My Latest Adventure

Today is the last day of the auction. I’m hoping things look better by 9 pm this evening when it ends.

I had yet another lovely day yesterday. I hiked with Barbara, Holly, Kathy and her dog JW. Perfect day.

The Zentangle group shared their creations:

I had to laugh yesterday when I opened a notebook and found one of my first exemplars. This was probably done about 2020. Love a good before and after. The difference may not be obvious to you, but it certainly is to me.

After our hike yesterday, I spent most of the day creating a card for my neighbor, Nancy. Earlier in the day, I took over some vegetable curry that I made the day before. Nancy was up and in good spirits, but she was disappointed that her trip to the doctor the day before did not result in drainage of what was thought to be excess fluid from her abdomen. She looks to be about nine months’ pregnant right now. She sadly reported that it was not, in fact, fluid but all enlargement of the liver. “And, it’s going to kill me,” she said. She delivered this statement with a smile and a brightness in her eyes that seemed so incongruent, but I felt a wave of joy go through my body when she said it.

I remember reading from A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle that some people, when they know and accept that they are dying, exude a brightness, peace and transparency that feels like pure knowing and love.

I created this card and took it over with a note that reflected the above sentiment.

Nancy responded: I’m so thankful for that amazing note! I will have it to remind me if I start sinking or I’m pain. I praise God for what you see in me. It’s not me. I’m as amazed as anyone, and I’m so thankful. I pray a lot during the night. I’m not even aware that I’m praying sometimes. In Romans 8, I think. Paul is describing praying in the Spirit. We pray as the Spirit is praying through us, in moans that we don’t even know what to pray. I know that is happening. I feel it. I have a lot of faith. It’s a Gift of the Spirit, and I am grateful.
Needless to say as well, I am so blessed and grateful for all you precious friends.
The note is a gift! Kathy told me you make note cards from all the art things you all created. I look forward to trying it. Your penmanship is beautiful. The card is beautiful. Thank you for sharing your observations. Again, it is God. I’m hoping it will be a while, but the note will be a source of comfort and encouragement. Thank you with all my heart ❤️ and for feeding us. I’m saving the curry until after church tomorrow. I already had a plan for shepherd’s pie tonight.
Love you, sweet soul sister!

Later, I was working on my homework for my Soul Matters spiritual discussion class. I was curious to see how Perplexity (AI) would handle the assignment:

ME:  I have accepted an assignment in my Soul Matters spiritual discussion group to write a poem about how certain things came into my life and how they eventually met.  The things that came into my life about the same time were watercolor painting, Zentangle and calligraphy.   I was introduced to all of them separately because of the tiny but powerful virus, Covid.  Covid was a scary thing.  It caused a lot of fear, sickness and death, but it also brought us gifts like improvements in technology as well as the exposure to these solitary/sedentary, comforting activities. These activities have brought to me the awareness that consciousness is experiencing a deep joy through my body,  It also taught me how much we need to be with others.  Today I chose to refrain from watching the news, which is quite upsetting to me.  Instead I spent my day creating a beautiful card for a lovely new acquaintance and neighbor, who knows and accepts that she is dying.  She is on the opposite side of the political fence, but her eyes and smile shine with the brilliance of one who knows that they are love.   I know that you are an AI and do not have and never will have emotions, but I just wanted to see what you could capture in a poetic way.

PERPLEXITY AI: Here’s a poem capturing the essence of your experience:
In the shadow of a microscopic foe,
Three gifts emerged, a gentle glow:
Watercolor, Zentangle, and calligraphy’s grace,
Each a solace in this confined space.

Covid’s darkness brought unexpected light,
As brushes danced and patterns took flight.
In isolation, creativity soared,
A renaissance of self, quietly explored.

Through flowing ink and tangled lines,
Consciousness awakened, joy entwines.
Yet absence taught a truth profound:
We need each other, connection found.

Today, news silenced, hands create
A card for one who knows her fate.
Political divides dissolve away,
As love shines bright in her eyes today.

In art and kindness, we transcend,
Finding beauty as all paths blend.
Though born of fear, these gifts impart
The timeless wisdom of the heart.

Sara sent me this photo yesterday of Cordelia “still wearing the cardigan” I made for her when she was three years old. I told Sara that it now fashionably has 3/4-length sleeves. I offered to make the sleeves longer if she wanted. I am also giving her the new one when I return home. Still have to find those glow-in-the-dark buttons. I also need to order more yarn for Maria’s. I’m a sleeve short.

Now on to making more jewels.

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood. Debe Emerson had a Zentangle party today. I met a new person, Flora, who is from Seattle as is Debe. Kathy, Cindy and Holly also came.

L to R: Cindy Hose, Flora, Debe Emerson, Holly Lane and Kathy Jacobson.

This was Cindy’s first time. She was a bit wary, but she ended up enjoying it. Holly and Kathy picked a new design and did a great job. Now they want to try the blueberries and gemstones. Here are my latest. I enjoy making these. Applying the layers of color and then blending them is very satisfying.

These are both kind of sloppy, but that’s how it is the first time through. I’ll try them again and see if I can refine them. I’m following a German woman on the Internet because she uses Faber Castell pencils (which are made in Germany). This way I can use exactly the colors she suggests, and I don’t have to go through AI for an interpretation of some other brand. Makes it a little easier.

I learned of a new tool in Google Translate. You can copy the URL of any website and plug it into the Website tab on Google Translate, and it translates the entire page for you. Unfortunately, it doesn’t copy the images along with it, so I have to bounce back and forth a little, but not bad.

I find it strange that the Faber Castell pencils are all numbered, but they are not in numerical order when you purchase them. I got tired of hunting for the number, so I sorted them. Strange how the colors end up.

I wonder why they are numbered like this. Perhaps if you’re already a seasoned user and don’t need the numbers… But why would they be so varied when in numerical order? I might have to talk to AI about that.

I’ve taken a little break from calligraphy the past couple of days. We’re at the point where we have to line our own paper, and it is a huge pain in the butt. It seems no matter how careful I am, the lines are never even. The spaces are only 5 mm high, and I find it hard to get a straight line across a sheet of paper 20″ wide. I tried using a yardstick, but it’s still a pain. I asked AI the best way to draw lines, and it suggested this tool. It’s called a Layout Liner. I watched a YouTube video and was sold immediately.

I love having good tools. It makes the job so much more fun. I thought I was going to have to wait until I got home, but since I’m still here for another six weeks, I made the purchase.

Tomorrow I’m going to hike to Kathy Rutz’s house in Alto Boquete, see what she’s up to with her paper art, and then Nancy will pick us up to go to the knitting group. I know, rough life.

I love these photos that Maria Del Mar sent. The group photo is taken at Mike and Patty’s place in Jacksonport (Door County) shortly after Arianna and Brian’s wedding. I have mixed emotions when I look at the photo. I feel such joy and love when I look at all of these faces. At the same time I feel a little sad because they were preparing to leave, and all the festitives of Arianna’s Big Fat Greek Wedding had come to an end. Also, the photo was taken on the morning of November 6th. I couldn’t stop crying.

L to R: Janko, Dan, Ana, Tim, Monica, Amanda, me, Victor, Ana Maria, Fredy, Maria del Mar, Einar.

And this one I call Einar the Miniature Maestro:

I’ve been working on my Certificate of Merit for my calligraphy graduation. Some pretty big mistakes right off the bat, but I have a pretty good grasp of what I need to do once I get home and have the certificate paper from David. That is not due until May 31. In the meantime, I’m going to practice my weak strokes as well as my knife skills.

Saturday’s hike was lovely. Not a bit of rain, nice breeze and sunny. It was Holly, Kathy, Barbara and me.

And this is a clip of the new River Walk in town.

This is the latest addition to my art supplies. I took out a small loan to purchase them.

They are made by a German company, Faber Castell. It is because of these that I am able to replicate the blueberries. Annie Reizer, the artist who demonstrates the Zentangle on YouTube, was using a blue pencil from Prismacolor. I asked Perplexity (AI), what color of Faber Castell most closely produces the color of blueberries. Blue Indigo was the answer.

I’m going to have to put the pencils in numerical order. Right now, I don’t see the logic of their system.

And here is my lastest short film. It’s called Breathing. I’m open to any explanations of why this might be happening. As I’m sitting here in my living room, I notice that the curtain here is doing the same thing.

Someone asked me for the link to our church auction. I can’t remember who it was, but here it is: Visit the Bidding Owl website: https://new.biddingowl.com/LCUUCAUCTION

Some events will be listed multiple times. For example, a dinner for 8 people might be listed 8 times for individual bidders or 4 times for couples and 4  times for singles.   Each listing may have a different highest bid, so you may want to check all of them before deciding which one to bid on. 

If you’ve registered with Bidding Owl in the past, you will not need to re-register. If you have not registered, you will need to do so before bidding.

When you register, you can opt to be notified by email and/or text when you are outbid on an item.  

You can view “ALL ITEMS” or items based on a category.  I tried to keep them in order, but things got messy.

I made black beans and rice today. I’m taking dinner over to Kathy’s. We’re ging to watch In and Of Itself. I think I’ve seen in seven or eight times.

Dan shared a new texting app with me called Signal. Signal is available for iPhones and Android. Get it here: https://signal.org/install/

Signal works like your existing messaging app. We can send pictures and video, make calls, and start group chats. The best part is, no one else can see any of it, not even the people who make Signal!

You can read more about Signal here: https://signal.org

I am continuing to feel better and better every day. I’ve remained resolute about limiting my exposure to the news. It’s made a huge difference. I’m happy I caught myself when I did. It’s so easy to slip into the dark side. Again, I credit meditation for allowing me to be aware of how my mind is influencing my body and my mental health. I am forever grateful for people like Heather Cox Richardson and Yuval Noah Harari, who are keeping an eye on things.

I had another great day. I had the wonderful gift of chatting with Kathy Walter. We discussed the problems of the world, and probably solved many of them. We also talked a lot about AI and what gifts it brings. I have found myself using it many times a day. I love it. I can only hope that our better angels will be able to guide us to make the right choices with regard to using it. Right now, I feel that things are shaky with Musk in charge. He claims to be doing these things for humankind, but I know from his biography by Walter Isaacson that he does not contribute any of his personal wealth to any organization that does not directly benefit him. He has contributed to some schools, but only because his children attended. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I think he has flunked.

So, not going to talk about politics. I spent another chunk of my day walking into town. On the way, I stopped at Myra Cleveland’s house. Myra is a new friend (met her last year), who does clay art. I asked her if she could cover the little wooden block I use to hold my “dinky dip” ink wells for calligraphy. Right now, it is a mess, completely covered with ink stains. Barbara said she liked it that way. She sees the human messiness of it. Me, not so much. I want to see Myra’s clay art on it. Today she asked me what colors I wanted. I said, “The Panamanian Green.” I love that color. I have it in my house at home as well. It’s not called Panamanian Green, of course, but that’s a feeling for me. It also reminds me of Mary Pat.

After Myra’s, I walked into town to pick up my parcels from RedNBlue. This delivery (always a fun day because you have to wait a while here like the olden days to receive your order) was the exquisite set of Faber-Castelle colored pencils and a blending tool, which I absolutely had to have because I wanted to make this:

The teacher is Annie Reizer. She is a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT) and a botanical illustrator. The first time I saw these blueberries I had to make them. So I ordered the Faber-Castell pencils, and I picked them up today and dove in. They were well worth the wait. Annie Reizer stresses the importance of layering colors. These blueberries have four layers of color, and then you blend them with a special alcohol-tip pen. Exquisite experience.

Thursday Game Night is an official success. Hope we can do it for the remainder of my stay.

Here’s one of the things I love about this experience. It is a reminder at this present tumultuous poliical time that we can still choose to love each other. This group is a mix of conservatives and liberals, and I love them all. I feel so fortunate to have landed here. Amazing.

So, calligraphy, of course. I’ve begun working on the final project to qualify for the Certificate of Merit. We are going to have to pen our own certificate. This is my first draft, just getting a feel for the script. Next, I will plan the spacing and format. I can’t do the final project until I get home because I just can’t get the paper here.

I was looking at the IAMPETH website, which is the international calligraphy group. I am thinking of working on achieving their Certificate of Proficiency and then the Certificate of Excellence (you never know). I can get the first one with what I already know from the class I’m in now. The latter requires an additional script and illuminations. That really excites me. Here’s an example of an illumination:

Can you imagine?! I know I can do it because I have discovered that I am a really good copycat (I remember looking over Mark Topczeski’s shoulder in third grade because I couldn’t remember how to spell “type.” I knew he would have it right. He was one of the “smart ones”). I can follow directions on the YouTube videos, which are amazing. So many people sharing their joy! I’m following Heather Cox Richardson’s advice and focusing on my joy. Thanks, Heather!

I’m locked out of the Bluehost Portal right now, so I can’t access my blog site.  The agent just told me it would be 3-5 minutes, so I’m just going to start here in Word.  I love the chat box customer service.  No dealing with phone noise or foreign accents.  Another beautiful part of technology.

I had an absolutely beautiful day.  I went for the 6-mile Palo Alto Loop hike with Barbara, then worked on my calligraphy, made a couple of cards, FaceTimed with Mickey, chatted with a neighbor, and now I’m here, trying to write. 

The Bluehost Portal agent gave up and said I was going to have to clear cookies and cache, and start over.  I did all that, but it’s still not working, so I’ll just continue here, and do a cut-and-paste later.

I am feeling so much better in the past few days, now that I’ve stopped engaging in the news.  I’ve decided to listen to the advice of Heather Cox Richardson and Yuval Noah Harari.  Richardson said, “Just do what brings you joy and know that I’ve got this covered,” or something like that.  Harari said, “Stop watching the news and instead join a group.  I was working for the WisDems during the election, before I left home, and I will connect with them again. 

It’s really hard not to watch what’s going on.  I mean how many times have you heard the words “United States” and “coup” used in the same sentence? Not sure “coup” is accurate here.  I just saw one of my notes that defines it as:  A sudden, violent, illegal seizure of power from a government.  I don’t think there is a name for what’s going on right now. 

 In any event, I know that it’s not good for my mental health, and there’s nothing I can do.  I remember reading about a psych experiment when I was in college.  Dogs were in a cage and were shocked if they tried to leave.  They finally gave up trying and became ill in the cage.  I can see where I’m headed. 

I finished reading The Complete Conversations with God  (for the second time) last night.  The very end will stick with me…I hope:

“There are three basic wisdoms that run through the entire dialogue, these are:

1.    We Are All One.

2.    There Is Enough.

3.    There’s Nothing We Have To Do.”

We seem so far away from this insight.  Ego is playing a strong hand right now, but I have faith that this is all part of the process of the awakening of Consciousness.  The awakening happens the same on all levels, from individuals, to couples, to families, to towns, countries…. It seems to always occur with a traumatic event. For example, an individual going through a trauma – anything from an insult to a depression.  They eventually realize that most of the suffering is caused by their own minds/thoughts/conditioning/ego.  And, they “wake up” to a new level of awareness of the power of choosing peace and love over having to be right or in control.  They look back on the trauma with gratitude and know that it has brought them to a happier place, no longer needing to “be better than,” or “have more than.”   Those who have experienced this are now mocked by the ignorant and called “woke” because they see the truth of  #’s 1-3 above.  I certainly hope that this has a happy ending.  MLK saw it.  I remember a teacher once saying, “If we hadn’t had the Vietnam War, we never would have met Thich Nhat Hanh.”

I finally completed my calligraphy Exemplar.  I had 24 pages of paper available.  This was done on #24. 

I’m happy with it.  Before I started it, I submitted #23 just in the Community Forum, asking the mentors if they thought it would be acceptable.  Sneha said that the last four were acceptable, so I did #24 without any pressure…sort of.  Still a lot of room for improvement, which keeps it enjoyable. It’s a little bit better every day.

The only remaining requirement is the final Certification of Merit, done on a special paper, which David will be mailing to my home address.  That’s not due until May 31^st, so I’ll have two months to practice on better paper once I get home. 

This is my latest Zentangle. 

I forgot what it’s called.  I am invited to the home of a neighbor, Debe Emerson, to join a Zentangle group.   Debe learned from Natalie, who learned from me.  I think Debe has a nice-size group coming.  I’m in charge of salad. 

We are starting Thursday Game Night here this week. The first group will be Nancy (the one who was really sick and is now socializing); Cindy and Holly, neighbors on either side of me; and me.  We’re going to start with Mexican Train.  I’ve only played it once before, so I’ll have to read the instructions tomorrow. 

It was so nice seeing Mickey so happy today.  She said that she had a great day, played cards, had two cocktails, and is scheduled for a perm.  I love that woman.  She said that Ben Guido was the bartender one day. Ben is a good friend of ours. He heard her name and asked if she knew a Dan Dupies. She admitted it.

I went for a hike recently on the Pipeline Trail. It’s one of my favorite hikes.

Sheree is from Texas. She’s going back soon to sell her house and then will move here.

I also walked with Yahaira Samudio on Tuesday in Library Park in town. This park is such a beautiful addition to the town center. Yahaira was the cleaning lady at the Glass Orchid House where I lived a couple of years ago. We were talking about how long I would continue to come to Boquete for the winter. She said I should still come when I’m 100, and she’ll be my nurse. 🙂 Doesn’s it look like my wedding ring is on my right hand?

I attended a party last night at Lesley and Don’s. I met new people Debe and Rodney Emerson and Louise and Gordon (last name?). Debe and Rodney are from Seattle (I think), and Louise and Gordon are from Prince Edward Island. That’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit – now that’s more likely. They are renting a little apartment here in the neighborhood. It’s certainly not as nice as this place, but I may consider it for next year. There are four apartments there, and two are vacant. The owner is a Panamanian woman who lives in David. She comes on Saturdays to work in the garden. I’ll likely meet her soon. Louise said that they pay $700. So, we’ll see.

I got home from the party at about 9:30. I logged on to our Bidding Owl website to see how things looked for our church auction, which started the next morning. Before I left for the party, I left a message for customer support and asked them to please group together some woodworking classes that had become separated, and I couldn’t figure out how to get them back together. When I logged on, what I saw made my heart skip a beat. ALL of the items were scattered and out of order, and no one from customer support was answering my emails because they were shut down for the weekend.

Saturday morning I got up early to check the site, still a mess. I waited as long as I could and finally called the “emergency” number. A groggy German voice answered. I apologized for waking her up but explained that our auction had already started, and things were scattered on the website. It went downhill from there. She said what I had asked for was done. I explained that it wasn’t. She then finally logged onto our site and saw for herself. Then, she commenced to blame me. She said I was overthinking it. What?! Then she said if I leave all the items together, the bidders will get bored. What?! It was a real test of my ability to not react and rip her a new one – which I usually do. She must have been the owner because I can’t imagine a customer service representative talking like this to a customer. She eventually said it was not that easy to fix and she had to trick the system and would get back to me.

When I checked an hour or so later, things looked much better. There were just a few things out of whack. I texted her about these things, and she said she’d do it later, she had to run errands. By about 4 o’clock that afternoon, I was so relieved that it was looking okay. No one from church complained, so we’re good. Hope I never have to deal with her again. Plus, I updated my notes to hopefully avoid a repeat next year.

Steffen just stopped over to pick up a SCOBY. He’s begun making kombucha. He didn’t trust his first batch because he said he didn’t think making his own SCOBY worked. So, I gave him a couple of mine. Hope it turns out for him.

I also showed Holly (my neighbor) how to make yogurt in the Instant Pot. I asked her about it at the party, and she said it was so delicious that she ate too much of it, and now she couldn’t eat any of the food at the party. It is a great way to make yogurt.

Today I made a big pot of soup in the Instant Pot and took some over to Nancy. I was so happy to see her looking so well at the party. We all thought she was on her way out, but she was determined to get rid of the catheter and start walking, and indeed she has. She is a strong woman.

So, I botched another calligraphy exemplar today. It had two mistakes. I have three more pieces of paper, so fingers crossed.

I was feeling really awful last week. I was getting upset with all the news about what Trump and Musk are up to. I was brought to tears at one point during a conversation and realized that I had to sop this engagement. I searched my psyche asking why I was doing this. What I came up with is that I, like many like-minded people, was feeling responsible, like I SHOULD be doing SOMETHING. But I know there is nothing I can do. Instead, I have gotten off social media and read only Heather Cox Richardson’s newsletter in the morning. I am also heeding the words of Yuval Noah Harari who recommends joining a group. I was working for the WisDems before the election, and I will return to them to volunteer.

I even downloaded an app called Notes, created by James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits. The app guides you to start a new/healthy habit or break an old/unhealthy one. I feel better already. It’s a scary time for sure, but I know that my first responsibility is to myself and my mental health.

Time to do some Zentangle while listening to this great YouTube video of waltz music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXsZru0mzbY&t=6628s

Mickey called me today and was asking why I hadn’t posted and what was going on with me. I told her that I started to post a couple of days ago and then got distracted somehow, and then she had another call and had to hang up, so I’ll get caught up here. I really don’t do much, so I don’t feel like I have much to post, but here goes…

I’m still working in earnest on my calligraphy graduation projects. I started out today with what felt like a good day and then… plop!, and then another prop!…and then my phone rang, and I jumped, so the L got screwed up. Big mistake on the M – too much to try to fix. But it was still fun. I’m getting used to the feel of the ink and paper. I’ll try again tomorrow, and the next day…

And here’s the latest Zentangle design:

I want to come up with one more design so that I can put a couple of packets together to donate to the LCUUC auction, which…is not going very well. Not sure why, but we’re not getting the donations that we have in the past. I’ve sent cheerleading emails, but so far, it’s sad.

Speaking of sad, this is how I feel with social media lately. I feel like I’m falling into the Zuckerburg trap of engagement by outrage. I have responded to political barbs, and I don’t like how it makes me feel. I’m asking conservatives to please explain their logic in defending Trump, and I’m being told I need to do some independent research. What? That’s when I get ornery and want to lash out, and that’s why I feel like I’m falling into the trap.

With the help of AI I drafted a letter to my federal representatives encouranging them to put some pressure on Facebook to change their algorithm. I’ll send the letter, but ultimately I know it is my choice whether or not to engage. I haven’t found my resting place yet. I’m torn between remaining quiet and speaking out. Speaking out physically upsets me, but remaining quiet feels irresponsible. I am wishing and hoping that Facebook will become what Zuckerburg says it is: a place for family and friends to connect and share. We all know it is not that. As Dan would say, “Looks like yur gonna hafta pray on that one.” My latest promise to myself is to engage for only a short time in the morning…after I read Heather. It will give me more time to concentrate on things I love.

Jolene purchased our tickets for the Camino! We’re off! I think of Jolene every time I look at my little Marcel the Shell. I think she said we leave October 19. I was impressed that she found an airfare for $503. That’s very good, AND we will meet in Chicago and fly to Madrid together from there.

Yesterday, Saturday, I went for a hike with the Caminantes de Sabado at 7:30. We did our usual Palo Alto loop, which is close to two hours. Then Barb and Steffen picked me up just before noon, and we went to Barbara and Murray’s for the pizza party.

It was fun to see old acquaintances as well as to meet a few new people. Unfortunately, I didn’t tour her orchid house. We’ll have to have a next time. Barbara has been busy playing hostess for friends from the U.S. Now everyone is gone, so hopefully she can come out and play. While at the party, we made plans to go to an art show next Saturday with Leah. I think it’s a fundraiser. Lots of fundraisers here.

I love Zoom. This past week I connected with Kathy, Jolene, Stephanie, Kathy Walter, Mickey and even Dianne Caliva, with whom I haven’t chatted for years. Tomorrow I’ll be meeting with my Soul Matters group. Technology is so great. I hope we don’t fuck it up.

This is a photo of a torch ginger on my neighbor’s porch. I should have included some perspective. It’s as big as my head. Okay, I know I don’t have a very big head, but for a flower, that’s pretty big.

Speaking of neighbors, Nancy, who has been very ill, bedridden and unable to walk, has begun to make great strides. I was told yesterday that she is actually up and walking around again. You never know. I’m going to go over to see her tomorrow.

Maria del Mar sent me this little video clip yesterday of Amanda and Einar making pizza. This is what you do when your hands are very small, and you don’t have a rolling pin:

I’m tired of trying to think of titles. From now on it’s just the date.

I haven’t been doing much lately. Well, maybe I have. I had dinner on Thursday with Jerry and Linda at Bluefin, which is just a bit down the hill from me. I was underwhelmed. I ordered Thai curry soup with chicken and a pasta dish. The soup seemed like plain coconut milk with a few pieces of chicken, not spicy at all. I ate it, and it ruined my appetite for the pasta. Oh, well. The pasta was good the next day. I would not go back. I bought fresh tuna from the pescadería (fish shop) the other night. It was only $4/pound, and it was fabulous. I also bought catfish. I’m going to experiment with it and see how it holds up to a recipe I like to use for a “fish fry.” I’d like to have the neighbors over. I feel like I should take my turn. And it’s a Wisconsin thing. Plus, they are very nice people. I really lucked out.

As I was walking into town the other day, I came upon a funeral. This is the main Catholic Church in town. They walk to the cemetery, which is about a quarter of a mile away.

I went to the Knitting Group on Friday. I got a nice walk in and was able to see some old friends. I felt like I had risen from the dead when Brandy saw me. She was so shocked. I don’t think I saw her at all last year. She lost her husband, Bob, to Covid, and I think she was out of commission for a bit. She was happy today. I love seeing her hug the Ngobe kids. She has established such a great connection with that community, as have a number of gringos here. It seems the happiest way to live here as an expat is to share your time and wealth somehow to make the community a better place for everyone.

This is the Knitting Group. I said Wednesday, but it should be Friday. They make hats, scarves, sweaters, blankets and other items for the indigenous. It is a very nice way to spend a couple of hours. As I view this video, I am still impressed that Cathy Schulte is still with us. She is the second from the right when the video first starts. Three years ago she had something wrong with her and looked like a resident of Auschwitz. I really thought I would never see her again. The following year she looked great. Then, last year she was hit by a bus and sustained some very serious injuries. But here she is!

As I was writing this, I realized that I haven’t volunteered for anything for a while. I was going to try the Boquete Library, which is a beautiful, mostly glass building. I haven’t done it yet. I just havent felt motivated to do that. It would be a three-mile walk each way. Actually, that might not be a bad idea. I’ll keep that in mind…no idea how long.

Sara sent me this photo of Cordelia the other day. I am so happy that she learned to knit at her school. And…I am happy that she enjoys it. I won’t push it. I’ll wait for the day when she asks me. I’m not holding my breath, mind you, but…you never know. Her grandmother also knits. I remember that as one of my favorite childhood memories: when my grandmother came to visit after Michele was born, and she taught me and Kathy (I think) how to knit. I was nine years old. She gave me a little ball of camel-colored yarn and a set of blue plastic double-pointed needles. I was in heaven. I would cast on 25 stitches, knit up all the yarn and then pull it apart and do it all over again.

Love that little face.

Tomorrow is the second fermentation for my next batch of kombucha. I’m trying to decide on a flavor. The last batch with papaya and passion fruit was so good. I think I might make one gallon of that and the other with pineapple and papaya. The pineapple should be interesting because it ferments really quickly. That’s why I usually don’t buy it. I’ve been burned a couple of times. But this will be a fun experiment.

I am so happy that I found kombucha just in time for the Surgeon General’s warning.

I also made yogurt today. After our Caminantes de Sábado (Saturday walkers) hike this morning (6 miles), I walked into town for a pedicure/manicure. I planned to buy milk and fruit and take a taxi home. Well, I got through the first part, but the taxi home part never happened. It is the last weekend of the Féria (Flower and Coffee Festival), and the town center was packed. There was not a taxi or bus to be had. I stopped at the bus stop, and when I asked which bus went past my place, the gentleman pointed to an empty parking spot. That means the bus will come, empty out and then sit there until it is full again. I didn’t feel like doing that. So, I ended up trekking up the mile and a half with the gallon of milk and fruit. So, for the day, I ended up with a little over nine miles, which I felt was good training. Now, I just have to do that all one more time, and that will be a day on the Camino. Fun, right Jolene?

I have had waves of joy come over me today after reading Dan’s email:

I’m sitting here, writing, windows open, curtains softly blowing….ahhh.

I’m preparing a piece, for my graduation from the Dreaming in Script Calligraphy class, which is not due for another month, so I’m taking my time. This final project has to be an exemplar of both majuscule (uppercasel) and miniscule (lowercase) letters as well as the numbers. Plus, and this is a big plus, it has to be done in Sumi (or Sumi-style) ink on 130-pound hotpressed paper (aka expensive). I just received a packet of 12 sheets of Arches paper, which means I have 24 opportunities to get it right, or as right as it can be. I have been VERY pleasantly surprised that one of the predictions of my teacher, David, came true. He said something like, “Trust me, you will come to love it. He’s very credible, and didn’t disappoint on this occasion.” The Sumi is very thick. It’s made from the soot of burning pinewood. So, it is hard to produce the fine hairlines, which make calligraphy look so beautiful. But I think it has gotten to the point of finesse, I just have to get the feel for this particulr ink, paper and pen. I think they will be with me for a long time. As I told David, “It feels professional.”

I started to watch Black Doves. Not for me. A bit too Action. I love Keira Knightly, but the splashing of blood has become almost comical. I got a few recommendations from friends at the Knitting Group yesterday: Saving Mr. Banks, Six triple Eight and Night Agent.

I think I’m going to organize a movie night here. Holly and Todd said they were in, so I’ll ask a couple of the others as well. Natalie has enough furniture here to have company, so we’ll see. I think Todd might be able to suggest a new series. He watches everything, like my sisters and friend, Mary. So I think that might be happening. I was going to do a TV night with Betty, but the driving here is too treacherous, so we decided not to do that.

Tonight I think I’m just going to read. I’m almost finished with Conversations with God. It’s my second time through, but I have discovered that I learn something new every time I read these spiritual books. I’m enjoying seeing Eckhart and Oprah together again. They are like little angels playing together here on Earth.

Hearing Eckhart had colon cancer made me skeptical of a post I saw yesterday. This guy sounded so credible to me until the very end where he talks about cancer being impossible if you’re vibrating correctly. ???

https://www.facebook.com/reel/912921014282999

I cracked open my latest brew of kombucha last night. I flavored it with papaya and passion fruit (maracuya). This will be my choice for the duration here. I doubt I will ever be able to replicate this flavor at home.

I was wondering if the passion fruit flavor would come through. It did indeed. Kombucha has definitely replaced my wine habit, hands down. I love when I open a new bottle, and it bubbles over like champagne. It feels so alive. I also love the feeling I experience when I reach for a drink of a second glass, and I don’t feel intoxicated. Instead I am pleasantly satisfied.

I am also so grateful that Natalie has an Instant Pot. Yesterday I made a delicious soup with giant white beans. It took less than an hour, and the beans were perfectly creamy. Also, thanks to the Instant Pot, I am also able to keep fresh yogurt on hand. It is SO much better than store bought.

This one has a dollop of St. Dalfour Four Fruits. All of their preserves are lovely. I made a mistake with my last batch of yogurt. I forgot to allow the milk to cool to 115 degrees before adding the starter. The final product was grainy milk. Gag. Dan would have used it. Mine went down the toilet. Sorry God.

I went for a rainy Palo Alto walk yesterday morning with Barbara and Debra. Now that Barbara has her wheels back, we’ll be seeing more of each other. She wants to learn how to make kombucha. Barbara was also a wine lover but quit almost a year ago, so she’s interested in trying this.

Here are a few shots from our walk. We met Barb at La Casita for coffee. She was driving her kitted-out golf cart. I would love one of these. Barb’s is the only one I’ve seen. Steffen did all the custom work on it to make it legal for the streets. She said that more are becoming available now that someone has created a business doing this.

Today is another rainy windy day. Yesterday, I watched as Martin and his helpers cut down bamboo across from my house. Today the wind is blowing it over.

The bamboo can really get out of control here. It reminds me of a lesson from my Hola Spanish class. The teacher, Brenda Romaniello, compared learning Spanish to the growth of bamboo. It starts out very slowly and then it suddenly shoots up, sometimes growing four feet per day!

Everyone is hunkering down this week. It is the week of the Boquete Flower and Coffee Fair. The traffic in town is overwhelming. So, locals stay home or leave town. Barb and Steffen left this morning for Pedasi on the southern coast. I don’t expect much other activity. Trivia and Tuesday Market are both cancelled because of the fair.

I will spend the next couple of days learning some new Zentangle patterns and build up my card supply.

A few weeks ago, I thought that I “should” write an ode to kombucha. Right now, I’m at my desk, practicing calligraphy, and again admiring my kombucha for coming into my life. I thought again about the ode. Then I thought of what it might be like to use AI to give me the technical information and how-to’s and I would just have the experience of the “writing of an ode.”

So, I asked AI, “How does one write an ode?” Perplexity answered as follows:

“Writing an ode is a creative and expressive endeavor that celebrates a person, object, event, or idea. Here’s a structured approach to crafting an ode:

Understanding the Ode

An ode is a lyrical poem dedicated to praising or celebrating its subject. It often conveys strong emotions and can be directed toward something absent, such as a beloved person or cherished object. Odes have their roots in ancient Greece and come in various forms, primarily categorized into three types:

• Pindaric Ode: Traditionally consists of three stanzas with a formal structure.
• Horatian Ode: Features one or more stanzas that follow the same structure.
• Irregular Ode: Lacks a specific pattern, allowing for more freedom in expression.

Steps to Write an Ode

1. Choose Your Subject:
   • Select something you are passionate about—this could be a person, an object, or even an abstract concept (e.g., love, nature) 13.
2. Decide on the Structure:
   • Determine which type of ode you want to write (Pindaric, Horatian, or Irregular). Consider how many stanzas you will include and how they will be structured 34.
3. Create a Title:
   • A typical title format is “Ode to [Subject]” or “An Ode to [Subject]” 24.
4. Generate Content:
   • Write down a list of praises for your subject. Include both broad themes and specific details that evoke strong feelings 4. Use vivid adjectives and verbs to bring your subject to life.
5. Incorporate Poetic Devices:
   • Utilize similes, metaphors, and hyperbole to enhance your expression. Repetition can also be effective in emphasizing key themes 34.
6. Write the Ode:
   • Begin composing your ode based on your notes and structure. Focus on creating a rhythmic flow—while rhyme is common in odes, it is not mandatory, especially in irregular odes 16.
7. Revise and Refine:
   • After drafting your ode, take some time away from it before revisiting for edits. Ensure that the language flows smoothly and captures the essence of your feelings toward the subject 34.
8. Finalize Your Work:
   • Once satisfied with your ode, give it a final read-through for any adjustments before considering it complete.

By following these steps, you can create an ode that not only honors its subject but also showcases your unique voice as a poet.”

Very interesting. I wonder if we all have a “unique voice as a poet.” This is recorded here as reference in case I decide to continue. My brain started shutting down at “Pindaric Ode.” But it made me think back to my 20’s to 50’s when I used to become interested in a topic and wonder where I could take a class. Then there was always the getting there and home (the city bus was my only option for many years) and having to do it at night after work. Ugh! So tiring. Look how lucky we are now to have technology. The answers are available instantly. I cannot imagine…nor do I care to imagine…what my life would be like without YouTube, Teachable, podcasts, Netflix. I have enjoyed so many more fun experiences since they all came along.

I was upset for a few minutes today when I read an article that was again pushing the “fear button” on the AI machine. I get it. We need to remain vigilant and informed, but the article provided zero assistance in how we might do that. This was my favorite line: “…it is becoming harder to mitigate unless people really start to think about reducing what they post online.” It sounds like he is blaming the victim. How about passing legislation that will prevent this from happening? From what I understand there are zero controls on AI right now. It’s the social media giants that need to take responsibility and not “use” humans to make more money. It seems to me that they would still be gazzilionaires from the money we would be willing to pay them to do things that we agree to and are not tricked into by capitalizing on our weaknesses. Okay, I’m done. And I’m going to read Vivek Murthy’s book, The Lonliness Epidemic.

Dinner last night for Holly’s birthday was divine. The restaurant was Nomad. It has apparently been here for years, and I never heard about it. Kathy, it’s right next to the Oasis where you and Dan stayed once. You’ve probably eaten there. I should have done a video. The ambience was truly heavenly: lush gardens, stone pathways, babbling brooks, lotus flowers, fireplaces, rock walls. And it made Holly very happy. She’s the one in the green.

Still watching Shrinking. I texted Dan and told him not to watch it. I don’t think he could handle it. He would cry too much. It even got me at one point, and I’m kind of a tough case…at least compared to him. This was one of my favorite lines today from Harrison Ford: “Babies are assholes.”