Power outage putterings

I like to putter.  I used to make lists, actually I used to make lists and put things on the list that I'd already accomplished, just so I could cross it off. But these days the only lists I make are for groceries, because I am definatly at the age that I may not remember if it's not written down. So my puttering goes a little all over the place, I do tend to get side tracked, but hey, life is Tranquillo, so as long as one thing gets done, everything else is gravy.

The other day before our walk we came up with a new design for a shell collector, we have numerous 1litre bottles I've been saving, and we decided to cut a hole in the side and tie around Mikes belt loop, or our travel pack and voila, hands free! He even drilled holes in the bottom, so we could wash them right in the carrier.

But that got us thinking, what else could we use the bottles for? We'd already done the bag holder for the fishermen, and Mike thought shell storage would work too, he was right! Look how nice and organized and pretty they are! Much better than the ziplock bags I had them in before! I could even lay them down and stack them, as long as the opening was on top...

We were eating lunch outside the other afternoon, Mike had been glueing shells on canvas, and I was, well puttering, (Watering plants, moving things around) and we decided to move our outdoor couch to an area where there was more shade. That always gives me plenty of things to do, sweeping where the new piece will go, sweeping where the piece moved from, moving tables, plants, decorations. So here is a view of the finished, rearranged patio, always a work in progress.

I'd put this black plastic tarp here to block the wind, mostly for the plants, but for us too, to have somewhere to get out of it, if it was too much. I'd like to have Manuel come back and add more boards to these two sections, it would be prettier than the plastic...

Where the couch used to be, plants love it back in this area, away from the wind and salt. My Manuel shelving unit, which I have morning glories planted in front of the trellis, so they will eventually grow up and hide the shelf unit. Will do shells here on the table, the overhang from vecinos roof gives about 3ft of shade next to the building, and there's always the umbrella if it's not too windy.

This side didn't change all that much, this is our sunset watching area.

Shadrach's "lookie out post", he hates that he is too short to see over the concrete wall, so he loves to sit on top of this chair and survey his kingdom.

Veronica tends to stay out of the wind, if she can help it. (And she likes the softer furnishings.) Speaking of softer furnishings, I had a visit from my friend Becky not too long ago, and she made a comment about the dog bed I made, so I made one for her schnauzer, Kaiser.

I've also been getting house plants going. We bought some in Bahia when we were there with blog reader Mark and Kathy.

Repurposed coconuts, I made macrame slings for them, then decided to hang them from one central point. The trailing plant is planted right in the coconut, the wandering Jew is in water in a jelly jar, and the third one is empty waiting for cuttings from our friends at La Boca.

The power came back on around 4pm, our friends were headed down for Happy hour, and I needed a shower, so snacks had to share the table with the shells, but life is Tranquillo, and nobody minded.

Even with the power being out so much recently, it still beats going to work for 40hours or more a week! I'd much rather putter in paradise!!! And with that said...stay tuned, the adventure continues!

Power outages, and what to do about it

The schools in the bigger cities and highlands are out for "winter break", and so many families are coming to the beach, with them they bring problems. The crime rate is higher, some of it is kids playing games, some are real banditos knowing these vacation houses are unsecure and the occupants have expensive toys. But the real problem is with the power, it happened to us while in San Alejo, the vacationers come and illegally hook up to the power lines, sometimes knocking off full time residents connections. Or they do it so hap hazardly that every time the wind blows the whole grid goes down. Well, this seemed to be happening to us a couple weeks ago, finally we went to Joffre, our "go to guy" and he sent someone over to look at the situation. I dont think it was the temporary neighbors as much as the connection had just worked its way loose, or was corroded by the constant sea/salt spray, whatever it was, in about 20 minutes total (from the time Mike got back from talking to Joffre) we had power, and the cost? A whopping $15, problem solved, and we haven't lost power once since. Try that in the States, or other "civilized" country, it would takes days for someone to come out, and how many minutes listening to awful hold music would you have to endure before speaking to a real person? But! That is not all I have to say on the subject...once when the power went out, it was a nice overcast morning, we decided to take a walk thru a neighborhood we'd not spent much time in.

Love the vibrant colors, especially bright in the overcast morning, we refer to it as "magic hour". The pink place is a restaurant we've been to a couple times, only open Friday and Saturdays. (Ronaldo and family, he works days at the local gas station)

The yellow place also has had table and chairs set up in the evening, probably empanadas, or it could have just been a bingo game... So interesting to see the "work in progress", on the newer construction White House, you can see where they only recently cemented the final bit of balcony, that may have been where they brought up the building materials, because check out those stairs...

Two very different houses, the first looks very Robinson Family Caruso,  as you look at it, notice the only indoor living space is on the second level, probably only one room, where the second is pretty massive and wonderfully landscaped. (really doesn't show in the picture.)

This is a pretty big house, very economical with the split bamboo walls. Will keep our eye on this one.

This one I may have shown before, this is a single family home. Not sure I've ever seen anyone in it...too bad, it's only a block back from the Malecon, and on the corner should have good breeze. Huge house, but doesn't look like any outdoor space...a sign it's not a local.

Hope you enjoyed your walk through the barrio with us, we had a great time, seeing fun houses, familiar faces from town, and getting some fresh air. We also got to use the resurrected iPhone...Mike put them both in a sealed Tupperware with those little silica packets and after a week, voila.

Stay tuned, the adventure continues, and  next time the power goes out, don't get mad...take a walk.