Saturday, April 19, 2014

April

Since I am in the blogging frame of mind, I may as well keep going!!!!!

March went by so fast, April is going just as fast!!!!   With That, Happy Easter Everyone!!!!

Let's Start near the beginning of April.  

My Mom flew to Panama on the 29th of March, we booked a shuttle from the Decameron to pick her up from the airport, and they brought her to us around 10:30 pm.  All we had to do was drive about 4 blocks to get her.  

Stewarts Sister Peggy, and my cousin Sharon came the following day March 31st.  Again, we had booked the Decameron Shuttle to get them from the airport, they landed around noon, and the shuttle arrived near us around 3 pm.  They must have been tired, for they had taken the red eye to get here.
 Day one with Sharon and Peggy

4 in the afternoon....it's Cerveza Time!!!


The first few days we just relaxed by the beach and looked for shells.  The tide was low again, so we were able to walk around one beach area to another....once the tide gets high, we are unable to walk around a point.....they all arrived at the right time, since tide gets really low only a couple times a month.  For the first time walking around the point we actually saw a couple octopus.  I was pretty excited!  Loved my beach time with the girls!     With three extra bodies, we used the bohios a lot more, and started having 5 o'clock meetings again.......gotta love Cerveza time....I mean safety meeting time!!

 First Octopus we saw

 I thought it was stuck in the sand, so I dug it out a bit, as soon 
as the water came in it swam away

 Walking back to the point before the tide gets too high,
grocery bags full of shells, tide is starting to come in.

 first day at the beach

 kids arrived home from school, a photo shoot is in order

 My kids did grow over the past few months!
never realized how much.


 walking the shore!  my favourite other past time


 Karen, Peggy, Sharon











The next few days we toured around and showed them where we used to live, showed them some of our friends houses in Altos Del Maria, took them to the kids' school, Went to El Valle to do some local shopping, went to an outdoor market, and took them to the zoo.    We finally went to one Restaurant in El Valle that some of our friends were telling us to go to, it was called Cafe de lordes.  It opens up at noon, and you can only get in if you make a reservation.  Again, because it is in such a tourist area prices are a little more.  I loved my food, but I think we paid for the atmosphere as well.  Doesn't matter, was great to discover this place with family members.   

Traveling to Altos Del Maria, and to El Valle, I felt so bad for Sharon and Peggy.....both of them were feeling car sick.   They did okay, for they both took gravel before we drove off....Stewart took it slow, so we wouldn't have to clean up vomit!!!!  needless to say, we did not take them the back way to El Valle through Altos Del Maria.....was a lot more steep and windy and I don't think they would have lasted.  they got to see the jungle regardless.


Jada with one of her school mates.....Dillon, who is also learning through
Alberta Distance Learning



 Stewart feeding his sibling

 the restaurant at El Valle
Cafe De Lourdes

 outside of the restaurant

 The Lobby in Cafe De Lourdes

 Beautiful grounds inside as well.
We ate by the pool and the retaining rock walls

 outside of Cafe De Lourdes again

 Cheers to living life! going to different places, and family coming to visit!





 on the way home, stopped to pick up some gourds!

Which one do I really want.....lets make a deal!!

 Great friends in Altos Del Maria, Tim and Jennifer,
Also from Calgary

 going to the swimming hole in Altos Del Maria

 water is down a lot more and much clearer

 Stew and the Ladies!!

 The top of Altos Del Maria

Sharon, Phyllis, Peggy



I stayed onto my routine of waking up at 6 am to paddle with Deborah.  Our mornings together were coming to an end, for Deb and Ross were flying home to Canada on the 4th of April.  I am so glad my family was able to meet my wonderful friends!!!!  It was so hard to say goodbye to Deb.....my paddle board buddy........we would paddle every morning, then Deb would come up for a cup of coffee and some fruit and visit with everyone.....the afternoon, we would all usually be at Deb and Ross' condo drinking his beer and enjoying their pool.      Walking down the beach to their condo is just not the same anymore!  We walk to the other end of the beach, I look at balcony number 5 expecting to see one of them up there, the other one is usually by the pool.  I usually yell Deb's name, and she comes down and we all hang....... I said to Stew, do you think Nelson will let us in during the week when no one is there?  Man I miss those guys......Stew misses you too!!!  We will see you when we drive our bikes back....we definitely plan to stop in!   hugs to you both!!



 karen and Deb 
meeting for the morning paddle
 karen and Deb




Time for a coffee

 Jada and Brandon getting ready to hit the road

 Jada and Brandon leaving for school at 7 am
School starts at 8

My two precious babies!!!! I love how they have become so independent,
they have both grown and matured so much in this last year!

once we get the phone call from Jada that they have made it to school, we go for our walks, and are more carefree.....they will call us if they plan to stay after school, or if they will be leaving late.

 Karen and Deb coming in from a fantastic morning paddle

 Deb is carrying her board on the other side of phyllis, going in for coffee and fruit

 Look, the fruit man is ready to serve all of us breakfast!  Coffee is pretty good too!!

Later in the day, walking to Deborah and Ross's place for great company, beer,
and a swim in their pool.  see ya in a few months sista!!!


One Morning when Deb and I were paddling boarding a young man on his boat had passed us, and as usual we wave and say buenos Diaz.  Which in return we get a wave and the same response.  This young man was going pretty slow, which I really appreciated, so the wake wouldn't be too big for us....his engine ended up cutting out on him, and at first I thought he did that on purpose.  once we paddled by him and we were pretty far from him, I had said to Deb that I thought he was in trouble....figured this guy is having trouble with his engine.   next thing we are getting whistled at to come back.  I didn't hesitate to go and see what was wrong.   here this guy did have engine trouble, and he didn't have a paddle to go back to land with.  So I gave him my paddle, layed on the tip of my board and proceeded to paddle in with my hands, as well as give him a few big pushes in.  He was very grateful for my help and wanted to do something in return.  So because we had company we talked to him about giving all of us a boat ride to Farallon Island, and tour us around it.  Which he did when the tide came in....too many big rocks around the island when the tide is low.  Stewart and I really appreciated him driving all of us, so we gave him a little money for his gas.  All in all, we have become friends with Anthony, and his friend Edward, i am sure we can get a ride on his boat whenever we want........ as well, I am sure Anthony will have a lot of laughter at his expense for having a girl save him at sea!  








 Louis, Edward, Anthony










My Last day of sup boarding with Deborah was an emotional one. I just can't get over how the time has gone!  It feels like I had known Deborah my whole life, instead of just a couple months.  We became fast friends, and makes me feel if i had lived another life time, I most likely would have known her in it.   she didn't stop in for coffee that morning, but felt it best if she start packing for her trip back to canada.  so peggy, sharon, and phyllis all got to try it before I put it back by the condo.....They did very well, and we all had a good laugh!   Peggy fell in a couple times, and I am so impressed at how graceful she looked while falling.....she laughed at herself, got right back on, pushed herself to try again and was on for a lot longer before falling again.  You rock Peggy!!!!  that's how I look at life too, I tend to laugh at myself a lot too......and sometimes I just need to laugh more....sometimes I don't do it enough!


Peggy on the stand up paddle board


















Peggy's Audience



Phyllis on the board













sharon on the board














With everyone up as well, it was perfect timing for Brenda and her husband Carl to come back to Panama to visit Brenda's son Ryan and his little girl.  Ryan has a time share in a Condo in Playa Blanca, which is another close neighbouring beach.  it is about a 10 minute walk to the beach, but his condo is further in from the ocean, so all in all it was about a half hour walk to his place.  At Ryan's condo they have the largest man made swimming pool, which looks like a lagoon, they have a swimming area, as well as a place for seadoos and motor boats.....quite cool actually.

 carl, Stew, Jada, Brenda, peggy

 Ryan's daughter

 Stew and Jada








After a day of swimming and relaxing at their pool, we had decided to go out for supper at that beautiful little restaurant in Panonome.   I am glad we had decided on this restaurant, it was a hit with everybody, and I think this is Brenda, and Carl's new favourite restaurant as well!  What a great way to end the day and share this little gem!!















After 9 days of everyone coming to visit, it was time for all to go home.
Sharon and Peggy left on the 8th in the morning.  We walked them to the Decamoran so they could catch their shuttle to Panama City.
Phyllis was going to catch her shuttle the next day, so we got up at 3 in the morning to get her to the Decamoran.  Since she only had one suitcase, we put her on the back of Stewarts bike, and I took the luggage, and we drove her to the Decamoran.  Once she was on we drove home and went back to bed....we told the kids to not wake us up the night before, because we will have gone back to bed....they did good not to wake us up.








the following are some photos I forgot to post......some are from christmas that were on Stew's phone.....The others are just good candids......I may do this on some other pages and just post photos instead of writing......sometimes photos say more.


 night shot off our deck






























I will post more tomorrow.......April isn't done yet!!!!!!

Later......karen Adams

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