Graduation 2014

On Friday night we, as a family, celebrated Brooke's high school graduation. What an achievement! A beautiful, upbeat commencement celebration with a beautiful graduate.  Graduation from high school culminates thirteen years of formalized school and the growth from a child to an adult. And what a ride it has been. We witnessed the end of an era and the beginning of a new one - upcoming university and further becoming a self-reliant, independent person.

 even with heels I am still the shortest 

3 generations

 Family

You can see how short Brooke is to the rest, so you can imagine how short I am when all together.

And now on to Africa ....

Africa travels begin

Every airplane ride is preceded by the anxiety and excitement of a new journey. This is felt in the days leading up to departure and even more so, upon arrival at the airport. At the airport it is then magnified by the number of people in the waiting areas, in the lines for Security, and in line to check in. And we are not immune.

After much humming and hawing, we decided against taking the Nikon big camera and opted to get a smaller version of a DSL wannabe, the P600.

 We spent many an hour trying it out, learning it's quirks and a lot of referring to the manual. Did you know that you can now take photos by connecting the camera to the iPad and using the iPad as a remote control? Yup! You can! Will this be useful? Only time will tell. And what about the special effects?

 Would we ever realistically use something like this? 

Then there was the packing. Seemed like we hummed and hawed for days here too. Trying to reduce the amount of stuff that we are taking was a battle that was lost. We ended up taking one suitcase each that was loaded to capacity, weighing in around 30 pounds. Under normal circumstances this would not be bad but during the trip we have to trek for an hour on a walking path to a village, carrying our bags I am sure. Am not sure how the cases will do on that. We shall find out and adjust accordingly once there. [photo]

The RV went into storage. I am sure that she must be very disgruntled every time that she sees the place for it means that she is left to her own devices for a long period of time. Still, she waits patiently for our return and never acts up once we are back. She is just glad to see us return and get her out into the sunshine again.

And so we leave ...

Preparing for Africa amidst life happenings ...

The month of May has been a month of conflicting ideals - the trip to Africa which is upcoming at the end of the month, and the activities and events of Brooke's graduation. Both are fun, exciting and memorable.

Brooke will graduate officially on May 30, where we will witness the proverbial walk across the stage after the commencement addresses and notices. Of course, Pomp and Circumstance will be hummed by all as it is played when the graduates enter the auditorium. In the meantime however, we have witnessed the Sports Banquet where Brooke was honored by one of her teams. The placemats for the dinner had photos of all the teams. Of course we gathered them up so that we could memorialize them. [photos]. There was the dinner at the Dishman's, her second family, where her friends congregated to wish her well.

The Dishman's celebration for Brooke

 Her second family

[photo] During this I often found myself deep in thought as I remembered and reminisced about our adopted families in Panama: our host families, our many friends who welcomed us into their lives and their homes, and of course, our adopted daughters. [photos] We ran the Sherrod B&B replete with the chocolates on the pillows, welcoming one and all as well as many Couchsurfer visitors. I heard this last trip to Panama that we are famous in the later groups for our B&B and chocolates. And what is grad without a Prom: The Senior/Junior Prom. Here we lucked out! Our granddaughter Brooke attended as a senior and our youngest grandson attended as a date for a junior. Of course we were there to see them dressed to the nines and for photos. 

 Junior Prom Blake & Callie 

 Senior Prom Brooke & John 

 I love this one

 Walking the Red Carpet to be presented:

 The last event, still to come will be the grad itself. Photos to follow after the fact.

In between all of this, we have been planning our trip to Africa with Gary & Peg.

How lucky we are to be afforded this opportunity. I even updated my front page on my computer:

Africa is a once in a lifetime happening, I believe, and we are able to go. Not only are we getting to go, we are also going to be given the opportunity to visit with a PCV in his village and even possibly attend a local wedding. Wow, how exciting. So in the ensuing time, we have packing to do, organizing to do, shopping to do for Brooke, and for me, finishing a UFO quilt so that I don't have to pay the penalty for this quarter. I will be updating the trip to the blog, hopefully more frequently than infrequently. AM not sure as to the availability of internet where we are going. It is hoped that hotels will offer it, even if in the lobby.

One of the exciting events that we are looking forward to is a ride on the Tazara train that goes from Dar es Salam, Tansania to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. It is a 2 night, 2+ day ride through the various topographies of the both countries. You can have a good read here: http://www.seat61.com/Zambia.htm#.U4P0ZdziP-k and here: http://www.heleninwonderlust.co.uk/2013/08/tazara-train-overland-journey-zambia-tanzania/
If only I can be so proliferate in my writing. Often times other things get in the way. :)

Follow our trip here on our Blog, Where are we today? , for the latest update. See you then ...

Panamá, once more ...

Panamá ... it always feels like we are returning home when we return. After having spent 2+ years here with a few returns after the fact, it still presents with the feeling. What it is, and why, I don't know, it just is. It is still hot and sticky, making breathing hard, especially when the humidity is high. The country is beautiful in it's own way, although it is a lot of brown in the area that we were going to as it was still the dry season. The bus rides were as always, reliable and noisy...

Our arrival in Panamá was late, very late, or early, very early, depending on how you look at it; 1am. Heading straight to Albrook bus terminal we were able to get a 3am bus to Santiago. We had just settled in for a snooze for the duration of the bus ride, when on came the music. I had (conveniently?) forgotten this aspect of bus riding. Needless to say we watched the sun come up from the bus as it approached Santiago and our next leg, with little sleep. From there on to Chitré where we caught another bus to Tonosí. Our first time in Tonosí and it left no lasting impression: dusty, noisy with little in the local store and nary a taxi to be found at the bus stop. A wonderfully wizened old lady stopped to chat us up only she discovered that we were waiting for the next bus to Cambutal. She kindly informed us that she would wait for us to get the bus, no questions asked, no tolerating NO, and yes, that was her bus waiting across the street. Nothing would deter her from waiting with us making sure we got on the right bus. We had been labeled: GRINGOS, but gringos who spoke Spanish tolerably. Finally a taxi came by and we flagged it down, thanking her profusely for her kindness, being rewarded with the best-ever smile on her face.

Cambutal, a dual face. On one hand there is the dusty, noisy, nothing to offer town while on the other hand only a couple of miles from the town, a seaside paradise. Lush green, quiet with the soothing sounds of the waves. Our hotel, Luna Negra, was just such a paradise. Our cabin beyond words, especially as the cooling breeze blew in off the water, lowering the temperatures at least 10 degrees from that on the street.

Upon arrival at the hotel, our host, Anita and her son Aaron, rushed to inform Bennison and Al that we had arrived. She had been "pacing the floor" for our arrival and of course, we were off and running soon after. A drive to be shown around the area. "And this is where you can rent a place for as long as you like" [hint. hint]; this is a good local restaurant; this is a good hotel restaurant; by the way, your hotel has the best ever restaurant but it is only open Thurs though Sat evenings and reservations are a must... Then off farther afield. This is out towards our property and there is lots of property for sale; stopping to visit with another gringo in the throes of building a home; problems with flooding water during the rainy season which will make for difficult travel once we get to the river, which, by the way, we have to cross to get to the proper; and on it went as we toured their newly adopted town.

I awoke; after a very peaceful sleep in an a/c'd room, with  my back spasming and my hip hurting. I believe it was aggravated by the bumpy roads that were traveled and the long hours spent traveling to get here from the US. The result being that I did not go with the tour to a special place: The tidal pool. Instead I laid about and rested and relaxed my back with great results. They returned in the afternoon oohing and aching over the scenery, so  much so that Danny asked them to take me in the morning back to the same place. Supper at the Italian Restaurant - excellent Italian food, for Panamá.

So off to the Tidal Pool in the morning, by slow easy speeds to minimize the bumpiness. They lived up to the raving and indeed, I can see Danny wanting to buy property in the area if this was available to all. The beaches are for everyone, none are limited. That is a good thing. The water is clean, the waves are apparently very good for surfing, but how would I know? We enjoyed a day at the beach and it was cool enough for me to sit out during the height of the day in the shade of a big tree. The breeze coming off the water was wonderful.

Our time here in Panamá was short - we were here only to visit Bennison and friends in Bocas and the Darién, and it  has gone all too fast. Unfortunately, our trip to Bocas was cancelled due to my problems with  my back and the discomfort of riding public transportation. So back we went to Panamá City for the last few days of our time here and to get my back looked at.

On our return to the City, we stopped in Chitre to visit with Bob, our PCV friend. AS time would have it, the International Feria was also in town. So we got to visit with Bob and go to the feria as well.

 We attended the feria with Bob on the rt and some of his PC Panama friends.

 During our wandering in Texas, leading up to our trip to Panama, I had seen a way to display your molas. So of course, I had to add to my collection. Here I was able to buy a decent layered mola made by the seller. Some of the stitching is not as good as others but still, it is original.

 

 Oddly enough when I asked to take her photo, she pulled out a mola blouse and laid it over her normal t-shirt, so that she wouldn't appear too Westernized in the photo.

 And what would a feria be without the Andean indigenous selling their pan flute music. These ones however, had taken their enticement entertainment one step forward and dressed in native costume. Unfortunately they had chosen the indigenous dress of the American Plains Indians. Guess they had spent some time in the US.

 right down to the moccasins 

 and even a quill chest plate.

Can one dare to hope that in some form or fashion they are distantly related?

Once in Panama City we wandered old haunts while waiting for the results of the medical testing done our first evening in town. A new sculpture

 Oddly enough I have never taken a photo of Einstein's Head found outside of NY Bagels where we went for lunch.

Our thrill for the day was riding the new underground metro, opened the weekend that we arrived. Standing room only as Martinelli is getting people used to riding it and the convenience of it by offering free rides for the first couple of weeks.

 The lines were long...

  the crowds deep...

 Walking from the actual underground across the road to Albrook Mall Station, there were signs outlining the development and workings of the metro. Very interesting.

 Is this the final graveyard for all those fabulously painted Diablo Rojas and all the memories of riding them during PST? Parked in the background and only occasionally seen on the streets now. I understand that quite a few were sold to VeraCruz, Mexico for tourist transportation and some are still in use serving the outer lying areas. Still it is nice to have a/c'd buses to ride in the city and not have to smell and breathe the belching diesel fumes as the buses roared by.

Our return was shared with the anticipation of our next big adventure that is coming from our having received an invite to Africa from Peg & Gary, our friends from Valencia, Sp. (PC friends from Panamá). Oh boy, ohh boy ... a dream come true, Africa.

With April comes ...

The old saying, April showers bring May flowers is very much alive this year but early. This year is probably the best that I have ever seen the bluebonnets and wildflowers in general. The lush green backdrop definitely makes the complete picture.

Bluebonnets in Ennis, TX

They are everywhere, making me want to have them around the RV. hmmm wonder if they would grow in a plastic swimming pool, etc?

This last six weeks have been busy: Busy enough that I wonder where the time actually went. Did we actually do all of what I think we did? So let's see ...

~ We spent almost all of March in the area of the National seashore, all based around Corpus Christi. The grands came to visit as was discoursed in March.  While here I was able to attend a one-day sewing class where I learned how to make fabric bowls. This was a wonderful way to spend a morning.

~ Then we slowly meandered across country towards Nacogdoches. Everywhere we traveled, we saw an abundance of wildflowers. The Bluebonnet blues, Indian Paint corals, the yellows, oranges and whites found against the lush vibrant green of spring were a sight I couldn't get enough of. One of our stops was Lake Somerville State Park from where we made a few interesting day trips. 

1. The first of course was to a find! A great quilting shop where I could only wish for easy access on a daily basis. Ha! I would have to do a lot more sewing/quilting that I am doing now if I were to visit that shop much. I got a few items however. One of the Challenges offered on one of the quilting online groups is a BTF Challenge - that is a Back to Front where you design a flimsy front for a specific backing. I found the perfect fabric and a simple use of said fabric for the Spain blanket. This will work up quite quickly if only given a chance to work on it continuously.

We visited the Wendish Museum in Serbin, TX, close to Giddings. 

There is a great festival here in September that would be worth attending. And they teach you how to paint eggs too. Their history is fascinating and is outlined, along with cultural displays, in the museum. The original Wendish church built is a small log cabin on the property but the current church, built as a result of a growing congregation is now considered one of the Painted Churches of Texas. 

During this meandering we received an invitation from friends to accompany them on a trip to Africa. Although the main reason for going is to visit their nephew, a PC volunteer, it will also be a spectacular way to see a part of the world we probably wouldn't see otherwise. We will be going to Tanzania, Zambia, and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. There might also be a side trip to Zanzibar if we can pull it off. The planning for this will have to wait however, until we return from our visit to Bennison and Al.Then it was off to Panama to visit with Bennison and view their newly acquired property. This is for the next little blog!

Can March be here already?

Parked here on the south Texas coast for the last month, we have had the luxury of smelling the sea air, hearing the sounds of the waves, and experiencing a much different weather style than most of the population here in the USA. As I read again about further snow storms and frigid cold temperatures, I gaze about our environment, listening to the heater come on and off and realize just how fortunate we are to be here, even if it is cold and blistery outside. Oh we have our own set of turmoils, but they pall in comparison. We aren't shut down because of impassable roads, although the drive across the bridge in 40+mph winds can be dicey. Our landscape is white, but white with sand not snow. We don't shovel it and we don't slip in but we do bundle up in it, but to a lesser level, as the winds off the water along with the temperatures in the 40's can be biting. And these very same winds are actually able to rock our solidly built RV. How odd that feels. Somehow, however, it doesn't seem to be at all comparable. The fog accompanies all of this which gives an eerie cast to everything but it does not compare to the brightness of the moon shining on shimmering white snow in the dark of the night. Yes, each has it's ups and positives and each has it's downs and negatives, but the real test is, can we live in today wherever we are to the best of our ability?

 fog rolling in

 Danny with his new b/day toy

We will be staying here in the area until after Spring Break as we are bringing the two younger grands down to visit the last half of Spring Break. Sure hope that the weather breaks a little for them. If it doesn't they will be playing baseball/softball in the COLD and then beaching it in the COOL of spring rather than the heat normally found at this time of year. We have quite a few things that we can do with them, but not put up a tent for them to sty in. Reservations were hard to come by and we got one at a beach but the RV parking is not where you can also put up a tent. 

After this we are rather at loose ends without plans. Where we end up is anyone's guess.

February was our birthday/anniversary/Valentine's Day celebration month. Rather than try and get everything on the appropriate day we started celebrating the month of February early in our life together. We had gotten rather lax in the last few years as we were always somewhere else: Peace Corps mostly. This year was different. We took a weekend trip down to Port Aransas to see if we wanted to spend the month on the coast. Danny was looking to give me "a beach experience". I love the beach but not to the point where I am on the beach for the whole day. What I really like is the sounds and the smells associated with the beach. On the way down we stopped and did some shopping in Houston, well Sugarland actually. My how that place has grown. It is now a huge complex of high end establishments. In the end it was actually difficult to keep the actual dates straight. in order to recognize the days as they occurred. What a challenge that was, but a good one. 

Now we are into March and with it comes to mind "beware the Ides of March". Just what does this mean? According to online sources the Ides of March is actually MArch 15 on the Julian calendar. It is the day when Julius Caesar was assassinated and was also a religious celebration day. In the ancient Roman calendar, March was the beginning of the new year and the significance of the "Ides of March" is that it was the first full moon of the new year, and as such, the date was not always on the same day. So how does this relate to the phrase being on my mind at different intervals? The phrase is associated with a sense of foreboding - do I have that? If so, then about what? I have no idea but when I started to look it up I was actually looking for an idea for a rug much for March. Oh well, that's the way things turn in the real world and I have learned something new.