a hummingbird kept us entertained but we were sorry that the peacock was moulting and barely had two tail feathers left.

Then we went by the statue of Huayna Capac before wandering around El Vergel then up the metalworkers street to the statue I call Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.   I took a little artistic licence with those shots.

We were just getting started…   Then we went to Parque Paraiso to enjoy the family fun and to have an ice cream.   It is so darn refreshing to see a park full of children with no screaming, they are so well behaved here.

Then we caught a bus to our place and we gave them the quick tour and Lynne quickly fell in love with the screened terrace and our two Boys.

Next we caught a bus up to El Valle and we went to see the house that Greg likes and confirmed that the floors are mirror images so there are only 2 bathrooms at most.    That home has so many possibilities and that view will never go away.

We caught the bus back to town and got off at the huge municipal cemetery and Lynne thought it was the highlight of the day, with all the magnificent statues, antique hearse, and amazing mausoleums.

We passed by San Blas with the 2 lovely churches and the gorgeous park being lit up by the setting sun.

We finished just in time to make it to meet Bella at Don Colon’s for a filet mignon supper which lasted almost 3 hours with lots of conversation about the fun involved in getting a residency application submitted and approved.    Bella will be sending them her treatise on her very recent experience which she had made up for the immigration department.

It was a full day and I am looking forward to doing absolutely nothing tomorrow, except laundry, so don’t expect much tomorrow.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/

Saturday April 27, 2013

Saturday April 27, 2013  update #435

No actual sleep for 3 days gets a little taxing but all I can do is rest as much as possible to make up for it.  The cold is almost gone but so are the pills.   I suspect I’ll be getting some more tomorrow.

Bella wanted me to take photos of the house her son Greg found up in El Valle when he was here in January so we grabbed the bus up there and walked in.  I have been up there many times and not given this house a second glance because it is off the main roads a ways but that was my mistake.   The house has a perch on the mountain with one of the most spectacular views of the area.  The house itself is under construction and  I found it quite odd that they only had timber separating the two floors because the floors are usually cement here, and completed as they put up each storey.  Other than that, the home seems to have mirrored the room sizes on both floors so I am not sure what it has for bathrooms upstairs, we didn’t climb up.  There was thunder coming from some very dark clouds moving our way so I didn’t want to get caught in a downpour.   

The house certainly has possibilities though, if a person could get it at this stage and complete the rest a little differently, like add a huge porch with deck above so a person can sit outside in comfort and enjoy that magnificent view.   None of the neighbors could tell us much about the house.

We continued on to Joe’s Secret Garden to enjoy the chicken and shrimp fricassee and the company of some lovely people.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.  Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/