Murphy Takes a Seat

October 11, 2010

Heads Up!

We have been staying at Casa del Sol for the last couple of weeks while various guests are staying in our Olon home during September/October and it has been a vacation of sorts for us to relax here during the interim.  We bid adieu to the Millers and had a quick turn-around before welcoming our next guests, Diane and Armand from Louisiana (and part-time residents of Argentina). We have been looking forward to getting to know them better; Diane and I have been carrying on a lively and personal email correspondence for some time prior to their arrival.



And I thought we were
having a bad spell...

As luck would have it, the power went out during the scant 12-15 hours Todd allotted for the transition despite my objections, and as a consequence we were not quite ready for Diane & Armand when they arrived a little bit earlier than scheduled, but they graciously waited nearby until we were ready a couple of hours later. GUARANTEED - the power will go out here unpredictably at the WORST possible times.

Count on it.

Also, as Murphy would have it, Todd has come down with a bad case of gripe (gree-pay) –the flu…. It is going around now, and he has a particularly bad case and has been bed-ridden for the last few days.  I’ve been walking down the beach several times a day to Montanita to bring food back to the room for Todd. Earlier tonight during my dark, moonless, magical, five-minute ocean beach walk to get grub I very nearly tripped over a huge, washed-in Galapagos turtle (fairly common) on my way into town…Which wouldn’t have been such a big deal, except I thought I'd take a picture of it, and was wrestling with the camera settings for “dark” when the creature slung a weak “paw” (?) across my left ankle…
I swear, the powers-to-be down here are trying to give me a heart attack.

For the life of me, can't
figure how I managed to
capture a picture of this street
without throngs of people

The meal I brought back was salty, and I woke up around 4 AM with a raging, desperate thirst. Unfortunately, I forgot to replenish our bottled water supply for the room, and my choice was to stumble down 2 steep flights of outdoor stairs in the dark and suck moisture off the banana leaves or drink water from the sink…I don’t know how many of you may have experienced this level of unrequited thirst, but I chose to drink a “refreshing” glass of water from the faucet …and waited for my stomach to rebel.

But you know what?.... Nary a rumble from my tummy.  Not that I would willingly make that choice again but it is reassuring to know that local un-boiled tap water MAY work in a severe pinch (at least for us, but we have been brushing our teeth,showering, and washing dishes with it on and off for the last 3 years.and may have developed some resistance to whatever). Yes, I understand the parasite possibility too - but we have never experienced the likely symptoms.

Unfortunately, because of Murphy, we have not had an opportunity to spend more time with Diane and Armand, as we were hoping…I've enjoyed the few chances Diane and I have had to chat, and she’s encouraged and inspired me to “go for it” – in particular, to write….*

Diane, if you are reading this – thank you for the gift of confidence you gave me to start this blog, and God Bless you.

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver"
Prov 25:11

*  At the time these comments were written last October, I was just preparing to “go public” with my journal notes. I am not sure I would have had the courage to do it without Diane’s encouragement.

I am still trying to get caught up to present day entries, and will get there – but for now (February 2011): This is our peak season and Todd and I are busier than one-legged sailors in an ass-kicking contest (as they say).

Leigh

2/11/11