We hosted the 2nd of our poker nights a few days ago. It was a blast. We have been playing Texas Hold 'Em. It is total amateur night. We have done it twice now. About 18 people each night ..... which makes for 3 tables of 6.
We switch tables and seats twice so that we play with different people. Each time we switch tables, everyone starts with new and equal chip stacks ...... levels the playing field. Anyone that has gone bust starts the new tables with the same as the big winners of the previous tables.
Everyone kicks $5 into the kitty at the beginning of the night. At the end of each round, people report their holdings. At the end of the night, the losers get cab fare home and the winners get more. It is a sliding scale. It has been a gas. It is not possible to lose more than $4 nor win more than $8.
The evening is designed to be fun, and it really has been. And, yep, lots of finger food. I want to thank Bob Gladfelter for hosting poker night like this for years in Topeka. I got the idea from him.
And now on to .......... (drum roll please) ...........
SPIRALING DOWN TO AN EXPAT NIGHTMARE:
I have been signing off on my posts with "Life is Sweet".
I have written that my life is all that I have ever hoped for and more than I ever expected.
I have always reported how much I like the newness of the culture, the variety of experiences.
Hell, I haven't actually complained about wrecking my moto twice. And yes, it does really really hurt. (I think the way to fix this issue is to get a bigger and faster moto.)
So what about the nightmare?
My new bathroom complete with 'urinario" (urinal) was supposed to take two weeks. Today was the end of week 4. What an absolute horror show. I basically have to be here every day. I love this apartment and like to be here. But to be chained to it just about every day? Not so much fun. And the dust?!? Holy mother of god! I spent HOURS Monday wiping everything in the apt down with a wet rag. Today you can write your name in the dust. Not just barely write it ...... I mean boldly. Everywhere. But hey, it will be done mañana. So that is not the nightmare.
After 26 years, Brenda has moved out. She has been in a hotel here in town for the last week. We tried to work it out. Compromised. Made adjustments. We still spend some time together but she is not living here now. All the dust in the apartment was making her sick. She threatens promises to come back when the work is done. So, that is not the problem.
SO? WHAT IS THE NIGHTMARE?
Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter is el problemo. In the good old USA, if you need PB, you go to the store. Not so much here.
Up until about 3 or 4 months ago, you could always have a supply of JIF Creamy if you were diligent. There might be a month or so when SuperMaxi would be out. But of course, when they had it, I bought in quantities. There are three SuperMaxi's. Occasionally I would have to make a pilgrimage to all three to meet my needs. I got used to this and felt secure with 3 or 4 jars securely stashed. Well, they stopped carrying JIF. Eventually, I had to go with Peter Pan Crunchy. Not great. But better than Peter Pan Smooth. Well, the crunchy ran out and I think I bought the last jar of smooth. What's left? Welches (I think it is Welches) puts out some poison called Goobers. It is stripes of PB with stripes of jelly. I am not sure which is worse, the PB or the jelly. We tried it. Horrible. Threw it out.
So, what am I dong now?
Two choices.
Choice #1: Eat the local stuff called "Schullo". It is a lot like that cr*p they sell in the US health food stores. You know, none of the proper additives, preservatives or stabilizers. Must be stirred before eating. Pretty yucky.
Choice #2: Switch to ice cream as my drug of choice.
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A WORD ABOUT THE LOCAL UPSCALE SUPERMARKET:
We do as much of our shopping as we can in the local mercados and small local stores. But some things are not available there. For these you must go to SuperMaxi. It is the only chain of upscale supermarkets. There are 3 of them in town.
Is it just me? Or does the store name suggest some other type of inventory?
Life is sweet,
Clarke
Have ya'all tried the Coral Hyper/super mercados? There are 5 in Cuenca, including in the Mall del Rio. More like Wal-Mart or Fred Meyers than Safeway or Super Maxi though.
ReplyDeleteClarke, we were in the Coral Hyper yesterday and we found the Chunky.. better go check it out. We did not buy it because we thought you were still holding out for the PP..sorry.
ReplyDeleteI looked at Coral about the first 8 or 10 times I was there, At that time, there were no peanut butters for the good old USA. Maybe now .... apparently SuperMaxi does have the Peter Pan Chunky Honey Roast. Which on the surface sounds tasty. Isn't. I think that Welches Goobers PB and jelly mix stuff is something that was taken off the american shelves, stored in a large shed in Death Valley for a year and then dumped on the South American market.
ReplyDeleteDon't ask me why, but I never had a hankering for PB until we arrived in Cuenca (same thing in Italy). Why do we crave what we cannot get? In Italy, I made do with Nutella, until I found PB on the black market in Naples (they hijacked the US Air Base -- selling it by the Spanish Steps: all varieties of Jiff and Peter Pan). Heaven! Today I spoke with an expat who brought a suitacase of perfume to sell to a vendor in Ecuador. Listen up you wannabe expats in the US of A -- bring us peanut butter -- lots of it. It's gold; we'll pay you or ransom the "nietos" grandkids for it. I hope someone reads this and takes notice -- HELP! Signed: Deprived and Desperate!
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