Month: January 2023

In no particular order…

Jolene is on her way! Barb is picking me up at 7 am tomorrow morning. We pick Jolene up at the airport in David at 8:30, and then we are off to Las Lajas, which is about 1 hour 45 minutes from here and about 45 minutes from the airport. Then, for the next three days…fun! Jolene wants to learn Zentangle, so that will be packed.

I have entered a bookmark phase. I saw these on the Creations CeeCee YouTube channel, and I wanted to make them. I did the first phase yesterday and just finished the second go-round. Not sure what will happen next, but I think I like that scraggly branch one.

Phase 1:

Phase 2:

And, the latest Zentangles:

I received encouraging feedback from Ash today:
“I like this Christine! You are doing great now focus on consistency on day to day basis.”

On a less happy note, Gloria had to return to the hospital yesterday. Apparently her insurance company has not completed the details of her itinerary back to the U.S., and they will no longer pay for health care at home. They also need to pick her up from a hospital; so she had to go back. And then, adding insult to injury, she has tested positive for Covid. So, it is now unclear what will happen.

My favorite new teacher: Swami Sarvapriyananda. He teaches from the tradition of Advaita Vedanta (nonduality). I first saw him in conversation with Rupert Spira. He is an excellent speaker. He is organized, funny, down to earth, a wealth of knowledge and gives great examples of how we can become more familiar with who we really are as consciousness.

Okay…time to pack!

I’ve had a couple of challenges over the past week. It started with the visits from the realtors. I knew that this was going to be happening, but I wasn’t exactly sure how. The realtors came, had a look around and told me that the photographer was going to be coming in a few days. I was told that this would take a number of hours and that eventually I should expect a “flurry” of interested buyers.

The owner of the property, who is in Thailand, sent me an email stating that there would be showings scheduled three days a week, and he said I should leave the property. He kindly made suggestions of what I might do: go to the library, go to the market, visit with friends.

I explained to him that I rarely leave the casita since i am so far from town and that I do not have a car, so this was not going to happen. I said I wanted to be cooperative, but I also said it would be nice to be somehow compensated for this. Nothing.

When the photographer came, he asked me to leave. I sat outside. It didn’t take him long. The realtor sent me an email saying that I did not, in fact, have to leave the house for the showings and that I didn’t need to remove my things, just have the place “tidy.”

i still felt that some sort of compensation was in order. I sent the owner another email this morning explaining that i would be withholding $200/month from the February and March rent. If that didn’t work for him, I said that it would be best if he waited until I was gone on 4/1. No answer. So, my rent is due on 2/1. We’ll see how this goes.

Second issue. And I’m going to make this as short and sweet as possible without mentioning any names. A friend performed a service for me using their professional skills. Every time I asked about the price, I was told not to worry about it. I assumed (always a huge mistake) that my bill was going to be about $1500, of which I had already paid $1000. I received an invoice yesterday for $4200. To say I was shocked is an understatement.

I have felt pretty creepy for a couple of days now, so much so that I thought, after Jolene’s visit, I may just go home. Bot of these issues feel like abuse, but in the second instance, I also feel really stupid for not insisting on seeing a bill and not even thinking about a contract. Shame on me. This one is the most challenging.

I am eternally grateful for Dan. He couldn’t talk to me the first night, but then the next night he said, “It’s only money. We have each other. We’re on the right side of the grass.” What more can I ask for? He was already stewing about some financial issues we’re dealing with, so this put the icing on the cake. He handled it admirably. Love that man.

I have found a huge respite in returning to the Zentangle. While doing this, I cannot think of anything else. I am focused on what I am doing. I also listen to podcasts while doing the Zentangle, so my brain has very little opportunity to be angry. Today, I started listening to one with Andrew Huberman interviewing Rick Rubin. What an amazing mind.

This one is much harder than it looks. It is a very good exercise in drawing smooth, equidistant lines.

In any event, my hope to respond to challenges with kindness is being tested. I have really had to pause and come back and continually repeat, “Be kind, be kind.”

I went on a hike with Barb and Deb on Monday. We did the Tree Trek hike. Wow! Has that road changed. The last time I went up there was for dinner one evening with Ted and Pam Bonner about seven years ago. The road was dirt and boulders. The only way we made it is because Ted had a four-wheel drive vehicle. Now, it’s all paved.

This is where people in Boquete go to try out zip lining. Not for me.

I had a lovely dinner with Betty last night. We watched In and Of Itself. It was her first time, my fifth. She loved it. I knew she would. She called me this morning to tell me that she heard from Gloria that she finally went to see a doctor about her shortness of breath. She was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She is now being stabilized with care at home and is going to be medic-vac’d to the U.S. in five days. I feel very bad for her. She is a healthy 75-year-old woman, who works hard to take care of herself. We think this is due to Covid. Betty and I are going to go over to her house on Monday to get her packed up for her return to the U.S. and to clean out her apartment.

My neighbor, Cheryl, stopped by today to tell me that they had Sophia put down. That’s the dog that bit Barb. Apparently, Sophia contracted an ear infection and then started having seizures. I could see Cheryl was shaken. They took Sophia in as a stray eight years ago.

So, kind of a downer day, but…that’s life.

‘Tis the season for the annual Flower and Coffee Festival in Boquete. It’s the biggest attraction of the year in Boquete. I went once a few years ago and would probably have given it a pass, but Lois and Buzz asked me if I wanted to go. It was a lovely opportunity to get to know them a bit better.

After strolling about the fair, we decided to go find something to eat. Since it was early, most of the vendors at the fair were not open yet. I suggested Sabrosón. What I didn’t realize is that during this hour, only the breakfast menu was available. Lois and Buzz were happy. They had steak and eggs. The only thing I could eat was hojaldre, which is fried bread. Good in any culture. So, I had that with syrup. Such nutrition! Since I suggested it, I was happy they were happy.

Another benefit apparently of a vegan diet. This was my latest message from Ash:

“What are you eating Christine! Wow!!! These look good. Still some details are been over looked in the overturn letterforms. But I love the confidence in strokes and also the consistency! Keep writing.”

And this is today’s Zentangle. I used one of the glass beads in the center.

I love a before and after:

I made this vegetable curry yesterday. It turned out pretty good, so I’m having Lois, Buzz and Betty for dinner. They will be here shortly.

I stressed my heart attack gene this morning when this critter landed right next to my hand.

I thought it was a cockroach, which led to this exchange with Kathy:

[1:24 PM, 1/11/2023] Christine Kunert: Would there be any issue with my having someone come and spray the perimeter of the house?
[3:08 PM, 1/11/2023] Cathy & Larry Doig: You cannot bring a contractor but, you can ask Jude to have Herminio spray. I will warn you that I’ve had the casita sprayed a few times over the years. At least 2 times it was obvious that the ants, on one occassion, and the scorpions on another, had been habitating at the wall of the casita as they came INSIDE in droves to escape the fumicide. Other times it seemed to help. So…..you are welcome to ask Jude to have Herminio spray but, know the results may not be as you desire. The most effective way is to have Hermimio spray inside, close the house up and leave for 6 to 8 hours and then ventilate very well and then the next day or so, spray outside. I never wanted the spray inside but, again, your choice. If you choose to spray inside it should be on a Monday as soon as Yahaira finishes.
[3:11 PM, 1/11/2023] Christine Kunert: Okay, thanks for all that Kathy. I’ll have to see how it goes. I was doing okay with the scorpions. Picking them up and pitching them outside has become no big deal. But then this morning, a huge cockroach plopped down right next to my hand. I have a harder time with the cockroaches. I guess I’ll see how much my nervous system is willing to tolerate. Thanks again.
[3:13 PM, 1/11/2023] Cathy & Larry Doig: Those “cockroaches” are beetles and beetle season is coming so….expect more and I’m not sure fumigation would do anything as they don’t habitate in the ground where to spray goes.
[3:14 PM, 1/11/2023] Christine Kunert: Oh, okay, thanks. I’ll deal with it.
[3:14 PM, 1/11/2023] Cathy & Larry Doig: And the big beetles are harmless and important to the ecosystem..
[3:17 PM, 1/11/2023] Christine Kunert: Strange how I don’t feel as creeped by beetles as cockroaches. Okay, that’s done. Thanks again.
[3:22 PM, 1/11/2023] Cathy & Larry Doig: Those beetles crack me up the way they always die in their back. I’ll have to ask our entomologist amigos why that is. There are some beetles in Panama that at 6″ in length. Thank goodness I have only seen one that big in the Biomuseo!
[3:23 PM, 1/11/2023] Christine Kunert: Oh God…now I’m going to be waiting for it to show up! LOL.
[3:24 PM, 1/11/2023] Cathy & Larry Doig: 🤣🤣🤣
[3:27 PM, 1/11/2023] Christine Kunert: Never heard of “beetle season” before. Always something to learn.
[3:28 PM, 1/11/2023] Cathy & Larry Doig: https://www.whatsthatbug.com/harlequin-beetle-panama/
[3:29 PM, 1/11/2023] Cathy & Larry Doig: There are many beetles mistaken for roaches. The Harlequin is commonly mistaken. Panama has dozens of types of beetles.
[3:32 PM, 1/11/2023] Cathy & Larry Doig: And if a tree that houses termites comes down with the high winds you will see a hurricane of termites and yes, they’ll get in the house but they die fast. BTW….termites actually are tastey and are a good source of protein, if you’re ever lost in the jungle for days.
[3:33 PM, 1/11/2023] Christine Kunert: I tried that in Honduras. I’ll pass here. I have beans and rice.
[3:37 PM, 1/11/2023] Cathy & Larry Doig: 👌

So, that was my lesson today.

And this is today’s newest Zentangle. A bit of a mess, but that’s how they usually begin. Also may be partially due to the fact that I was watching Drunk History at the same time.

I have found that I really enjoy a YouTube channel called 15 Minutes of Zen by Kelly Boulin. This is the one I did today. I think this is her first one. She does a very nice job. Nice and slow and easy to follow.

And a little bit of calligraphy. I had this sitting out on the coffee table, and I decided to put a title on it, so it will be easily found. Because…you never know.

Last year I binged on Seaside Hotel and loved it. I recently discovered a series called Drunk History. It is no longer in production, but there are six seasons available. It sometimes gets a little too drunk for me, but then I just fast forward. Only had to do it once. It would be interesting to see how it would be if they were high instead of drunk.

It is hilarious…genius…

I landed on this series because I wanted to see what Jenny Slate looks like. She is the voice of Marcel the Shell. She is very funny. Marcel is looking at me right now, and he makes me smile.

These are the latest Zentangles. I have been trying it freehand. Tools used on the left. Freehand is on the right.

I still like both. I like a combo. Three more of these, and I’m moving on.

Wasn’t I surprised this morning with this image.

That is a strip of sticky paper that moved from its spot under the stove. And it wasn’t windy. I found a scorpion in that space to the left of the stove. It was stuck in a cobweb. It must have been hell.

These are my attempts to get along. I have filled obvious cracks with paper towels. Every time two or three days go by without a scorpion, I think, Yes! But then another one shows up.

So, we’ll see. Yahaira pointed out to me today, what she called gusano. It looked like a catterpillar to me.

I said I wasn’t really bothered, and then she kindly pointed out to me the spikes coming from its body, and she then demonstrated to me how they curl up and squeeze their prey. She said that they are common on the coffee farms. Thanks Yahaira!

Not sure if that’s it. The one we had was not bright color. Oh well, it was similar. I’ve never lived this close to the jungle. It is a new experience. Cohabitating has taken on a whole new feeling.

It’s going to be potatoes for a while. I met my neighbors at their backdoor a couple of days ago, and Buzz was carrying a large bag of vegetables. They just bought them in Cerro Punta, probably an hour’s drive from here, and known as the bread basket here. The landscape in the area is beautiful.

So, they said they paid $4 a bag and asked me if I wanted one. I said okay and agreed to get the money to them soon. When I got home and dumped it out, I saw that the vegetables were quite old, squished tomatoes, wrinkled bell peppers, celery splitting. You get the picture.

The next day, Lois stopped by and said that I didn’t have to pay her. She agreed they were wanting. Good human.

I gave half of the potatoes to Yahaira today. Most of what remained I chopped up and made a stock. I need that now for the recipes I’m making.

Look familiar? This is what’s happening for the next four meals or so.

I have not had a pedicure since October, after I finished the Camino. Today was the day. Yadira is a traveling manicurist/pedicurist. She came right to my house and gave me a great pedicure. She used an electric sander on my feet. They feel and look great. Yadira brought her son, Juan David with her. What a cute kid. He busied himself for a while at my painting table. I was amazed by his artistic ability at only six years old. He then spent some time on my laptop and finally had an experience with the VR. I am so amazed by how young children so readily dive into the technology. I just asked him if he knew how to use a Mac, and he said yes. So, I said, “Go ahead.” Within minutes he was watching a sitcom. Amazing.

I was surprised that Yadira said she traveled 40 minutes from her home in Potrerillos (that is so hard to say) to Boquete. I have heard the name of the town, but I didn’t think it was so far away. I checked Wikipedia, and it said it was 10.6 miles from Boquete and takes 35 minutes to drive. Wow! That surprises me. It must be hilly and/or windy.

This is Yadira’s second job. She also works at a business that provides dental equipment. I think that’s what she said. It’s nice to have encounters like this where I can communicate in Spanish. It doesn’t happen a lot. I can now speak with Yadira and Yahaira (the cleaning lady) in Spanish.

Yadira’s husband is an attorney. He dropped her off here and returned to pick her up. The logistics must be interesting.

Today’s “Zentangle.” I put that in quotes because I learned on the Zentangle Facebook Group that this would be called Zentangle-Inspired Art. Traditionally, Zentangle does not use tools like compasses, rulers or erasers. But most of the commenters said, “You do you.” I love that saying. One commenter said, “That’s fine. You can feel free to do it any way you want. You may discover, however, after doing it for a while that you no longer want to use those tools.” We’ll see. Right now, I’m enjoying this technique,

So satisfying. I think I finally have this one down. I was having difficulty remembering what line went where when (yes, like that kind of feeling). As I was falling asleep last night, I thought of a solution. I divided it up into steps with each one in a different color. Yay!! Now I don’t have to keep rewatching the YouTube video.

I will have to share this with my friend, Lynda Stuber, at home. We were on a Zoom call the other day with Kathleen Johnson and Diane Hennum. She saw the cards I was making and said she wanted to give it a try. I told her, “DO NOT start with the Celtic Knot.” But who knows, she may be able to do it easily. But I’m here if she needs me.

My favorite podcast today. They are talking about cold exposure and brown fat. I was up to two minutes in the cold shower. I was so happy to learn today that 30 seconds is the maximum recommended exposure time.

Dan made fun of me for posting my dinner photos, but I don’t care. This one is called Moroccan Spiced Stew.

It was pretty good, but I can’t say it was great. Truth be told, things are starting to taste very similar. I’m going to have to mix it up a little more. Not sure how I’m going to do that yet, but I am hoping that with the arrival of The Blue Zones American Kitchen, I will find inspiration. Also, his book is more Mediterranean focused, and I love those flavors.

Kathy sent me a text today that my package is on the way. The cookbook is in that package. as well as new paints. I found some images on CreationsCeeCee that I want to paint.

I finished creating the cards which I plan to donate to our church auction. And I also made a packet for a friend here who wants to give them as a gift to her daughter. So, now it’s all just playtime for me.

My friends, Natalie Kelly and Sally Zigmund, both of whom I met through Boquete Health and Hospice, are going to come here one day for a kindergarten session. Love kindergarten. It’s so much fun living this again through Cordelia. I love all the photo updates that Sara sends.

I find it so awesome (rarely use that word, but sometimes it’s perfect) that kids like Cordelia will be able to go back and view their early lives with so much more clarity than we did. Still photos are different than videos. In videos we see behavior, so there is less left to memory.

I have a date with Terrie Silverman this evening. We are going to discuss the movie In and of Itself. I was happy that Terrie asked if I wanted to discuss it. I have been wanting to watch it again, and this was a great impetus.

Creating Zentangle images is my idea of a very good time. I’m going to make a number of these. It’s interesting to see how they change from one to the next. And it is great brain exercise. This time through watching the video, I took notes. So, hopefully I got all the steps correct. Rewinding the video can become tiring, not to mention disorienting.

And I made this! No, it’s not a joint. It’s a tortillon, which is used to do the shading on the Zentangles. Thanks again YouTube.

Another creation. This one is called Scorpion Trap. I put these bowls under the legs of my bed and put Ratax inside (sticky paper). Hate to kill them, but I don’t want to sleep with them.

Betty took me to Bulk Organics this morning. I love that store. I was able to buy nutritional yeast, cardamom pods and coriander. I needed the nutritional yeast to make the Vegan Parmesan Cheese. Stay tuned.

I just made this dish, Cabbage and Rice, which is one of the recipes from The Blue Zones American Kitchen.

At first bite, I thought, meh, kind of boring. But then as I chewed it, the cabbage and dill combo hit my palate. I am having a hard time not eating the entire pot. Definitely another keeper.

This was today’s Zentangle. I’m not sure if I can call what I am now doing Zentangle. In the videos, the instructors do not use rulers and things; it’s all freehand. But I much prefer the straight lines and precision. I actually went to YouTube this afternoon to learn how to use a compass. It’s been a long time. Now I have to figure out how to get rid of the tiny indentation from the compass point.

Barb stopped by this morning. She took me to RedNBlue to pick up my package from Jolene, and then she drove me over to El Salto to show me where the possible rental is located. I didn’t see the house yet, but I still would not want to walk back and forth to downtown from there. The road is narrow, and there are no sidewalks. No thank you. It is still open for consideration, however, if the price is right. Barb said she can’t imagine it would be inexpensive because it’s a huge house. We’ll see.

So, Jolene sent me a package. She also sent one to Michele and Kathy. We were told that we could not open them until I received mine. Then we were to do a Facetime and open them together. This is what was inside:

I just love this little guy. He will be with me here as I do my calligraphy every morning. He always brings a smile to my face. He will probably move later in the day to my card making table.

Tomorrow I finish the final read-through of the book. I told Stephanie I was going to have this done by Sunday night. It will be done. I am now accountable. Accountability works for me. Next week is major revision time. I say major now, but it may not be all that big a deal. I’m going to try to just go with the flow.

Can’t remember if I wrote this or not, but on Thursday, at the end of my PT routine, I got up off the floor without using my hands. This was a very good moment. I am paying more and more attention to how I react to back pain when I feel it. The respond-vs-react rule works here as well as in other situations. I can choose to respond to the pain instead of reacting. I still feel it, but I no longer allow fear to enter the picture. I just change my thought to, “Okay, thanks. I’m fine.”