Yes, in order to be grateful for the wonderful rain, one has to accept the humidity as well. I can’t honestly say that I like humidity so I turn on all the fans in the house during the day. If it is really bad, I’ll turn on some AC for 30 minutes or so to dry things out here in the condo.
Since Sept. 28th I have been back at my condo and will remain here off and on in between renters. The new owners of Barbara’s house where I had been living for two years finally were able to move in on Oct. 1st. It is good to be living in my own place for a number or reasons. I am able to see what needs repair or replacement on a daily basis. The condo is almost seven years old and has had its share of renters–some good, some not so careful. All in all, Loamy Guzmán and his maintenance crew have made all the changes I requested and repaired the dings in concrete, wood, and paint. In Nicaragua, as in the US or anywhere when you own a rental property, there are always maintenance issues that create choices to repair, replace, or ignore. I like my homes to be pristine whether or not I live there.
I have had company in October. Barbara, who was homeless when her house sold, became my roommate for three weeks. We had a great time, sorting, repacking, and discussing what I need to store and what I would need to use here at the condo. It was amazing how many things I had moved up to Barbara’s house that then came back to the condo with me. Thank Isis my personal closet at the condo is able to handle six crates of items that will eventually move into the new Guasacate house. My children brought many of the crates that were stored in my daughter’s garage in CA when they came to visit this summer. I had forgotten about what I had left in CA–out of sight, out of mind. Barbara, with her previous packing wisdom, offered to inventory every item as it went into a crate for storage. Each crate has a number and a separate inventory sheet. I can now decide in the future if my stuff is relevant to whatever the lifestyle becomes. Careful inventory lists are not only useful but I recommend they are mandatory. It is interesting that I had always done the crate inventory lists when I was bringing supplies for the Clinic. I could whip out the lists from my computer, send the lists to MENSA and then show them to customs at the airport. This saved me many a headache upon arrival in Managua. I won’t have to report my stuff to MENSA when I move again, however our lists will be prioritized for unpacking in the new home.
We had a visitor for a week here at the condo. My friend, Joan Livingston from Salina, KS, finally came to visit after six years. I met Joan in the Houston airport in 2004 when I was returning from my first NI trip. Joan was on her way to Rancho Santana to look at property. We sat next to each other at a coffee shop in the airport and started talking. I gave Joan all the info about the lot that I had just bought and shared my love of the area. Joan did buy a lot not too far from my original property in Rosada area of Rancho Santana. She, however, sold her piece six years ago and hadn’t been back to NI since. You can imagine the fun that Barbara and I had taking Joan to all the places both inside and outside of RS that were new to her. We spent everyday, rain or shine, exploring. Then we rushed back to the condo made dinner and played Dominoes–or tried to learn to play Cribbage. We made up a new game but never did figure out the rules for Cribbage; had much laughter though.
The three of us had the privilege of invitations to a Fundación Fenix feria and the following evening the 1st year birthday party–a grand event–for Sebastian Morales Guzmán. Sebastian is my friend/family Carmen Guzmán’s son. That family/campo has grown from 32 people when I lived there three years ago to 50 members now. It is so encouraging to see how the family interacts with each other. The love that is shared among them at all times is elevating. There is no hierarchy apparent. Everyone receives respect or correction/instruction as appropriate. I am fascinated and grateful to be a part of this family.
Fútbol is a big sport in our area. Three of my Guzmán family chicos play on the RS Limón team so I have been attending the Saturday afternoon games when they are played at Fun Limón field. The last two games were a dangerous sport because the field was a relative lake. Players were sliding all over each other in singles and piles. I honestly don’t know how they played but I guess the water from being down on the ground kept them cool. It made it hard to run and kick though. The games are fun to watch although sometimes a little sad too when the opposing team only has half the players and the RS team is in full force. We tend to support our own in this community and one way is getting them to their games. I like sitting behind the goal, although this is a little scary sitting at the picnic tables there. Generally others at the table protect me from flying soccer balls. I can yell as loud as anyone at the goals and at the referee when it isn’t the only woman ref I have ever seen at a men’s game. The chica ref reminds me of my son, Aaron, how she calls serious infractions and talks to the players about other stuff. She is especially good on the very wet field calls. The last male ref was a real gestapo and nearly caused a riot from both team’s sideline spectators.
There are so many opportunities in NI now. Alex Cuadra, the general manager for the new Costa Esmeralda International airport 15 minutes from me, spoke at the October El Limón Salon. He not only discussed the ease of coming in to NI through Liberia, Costa Rica and ECI, he talked about the growing number of opportunities for development in this rural area of Rivas Department. It seems as though if you blink your eyes too many times, there is a new building in front of you that didn’t exist prior. In November the El Limón Salon speaker will be Juan Cadera, the president of ANID–Association of Nicaragua Independent Development. I am very anxious to hear Juan again. It has been a year since I last heard him speak about development in Managua. Now with the airport in Rivas, I want to hear what he sees for our area.
Everyday brings a new possibility for me. I have been showing new people the properties that are for sale. No I haven’t added real estate broker to my Bio, but maybe I should. It is fun for me and I learn new things too. There are so many pieces to the puzzle of my life; I enjoy fitting a new piece into place.
Although I haven’t taught my Cuidadores de Personas classes for over two years, there is interest now to begin teaching the course again through the NGO Fides Camina. A definite need for caregivers exists in NI. The hospitals especially would benefit from using nursing assistants for the caregiving tasks. Dras. Chamorrow, who run Fides Camina, are very interested in the possibilities for the defined caregiving program that I developed. We are slowly working on details of execution for the program.
This brings me to discuss work with Dr. Basha’s Clinic that he will be doing again here in the Limón area this month. Although we are planning a large Basha Clinic for January in the Granada/Laguna de Apoyo area, Basha can’t resist coming here again to work. Did I mention that he also likes to surf early in the morning and then work all day. Basha is such a good Chinese Medicine doctor and acupuncturist; we are privileged that he wants to come here to work. Of course, I’ll be doing his logistics again. Unfortunately, my condo is rented while he is here so I’ll have to find another place for him to stay. There are many options for places to stay close to the surf and to work. The Spas at RS and Carmen’s Spa are perfect venues for Basha’s work.
Although I have been bragging for years about my great dental health, this week I will get to experience the excellent work of the NI dentists. I developed a cavity under my gold bridge that served me and lasted 50 years. The bridge was removed last week. This week, I will have the affected tooth removed, two posts placed for a new bridge in two months that will hold both the new tooth and a false tooth that replaced the one in the original bridge with new white crowns on the supporting teeth. And by the way this whole process will cost me less than $3000 at the Vivian Pellas Odontological Clinic, the most modern facility easily comparable to the best dental practices in the US. I am very happy with the four dentists I have already seen–the regular dentist who cleans my teeth, Dra. Cynthia Watson; Dr. Ramon Hernandez, the prosthedontist; Dra. (can’t remember her name) endodontist; and Dra. Alvarado, the peridontist who will begin her magic this week. All of these dentists speak fair English and all but Dra. Watson have had specialty training outside of NI although their initial dental school training was at the university in Leon. Dr. Hernandez was recently accepted at Loma Linda U. in So. CA for a second Master’s Degree in Prosthedontics–a three year course. It would pay to come to NI to have major dental work done. Medical tourism isn’t a joke here especially if you have a local advocate. Maybe this could be a new business for me too. Never retire is my motto.
November is the beginning of homeowner’s returning to RS and the general area. There will be many gatherings and catching up with news. Hopefully I will be able to keep all the activity lined up and not double book myself–which I have done and had to apologize for the error.
Please continue to pray for rain for us here in NI and ignore my complaint about the humido.
Solo el amor prevalece.
Sebastián Birthday Party Kid’s tables — Barbara, Me, Joan (Adult tables)
Sebastián with his proud Dad, Warren. Birthday tradition someone always puts a finger in the frosting and then puts it on the celebrant’s cheek. Sebastián had a great time with this.
Margie Fincham in Nicaragua 