Yesterday morning, I heard Lyn scream in the shower and then yell “scorpion!” Sure enough, there was a scorpion about 2” long, so I grabbed a shoe and crushed its head. Even though it appeared to be dead, it was still trying to sting my shoe, probably through reflexes. When Lyn was taking a shower, the scorpion ran over her foot and under the bath mat.
A few hours later, Lyn got a call from Jaguarman who was on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica leading a volunteer effort to save Sea Turtle eggs. One of his volunteers got stung by a scorpion and was passing out, so they had to get her to a hospital which included hiking out of the jungle over three hours.
When Jaguarman arrived at my house late last night, he was removing his boot and on the back was another scorpion walking around the heel. It was the same size as the one found in the shower. Needless to say Lyn and I are now paranoid about walking around without shoes on, and I checked in my sheets before climbing into bed last night.
Before I finished writing this entry, I put a load in the washer. When I returned to put the laundry in the dryer, I opened the washer and I saw a scorpion fall from the hinge of the door into my laundry. I proceeded to pick my clothes out, piece by piece, until all that was left was the scorpion. I went to get something to kill it with, but when I returned, it had disappeared. I assumed it was under the plastic washer dealy, so I decided to do another load, this time without clothes. After a half hour, I extracted the lifeless scorpion from the washer with a soup ladle, and took it in to show Lyn and Ballardo. Jaguarman suggested I take it outside and smash it with a rock. I placed it on the tile patio and grabbed a large rock which I slowly (so as not to damage the tile) started to squash the little bastard with. The completely lifeless body sprang to life and tried to sting the rock. I grabbed a brick and finished it off.
The garden is already sprouting. The soil here is amazingly rich. There are signs of cucumber, mustard greens, zucchini, and radish sprouting.
Lyn is a good cook, and she taught me how to make an awesome vegetable stir-fry with steamed fish. We made it two nights ago and it was delicious!
The neighbor kids came over the other day. They have a new puppy named Pecho Blanco, or White Chest because he is black and has a white chest. I gave the kids watermelon and they stayed for awhile doing gymnastic stuff in the yard. Lyn got roped into playing hide-and-seek. Israel is 7, Jaqueline is 6, and the twin girls are 1. Lyn and I weren't watching for 2 seconds and the twins each had an empty beer bottle, bottoms up, drinking the swill. Junior has been coming over several times a day. I feed him stale crackers. He has been staying longer each time...becoming a trained beggar.
Jaqueline and Lyn
Pecho Blanco and a twin
Israel and Pecho Blanco
Jaqueline and Lyn
Pecho Blanco
This week, I put on 28 miles of running and hiking up steep hills. I was almost attacked by dogs three different times while running yesterday. The dogs here do not like runners, maybe because nobody here runs and they perceive it as a threat. Most of the time, the attackers are medium to small, so I stop running, face the dog, raise a fist, and prepare to kick. This has worked every time so far. Yesterday though, I was charged by a Pit Bull coming from a house with the gate left open by the landscapers. In this scenario, I immediately stopped, put out my hand palm up, and talked to the dog in a friendly voice. Luckily it worked, because this dog would have done some damage. I’ve decided to start running with a can of mace.
I walked from my house to the ranger station at the base of Volcan Baru. I still have not climbed the volcano because I am waiting for the dry season. I think it’s too dangerous with lightning and monsoon rain to hike right now. Plus, I need to bring warm clothes which I will bring back from the US when I return along with tent, sleeping bag, pad, etc. Yesterday, I ran 12 miles and my knee started bugging me to the point I had to stop and walk. It sucks having limits.
While walking, I stopped in a few random houses to talk with owners about homes for sale in the area. I met a Panamanian family that would like to sell their home. I had the secretary in my office call them today to get more specifics. My Spanish is definitely improving, by I still miss small details in what people are saying to me, so I like to have someone else double check.
Random portrait
Lyn is very savvy when it comes to using social networking sites for marketing. She has been giving me tips on how to use several sites in conjunction with each other to maximize exposure. Every single person shops for real estate online before visiting in person, especially when they are from a different country. I think working on social network sites is a crucial piece of my marketing mix, and it helps me to establish relationships with buyers before they arrive.
This week, I will be working on putting together a horse jump with my name and number on it. Jess will use it in upcoming horse competitions. I’m going there today to get some materials together and to take measurements to send to the sign company. The next show is on the 24th, and it’s called the Dog and Pony Show. There will be several contests for dogs and for horses/ponies. I think there is a prize for biggest dog, smallest dog, best-dressed dog, agility, obedience, etc. There is a broom stick horse race for those who do not have their own horse, barrel racing, dressage, and some other stuff. I have been told I am going to ride Lucy, and that I will have some sort of costume. It should be a great time. The show is a free community event and will be promoting Jess’s Equestrian Center re-opening.
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