012915 - Madge McHugh; Cotacachi Garbage Trucks

Yesterday was the 94th anniversary of my mother's "cumpleaños". She was born on Jan 28, 1921. Here is her Cradle Roll Certificate at Taylor Presbyterian Church, Montreal, and a picture of her, in Montreal; I'm not sure exactly where it is - people moved around a lot within the city, Verdun, Rosemount  -  and I'm guessing she is about 6 or 7. She is sitting with her mother, Margaret Harker Angell.

Here she is at about age 21, in Montfort, Quebec

And here she is with my father in 1972 at my brother Allan's wedding to Sheila Parsons

I left Canada in 1967, age 21. After that, I saw my parents maybe once a year. I didn't really know them. The image in my mind of my mother is somewhat mythological. She represented, and still does, gentleness and a natural kindness, and, somehow, vulnerability, as well as a certain strong inner sense of reality. It was good to think of her yesterday!

Getting to know another country and culture and people is really interesting. Dennis and I now live in Cotacachi, Ecuador. Lots of other "expats" live here too, and in this town of (I am told) about 8000 people, English is heard a lot on the streets. All my Life, I have embraced the maxim Comparison is odious. Here, I try hard not to compare what's here to what it is like other places I have lived. Yesterday someone was "complaining" that the local lunches were "the same", and why couldn't restaurants do things differently .... meaning why can't they make food the way "WE" would like it. I say nothing. I just want to be open to the way it's done here.

Ecuador is a Catholic country .... though there are many other forms of religion. Every Wednesday early evening, over loudspeakers that can be heard throughout the town, there is the recitation of the Rosary, accompanied by "contemporary" music. It goes on for about a half hour. Loudspeakers are part of life here! Many things are part of public life here that just aren't in most of North America.

The other thing are garbage trucks. They start collecting before 6am around town ..... and they play loud music! Someone told me that it's to warn people that the trucks are coming, and to get their basura out if they haven't already. Good idea; for one thing, if you out it out early or the night before, the large packs of dogs that roam Cotacachi have it all over the place! Interestingly, one seldom sees cats. Someone told me that cats are eaten here .... that may be an "urban legend"! Guinea pigs are apparently eaten in Ecuador ... but I haven't seen it on a menu yet!!

So:  Happy 94th Mum. I hope your atoms are enjoying their journey being redisbursed throughout the Universe. And Ecuador:  I'm looking forward to living here and learning about and getting to appreciate the way Life is lived here!

01222015 - Coffee & Reflexology in Cotacachi

Well! Catching up. Dennis and I had a nice trip to Mindo last week. It's touted as a great birding area, but I must say that I think I didn't do enough research. There was a nice place called El Descanso, where we could watch birds from the balcony. Great hummers and tanagers. I think I need to find out from my friend Martin, wh has friends who come to Mindo frequently, how to do it better the next time! (We had van trouble on the way back .... broke down in Quito; but we managed by taxi and bus and got home without much stress!

Today, I am waiting for Dennis; he is having reflexology; I'll go after him. Then we will try a new place for lunch! I'm having a Caffelatte at Cafe Rio ... excellent place.

I'll write more later today. And Oh:  we are actually looking at a little house to perhaps buy! It's "in construction" now; right in town, part of a 6 appartment, 3 story place. Stay tuned!!

B

01102015 - The Drama of Illness (Intestinal!)

Well, Friends. Want to know what the last week has been like?? Well, here it is. Proving:  An Adventure has its challenges. Hope all who read this are well and enjoying Life. We are thinking of our friends Theresa and Patrick; Patrick developed an infected foot; much of it had to be removed! So look after yourselves! Love to you all! Blessings in 2015!

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I am now feeling better, as, for the first time in days, I am sitting at the laptop and not languishing in bed! Though I wanted to be said languishing because yesterday, after much carry-on, our ropa de cama electrico arrived via DHL from the States. Dennis took the bus to Ibarra [we travel by bus; 45 minutes to Ibarra costs 45 cents] and found the DHL facility and brought it home. We should, of course, have brought our electric blanket  with us, but we had no room, since we sold everything and moved with 2 suitcases. Now, I do not like piles of bed clothes on top of me (Dennis doesn’t mind); I am glad that he has “adjusted”! In bed at night here (as the house has no heating/cooling) it is cool. (Other things we should have brought are flannel sheets!) Last night was perfect! Toasty warm … and adjustable. And, after some soup for dinner, followed by 3 short bouts of diarrhea, I slept through the night until 7:30am. 

I had had diarrhea, aches, fever for several days. There  was blood in the stool  -  always frightening! Like blood in a spinal tap. (One should never talk about aging and health issues with young people; but with elder equals it’s interesting, I think.) This moved me (pun intended) to send D to the farmacia for the correct plastic cups needed to gather a stool sample (cost: 45 cents) … now just liquid. The local lab had the results in 3 hours. Diagnosis:  the Rotavirus. At least it wasn’t parasites. Of course I looked it up online; I read the rather amazing statistic that almost every child born will have it before age 5. It is highly contagious. It lodges in the feces, and contaminates anything it comes in contact with. Adults get it from cleaning up feces and vomit, or, coming in contact, including through food handled by a contaminated person. Etc. 

So then, a lovely woman here, who came 6 years ago, a nurse, with the Peace Core to work in the local hospital, then stayed, got me an appointment with Doctora Luz Merina Conejo, a superb indigena .. who waited at her office for me (Imagine!!). She was a striking woman in her 50s (what is the correct way to punctuate this??), in full indigena dress (which most indigenous woman wear, except I see that the young are beginning to abandon it), and her white doctor’s coat. Mary (the nurse) came with us to translate …. very helpful; she does it for $10 an hour for people in need on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and in emergencies whenever necessary …. nice gift to the gringo community, I think. (Though I must say that my Spanish is getting better!) 

So, I am now on the diet for 10 days and treatment that children follow when they have this virus. I was, of cours, dehydrated … hence the listlessness, fatigue, etc. Tuesday and Wednesday I had to drink 3 bottles of Pedialyte (electrolyte replacement) … and I am feeling much better. I take 1 pill Every 12 hours for abdominal pain/cramps … it is plant based, is not a pain-killer per se, and just calms body spasms; one pill every 12 hours to replace all the “good” bacteria in my system, which has been leached out. The diet (for 10 days) is bland:  rice, pasta, no dairy, veg well cooked, water boiled. Wine is acceptable. Chicken, no other meats. Quinoa OK. I had taken a Bactrim (antiobotic, strong) because I had visions of my colon rupturing 10 years ago, and thought this was a bacterial parasite, and could not entertain the thought of it happening again! But, it’s a virus. So, as of yesterday morning, I am having slight diarrhea when I eat anything, but an definitely getting better! Have to wash my hands well and often and use that gel everyone uses today (even here) and not to touch anyone. An aside:  it is amazing where explosive diarrhea can get! No more need be said!

By the way: Dra. Luz's fee?  $15.00  !!

I have gotten my Resident Visa, or at least will when I see our lawyer on Monday and complete the process. It looks as if Dennis will have to return for a bit to NM and get his Criminal Background checks redone …. this time not only the State Police, but an FBI one, with fingerprints. I am in touch with 2 other local people who do visa work, and they will let me know if there is a way to do it without having to go back. But, we do want to be here, so we will do whatever is necessary. This is purely bureaucratic harassment; I go mine at the same as Dennis, and apostilled at the same time (granted, they were both NOT within the 90 day limit, about which we knew not!) and they granted mine and not his! Well, we will do whatever necessary, and if D has to go back, he can bring a huge valise full of the drugs and other things we need/want! Including flannel sheets!

[A neighbour, a very feisty Peruvia lady who just separated from her husband, and who owns houses here, in Lima, and in Florida … aren’t people amazing! just came by with a bag of organic potatoes a friend of hers (her’s?) grows on her hacienda and would like to starting selling them. Nice. I can eat potatoes.]

Today, Saturday, I finally worked up the courage - taking a roll of toilet paper with me - and went out with my husband to shop. No problems! My doc, Dra. Luz - Dr. Light! I love having a doctor with that name  -  said that being careful about what I ate was critical, and she was correct. Anyway, I am feeling much better!

I see our lawyer about my own Visa on Monday, and we begin the process of seeing how to get Dennis's documents with the least amount of time and money spent. We both want to spend our full year here in Ecuador, so we are willing to do what is necessary. But:  if it is absolutely crazy, we'll head somewhere else after 6 months.

p.s. I'm getting better at not listening to news from up north. I'll be writing more about this .... but basically I am convinced that America is headed down the proverbial drain.

Cheers!

Here is the view from our front gallery, of Mt. Imbabura volcano