Saturday April 13, 2013

Saturday April 13, 2013  update #421

I honestly didn't think I would get a Blog done today but here we are.

Today’s the big day for the Hearts Of Gold Foundation “Pay It Forward” Silent Auction and Sale.   I was at California Kitchen by 8:45 to be ready for the arrival of the 13 tables from the rental company.  Once they arrived we had to set them up and put on the tablecloths.    Outside the room we had to set up a Cash Desk and a sale desk for our partner organization to flog some great purses.

At 10:30 the Auction and Sale items arrived and everybody got to work.  The items had to be set up in such an order that we could squeeze in all 108 Auction items around the outside (I was notified of another Gift Certificate at 11pm, nothing like last minute aggravations, but it is for a good cause so we bite our lip a lot).   God must have been watching over us because it worked out with about 2 inches to spare, I kid you not!    What an enormous load off my shoulders!  

We were done the set-up by 11:30, much sooner than I expected and the place looks fabulous!   There is even more walking room than I had envisioned, which is good, because we expect it to be wall-to-wall people tonight.  We have lots of volunteers assigned specific duties so hopefully we can all be unobtrusive and helpful at the same time.   I have some “before and after” photos so you can see the amazing transformation.

I headed home for lunch and a much-needed few minutes of shuteye on the terrace.

Then we got cleaned up again and took a bus back to El Centro.  Bella wanted to check if grand-daughter Kiki’s letter had arrived but the Post Office was closed.

We continued on to California Kitchen and went over many duties with the different volunteers and the MC’s.  People were there at 4pm waiting to get in to be the first to get a crack at our Buy-It-Now  option on the Auction items at 80% of the retail value.   By 5pm the place was packed and when we opened the doors it was like a feeding frenzy.   Organized chaos is the best way to describe the rest of the evening.   Very few people left but the bidding slowed to a crawl so we speeded everything up by ½ hour.   All in all, it was a good decision to let the people go.   I didn’t see who won the $310 in the 50-50 draw, or the gold or silver coins.   Congratulations to all the winners.   I would say that I knew 80% of the crowd, having met most of them at Joe’s Secret Garden.   There were many disappointing absences but I am sure they had good reasons.

The main MC managed to show up from his sick bed and did a masterful job.  None of the Ecuadorian musicians showed up although Rich the magician did show up and entertained the kids.   Bella bought one of the purses on sale.

It appears that we had a couple of items disappear on us without payment but they were very minor in the big scheme of things.   All in all it was very successful and I am hoping Hearts Of Gold realized their goal of about $3,000 tonight.   California Kitchen was very happy, saying we could bring in this business for them every weekend!

All mine and Jay’s items sold, although I have to reimburse some good friends who bought my photo package just so I wouldn’t feel bad.   I am grateful to them for that.

People were most gracious despite the many misunderstandings of procedures and paid us all the kindest of compliments.  It was a great event that they all seemed to have enjoyed, a room full of folks with big hearts.  THANK YOU to everyone who participated.

Sorry but I was so busy dodging bullets all night that I hardly took any pictures.  

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

Doce De Abril, 2013

Friday April 12, 2013  update #420

Doce De Abril is a big holiday, Cuenca was founded by the Spanish 456 years ago today.  There are huge parties and festivals all over town but I apologize, I am not going to make it to nay of them.

I was awake at 4:30 rolling over many more ideas in my poor head and I finally just got up at 5:30 and started to act on them.  We had two more ‘missed the deadline by a mile’ Gift Certificates brought in that creates havoc with all the paperwork we were supposed to have been finished with.   It took me a while to cool down and process them because the ultimate beneficiary will be the underprivileged of Ecuador.  I think I crawled back into bed around 8:30 and just laid there, after grabbing a pain killer, until 10:30.

Bella was off to do her charity knitting and crocheting.   That giraffe she made is so darn popular that one of the Ecuadorian ladies simply insisted that the giraffe was what she was going to make today, and she was not taking No for an answer.   It didn’t matter that she didn’t have the right wool, or pattern, or stuffing….  Of course this took away from Bella’s teaching a class which did not please her too much.   Bella will have to finish a proper pattern and translate it into Spanish soon.

My next order of business was to map out everyone’s duties and responsibilities for tomorrow, to the minute.  We have a ‘Time Coordinator” assigned to keep everyone on time or we could have a shambles.   This included a breakdown for the MC’s so they know when they have to initiate things.

I finished off all the other paperwork too and decided to do a quick total of the retail value of just the Auction items.   I was more than a little surprised when that total alone came to $8,886!!  Once we add in the direct sales items we would be around the $10,000 mark!   Kudos to our volunteers who have worked so hard.

When Bella returned she wanted to go donate blood for a local lady.   She had received a note from some neighbor and then there was a posting on GringoTree or GringoPost about it too.  Since the lady is in the hospital 2.5 blocks away at the Hospital IESS I decided to go along too.  However, this being the Doce De Abril holiday, the Blood Bank was closed until Monday.

We both came home and hit the sack for another hour or so.

I never thought I would feel so much relief as when I closed the binders on all the paperwork for the Auction.  I feel in my heart that I have done everything humanly possible to manage this Auction so I hope we get a huge crowd with fat wallets tomorrow and become the talk of the town. 

There won’t be any Blog tomorrow because I will be out all day dealing with the Auction.   I will have to put it up on Sunday.

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

Thursday April 11, 2013

Thursday April 11, 2013 update #419

I awoke at 5:30 and tried to sleep some more but gave up and got to work at 6:30.   I did what I hoped would be the final paperwork before the auction.   The laugh was on me.

Bella was up half the night in the bathroom so she stayed home and tried to play online bridge but apparently the Internet was down most of the afternoon.

I headed downtown before lunch to get magnetic bracelet.   She did the same loose work on it so I doubt it will stay together much longer than last time.  She only asked for $1 again but I gave her $2 as it must be a fair amount of work.

As I headed to Hearts Of Gold for yet another meeting I caught a couple of interesting shots along the way.   I also stopped at a video store to pick up some great movies to throw in our Door Prize basket.  

I also took a chance and stopped at Tiesto’s, the expensive meal place in Cuenca to straighten out a glitch on their 2 Gift Certificates.   I was surprised to catch them open but I was so very thankful that I wouldn’t have to return later in the evening.   The owner/chef is a very nice person but he placed some very stringent time restrictions on his Certificates that are upsetting.   We will have to make sure that the winning bidder is well aware that they have to be used during specific days in May.

Before the others came we received more donations, including a small Kindle for a Door Prize!!   Door Prize winners will be able to choose their prize from what is remaining in the basket.

We received some paintings made by the kids at El Arenal to raise some funds.   We had supplied the canvasses and the paints for them.   The work they have done is mighty impressive.  I was asked to take photos of them so they could post them prior to the Auction to raise more interest.  The paintings will probably sell between $35 and $45.

Our final Auction tally is 105 items, totaling somewhere around $6,000 retail value.   I had done a suggested blurb about our little wrinkle of Buy-It-Now prices at 80% of retail on all our Auction items and they have posted that on GringoPost and GringoTree.   If we got 80% on everything we would be ecstatic.   We are getting great advertising so we expect a packed house.

On top of that we have a lot of direct sale items to add to our pot.   If someone can’t find anything they like at this Auction they won’t be in this country long.

Our MC’s, Michel Blanchard (Canadian) and Ashley Rogers do a weekly radio show and are experienced with stages and microphones so we are thrilled they agreed to help us.  They came by at 2pm to get a feel of what we were proposing and to get an idea of their duties.   I had a sample list ready for them and helped put them at ease with the knowledge that we will have a “Time Coordinator” to keep track of  when things are to happen, announcements, etc.  They were given a quick outline of our partner organizations and some of the stories that tug at the heartstrings.  Emilie and Melinda will be supplying them with lots of material to occupy their stage time.   They will get to talk in amongst the proposed musicians and a magic show.   Where we are going to fit everybody I don’t know.

Our meeting was for ironing out a few more details, delineate more of the responsibilities, etc.   Naturally there were some changes to a few of the Auction items which entailed a lot of document reprinting tonight.   Maybe I will get most of tomorrow to rest and relax before the huge day on Saturday.   That is going to be one long day so don’t expect any Blog Saturday.

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

Wednesday April 10, 2013

Wednesday April 10, 2013  update #418

 I was up at 7:30 and hard at work on Hearts Of Gold paperwork.   I didn’t stop until 4pm, even for lunch, and got a lot accomplished but still much to go.   That will have to wait until morning because the volunteers keep changing and adding more stuff.   It is hard to get mad at dedicated volunteers who didn’t grasp our deadline of last Friday.   Tonight I am still working on changes resulting from emails just received.

Bella was off to her Wednesday Bridge Club this afternoon.

I met Bella, Mark & Karen, Mike & Jing down at Otorongo Plaza after trying to make contact with a donor that gave us an expired Gift Certificate.   I won’t get into details but the volunteer who got the Certificate is petrified to go back because I stroked out the expiration date….   The owner isn’t there until 7pm so guess where I will be tomorrow night or Friday night….??   Walking along the river I took a few shots.

We walked through the market that was just setting up in Otorongo even though it was supposed to have been running since yesterday.  Then we climbed the steep escalinata and walked past San Sebastian to get to Mangiare Bene Italian Restaurant where we enjoyed a delightful meal.  We finished just as a party of 14 were coming in and the volume level was about to explode.

Walking to Parque Calderon we heard a beautiful male voice and we found this man singing in the gazebo backed by a small orchestra.   I was thankful to catch a cab home as I am just exhausted.

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

Tuesday April 9, 2013 update #417

Tuesday April 9, 2013  update #417

Bella was off to the book exchange early this morning then to complete her many other chores.

I was up early to fine-tune more paperwork for a Hearts Of Gold meeting in the afternoon.   I then caught a bus downtown to go to the jewelry market to retrieve my magnetic bracelet, which I had left with the lady for a week.  She spent 10 minutes hunting it down then she was pulling out the fishing line to start work on it.   I told her I would be back in 2 days because I don’t want a rush job like last time that did not last.

As I meandered my way to the Hearts of Gold office, wishing to arrive before they close for lunch, I snapped a few photos along Solano on the way.   I won’t have much time to myself this week to do photos.

I was surprised to find our maid Rosa at the office but it seems she is the liaison with some destitute families in the country that we support.   Our world is getting much more close-knit here.

At the office I busied myself with organizing the auction physical items and tagging them with their position numbers.  Then Denton Verkley came in to photograph all of them for posting on the Hearts Of Gold website.  We have about 45 physical items and about 55 Gift Certificates so we have a great assortment of items to bid on.  We hope the citizens and gringos of Cuenca will support us heavily.

The meeting was productive as we get down to the final items to process.  I picked up about 15 more today that I will have to arrange all the paperwork on.  There were many changes desired that I need to incorporate on the sheets.  We discussed who should handle which positions on Auction night and we have a few outsiders that have volunteered to help as well.   Our preparations are nearing completion.

There were some heated discussions about major donors wanting to pitch their wares physically at the Auction and we had to put the Kybosh on that.  We simply don’t have the room and we don’t want to take away from the charitable spirit of the Auction.  We have no problems with them supplying business cards and brochures but that is where it must end.   The only exception we are allowing is a partner organization with charitable intentions as well.

Remember I posted the warning about Banco Territorial yesterday on this Blog, and I also sent it to GringoTree and GringoPost so we could warn as many folks as possible about the deadline.    You can imagine my shock to discover that GringoTree did not post the notice.   I honestly cannot figure those guys out.   They normally do such good stuff but lately are more interested in pestering us with an annoying pop-up every day.   I have now complained to the owners to see what can be done.

Relaxation is the ticket tonight as I will tackle the paperwork in the morning when I am fresh.   I am too cranky tonight to do it any justice.

Happy Birthday Patsy.

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

Monday April 8, 2013

Monday April 8, 2013  update #416

By the way, Bella is elated at the good times they are having at the new Bridge Club.  They had 12 people there yesterday and everyone is raving about it.  That is what she needs to get it rolling into something substantial.

Today was a most interesting day.   I woke up worrying about the liquidation of Banco Territorial and the procedures to cash in our CD before their 30 day time limit was up, and we had no idea when that was.  

We would not have known anything about this if one of my Blog readers hadn’t emailed me because I had mentioned that we had dealings with them.   We don’t get newspapers or listen to radio or watch TV.  Getting any news or sports is really hit and miss and we normally don’t think much about it.  It seemed that GringoTree or GringoPost let us know of any major happenings which we can then check out on the Internet.   This kind of event could have cost us $28,000 had we not been alerted.

We had emailed the Bank Superintendent and he had responded with a name, phone number, and email of a Carolina Pesantez that we had to contact.    My email of Friday had been unanswered so I composed a detailed list of questions in a new email that I fired off at 8:19.

We had nightmares of being forced to go to Quito, hoping at worst to go to Guayaquil, and were making preparations to go on Thursday, our only free day.

At 11am I tried calling the phone number with a Cuenca prefix and it just rang and rang.  I then called Oswaldo and emailed him my list of questions and all the information.   He also tried the Cuenca prefix and also got no response.   Then he tried a Quito prefix and managed to talk to this Carolina.   He asked us to meet him at Banco Del Pacifico at 2pm with all our paperwork and he would explain then.

We arrived and he explained that Banco Del Pacifico is partly Government-owned and they would handle the transaction.  He said that Carolina told him the deadline was this Saturday!!  We asked one of the counter reps where to go and they said simply to go to a teller, so we got in the short lineup.

This teller, another cousin, according to Oswaldo, lmao, gave us $16 back from our small savings account and everything was going smoothly with cashing the CD until they compared my passport number with the information they had on file.  When we had begun the process from Canada in 2009 I still had my old passport so this account had that information.  Since the number changes with every renewal, nothing seems to match.  So Oswaldo and I roared back home where I still kept my old passport (Bella had told me I’d never need it again), then stopped to get 2 colour copies, and we were back there in an hour.

Again everything was going fine until they now asked for a passport history document…  Oswaldo blew up at his cousin and the supervisor telling them they have to stop asking for silly documents that don’t exist!  Everyone in the lineup was listening intently by now.  Anyway, they relented and we not only got our full principal amount but also our full interest to date!

We then went to Coopera to deposit the money there for now and had a long chat with the Manager, Juan, about their situation now that they have a new Superintendent for Credit Unions.  They are going through an audit stage run by a bunch of former bankers who are not kind to Credit Unions so it could be an ordeal yet.  Juan figures they will be forced eventually to reduce their interest rates a bit to appease the Banking Gods.

Upon arrival at home I fired off the following information to my informant and GringoTree and GringoPost:

Banco Territorial is under liquidation by the Bank Superintendent of Ecuador.  You have only until Saturday April 13th to recover your money, guaranteed up to $31,000.  Do not delay!

The Superintendent's website claims that you have to go to the Guayaquil or Quito branches but this is not necessary.  You are able to get your money on-the-spot in Cuenca at any branch of Banco Del Pacifico, which is partly Government-owned.

There are two Banco Del Pacifico branches in Cuenca, the first is just east of Las Americas on Gran Colombia, and the second is just south east of the main stadium.

Bring any original documents, CD's, Bank books, etc as well as the identity documents used to obtain the documents, ie. old passport, new passport, or Cedula, along with 2 color copies of each.  You just get in line to see a teller and they will handle the transaction easily.

Hopefully this will save a few souls a lot money as well.  We are so thankful to everyone, Trudy, Carolina, and Oswaldo for simplifying things and saving us a lot of worry and needless travel.

Sorry, no time for photos today...

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

Sunday April 7, 2013

Sunday April 7, 2013  update #415

Bella apparently was up ½ the night retching for reasons unknown.   However she felt well enough by lunchtime to go meet with her Bridge Club, so off she went.

I spent most of the morning preparing our documents to go to either Guayaquil or Quito to cash in our CD from Banco Territorial.   We want to wait to talk to the person we  were referred to by the Banking Superintendent so we do things just once, and in one day,   We are both too darn busy at this particular time to waste our time needlessly.   Bella will get confirmation on how to fill in our claims forms in Spanish while I have made colour copies of the other necessary documents.    We should be ready to fly or bus at a moment’s notice.

The afternoon I spent redoing half the paperwork for the Hearts Of Gold Silent Auction and Sale happening in a scant 6 days.   We already have 79 confirmed items for the tables, not counting sale items, and I expect a flood of late items in the next 2 days from some volunteers that have missed the last meeting.

The Auction should go off well, we are as organized as we can be.  My only fear is that I will get stuck lugging heavy tables, etc, up and down those stairs.   Saturday will be one loooooong day.

Sorry no photos today, never got out of the house, but there were 2 uploads yesterday….

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

Saturday April 6, 2013

Saturday April 6, 2013  update #414

I did take a short walk in the neighborhood on my way to exchange two movies that weren’t in English.  Can you believe that one of the movies I brought back was again a duplicate???

I had brought my camera so I got a few shots of the sights in the area, including a wedding at Santa Teresa.

So there will be two uploads to Souvenir today.

We slipped over as invited to have a mango daiquiri with Mark and Karen before heading to Joe’s.   They asked me if I knew anything about buying vehicles, or checking out vehicles.  I advised them that I sold cars for 7 years so I knew a little about what to look for.   They were having a tour operator come to show them a 2009 Suzuki with 33,500 kms on it, previously owned by a little old man who only went to church on Sundays…  When he arrived we all went down and I gave it a thorough going over to see if I could disprove of anything that was claimed.  The vehicle had been scrupulously cleaned so extra vigilance was needed to hunt down any anomalies.  There were many scratches and a minor front dent that was consistent with an old man always scraping or backing into things, but nothing serious.  The tires and brakes and pedals and seat wear were consistent with the mileage.   The motor ran really smooth and there were no rattles even on rough roads.   All in all it was a pretty darn good unit for the asking price.   They dropped me off at Joe’s to do my chores there while they returned to negotiate.  I later learned that the sale may be consummated pending a mechanic’s check.

Joe’s was the usual crowd with a few new faces, including another couple from Vancouver.  The BBQ pork was exceptionally good tonight as were the cinnamon rolls.

I keep getting requests for copies of photos and I keep giving them away for nothing.    Some day I will have to learn how to charge properly for my work and not feel guilty about it.

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

Friday April 5, 2013

Friday April 5, 2013  update #413

I stayed in bed for 10 hours, not necessarily sleeping, but surely setting a modern-day record.

Bella was off early to do her Friday crochet/knitting charity work that she enjoys so much.  It is nice to see her happy with that as well as the huge improvement in the Wednesday and Sunday bridge group where they are really having a lot of fun.

I got busy with the usual chores and uploading more photos for sale before deciding to research the demise of Banco Territorial and how we might possibly get around to cashing our CD coming due in July.   I managed to find the website for their Banking watchdog and sent off a request for their advice, in English and in Spanish.  It was surprising to get a very quick response to contact a particular individual with email and phone number.  We naturally opted for email so we can use Google Translate to communicate in writing.   Our Spanish is not good enough to be able to understand any technical terms they may say.   Having a hard copy also makes it easier to confirm what was communicated.

A person has to be quite careful with literal translations, especially of names, for Banco Territorial becomes Land Bank, and the poor lady we have to contact, Carolina Pesantez, unfortunately becomes Heaviness Carolina.

I spent part of the afternoon getting into Chris Peterson’s book, Methuselah’s Secret, which is available on Amazon I believe.  I really like his writing style and it was easy to get right into the characters and the plot.  I am not a speed reader like Bella so it will take me a week or so to finish it but I am already looking forward to delving into his sequel, it is that good!

Tonight we met Mark and Karen, our second night at California Kitchen, so Bella could enjoy her favorite baby-back ribs.   I opted to also try the ribs and couldn’t finish them all.   Since we had ordered the full-meal-deal with salad and dessert I did my best to eat the apple cobbler and vanilla ice cream, but it was a struggle and made the rest of the evening very uncomfortable.    We were entertained by a pleasant Latino singer, I believe the name was Haden according to the CD that Karen bought, and he even played Guantanamera as I had requested.

We weren’t finished for the evening yet because we had a second appointment to meet Oswaldo and Caty at the Cuenca Symphony presentation in the Old Cathedral.   We arrived ½ hour early and the place was packed already.  Luckily Oswaldo and Caty had saved us the best seats in the house in the second row, since the first row was reserved for the dignitaries.  The amazing guest Director was William Vergara and the fabulous oboe soloist was Jorge Layana.  They did some classical greats such as Claire De Lune by DeBussy and Beethoven’s Fifth.   The acoustics in the old cathedral are magnificent and the music was heavenly.   It was standing room only and we had people sitting in the aisles.   My photos were all taken without a flash.

A young lady sitting in the aisle in front of me was obviously a budding musician as she hardly looked at the orchestra but was playing an imaginary instrument in her lap.   I took a long video catching both her and the orchestra.    I hope you enjoy it.

http://youtu.be/oMMRXVyn3p0

At the conclusion Oswaldo suggested that we go to Tutto Freddo’s for coffee and everyone said OK.  They all had huge ice creams or milkshakes while I opted only for water, I was still so bloated from supper.  We certainly had a lot of laughs, because everyone we mentioned was supposedly Oswaldo’s cousin…

Bella has it in her head that we must get to Guayaquil on Monday to cash the CD according to information on the Bank Superintendent’s website.  I am digging in my heels that I am not rushing there until I talk to Carolina Pesantez and get the proper procedures.    We both have many things on the go in the coming week so Thursday is probably the day that is best for both of us but we can’t afford to sit in Guayaquil for more than the one day, I have the Silent Auction on the weekend to keep on track.  Hopefully everything will work out.

I am working very late to get these ready for the Blog and some guy is firing off fireworks way up on the mountaintop at 12:45am!  My camera is close by so I hurriedly put it on manual, set the shutter speed at 5 seconds and brace myself against the window frame.  No time to fart around with a tripod and guess what???   I actually got one of the clearest pictures I took tonight!!   Enjoy.

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

Thursday April 4, 2013

Thursday April 4, 2013  update #412

Today is a happy-sad day.   Today would have been my Dad Horace’s 111^th Birthday but it is also the one-year anniversary of our Stepdad Lucien’s passing.   It will be a very bittersweet day for my Mom who, at age 96 is finding the days lonely and long.

I was up early, having had the unusual company of both Boys overnight.  By the time I had done emails and uploaded photos, and worked on the next batch, it was already almost 1pm.   I had not heard Bella stir until then so I was almost scared to go check on her.   I had been up and down a few times, getting coffee, then lunch, changing the gas tanks, getting a tank refill, and still no sound.   I finally screwed up the courage and was at the top of the stairs when I heard her in her bathroom.   My gosh, she had slept for 14 hours!

I read more of my Tom Clancy novel and we wasted away the afternoon.

At 5:30 Cathy and Oswaldo picked us up to go to Big Kabuda’s for burgers.  Jesus and Elizabeth were late opening, waiting for their egg shipment, so we had to wait almost 20 minutes but it was worth it.  I tried his new Tilapia burger which was quite good but it still doesn’t touch my favorite Porky’s burger.   I will be sure to return to my old favorite next time.  Oswaldo and Cathy tried the Diabla which they both enjoyed.  Bella tried some chopped BBQ chicken in a hot dog bun and it was really tasty (I finished it for her).

We then had Oswaldo just drop us off downtown on their way home.  I had decided to go again to the Writers’ Group readings at 7pm because my friend Chris was reading some of his sequel novel and, unbeknownst to me Bella had been invited by Manon, who was also reading a story about cotton-picking as a youth in Mississippi.  We enjoyed California Kitchen’s scrumptious desserts before the proceedings got under way.  It was quite enjoyable listening to the various stories with the different deliveries. 

I liked Chris’ story line so I approached him after the session and told him I would like to read his first book.  I was quite shocked when he brought me to the corner and handed me a coiled volume!  I guess I will have to put Mr Clancy’s novel aside for a bit so I can get this solo copy back to its excellent author quickly.

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

Wednesday April 3, 2013

Wednesday April 3, 2013  update #411

After uploading my photos this morning I had to get cracking at the Hearts Of Gold bid sheets for the auction.  We are up to 73 confirmed auction items plus several “for sale” items and some door prizes.  It is going to be a good event so I hope we get a great turnout.   It seems everyone we talk to has heard of it and is intending to show up.

Bella was off to her Bridge Club and left me in charge of a possible noon visit by Luly who did not arrive until after 1.   Bella is returning the Kefir substances as she is tired of doing all the work involved.   I am truly sorry to see that go but I can appreciate all the work it takes. 

Then I got a call from Emilie at HoG asking if I could be available at 3pm to go view some rental tables for the event, so off I went again.  California Kitchen don’t have nearly enough tables for our needs so we went to this wedding rental place on Solano.  We rented 13 6.5-foot tables, with pickup and delivery, for $45, such a deal!  That is one major worry off our list.   We will be setting up at 9:30am on the day of the event.

I then walked to Diez De Agosto, took a few shots of the picturesque church on the hill, then went to check out the little 27 De Febrero Mercado a block away that I had never visited before.   It is much bigger than it appears and is very clean.   I might visit this place more often.   In my travels I spotted a huge backpacker’s backpack and asked the price.  I walked away with it for $20.

Then I headed over to get my house insurance policy at SegurAlmeida.   The office was open and they finally located my documents and I had to sign about six forms just to get my copy.

Once home I got the urge to try to catch Tom Thumb.  On my first attempt the shutter click scared him away but he came back fairly quickly.  My first shot was so terrible I can’t even show you.   The light was fading fast but I did get a much better shot although it is not anywhere near the quality I am looking for.

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

Tuesday April 2, 2013

Tuesday April 2, 2013  update #410

Bella was off to a cooking class this morning while I was waiting for word if I would have to rush downtown or not.  I got the message at 11:15 to be at the Windhorse Café at 11:45 so I really had to hustle.  I met a new donor for the Silent Auction and got his signature on a Gift Certificate.

I actually was there early so traded about ten movies at the movie/book exchange.

Next I headed over to the jewelry market to drop off my good magnetic bracelet for repairs.  I told the lady that I would be back in a week for it because I want her to have time to do a good job on it.

Then I stopped in another video store and browsed for a while but found several movies I wanted, Ben-Hur, Ten Commandments, Dr. Strangelove, A Shot In The Dark, The Party, 3 Musketeers, The Man Who Would Be King, Jerry Maguire, Michael, American Graffiti, and a couple more.   We shouldn’t be bored for a while.

I stopped at California Kitchen to confirm that we wouldn’t be able to use extra space in the hotel lobby for sales tables at the Auction so we have to use our available space.

On the way to Hearts Of Gold I spotted a hummer not too far away in a tree so I got to test my new camera.  I wasn’t close enough to get the shot I wanted but I am not displeased with the results.

Our Hearts Of Gold meeting was marred by a lot of absentees but we did sort out a lot of details I need to complete the Bid Sheets for what we have.  We really have an awesome group of volunteers with big hearts so I sincerely hope we get the public’s support for our auction.

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

Monday April 1, 2013

Monday April 1, 2013  update #409

Last night was an Easter Sunday to remember as a photographer.   I thought one guy was making fun of me ny congratulating me on a few sales, but then I checked, and you could have bowled me over with a feather…  Some wonderful person in Jackson Heights, NY bought SIX large canvas prints of different Ecuador scenes I have taken!!!  Do you think this is possibly a homesick Ecuadorian??   THANK YOU , whoever you are!!

I did not get to use my camera today as I spend more time getting prepared for the Hearts Of Gold Silent Auction and Sale April 13^th, Saturday, at California Kitchen.   The items are coming in fast and furious now so we anticipate full tables lining the front room.

So I will apologize in advance as the next 2 weeks are likely to be shy of photos on a few days.   I tried to get a small night photo shoot for tonight but that didn’t pan out.

Bella was doing groceries and taking it easy today.

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

Sunday March 31, 2013

Sunday March 31/13  update #408

Happy Easter Everyone.

Today is a rest day in anticipation of a very busy week.

Bella went off to play bridge and is hoping for at least 2 tables of players today.   Sorry to say, but trying to manage catty women players must be a terrific challenge.   Men are not so bad, no politics or agendas.

Everyone must be away for the Easter weekend or something.   I have uploaded what I consider to be some wonderful stuff in the past week or so but the response has been worse than abysmal.   I sure hope it picks up a lot, and soon.

I had it in my head to dig out a few older select works and try some artistry instead of concentration on straight photography so much.   I have to do much more of this in the coming months.   Today I decided to do some selective coloring and ended up going a step or two further and applied an oil painting motif.   Let me know if you like, or hate, any or all.

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

Saturday March 30, 2013

Saturday March 30/13  update #407

Well you already know that I spent almost all day getting yesterday’s Good Friday photos processed and posted.  That didn’t leave much time for anything except to get ready for the usual gathering at Joe’s Secret Garden.  Many more new faces again showed up there.  There was this nice young Ecuadorian couple that spoke pretty good English and, I don’t know if they were unannounced arrivals or what but, they were placed to sit at a table all by themselves.   I asked if they would prefer to sit with our group and they said they would be delighted so we moved a table onto the end of ours to accommodate them.  

Supper was again really late tonight and it was on-again off-again rain tonight so most people were at their tables and waiting.  I was lucky again tonight that there were no objections to any photo taking.  It really is a nice class of people that come to Joe’s.

When supper was finally being served, well after 7pm I went looking for the Ecuadorian couple.  I finally asked the staff and they said the couple had left!    Oh well, we tried….

Joe got on the piano to entertain for a bit and that is certainly appreciated by most folks.   Joe is naturally a showman and likes the adulation.

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

Thursday-Friday March 28-29, 2013

Thursday-Friday March 28-29/13  update #406

I didn’t do enough on Thursday to write about at all.   I relaxed and caught my breath.

Friday however we were out the door early to try to catch the Good Friday processions in El Centro.  Bus service is extremely limited on holidays so I had quite a wait at both ends.  I was headed for Santo Domingo but saw a group gathering earlier at San Francisco church so I caught the beginning of this procession of the Way Of The Cross.

Then I made it to Santo Domingo in time for their 9:30 start and caught the many statues involved in this procession.   I love the brightly colored robes that the statue-bearers wear and love their ingenuity in designing the platforms to hold the statues.  The bars just slide through holes in the platform and, depending on the weight of the statue, usually 6-10 people carry it the whole way.  Then they have a person at each corner bringing a bracing bar to set under the corner bars during stoppages to give the bearers a rest.

The folks playing the Roman soldiers try to be convincing with their whips and when kicking the poor sod playing Jesus.   I took one video at the beginning of the San Francisco procession then a second one of the Santo Domingo procession as it passed Parque Calderon.  The second one is shot from the fourth floor of the building across from the gazebo.

http://youtu.be/bShWEnXyAvo

http://youtu.be/VGL54NVLQk4

I was in the fourth floor at the apartment of Vivian Slade and Todd Burr collecting 3 Gift Certificates for the Hearts Of Gold auction.  Boy!  Do they have a cat’s meow view of the central square!!!  Thank you to Todd, Vivian, Johanna and Sophie for your kindness.

The view from the fourth floor is spectacular, especially of Immaculate Conception and Parque Calderon.  Around the corner of the cathedral Carlos, the harp player, was performing right next to many booths selling some gorgeous arts and crafts.

I then hurried home to get a start on the many photos to process, some of which I spent hours on, (and that is why this blog didn’t get completed until Saturday).

We had company in the evening for Chinese food deliciously prepared by Bella, followed by yummy cinnamon buns while we played stick rummy.

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

Wednesday March 27, 2013

Wednesday March 27/13  update #405

Bella was off for her Wednesday bridge games.   I hope people are supporting all the work she is doing to promote bridge in Cuenca.  She is again offering bridge lessons for beginners next month.  

She has also crocheted the cutest giraffe doll presumably for the Charity work they are doing for kids at the Weaving Store.

I have spent most of the day on the computer, emails, uploading photos and blogs, then getting into all the work required for Hearts Of Gold on the admin side.  The donations are increasing and I want to thank everyone who is supporting us.   The work HoG does is worth your support.

I only slipped out for a few moments to try to find some strapping to hold my tripod to my camera bag.  After stopping at a couple of ferreterias and Coral I finally stopped at my seamstress who suggested a shoemaker…  Brilliant idea!!  I found a seamstress/shoemaker in the next block and they made them up as I waited.   They are so good with their hands here.

I walked back along the river and finally noticed that something had been missing for a long while.  All the car/bus wash outfits are gone from the riverbank and they have planted trees and updated the walkway.  I really haven’t walked that way in a quite a while but it is obvious they have been gone for a long time.

I am trying to get a better connection on our NetTalk.  It is possible that just unplugging it to get all the details off the device may have cured most of the ills.  Anybody on the other end was always complaining that our voices were always cutting out.

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

Tuesday March 26, 2013

Tuesday March 26/13  update #404

We had a very short but productive meeting at Hearts Of Gold today.  Our volunteers are terrific at bringing in new ideas and exciting new items for our auction.   Tarek has done a wonderful job on the new website and we are looking for as many folks as possible to Subscribe to the website to be kept abreast of updates   If you haven’t already, please Subscribe at heartsofgoldfoundation.org and see all the fine work they are involved in.

The fearless chairperson, Emilie, had a birthday yesterday, 27 I think, so we all enjoyed a little cake.

Melinda asked for a volunteer to go get Gift Certificate information at the Carolina Bookstore so I held up my hand since I was headed downtown anyway.  Carol was happy to give us two Gift Certificates which I will be making up shortly.

Then I headed to Parque Calderon to meet Jay because he is leaving Friday for Canada and we were taking him out for supper.   Bella met us downtown and she needed a watch battery so we stopped at a watch shop I suggested and Jay also got a new strap for his watch.

Then we headed to La Vina for pizza and I again talked the owner into two Gift certificates which I had pre-made, counting on her cooperation.  She also put up two posters for the event which will be just down the street at California Kitchen and which she promised to attend as well.

During supper Jay gave me his cel phone, ready to use, for putting in the auction as well.  There are going to be a lot going on at the auction so I hope we get a real good turnout.

Sorry I didn’t take out my camera today but do have a few more Pase Del Nino photos for you.

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

Monday March 25, 2013

Monday March 25/13  update #403

Bella took her third crack at her own residency permit this morning.  God help them if they had tried to find something else wrong with her paperwork again!  There was supposedly one minor error in a three-letter word that they decided to overlook and accept her documents.   Now there is the interminable wait for the final decision.

I had a horrible night but got up and did my Internet chores anyway them looked outside and grabbed the phone.  Paul had mentioned that he wanted to get some more Cuenca skyline shots and the day was shaping up nicely with blue skies so he agreed to jump on the #16 with me. 

We headed on the milk run to the northwest corner of the city, literally opposite where we live and it took about an hour.  We walked even further and were actually 3 doors from being on the Cajas mountainside, no more Cuenca.  We took a few general interest shots because there really wasn’t much of a city view from there then we walked back and caught a bus to just above the Catolica University.  We hopefully got a few decent skyline shots for you.   It is really hard to say you have a skyline shot if Immaculate Conception’s blue domes aren’t in evidence.   They are the center and the icons of this city.

The skies began to threaten so we caught the next #16 just as the thunderstorm began.   Most of the rain had subsided by the time I got home but the heavens opened again very shortly so it is possible that Paul got pretty soaked on his last little stretch home.

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

Sunday March 24, 2013

Sunday March 24/13  update #402

This was Bella’s first Sunday bridge group and they had a decent turnout with two tables.

I decided to crawl out of bed and head to El Centro for Palm Sunday celebrations.  Almost immediately I ran into a Good Friday style parade complete with Jesus, Barrabas, crucifixes, soldiers whipping and kicking, etc.  There were masses going on in Santuario Mariano and Immaculate Conception but the crowds seemed somewhat smaller than last year.   I was hoping to capture a procession of the Bishop between the two churches like last year but that didn’t happen.

All in all it is refreshing to see devout Catholics holding all manner of plants on this day and enjoying the beautiful weather as families with everyone dressed nicely, especially the priceless children.

I then made it back home to process the photos before heading out on the bus again, running into yet another parade with a recreation of the crucifixion. 

We headed to a new restaurant that is reputed to serve the best beef, pork and chicken in town called La Parrillada.  The ambience and the service were great but the overcooked meals were really disappointing for all four of us.  That was quite a letdown.    The length of the kitchen had not been exaggerated, we had never seen such a large open kitchen before.

There was also a large empty bungalow across the street that caught our eye.   The folks at the restaurant seemed certain that it was for sale, and not for rent.   How to find out who owns it??

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

Saturday March 23, 2013

Saturday March 23/13  update #401

Bella is keeping herself busy with cooking and bread-making and is not accompanying me on my rounds today.

I have been enjoying a quiet morning since I did manage to get all my photos processed last night.  I am really getting into that Tom Clancy novel, The Bear and The Dragon, and that occupied the early afternoon.

My first stop today was to bring a reciprocal Zhumir and Coke offering to Jorge’s volleyball group.  Only one fellow was there when I arrived but gradually the other required 5 players showed up and they were all appreciative of my gift.  I called Jorge but he said he was being tied up by his wife for another hour so I never did get to see him.  

I couldn’t hang around long because I had little time to get to Rommie and Charles’ get-together partly for Charles’ 84^th Birthday, actually yesterday.  That totally blew me away because 64^th would have made sense to me, or maybe 74^th at the outside, but I would have never guessed in a million years that he was 84.   Rommie must be way younger than he is.

I knew most of the people there but could only spend ¾ of an hour there before catching the bus to Joe’s.  I did get to chat with a lot of friends in that short period though.  Rommie and Charles are now renting this huge ½ duplex in the north side of El Centro, and the occupant of the other side, Patricia, is very well known to us as well.

Joe’s had the usual nice crowd and we had very enjoyable dinner guests.  We were surprised to see that Barbie and John weren’t behind the bar tonight but Angel did a creditable job in their absence. 

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

Friday March 22, 2013

Friday March 22/13  update #400

Last night about 6pm I decided I wanted to get out today on an excursion out of town.  I called paul Wolf first to see if he would be interested in going possibly to the Canari ruins at Cojitambo (not Inca ruins as I had previously thought), then Biblian and possibly Azogues.  Anita said she could manage without him so I told him I would email him the details.  Next I called Mark Anderson and he was game to go as well.  The next few calls did not avail me of any more takers but I felt it was fine to go with only four people for more comfort.  Then I called Orlando to see if he was available to drive and I got lucky there again.   He was free for my proposed time of 9 until 3 so we were all set.

Bella was off to the weaving store to do her charity crochet work for needy kids.  The crafts they are making are so darn cute and will really be treasured by the kids.  She had said she could be home in time for Rosa’s arrival to clean house so I was free to go.

I was amazed that Orlando remembered how to find our place when he was only here once, last November to take us to Banos-Ambato.  The other 2 fellas were here on time too so we were away to the races and were going up Cojitambo before 9:30.  The road was chained off so we had a pretty long climb to get to the Canari ruins.   Paul was really thrilled that we had finally picked a day with some decent skies.  Paul is really a landscape and bird photographer so he lagged way behind and never did make it to the summit beside the antennas like Mark and I did.  Since my camera presently only has limited capabilities with the kit 18-55 lens I really didn’t take that many shots from the summit but concentrated on getting lots of shots of the Canari ruins.  I hope you enjoy them.

I will upload the Cojitambo works tonight and save the Biblian shots for the morning.  We made it to Biblian but by the time we had a huge lunch we had very little time to spend at the amazing church on the hill.  This church is something else, day or night, but we were not only hampered by lack of time, the rain was socking in and it made angles difficult without soaking the cameras.  This church has multiple levels but we only made it inside the chapel at the top.  The church seems very wide, with little depth because it connect right with the mountainside.   You will see those photos in the morning.

We made it back by 3pm as promised because Orlando had another client to drive at 3:30.   I took 180 photos only but have whittled that number down considerably.

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

Thursday March 21, 2013

Thursday March 21/13  update #399

My grand-daughter Heather said on her FaceBook page yesterday that she is going to be induced today, meaning I am likely now a Great-Grandfather!   No jokes please.   I don’t mind that so much as realizing that my son is a Grandfather.  That realization makes me feel older somehow….

Bella was off again early this morning and later came home with her finished doll, nothing like I expected, but pleasantly surprised at the result.  We have tentatively called her Tammy-Faye in allegiance to the many references to the former evangelist at Joe’s Secret Garden.  This is another chapter in the crafting career(s) of my lovely and talented wife.

I was to go out with Jay today but he called to beg off at the last moment due to some bug necessitating close proximity to the Jim.  Oh yeah, we have renamed the John.  It is now called the Jim.  Now we can say we went to the Jim 6 times today and folks will be mightily impressed….

So I decided to take a day of rest and delve into my 3-inch thick novel by Tom Clancy.  I have been so busy, and the beginning of this book just didn’t get me involved, so I have taken literally months, probably a year to get into reading this one, Bear and Dragon.  Now I am hooked and will try to make time to read more often.  It should only take me another year to get through this massive tome.

After I took a couple of shots of Tammy-Faye I decided to get a few shots of The Boys.  Pancho is relatively easy to capture because he is so laid back and will stick around for a bit.  Peso, however, is forever the hunter-killer, always alert and moving at every sound and movement.  It is hard to believe these guys are 7 and 8 years old already since they are still our cuddly babies.

Yummy nachos for supper….

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

Wednesday March 20, 2013

Wednesday March 20/13  update #398

Bella was off real early to see her Translator and was hoping to resolve her issues with the Immigration people.  Then she was having the first installment of the drop-in bridge club and they had a great time, even though the turnout was small for the first day, mid-week and all.  She expects many more folks to join them on Sunday.

I had a note that it was Jay’s Birthday today so I gave him a call but he already had plans so maybe we’ll do something tomorrow instead.

I then called Paul Wolf to see if he was up for a photo shoot at the place of his choosing.   He was game for this and chose Banos so we caught the bus and spent 5 hours wandering the town until a thunderstorm and minor rain interrupted us.  The main church is always a spot for multiple photos.  On the way there something just caught my eye, don’t know why, and I peeked through a small gap in a large gate only to see a beautiful courtyard filled with antique vehicles!!  There is a few bucks sitting in that yard!

We had lunch right next to the blue church for $1.50 and I couldn’t eat it all, maybe because of the king-sized beer for $1.00. 

In our travels we were stopped by a bored family in their front yard, 2 grandparents and a daughter and granddaughter so we had a long chat and took a few shots of the precocious little girl.  It is a good thing that Paul is much better with Spanish than I am.   The kid played shy until she saw her picture then she was all gung-ho for more, even going upstairs to get her own toy plastic camera, which she held backwards, so we had a good laugh.  I set my camera towards myself so she could look in the viewfinder then push the button, and she just howled when she saw the result, mostly my nose and eyes only…

They live just behind one of the prettier hot springs places so we just walked around it and took a few shots.  Paul enjoyed that area because there were a few hummingbirds but neither of us had the proper lenses to get anything decent.

We caught a cab back along the Autopista and it took no time at all, travelling the length of the city from out of town for $5.

128 pictures to filter through so you will know why this Blog is late… cut down to 46.  I’m getting better at being ruthless in my selections.

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

Tuesday March 19, 2013

Tuesday March 19/13  update #397

Bella was off to try to finish making her doll, then she was going for groceries.

Bella is getting ga good response to her descriptive ad on GringoPost about the new drop-in bridge club starting tomorrow.  She is getting lots of interest from folks who have not played in many years so that is a good start.  This is not a place for raw newbies who don’t even know how many cards are in each suit.

I uploaded more works for sale and headed to the Insurance office to try to pick up my documents.  This agent is very frustrating to reach, she doesn’t answer her phone, or return the call, and I think she only looks at her emails twice a week.  Anyway the darn office was closed at 1:30 and nobody was answering the door.   I sent her an email later that they can deliver the documents properly and I gave them directions.

Since I had an hour to kill I took a few shots along Solano and Diez De Agosto.

I had received a phone call from Emilie at Hearts Of Gold to bring my camera equipment again because Richard was going to be in attendance so they wanted a fresh group picture.   I welcomed this because I was not happy with the prior indoor efforts.  This time we took the photo under an overcast sky and the photo is very good.

Richard gave his thanks and his apologies to the group as he is so busy with investors in their new gold mining project.  His wife Sheryle is a great asset to our group and for helping organize the Auction.  Sheryle again praised me in front of the group for all the background work I have done so I was a little embarrassed at the extra attention.

HoG had much more printed material, brochures, cards, posters, etc to help us in soliciting donations for the auction.  I am really proud of the team that works so well together without everybody trying to be the boss. 

Upon arrival at home I had to do a Gift Certificate and Bid Sheet for a donation that Tamra received, process the group photo for everyone’s enjoyment, and was ready for supper.  Bella then gave me 3 more chores to do, find a photo to print, send her a friend’s email address, and scan a document problem she has with Immigration.  Finally I could get to my usual photo and Blog chores.  That is why I am late today.

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

Monday March 18, 2013

Monday March 18/13  update #396

Bella was off real early this morning but did not have a good experience at all.  Being second in line at 6:50am got her an appointment at 10am which allowed 15 other people in front of her.   That is a way to get a person in a good mood.  Then, all of a sudden, the documents she had with her Wednesday, and were all acceptable then, are suddenly not acceptable today there will be more delays because they keep giving conflicting instructions.  Letters have to be re-done, translated, notarized, and ready on the specific day that they may, or may not, again accept your documentation.  Believe me, the 3 Stooges are running the asylum over there.   We have an “in” with the head lady here, which is not helpful in the line-ups, and she is definitely going to get an earful about their ridiculous procedures!   I have never seen Bella so livid.

I meanwhile was off early to the Fuji store to get my commissioned print printed, 40x60cm for $11.  They sure do a bang-up job at the Fuji store, highly recommended.   While there, my cel phone rang and it was Melinda fro Hearts Of Gold asking if I could meet her at California Kitchen to do measurements and room planning for the Auction on April 13.  I said I would make it.

There is a photo of a boy on the upstairs wall that captivated me because I was certain someone was trying to recreate a baby photo of Elvis.  However, you can see for yourself that this is probably not the case…

I then stopped at the jewelry market because my magnetic bracelet broke again but I was too early and my repair lady wasn’t there so I will have to tend to that another day.   I was almost at California Kitchen when I realized that I had left my flash drive and keys at the Fuji store so I had to backtrack and then rush to make my appointment with Melinda.

The room at CK is a bit smaller than I remembered it, about 16’ x 40’ so that is going to cramp our style somewhat if we have too many donated items.  After measuring all the presently available tables and the wall lengths, etc we determined that we will need about 13 more 6-foot tables to do what we need.  I have to leave that in the hands of the “powers-that-be” with the chequebooks.

Then I had to tag up with the Banco Pichincha people to see about getting some “e-Key” card to enable us to do Internet banking again.  After waiting for ½ hour to talk to one of the Private Banking folks, they said I only needed to go to the teller to get it done, so another ½ hour later everything was accomplished.   Then I had them transfer some money to our Insurer’s account to pay for our house insurance.

Next I walked in the rain under my umbrella up to Ray and Carole’s place past Tres Puentes to deliver the completed print.  Carole had loved my emailed proof so much that she had sent it to a bunch of friends and relatives in the US with glowing compliments about my work and now they all replied, (except one), that they want to come and visit!  Someday I am going to have to learn to charge a proper fee for my work.  I am sure I did this one for about 50c an hour.

I then walked back in the rain and tried to call my insurance agent, since I was only a few blocks away, but she didn’t respond.  She only works in the office, very part-time, and we have to fit around her schedule.  She had promised that a man from her office would deliver the documents, and apparently tried, but couldn’t find our place.  We probably weren’t home anyway that day and the bozo didn’t bother calling for directions.  What a colossal waste of everybody’s time…

I took a few shots while wandering through downtown.  You will notice a couple of shots of the cathedral taken from different corners, showing completely different skies.  Welcome to Cuenca.

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

Sunday March 17, 2013

Sunday March 17/13  update #395

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Saturday I had a commission to go take a large scale photo of the upper Yanuncay by our friends Ray & Carole Walter west of Tres Puentes (three bridges) where there is a scene they particularly love.   Those photos I am posting under today’s blog.

After yesterday’s major rain the morning sky is very slow developing today so I probably will take advantage of the day to catch up on some badly needed rest.

Bella will be off to play bridge today and she seems happy that she has struck a deal with the Cuenca Bridge club to arrange afternoon games on a drop-in basis.  I do hope it all come together for her as she has worked so hard to try to get a competitive club put together.

If the sun and cloud decide to part ways I might get out later with the camera in tow.

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

Saturday March 16, 2013

Saturday March 16/13  update #394

I had a commission to go take a large scale photo of the upper Yanuncay by our friends Ray & Carole Walter.  They used to live on the hill across the river from us but now they live west of Tres Puentes (three bridges) and there is a scene they particularly love.   I got there and we had to rush things a little because rain clouds were forming and were spitting by the time we took the required shots.  We attempted to view the shots on their computer, then their TV, but neither one would read the RAW images.  Unfortunately they had to choose their shot from the small camera screen.  It isn’t necessarily the one I would have chosen but they are the customers.  Those photos I am posting under Sunday’s blog.

As I left there I was really watching for a taxi because the clouds now were dark purple to black and lightning and thunder (a rarity here) were beginning.   I walked west to the next big intersection and finally found a vacant taxi.  Mark and Karen had invited us for pina coladas on their terrace prior to going to Joe’s so I headed there first.  As we got near Las Americas the heavens opened and the windshield wipers could barely handle the deluge.  He parked within 40 feet of the entrance but I had to deploy my umbrella or I would have been drenched during that short sprint to the door.  There were 3 other folks there as well and we swapped stories, especially for the newbies from North Carolina.

The rain quit long enough for us to walk to Joe’s Secret Garden but began again just as we got to the doorway.  This is the first major rain that we can recall ever at Joe’s in the 16 months we have been going there.  The rain was heavy enough that it caused a few more roof leaks in that old home, 2 right above our table in the wine room.  The table had to be shifted awkwardly to other side of the room

It was also a pleasure to be joined by Cathy and Oswaldo for the evening.  They are always so happy and pleasant.  This was Cathy’s first major outing since her hip replacement surgery just a couple of weeks prior.  There were many, many new faces again at Joe’s so we are continuously surprised at the constant influx of new people to our adopted city. 

As usual the fried chicken was superb although nobody ate as much as usual, which was indeed strange.  Maybe we ate a little earlier than usual because the rain kept everyone inside.  I really do not like taking indoor pictures but Thank God the new Canon does a great job in this regard.

There was a French lady named Manonne who was purportedly taking photos for an International Living magazine article using a Sony Cybershot much like mine.  She was very nice but got Joseph upset when she wouldn’t listen to him and took a photo of him when he was perspiring profusely.  He felt that his image represents their business so he didn’t want any bad images of himself to accompany any article.  We can certainly agree with that point.

Oswaldo offered to drive us home but we preferred that he concentrate on getting Cathy home safely.  We caught a cab and he took the straight line to our area right through downtown down Gran Colombia, but that actually took longer because of all the construction and street lights.

I was too pooped to complete the Blogs last night, so this one is a little late….

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

Friday March 15, 2013

Friday March 15/13  update #393

Pancho was keeping me awake so I got up before 5:30 and went out with the camera to see what the rising sun would offer.  I took many shots along the Yanuncay and kept a few for you to enjoy.  Every shot was taken on a manual setting, something we photographers sometimes do not always have the time to do, opting for an automatic setting.  Today’s cameras are so intelligent that we sometimes just get lazy and let the camera do all the work.

Shooting a time shot of 30 seconds smoothes out rough water and we also get much richer colour so I really love the deep blue that has come out on the pre-dawn shots of the river.

We had been asked to join Jim Mola and friends at Los Sabores De La Nonna on Avenida Solano for a “fiesta”, so we did.  This is a new restaurant, impossible to know about them unless someone tells you about them and gives you directions.  Basically they serve mostly shish-kebabs that are very tasty, although they do have things like lasagna on the menu, but apparently not tonight.  Folks were raving about the food previously so we were expecting great things, but… we got street meat shish-kebabs that we can get on any corner.   The company was great though and it was awesome to see many friends we hadn’t seen in a while.  Sorry about the quality of photos from there.  I was just using the small camera and didn’t bother with a lot of adjustments.

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

Thursday March 14, 2013

Thursday March 14/13 update #392

Bella was off to doll-making class again while I did the usual chores and uploads.   She is also close to setting up an afternoon bridge drop-in at the Cuenca Bridge Club which I hope she can pull off.  That will eliminate so much stress on her part and give her a much-needed outlet to play some competitive bridge without having to worry about who, or how many, will show up.

Then I was off for another meeting at Hearts Of Gold where we finalized a lot of the printing details for brochures and posters to promote HoG and the Silent Auction.  I got compliments on my admin work and the templates I have supplied for such things as Gift Certificates to ease the work of the volunteers.  We aim to please.

Our volunteers are an amazing group of bright people with no egos to soothe so it is working extremely well.  The ideas that are put forth are well thought out and helpful.  Most have begun their canvassing for items for the auction and some of the results are incredible.   It will be a fun event to attend for sure.

I have again sent out an email to all my contacts in Ecuador asking for their help in our HoG endeavors.  I am certainly hoping for a better response from this email than the complete dead silence received from the first one.

Sorry, no photos today.

That was today’s excitement.   Hugs to all.    

Wednesday March 13, 2013

Wednesday March 13/13  update #391

Bella was off at 6am to spend the whole day at the Visa Office.   That is not a process for the impatient.  She barely made it home in time for supper at 6pm.  She has to complete about 3 more minor items and sit through at least another day there in the line-up.

I did my usual chores which always take until past lunchtime then I forced myself to get outside.  I climbed the hill to catch the #3 up to the San Sebastian area to grab a few shots.  I am still getting accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of the new camera, for instance which has kept the instruction to do a delayed shot from yesterday.  So I am not including the resulting shots of my shoes as I tried to figure it out.    

It is almost a given that there are threatening skies every time I visit this area, but it never rains…  Besides the gorgeous park and the white church, it is adjacent to the Museum of Modern Art which had a large exhibition of an artist with the last name of Roman who must be tormented.  I could only bring myself to show you samples of some of his tamer and recognizable work.  I saved going into the Auditorium last and almost had a heart attack when I saw that all the huge parchment wall hangings were missing!  I went to ask the fellow at the desk what happened to those and he said something about “Espana” so I can only assume they had only been on temporary loan to us from Spain.

I always get a corner shot of San Sebastian right next to the umbrella of the shoe-shine man.  He looked at my dirty runners and offered to shine them for 50c, so why not??

Further down the road I checked at a couple of video shops and was finally rewarded in finding a copy of “Love Actually”, “Amor en Realidad” in Spanish, one of our all-time favourite movies.  It is set in England, a few days before Christmas, as it follows 8 intertwined couples played by an incredible cast.   We can’t wait to watch it again.

I also found a set of headphones with a 6m cord for hooking up to the TV for only $20 and it is functional, but doesn’t have a great range of volume.

I tried to call Mom around 4pm but missed her, and was shocked when she called me back at 5:40.  That is pretty darn good for someone who will be 97 in a couple of months!  I am glad that I will be able to make it there for her Birthday.

I had sent a complaining email to NetTalk about the crappy connections we have been having of late.  The people on the other end can’t hear us half of the time and I was getting fed up.  Yet my conversation with Mom was clear as a bell.   I wonder if that is because she initiated the call??   Hmmmm.

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

Tuesday March 12, 2013

Tuesday March 12/13  update #390

Bella was off to doll class today while I did multiple uploads of photos.

Then we had another meeting of Hearts Of Gold again for planning the Silent Auction and Sale.  I delivered the Galapagos collage and had to take a group photo of the volunteers.    One of the volunteers reminds me so much of Jim Farrelly at my old office, it is scary.

The meeting centered on proofing and suggesting improvements to the literature we will be needing for requesting donations and for promoting the Foundation. 

Tarek has done such a wonderful job on the prototypes that I hope he isn’t upset at the multitude of changes that were suggested.  Many of the suggestions were for more concise and bilingual work.  We can all get carried away with our verbiage, but six separate paragraphs trying to say what we do in six different ways was a bit overboard.   Our Mission says it succinctly enough.

Now I have to get to work and start doing the Bid Sheets for the many items that have been donated.   I will have to get it straight in my head how I will want to number the items so the bigger ticket items are spread around, and we also want to colour-code them so we can close off items in stages, saving the bigger items for the end.   I also have to re-do the Gift Certificate templates, etc so I have to put on my designing hat so everything will be ready for another meeting on Thursday.

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

Monday March 11, 2013

Monday March 11/13  update #389

My first chore of the day was to get a haircut.  Bella had found a real reasonable hairdresser just a few blocks away that gave haircuts for $1.50.  Luckily she was open today and I arrived just as she was finishing another client.  This lady is fast, like the $15 haircuts at home that take 10 minutes, and she is as good as Bella said she was.   But she doesn’t do manicures or pedicures….

Bella was doing her Monday grocery chores as I tried to catch a catnap because Pancho kept me awake all night.

I had an appointment to renew our house insurance which is decidedly different than in Canada.  I went in to see Cristina Alvarado at Seguralmeida on Roberto Crespo.  We did a quick review and decided to leave everything as is for another year.  Insurance is VERY different here than in Canada or the US.   They feel there is a larger burglary risk here so their rates are really quite high.  I keep pushing them to allow more discounts like they do in North America as an incentive to keep their good clients.  The homes are concrete or solid brick so fire isn’t much of an issue, but they easily allow earthquake or flood insurance, again very different.  I know we are underinsured, but at least we are insured for disaster and are probably the only insured home for many blocks, as Ecuadorians basically self-insure.

I was waiting for the #16 to return home and was surprised when it came from behind me so I was waving away, at the bus stop, and the buggar just drove on by.    Luckily the next one was only about 5 minutes behind him.   Welcome to Ecuador.

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

Sunday March 10, 2013

Sunday March 10/13  update #388

I tried to sleep in, but to no avail.  There was a procession of those folks in the purple gowns again today and they are quite noisy.  Bella told me that this was the culmination of a religious retreat or something.  Anyway it is quite a spectacle as they pass by our home.

I wanted to add my seal to the collage for the Hearts Of Gold and I was determined to try a collage of my own.    I gathered several Cuenca Kids photos and went into PrintShop to try to find a ready-made collage format but they were really restricted so I forged ahead and manually made one myself.   After several hours I finally had things lined up so I printed an A4 version on glossy paper.   Then I applied my seal and ran it through the laminator 4 times.   Now I have a nice placemat, lol.  It really needs to be printed much larger to be effective so I am not sure what I will do now.   At least the hard work is done.

Bella was off to play bridge at Joe’s and then we are meeting at Mark and Karen’s for a feast of Black Angus beef.   They had ordered some of this great beef from a local man and were super pleased with the product so we got to sample some of it.

It might not be Alberta beef but it was a close second!  Mark made some mashed potatoes with sour cream, chives and bacon, just like a baked potato and I filled my face.  Lemon squares for dessert topped off the evening.

We got to enjoy the African motif they have in their apartment, mostly from their time spent teaching in Egypt.   We were also rolling in the aisles recounting many pet stories from our past

Our 55ish cab driver asked if it was OK to stop to pick up his wife on the way so she could enjoy the ride.  We just laughed and said OK.  She was waiting on the street in a coat and scarf, with one curler in her bangs.   Only in Ecuador you say??

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

Saturday March 9, 2013

Saturday March 9/13  update #387

I had to stick around to process another 45 photos from yesterday and that takes a long time.   So check for a second batch of photos.   They include more from the Old Cathedral, a harpist, the Justice building and a few more candids.

Today is a rest and catch-up day for Bella while I have my usual Saturday job at Joe’s Secret Garden.   The meal is Arabic tonight so it was an experience.  Our favorites are still the Fried Chicken and the BBQ nights by far.  Mark and Karen came dressed in Arabic fashion, having lived in Egypt and all that, they had the attire.  It is funny that 2 Canadians came dressed as Arabs while the two Arabs, Youssef and Tarek stayed with their Western dress.   Anyway it was a fun night and a good time was had by all.

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

Friday March 8, 2013

Friday March 8/13  update #386

Happy Birthday Bettye.

I was off and running early just to get downtown and take some photos because I agreed to be back in time for Rosa to do the housecleaning.

I managed to get inside San Alfonso church, the City Hall, the Provincial building, the Old Cathedral, then the Justice building followed by the Civic Centre next to Parque Calderon.   I have taken many shots of things I have taken before, but wanted to see what kind of results I would get with the new Canon camera.   There were many beautiful Ecuadorian artworks and statues, and I got a couple of candids as well. I do hope you like the results.

There are too many photos so I only got through less than ½ of them so far so you’ll just have to see the rest tomorrow.

Today is Women’s Day in Ecuador and there was a celebration about to commence in the Civic Centre but I didn’t have time to stick around.   A video store had a couple of movies that caught my eye so our collection has grown by another eight today.

Bella was off to the weaving store then to meet the lady who is going to translate her documents to enable her to get her own separate Residency permit here in Ecuador.

We went out to La Vina for pizza for supper and enjoyed that immensely.   We ran into a ferellow that lived in the county of Strathcona near Edmonton, his sister and their friends from Montana.  Then at an adjoining table there was a couple with 2 kids, he was from France and she was from Quebec.

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