quilts in progress

Blue and yellow french country quilt-to-be pieces laid out

When I moved to Ecuador, I knew there were no quilt shops in Cuenca (reportedly at least). So I stocked up on fabric, patterns for new quilts and planned to spend some of my new retirement time quilting.  As it turns out, I have quite a few quilts in progress.  I thought today I would show you some.
The French country quilt above is from a pattern I found in an Australian magazine.  Half way through making it, the magazine disappeared, never to be seen again.  It took me about 3 months and the help of my dear friend Cindy who had to go through inter-library loan to get a copy of the pattern so that I could complete the quilt.  well, its still to be completed.  Lesson learned?  Always make 3 copies of a quilt pattern, just in case!
It will also be my first attempt at machine applique.

This is the first quilt I completed.  It is also the pattern I use often, with variations.  It is easy and people seem to love it.  I gave the first several quilts away as gifts.  This is where my grandson Andrew will sleep when he comes to visit us.  He is 5 and about to begin kindergarten.

This quilt top needs to be completed.  I am using it on our king bed so need to add a couple more borders and then layer and quilt it.  It never fails to cheer me as I come down the hall on a cloudy day and see that glorious color.

This quilt is a Fig Tree design as are some of the fabrics.  I was working on it when I suddenly needed to pack it to move last spring.  I just pulled it out of the plastic bag this afternoon.  Poor thing needs some love.



When I moved here, I brought only one blanket (our old blankets were ready to toss out anyway).  So I am making quilts for us to use.  I'll just pile them on a bed as needed.  Like the old pioneer days. although it does not really get THAT cold here. Around 35-45 most nights of the year. But it never snows here. Hooray.

 

Sharon's grandfather Joseph sewed awnings in York, Nebraska, USA in 1930s and '40's.

My dear grandson Blake who will be 3 next month.  He is always fascinated by the sewing machine and loves playing beside it. He wants to figure out what makes it work!
I'm not sure which quilt he will snuggle under when he comes to visit but I know I'll have one he will like!

This red and caramel/cream quilt is one I'm excited about.  It was a ball picking out the 18 reds and 15 caramels for this quilt. I found the pattern in that same Australian magazine ("Australian Patchwork and Quilting"). Its ready to start but on my list after I complete some of the projects above.

 Here is what it will look like.
One day I was in a quilt shop with Cindy looking for the perfect caramel to use and another shopper began talking to me about the pattern and project.  Turned out we had a lot in common and now she reads my blog and we communicate about our quilts.  Hi Verla!

And how is the yellow/black/white quilt coming along?  I have the rows together and will add the setting triangles tomorrow.  In this photo, you can see where the triangles will go.  Also, the pleasant circle of leaves that showed up once the blocks came together.

This is the quilt that will be for my grand-daughter Emma to enjoy when she is here.  She will sleep in my sewing room.  The twin bed is all ready for her whenever they come (probably, maybe, I hope at least by next summer).

I hope you had a great week end and now look forward to some interesting things as a new week begins.
Best,
Sharon.

Living wheat-free in Cuenca, Ecuador - Is It Possible?

Oh my gosh!  I did not anticipate how challenging it would be to avoid wheat here.  Some people have what is called celiac disease, meaning they cannot eat wheat, barley or rye, which all have gluten (more on that below).  Avoiding gluten in the US has become much easier in the past 5 years because a lot of products have been showing up as well as specialty stores where there are many great products without gluten .Even Betty Crocker and Rice Krispies offer a gluten free choices.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are fine,as are meat, chicken, dairy, eggs - just not wheat, rye and barley are the trouble-makers for people with celiac disease. This photo shows pitajaya, a tropical fruit Len and I have really fallen for.  It has a taste similar to kiwi, has many health benefits and is terrific in a smoothie.

In the US, one can buy pasta made of quinoa, rice or corn, cake mixes without any wheat in them, sauces and condiments that are wheat free, pizza crust and many other things.  At an upscale grocery store in Portland, I found products from Peru that were delicious. I assumed they would be easily available in Ecuador. Blue corn flour, sweet potato flour, a couple of grains high in protein but I can no longer recall the names.

I knew the ready-made wheat-free products would not be available here but I assumed products like the grains and flours from Peru would be easily available in Ecuador. Coconut flour, almond flour and date palm sugar are all good products I figured would be here.  After all, palms and coconuts are growing all over the place at lower elevations in Ecuador.  Fresh coconut is offered by street vendors every day.

Wrong!  Ecuador (for better and for worse) tries not to import products, encouraging people to buy and use Ecuadorian products.  So even blue corn flour from Peru is nowhere to be found. I'm not sure why there is no coconut flour or palm sugar but...I have not been able to find any.

There are many many tiendas here (small shops) so it is possible I have missed where these products are sold but...so far I have not had success in finding some basics I need.

I adapted a recipe for coconut shrimp, making the batter out of "approved" quinoa flour.  The green stuff is chard picked that morning and sauteed with garlic and a little olive oil. That is fresh pineapple and the strawberries add color. It was delicious.  Ecuador has an enviable supply of fresh fish from the Pacific Ocean.

x
 I make most of the food we eat. I enjoy cooking and baking.  I had found ways to work around the gluten free challenges, making pizza crust, salad dressings, soups, whole grain bread and, cupcakes that were all delicious.  Now, I am a little too challenged. Striking out at finding flours and grains that I can have. I have found no brown rice flour.  No teff flour (the oldest and smallest grain in the world with a nice nutty flavor and high in protein). No sorghum flour.  I could go on but you get the picture.

These are some of the flours I have found that are gluten free.

The other day I found banana flour.  Yup, somehow it is made from banana and it has no gluten.  I mixed it about half and half with some sorghum flour I had brought with me and made cookies.  They were delicious! OK, so we have a start.  I made a fresh banana cake which was delicious and gf (gluten free). And corn is fine so many ways to make corn flour into delicious things.

Gluten free chocolate chip cookie dough  - makes cookies that do not seem any different from the regular recipe. I used about 1/3 banana flour.  There was a very bare hint of banana flavor when the cookies were cold but not at other times.

Ecuador has wonderful pan (bread) in many neighborhood bakeries - there is nearly one on every block!  But I have not found any that are making gluten free products.  I don't mean to whine but...am I the only one in Ecuador who is trying to be gluten free? That is not possible, is it?

Why is it important to be gluten free if you have celiac disease?  gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and oats. My non official explanation: gluten causes inflammation in some people with sensitivity which damages the small intestine and also causes pain in people with fibromyalgia and possibly arthritis. Joints, muscles and connective tissue seem to be impacted by the inflammation. Many people report digestive upset, bloating and other unpleasant intestinal effects if they eat gluten.  Some people are really sensitive and can be sick for days from one small exposure or a slight contamination from wheat. Others just find that they feel better and have more energy if they do not consume gluten loaded products.

This is baked chicken with fresh salsa made from tomatoes, avocado, papaya, pineapple, lime, garlic and red onion. Rica and salad round out the meal which is gluten free and made from scratch at home.

It is really fun to go out for lunch in Cuenca.  Many restaurants have a special almuerzo which costs around $2.50/person.  It includes usually a delicious soup, rice or potatoes, popcorn (to put in the soup), a main entree like fish, chicken, beef, a fresh juice and a tiny dessert.  The problem is for me that most places are unaware of gluten problems so wheat flour is used to bread meats, to thicken soups, and other ways they would not think of to mention if asked "is there any wheat flour or barley in this?"

I have tried a couple of vegetarian restaurants, hoping they would not use wheat or barley but there also wheat is used as a thickener in soups and added to so many foods. I found barley in one soup after the owner told me there was no gluten in the soup.

So mostly I do not go out for meals. Better to feel good than have a social experience that causes problems.

My Espanol is not good at all, I am learning Spanish but slowly.
I carry this note with me at all times:
"Soy alergica. (I am alergic)Sin trigo (no wheat), sin cebada (no barley), sin centeno (no rye).
Libre de gluten  (gluten free)"

This smoothie has papaya (orange colored fruit), cherimoya (which lends a cloud like quality to the drink), pitajaya, an orange and coconut-pineapple yogurt.  All gluten free.

I need a Gluten Free Users Group!!  Please let me know if you are eating free of wheat/gluten here in Cuenca, EC.Or if you know of a market that sells coconut flour, palm sugar, other gluten free flours.

Tonight I am blanching almonds and will grind them to make my own flour.  Yesterday, I found brown rice (arroz integral) and ground some to make brown rice flour, a great staple for cooking/baking gf.  It was not as fine as I'd like but it was a great start.

If you think you may react to wheat or gluten, there is a simple blood test that can be done.

Here are some helpful sites:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/News/NFCA-Blogs/Recipe-of-the-Week

 http://gflinks.com/   many sites, resources and books are listed here

glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

You +1'd this publicly. Undo

 Gluten-Free Goddess Karina shares hundreds of creative gluten-free recipes with luscious photos, baking tips, dairy-free recipes

 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/DS00319/

Scott Adams put up Celiac.com in 1995. It was the first important site on celiac disease. And Scott has been relentlessly expanding it ever since. This is where most people start.

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Almond flour is a healthy choice but I've not been able to find any here.  I have a new, unused coffee grinder for grinding my own flours.  I have a pound of almonds.  They need to be blanched (taking the brown husks off) and dried before I can grind them into flour.
How Do You Blanch Almonds?  I found these directions online.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 5 minutes

Here's How:

1. Place almonds in a bowl.
2. Pour boiling water to barely cover almonds.
3. Let the almonds sit for 1 minute and no longer.
4. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.
5. Pat dry and slip the skins off.

Tips:

1. Don't let almonds sit in hot water too long or they will lose their crispness.
2. 1 pound of almonds in the shell will yield about 1-1/2 cups shelled.
3. 1 pound shelled = 3 cups whole or 4 cups slivered.

What You Need:   almonds!

A few things you'll need - the nitty gritty

If you are moving to Cuenca, here are a few things you might not think of that would be good to pack if you are bringing a container.  A BIG box of paper towels and Kleenex-type tissue. Paper products here are so expensive that it takes a big chunk of budget to buy any.  Of course, it is good for the environment not to use paper products but...how do you pat the chicken dry before cooking it without a paper towel?

By the way, toilet paper is no problem so don't pack that.

Go to a dollar store if you are in the US and stock up on gallon and quart size plastic bags.  Again, not good for the environment but sometimes one really needs a plastic bag.  In our house, we are cleaning and reusing when possible the ones we brought because they are so expensive here (and for the environment). We'd rather spend our money on things we like than plastic bags. Same for packing some "tupperware" type stuff that is microwave safe.  They have it here but it is another item on the "How much?" list.

Bring some rags.  Old towels and t-shirts to use for cleaning.  If you hire a cleaning person here, you will still need rags. Also a couple of old comfy shirts for lounging around - we brought only our nicer stuff and miss having some old knock-around clothes to kick back in.  FashionFlash: People do not wear capris in Cuenca, unless you are a tourist, from somewhere other than South America.  For one reason, it is usually too cool in the evenings to wear capris.  For another, well, gee, I'm not sure why.  When it is "hot'' here, ie 75-80 f degrees, which locals call "mucho calor" very hot, people wear light weight slacks and shirts.  No capris.  And NO ONE seems to wear shorts in Cuenca, unless you are a foreign tourist.

If you are a Women's size 12 or larger, plan to bring any and all clothes you will need for quite awhile.  There are really cute clothes here but most are size 10 and smaller. Ecuadorian women are very small, in general.

  Also, do not expect to easily find the cute, cheap flip flops here.  Touristas, again. However, if you are looking for cute women's heels or boots, this place is NIRVANA.  Soooo many cute shoes in little shops all over the city.  Really fashionable and REALLY sexy shoes! With high high high heels! And I have to say, I have never seen women anywhere walk so well in high heels.  Seriously!  While carrying heavy boxes, going down stairs with a toddler on a hip, cleaning a floor, rushing along cobblestone streets with broken sidewalks, running up steps at an angle.  Women wear high heels in Ecuador and look FABULOUS!

Definitely bring bath rugs, towels, kitchen towels, sheets, tablecloths and napkins.  Many of these seem to be, thin, rough, very poor quality with high price tags compared to Bed, Bath and Beyond or overstock.com prices.  Worth stocking up on your favorites.

Bring a few office supplies: rubber bands are hard to come by here, paper clips, pens you like, colored markers/highlighters.  There are tons of notebooks in various sizes and they are very cheap.  Printer paper is not a problem and there are lots of copy shops if you do not have your own printer. An extra printer cartridge or 3 is a good idea, again due to price.

Basically, anything Ecuador has to import is quite expensive.  Small electronics, small kitchen appliances, computers, washing machines, electric blanket or mattress warmer.  Someone told me she saw a Kitchen-aid mixer (which is pretty top of the line) priced at $900!  Check Amazon pricing - the EC price is about 4 times more.

However, do not forget: food in restaurants is generally an amazingly low price. $2.50 buys you a delicious soup, rice, fish, a small salad and fresh strawberries and a fruit drink. Fresh fruits and vegetables are very low priced in the markets. Many grocery items are priced at very reasonable levels. Sugar is cheap. Flour is cheap.

Housing is generally about 1/3 the cost of the area I lived in, Portland, OR. Hiring someone to make curtains or to clean your home - very reasonable.Water, gas and electric are all amazingly low prices for utilities.  Internet and cable/satellite are not cheap but each are under $100/mo depending on service you select.

I have not found TUMS here yet.  Might want to stock up if that is something you need from time to time. Same goes for Blistex.  You can buy Chapstick but I have not seen any Blistex. OTC things like Aleve or Tylenol is available here but does not seem cheaper than Costco prices.

Back to the container, if you are allowed to pack some food item in tin or something like that, consider this mystery:  there is a Nestle plant in Guayaquil cranking out tons of products (chocolate drinks, powder for making chocolate drinks for kids, coffee additives, etc) but they do not sell chocolate chips as we know them anywhere I can find in Ecuador.  Now of course, Ecuador sells many other types of chocolates, some of them with excellent flavor.  But if you love chocolate chip cookies, bring a lot of Nestle's Toll House semi-sweet dark chocolate chips or whatever your fav brand happens to be. 

DVDs can be purchased in any of many little shops for $1.50.  Copyright law enforcement seems to be  non-existent so illegal copies are the norm.  If you want to buy a DVD at full price, honoring the copyright, it will be hard to locate where to do this! And yes you can get the DVD in English and the original version.  It will not have the extras like interviews with the director, etc, but the price is very tempting and makes a lot of movies you were only semi-interested in seem more appealing.

Now, if you are like me, you wonder why all the gates and fences. And big dogs.  Why is that when the reported crime rate is not unusually high?  It has to be more than just the Spanish Colonial tradition which is certainly part of it. I am told home invasions and theft are two main concerns.  So yes, there are gates for security, there are hot wires or jagged glass at the tops of some walls. There are many barking dogs.  But it feels safe to my husband who walks every day for miles around this city.  Again, remember smart awareness of what is around you, as discussed a few days ago.

Electric fence along top of wall between properties.
 
I left my binoculars with a friend at the last minute due to weight issues with suitcases.  Wow, I wish I had brought them.  I'll get them my first trip back to visit but it would be so nice to have them now. There are so many vistas to admire.  And there are tiny hummingbirds too fast to see without binocs.

There are great bargains here and many convenient, wonderful surprises, like papayas and creamy avocados for 20 cents each.  Of course the things I wish I had included are all slanted toward my interests and taste but I hope these ideas can be helpful to someone thinking of moving here.  If you are packing a container, pack a few things that are hard to find or expensive compared to the US.

Best of luck!
Sharon

The Cheerful Yellow Quilt project

I'm knee deep in a new quilt.  I am using yellow, black and white  prints.   I bought these fabrics some time ago. On my first look this week, in pulling all the fabrics and the pattern out, it seemed one fabric did not to go with the others.  The shade of yellow was different and yet I really like the fabric. I think I need it for contrast, it has some orange in it with yellow and black print - it is a very cool print.  I worried and fussed about this quite a bit as I was sorting out the pattern, making design changes and doing the math that goes with that.

 Here are the fabrics stacked and waiting for their assignments.

I went into my closet of fabric and found a soft two tone yellow that I thought might pull it all together.  I changed the pattern somewhat to include the soft yellow and now have the basic blocks completed.

I noticed, not for the first time, that working with fabrics at nearly any stage of a quilt project makes me happy, lifts my mood from wherever it was to a higher plane! That is always a good thing, right? And these yellow fabrics are so cheerful!

A little aside: here is a business op waiting to happen.  There are no quilt stores in Cuenca.  There are fabric stores but not like we have in the US, Britain and Australia.  I believe it is very difficult to import fabrics into EC.  Local Ecuadorians sew a lot and make gorgeous things but I do not know if they make quilts.   In the Andes, quilts seem like a great idea.  We moved here with no blankets at all so I'm making quilts as fast as I can! Oh, I forgot, we brought an electric blanket, thank goodness!  Nights get quite chilly here. So if you are looking for a business op, opening a quilt shop is one!

I learned to sew in 4-H as a kid.  I wanted to be out with the animals, not doing some silly apron.  I was kind of a brat to my mother who is a good seamstress and wanted me to learn to sew.  Sorry Mom!  I'm so glad I learned.

However, when I had two young kids, was in grad school and then began working full time around age 30, I stopped sewing and did not sew for 30 years!  I got interested in quilting about 3 years ago and have found a great hobby that suits me.  I feel so fortunate.

Lenny calls this "Sharon's Workshop"

  I've had my machine for nearly 3 years and it makes me happy every time I turn it on.  It is a Pfaff 4.0 but the main thing is just that it is well suited to what I do.  I did not need a "Mercedes" type of machine and neither did I want a bottom of the line machine.  This one suits me just great. It has a walking foot built in, it hums when I run it, it has way more stitch choices than I can possibly ever use.  Its all good!

I still have to cut the setting triangles and 4 borders but this quilt is moving along. And I believe the colors and prints will all work together.  Of course, the colors may not represent as true colors on the web!  There will certainly be movement and contrast in this quilt! And I hope harmony.

The quilt is twin size - it will look good on the twin bed we have ready for my granddaughter Emma to sleep in whenever she can come see us. Emma is 9.  By the time they come, I will probably have a twin quilt for the bed her brother Andrew will sleep in too. Andrew is 5.  And maybe I will even have completed one for my grandson Blake who is nearly 3 yrs old.

I hope my kids (that includes their spouses, of course!) and grandchildren will visit in summer of 2012 but I'll be happy to have them visit any time!  We have 3 twin beds in the ready for visiting grandchildren.  Then their parents can enjoy evenings exploring the city and stay nearby while we see if we still know how to entertain grandkids.  I can hardly wait!

I changed the pattern to include more stars and less elongated 9 patch blocks.

Photo of some of the stars as they come together.  The blocks are 12". NOTE to my friend Cindy (and quilting buddy in Oregon) and to Victoria, my quilt teacher,  I'm off the reservation here on the Quilt 201 pattern. My stars will not 'float' due to the pale yellow but I wanted to see how the changes would look.

 

Photo of starry center block and the pale yellow used in same block. 
I'm calling this quilt "Starry Starry Night".

I hope this finds you having a terrific week.
Sharon

A brief chat about retirement with a psychological spin

I want to talk a bit about the psychology of retirement which has been on my mind a lot lately...so it seems like the right moment.

Let's start with baby boomers.
First let me say that I love my generation: screaming at Beatles concerts in the '60s, serious anti-Viet Nam war protests in the early 70's, the "sit up and take notice of what is really needed" of the later '70's and '80's and the "OMG, I've gotta make a living" of later years, the boomer generation has had its own expression of many different beliefs and values. And left a stamp on American society that has had a big impact on daily life.

Now we boomers are hitting retirement age. Although it seems to anyone working full time that retirement would be really easy, it is not always the case. And the fact that people in their 20's 30's and 40's should be thinking about leisure activities to develop for retirement is a shocking concept to many. People are not very good as saving $ in the US but they are even less likely to develop hobbies or interests they can pursue when they are retired.

I spent my career working in the field of psychology.  I often counseled people about the issues of retirement that many do not think of. The "what will you do every day, day after day?" questions.

I taught therapists about the need to educate clients to prepare for "the leisure years" of retirement. With good health and longevity, you could end up being retired more years than you actually worked at a job and spent raising children to adulthood. Age 62 and up is a big chunk of your life.

 Humans evolved having to work to survive. Hunting, gathering, planting, weaving, etc.  Even today, after you may quit your "main work", you need some sort of work to survive and thrive. As a retired person, each of us needs three or four things to do. These need to:

1) absorb our interest 

2) engage our skills 

3) address needs for both connected time with people and time alone

3) challenge our self esteem and intellect as we shift from "importance at a job" to a whole new identity: that of  "aging retired person". 

There is a need to redefine yourself in this new role. By that I do not mean you will be a whole new person.  Your values and core beliefs are likely to remain constant.  However, you now can decide who you want to spend time with and how long you want to stay.  You can develop an exercise plan you perhaps never had time to fully engage in. You can eat differently to address concerns about health before they become larger. You can put more energy into a primary relationship that may have been flagging. You may want to develop a few close friends or to build a large circle of acquaintances. You can investigate places you never had time to do before and try activities that are new: the tango, scuba diving, playing bridge, etc.

If you are reading this and you are young, begin thinking about what hobbies you might enjoy, things that might interest you for those retirement years.   As the years go by during ages 30 to 60 try out different hobbies, develop interests with this in mind. This in itself is important work!

If you are reading this and you are 55 or older, take stock and see if there are areas that need some attention in your life.

What to do?

I'm big on lists: 

A list can help you clarify your thoughts and fine tune interests.

List the things with which you might occupy your time

for example: exercise, learning to cook low fat meals, learning to tune your own motorcycle, learning to paint or weave, studying a foreign language, develop some new friends, learning wood working, learning self defense, etc.

What else?

List some things you are pretty sure you are not interested in but try to be open to new experiences.

Doing a little volunteer work is a great way to give back to your community.  There are tons of volunteer opportunities and great need for your help all over the globe.  List 3-5 things you can "try out"  in a small way to see if helping in that area would work for you. If not, then move to another project and another, until you find a good fit. Remember, the boomers are also people who have had many advantages and now CAN give back to the globe. Many are dedicated to a cause already.  If not, now is a great time to explore.


Next, list things you KNOW you want to do and have been looking forward to having time to pursue.

I'm big on boundaries too: Set boundaries about how much time you give to any hobby, volunteer work, interest.  I would suggest keeping it low at first, you can always add more hours later. Also set friendly boundaries about how much time you spend with your best friend, your partner, people you are getting to know.  Take your time.  Ask for more time from those with whom you wish to be closer.  Gently set limits with those with whom you want to spend less time.

Set good boundaries so that others do not end up taking all of your time, leaving you feeling empty, resentful and exhausted. Set clear boundaries in a polite but firm way right from the beginning and stick to them.  Of course, you can always change your boundaries if you want to. But it is important to establish a precedent at the outset which gets you respect of others.  You are the one at the wheel of this retirement car you are driving. So you can set the driving course, control the speed, stop as needed, make periodic tune ups and practice good maintenance on the Retirement Highway.

A couple of us were recently talking about the art of being polite and moderately sociable as needed. It seemed a consensus but novel idea that retired persons can set boundaries about spending  hours with people or subjects we do not find interesting. Set boundaries with people and topics if you do not have good level of comfort. Of course, use your good judgment.  If there is a meeting on how to better invest your retirement money, perhaps you should listen well and learn things to make the best informed decisions.

Here is an example: I spent a few years in corporate America. I was not particularly good at corporate meetings.  I had good ideas but I learned fairly quickly that the managers were not seeking ideas or innovation but attendance & compliance. Management just wanted people to show up, to be silent, to let them get through their required data and to sign a paper that the meeting was completed. What a waste of human potential!  And a waste of time for a room full of bright people! So I now find it very pleasing that I do not ever have to sit through a "be silent" required meeting again. I just will not do it!

Evaluate your schedule. Look to see if you have a good balance with time alone, time with others, time helping, exercise and taking time for yourself.  The number of hours  needed will vary for each person, and a person's needs change from time to time.  Balance is the important word here.  You will feel better and your mood will be brighter if you strive for a good balance of these things.

 

Moving to a new culture presents new issues, such as leaving familiar haunts and losing regular contact with family and friends.  With free video calls through Skype and similar services, you can keep up with family and friends if they are willing to give it a try.  It is not the same has hanging out but it is a great way to stay in touch when you are half a world away. 

This is my grandson who was eating peaches when I was packing to move.  It is hard to be 4700 miles away from my grandchildren and kids (and friends and extended family) but for me there are compelling reasons to live in Cuenca.

With Skype, the video part really adds to the feeling of closeness because you can see their expressions, watch their body language, even see if they are in their jammies or their best outfit to go out!


There are many more thoughts about how to have a happy retirement.  Others have written on blogs about this subject. There are books on it.  A little work and trying out different interests can provide a great structure for a lively, active retired life. If health issues crop up, you can do your best to work around them and adapt your activities as needed.


Let me know your thoughts too.  What are your experiences that have turned out well and those that did not?

This got long!  Tomorrow, a short entry about quilting!


Have a fantastic week! 
Hasta Luego, Sharon
One's acquaintances may fill the world, but one's true friends can be but few.  anon

Retire to Cuenca, EC: Different and yet the same

Happy Weekend!
What is Cuenca, Ecuador really like? Part 4 of 4

I was told recently by someone who has never lived outside the borders of the US: "Well, Ecuador is just a little farther south but pretty much the same as Mexico in terms of diet, people, music and everything, right?"
I sort of stared at him, feeling rather taken aback, trying not to let my jaw drop.  And I felt a need to grab this "teaching moment". Especially since I, not long ago, had a few similar stereotypes and lack of geographic knowledge.

The geographic distance from, oh, let's say Mexico City to the where I am living in Cuenca Ecuador is approximately 2000 miles (3219 kilometers), or about the same distance as Portland, Oregon, way over on the west coast, to New York City, way over on the east coast.  2000 miles is a long way! Central and South America encompass lots of regional differences, lots of different histories. To me, it does not seem realistic to expect things to be "the same".

However, here is  a favorite picture of mine because it shows the behavior between teens to be similar around the globe - the wish to connect,the looking while trying to appear not to be looking, the standing closer but not knowing how to connect yet... seems universal.

Just as one cannot say that Canada and the US are the same, it cannot be said of Latin American countries. Each country in South America and Central America has their own identity, with perhaps some similarities in culture and cuisine but also many many differences.  I hope one day to travel around South America to learn more about these similarities and differences.

Already in my short time residing in Cuenca, I have observed a national pride among many people in this country, a national identity.  I have seen it when they talk of football, when they discuss practices within the country such as eating food grown in Ecuador first rather than buying imported goods, when they talk of crime, when they talk of festivals and dance. Ecuadorians are aware of differences between people from the coast and those from Cuenca or Quito, for example.  But they also cite ways they work together and communicate easily about many things. Generalizations just don't work, anywhere in this global community.

So what about being a minority of the non-hispanic Caucasian, citizen of US variety in the larger culture of Ecuador?  Well I need more than 9 weeks to know much about that.  But I can say that Cuencanos tend to be initially more friendly than the people of some places I've visited or lived.  It appears to be easy to begin to get acquainted with Cuencanos. They seem to be an accepting and outgoing people, generally.  Is this is partly due to the Latin American way of life? My husband walks all over the city, rides buses and feels very safe.  He stated he feels safer here than he did on the bus in Portland.  He practices the recommended precautions of not carrying much cash, not flashing expensive gadgets around (such as an expensive camera or phone) and understands that crime like pick pockets can occur anywhere.

 Here the woman dressed in older traditional clothes and the modern woman on the right in tight jeans and heels both are in the village to celebrate a festival. and unconsciously demonstrate the struggle between traditional ways and modern ways among indigenous people.

Indigenous children often take a second and third look if we are riding the bus which is mostly used by working class Cuencanos.  The really young children will smile shyly or even touch your back if they are seated behind you.  We are different looking to them. It is ok for them to wonder about these different looking people.  There is a sweetness about this that touches me.

Is the open friendly nature of the people of Cuenca somewhat because this part of Ecuador was not really accessible until the 1950's  when well paved roads were completed, allowing Cuenca to be visited by many more people.  Is it possible they have less influence from "possession hungry America" and have had generally positive experiences with people from Estados Unidas (US)?

 In the village of Tarqui, at the celebration of the festival of the Virgin Carmen.

Indigenous or native people are often less willing to talk to a foreigner, more shy, less open to having their pictures taken.  They are very hardworking and have exceedingly strong family values, in general.  There are many middle class people in Cuenca who are working hard to have a higher standard of living.  And there are very wealthy people in Cuenca who sometimes have some lineage going back to Spain.  They often are struggling to raise standards for the good of social issues, such as improving orphanages or working on environmental issues.  Although of course, people from any group may be working on each of these issues.  I do not mean to generalize but to give some idea of the tone of Cuenca's population.

I am distressed personally to see Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King here in Cuenca to name a couple of the handful of fast food joints popping up here.  Distressed because, to my way of thinking, this represents some of the worst of the US: fast food with high, empty calories. Distressed because this may signal many changes already in progress toward less healthy eating, less family connection around meals at home, and other ills similar to this. Keep the healthy eating and family values!

 Gluten free coconut shrimp with fresh pineapple and steamed chard picked that morning (with a little olive oil and garlic - yum!)  These strawberries did not measure up to Oregon's best but it may be that it is winter here.  But this is a wheat free dinner I can really get behind!  In a couple of posts, I'll discuss the challenge of being wheat free/gluten free in Cuenca.

But back to Cuencanos. Many seem to have their own version of being warm and open to the world.  Some of the Cuencanos I have met have not shown the initial caution and hesitation people of my former neighborhood in Oregon would have shown.  I find I like that quite a lot!  The greeting of a quick hug and cheek kiss is a great way to start out and end interactions. It seems one can be friendly and still hold back judgment about a person until you get to know them. What a concept!  And it just naturally feels better to be open and friendly than it does to be reserved, cautious and frightened, which is a chilly place to occupy. Fear is a crippling emotion and much of life in the US has been immobilized by fear in the past decade.

HOW TO BLEND IN?

Well, it is OK to face up to reality if you are obviously not a native Ecuadoran. It is pretty impossible to blend in if you don't speak Spanish well and you have the skin of a Scottish barmaid and rather thin light gray hair! Hiding in a crowd is not easy.  But that can be accepted with good humor.  People from other countries who are English speaking are referred to as "gringos" here and it is not usually said in a rude way but with a wry smile and shrug. 

As a new person in this country, I want to present as a pleasant, self assured but not pushy woman. I want to embrace life in Cuenca with my own timeline. I want to learn about and honor this culture.  If I need assistance, I ask a shop keeper in a polite manner -  using just a few words of Spanish is usually met with a generous effort to help.  People will help you if you are disoriented or cannot find what you are looking for and you let them know it. But basic Spanish is required. And good judgment in who you ask.

I was told by someone who grew up in a South American country that the Latin American way to greet a person is to ask how they are, take time to ask after their family or where they come from.  Then, it is time to ask a question or get to the point.  The first exchanges cannot be left out or skipped - it is seen as very rude.

Again, these are my observations and opinions after living in Ecuador for just 9 weeks.
I hope you have a wonderful week end and a new week about to begin.
Sharon

Cuenca is tropical, right?

What is Cuenca REALLY like, Part 3

 ISN'T CUENCA TROPICAL?  ITS ON THE EQUATOR

Well, Cold is Relative and Mindset Impacts Experience

Let's talk a little about weather and expectations:
Yes, Cuenca is just 2 degrees south of the equator.  However, Cuenca is nestled in a high basin in the Andes Mountains at 8200 ft altitude (2500 meters).  That is HIGH.  Denver, Colorado in the US is called "The Mile High City".  A mile is 5280 ft so Cuenca is about 3000 feet higher.  Yes, that's high.  This causes the nights to be chilly, sometimes downright cold.

I've only been here 9 weeks but there have been few nights warmer than 42 F degrees. So do not expect balmy, long evenings at 80 degrees.  Nope, truth is at 40 degrees you need a sweater or two, maybe a coat, and an electric blanket is not a bad idea! Buildings in Cuenca are built most often with no air conditioning and no heating system.  There are portable heaters that people use to take the chill off of a room.  They work well.  These little heaters would not be good for, oh, say, winter in Minnesota or Norway, but they are helpful here.

National Chamber of Commerce buiding, Cuenca.

It is also important to know that the nighttime temp in Cuenca rarely falls below 35 F degrees, which is a good thing! Now picture Anchorage, Alaska or Krasnoyarsk, Russia - those places get COLD! Si. Mucho frio!

If you are coming to Cuenca, EC, think of adopting this mindset: Cuenca is a part of the world that is moderate but not balmy, there are periods with rain and cooler temps and there are periods where days are in the 70 degree range.  If you are coming here expecting hot nights and hotter days, you will be quite disappointed.

I borrowed the following info from goecuador.com
"The weather in Ecuador is exceptionally difficult to predict. There are virtually countless micro-climates due to extremely varied topography that cause varied weather in neighboring geographical locations.
One generalization that can be made is that the temperature is usually colder the higher the altitude. Still, people in Quito and much of the Andes have a saying, "We have four seasons in a single day." Although the temperature does not vary much throughout the course of the year - the country does straddle the equator - Ecuador's rainy season coincides with winter months in the northern hemisphere."

Cleaning the streets, on Calle Larga street in El Centro (old part of the city)


And the rain?  Pinning down the avg rainfall for Cuenca has been a bit of a challenge. With research, I found avg rainfall estimates from 20" per yr ( 0.508 m) up to 39" per year listed on Wiki. I believe 20" is more typical.

Now, I am talking about Cuenca.  Go to the Amazon or the coast and you will have balmy, humid, hot days and warm nights, heavy rains - a very different climate.

And while we are flogging this subject of weather in Cuenca, what about daytime temps?  The average = 55 F degrees.  It is rare for the temp to get over 80 F degrees. There are often days that hit 70 F degrees in the afternoon. At the same time, it is rare for the daytime temp to dip below 50 F so that is also a good thing.  Moderate is a great word to describe Cuenca. Most days the sun is out for a little bit. Think of getting out there to walk or enjoy that brief sunshine if you are in the middle of a rainy stretch.

A typical festive almuerzo (lunch) for a gathering of guests and family  Almuerzo is the main meal of the day in Ecuador.

Also, Cuencanos have told me it is important to wear layers here year round because the weather changes so quickly with big swings of daytime warm to nights that are brisk.

It is all part of living in this part of the world.  Cuenca is not humid.  It does not get snow.  "Cold" is a relative term.  Also true of "hot". What Cuencanos call "mucho calor" (very hot) is what people in Sweden or Washington, D.C. would call mild and pleasant - for example 75 F degrees with low humidity.

I hope all this weather talk is helpful.  Some people who move here seem to complain a lot about the weather.  Perhaps I should look at that as an outlet, a mild venting or a conversational topic and not take it too seriously.  But it is good to know what to expect if you are thinking of visiting or moving to Cuenca.  And remember, alpaca fiber is one of the warmest in the world and it is incredibly inexpensive here... so buy an alpaca sweater and stay warm!

A different angle of the beautiful Neuvo Catedral (new church) built in the 1800's in Cuenca.

Special thanks to my favorite photographer, mi esposa Lenny Charnoff

What is Cuenca REALLY like?  Those are my personal observations in 3 parts.
Next?  Lets focus on quilting for the next post.
Have a terrific day!
S

What is living in Cuenca really like?

CUENCA: Part 2    Does this 3rd world city have dirty streets and unclean water?

This stereotype of Ecuador by some people is really not accurate: the streets of Cuenca are spotless. I have not spent any significant time in other Ecuadorian cities but Cuenca is a clean, friendly, beautiful Spanish colonial city nestled high in a basin in the Andes Mountains. The water tumbles out of the higher mountains surrounding Cuenca.  There is a treatment plant at the edge of town and most people drink right from the tap in the city of Cuenca.  Outside of Cuenca, bottled water is a very good idea. I personally recommend using probiotics (available over the counter at your local drug store)  for a couple of weeks before you come and the first few weeks you are here. Check with your own doctor to be sure this is a good product for you.  It builds healthy flora in your intestines.  This is not medical advice, of course.  Just a personal opinion. And some people drink bottled water, soda or beer all the time.

Back to the streets:  you see are people quietly cleaning the streets the old fashioned way - walking along sweeping and picking up trash at all hours of the day and night during the week and yes, even on week ends.

At the recent festival of Corpus Christi, there was a huge celebration each night in the main park around which this city revolves - Parque Calderon. It included a street fair going all day  with food, entertainment, people of all ages passing through hour by hour all evening. Many people were milling about, eating, laughing at entertainment. The crowd had that happy roar that accompanies a celebration. People were having fun.

Each evening of the festival, several paper and wood castles was constructed around Parque Calderon. At 9 pm, festivities would reach a climax and the castles were lit on fire.  For anyone who knows the complications of managing an area used for a multitude of things during a festival, you know this could be a nightmare. And yet... Crowd management appeared to be very good. During Corpus Christi, the plaza in Parque Calderon was actually hosed off and scrubbed each night following the burning of the "castles". Men quietly appeared in rubber boots and work overcoats, carrying large hoses. These workers showed up all around the plaza with large brushes, brooms and suds and cleaned diligently so that the plaza appeared fresh and renewed the next morning.

What about concerns regarding the environment?  Well, this is a huge complex subject and gets political pretty quickly so let me just comment on what I have observed:

Recycling is picked up 3 times per week at the front of your property.  There are special BLUE recycle bags to separate as you discard things throughout the week - all recycling goes in the BLUE bag.  I rinse the items out of habit but recyclables are tossed into that BLUE bag to recycle. After the city picks it up, it is sorted into specific types of recycling and much of the materials are, well, recycled..

However BEFORE it is picked up at the curb,  it already is screened.  Impoverished indigenous people move slowly along the street the day trash and recycling are put out, quietly sorting through both trash and recycling bags, placing items in a bucket or basket carried on the back of an elder family member.  I was told by someone that they collect cardboard and make a little money by turning it in. There may be other items as well. In front of the building where I live, it is often an older couple or a young woman with a small child wrapped on her back, working alongside an older person, possibly from the same family. Things are not just thrown out here.  Parts are recycled.  Items are repaired.  New uses are found for items that no longer work.

Ecuador is a democracy and uses the US dollar for currency. President Raphael Correa just announced that he hopes to have a bottle bill passed very soon.  A deposit of 5 cents would be on every bottle, I believe on either glass or plastic.  The 5 cents is refunded when the bottle is returned.  The idea was not popular with some people but...we know about that in the US also.

The stores do not use paper bags at all. The plastic bags they use are a thinner product than I've seen in the US so that probably saves in some tiny way toward a greener environment. Many people carry bags and baskets for shopping.  We brought ours from the US because we had read on another blog that it was recommended due to better quality reusable bags.

But what about the Amazon and all the natural resources Ecuador enjoys within its borders? What about deforestation and oil drilling in the Amazon?  That is a HUGE subject beyond my musings so I'll let another blogger tackle that one.

 What about MEAN STREETS?

Here is another myth buster for me: I pictured that Ecuador would have "mean streets" with primitive buildings, frequent crime and broken down buildings with flaking paint.  Well, one can certainly find this situation in Ecuador and even in parts of Cuenca.  And yet Cuenca is a beautiful city with a lot of light adobe, tile roof and "terra cotta red" brick, giving the city an ethereal rosy glow at dawn and dusk.  There is construction everywhere, with modern buildings going up next to Spanish colonial gems that have been restored and well maintained. 

A 4 word description? This city is beautiful!

 

The city has many diverse, friendly people who live in apparent racial harmony and religious tolerance.  I find the people of Ecuador to be very hard working, generally cheerful, with many skills, a friendly attitude and a gracious way of interacting with you.

 

If you are coming here, learn at least a few basic phrases in Espanol and try them out with shop keepers, in a taxi, asking for directions.  Ask how a person's day is going.  Showing a little respect and interest goes a long way.  More thoughts/info on Spanish language in another post.

A city brimming with history and architecture from the 1600s and before. There are Inca ruins within the city itself.  In the old part of the city, there are numerous restrictions on how buildings may be altered to keep the integrity of  the Spanish colonial architecture.  Cobblestone streets are painstakingly repaired.  Although  I will point out that plenty of sidewalks and spots in the streets need repair. One has to get used to walking carefully with one eye on the ground as strange holes sometimes appear in the middle of the sidewalk. Other times, the walk simply gives way to chunks of gravel and cement.

And what about those" mean streets"?  Let me state that I am not an expert on crime. There is crime everywhere in the world, as we all know.  If one exercises precautions that are recommended (i.e. do not wear flashy jewelry, do not carry a camera or purse of any sort into a crowded market, do not go into certain areas at night, remember you are a guest here and do not challenge customs and people in your daily interactions) the likelihood of crime decreases.  Also, come on guys, we need to adapt to the predominant culture. If you moved to New York City, you would learn ways that you'd need to be cautious and wise about safety there. Remember, I am expressing my opinions here, not saying what is right for other people.

If one observes these and similar good sense approaches, Cuenca is as safer than many cities in America.  Crime still can happen.  Be prepared psychologically to handle this if something befalls you, such as theft of a phone or being the victim of a pickpocket. A lot of how we handle things and recover from difficult events in life is  our mindset.  If we think we can handle something, we probably will.

As a former mental health therapist who worked with trauma victims, I recommend presenting in an assertive confident way.  By that I mean walk with good posture and a confident stride.  Do not wander along looking vulnerable and lost. Take note of your surroundings. LOOK at what is happening around you, be aware of the "tone" of an area.  Ask locals if an area is safe for walking, go out after dark with other people - not alone.  Common sense stuff a person should exercise in New York or Berlin or Quito.

Other bloggers in Cuenca have given more extensive, well-thought out recommendations about staying safe so check that info out.

My husband several times has traveled to a village/neighborhood called San Joachin. Above is the town church.  The streets are dirt and were very rutted on this rainy day.  The tiendas (small markets) look like they probably did in 1950.  If Butch Cassidy and Sundance had come riding down the street, I would not have been shocked.  And yet, it is a lively little community when  you look a little more closely.  It is the cabbage growing capital of all of EC.  The popular Coopera food cooperative has new headquarters there. The little community clearly is a community with pride.  So not really such "mean streets".

All this said, we love it here. I cannot say enough about how kind and helpful most Cuencanos have been to us.  They are curious about visitors and newcomers.  They will speak a little English often if they know that you are struggling with your Spanish and it goes both ways. MANY times someone has said to me "Oh, I'll practice my English if you say words in Spanish."  And  I must say...the people are physically gorgeous.  Many different looks but a very handsome population with that noteworthy thick shining black hair. OK, I have hair envy, I'll admit it!

This is our 9th week as citizens of Cuenca and we just marvel every day at the joy and challenges of living in a new culture, an exotic new continent, and a beautiful new city!

Next:  Part 3  Why Isn't Cuenca more Tropical?  Isn't it Basically on the Equator