Never Draw a Line in the Sand in Panama

This is the land of fluidity.

God help you if you have to get something done before a deadline.

I have a project at my house. It requires a contractor to visit the house and check it out.

The problem is that I am busier than a one armed paper hanger in preparation for my trip.

I arranged for the visit this morning, knowing that it probably wouldn't happen. Things just don't happen on the first try here.

I call early to get a status and hear the normal run around and uncertainty. So I forget about it and go on with my day.

I have a business meeting and international phone call scheduled for noon.

So, of course, I get a call at 11 AM saying that the contractor is on his way.

What!!?? Where did that come from?

Sure enough, just draw a line in the sand and see what happens. This place loves to screw with you.

So I go meet the guy, he is of course late, and we head up to my house. I call my business partner and tell him I will be late. He was gracious because he has lived here for a few years and knows the ropes...and fortunately, the call was rescheduled.

The alternative was to put this project off for another month. Not very palatable. So I squeeze the appointment in and it worked out.

The Land of Unfulfilled Expectations, it is!

Funny thing, I am getting used to it. In a small way...

When It Rains, It Pours

I don't travel much from Panama...maybe an annual trip to the US.

In a couple of days, I am going to Cuba for 2 weeks. This hopefully will be treat, seeing a country that has not progressed much in the socioeconomic area since the revolution about 50 years ago.

When I get back, I immediately go to Colombia for a week.

Phew! Mucho travel for this guy.

Our efforts to develop a mining business in Colombia are starting to take off.

My friend has been diligently working on this for over 18 months. In the middle of all the frustration and set backs, he has finally got a great lead on some business.

So off to Colombia we go to take a look and get something going for real.

This is a lot of travel for me. I do enjoy traveling and the Colombia part should be paid for by otheres. I anticipate that a good time will be had by all....we'll see.

Meanwhile, yesterday and today I am working. Real work...writing reports...not my favorite thing to do but necessary. I forgot how much work, work is.

My back aches, my head is befuddled, and there is a certain joy to being productive once again.

I admit it. I do like to work. And I have missed it in retirement.

Nothing like being a contribution to fill the soul with satisfaction and joy.

So I am off to work...

Panama Giveth & Panama Taketh Away

Yesterday started as a great day...warm, mild breezes and 70 degrees.

Ah, perfect.

Lulled me to sleep.

I was exercising at the gym when the power went out.

Damn! I was having fun.

The guy next to me starts to grumble. "The electric company should TELL us when this is going to happen. How can they do this? It is too much to ask? You would think that a corporation would treat their customers better. What are they thinking anyway."

I look over and suggest he won't be here very long if this bothers him.

The electricity can be trying. Normally it is consistent, but at the damnedest times, it goes off. Maybe for 5 minutes (Not a problem!), maybe for 7 hours (Can be a problem) and sometimes for a couple of days (Definitely a big deal)

That was at 10 AM. It came back on at 5 PM.

And that is the way of Panama...

But there is more in the air...

Several couples have split up in the last couple of months.

I know that Panama is hard on couples. We certainly had our difficulties in the first year we were here, so I understand.

But it is still is disconcerting.

One of the most recent couples to split was one of our favorites. We loved both of them and considered them best friends. Now, we are unsure of the future for them. Will they stay here? Will our friendship remain in tact?

I don't know.

This, coupled with the transient nature of the immigrants in Boquete, leaves me feeling uncertain about maintaining friendships.

People come and go here. If they make it passed the first year (Only about half do), I would guess the average stay is 4 years.

Now, add in the deaths...this is an aging population, and it is tough to weather the changes.

I think much of this would be the same in the US for this demographic.

Much easier to tolerate the transient nature of life in paradise though!

Odds & Ends, Round 3

No wind for the last 2 days.

Hurray!!!!

We can hear the birds sing again in the morning. I had no idea how much I missed that.

We are gradually transitioning into the rainy season. This means that April is the best month. Some rain but not too much...calm, beautiful days and nights...just perfect!

I scurried around this morning getting ready for our band practice on our porch. Normally, we rehearse at the piano players house but not today.

I was aware of the satisfaction, joy and anticipation of the rehearsal. Gorgeous morning...idillic temperature...the newness of playing at our house!

And we did rehearse for 4 hours, a lot for old people. And it was good. After an 8 week break, we have had to work mighty hard to get the memory synapsis working again. I think we have lost a good number of synapsis though.

Damn aging!

Today I am present to the joy of living in paradise.

This is not always the case.

I have been talking with an old friend about the frequent number and intensity of upsets I have experienced over the last few weeks.

Where is the love?

Over the last 30 years, I have developed ways to move through upsets quickly and with alacrity.

I seem to have lost this ability and this worries me.

My buddy said it may be the transition into retirement. That is as good an explanation as any.

Ah, but today life is grand!

Hope it lasts...but I do know better, so I am enjoying it while it lasts.

No Hay Luz

No lights, no electricity.

Damn! This is the 3rd time in 4 weeks.

I write this blog as our generator bangs away outside.

Not desirable for 2 reasons. First, it is expensive to run a generator, about $25 every 12 hours. Second, its really noisy.

And, I have to sit around and wait for the repair people, who may or may not make it today, so I may be sitting around tomorrow as well.

You see, they can't find my house. Why, you ask? Good question. I get the electricity when it's working so they know where I am. But, they can't communicate this to their repair crews for some unknown reason. They could simply FOLLOW THE POWER LINES and that would get them here, wouldn't it?

So here I sit and wait. And wait. And wait. Having cancelled my plans for the day.

F$#$#!

Remember, this is the Land of Unfulfilled Expectations. I forget from time to time.

We have had bad winds for the last 4 days. It blew so strong last night that the wind picked up a 50 pound wood deck chair...frame only, no cushions on it...and hurled it down our yard about 100 feet.

Hell, I can't thrown the chair 10 feet.

Even the dogs won't go outside.

I tell you this because it means that there is plenty of wind trouble so the repair crews probably won't make it today and I'll have to call it all in again tomorrow.

What? You say.

Well, the electric company has to fix any problem in 24 hours according to the law. So if they don't make it, they trash the job order. Out of sight, out of mind. Apparently this is a "successful" repair.

You have to call in ANOTHER job order for repair, thus starting a new 24 hour period. Somehow, it their mind, this means they satisfied the 24 hour repair law.

WTF!!!

Well, that's they way it is...

On the other hand, I sit here in my shorts and sandals while my friends in the frozen north shiver their way through the day!

I'll take the Land of Unfulfilled Expectations over cold any day.

Me at the Jazz Festival

It occurred to me that there were no photos of me. Maybe you thought I made it up.

In the top photo, I was watching a band with Yella after we had set them up and I was free to out into the audience.

In the middle photo, I am talking to our piano player from our band, Anything Goes. Maybe we are discussing just why we aren't nearly as good as the musicians in the festival.

In the bottom photo, I am standing behind stage watching the band after we set them up.

Hasta luego!

Exhausted & Satisfied

It's over...

The final day of the Jazz Festival is complete. What an event it was!

My buddy, who was a festival organizer in the US, said that this event rivaled anything he'd seen in the his past life.

We tripled the attendance over last year, almost unheard of in the entertainment world. The quality and divergence of the acts was superior.

I am left stupefied and stunned at the amount of awe and fun we had.

I have included some pictures so you can get a feel of what it was like.

The first pic shows you the arena which is perfect for a concert...a steep amphitheater with stadium seating. The sounds was really good.

The second picture is of the band from Holland. They had players from around the world including the US. One of the best bands.

The next 2 pics are of my favorite group from Panama City. They played last year without this amazing singer. She was a hoot, an entertainer and a wonderful vocalist. Also, you can see the joy and passion that her young band members displayed. I love the guys in this group. I got to know them last year and I was impressed with both their musicianship and the quality of their humanity.

I was in the green room just as the singer was leaving. I told how good I thought she was...she gave me a big hug, overflowing with warmth and an earthy smile. This woman got the crowd going in a big way, then blew us away with her vocals.

The last picture is of a 17 piece local (David) Big Brass Band. They were the closing act and they brought the house down with old, 40's style swing music. Not bad for a group of music professors from the local university! Rock on dudes!

It is now Monday and I couldn't help but notice the smile on my face.

Wow, am I inspire!

Can't wait till next year...

Oh, I almost forgot.

I was one of the stage hands. I helped set up the sound checks and reset the stage between acts. Long 12 hours days. But so worth it!

The Jazz Festival Is Here!!!!

I love the Jazz festival!

It is inspiring, entertaining and just plain wonderful.

The photos are of the opening day parade, New Orleans style. Complete with a New Orleans street band including dancers.

That evening was the first concert with Betty Bryant, the Grand Dam of the LA's jazz scene.

They had to help her onto the stage...she is 82 after all...she shuffles, hunched over, with thinning, short nappy hair, a purse on her shoulder...it takes a couple of minutes to get her seated.

She appears to be so feeble and fragile.

Until she puts her hands on the piano. Right before our eyes, she sheds 40 years. Any notion of senility is shattered.

A Jazz master is now on stage.

Just to see the transformation was worth the price of admission.

She has a self deprecating affect, a wry sense of humor, always laughing at herself, somehow including us, the audience, in on her joke.

She plays as if she could play in her sleep, and maybe she does.

Hands flashing across the keyboard, a solid voice full of character.

She sang a typical blues song about stealing another woman's man. She didn't do it in a normal rendition with either sassy sexy or wounded woman or mucho attitude. She did it with a lopsided grin, tongue in cheek, twinkle in her eye...like 40 years ago I could have done it with your man but now it's a little ridiculous...or maybe not.

What a class act! We loved her! She was taken back by the affection and love from the audience, a trademark of the people here.

I have rarely had the privilege of witnessing an artist this seasoned and intimate with the audience.

We get to see her again tomorrow when the full outdoor mega concert starts.

I am volunteering as a stage hand so I get to see and hear it all up close and personal.

Whoohoo! What a trip!

P. S. In the second picture, the girl on the left dancing, is from David, a neighboring town. She now lives in New Orleans and performs with the New Orleans street band.