Tears in my coffee

On Friday eve I got an email that when translated, sounded promising. Some Ecuadorean company was asking for confirmation and authorization to deliver cargo, all weekend I anticipated Monday morning, if Catalina didn't have news, I was going to call SOMEONE...we had to keep this momentum going. Catalina said she had had no response to her email, so she gave me the number and contact people, and I got on the phone. Phones are always answered in Spanish, but when you start speaking English, if they can they keep you with English speakers. I got ahold of one of the ladies I was told to ask for, Patricia, I  went thru my spiel and she said...you need to send an email of your request. I told her we had done that and recieved no reply, she just repeated the same info. She said she couldn't make decisions like that, it had to go to, I dont remember the word she used, anyway, that sent me over the edge, tears, said I'd email and crumpled. Resent the email, confirmed that the address she had just given me was indeed copied on the first email, so she's already recieved it once, maybe if I send it EVERYDAY? 

Basically what I'm asking this company to do is 1. Honor the 30 day free storage I was originally quoted by scam shipping company and 2. Instead of making me come up with $3000, and reimbursing me $1000, just take that $1000 guarantee I've already paid off the balance due, after of course they get their container back empty. There also seems to be some hold up with the bank, and that makes sense, that bank doesn't seem to have its head on straight. There's probably more paperwork I have to sign, I've probably signed more with this bank for $1000 than buying all three of my properties in the States! Combined! Silly. The bank has to get all it's policy paperwork in order then submit it to Customs. Customs has been passed and after the paperwork has been put in place that means that it is cleared. After everybody has been paid, we can get a trucking company. That will be in the $700 range, and unloaders anywhere from $100-200, probably 5 locals, $20-40 each.

Anyway, Catalina said maybe this week, as far as the bank getting it's s@*t together and I broke again, told her I didn't have ANOTHER week in me...no deniro! No mas! Such a roller coaster ride! Let's move on...talk of better things.

Saturday afternoon, we were in the bedroom getting away from the wind, and we heard a bunch of cars honking. One or two cars honking, no biggee but this was like ten! And I said, " it's a parade!" And IT WAS!!

A procession of at least 30 vehicles, many trucks like this one, crammed with people, two with bands playing, one with dancing! And then it was over as quickly as it began. Happy Saturday afternoon!

Mike and I puttered in the yard this morning to get my spirits up. He made a trash tree, bamboo with spike arms for people to hang their trash on. We were hanging trash on the neighbors picket fence, but the bags hung at perfect dog height, they tore the bottoms right out of those bags, a mess! We plan on building a trash platform on the corner, out of our view, but visibal to the trash men and neighbors who might want to put theirs there too, but without all the equipment, it's on the list. As with the yard space, it's all kinda " lipstick on a pig" without the proper funds or equipment to finish a project. So impatient...but we do have our first flower from the plants that Tarzan the Gardner gave us. We had told him we wanted bananas, and he asked fruit or flower? We said flower, and we got cannas. So I guess if we want a real banana tree, whether we want it for fruit or not, we gotta tell him fruiting banana. But we do what we can, and know that each day here is still better than any days in our old life.

As we were leaving for a walk to the hardware store, Angel our fruit and veg guy was outside. Bought a pineapple from him $1.25 and when I tried to give him .25 cent tip, he gave us 4 bananas...the other day he caught us several blocks from the house, and rather than turning back around to drop off our loot, or not buy, we asked if Angel would drop them inside the gate? He said sure, and now we can do that anytime we see him out and about. He just drops the bag down thru the corner of fence where there are bars. Dogs aren't going to mess with fruit, but maybe we'll make a mailbox type thing that we can have deliveries put in. We were successful in town, went to Casa de Todo, got a large needle, twine and a dish drainer. Next time I need to ask for a large fruit bowl and washcloths. We have a tarp project for tomorrow morning, hence the needle and twine. Have yet to go in that store and come away without our requested item. Mike made us lovely smoothies, orange water and we took puppies on the beach, so it became a very good day after the tears. 

This was taken yesterday from the hammock, the beach was busy and the pups were on patrol. Realized today's the first and rent is due, so after naps we will go to San Jacinto to the ATM and have dinner somewhere while watching the sunset over the ocean. Stay tuned, The adventure continues.