tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76076644886236966832024-03-04T23:47:50.422-08:00Cuenca ChroniclesWhat is it like for one couple from Portland, Oregon, USA to retire to Cuenca, Ecuador?Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-73129651613146015852012-07-18T21:17:00.000-07:002012-07-18T21:17:06.939-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There is a new blog where I am writing - a little about living in Cuenca, EC, a lot about quilting and more about living a gluten free lifestyle in a wheat filled country. Please join me at<br />
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cuencaQuiltGuilt.wordpress.com<br />
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Gracias,<br />
Sharon</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-61487963857903579242012-05-30T06:43:00.001-07:002012-05-30T06:43:36.315-07:00Cuenca Chronicles: This is my last post here, at least for now. I h...<a href="http://cuencachronicles.blogspot.com/2012/05/this-is-my-last-post-here-at-least-for.html?spref=bl">Cuenca Chronicles: This is my last post here, at least for now.<br />
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I h...</a>: This is my last post here, at least for now. I have greatly enjoyed recording my experiences and observations during my first year of ...Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-10650790529637129832012-05-29T21:14:00.000-07:002012-05-29T21:14:10.148-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is my last post here, at least for now.<br />
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I have greatly enjoyed recording my experiences and observations during my first year of life in Cuenca, Ecuador. That other people read my posts is very gratifying and always a little surprising to me. I thank you for your interest. I am grateful I have had bits of information to share with people hoping to visit or move to Cuenca, Ecuador.<br />
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I plan to dedicate the time I've used to blog to get back to writing fiction. My fiction may never be published or read by others (or maybe it will!) but it makes me happy to write which seems reason enough. <br />
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Luscious fruits and vegetables abound.<br />
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Today, a few thoughts and observations about my first year here. <br />
The majority of people who are from Cuenca, thus Cuencanos, are delightful, kind and gentle people. I recommend that you do NOT move here if you do NOT want to get to know this wonderful culture and its people. Ecuadorianos are a delightful lot! Don't miss out.<br />
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The Flower Market near Parque Calderon<br />
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Ecuador is indeed a gem. However, Cuenca is not for everyone. We live high in the Andes - it is not a tropical climate. Cuenca is such a multi-faceted delight in its own right. I always had a secret dream to live in Central or South America, to learn first hand about the people, the art, the plants, the music, the history, the animals, the dances, etc. I had a mental picture years ago of water tumbling down from the Andes, of sun reflecting off tile roofs to warm the day, of fresh citrus fruit just outside your window, of the haunting melody of the Andean flute and alpacas wandering across a hillside. Our daily life is different from that but it has the fresh charm of that long ago dream. I am a very fortunate woman. I get to share this incredible journey with my husband. We enjoy our life every single day.<br />
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Len enjoying shopping at the November 1 festival<br />
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I miss grandchildren, other family and dear friends. I sometimes miss hopping in a car to run to the store. I miss US vanilla bean ice cream and, God help me, I even miss the convenience of Target. But I am gently challenged to find new products and pathways here.<br />
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I am pleased to find that the ex-pat community in Cuenca is vibrant, supportive and varied. There is a distinct love of the US among ex-pats but also a weariness often surfaces of the myriad problems that have gone unanswered.<br />
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I have not once felt "there is nothing to do". But I may have never felt that in my life. There is too much world to explore to feel that way.<br />
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I had hoped to become friends with some natives of Cuenca. That happened so easily and with such joy. This is a true gift.<br />
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Fiera Libre Market<br />
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I know after a year of study that Espanol will take me 2-5 years to get...well... from barely beginning to...better. I also know the Spanish would come faster if I did more practice each day. Being surrounded by people who are only speaking Espanol is disorienting and also my best learning time. I understand and read more than I can speak. (this is common) I sometimes marvel at a three year old conjugating verbs effortlessly in normal conversation.<br />
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A New Friend<br />
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There is a true joy of life in Ecuador. A more pure form of joy that I suspect is related to a lack of owning tons of objects and credit cards. Family is all important. Multiple generations are involved in the raising of each child, in many cases. Cousins count in Ecuador, even second and third cousins. <br />
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An unusual angle of Nuevo Catedral<br />
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There is less fear here. People talk about the weather, El Presidente, food prices, traffic.... but there is a much lower sense of fear. I know I am generalizing but...there is much less fear here, in general, than living for the past generation in the US has shown me.<br />
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Near University of Cuenca<br />
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There is so much for me to learn in Ecuador! <br />
I have not begun to learn about the plants this country has to offer. <br />
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I have not had much experience spotting birds yet. Although there are zillions of birds all over the country, many are shy and remain invisible in the trees and brush.<br />
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The view from Turi<br />
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I have only scratched the barest surface to understand the neighborhoods in Cuenca. I understand now that neighborhoods are comprised of about 10 block squares that have been self-sufficient. A church, a grocery, many tiendas frequented by locals...no one needs to market their store because neighbors shop there daily. No need to drive across town.<br />
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Yum!<br />
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I get my directions turned around as I go into the old part of the city.This is disorienting for a person with a good sense of direction, used to knowing her way around.<br />
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A quick look at a few of the 51 beautiful churches of Cuenca:<br />
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Cuenca's oldest: Todos Santos (All Saints) circa 1500s<br />
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Nuevo Catedral -"new" cathedral circa 1874<br />
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Looks like a scene from Butch Cassidy toward the end of the movie but it's San Joaquin<br />
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San Francisco Catedral<br />
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San Blas<br />
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Santo Domingo<br />
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I still become shy when I walk into a tienda and cannot think of the words I was just practicing out in the street to ask for a product or service. Deer in the headlights! Even though I KNOW that most people of Cuenca are pleased if you try to speak their language and will help you along.<br />
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So, with some sadness, I put this blog on hold, and say goodbye for now. I'll write again if something moves me to do so. In the meantime, best wishes to you in whatever you pursue.<br />
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Have a terrific, peaceful summer. Tranquilo!<br />
Hasta luego,<br />
Sharon<br />
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Gracias mi carino Len for the great photos.<br />
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<br /></div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-15389192132862537592012-05-13T23:10:00.001-07:002012-05-13T23:14:16.249-07:00Cuenca Gluten-Free User's Group planned<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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an unknown small cinnamon colored bird in Vilcabamba<br />
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If you are eating wheat free: no rye, barley or wheat, also known as gluten-free, please contact me by email in July (at email given below).<br />
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I plan to host a monthly <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Gluten-Free Users Group" .</span> I will provide the space, coffee and tea. There will be no charge for a person's initial visit to the group. There will be a $5 charge. It will be 90 min long. It may start out small but I have heard from several people who are gf and are new to Cuenca, as well as some "longer time here" people who would like the supportive sharing that this could provide. Some of the goals are<br />
- to share resources<br />
- to discuss ordering gf products through the shipping service Correos <br />
- to provide some social connection, as desired<br />
- to see if there is interest and enough support for talking with the buyers for Super Maxi to ask if they would import/carry some gf products. More voices carry more weight.<br />
- other ideas from attendees<br />
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We can discuss wishes at the first couple of meetings. There are more people trying to eat gluten free in Cuenca than you would expect!<br />
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People love key lime pie so I made 2<br />
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I am thinking to have this first meeting around the first half of July, 2012 if things work out. Let me know if you are interested and I will email you with more info.<br />
my email for this purpose: sharonm517@yahoo.com<br />
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Have a happy new week in Cuenca and wherever you are!</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-57889209827494891562012-05-04T18:26:00.000-07:002012-05-04T18:26:15.393-07:00A beautiful week in Cuenca, Ec concludes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Friday night, another wonderful week coming to a close. I worked on a quilt all week and loved that project, the quilt top will be done soon to show. <br />
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On May 1, out cat Feisty turned 17. She is a great amount of company to me. The picture above shows her natural green eyes. The photo is not juiced - that is her real eye color. <br />
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Lenny is not as enamored with Feisty as I but they have a "can't we all just get along" truce. And he buys nearly all of her cat food. Primiro de mayo...Feisty had a great birthday, celebrating with a little tuna and a nap by me.<br />
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The heating pad is not turned on, she just likes the texture of it.<br />
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I really enjoyed my art classes this week. Made good progress on a small painting - it is close to completion.<br />
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I also tried something new this week to see if it would help with general well being - reflexology. Had several visits with a gentle reflexologist and feel quite a bit of energy and less pain. All cool and part of my ongoing search for the best possible health. <br />
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Here is a quilt project I'm working off and on - new blocks each month.<br />
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Here is some of the fabric I plan to use to make a baby quilt for the new grandchild if she is a girl. The fabric for a boy is also wonderful. Only a few more weeks until we will hear if it is a boy or a girl on the way. It is all very exciting. The baby is due in Nov, on election day.<br />
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I watched the growing moon a lot this week. It seems odd that we all look up at the same moon. Each with different wishes and hopes, each with different and very personal beliefs. But the moon is the same, shining down, gently lighting our night-time way. Tomorrow night is supposed to be the closest the moon has come to earth in many many years. It will be brightest. But it may be cloudy here. So seeing the moon's brightness last night and maybe tonight is a special treat. If it is clear in Cuenca on Sat night, just more to experience in watching that moon hover close to planet earth.<br />
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Hope each of you can find something you treasure and enjoy this week end. Seek out some opportunity, it does not always knock.<br />
<br />
Sharon</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com2S Ochoa, Cuenca, Ecuador-2.9 -78.9833333-80.724335000000011 119.2979167 74.924335 82.7354167tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-15478388087281915762012-04-20T11:16:00.000-07:002012-04-20T11:16:02.009-07:00Nearing 1 year in Cuenca, EC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In my son's back yard in January, 2012 San Diego, CA<br />
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I am finding that it is as I near the one year mark of living in Cuenca, it is harder to think of new things to write about moving to Cuenca. Let's see how I do today.<br />
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I feel the transition has been a very good one. My husband and I are fortunate to have had only a few bumps and even fewer surprises. <br />
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I feel safe and settled here. Not speaking Espanol well is still a problem but I will continue to take lessons and practice...eventually I will do more than barely get by with "caveman" Espanol. Cuencanos are kind about it - if you just try to speak their language and they know you are working to learn, they are very forgiving of your primitive butchery of verb conjugation.<br />
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The biggest challenge of living in Ecuador besides not speaking the language well, is living 4700 miles or so away from my children and grandchildren, friends and family of origin. We will visit them once or twice a year which is about as often as we were seeing the California grandchildren but way less than we were seeing my daughter's family of 3 and my Portland-area friends. Daughter lives 90 min from Portland so we got to take care of their son one week-end every month or two. People who move to a foreign country really cut themselves off from daily contact and the intimacy that comes with that as children are growing. Skype helps tremendously but it cannot allow an actual hug.<br />
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But there is not much to do about that painful reality except hope that they will decide to visit us at some point, adding connected time to that of our visits back to the states. There will be a time when the grandchildren may decide to visit us on their own but right now, they are 3, 6 and 9 years old so that time is quite a way off. An exciting bit of news is that our daughter is expecting her second child around election day in November. So I will be blessed with 4 grandchildren - what an incredible joy!<br />
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More positives: There are many things I love about living here. The weather is a definite plus. It is not ever really hot or humid. It is often sunny for several hours mid day before rains begin for a couple of hours. It often clears up in time to go for a walk after dinner. Nights get quite chilly at this high Andean altitude but it never freezes or snows. All of the seasons are similar, within a few degrees change. The sun rises and sets within 30 min or so of 6 am and 6 pm year around. We are edging toward winter now but listen up Michigan and Minnesota, it is not the winter you know and hate. It is moderate here. Not balmy like a beach climate but moderate like being high in the mountains near the equator.<br />
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People do not wear capris here. I do not know why. Some people wear shorts but the majority of people dress in jeans or slacks and shirts, adding a sweater or coat as needed. Dressing in layers becomes a way of life.<br />
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Many of the indigenous people wear the traditional clothing of their group (we would perhaps say "tribe" in the US but that is not used commonly here).<br />
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Some generalizations which are just that: generalizations. The Ecuadorian people are, by and large, very handsome people. There are many different looks with a noticeable trend toward being quite good-looking. Gorgeous hair, big eyes, friendly faces and a hard work ethic all contribute to this. Both men and women tend to be under 5'5" tall. Being overweight is not common in Cuenca. Among the poor, malnutrition or poor availability of "healthy foods" is often the cause of a very stocky build. But among the rest of the Cuencanos, being overweight is quite rare. Many Cuencanos age beautifully, looking younger than their years. However, there is also a lot of apparently inexpensive plastic surgery available so it is difficult to tell how much that effects the natural age look of the population.<br />
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Moving on:<br />
There are virtually no bugs in Cuenca. The occasional fly buzzes around but no mosquitoes, few spiders, and I have not seen a single cockroach - hooray! Things like this make life here easy and pleasant.<br />
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There are dogs EVERYWHERE in Ecuador, Cuenca is no exception. There is virtually no neutering of animals so dogs trot by wherever you are. But they usually do not beg or come up for human attention as in the US. They are busy searching for food and exploring the world. The ones who are alive, are street-smart and have learned how to cross busy streets without getting hit by a vehicle, how to forage for food, how to avoid dog fights to stay alive. It is a different dog culture.<br />
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Then, of course, there are many pet dogs being walked by owners in parks and along the streets. People LOVE their dogs here, just like in the US.<br />
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On the other hand, I have only seen 2 cats outside in this city. People who have cats must keep them inside because the streets seem not to be cat-friendly. I have a sneaking suspicion that the multitude of loose dogs have something to do with that.<br />
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We brought Feisty, our cat, with us. She stays indoors. She will be 17 years old on May 1st!<br />
Different people move here for different reasons and find things they enjoy here. Some move on to Thailand or Brazil or another exotic place. There is a gypsy quality to some ex-pats who explore the world, living in one country at a time for a few weeks and then heading for other adventures in other lands. Other ex-pats move here to settle and set up a solid foundation for the remainder of their years, living out their days/years in Ecuador. There is room here for the many individual differences ex-pats bring.<br />
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During our year here, it has become more difficult to obtain residency in Ecuador. I do not know why but it seems that the government is requiring more stringent things of those wanting to move here. An example is that now it is required to have a police report. Last May, when I arrived, this was not a requirement. Not a big deal but one more thing a person has to get done correctly. My advice: hire a good attorney early and send all of your documents to your attorney before you get on a plane. That minimizes your chance of having petty errors foul up your attempt to get residency.<br />
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My husband and I decided to rent a home once our apartment lease is up and a few updating repairs are done on the home. we think it will be a good next step in our adventure in Ecuador. We have loved our apartment but look forward to a little outdoor garden and a bit more roomy space.<br />
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A couple of months ago, I took my very first art class EVER from Gary Myers (garymyersartist.com) in El Centro. I began with charcoal drawing which morphed into painting as I continue with classes. I am really having a wonderful time. The art is for me and brings me a wonderful sense of satisfaction and pleasure. We are fortunate to have Gary Myers teaching in Cuenca. He moved here from Santa Fe, New Mexico in the US. He is a well-known artist there, where he influenced countless young artists and students, as well as being admired for his own rich practice. </div>
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Contact him by email garymyersartist@gmail.com. New classes begin frequently.<br />
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Last summer, I set out to write a blog chronicling my first year in Ecuador - the anniversary date of my arrival in Cuenca is coming up in May. Initially, I hoped the blog would help friends and family keep in touch with us. Very soon it became apparent the bulk of my readers are people who are also interested in moving here. That is terrific!<br />
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Thank you for reading my blog over the months. As May 1 approaches, I am planning to conclude my blog writing so that I may focus time and energy on the mystery novel I have partially completed. <br />
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I will post one more time around May 1.<br />
I am very touched by your interest and wish you well with your plans, whatever they may be.<br />
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Have a terrific week end.<br />
I hope you face the new week with joy and expectation.<br />
Stay positive.<br />
Sharon<br />
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</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-7647954241297625862012-03-27T20:38:00.001-07:002012-03-27T20:38:07.538-07:00Smiling in Cuenca<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Parque Calderon, looking at Nuevo Catedral in Cuenca<br />
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Today I find myself smiling a lot. It is a pretty normal day but I find myself feeling joy at every turn. For one thing, I am finally feeling like myself again with good energy and interest in projects. Whatever that flu bug was, it was a sneaky one.<br />
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Today began when a friend came over to fix a couple of household things we did not know how to repair. Len and I are in the bottom 1/3 of people in the world who are seriously "repair challenged". So it was great of this friend to take his time to do a few things for us. While Bill worked on "the list" we had some nice conversations going.<br />
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I decided to wash the curtains in the living room while we had the curtain rod down being repaired. I washed them in the kitchen sink because I feared the washer might tear them up. We rented this place furnished. I know the curtains are only about 2 yrs old, yet the water was dark brown from all the - well whatever it is. <br /><br />The buses here are diesel and pour out a ton of black smoke. Although no buses travel on our street, the air must have a lot of pollution. Come on, Cuenca! Get this changed to keep your gorgeous, magical city looking that way.<br />
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But some of the joy is that the city IS magical. The weather would not be ideal for some - it rains way more than I expected and there is nothing balmy about most evenings here. Yet there is a fresh crisp feel to the morning air each day. The Rio Yanuncay tumbles by, carrying off the rain that came overnight. It is fun to see each day how high it is running.<br />
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Today we went for almuerzo (lunch) in the heart of the historic district. Nectar is an organic vegetarian restaurant that uses only...well, nectar...to sweeten things. Lunch was great but what made it interesting was that there were several people we know at other tables. The owners of Nectar are Yanni and Tania, a charming couple who work very hard to assure that this restaurant is successful. It is located on Benigno Malo near Gran Colombia. The building is painted a deep red shade, go upstairs to find 3 rooms decorated in wonderful intense shades. <br />
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I love going to Nectar because I know that Tania will take care of me regarding being gluten (wheat/barley/rye) free. If the soup has barley in it, for example, she tells me and we discuss what she may substitute. It is very cool to feel relaxed that most food items on the menu will be safe for me to eat. Also the food is prepared in imaginative ways, organic and delicious.<br />
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Life today is very difficult for many people all over the world. I am so fortunate to be in Cuenca where my health is better and every day is an adventure.<br />
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What an incredible gift my life has become: to have the pleasure of living in Cuenca, Ecuador. Learning about a new culture. Trying new foods, meeting other people from the US who have elected to live out their years here. Learning from Ecuadorians about the history of South America.<br />
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So many things are unfamiliar here. And yet, I can say that a lot of my joy is related to the natural beauty and warm nature of Cuencanos. Many of the people of Cuenca, as I've mentioned before, are generous, kind, shy about speaking English, humorous and helpful. <br />
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I love life here every day. Thank you to my wonderful esposo Lenny Charnoff who generously gives me photos whenever I ask. Check out his new blog, cuencatechlife.wordpress.com<br />
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I hope some joy oozes out of this brief post and expands your day.<br />
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Sharon</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-31858814708421734752012-03-24T20:53:00.000-07:002012-03-24T20:53:03.515-07:00Quilting in Cuenca<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Buenas dias!<br />
This is a post about sewing some fun things and quilting in Cuenca. Most of my fabric stash is fabric from the United States. I will admit I'm a tiny bit of a fabric snob in that I really like well manufactured fabric with colors that don't run in the wash and edges that do not ravel easily.<br />
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I also love the variety of patterns, designs, textures that one can find in many fabric shops in the US. Recently I was shopping in Cuenca for tela - espanol for fabric - and batting. I have a couple of projects where I need the puffy polyester batting I have never used. But it seems it is not sold in tela tiendas (fabric shops). <br />
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My friend and I visited 4 tela shops of fairly good size in the historic shopping district without finding any batting. It was only the 4th store that had stuffing, like for pillows, and a roll of batting that was not for sale to individuals - it was about 20 feet long and the roll was about 3 feet high. The word for pillow stuffing...hmmm..Cannot recall that word in either language. Oh, like polyfill only I found some made out of ostrich down machined into layers. And also the polyester stuffing.<br />
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We found a lot of interfacing of all weights so if you need interfacing, it is here in Cuenca in abundance.<br />
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APRONS are back in style with a demand to match in the US. Will that fashion come to Cuenca soon? I bought some fabric to make a few aprons - just a fun project to see how much work it is- and some oven mitts to match. Here is the fabric I got here in Cuenca:<br />
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I especially like the watermelons.<br />
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And here are some fabrics from the US I'm putting together for a 3 tier ruffled apron with contrasting layers.<br />
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Quilts, Quilts, Quilts<br />
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I recently had the pleasure of hanging some of my quilts and complex quilt blocks at the private art gallery of Gary Myers and Arie Atlas in El Centro. <br />
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It was a celebration of the conclusion of the first drawing class Gary taught in Cuenca.<br />
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It was an incredible honor to have the quilts there to share the spotlight with the drawings. It was a wonderful evening. Classes are taught by Gary Myers Contact garymyersartist@gmail.com Gary has taught all ages and all levels of art, as well as being a wonderful artist in his own right.<br />
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Have a fabulous new week!</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-6730413973227962772012-03-21T09:25:00.000-07:002012-03-21T09:25:30.545-07:00A few tips and observations about Cuenca, Ecuador<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Buenas dias!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR44PAZ6ZhpDYpDw0VWQ4AsyxjKnP5liZPhxM59iV33T7DpXPKZoCC0DCe0tS-vznn6aiR2fUjnBXlzkidJqgzk6lXNoWFuQYJDqd6rTwI2xZqtc_UIkBuGufUuhmSAH-prB0g6ZtqEpCl/s1600/aaaaMar5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR44PAZ6ZhpDYpDw0VWQ4AsyxjKnP5liZPhxM59iV33T7DpXPKZoCC0DCe0tS-vznn6aiR2fUjnBXlzkidJqgzk6lXNoWFuQYJDqd6rTwI2xZqtc_UIkBuGufUuhmSAH-prB0g6ZtqEpCl/s320/aaaaMar5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The usual reminder applies here: I can only describe my experiences and observations. Other people have different thoughts and experiences. Take the best and leave the rest.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Life in Cuenca, Ecuador is tranquilo, sometimes loud, often quiet, peopled by friendly, kind, handsome Cuencanos and by an ex-pat community that is welcoming and easy to connect with. Life here is always interesting. I have lived in Cuenca with my husband for 10 months. I created this blog to chronicle the first year of joys, adjustments, challenges, surprises and experiences. That year is almost up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97JUsutHCu8vFcxLuvrlE7suNs-Y0627tB0wXdhhIPBHBUxH7qb4_U1Ksi9MhX1ao7-uhmGw2BIMtKhm1ZVbf0rBShuf-E2y76vU72xVNNY7GYsBg6w_cMV6sd_0dSD0oJ7bmEANCQ0Xf/s1600/aaaaMar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97JUsutHCu8vFcxLuvrlE7suNs-Y0627tB0wXdhhIPBHBUxH7qb4_U1Ksi9MhX1ao7-uhmGw2BIMtKhm1ZVbf0rBShuf-E2y76vU72xVNNY7GYsBg6w_cMV6sd_0dSD0oJ7bmEANCQ0Xf/s320/aaaaMar1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> On the road from Guayaquil to Cuenca, abandoned fruit shack</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">My thoughts today are about some of the adjustments I've experienced in moving here. And always the joys, as there are many.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Whether it is a barber, a new friend, a taxi driver or a neighbor, everyone wants to know "How do you like it?". For me that answer is very clear. I LOVE it here. Me gusta Cuenca! There are challenges, as with living anywhere. But every day has doses of joy and new experiences are just outside the door.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Some of my challenges stem from not speaking Espanol very well. I have lessons 3 times per week so I am making progress but it seems s-l-o-w to be learning a second language when I am 62. How I wish I had taken Espanol in high school and college! It is a fact that if a person knows any second language, learning a 3rd language is easier. But I must not get discouraged. My conversation is improving and I am getting braver at speaking with strangers. Living here certainly gives opportunity for "almost immersion" experiences. </div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBCa8IjUP5-JHI-_Gar7k9CSrYrdNvc6SDZYpjk2I9OkWZ0qeiq9z4IHy3fYa_yz8JKX5YaaQfAkE7M5AlH1N4V8D95SVw70pnilaEWEgK_SdNe6ueX4Alhy27NulOflQAztmntc6_PqI/s1600/aaaaMar3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBCa8IjUP5-JHI-_Gar7k9CSrYrdNvc6SDZYpjk2I9OkWZ0qeiq9z4IHy3fYa_yz8JKX5YaaQfAkE7M5AlH1N4V8D95SVw70pnilaEWEgK_SdNe6ueX4Alhy27NulOflQAztmntc6_PqI/s320/aaaaMar3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">At the same time, one could live here and associate mostly with English speaking ex-pats and decline the opportunity to learn Espanol, never study the culture, rarely communicate with local people from all social strata. But each person who arrives on the shores of Ecuador will make his/her own decisions as the next stage of life unfolds.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Another challenge for me is that mucho patience is required to survive well and thrive in Cuenca. Why? Ecuador is not the US and South America is different from North America in many ways. Part of the charm of the Ecuadorian culture is that they rush less. They lust after material possessions less. They value family above everything else. Many Cuencanos will go far out of their way to help a friendly ex-pat in need, especially if the ex-pat can speak even a tiny bit of Espanol. But...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAQktl5mdvM5Tsu6sJ6II8xYL3kRAeOeEbbIl3tGIArurMkyKlEzr1kihay9amG90BLPgTh0xH23IXDI3Oupzt9yGdwBbs0y1kvFsp1zI4pLUun8LNoJyHaMZQol1w14N7KFTxgQjAf7n/s1600/aaaaMar4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAQktl5mdvM5Tsu6sJ6II8xYL3kRAeOeEbbIl3tGIArurMkyKlEzr1kihay9amG90BLPgTh0xH23IXDI3Oupzt9yGdwBbs0y1kvFsp1zI4pLUun8LNoJyHaMZQol1w14N7KFTxgQjAf7n/s320/aaaaMar4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> The road to Loja</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">But back to patience. I was used to the American culture where you get an estimate of when something will be fixed or even if it can be fixed. Here, Cuencanos do not want to deliver bad news (like "it can't be fixed" or "that will take a month") so they estimate something will be done long before it can possibly be completed. Like "sure, that engine will be rebuilt by tomorrow" kind of thing. </div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The internet is a rather constant issue so it can be a huge irritation or you can adopt the Ecuadorian way of "just waiting and staying tranquilo". </div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">As I have said before in these pages, patience is a lifelong learning process for me. It's tied up with my karma. God sends me opportunities. Buddha observes. Some days I learn better than others. It is an opportunity to address an issue with a different mind set. You may bump into some issues of your own.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">There are several internet companies here. At first my mind set was to ask which is best and get us signed up with the best one. Now I believe there is no "best service". They all have times where they go down. There are moments when you have good speed. There are hours where you do not. Paying more for faster speed may be worth it or it may not. It is just another opportunity to practice patience. ETAPA is one type of internet service that is DSL. Centronet is through the power line. Puntonet uses Wi MAX which is line of sight. TVCable has service varying from $20/mo to $100/mo. Of course, the more you pay, the faster the speed is promised to be.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Cuenca gets a lot of brief thunder and lightning and many changes of weather - sometimes a service is down related to that. Most of the time, if your service goes down, it is not for too long - minutes to hours rather than days.Usually you never know the cause of why the service went down. So patience is helpful and the mindset of "it's Ecuador - this is normal" with a shrug will help you live longer and stop gnashing of teeth.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Many little annoyances of getting used to a different way of life are trumped by the fantastic attitudes of Equitorianos, the incredible tropical fruits at very low prices, outstanding handmade crafts and views available only to those living high in the Andes Mountains in a UNESCO heritage city preserved for several hundred years. </div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The phone numbers here take a bit of getting used to. Some need a 0 at the front and some don't. Getting used to the messages being in Espanol takes a bit. BTW, I recommend getting a phone, especially if you do not speak Espanol, so that you may communicate with other English speakers. An example follows later in this paragraph. Basic phones are more expensive for what you get than in the US but you will most likely need a cell phone. Very few people buy a plan, most people just put minutes on the phone or rather you put dollars on the phone. For example, getting $10 on your phone gives you a good start in case you are somewhere and want to ask another expat you've met for a restaurant recommendation in a different part of the city. You can call, get a quick recommendation and directions and walk there rather than wandering into an unknown restaurant. If you are out in the city at night, you can call a cab if no taxis seem to be are around.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">My husband and I each bought a used phone at AirLink in Portland, <a href="http://airlinkonline.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">airlinkonline.com</a> 3626 NE Sandy Blvd. Len's phone cost $35 used in the US and works great. But AirLink is only in Portland, Oregon. If you are thinking of moving to Ecuador, your US or Canadian city probably has a similar phone store where you can buy an unlocked used phone. You will want an unlocked phone and it needs to be GSM (not CDMA) to work in South America. Then, after you go through customs and get your bags in Quito or Guayaquil, if you have time, or here in Cuenca, you buy the chip to insert with the $10 or whatever amount you want. The minutes do not expire. You can use the phone in the US if you want with a different chip. So I have my pretty little used raspberry-colored phone to use in Ecuador but when I go to see grandchildren/family/friends in the US, I simply buy a chip in the US with some minutes and I can use the same phone wherever I am. There are 2 companies in Cuenca that sell the chip you reload with minutes: MovieStar or Claro. I've been told most expats use Claro. Calls to another person with Claro cost less for the caller and the call quality seems better.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0h4qKImF0QFPMuU7xpD3w31Rc_h6jzuAFzmNiqMJ_zkL1ptpAceT1SvSKGWp1dRBCM2oX8J01y57tYmYngCN4jM1nmstGEFYIm39tih5HPipLdDfYd5dH1RQdR0TK3HvD91UJb4zroM5/s1600/aaaaMar2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0h4qKImF0QFPMuU7xpD3w31Rc_h6jzuAFzmNiqMJ_zkL1ptpAceT1SvSKGWp1dRBCM2oX8J01y57tYmYngCN4jM1nmstGEFYIm39tih5HPipLdDfYd5dH1RQdR0TK3HvD91UJb4zroM5/s320/aaaaMar2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Bananas in Vilcabamba</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Will you bring a computer? It is better to buy in the US if you want a new one. Prices are 30-40% higher here for computer items, especially Apple products. If you do not bring a computer, there are internet cafes everywhere. If you bring a laptop/IPad, the entire square of Parque Calderon by Nuevo Catedral has wifi, as does much of El Centro.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> And don't forget, there is an IPad Users Group to connect, learn, share about IPad, IPod, IPhone, etc. Lenny Charnoff, my husband, started that group which meets once a month. Contact graygeek@gmail.com for more information.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Which reminds me, I plan to start a Gluten Free User's Group in May, date and location to be announced. If you are sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease, it can be helpful to talk with others about resources. What restaurants are aware of gluten issues? Where can you buy gluten free bread that is not only edible but very good? How can we search the area for resources needed by people with gluten intolerance? Please email me that you are interested and we'll see how this new idea unfolds. nature93@gmail.com</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Things are casual and somewhat spontaneous here. Life is pretty laid back, especially since many of the ex-pats are newly retired and exploring what to do with their time now. The younger expats are busy with work, children, activities, like in the US. For those with some time and not too much cash, there are art classes, a fly fishing group, dance, chess, symphony, tennis, writers' group, meeting for coffee and everything in between those diverse topics. Bring your hobbies but also try some new things, find some things you love to do and enjoy your time in Ecuador!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvLLwUqyAeen4Ge85S6KpP3ffcawZ6s54_ltUm7N30JS2QwIQ73DultEpRjb-HMBG7hmbicCXYOj7NFa5AITs4PeMShv3bEIryyVtweFlBGOnNynJeK8_dBgC0NAu1Ng8pUipOis1Zpbf/s1600/aaaaMar6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvLLwUqyAeen4Ge85S6KpP3ffcawZ6s54_ltUm7N30JS2QwIQ73DultEpRjb-HMBG7hmbicCXYOj7NFa5AITs4PeMShv3bEIryyVtweFlBGOnNynJeK8_dBgC0NAu1Ng8pUipOis1Zpbf/s320/aaaaMar6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> This is Blake our grandson who was in the hospital last week but is fine now.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> In the background, the little one with the red hair is Blake's cousin Andrew.</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Have a terrific rest of the week!</div><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Sharon</div></div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-7319092710371435592012-03-04T22:19:00.000-08:002012-03-04T22:19:25.113-08:00Gorgeous weather in Cuenca, Ice Cream and a new quilt project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The weather in Cuenca, EC today was as perfect as I could hope for. Clear skies, a few afternoon puffy clouds some of the day, just warm enough (around 75 F) followed by a long, mild evening. Beautiful bird song floated through my studio window all day long, underscoring what a wonderful place I have to work on my craft, whether I'm writing or quilting. What a joy! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEing2K0HLKQUAhrmMB88vOOCUVdRishpiGgi8i_dWFYExy1a3HsEq0ynnaJCA69JU7CHSE9D__FDVkCd4CT13Wfkhfqk3JxKwVEhMA5y8D1T917IguwfOG6K0CxOfkLeqMTdVvDhwvMnlkQ/s1600/Handsome+couple+Tarqui.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEing2K0HLKQUAhrmMB88vOOCUVdRishpiGgi8i_dWFYExy1a3HsEq0ynnaJCA69JU7CHSE9D__FDVkCd4CT13Wfkhfqk3JxKwVEhMA5y8D1T917IguwfOG6K0CxOfkLeqMTdVvDhwvMnlkQ/s320/Handsome+couple+Tarqui.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> A handsome couple in Tarqui<br />
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Early this morning, a plain sooty gray bird perched in the tree near my studio. I picked up the binoculars. This bird was singing all of his joy in the day in tones that reminded me of mockingbird song in the US. I strained my eyes to memorize the slight markings I could see. About the size of a robin. Mostly his gold legs/feet and beak stood out. He chortled, he trilled, he tipped his head back and showed off most gloriously. Are there birds like this in New Zealand?<br />
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I picked up my enormous new book,"The Birds of Ecuador Field Guide" Vol II, and searched the photos for a bird that resembled my morning companion. I now have an idea of what type of bird he is but wish I knew someone who could tell me for sure if I'm close in identifying him. Maybe a male great thrush? I can hear a lot of finches in the trees behind our building but I can only see a little bit of a tree where they sometimes land briefly.<br />
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Here is my newest quilt project, the melon block quilt. I am just beginning to sew the 20 completed blocks together. I love this stage where it seems magical that it pulls together to look like a quilt and not just a bunch of pieces. Here is a photo of it before any blocks are sewn to rows or columns.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4mfu9UmXxwh3fwjQlR61REhmiRgECRWLcaPGJEaej1whdx_Qyr1-SVPmOSNZgs0RC1AqxJblPsooLKW7TxlM75H84IYp7YpsKAaUCjiTRJ_euBxsIlf8uURh9TohP6U4lcm7w13oMuhp/s1600/aamelon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4mfu9UmXxwh3fwjQlR61REhmiRgECRWLcaPGJEaej1whdx_Qyr1-SVPmOSNZgs0RC1AqxJblPsooLKW7TxlM75H84IYp7YpsKAaUCjiTRJ_euBxsIlf8uURh9TohP6U4lcm7w13oMuhp/s320/aamelon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After spending a couple of hours arranging the blocks just as I thought looked best, I numbered the blocks in the order in which they are to be sewn. That helps me keep the arrangement straight as I sew the quilt top together. Here is a shot of that process.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OrwpVNM4uGWxcZqmIFp-Bjs7QtQ0lt30r7hf0IMHb07nSrkdnOFjd-y1bQZC9ROJ0n6SLIALLgd7TdqyprwNdieeIWFMacVZx5aIounF3VeMW1zYASdk0bhwFEcbgoEmm8J1DZAzRmg_/s1600/aamelon2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OrwpVNM4uGWxcZqmIFp-Bjs7QtQ0lt30r7hf0IMHb07nSrkdnOFjd-y1bQZC9ROJ0n6SLIALLgd7TdqyprwNdieeIWFMacVZx5aIounF3VeMW1zYASdk0bhwFEcbgoEmm8J1DZAzRmg_/s320/aamelon2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Mamas, teach your children to sew. I'm surely glad my mother insisted! I had no patience for sewing at age 12 ... but I'm so glad now that I had the basic skills to pick up sewing again 3 years ago after I read a book about the history of quilting in the US and got interested.<br />
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For a lark, I'm also using up left-over fabric and fat quarters (quarter yard pieces) I have on hand in a side project - I signed up for a free online "block of the month" class. This is, in this case, where people get directions for 2 blocks per month, without ever seeing a photo of the finished quilt ahead of time (which drives some people nuts!) until the end of the year when one has a completed quilt.<br />
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Here are the fabrics I'm using:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NKUvCbNzzwoAIpesPQQGodLLInxljkoSFdo0HZU8FYMRW9bFnR1f-5on7B6JVNS_MepYfaaWuYQf_hQv-SIEmZbjEWkwrAKTtwp01mrxHVybxqhyphenhyphenSiDlIT1sRmnSR52M7yvK0SWVttWN/s1600/AAStash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NKUvCbNzzwoAIpesPQQGodLLInxljkoSFdo0HZU8FYMRW9bFnR1f-5on7B6JVNS_MepYfaaWuYQf_hQv-SIEmZbjEWkwrAKTtwp01mrxHVybxqhyphenhyphenSiDlIT1sRmnSR52M7yvK0SWVttWN/s320/AAStash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Soon I'll post a picture of January and February's blocks:<br />
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Here is where anyone can sign up for this free online class:<br />
www.craftsy.com The largest block of the month class in the world<br />
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In the afternoon, I made ice cream using an attachment for my KitchenAid mixer. I'm experimenting with recipes for vanilla ice cream. The product today was yummy but not quite right yet. I used no eggs, cut way down on whipping cream and used whole milk. I also added 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. I reduced the sugar but it was a bit too sweet. More experimentation is called for.<br />
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I said I'd post some recent thoughts about life in Cuenca so next that is what I will do.<br />
Have a terrific new week, wherever this finds you!<br />
Sharon</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-32480114777504050732012-03-02T18:00:00.012-08:002012-03-02T18:11:08.489-08:00Something puffy in Cuenca, Ecuador<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
This post is about Baked Cheese Puffs. If you are trying to eat a wheat-free lifestyle, here is a recipe for a delicious gluten free bread that freezes well, is versatile to use as breakfast, appetizer, lunch, dinner, or snack.<br />
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I serve these to guests who are not gluten free and they never guess it is not made with wheat until they see me eat one!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtZCNBTuaZ51w1SbYQHDgk5AvKRB2TAC01-pPfso_fVYSt6LZXGYmXm1eMgl6nQ-CfKlwP-_Jkn5pRIvagnga1tELqxctQDF5y_4joPqHfRchti-0NRIpI419u3D7M_IFYTPe0MN1FddY/s1600/aaaapuff4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtZCNBTuaZ51w1SbYQHDgk5AvKRB2TAC01-pPfso_fVYSt6LZXGYmXm1eMgl6nQ-CfKlwP-_Jkn5pRIvagnga1tELqxctQDF5y_4joPqHfRchti-0NRIpI419u3D7M_IFYTPe0MN1FddY/s320/aaaapuff4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Because this blog is about Cuenca, where I live at 8300 ft altitude in the Andes mountains of Ecuador, I am presenting this as a recipe for high altitude baking with a note at the bottom telling how to adapt the recipe to "normal altitudes" sea level to about 4000 feet alt. And for those who want a wheat recipe there are suggestions but not tested by me.<br />
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I'm not a nutritionist - just a good practical cook. This recipe has good protein, varied fiber, no sugar but is still kinda high in cholesterol and fat as so many gluten free recipes are.<br />
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This "puff" was a great success. <br />
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These are a bit of work and take a long time to bake but they are worth it. If you have teenagers, these will disappear at lightning speed. You can make them ahead and store in freezer for at least a couple of weeks. They hold well in the refrigerator for a few days. Try them out!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfGC30tq3lOMJT024Y2EXv0uyWvvQNBri-IYpPl6YpD07He5TbyIn475ingYSegiwOYwx8dDQK5AYUHGiHnBXVjIi0QuvJMLdnsX-ucyRDN4gay0DVQHYOjYeMtqXcqgsjpm-Ysvb2f8g/s1600/aaaapuffs2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfGC30tq3lOMJT024Y2EXv0uyWvvQNBri-IYpPl6YpD07He5TbyIn475ingYSegiwOYwx8dDQK5AYUHGiHnBXVjIi0QuvJMLdnsX-ucyRDN4gay0DVQHYOjYeMtqXcqgsjpm-Ysvb2f8g/s320/aaaapuffs2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Cuenca GF Baked Cheese Puffs<br />
Ingredients T=Tablespoon, tsp=teaspoon<br />
c= cup 1/2 c=1/2 cup<br />
4 Tablespoons butter<br />
4 T shortening (I used grape seed oil instead)<br />
1 1/4 cup water<br />
1 cup Pamela's gluten free baking mix <br />
or 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1/4 c potato starch, 1/4 c tapioca starch<br />
1/2 cup almond flour (I do not use blanched almonds but you may - either is fine)<br />
1/2 tsp xantham gum<br />
1/2 tsp guar gum (you may use all xantham gum but guar gum will make the texture better)<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/4 tsp sea salt<br />
pinch of fresh ground pepper or 1 tsp your favorite seasoning such as Italian seasoning, smoked paprika or chili powder or your choice<br />
<br />
4 eggs at room temp<br />
1 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese grated Today in Cuenca, I doubled the recipe and used 1 cup grated cheddar, 1 cup "taco cheese" from Super Maxi, 1 cup cubed queso fresca=3 cups cheese for the doubled recipe. It made 4 cookie sheets of puffs so I packaged small batches in small zip lock bags and put them in the freezer. When I can think of nothing gf for lunch, I can pull one or two out and have with whatever I have on-hand: tuna, a fried egg, steamed veggies, etc.<br />
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Instructions<br />
1. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.<br />
2. Boil butter and water in a medium sized saucepan on medium heat, reduce to low.<br />
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flours, gums and pepper.<br />
4. Reduce the water and butter mixture to low heat.<br />
6. Now add the entire flour mixture and VERY quickly stir with a wooden spoon until a dough ball forms (or all is well stirred together to make a gooey dough).<br />
7. Now preheat the oven to 400 degrees.<br />
8. Scrape the dough into your mixer bowl. Allow the dough to cool somewhat - this step may take 10 min or more. Test dough temp before continuing. If you do not allow the dough to cool, when you mix in the eggs, they will cook into little rubbery bits.<br />
9. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix with flat paddle tool or dough hook in electric mixer. If you have a KitchenAid, mix on 4. On other mixers, use medium speed and mix until creamy or the texture of very thick soup.<br />
10. Add cheese, mixing in the same fashion.<br />
11. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.<br />
12. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Lower heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for another 40-50 min until puffy and a medium golden brown. Test one puff by cutting into it to be sure it is baked all the way through. There should be no raw dough in the middle.<br />
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Lower Altitude cooking? If you live at a lower altitude, try these changes:<br />
reduce flour by 1/4 cup<br />
reduce water by 1/4 cup<br />
reduce total baking time to 30-40 minutes.<br />
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NOTE: ovens vary greatly in temperature. Using an oven thermometer is a great way to assure you are baking at the desired temp. You can alter the baking time if your oven temp is off.<br />
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To make this with wheat flour, eliminate the gums and reduce liquid by 1/3 cup. Use all wheat flour. NOT gluten free!<br />
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In Cuenca, today I doubled the recipe and used 1 cup light cheddar, 1 cup "taco cheese" from Super Maxi, 1 cup queso fresco (a cheese common in South America) because that is what was in the refrig. The puffs came out golden brown, delicate and delicious. I believe the grape seed oil lends a wonderful lightness to the result.<br />
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***Please write a comment if you know where I can buy grapeseed oil in Cuenca. I have not found it anywhere.***<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc_IQwLcyh0e3sZZ-eorAVcux-FJyZsizTx1BhXXRKV6TGbW02OrxyjuZt9TwUc_FPbzIaICZ8qNngo5fhMfvr619PWlpAFdCE-mzMLoQQpvBjBgDTnuFCwoagme8onTGKxU7F-M6eLsE/s1600/aaaapuffs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc_IQwLcyh0e3sZZ-eorAVcux-FJyZsizTx1BhXXRKV6TGbW02OrxyjuZt9TwUc_FPbzIaICZ8qNngo5fhMfvr619PWlpAFdCE-mzMLoQQpvBjBgDTnuFCwoagme8onTGKxU7F-M6eLsE/s320/aaaapuffs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Tonight I made a light turkey salad-avocado mix to put in the baked puffs for a light dinner. (like small sandwiches)<br />
Oh, the green figs are just for show. Ripe figs later this year.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
Hey readers: I want to mention a bright new blog <a href="http://cuencatechlife.wordpress.com/">Cuenca Tech Life</a> covering up to the minute technology topics. It is generated right here in Cuenca by Lenny Charnoff who is my husband and my entire IT department.<br />
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For readers interested in Cuenca as a destination, next week I will write about some of thecommon little issues that come up when living here. I LOVE Cuenca but it is not an ideal paradise of perfection. More later...</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-44157443858210235022012-02-25T08:22:00.001-08:002012-02-25T09:38:35.160-08:00Shorter post<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5XsBcT2jbAHGb5-ON9AglG73Gk3zA66MmL8AtMxkL5GNUolZvcnz7SuToeQx3Lrh2amGKR-IGLs3EkIw9mLPyRjZa229uHB9ehkNaJTwRzRcv_ZLL3ZaFXkQsssHCDwM9lvyYSeWxGfQ/s1600/aaaacondo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5XsBcT2jbAHGb5-ON9AglG73Gk3zA66MmL8AtMxkL5GNUolZvcnz7SuToeQx3Lrh2amGKR-IGLs3EkIw9mLPyRjZa229uHB9ehkNaJTwRzRcv_ZLL3ZaFXkQsssHCDwM9lvyYSeWxGfQ/s320/aaaacondo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A quick answer to Geri who commented on my last post: yes, my fibro was worse in the US when I visited. It came on slowly but built to a crescendo by the second week. still I was able to keep up a fast pace, seeing lots of people and doing lots of things. I was happy about that. After getting back to Cuenca, it is taking awhile to return to the "70% less pain" level. Right now I'd say I'm feeling 50% less pain than one year ago when I was living in raindrop-ish Portland.<br />
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I talked to another Cuenca person with fibro who did not find the high altitude and low humidity, lack of severe cold or hot weather, lower stress environment changed her experience. I've also spoken with one person who had nearly total relief of symptoms. So it is probably too individualized (like the disease of fibromyalgia) to know how it will impact you. The whole tranquilo attitude in this city helps most people in general feel better day to day. But expect a little time to "settle in" to see how it all impacts you. Hey I want to meet you when you arrive so let me know. Happy "end of crush" to get moved and safe travel.<br />
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And to Bob who commented about my interest in birds, thanks for your thoughts. I have a seed feeder and simply have not hung it. Will do that today. Also will get a hummingbird feeder up this week and see how long it takes to see some hungry hummers.<br />
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And some random thoughts, activities: <br />
I am working on a new quilt I started while I was in the US called "the melon block" quilt. It has lovely earthy sunset colors - should look kind of elegant. I'll post pictures of its progress.<br />
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I attended my first ever drawing class with Gary Myers this week. garymyersartist@gmail.com<br />
It was an excellent experience - I've had two of six classes now. Gary is teaching the small class basic drawing techniques and to be free of anxiety in the process. He is very comfortable teaching, encouraging, patient, full of ideas, has his own beautiful art work around/near the class space. I started out very anxious and ended the week relaxed and pleased with what I'm doing. Gary has created a safe space where people can explore at their own level.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgPEHgFom4Mv9iqDg9iHXCcgEpBfO3n2h-K0E3IqZ1pnA3knrZ5Q0Z_GOkgHL2M57LFNZ48yR4F0ufJoDQElW2IFT09ewlyPoEeD2GSVbYPhdn6-YeCT4m0ICKDwKZVRKHA858vWNov5T/s1600/smriver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgPEHgFom4Mv9iqDg9iHXCcgEpBfO3n2h-K0E3IqZ1pnA3knrZ5Q0Z_GOkgHL2M57LFNZ48yR4F0ufJoDQElW2IFT09ewlyPoEeD2GSVbYPhdn6-YeCT4m0ICKDwKZVRKHA858vWNov5T/s320/smriver.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This is for my son and daughter-in-law who fear Ecuador is really under-developed and cannot picture the safety and beauty of Cuenca:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTj8n2PyuDeMXEhNY7iYUANrDMsnhCmAjNrsh1TonEvSX9lVbAF9VPuuJrKIEcAv1b9dZ-wBxKPlWPEgTft9cXQ0BfztDVj3qQgg7poYg-ExHEuE4v2fMxeN9KL3bv_zhboOwmRtkFUm4Y/s1600/SAM_3020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTj8n2PyuDeMXEhNY7iYUANrDMsnhCmAjNrsh1TonEvSX9lVbAF9VPuuJrKIEcAv1b9dZ-wBxKPlWPEgTft9cXQ0BfztDVj3qQgg7poYg-ExHEuE4v2fMxeN9KL3bv_zhboOwmRtkFUm4Y/s320/SAM_3020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is a photo of a typical little housing group. Our friends rent a 1600 ft home for $550. Renter buys own appliances (and furniture, of course).<br />
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Cuenca was just so lovely this week! The weather was great with sunny days and the usual late afternoon rain. I spoke Espanol with taxi drivers, shop keepers, restaurant owners and friends. I'm getting so I can put together tiny "cave man" sentences. In one particularly touching scene, I had just completed almuerzo (lunch) at a tiny restaurant. I left and then remembered I wanted to visit a shop but did not know exactly where it was. I stepped back into the restaurant to ask for directions. <br />
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Using the store name, I asked the owner (who was at the cash register) where it was. He did not know it and we struggled in Espanol for a moment. Suddenly a customer seated behind where I stood at the register offered in English to help. I spelled the name of the shop and attempted to pronounce it "Pycca". He did not know it but a woman seated at the end of the tiny eatery who spoke only Espanol offered both pronunciation and location. "It takes a restaurant to guide a newbie!" All were smiling. I was delighted and proceeded to visit the store where I bought some storage items and baskets to help organize drawers and shelves in my kitchen.<br />
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This just demonstrates what life is like in Cuenca. People are very helpful, friendly and go out of their way to connect. Me gusta Cuenca!<br />
Me gusta Ecuador!<br />
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Have a terrific new week, everyone.</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-21205015187210258572012-02-20T07:45:00.001-08:002012-02-20T12:15:23.472-08:00Cuenca, EC is home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have not written for some time, over a month. My esposo, Lenny, and I flew to the US recently to visit the grandchildren, extended family and friends in the US. It was a wonderful visit. <br />
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We enjoyed going to the school open house of each grandchild: 3 yr old grandson in Oregon and, in San Diego our 9 yr old granddaughter and our grandson Andrew who turned 6 last week. We enjoyed soccer games and play time, playing games, reading together and talking about hex bugs and geodes.<br />
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This is a small wall hanging or doll quilt I made for my granddaughter. The embroidery is a love message: on the left is my home in Ecuador, the 3 hearts represent her Grandpa Lenny, Emma and me - our hearts are joined even when we are not close by. Feisty is next - Emma likes Feisty. The flowers represent the path to my darling Emma who lives far away in the house on the right. It is very hard living so far away.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXkzSd8qexFAO80czvsZCLVs9nQlyJqJvN8ELEsWArNi2OxovW-k64y72Bsqg81vyqv0GgJb-AHv2uqk_QK6j0WKXL2uaO_fzO8cVhnFXsLbXPzTDfXuOhIXbg6dUfsC-5TB3yTOLSAJi/s1600/aaaaEmmaWallHang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXkzSd8qexFAO80czvsZCLVs9nQlyJqJvN8ELEsWArNi2OxovW-k64y72Bsqg81vyqv0GgJb-AHv2uqk_QK6j0WKXL2uaO_fzO8cVhnFXsLbXPzTDfXuOhIXbg6dUfsC-5TB3yTOLSAJi/s320/aaaaEmmaWallHang.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We visited my parents, my 3 brothers and their wives in Idaho, as well as 2 nieces. Wonderful times with friends in the Portland area were such a joy. I managed to go to 3 quilt sessions with Victoria who is my fav teacher. My bestie Cindy was right there with me. She also demonstrated why she is the Packing QUEEN, organizing my gluten free products, grain mill, fabric, etc into the fewest suitcases.<br />
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We had a wonderful if short visit with my stepson Robb and his bride Connie. Connie is a lovely person with a really positive attitude- we were charmed and we are so happy for Robb.<br />
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As most people say, we were shocked by grocery and restaurant prices in the US. The price of everything seemed crippling. The chasm between people with money and people who are staggering under the weight of the current economy continues to widen as the middle class disappears into debt.<br />
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We got an "up close" look at the attitudes of people we care about regarding our move to Ecuador. The reviews were varied but that is to be expected. Not everyone is up for "an excellent adventure" in retirement. Most people we know do not want to visit South America and have a distorted view of what Ecuador is like. Often people think it is in Central America. It is below Columbia and above Peru on the Pacific ocean. Frequently people think of Mexico and Ecuador being the same. They are not. There are some similarities but many strong differences. Ecuador is over 2000 miles from Mexico with about 7 different countries in between. The food is not the same. The currency is not the same. The folk history is not the same. The economies are not the same.<br />
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It would be excellent if more were known in the US about Ecuador besides the Galapagos Islands. It is a little gem of a country which embraces diverse habitats, from the dry Pacific coast to volcanoes of the Andes to great forests of the Amazon basin. It is a small country, a little smaller than the state of Nevada. <br />
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Let's talk about birds for a moment. Ecuador is home to about 1600 species, including many spectacular and unusual birds. I recently purchased "The Birds of Ecuador" Vol II field guide by Robert Ridgley and Paul Greenfield. It flew back with me from the US as it weighs over 5 pounds! In this book, there are 55 pages describing different types of hummingbirds that migrate to or live permanently in Ecuador.<br />
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I am not a serious birder. With fibromyalgia affecting my legs, I will not be tramping through the brush or crouching in a hide. But I love that these birds are out there. I love hearing birdsong when I'm sewing early in the morning. Someday, I may go on a birding trip for people who have some physical limitations - its a future dream.<br />
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Ecuador is about diversity in all things. The country has a large number of people who can trace their ancestry to Spain. There are many different groups of indigenous people with history leading back to the Inca and beyond. For thousands of years, people have created homes, raised families, worshiped, raised food and fought to keep their land. The earth is steeped in history here. Ecuador ROCKS, folks. It is a little secret but it ROCKS!<br />
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Life in Cuenca: We had a marvelous visit in the US. The love expressed to us is priceless and warms my heart. And yet, it felt so good to return to Cuenca and know that this is our home.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgoELU44Ri3UDB4KRwM21rLzCxgv7-Xckf9_NspYGG7sg1DiiI5yzlTWByw1TmBTkbrSMEMP-H5VjxK2zkXbXUKFf-K5eJJj4LFvQuJBlCGYQeW5alzG1W_MHapVDkfE5OhgPLfS7yTNR/s1600/SAM_6109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgoELU44Ri3UDB4KRwM21rLzCxgv7-Xckf9_NspYGG7sg1DiiI5yzlTWByw1TmBTkbrSMEMP-H5VjxK2zkXbXUKFf-K5eJJj4LFvQuJBlCGYQeW5alzG1W_MHapVDkfE5OhgPLfS7yTNR/s320/SAM_6109.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Several people asked "what do you do there in Cuenca?".<br />
Lenny and I feel our life in Cuenca is delightful. We have been here for 9 months and feel very comfortable. Our everyday life is varied and interesting. We study Espanol daily. Len walks miles each day exploring the city. He speaks tentative Espanol to shop keepers, a baker nearby, two sisters at a fruit booth in our favorite mercado, the woman at the laundry, a clerk in a busy "US style" grocery store. <br />
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Sharon speaks VERY tentative Espanol - I study Espanol daily. I am newly retired - I love having time to quilt or read mysteries or explore subjects on the internet. I have begun designing my own quilts and find it quite satisfying. I'm also making some clothing that I like better than things I find in stores, whether in the US or here.<br />
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We feel secure and relaxed, we enjoy exploring new pathways, we love our apartment which is kind of "modestly elegant" and very comfortable. We miss our family and friends in the US but this is where we should be at this time. Lenny and I are each very energized by getting to know a new culture, learning a new language and experiencing day to day life in Ecuador. It enriches our life together.<br />
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I hope this finds you living the life you want or dreaming about how to take a couple of steps to make your life move toward what you want. Life is short. One never knows what lies ahead so we must live today with gusto.<br />
Hasta pronto,<br />
Sharon</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-51786351465125815112012-01-16T09:09:00.000-08:002012-01-16T10:47:07.594-08:00A New Week, some comments<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gIjMvtN7_jrimVDt9uhMMRW4LhKTcZP0zEaTfXhSAiVKTZRfAes66z9V4LjbBLkO9D6XxvrNFr1mFJ03DKswcFdQv5wvnsTexkyqrSOFU5nRu7eqilVjs0_bq4YzwpCid7cigD2xfNTt/s1600/apost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gIjMvtN7_jrimVDt9uhMMRW4LhKTcZP0zEaTfXhSAiVKTZRfAes66z9V4LjbBLkO9D6XxvrNFr1mFJ03DKswcFdQv5wvnsTexkyqrSOFU5nRu7eqilVjs0_bq4YzwpCid7cigD2xfNTt/s320/apost.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> I never tire of the changing views in Cuenca<br />
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In response to some of the great comments I've received, thank you for reading my blog and your kind thoughts. Carol noted that a comment I made about "why wait to retire when you could live on less now and be in a healthier environment?"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HLaQkjNA2Q4s9zyWbpGvoYCN7UBkocfmRVmG_ZOB45X-TM1-m2JWAP282KC9F_Em1_cUoFVlquDm3rhNtR1ACH16cuX5-KdtQUjiRUO_IPF1hVa604HGxn3-sJIFy2WXRnamd01LSOHP/s1600/25199689_00ee8a5a9c_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HLaQkjNA2Q4s9zyWbpGvoYCN7UBkocfmRVmG_ZOB45X-TM1-m2JWAP282KC9F_Em1_cUoFVlquDm3rhNtR1ACH16cuX5-KdtQUjiRUO_IPF1hVa604HGxn3-sJIFy2WXRnamd01LSOHP/s320/25199689_00ee8a5a9c_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It really impacted Carol and I am very glad to hear you are in San Miguel - I know that lovely town through a friend. Enjoy!<br />
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and the ideas were great for la gata. It was encouraging to me that you had a cat who did fine over 6 wks alone (with daily care). Gracias.<br />
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A reader asked what grain mill I got. I bought the Wondermill Whispermill on Amazon. It is sort of mid priced at $260 - I could not justify spending over $500 on this item. I hope it works out and grinds brown rice finely enough for my baking needs.<br />
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A friend let me use her powerful blender Vitamix that grinds grains also. However, it was not fine enough when grinding brown rice. Very crunchy cookies are ok but in cakes or pies etc, not so good. I'll report later on how successful the Wondermill is. The frustrating thing is that there are Vitamix devotees who are almost religiously passionate about it. And there are plenty of people who have one sitting in the back of the cupboard or closet and never will use it. But don't want to sell it for a reasonable used price. I talked with 3 people who sorta wanted theirs sell theirs for absolute full price, no discount for it being out of box, looking like it had been used. Arrrrgggghhhhhhh!<br />
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Readers please know that I read any comments and love to know that you are reading my blog. This started out to be something for my family members and friends to read to relate to my new adventure. <br />
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However, I have had 10,000 viewers from all over the world. What a grand compliment that is. Thank you, readers. It inspires me to think and write!<br />
Sharon<br />
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PS: the funny thing is that very few of my family and friends read the blog. So ironic!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuToHLa5fXB0HvKJQUKn3xUw_B8RMoh-hWkYIfDF67fUvsjdoaW4GfuJM7RQQLTGH0-WHjYq_cKD2fFHM-H-mNocOf7v9vM5xdfRzIbohQt54zPyvTz04HlTu8eab0K1hGNJvzCF9Uqmku/s1600/carino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuToHLa5fXB0HvKJQUKn3xUw_B8RMoh-hWkYIfDF67fUvsjdoaW4GfuJM7RQQLTGH0-WHjYq_cKD2fFHM-H-mNocOf7v9vM5xdfRzIbohQt54zPyvTz04HlTu8eab0K1hGNJvzCF9Uqmku/s320/carino.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>HAVE A FANTASTIC NEW WEEK!!!</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-85840566823573824922012-01-13T07:20:00.000-08:002012-01-13T07:26:07.418-08:00Our First Visit Back to the US<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Our first visit back to the United States since we moved to Cuenca in May is about to begin. It feels long awaited because we had planned to return every 6 mos and it's been 9 mos. I am very excited to see the grandchildren who are 3 yrs, in Oregon and 6 yrs, 9 yrs old in San Diego. I will admire how they have grown, go to a soccer game, buy a box of Girl Scout Cookies (with wheat flour in them so I won't eat them - darn), read to them every night, play at their developmental levels, get silly with them and generally enjoy every precious minute.<br />
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I will also see my entire extended family in Idaho, except for three nephews and their families who live elsewhere. I will have quality time with my parents, who are in their 90's. I will continue to answer questions about why it is important for me to live in Ecuador at this life stage. My mom is 93 and is enjoying her new IPad 2 - she is amazing. She loves doing face time {:-D with grandchildren, daughter, great-grandchildren.<br />
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I will spend time in Portland, seeing all the dear people I can. I'll spend every possible minute with Cindy, hanging out, sewing, searching for things on my list of stuff to bring back. Oh, and attending 3 days of quilt classes to add new skills. I'm going to be making a melon block quilt <span style="background-color: white; color: #009933; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">www.quilterswarehouse.com/m-70-elisas-backporch-design.aspx</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDj7PrIDYv2oKY3S5z-H8Y0riZh1oOOnhPHjGuePgqVjJ0qXlD5cN-vhEuTmOFh4YfbQK6ozYVWVae8OVpISQaiUULbfTIDgKWUFPwYPV5Fy_oVoAmMHTnKGA8bA0WRhaTVbw0EwELrMQ/s1600/SAM_4559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDj7PrIDYv2oKY3S5z-H8Y0riZh1oOOnhPHjGuePgqVjJ0qXlD5cN-vhEuTmOFh4YfbQK6ozYVWVae8OVpISQaiUULbfTIDgKWUFPwYPV5Fy_oVoAmMHTnKGA8bA0WRhaTVbw0EwELrMQ/s320/SAM_4559.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Using these fabrics<br />
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I LOVE my quilt teacher, Victoria Jones. If you want a sincere, funny, non-judgmental, incredibly skilled teacher, call Art and Sewl in Vancouver, WA and schedule a class with her. artandsewl.com She teaches at some other places but I'd start there. She also may be doing some national shows. I'll update this after my visit.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0dOdyp3-bGRVEnKe8bkPn92RZSAVvYfAbQLWXproiCvxsPRV0T5fjFgA7trjSAEeNU0hT85U148l_MYoorJnob3HlDNF-NEhg5LMBIq0hJb3t4FXAv_ZfxuRcDGGdH47fBfSOppJujU_S/s1600/SAM_feisty1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0dOdyp3-bGRVEnKe8bkPn92RZSAVvYfAbQLWXproiCvxsPRV0T5fjFgA7trjSAEeNU0hT85U148l_MYoorJnob3HlDNF-NEhg5LMBIq0hJb3t4FXAv_ZfxuRcDGGdH47fBfSOppJujU_S/s320/SAM_feisty1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My beloved Calico cat Feisty will be cared for by a wonderful, kind friend. Feisty has become very clingy since we moved here and we have no other pets for her to annoy. She also sleeps most of the time, being almost 17 years old. I hope she will get along fine... but worry about this a little - will she know I'm coming back?<br />
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When she was a young cat, we lived in the country outside Portland where we had alpacas, chickens, dogs and horses - and 2 barn cats plus this small tyrant of a cat who bossed everyone around. She was a fierce hunter who dropped off a steady supply of mice, voles, moles but left birds alone, making me happy. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVl_I1ZH6jYIZVAFh_pI7-PYOAmWDyAUOwig1Jd_FNfIoU4vj5Y6H6cGWJMTHlSMFfcFTz_KGBSV91VNZoPYSdGjKvDNZtxbPVy3FiKXfZGDrzA5Nt1LW_TiY6KTJNH9ntWCIGRvQbOI0/s1600/feisty14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVl_I1ZH6jYIZVAFh_pI7-PYOAmWDyAUOwig1Jd_FNfIoU4vj5Y6H6cGWJMTHlSMFfcFTz_KGBSV91VNZoPYSdGjKvDNZtxbPVy3FiKXfZGDrzA5Nt1LW_TiY6KTJNH9ntWCIGRvQbOI0/s320/feisty14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> As we unpacked container boxes, a new place to sleep.<br />
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She would go on a sojourn every August when our neighbor began combining (harvesting) wheat. My stepson Robb called it Feisty's Catabout, like the Australian Walkabout coming of age journey. <br />
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I hypothesized that harvesting the wheat caused a huge supply of small creatures to be vulnerable for her hunting. We had no houses near our property so she apparently just lived off the land and wandered for awhile. Each year her time away was longer. The first year she was missing for a week, the second year 2 weeks and so on until her 10th year when she was gone for 13 weeks. I had mourned her loss each year only to have her return - to delight me again. <br />
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So that last journey, when she was gone so long, I decided that if she returned to me, she would become an inside cat. We were moving to the city and she had no city smarts to make it in the mean streets of Sherwood, OR where there were 2 dogs and a cat in nearly every small yard, just waiting for a new cat to become lunch.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDLtGpWWKgKVM8kju5zTzA7VCWgf0fpcDkgRnBxb3I2w0aODizilDyh_jr67fQ98YkVnQZynXoM_klpIOggLA0-hYfhyoKEGsXpYL4zBJoK99_RRVz4EAks27n0iIqiGpwVkaitWYOFxE/s1600/154584251_f63cff6bfd_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDLtGpWWKgKVM8kju5zTzA7VCWgf0fpcDkgRnBxb3I2w0aODizilDyh_jr67fQ98YkVnQZynXoM_klpIOggLA0-hYfhyoKEGsXpYL4zBJoK99_RRVz4EAks27n0iIqiGpwVkaitWYOFxE/s320/154584251_f63cff6bfd_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
She adapted well to being an inside cat, accepting that it was time to remain inside and live a slower pace. I've never left her for more than 2 weeks so I wonder how she will do without our daily interaction. The "cat sitter" will do her best to give Feisty some attention each day but...we shall see how it goes.<br />
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Yesterday, a friend made some gluten free scones and shared them with me. Such a treat! And they were delicious. He plans to experiment with more. I asked to be the official taste tester.<br />
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A couple we know from Portland is moving to Cuenca for a 6 mo job. We have been e-mailing back and forth about getting together some time after they arrive. Yesterday, Lenny was buying some groceries and ran into them. They had arrived about 2 hours before! Cuenca is a good sized city but you will run into someone you have met here or someone you know from home nearly every time you go out! It is cool but a bit eerie.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj8R_Y981GwTBFKs0Qza5ev4IRygbTrZCeif0Bj7Wuwi9mjGwr5FE6oVyhU_hyphenhyphenn9E187x1ZY2-ahcO1nSE9c36RlPWRdXUcX3-ISJ3wHFH7ovUZwt2_r4-dNDh5YAzE_1C75ElqMTIZ3H/s1600/AAStash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj8R_Y981GwTBFKs0Qza5ev4IRygbTrZCeif0Bj7Wuwi9mjGwr5FE6oVyhU_hyphenhyphenn9E187x1ZY2-ahcO1nSE9c36RlPWRdXUcX3-ISJ3wHFH7ovUZwt2_r4-dNDh5YAzE_1C75ElqMTIZ3H/s320/AAStash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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For weeks I have been ordering fabric online and gluten free flours, grains, chicken broth and sauces, having them sent to my dear friend Cindy who is housing a TON of stuff for me. I will pack things as well as I can up to that 50 pounds per bag limit. There are so many items I wish I could bring back to make living gluten free easier. But I'll do my best. I do miss good yeast bread so I hope to bring back my fav items for gluten-free bread making, i.e. sorghum flour, millet, red quinoa. I am also bringing back a grain mill so that I can grind arroz integral (brown rice) into a very fine flour. Other gluten free grains too, like quinoa and millet. <br />
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It will be interesting to see if the lower altitude, higher humidity and cold weather causes increased fibromyalgia pain and lessened mobility. I'm hoping I can skate along and not have to slow down. My level of energy is excellent in Ecuador now - I hate to let go of that!<br />
I am approaching this as a wonderful break to see my family and friends - that is the most important thing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKX6hJUd1wlXxQ169PZuMFeoiLh4NKknlr8UR1b_ILv1yUCoUPtqHFf3O2oTszAhHADeTYBsyHS2eJrXqcX8yKuOzdCzfcrM5d4JQgxVpNs3cGbmIDZPsQF9JOaRgkpcGhcDnhrgQVUt66/s1600/SAM_feisty12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKX6hJUd1wlXxQ169PZuMFeoiLh4NKknlr8UR1b_ILv1yUCoUPtqHFf3O2oTszAhHADeTYBsyHS2eJrXqcX8yKuOzdCzfcrM5d4JQgxVpNs3cGbmIDZPsQF9JOaRgkpcGhcDnhrgQVUt66/s320/SAM_feisty12.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I also look forward to our return back to Cuenca to continue my new life here, where new things happen every day.<br />
Cuenca, Ecuador is home now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZfhZ1PE6b3CCizHPylRno8yuXaVdEPmvQ6NZmLAJByQEhEAEwIBYDP_3Tjqw9aeS2CS4XC7G5-tuR2R2Q7gL05XXtT5hf1_jW9a2ui5YFloZ8ufyHGEtBwxDVi1u30jGnNKzNt5s3DDK/s1600/SAM_4362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZfhZ1PE6b3CCizHPylRno8yuXaVdEPmvQ6NZmLAJByQEhEAEwIBYDP_3Tjqw9aeS2CS4XC7G5-tuR2R2Q7gL05XXtT5hf1_jW9a2ui5YFloZ8ufyHGEtBwxDVi1u30jGnNKzNt5s3DDK/s320/SAM_4362.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Have a terrific week end and stay tranquilo - a state of mind. <br />
Make every day a new one to remember.<br />
Sharon<br />
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</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-83519098464036453902012-01-04T08:28:00.000-08:002012-01-04T08:28:02.530-08:00Mi gusta Ecuador!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Have I come right out and said that I LOVE Ecuador? Well, it is true. I am really interested in the layers of culture and socioeconomic differences. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSiqkUqOsu8FQpDdJkgvZtouX_zm8wCVSHslai1vMxbohFYb4NKmCzfCzcT3NTt9GR169y-gGI8EgcV_BB4NEnaRPIXCbgrQYRnygCSIoqVp7LrUWnMppMzLhOWE3gIAsiWwJX1WS3EyJ/s1600/photo+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSiqkUqOsu8FQpDdJkgvZtouX_zm8wCVSHslai1vMxbohFYb4NKmCzfCzcT3NTt9GR169y-gGI8EgcV_BB4NEnaRPIXCbgrQYRnygCSIoqVp7LrUWnMppMzLhOWE3gIAsiWwJX1WS3EyJ/s320/photo+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> The Tomebamba River is a terrific asset to tranquility.<br />
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I am delighted by the gentle, open people of Cuenca. I'm sometimes confused by something but things get worked out. I've only lived here 7.5 months so there is still SO MUCH to learn.<br />
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I am having conversational Espanol lessons 3 times per week. After about 4 months with the early focus on grammar and verbs, I am beginning to speak a little more. I understand a lot of a conversation if the subject is in context, which is very common.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCvMBetuCxpNGTghtIqNiKDUo0MMfv8RFseIbrSt3G1VWJlVgeu_PycZwRHivmAFaNHnhdj_PIugN6YHQL4obGwHmXziQywIUEvMNAt7YZvCCNbDQBvxNTFa0nwkWzF13EEKfCe2VZHUR/s1600/7-18-2011+7-35-53+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCvMBetuCxpNGTghtIqNiKDUo0MMfv8RFseIbrSt3G1VWJlVgeu_PycZwRHivmAFaNHnhdj_PIugN6YHQL4obGwHmXziQywIUEvMNAt7YZvCCNbDQBvxNTFa0nwkWzF13EEKfCe2VZHUR/s320/7-18-2011+7-35-53+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Looking at Solano Avenue<br />
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Once per month I have the joy of spending an evening with several members of two families we have come to know. It is "todo espanol" so I find it very challenging and tiring but also thrilling when I can keep up. And I can put rudimentary sentences together some of the time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHPMj6HE9spP-Ik0T17aaRZArzZchBtcQ0yRwC-6icvsfZ8Qti0mH5NMLBlftdjVQ3oOa8eSz1I26PA2QHbht0ti95YrEba269GS8AFsYnyobno7ZIdU_mHPVREGi2WRVyT56FKp-9fdr/s1600/IMG_1099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHPMj6HE9spP-Ik0T17aaRZArzZchBtcQ0yRwC-6icvsfZ8Qti0mH5NMLBlftdjVQ3oOa8eSz1I26PA2QHbht0ti95YrEba269GS8AFsYnyobno7ZIdU_mHPVREGi2WRVyT56FKp-9fdr/s320/IMG_1099.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I have not discussed this (often) on Cuenca Chronicles but I have fibromyalgia. A painful illness they think is immune related but there is currently no cure. It does not kill but it was robbing me of quality of life while I was living in Oregon for about the past 7 years. <br />
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Since I moved to Cuenca, I have much less pain and my mobility has increased, as has my stamina and energy. Hooray! Lower humidity, no really hot days, high altitude and a more tranquil lifestyle seem to synchronize to improve my quality of life. Hooray Hooray!!!! I am blessed to have all of this. This is a desired outcome of moving to Cuenca so this is very wonderful!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Olz-rgsEdzAtDKAhMt6hYMTgOr6gh-L8V0M9sUHXTVrrWdxuOiShBV5lljNdYRRJ264w2yB4mHMAKGErl3FkVhzhiH6NCNUmZmPbwqBZPipGx2G3v8BQcr2ef7mXA7y3Na5VJtD0V4VM/s1600/smemblanket2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Olz-rgsEdzAtDKAhMt6hYMTgOr6gh-L8V0M9sUHXTVrrWdxuOiShBV5lljNdYRRJ264w2yB4mHMAKGErl3FkVhzhiH6NCNUmZmPbwqBZPipGx2G3v8BQcr2ef7mXA7y3Na5VJtD0V4VM/s320/smemblanket2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The first quilt I completed was for my granddaughter.<br />
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Different things work for different people but this is my experience.<br />
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So, just sayin', I HEART Cuenca and our life here.<br />
Sharon</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-55360610929245039582012-01-03T07:46:00.000-08:002012-01-03T07:46:19.754-08:00New Year's Eve Effigy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I learned from my Espanol teacher y amiga that there were no fires burning effigies in the historic part of Cuenca because there is a ban on any fires in the historic district. Makes sense. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZLrbDv_czD4DzQjKp_p6d7kH2FP7T_UGHVGUe6O08oCab9p_tY_XaZ4tWUb1ZbpYkVSPlHfIkAmboe7kOOk091XFsYVNHx1Qsw1-Ao9-0WM2W0Jbo6B6DiqIeNsrAwHyR5t-KuXqLYrj/s1600/4117811179_7b735d379f_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZLrbDv_czD4DzQjKp_p6d7kH2FP7T_UGHVGUe6O08oCab9p_tY_XaZ4tWUb1ZbpYkVSPlHfIkAmboe7kOOk091XFsYVNHx1Qsw1-Ao9-0WM2W0Jbo6B6DiqIeNsrAwHyR5t-KuXqLYrj/s320/4117811179_7b735d379f_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> "Mandarinas, mandarinas!" they sing<br />
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She grew up right in the center of the historic section and described that there were huge fires in the streets back then (about 40 years ago) but now...not allowed. <br />
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So next New Year's Eve, we want to explore a specific barrio (neighborhood) in another part of the city to see the effigies burn, representing both current and historical cultural custom - saying good bye to the old year. It was fun walking around the streets at night on New Year's Eve, seeing lots of Cuencano families going around together, greeting people and just hanging out. It felt very safe and friendly.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueGurqALYWPIlHIvyjkv_aysdbsxT4WMGgwZ43eQO4-goBxEJPitf6mwXtXJwZTeaK1lQIY9p1GsOKs5Ox-HzzPw-gov7y_daTSZjou1CTi7MDT7m2q8xGqPhKIwQLnMXYtrdEDgegfZV/s1600/3007620761_3585705160_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueGurqALYWPIlHIvyjkv_aysdbsxT4WMGgwZ43eQO4-goBxEJPitf6mwXtXJwZTeaK1lQIY9p1GsOKs5Ox-HzzPw-gov7y_daTSZjou1CTi7MDT7m2q8xGqPhKIwQLnMXYtrdEDgegfZV/s320/3007620761_3585705160_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Santo Domingo at night<br />
Have a great week.<br />
Hasta luego,<br />
Sharon</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-54128573275936835312012-01-01T08:01:00.000-08:002012-01-01T08:01:20.856-08:00For my quilting readers around the world<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Here is a sweet little resource for quilters www.craftsy.com</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">They are offering a free block of the month course where you learn some new techniques and can share/ask questions as you go. Yes, it is FREE!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">They have other crafts too, like knitting. check it out.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">I still buy fabric from the US as I've not been too impressed with the fabrics I've found in Cuenca but that's part of Ecuador. Some textiles, fabric & linens seem to be not up to US selection.I think that Australia and the UK have wonderful fabric choices. I do not know about Russia, Israel, Chile and other parts of the world. I'd love to know so drop me a note at the bottom of this post if you want to educate me. Happy New Year, Quilters!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0_GXbpOZJW8NYBEYPic-MOC4dN5Ou7_EWz0OPbAP_QiU2ZMwW4ieN3B2t85RQ3bVlCRutMfpeFIbn6q8F856YUewxSmkS38Sk5qs-6kZEaiZSUPZ2EazAUzZSaWViB-8L3zMyGDt0mSB/s1600/aq7-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0_GXbpOZJW8NYBEYPic-MOC4dN5Ou7_EWz0OPbAP_QiU2ZMwW4ieN3B2t85RQ3bVlCRutMfpeFIbn6q8F856YUewxSmkS38Sk5qs-6kZEaiZSUPZ2EazAUzZSaWViB-8L3zMyGDt0mSB/s320/aq7-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em;">Here is part of their blurb:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">This is a FREE quilting course, perfect for all skill levels, whether you’re a long-time quilter, or just quilt-curious.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">If you’ve been interested in trying a Craftsy online course but haven’t had time or resources, the Block of the Month is a great way to familiarize yourself with all that Craftsy has to offer. This is a perfect chance for you to experience high-definition instructional video (and sound), our interactive course platform, learn to create two gorgeous new quilt blocks each month, AND learn how to finish the whole quilt...all for FREE!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #61ab9d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Here’s a note from Amy Gibson,<br />
Block of the Month instructor:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em;">Creating a <a href="http://craftsy.createsend2.com/t/j/l/cjjhrd/jhiljdyh/z/" style="color: #ee6600;" target="_blank">Craftsy Block of the Month</a> quilt is an excellent way to keep your New Year’s resolutions all the way through 2012 – to be more creative, learn new techniques, and have more fun – absolutely free!</div></div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-50732172723202876592011-12-30T08:14:00.000-08:002011-12-30T08:14:23.043-08:00Loose thoughts about moving to Ecuador<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Hola Readers:</span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Guaguas (pronounced "wa-was") That's what kids are called in Ecuador. I believe it is a Quechua word, not in my Espanol dictionary. Think of the sound you make if you are going to say "watch" or "water". The pronunciation is like the beginning of that word, repeated "wa-was". It seems it is an endearing way of referring to children. In Cuenca, it is used by everyone, across income, cultural and class differences. It seems when anyone uses it, the word is greeted by a small smile, as if the listener is recalling some endearing or comical thing a kid said or did.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UrWFLknmdfv1onYytH3Cnd8Xwb4kauQ_R8t8JkaGxuDE9TDvdvlPCdYBwC3PDcUzXKLXpE0fiTnhAqqchTjTiuBycoAza94qjSww1uXkIPG9xstPjkrI2b4wHNLvU4XfpqRk1Vx7Uc91/s1600/8-6-2011+10-22-27+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UrWFLknmdfv1onYytH3Cnd8Xwb4kauQ_R8t8JkaGxuDE9TDvdvlPCdYBwC3PDcUzXKLXpE0fiTnhAqqchTjTiuBycoAza94qjSww1uXkIPG9xstPjkrI2b4wHNLvU4XfpqRk1Vx7Uc91/s320/8-6-2011+10-22-27+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I showed some pictures of my young nietos (grandchildren) to a Cuencana friend's 6 young grandchildren. They sighed and murmured "guaguas" with this air of interest and contentment...and a big smile at me. Very sweet. So I will get to see my nietos in just a few weeks. And my grown guaguas too!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Are you moving here? A random thought about packing. This is a small thing I always forget to mention: I love old t-shirts. You know the good quality ones that are really soft and friendly after a couple of years of wear. Over the many years that I was a gardener, it was common to see me out there in an old raggy t-shirt and jeans. No worry of stains or rips that can happen during garden work. It did not matter to me if I was in the front flower garden or back, I was going for comfort. Same for housework and other chores like cleaning the parrot cage or emptying the hot tub --- old t-shirts reigned.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">What did I do when we decided to shed our way of life in Oregon and move to Ecuador? I knew that there would be no gardening, no parrot cage, no hot tub to clean....so I got rid of all of my used, ratty looking t-shirts.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">So what do I miss now? An old fav t-shirt to wear when I'm knocking around our apartment, re-potting a house plant or reading a good book. The recommendation is this after talking with other ex-pats who came with only new clothes and miss having some worn, comfy clothes: bring a couple of the older things you love to wear just around the house. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOH4KzrXUnGAhKnIieCQcGAEDjiSJpM19O5WCFsnr9s1ZL80h9B7qscLnOVhpLul8zmqpdU2XPZd8TIiF2xiogxNuFYPb9icMY7vCx2g1f1_WIqxRLKy3ZI7Buz3fRFc4IcAW9jWfoa4a-/s1600/SAM_4506-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOH4KzrXUnGAhKnIieCQcGAEDjiSJpM19O5WCFsnr9s1ZL80h9B7qscLnOVhpLul8zmqpdU2XPZd8TIiF2xiogxNuFYPb9icMY7vCx2g1f1_WIqxRLKy3ZI7Buz3fRFc4IcAW9jWfoa4a-/s320/SAM_4506-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Informal dress occurs a lot in Ecuador. Business people dress up really nicely, like any metropolitan city, but the majority of people I see around the city are dressed very casually. I think I'd describe my old clothes as "sub-informal" and "not for prime time". Consider keeping a couple of "sub-informal" items for private times. Just a thought.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfuXiYmF_H_fag_eZ9VGSFhyfslPd1bYexhqcvlNzGOS_IsIbsTw4zDWG0L5hUDLgwD9LRZBiGp5OI9Xrn6yChed0F0IMVpDHEVy_8e6E3qeD9uE3cts3PV3qwFI4cWvQgBhjJ35djyzA/s1600/7-18-2011+7-23-00+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfuXiYmF_H_fag_eZ9VGSFhyfslPd1bYexhqcvlNzGOS_IsIbsTw4zDWG0L5hUDLgwD9LRZBiGp5OI9Xrn6yChed0F0IMVpDHEVy_8e6E3qeD9uE3cts3PV3qwFI4cWvQgBhjJ35djyzA/s320/7-18-2011+7-23-00+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Another thought: it is cooler here than you may expect. Yes, there are beautiful days year around with afternoon temps of 70 degrees(F) (21 Celcius). But nights are rarely mild, often dropping to 35 degrees (F) (1.6 Celcius). It does not snow here. Frost is very rare. But it not a balmy beach either. We are located high in the Andes mountains at 8500 ft alt (2591 meters) so Cuenca is cooler than most of Ecuador. Go to the jungle or the coast and there are higher temps and higher humidity. That is where it is really tropical.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">If you are coming to visit or to stay, pack sweaters, different weight jackets, a sweatshirt along with lighter wear - you will benefit from dressing in layers so you can peel off as needed.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">An elderly acquaintance came to live in Cuenca for a month. She had packed tank tops, capris, sandals and flip flops along with one cardigan. No socks, no raincoat, no sweatshirt or warm sweater, no long pants. She arrived during a 10 day streak of rainy, chilly weather. She was cold and miserable but did not want to spend the money to buy warmer clothes. She thought because Cuenca is close to the equator, it would automatically be balmy. To her credit, she did not complain much.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Although I have written this before, it is worth emphasizing - come prepared for 3 seasons of weather in one day. That's Cuenca! It is a wonderful city, muy lindo, full of many things to explore and enjoy. Researching what is needed to be comfortable is important to allow you to focus on the multitude of fun stuff. I'm just sayin'......and even with lots of research and some visits, it is easy to forget some of these things. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">As you pack to move here, bring different weight coats, keep your sweaters, pack your tank tops and new clothes and a couple of old raggy t-shirts along with the newer things you pack. You will be set for anything that comes down the valley.</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxj6O4nuBh14CjXjVE7BjOp2loxASLk7guUbUlb617qzQvz7AUAZzkzO7T48EsmvMN7qnnuTN0OrunHRWc85BOtzLzK3dABt3fapYw9ztFtW-2L7SDsYglYYpVI0RXBJazmJeWSMnuhvQ/s1600/qphoto7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxj6O4nuBh14CjXjVE7BjOp2loxASLk7guUbUlb617qzQvz7AUAZzkzO7T48EsmvMN7qnnuTN0OrunHRWc85BOtzLzK3dABt3fapYw9ztFtW-2L7SDsYglYYpVI0RXBJazmJeWSMnuhvQ/s320/qphoto7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Another thing to note:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">If you move to Cuenca, you may have a more lively social life than you have had for some time. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseDcd9oxd5_S8iIbQmA7ntI6zvqHwEwm9-0rXi5WCOxu13TAkYl_UrEHZfig0KZ461fLtaDE8uIG870m5ZuFGzBJxMYpaAoVSbc_n3pB1nnf9-BpUCIgYX6QNdBAYeezOzA_nz5lCvqrF/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseDcd9oxd5_S8iIbQmA7ntI6zvqHwEwm9-0rXi5WCOxu13TAkYl_UrEHZfig0KZ461fLtaDE8uIG870m5ZuFGzBJxMYpaAoVSbc_n3pB1nnf9-BpUCIgYX6QNdBAYeezOzA_nz5lCvqrF/s320/photo+%25282%2529.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Retirees have time to have lunch, chat over coffee, explore new places, go on picnics, etc. The ex-pat community here is supportive, friendly, big on sharing ideas, recommending services, etc. And its large enough to have variety and interest for most people. Most Cuencanos are kind,open, friendly and enoy getting to know people from other lands. It is a very pleasant surprise to me that it has been very easy to meet people we enjoy so quickly after moving here last May. Our transition to living in a South American culture has been mostly smooth and quite delightful. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQJUZc7vfDUPqVAMEWi_nOw_RZuJRszn5FlHmRWKQzWpH-nuw5B1zO537yDIddTGf13AcWJvomUrlMsoialAK7dBmxrgKEIKGWhtFP_mWYTviulqXOCGdksdLNFZykAUsbvjir_fSMleS/s1600/aaaa3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQJUZc7vfDUPqVAMEWi_nOw_RZuJRszn5FlHmRWKQzWpH-nuw5B1zO537yDIddTGf13AcWJvomUrlMsoialAK7dBmxrgKEIKGWhtFP_mWYTviulqXOCGdksdLNFZykAUsbvjir_fSMleS/s320/aaaa3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Lunch (almuerzo) at mi amiga Maria Elena's home in Paute</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">A custom in Cuenca is to celebrate New Year's eve by burning some effigy. To represent getting rid of your hostility at your boss or your anger at not getting that job you competed for. So hand painted masks and even whole figures are sold everywhere the week before Dec 31 for this purpose. Here is a photo of some masks for sale:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The year 2011 draws to a close. Have a safe, enjoyable New Year's celebration.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Sharon</span><br />
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</span></span></div></div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-62109028351267964542011-12-28T07:11:00.000-08:002011-12-28T12:55:36.266-08:00A jumble of thoughts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDQNVOnJ9u4y7ngvCDmp90mXUL0gl6G8FmjFucedl4rpZcpu0Lcmx0mo_ltILFhD3kkjtPyEWssqQuidMFEMOpH4HmakRbgjLpTd9xx97-ZUZetr-cQvZji_Frnkfecb5iNeGJ-xdkpxs/s1600/SAM_2828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDQNVOnJ9u4y7ngvCDmp90mXUL0gl6G8FmjFucedl4rpZcpu0Lcmx0mo_ltILFhD3kkjtPyEWssqQuidMFEMOpH4HmakRbgjLpTd9xx97-ZUZetr-cQvZji_Frnkfecb5iNeGJ-xdkpxs/s320/SAM_2828.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Some shots Lenny took on 12/24 - sadly I have had the flu but got to see some of the activities through Len's photography. Above Neuvo Catedral(above) and Parque Calderon are always a center of buzzing activity when there is a festival.</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVAYCjfWIcDvSDl1JlzAZM6_Q7bLJ3aMYrvAyI_2SU6oSAxxgQbg4Du7L_LQgkDp0Ahyphenhyphenv0mFpA-XvV660MOzSTWMWt5iW8CybEoJV1O574xwWjoDGxrTTFpNNZeKcIMolRce0EI3c5Fa1/s1600/christmas2011n3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVAYCjfWIcDvSDl1JlzAZM6_Q7bLJ3aMYrvAyI_2SU6oSAxxgQbg4Du7L_LQgkDp0Ahyphenhyphenv0mFpA-XvV660MOzSTWMWt5iW8CybEoJV1O574xwWjoDGxrTTFpNNZeKcIMolRce0EI3c5Fa1/s320/christmas2011n3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">People began gathering early for a festive day. There were horse rides, llama rides, and many other things to do. </span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnW4LO5vGbrcpeSAPYOhJra9F8m-OpOuIjRohga78ZVkz489wQ358MQ8qSEB_iZnB-Y-3OnqV_ocZLY7mRKU3nfIU9BfolSVkVE4TDqAlkUaRSRYqPwH11Lc7tzh03FoZc7PVkg1xv-7to/s1600/christmas2011n1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnW4LO5vGbrcpeSAPYOhJra9F8m-OpOuIjRohga78ZVkz489wQ358MQ8qSEB_iZnB-Y-3OnqV_ocZLY7mRKU3nfIU9BfolSVkVE4TDqAlkUaRSRYqPwH11Lc7tzh03FoZc7PVkg1xv-7to/s320/christmas2011n1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Angels walked among the crowd and princesses and pirates were plentiful.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">It is the end of the year and I'm pondering a few things: </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">I spent 26 years as a mental health counselor in Portland, Or. I worked with a lot of different types of people as they addressed their life stages: teens, older adults, twenty-somethings, 40's life assessment,health issues, career changes, relationship difficulties, etc. I loved offering therapy and always felt honored that people trusted me and allowed me to sit with them while they sorted out whatever was going on. I was also active in the community, belonged to a church, met with other therapists,volunteered at school functions. </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">My point is that I was "out there" interacting with the world. Observing people was part of my living but I've always been curious about people, what choices people make, how do people trust, when do people feel fear, what makes a person fall in love.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">As an adult, I lived a couple of years in the state of Washington, a few years in Berkeley, CA. Also a few in Washington D.C. But the majority of my adult years were spent in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon. Everywhere I go, I talk with people whether it is in line at Costco or across the therapy office. People are interesting and enjoy talking about themselves. For me, it makes life more interesting. A harsh punishment for me would be to put me in a room where I could not talk to anyone and I could not read anything. Ahhhhhhhh, it makes me sweat to even think about that. </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Making and keeping friendships: I have some great friends in the US so this is not in any way dismissing them. You are wonderful and I miss you. Skype talks really help me feel connected to several friends and family members. My grandchildren talk via Skype, showing me a soccer trophy, a new art project, the latest sign language the youngest has learned. Technology is a terrific help to ex-pats who move away from their home country. Other friends write email which is wonderful to receive. Sadly, some people do let a friendship go, do not put any effort into connecting once you are out of sight. But this is to be expected - it is part of life. Different people have different strengths and challenges.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Point 1: Friendship and familial love - each is an interesting and beautiful thing. A person can make a new friend in a new country without diminishing the love for the friend back at "home". Think of how a candle works. You can light one and then start other candles all from that one light without diminishing the first candle's power. Friendship is like that. </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">And love for one's family with all of their flaws and delights does not disappear just because a family member is living far away. Some people will deal by not making an effort to connect because of their own issues. With email and visual phone calls like Skype, the distance seems less important. Many family members come through in new ways, forming new pathways in the relationship. Some people even report growing closer to a grown child or a parent after moving because the relationship now has importance placed on connecting as adult to adult. </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"> Point 2: What am I experiencing in Ecuador? The people here are exceptionally friendly. Many Cuencanos I've met tend to be open about emotions, generous-hearted, thoughtful, trusting and curious about people moving to Ecuador from other countries. They are feircly proud of their country. They love it if newcomers try to speak Espanol. Many of them open their home to foreign guests from time to time. It is a pleasant shock to be "adopted" by a loving Ecuadorian family. In my experience, people in the US, while they often are kind, would not be that open, generous and helpful so quickly with a stranger. Remember, I am just describing my experiences and response, not yours.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Point 3: What feeling was I aware of in the US that does not seem prominent in Ecuador? A pervasive fear. Today, many people in the US seem choked by fear. They are afraid of strangers. They are afraid of finances. They are afraid they'll lose their job or that they will not get a needed promotion. They fear if they invite a stranger for dinner, their home will be cased for burglary or something bad will happen. As I've said before, crime happens everywhere. But what I'm noticing is that this city, Cuenca, does not operate on fear. The media and citizens do not have a constant focus on disasters. Television does not show over and over all day long people being afraid. For some years now, citizens of the US have been bombarded several times per day about terror alerts or the latest tragedy. Monitoring a "threat level" eveny day takes a toll on one's existence. It causes a person to run on stress which is not healthy for anyone. It seems that level of fear does not permeate the air of Cuenca.</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFVJ9WPxGqPYy3E0VecX96wEN91n6U-XjMmwCIPxMuoEniv4OlcE0zX0TV3IPZQWYvnuzDQjbPrivSH1a7UqtlFas7-li5-3uUd1FzJEkLKelzuYqxFVEgsZMX7EQvRSIOH2BopQH-9Kw/s1600/christmas2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFVJ9WPxGqPYy3E0VecX96wEN91n6U-XjMmwCIPxMuoEniv4OlcE0zX0TV3IPZQWYvnuzDQjbPrivSH1a7UqtlFas7-li5-3uUd1FzJEkLKelzuYqxFVEgsZMX7EQvRSIOH2BopQH-9Kw/s320/christmas2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">A comfortable day to wander and watch people, Christmas 12/24/2011 </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Of course there is still crime. Some crimes we have heard of here are frightening. Taking specific precautions and being "street smart" will usually be enough to keep one safe here. Crime can occur anywhere. If you don't experience any crime, that is great. But do you want fear to run your life and limit your choices? It is a tough spot to be in.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Another thing many people are frightened about in the US is their health. The cost of medical care in the US is prohibitive even if one has medical insurance. Many people live constant fear of having a serious medical event. They put off dental care or skip routine annual check ups because they cannot afford the costs, even if it is "just a co-pay". If a child is inured playing sports or a fender bender means mom needs physical therapy - these events could add up to hundreds and hundreds of dollars. Many people in the US are uninsured. And those with insurance often have impossibly high deductible. If the insured has to pay the first $1500 before his insurance company pays a cent, that amount can present an impossible barrier to normal health care needs. For the uninsured,a medical event could ruin them financially, aousing them to have insurmountable debt that ruins their credit ratings and impacts the rest of their lives. These things are overwhelming for many regular Americans. Some fear is warranted.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">I am not sure when this shift took place in the United States - unemployment has been rising for some time, medical costs have been spiraling out of control for years. But it seems like it was during the Bush administration that fear became a commodity. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 16px;">After 9/11, the country was flooded by a smog of fear.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"> Government spokespeople and the media began trading in fear. Suddenly reporters loved to tell the daily terrorist threat level and privacy disappeared. Any citizen questioning if all the disclosure and homeland hyper-protection was wise was suspected of being a threat.... but I don't want to get into politics. </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Where I'm heading with this is to encourage you to look at the role fear plays in your life, wherever you live. Has that changed for you in the past dozen years? Is there a way to reduce that level of fear so that you can experience more joy on a daily basis while still being reasonable about safety issues?</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItYYCVfGjVQFrO_V5kmr05xnsXmvuCAhqKNdBs0SXZ9UPG0bjiEYDAhdel-3063XmlTPRHNJIHOp8or2d4QxASgW4Vn8ko2AbTTiHmde-_HlglrPLwF4EIEM2bYClEk3nFgoMJmRhbqpe/s1600/christmas2011n2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItYYCVfGjVQFrO_V5kmr05xnsXmvuCAhqKNdBs0SXZ9UPG0bjiEYDAhdel-3063XmlTPRHNJIHOp8or2d4QxASgW4Vn8ko2AbTTiHmde-_HlglrPLwF4EIEM2bYClEk3nFgoMJmRhbqpe/s320/christmas2011n2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">A beautiful 12/24/2011 with weather to match. The pace of activities picked up with 8000 school children marching through the streets for a parade in their school uniforms. There is often great pride in neighborhoods. </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Are there one or two tiny changes you could make to make your daily life more fun? Can you experience the moment rather than living for the future? It is a difficult thing for me to do but when I notice little things that give me pleasure, they are often simple free things. For me, noticing the light at different times of day, hearing a birdsong and looking for its owner, re-potting a plant with my hands in the earth, listening to a brilliant piece of music are small free things that bring moments of joy. </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Take the next day or two to quietly notice what things bring you peace, pleasure, tranquility. What eases your heart. This is what I recommend rather than New Year's Resolutions. Experience the journey in the daily moments for that is what makes up one's life.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Sharon</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<span style="color: #354614; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"> Tranquilo is a state of existence</span></span></div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-22817379188264565202011-12-17T19:51:00.000-08:002011-12-17T20:10:18.138-08:00Trip to Quito a success<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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Great news for us in our saga to get legal residency. We flew to Quito this week to complete the process of becoming residents of Ecuador on Len's pensioner visa. There were the usual snags but after 2 days in Quito and 7 months since we applied, we cleared the final hurdles. The actual cedulas will be delivered to our attorney's office in the next few days. Hooray. <br />
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We had a quick peek at Quito, the capital of Ecuador, which is over 9000 ft altitude, about 2 million people. It is also a world heritage city due to the Colonial architecture, among other reasons. It was founded by the Spaniards in the 1500's, making it the oldest capital in South America. We only stayed one night. Had no luck in locating a Thai or Chinese restaurant. Sigh... However, the little<br />
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b & b where we stayed (Traveler's Hostal) recommended a very good Indian restaurant across the street. That was a treat.And easy after hours of waiting, standing. I am delighted: very proud to be both a citizen of the United States and to be a legal resident of Ecuador.<br />
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So what else is going on? A couple of loose ends:<br />
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A blog reader asked ABOUT THE KNIFE pictured previously and again here: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VxgojGrKAGjq-xBqCzEGCht5TmLEB5n1aUuLMQxVN5buQNOJNeI28sSDjSB_uZm7BwNsr59tjYc1AB4UBaxejZb1j80zmhFY2KrAo53D8eDhyG2wV6DddFGkvZRejuP-uh01U1tdaKWv/s1600/fish5.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VxgojGrKAGjq-xBqCzEGCht5TmLEB5n1aUuLMQxVN5buQNOJNeI28sSDjSB_uZm7BwNsr59tjYc1AB4UBaxejZb1j80zmhFY2KrAo53D8eDhyG2wV6DddFGkvZRejuP-uh01U1tdaKWv/s320/fish5.jpg" /></a><br />
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For those of you who are curious, I copied some info on that knife for you. It is made in the USA by Dexter, called DuoGlide. The design is very comfortable, approved by arthritis foundation, as well as others. It won several awards. It comes in 4 sizes. The knives are spendy, as good knives tend to be but worth it if you have hand pain or wrist fatigue, fibromyalgia or arthritis. If you need to chop, slice, prep some food, this is much easier on your hand. Len and I are very careful with ours, treating it with respect and care. It has held its edge and performed very well for 3 years.<br />
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Here is some info from their ad: "Now you can cut, chop, or slice with greater comfort and less fatigue. With DuoGlide, we’ve combined our renowned blade technology with an ultra-soft, right-sized handle that can be gripped in several ways for more comfort and control. The result is precise control and reduced wrist, arm or hand discomfort. See “The NEW way to cut” <a href="http://www.dexterduoglide.com/video/default.asp?video1=combined&video_size=low">in action</a>. DuoGlide knives come in <a href="http://dexterduoglide.com/products.html">four models for all your cutting needs</a>. NSF Certified."<br />
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dexterduoglide.com is the website, if you are interested.<br />
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I have not been blogging lately because I've been sewing like crazy. <br />
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I completed the quilt for my dear friend Cindy who loves snowmen: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhsFugoXP18HwLKb0pywsE1etK2TNvWa8iRyKe3yr9QfBW-mtIn6hv-OPSRMe2V5dw1eSMPOzheI3n19CXhJYZ1xcW331TN2UDjLw4LMS-WSMSnjkayIfCcoiUruS-8fAyHMPBP9KDfl5/s1600/qphoto1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhsFugoXP18HwLKb0pywsE1etK2TNvWa8iRyKe3yr9QfBW-mtIn6hv-OPSRMe2V5dw1eSMPOzheI3n19CXhJYZ1xcW331TN2UDjLw4LMS-WSMSnjkayIfCcoiUruS-8fAyHMPBP9KDfl5/s320/qphoto1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #354614; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEJo0ud-Nid15MUaZaCzBt3hy1rOUEllJRQrmo5fJXUX6UiADkSVy4-wHJMvvl18qgbPVX4d85els2L4BiXZQWCn2Kn7SzkB2i4gCzGJTQsBwTZhn51A0VmWn5CO9-voTTz2CCGBugns5/s1600/qphoto+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEJo0ud-Nid15MUaZaCzBt3hy1rOUEllJRQrmo5fJXUX6UiADkSVy4-wHJMvvl18qgbPVX4d85els2L4BiXZQWCn2Kn7SzkB2i4gCzGJTQsBwTZhn51A0VmWn5CO9-voTTz2CCGBugns5/s320/qphoto+%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">I'm almost done with a beautiful wall hanging that is the scene around the manger. It will be our main decoration this year. I bought a tiny ceramic Christmas tree that holds a candle so the light shines through the decorations on the tree. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">I'm gearing up to have the days around Christmas/Hannukah busy because I will be missing family and friends particularly BIG at that time.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">I love Cuenca and my new life in this exotic, 3rd world country for a hundred+ reasons. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Here are 3 reasons it is hard to live in Ecuador:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__GgJQmHwErZgRnb3Tqk6nYk2Wiyz0wTUYqS6omuafjZ-eiQ6pVQyyyFQNgwZ3DIjiB_yJ8Z2TSVSiM6rj1HcN-_VgBdJyNk0RfEQ3fXyUtd7jYR0sC3GheeNbYd37b4TDCpxiOBD6P36/s1600/nietos11n25ntres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__GgJQmHwErZgRnb3Tqk6nYk2Wiyz0wTUYqS6omuafjZ-eiQ6pVQyyyFQNgwZ3DIjiB_yJ8Z2TSVSiM6rj1HcN-_VgBdJyNk0RfEQ3fXyUtd7jYR0sC3GheeNbYd37b4TDCpxiOBD6P36/s320/nietos11n25ntres.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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Have a terrific week. Take a risk, hug a friend, kiss your dog - enjoy life!<br />
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Sharon</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-31991313899175610652011-11-15T07:41:00.000-08:002011-11-15T15:09:24.951-08:00What is it like for me after 6 months of life in Cuenca?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn8Y6oCVgqH2Ur5EL-K6QkDxaV1V_yE2IdDCrXqIqxFwoYkxwQEwsRee_G-nhXI2wjVRy7GSwgPvscAMyBzRANW0ua2Cm1SgIc2Fj_Cj0xlZPZa1N_ZRKndNrbque6JPC1lQnhETIr8uy/s1600/SHM%2526Tenley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn8Y6oCVgqH2Ur5EL-K6QkDxaV1V_yE2IdDCrXqIqxFwoYkxwQEwsRee_G-nhXI2wjVRy7GSwgPvscAMyBzRANW0ua2Cm1SgIc2Fj_Cj0xlZPZa1N_ZRKndNrbque6JPC1lQnhETIr8uy/s320/SHM%2526Tenley.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>In Portland, OR 4/2011 with my daughter Tenley who lives in Oregon with her husband and 3 yr old son.<br />
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A few months before I moved to Ecuador, like...oh, last January, for instance, I was full of excitement and apprehension about moving to Ecuador. How foreign would it be? How much would my husband and I stand out? How difficult would it feel to live in another continent, another country, another culture? Would there be hostility toward someone from the United States? Would there be a lot of crime? I had lot of excitement about having an overseas living experience, at last, something I'd dreamed about throughout my life. And I had a LOT of anxiety about what was ahead in this adventure.<br />
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Well, life is made up of each plodding day we experience as we get up in the morning until we go to bed at night. The journey we each create is what is important. That is made up of how we face each day.<br />
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My husband and I have been here 6 months now. We each find Cuenca to be amazing in so many ways. We both love it here. It is beautiful, calm, friendly, interesting, just to name a few things we cherish. The tropical fruits and vegetables are to die for. An avocado a day costing about 30 cents is not a bad habit to cultivate. The intrigue of learning to blend in with a new culture is very challenging in a good way. Every day, Lenny makes a delicious smoothie from different healthy fruits, many we had never heard of before. Babaco, guyanaba, taxo, and pitajaya to name a few.<br />
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Of course there are things I still need to adjust to: improve my ability to speak Espanol, increase my level of patience when things take much much MUCH longer here - to name 2. But generally it has been an easier transition than I had expected. I still feel excitement and an eagerness to greet each new day but my anxiety about many issues has dropped significantly.<br />
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Mi esposo, Lenny, has flourished here. He grew up in Brooklyn so he loves going to little shops each day and speaking Espanol with the shop keepers. He says it reminds him of the New York City of his childhood. So after living for 20 years in the suburbs in Oregon, he is in a city again, shopping each day for that day's needs, exploring new streets and tiny shops around each corner, meeting people everywhere he goes. By practicing his rudimentary Espanol daily and asking others to teach him a word, he is now able to communicate basics in his new language.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWViL_iYUF5EYUBI45LCvG6uHuRwt1KSjyarE_QoNnTlcpSw5Sc7aZU0AcSRy3IdsAniWCJDlC6Woep41lKgZino1sjN9auYIXgMZQOp5EBe4ipfKTmILZ7cKtIwPTPTn1LgBsO22ZrW3/s1600/ipad1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWViL_iYUF5EYUBI45LCvG6uHuRwt1KSjyarE_QoNnTlcpSw5Sc7aZU0AcSRy3IdsAniWCJDlC6Woep41lKgZino1sjN9auYIXgMZQOp5EBe4ipfKTmILZ7cKtIwPTPTn1LgBsO22ZrW3/s320/ipad1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Lenny formed an IPad/IPod/IPhone Users Group which is flourishing<br />
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Here is my take on the subject of Espanol, btw: Question: does one need to speak the language in order to thrive here? Answer: Absolutely! Even a little Espanol gains kinder, gentler encounters. People light up when they hear you try to speak their language. It seems only fair since we are in their country. We came as guests and elected to live in a Spanish-speaking culture so learning the language is a basic building block to having an enriched life experience. And you will feel more comfortable because you can communicate and understand what is going on around you. These are my opinions. Yours may be different.<br />
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By walking every day 3-5 miles, Lenny has lost weight and trimmed down to a "fighting weight".<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3uvN0M88ydhCSXX94ycU-MaC10VmKzMpv36hcckhw6vlpd1vGdHo6oPQUnqeM_ZPubiGQrmOmWJ4KKzIJVSHM8xz29udILkFJnQ-vY4KJyW7PWYXmraxGDasDXjDO20G-dEZHjfCi-d8/s1600/fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3uvN0M88ydhCSXX94ycU-MaC10VmKzMpv36hcckhw6vlpd1vGdHo6oPQUnqeM_ZPubiGQrmOmWJ4KKzIJVSHM8xz29udILkFJnQ-vY4KJyW7PWYXmraxGDasDXjDO20G-dEZHjfCi-d8/s320/fish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> By speaking to shop keepers whenever he can, he has improved/expanded/increased his knowledge of Espanol by a TON! We take lessons 3 times per week. We delight in our Espanol teacher, Rebeca, who is a bundle of non-stop energy. She praises progress, encourages, nudges and we learn!<br />
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Len also enjoys meeting expats and touristas as he moves around the city. Frequently people ask him for directions. In all of the days he has been here, he has only encountered a couple of negative comments and those were minor.<br />
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I also have met wonderful ex-pats, visitors and Cuencanas. The community of ex-pats is generally friendly and helpful, keeping an eye out for each other in times of personal duress. In this city, people are generally friendly, kind, courteous and love to hear that we are enthused about Cuenca and Ecuador in general. I mean exceptionally friendly and courteous. In my first 61 years, I lived in Idaho, Washington, California, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Oregon. I am an outgoing, friendly person. I have met many people throughout my life who are interesting, helpful and kind. I also have met my share of rude, self-centered, mean people. Both types of people live all over the world, of course. Yet, here in Cuenca I have experienced such an unusually high percentage of friendly, helpful people that it stands out for me.<br />
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So Lenny is adapting very well. What about me?<br />
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Well, before we came I knew the hardest thing for me would be missing our 3 young grandchildren, our grown kids, extended family and friends. And indeed, that IS the hardest thing. Skype calls help tremendously. Hearing a loved one's voice is reassuring but seeing your loved one right in their living room going about everyday life is a wonderful boost and feels more like an actual visit. I can see how each of the 3 young grandchild has grown. Each child can interact with me at their own level.<br />
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I retired early a short time before we moved here so adjusting to retirement is also new. I LOVE it! I have time to walk by the river, focus on a quilt for an entire day, meet up with people for lunch or hunt for a shop that sells tumeric. Many days Len and I head out to explore a slice of the city. It is a terrific life. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwakK6TrQZuLDLdNHsrNtpMXdu6cHQBzgvBxWo-Rpu3im4Lyp1tdtQQI4CMinJe4SzdOeVY6YZ-2VSSgEFtnboYEBrQapySic3pPrri-qauFmTYfkjVYP4Xr1IoidHPVt9-XtxcId9HkG/s1600/asharon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwakK6TrQZuLDLdNHsrNtpMXdu6cHQBzgvBxWo-Rpu3im4Lyp1tdtQQI4CMinJe4SzdOeVY6YZ-2VSSgEFtnboYEBrQapySic3pPrri-qauFmTYfkjVYP4Xr1IoidHPVt9-XtxcId9HkG/s320/asharon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I gave myself 6 mo to a year to become brave about going out in a foreign city alone without knowing the language or the territory. I'm doing pretty well with that. I go out alone 2 or 3 days each week just to test my Espanol with people I encounter and to do a little exploring and a bit of shopping. At first, I went out with Lenny who knew enough Espanol to ask for needed items and ask the cost of things. Now I can do that by myself. It is even starting to feel kind of normal. I do not get so anxious when I'm surprised by a phrase. I rarely feel like a deer frozen in the headlights if someone asks me a question. I know that continual study is required to master even basics of a new language.<br />
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Last week end, Len and I walked into Diez de Augosto, a large market in El Centro (the central part of the city) where local people are selling vegetables, meats, eggs, etc., in little open stalls. I like to go there but this was the first time I shopped by myself, negotiating both language and charges while Len chatted with our friend Bill on another floor and tried not to be concerned. I did great! Ecuador uses the US dollar so that part is easy. Understanding how much each item is when I'm told in Espanol is a bit more challenging. But I had fun. And I'll take longer next week. I really like interacting with the indigenous people who work so hard (and live on so little). Talk about a work ethic - WOW!<br />
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Another thing that strikes me is how much value is placed on family here. It cannot be said enough when contrasted with how remote many US families tend to be: geographically, emotionally and even physically - not giving frequent hugs, for example. Ecuadorians cannot understand why anyone would move here away from their family. It simply would not be done by most Ecuadorians. Each day, many many citizens close down shops midday and head home to have lunch with family. Almuerzo (lunch time) is the main meal of the day and is about a 2 hour break - roughly 1-3 pm or so. <br />
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Another thing that takes some getting used to is that most stores do not open until 9:30 am. Can you imagine Safeway or Kroeger's not opening until 9:30 each day? It seems to be part of a more relaxed or tranquilo way of life Ecuadorian's enjoy. Yes, some people are up early rushing to work but many people begin their work day a little later than a lot of US citizens do. There is not the same push here to make every possible penny and quickly spend every penny to consume ever more "stuff" or cosas.<br />
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I have a time line in my head - a casual one- of when I plan to begin different tasks or mark some milestones on my way to being fully acclimated to this new culture. So far, this gentle approach with myself is paying off in several ways. Less pressure, less anxiety, enjoying things unfolding as I am ready to face each new challenge.<br />
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I have not learned my way around this "very easy to navigate" city. Why? Well, not driving is part of it. Street names that seem difficult to pronounce and hard to recall - both a language and a memory issue - factor in. But learning this city is just about next on my agenda. Street names are sticking in my head better and I can now pronounce Juan Jaramillo and Remegio Crespo well enough that taxi drivers understand me - progress!<br />
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Another challenge here for me has been that I am allergic to wheat (and barley and rye) so I eat gluten free. It is not hard to do these days in the US. Many convenient gluten free products and an increased understanding of celiac disease have made it an easier task in the US. Here, although several non-gluten grains are grown & exported here (red quinoa, milo), it has been a struggle to find restaurants and merchants who understand the issues. Consequently, we eat most meals at home, which is ok but a little limiting. Locating items I need to bake breads made from other grains and cook gluten free meals has been a bit like hunting for a needle in a haystack. But I've been determined to succeed for my health. The positive side of this is that I am gathering resources for others who have similar needs. <br />
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And good news today: a new restaurant has opened that has gluten free items. It is named Nectar and is located on Beningo Malo near Gran Columbia It is vegetarian. Lunch costs $2.50 and includes fresh made juice, a main course with rice and vegetables and a tiny dessert. The owners are Greek and Ecuadorian and are showing all the signs of being great "inn keepers". I am SO excited there is another restaurant that understands the gluten free concept. It joins El Maize, in my book, as a place to seek out.<br />
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If others know of different Cuenca restaurants where the staff understand "sin trigo" needs, please let me know.<br />
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So there is my 6 month update. I love being here. I have homesickness for family and friends. I miss some conveniences but all is outweighed by living this incredible "excellent life adventure".<br />
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Have a terrific week!<br />
Luego,<br />
Sharon </div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com10Cuenca, Ecuador-3.16245528374 -78.925781625000013-6.81738078374 -87.633284625000016 0.49247021626000009 -70.218278625000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-27297352737255528032011-11-05T09:58:00.000-07:002011-11-05T09:58:48.215-07:00Layering the quilt and Pacific Sea Bass for dinner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today's post comes as Cuenca, in the Province of Azuay, is about to conclude 5 days of celebration of their 195 year independence from Quito (sort of like Idaho becoming a state separate from the Oregon Territory -which was in 1863). Many visitors, many people off work,crowded parks, stores closed, fireworks, a terrific arts and crafts festival - all were part of this week.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[NOTE: In today's post, I added some Espanol phrases to translate what I wrote (just before the phrase) in English. Along with my budding skills in Espanol, I used Google Translate a lot so... forgive me, Rebe and mi amiga in Espana Sully. Maybe one year from now, I'll be able to translate correctly myself as I keep learning Espanol.]</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is the king size quilt top I'm working onand writing about today. Notice the cat just can't seem to relax. The heating pad is not on - she just loves to lie on it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What a successful day for me today! I got up early to clean the hardwood floor where I planned to lay out the king size quilt to be layered. Next I spread out the batting and measured it. It seemed huge at 124" x 118" (315 cm x 300 cm). My quilt top is 101" x 101" (256.5 cm x 256.5 cm) so a queen size batting would not be wide enough. I trimmed the batting to be a few inches larger than the quilt top and marked the center. Picked it up and laid it aside. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My friends, Bernardita, Maria Elena and Rebeca arrived right on time to help me layer this huge quilt. Estefi could not come but promised to help on another layering.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just before they arrived, it was time to mark the center of my backing that I had spliced together a bit on Monday. I bought 8 1/2 yards of fabric but because of the width of the quilt top, I needed 9 yards. So I got creative and spliced in an orange "racer stripe". With that and a couple of extra seams it was completed and ready to go. I marked the center and laid it out on the floor. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fabric Note aside: I bought this fabric online from equilter and had it shipped to Florida and then on to us by the service Correos. It takes a long time (2-4 weeks from Florida) but we have had good luck with things arriving. No duty is charged as long as the package is under a certain value and weight. We pay $5/pound on any package that arrives in Florida to come on to us.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just then, my wonderful "quilt crew" arrived to help. Three wonderful women of Cuenca: Maria Elena, Rebeca and Bernardita worked hard and offered their opinions throughout the process, making it really fun. I love that each woman expresses her opinion and is not too shy to speak up if something did not make sense or did not seem right. One question Bernardita and her mother Maria Elena had was "why are you putting this beautiful fabric on the back of the quilt where it won't be seen. I pointed out that it would make the "bedspread quilt" versatile as it would be a two sided "bedspread quilt", giving the bedroom a different look when flipped over. They both understood and could see the advantage of that. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So we got on the floor on hands and knees and each one of us had a corner/quarter to work to get it smooth, work out wrinkles and uneven spots, while keeping it centered. Everyone worked hard for about an hour. Even with windows open, it seemed very warm (mucho caliente), although it was not much over 70 degrees outside. This step in creating a quilt is hard work, mucho MUCHO trabajo.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bernardita is an architect so she took right to the process. I can see that she would be a great project manager because she quickly saw what was needed and grasped the whole process as well as individual parts. She is also a very dear perfectionist so she kept us working to get every wrinkle out. W</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hen we had all of the layering completed, there</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was one stubborn wrinkle that we worked and reworked without success.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Finally I said sweetly "Bernardita, if I were entering this quilt in an art festival, I'd keep working to resolve this. But this is going on my bed so it does not have to be perfect. This is just for our bed. (esto es solo para la cama). And when I see that wrinkle, it will remind me of our time together today - its a good thing. (Y cuando veo que se arrugan, se me recordara de nuestro tiempo juntos hoy en dia - es una buena cosa.) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rebe and Maria Elena sighed, Bernardita understood and we decided it was "good enough"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lo suficientemente bueno,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and will be gorgeous. My quilts are not made to be hung on a wall, generally. They are made to be used and washed, enjoyed and hopefully cherished by the owner. I actually think a few imperfections do not detract and even show a slice of humanity in the creator. Like life - nothing is without flaws." (Translates roughly to"Mis colchas no estan hechas para ser colgado en una pared, en general. Estan hechos para ser utilizados y se lavo, disgrutado y espero apreciados por el proprietario. De heco, creo algunas imperfecciones no restan, 3 incluso mostrar una porcion de la humanidad en el creador. como la vida - no esta exenta de defectos.") </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes, I may be justifying not being a perfectionist, not creating perfect beauty, but that's my philosophy and I'm sticking to it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was such a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wonderful gift these 3 women gave me - to help with a project that is pretty impossible to do alone, crawling around on the hard floor, trying to get each part straight and smooth. (I hope translateGoogle got this right! "Este fue un maravilloso regalo estas tres chicas me dio - para ayudar con un proyecto que es bastante imposible hacerlo solo, arrastrandose por el suelo duro, tratando deconsequir que cada parte recta y lisa". </span><br />
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<span class="hps" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">SO MUCH easier with 4 of us! (Google Translate: "Era mucho mas facil con quatro de nosotros!") </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Thank you thank you super GRACIAS, MIS AMIGAS! You were generous with your time during a big festival week in Cuenca. I appreciate your kindness. Google translate says that's: Que Feuron muy generosos con su tiempo durante una semana de gran fiesta en Cuenca. Le agradezco su amabilidad.</span> <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I put the layered pinned quilt by my sewing machine to complete very soon. It was a job well done! (Fue un trabajo bien hecho!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I was really elated and really tired. So the cat and I had a nice nap in the sunshine. I had sweet dreams. Tuve suenos dulces.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I worked on some other things the rest of the afternoon.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">For dinner, Len bought fish - sea bass. So I pulled a recipe out of "The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook" by Vanessa Maltin (available on Amazon). Let me recommend this book highly. It has Italian, Asian and Mexican recipes. Mi esposo has raved about everything I have prepared from this book. It gets 5 stars from both of us in a rating system of 1-5.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Try making the tomato-basil bisque sometime - out of this world! And soups are usually not safe for those who eat gluten free so this is all good.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Tonight's meal was a fresh, delicious dinner. I tried using a recipe for salmon on the sea bass. Let me go on record as someone who does not love fish. I avoid it whenever possible but I know it is good for me, low fat, has beneficial oils, etc. So we are trying to eat fish more often. And Ecuador makes that easier because it has delicious offerings fresh from the Pacific Ocean. This fish was delicate and delicious. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> Lenny cooking the fish</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">The recipe included coconut rice, which I love. It called for coconut milk. Since I have not yet sawed/whacked a coconut apart to try making fresh milk, I experimented by putting dry shredded (unsweetened) coconut into the blender. I added enough coconut water (bottled) to make the 2 cups the recipe called for. I blended/pulverized that for about 40 seconds, adding more coconut water when the mixture became very thick. Then it was looking good and tasted great. Although this method created milk that was a bit gritty, it blended into the jasmine rice/broth to produce a delicious dish. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> rice cooking in coconut milk/broth mixture</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">The recipe also includes making a fresh papaya-cilantro salsa to top the fish. This was a huge hit with Lenny as well as me.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> Papaya-cilantro salsa</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> I added an avocado salad to complete the meal.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Here is a picture of our dinner.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Tomorrow I'm going to explore some of the Festival of the Arts that is in full swing in Cuenca this week.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">LG= Life is good in Cuenca. I am full of joy.</span><br />
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</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-89789207306560958472011-10-31T11:00:00.000-07:002011-10-31T11:19:18.125-07:00Backing fabric, quilt top and Cuenca is glorious!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today I am racing to sew all the pieces of my backing fabric together to layer this quilt.<br />
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The quilt top has been complete for 2 years. it was close to queen size. When we moved here, I decided I wanted it to be our king bed quilt so I added about 10" more borders (2 borders added) which made it cover the mattress/box springs edges that show here.<br />
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However, I've been using it just alone, not completed with batting and backing as a quilt should be. <br />
I have 4 friends coming Wednesday to help me layer it, pin it and get all the wrinkles out so that I can at last quilt it. The quilt is 101" x 101" before quilting and binding so it will finish out as a "BIG BOY" size in my book.<br />
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Cuenca continues to delight me. We have had a number of social activities. Last week a lovely couple took us out for lunch at a great place for a gluten free person, El Maize. It was one of the best meals I've had in Ecuador, certainly the best lunch! Every item on the plate was delicious. and there was no wheat flour in anything I had. Healthy for me and a great relief to be able to order and eat without worry.<br />
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I also visited Fiere Libre, a huge indigenous market, for the first time. I bought a couple of plants. A gorgeous 3 toned bougainvillea which I put outside on the "sorta patio" I look at it with the other bright colored plants when I am sewing. Against the clay color of the brick, the plants look gorgeous.<br />
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And I got a lovely small fan palm that is supposed to be a house plant and not get over 3 - 4 feet tall.<br />
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We were treated to a dessert/ tea/coffee at Bill and Dean's. She made a flourless chocolate torte which was rich and delicious. No gluten there!<br />
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I made a big dinner Friday night for our friends who are Cuencanos. We had 8 aadults at the table and 3 ninos at a little breakfast bar. I made India spiced chicken with rice and all the other things. We finished with a limon' cake that was gluten free, my last mix from the United State. It was pretty tastey. . The conversation was all in Espanol with either one of the two lovely young women(below) translating when I would get stuck understanding or expressing myself. It is pretty tiring to me trying to follow a conversation but I am getting more all the time ...and thank goodness for context! This family is are so lovely that the conversation is secondary.<br />
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Bernardita turned 31. I made this wall hanging for the serious owl lover.<br />
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At one point, Bernardita was translating for me and then turned to tell her mother who only speaks Espanol what we were discussing. She got mixed up and said a couple of English words instead of Espanol. That started a series of giggles, laughter to the point of tears that was wonderful to be part of. <br />
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Rebeca(in photo standing on the left below) translated to me that in Espanol when people laugh really hard, they get tears. We all looked at each other and burst out laughing because of course that is universal, at least between South America and North America. It was a great evening and a very successful dinner. I feel so grateful to know this extended family who include us as if we are one of their own.<br />
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This is the group of women who will assemble the quilt in a couple of days. I'll do the quilting myself on the machine. This "quilt party" will be the first for the Ecuadorian women who don't really sew and had never seen quilting in progress until they met me. Very cool! Cheverey!! They are great sports to help out in the layering process which will be on the hardwood floor and be hard on knees.<br />
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Cannot find a picture of the quilt backing fabric - next time. It is a luscious paisley flannel - should be very cozy when the batting is added.<br />
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I had some great skype time with my kids and grandkids recently. My youngest grandson, Blake, said "I love you gramma" for the first time. it was such a delight...but I got off the phone and cried really hard because I was not there to hug him in person. Blake clearly still knows who I am and enjoys the skype calls. <br />
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We have tenative news on our progress to getting residency finalized with a cedula in hand someday. The attorneys who are a husband and wife couple, Grace and Nelson, notified us it was time to give them our passports to be sent to Quito for the inspection process that is required. So we did and now we are living in a foreign country with the 90 day extension to our visa about to expire and we have no passports in our possession. A little frightening if you think much about it but we decided not to. <br />
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We are told that in about 2 weeks, we should have our passports back and be able to fly to Quito later in November to meet the attorney's rep and spend one day getting the cedula all finalized. Then we will be legal residents of Ecuador. As a pensioner, Len will be eligible for 50% back on airfare that originates in Cuenca, a 50% discount on the already cheap bus fare, and a decrease on utilities, which are amazingly low.<br />
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Ironically, our attorneys are to be on vacation for the next few weeks so we will be going to Quito after they return from vacation and get the next steps in order. I must be making some progress on being "Cuenca like" because I felt it was not worth getting upset about. So we continue to get settled but feel joy each day to be here. There is also pain each day that we cannot be with loved ones as well.<br />
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back to sewing that pesky quilt backing. Have a terrific week!</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7607664488623696683.post-30996171114037566332011-10-20T19:26:00.000-07:002011-10-20T19:26:45.828-07:00A Lovely Lively Day in Cuenca<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9oxcRUScKj1zWQqSeFo45ofnDLWNwjXJMElmEOxU5CbfdsIKbpw3o55afv8ITusJBuGYVUaYGN3n2DBnLVlEkl7AZG6Yic4_e-Vw0Ydj3gnvYmPOBY4pg_9QTsDH7R4SzAAKdumy61yq/s1600/apix7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9oxcRUScKj1zWQqSeFo45ofnDLWNwjXJMElmEOxU5CbfdsIKbpw3o55afv8ITusJBuGYVUaYGN3n2DBnLVlEkl7AZG6Yic4_e-Vw0Ydj3gnvYmPOBY4pg_9QTsDH7R4SzAAKdumy61yq/s320/apix7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> A view of the city, taken near Mall Del Rio<br />
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Thoughts about making friends and living in Cuenca:<br />
Recently, I corresponded with a couple from Nashville, TN who are moving to Cuenca. They are here for a week to get things started. It is their first visit.<br />
We met them at a local cafe to talk and have coffee. Cafe Austria is frequented by expats and Cuencanos and has a pleasant sunny exposure for the intimate tables. While we were at the cafe, in walked three other expats we know. Two of them live in our building but we rarely see them so it was nice to chat for awhile.<br />
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When we parted ways, Len and I walked to a farmacia we have come to appreciate for the owner who is both a pharmacist and a doctor. Most of the pharmacies here seem to have a doctor on staff who is also a pharmacist. This particular farmacia is tiny to the extreme but the prices are very competitive and the owner, Marta, is friendly to everyone who comes by. <br />
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Lenny waited while I conversed with Marta in my very basic Espanol and Marta answered as if I was a native speaker (read: she said a lot of words and I got about every 6th one). A woman was sitting in a chair waiting so Len struck up a conversation in Espanol with her. It turned out to be Marta's sister who tried to recruit <span id="goog_1645009528"></span><span id="goog_1645009529"></span>Lenny to volunteer-teach English in her school. She suddenly sang a famous Latin American song, Besame, and was so proud she was singing it in English. Quite a sweet character.<br />
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Lenny and I continued our walk. A block later we ran into Santiago, our Spanish teacher's brother. We chatted with him for a brief time in Espanol. He knows to talk in basic sentences so I can keep up. We invited him to join us for a casual meal next week when several members of his family will be over.<br />
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Three blocks farther on our route we met an Californian who attends Lenny's IPad Users Group. They exchanged a couple of tech ideas and we moved on. <br />
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Suddenly it was time for lunch. We met with an American couple, our amigos Dean and Bill who had invited us to celebrate her birthday. Tiesto's - we had been there once before. It is not cheap but it is a great experience and the food is excellent. The chef Juan is quite a showman, delivering each patron's main course himself with a dramatic flourish. You really feel that he cooks each dish just for you and you are welcome in his casa. He invited Lenny into the kitchen to taste the birthday cake before it was delivered to Dean, the birthday girl.<br />
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It is amazing to see so many people we have met in just 5 months of living here in one random trip into El Centro (the older part of the city). Remember, Cuenca has the same population as the city of Portland proper (not Greater Portland) but because most people walk or take the bus it "lives" like a very small town. One could say it is very user friendly!<br />
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After lunch we walked across the Rio Tomebamba for an appointment at the Chamber of Commerce to consult with an attorney who is a legal counsel/attorney for the Chamber. He is also our Espanol teacher's son. He is the picture of professionalism. We were talking with him about the overly-lengthy process to get our residency/cedulas completed, to see if he has any suggestions.<br />
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The Cuenca attorneys we hired (and paid 80% up front) came very highly recommended by 3 people we respect. The attorneys say the same thing every time we call them: "the application looks fine and it is out of our hands - it is just taking a long time for many people and we must all be patient". When we talked with them yesterday, they reported that our "applications are in order and are <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">in the office of the Director of Foreign Affairs and has been assigned a file number." So someday...we will get the call to go to Quito to finalize the process but no one knows when.</span><br />
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We have been in Ecuador long enough to be patient to a degree but not long enough to accept fully how inefficient this system is. But is it Ecuador, not the US, and we have chosen to live here... so enough about that.<br />
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OK, back to the happy stuff. We are now hoping that we will have our residency and can visit the US in January. At the suggestion of my very wise friend, Cindy, I am seeing 1) how much Espanol I can learn and 2) how many quilt blocks I can complete before our visit. Just a way to keep a positive focus in the glorious setting in which we are living.<br />
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By the way, I don't feel "homesick" for my kids/grandchildren/family/friends all of the time, every minute. But it is there, quietly behind the scenes, all the time. Planning a trip to see everyone is a positive way to manage those feelings. Calling with Skype is very positive as well.<br />
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It's been only 5 months since we arrived. We have things we need to be better at: Espanol, patience, remembering street names...but I feel we have adjusted to life high in the Andes near the equator quite well. I cannot say enough how wonderful it is to have such a resource as the group of ex-pats, many of whom offer assistance at the drop of a hat. And I could go on and on about the kindness, generosity and warmth of many, many Ecuadorians.<br />
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So loved ones, expect to see us in January 2012, more likely. I look forward to it!! Know that we are safe and enjoying SO many aspects of our new life adventure. And I miss you! All for now. S.</div>Sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892426647802720630noreply@blogger.com3