Reassuring Forward Movement!

A new month after a long, summery month of leisure! The children return to school here next Tuesday which means parents are frantically shopping for the dreaded school supplies and miserably measuring too short jeans and tees. The universal cry goes up “You grew how many inches this summer?” My grandkiddies seem to be happy enough to return to a new grade, new teachers and maybe new friends. One starts university with a full load and another goes into her second year at the local U.

The Panama house is starting to shape up at last. The pics sent by Don this last Friday reveal the floor tiles have arrived and await installation. They are less dark than I imagined but I think they will work well. Chris says he likes them.

I was online and researched the manufacturer of these tiles. They are made in Spain and imported…bet they are a big part of our budget! The company started in Spain in 1940, so I imagine the quality is good and they are reliable. Don’t think I would want to replace any though!

This past Monday, I was phoned from Costa Pedasi by Pedro, the site manager, who became very chatty and spent 20 minutes explaining that LG would have difficulty installing the air conditioners as they only have one fella to do the job in practically the whole country! So, finally he asked if I would accept Panasonic AC’s instead. No problem. He also told me how impressed he is with our patio covered area, and thinks it is superior to others he has seen. HAHA! Something to brag about? After several “muchas gracias”, he informed me our tiles would start installation this coming week and our mutual admiration society call ended. Pedro, like all Panamanians is very polite and calls me “Mrs. Iris” which I find charming. So he is “Senor Pedro” of course…the local folks are always so respectful, it is refreshing after the off-hand and somewhat rude attitudes we get here in Canada, especially from some younger types. Saying please and thank you is very important in Panama, and all folks are addressed with their appropriate title. I have been reviewing my paucity of Spanish lately and need to increase the rate of learning so as to be better able to communicate! I love the lilt of the language and enjoy listening to the native folks talk, even though much of it flies past with no recognition on my part! Perhaps one in ten words settles in my feverish brain as I try to follow the chatter!

Our potential buyer for the gallery is still working on her financing, and despite the couple’s keen interest, we fear they may come unstuck. We are getting too close for comfort to the need to prepare to leave, and the anxiety levels will probably soar soon. I took our boys for their annual physicals and booster shots at the vet on Friday, and found Cagney has two cavities! Poor little chap. Despite the costs of vet care being less in Panama, we plan to get his teeth addressed before we leave, in case he is having any pain. How do you tell when a cat is in pain? They often stop eating and playing, and may hide from you, but Cagney shows no sign of discomfort, so we can only guess at his state. It seems Bogart is definitely overweight (he has gained almost 3 lbs in two years since becoming an indoor pet). Hopefully, he’ll drop that extra fat once we get him into a regular active lifestyle like he used to have. Chris and I need to join him in a weight loss program!