Checklist for Moving to Bend, OR

SOOOOOOO MUCH TO DO.

NEED CHECKLIST:
1.  Buy home in Bend.
     Find on Internet
     Look at pretty pics on Internet.
     Make offer, counter offer, counter offer again.
     Wire money.
     Make sure my son has keys.
     Done, done, done, done and all done

2.  Buy Harley
     Actually did that last year.  
     Bought it sight unseen off Craigslist.
     Had 300 miles on it when I bought it.
     Rode it while we were in Oregon for 4 weeks last summer.
     1600+ miles on it now.
     But MUST DO ....... get more comfy seat.

3.  Buy Car
     Decided on a 2010 or newer Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
     Haunt Craigslist.
     Find best deal from private party ...... 2011 w/ 30,000 miles
     Send daughter to look at it.
     She says it is a pretty blue.
     Wire money to Caitie (our daughter)
     At daughters house waiting for us.

4.  Buy scooter for the Brennie
     Brennie wants a Vespa 300ie
     Haunt Craigslist.
     Find best deal from private party.
     Send daughter to look at it.
     She says it is a pretty blue.
     Wire money to Caitie.
     At daughters house waiting for us.

5.  Buy dual sport motorcycle for Clarke
     Decided on a Suzuki DRZ 400S
     Haunt Craigslist.
     Find best deal from private party ...... 2011 w/ 652 miles
     Negotiate via phone and email.
     Wire money to Alex (our son lives in Bend)
     Alex parked it in the garage today.

6.  A few other things:
     -  Brennie bought a couple leather chairs and ottomans
        Craigslist.
        Alex delivered to house  
     -  Brennie bought a quilting table and lamp
        Craigslist.
        Alex delivered to house      
     - Bought the house with basic furniture in it
       So .... we have furniture until our container arrives 
       from Cuenca
       Then we will sell the furniture that came with the house.
       Craigslist.
     
Yeah there is a lot more to do ...... but all the rest is tedious.

Life is Sweet,
Clarke
     

The Garage Sale, Etc

First, we have met many WONDERFUL people in the process of selling those items we are not taking back to Oregon with us.
To these people ...... a big thank you.

Then there are the things we've heard from the other folk in the last couple weeks:

- Will you deliver it?

- Will you take $2 for it? I can come get it, if you will stay home between noon today an 5:30 tomorrow.

- Will you take less? Pay me to take it?

- Can you send me a list of all the ___________ (fill in blank) it fits?

- May I tell you my whole life story when we meet?

- I would like to share all my political views with you.

- I have a friend coming with me.  He will walk all around your place taking pictures.

- Does this mean your house will be for rent/sale?

- How much did you pay for your house?

- What other things can I have?

- How much for the shirt you are wearing?

- May I walk all around your place looking for other free things.

- I will be out of town for the next six days. Will you bring it by my place next Sunday so I can see it?

- I think that my sister in Baltimore would like that.  Will you ship it to her?

One of my favorites is when the gal asked Brenda if she would sell her the fleece vest that Brennie was wearing.

How about the jackass that shows up drunk and thinks I want to be his new best friend.

In response to the ad Brennie put in Gringo Tree for the sale, she got  few ........ 'please send me a list of everything you are selling w/ prices'.

Seriously?

For a garage sale?

Deleted expletive.

Life is Sweet,

Clarke

Moving Where??

Hello all,

I have received several emails the last few days asking if it true that we are leaving Cuenca.

It is true.

We are moving to Bend, Oregon.

That is the short version.

If you want the loooong rambling version, read on.  :))

Brennie and I met and fell in love in Oregon 32 years ago.

We met in graduate school.  

We were both career change students.

We moved to Minnesota 30 years ago because, upon graduation, there were only 6 job openings nationwide in Brenda's field.

She was offered the job in Minnesota.

It was an opportunity that we could not pass up.

When we moved to Minnesota, it was with the intention of returning to Oregon in a few years.

That is not how it worked out.

After 6 years in Minnesota, we were planning a return to Oregon.

I had job interviews lined up and the house was for sale.

But we had young children by then and believed that the best thing to do as a family, was to make sure Alex and Caitie had family around them as they grew up.

Brenda's family was in Kansas.

Mine was in So. Cal.

So we moved to Kansas and spent the next 20 years there.

Kansas just wasn't a good fit for us

We yearned for Oregon.

Alex and Caitie grew up in Topeka, but were always hearing about Oregon.

But, Brennie and I also started dreaming of South America.

About 15 - 18 years ago Brennie and I started discussing and researching a South American retirement.

We made a couple trips to Mexico and spent 2 months in Cuenca to see what kind of fit we found.

 

At the same time we were considering Bend and Portland.

We never lost sight of the fact that we wanted to return to Oregon.

We romanced several ideas, including a houseboat on the Columbia River.

When it came time to pull the trigger, we moved to Cuenca.

Caitie moved to Portland while we were planning our move to Cuenca.

Alex moved to Bend less than a year after we moved.

We have visited Alex and Caitie 4 times in the last 30 months.

We miss them.

We are very fortunate in that we are a close family.

Caitie is married now and planning (threatening?) to have a baby in the next year or 2.

We knew last June/July when we visited, that we would, at some point, return to Oregon ..... probably Bend.

Our plan was to return in early 2016, but we are moving the date up to this October or November.

I have only lived where I have wanted to live, twice in my life.

The 10 years in Oregon as a young man and the last 4+ years here in Cuenca.

The rest of my life, I have lived where I have had to.

The same for Brennie; her 2 years in Oregon and Cuenca.

It is with heavy hearts that we prepare to leave Cuenca.

But we are equally excited to rejoin Alex and Caitie in a place that has always been close to our hearts.

We have spent the last couple weeks either crying or dancing.

Before our visit last June/July, I bought a Harley in Oregon for my use in future visits ...... looks like I will be using it more than I thought.

We have bought a house in Bend.

Brennie has bought a Vespa 300 that will be waiting for her when we get there.

Our lives have been full and active in Cuenca. 

We expect the same to be true of Bend

Cuenca has been wonderful for us.

It has been a dream come true.

Moving here was NOT a mistake, nor something that we will ever regret.

We will always look back at it as one of the best times of our lives.

One of the greatest things that happened to us here is that the love we found in each other so many years ago, has been renewed and re-energized here.

We are so lucky to have re-discovered each other.

Another thing that must be said is that we are extremely grateful for the friends that have enriched our lives here.

We thank all of our Cuenca friends for being the kind of people they are.

I am getting  little weepy now and not real proud of it. 

I could go on, but do you really want me to?

Life is Sweet,

Clarke

HOW FAR IS IT TO .........?

First I want to thank all the readers that have sent in questions.
I will try to get to them all in due course.

But first the:
How far is it to ........?
And / Or
How long does it take to get to .......... ?

Now these may seem like stupid questions to North American readers.
If you are in Kansas you just go to maps.google.com and viola ....... instant and accurate answers.
Not so here in wonderland.

A couple for instances:

Headed NORTH from Loja to Cuenca.

A little north of La Paz.

Kind of along the spine of the Andes (or something).

You see this sign.

One expects some kind of crossroads, intersection  or something.

A few kilometers later you get this.

Really?

This is the road to Cuenca.

The road to the third largest city in Ecuador?

Seriously?

A few kilometers more and you can see another road off in the distance.

How you get to there is a mystery.
Looks fun on a moto.
But, in a car?

A little later.

This obvious left turn.

 40 kilometers later.

It may not actually be 40 kilometers.

Could be 50 miles.

Don't know.
Wasn't actually clocking it

Let's just call it 'a beautiful moto ride later'.

There actually is an intersection....... 
with paved roads ahead this time.

SOOOOO........

How far is it to Cuenca, Azogues or Machala from the first sign?

How do you get there from the first sign?

Yeah.  Right.

NEXT ...........

This time you are headed SOUTH towards Cuenca.
Again through the Andes
Note:
It is 9 Km to Cañar.
63 Km to Cuenca.
(Fell free to take note of Biblian and Azogues.)

Later.

You have gone through Cañar.

Cañar is now behind you.

You are still headed to Cuenca.

BUT, Cuenca is now further away?

You should be 10 Km closer to Cuenca.

Not 7 Km further OUT.

What about Biblian and Azogues?

WTF?

NEXT ..........

OK.

This time you are  going SW from Cuenca to Machala ..... through mountains, duh.

OR 

You are headed due east from Cuenca towards the Amazonia.
Mountains again.

Either way, you see the same thing.
Signs in Chinese.
Yep, Chinese.
By some wild stretch of the imagination, maybe signs in Chinese are possible when headed west ......
A looooooong way west.
But east?
Come on now.
That's just too much.

Okay.

This is not Chinese.

Not one of the actual signs.

I took pics of the signs.

Can't find them.

They were also blue and white.

This is Arabic (from Morocco).

Can't read Arabic OR Chinese.

So, does it really matter if I couldn't find the right pics?

It is beginning to look like Cuenca is kind of like that island in the TV show LOST.
Remember how the island was changing locations and points in time?

I have one more example of the space-distance-time incongruity. 
(Incongruity is 5 syllables!
I hope I used it right.)
Anyway, I have one more example of it.

I will give the final example AND AN EXPLANATION in my next installment.

Thanks again for the questions.

Life is Sweet,
Clarke

CompromiseCompromiseCOMPROMISE

Hey Kids,

We all know that marriage is a series of compromises, discussion, give and take, etc.
Right?
It is never one sided.
This is not a bad thing.
It's good.
Everyone gets their way .

Soooooo.......
Caite (daughter) got married last September.
She and Joe bought a house a couple months ago.
Caitie and Joe live in Portland.
Alex (son) lives in Bend.  3-4 hours east of Portland.


Soooooo:
- Now Brennie wants to spend more time visiting Oregon.
- Time for discussion.  
- Negotiate. 
- Compromise.

Brennie: I want to spend 3 weeks visiting this summer.
Clarke: I'm thinking 3 days.
B: 3 weeks.
C: 2 days.
B: 3 weeks.
C: I'll need a Harley for when we visit.
B: What color?
C: 4 weeks sounds ok.

See.
Compromise.
Everyone's happy.

Alex has seen it.

Caitie and Joe have seen it (in their garage).

I own it. Never laid eyes on it.

Harley Sportster. 1200 Custom.

I had a bike just like it 15 years ago.
It was black.
It was fun.
Brennie had one too.
Red.
Fun again.
Fun together.

Okay, so now I am wondering if Brennie is thinking our bike.
Maybe I got out-negotiated?

Life is sweet,
Clarke

PS:  Sometimes, bring out-negotiated is just fine.

On Being Prepared

Hey Kids!

Sometimes (surprisingly often), I get emails asking me about this and that.
Rarely are these questions about deep philosophical or metaphysical stuff.
Well, actually never about deep stuff.

However,
One question I have gotten many times is about  .......... 
take a look at the title of this post.

Yep, being prepared.
Makin' it up as I go along is more my style.
So ....... I consulted the experts.
I sought out the most 'prepared for anything' people I could find.

Who would that be?
Well, that would be the 'Big Ass Daypack' (BAD) people.

Sidetrip .....
You're out and about.
Up ahead you see 3 or 4 people wearing panama hats. (possible gringos)
Or ..... big daypacks. (probable gringo)
Hats and packs ....... bingo!
Really, I have never seen so many old turds with huge overstuffed daypacks.
I have often wondered what they are toting around.

So, anyway, I go to a gringo hangout and ask a few BAD folks what are in their BADs.

I took these 3 pics all at the same time, same place.
Literally just turned in different directions,
without moving. Snap, snap, snap. 5 seconds.

Sooooooooo, here's what I learned.
I was a tad overwhelmed, so I have tried to categorize some of it.

Medical Emergency:

- snake bit kit

- insulin

- nitro glycerine tabs

- extra oxygen bottle

- Aleve

- Xanax

- anti-psychotics (gotta have those)

- ace bandage

- gauze

- antiseptic

- band aides

- adult diapers (there are all kinds of emergencies)

- duct tape 

Paranoia:

- machete 

- stun gun

- pepper spray

- telescoping baton

- brass knuckles 
- trench knife

- duct tape

Health, Beauty and Personal Hygiene:

- make-up bag

- sunhat (Panamas .... the good one's roll up.)

- sunscreen

- lip balm

- halazone tablets 

- bug repellent

- dentures …. in the BAD?

- sunglasses 

- spare glasses

- bottle of water 

- bar of soap

- toilet paper

- kleenex

- wet wipes / butt wipes

- toe nail clippers

- tooth brush

- toothpaste

- floss
- duct tape

WTF? :

- viagra 

- condoms  (seriously? condoms?)

- duct tape

(I was a little surprised here.  They looked like such sweet old gals.)

Travel Aids:

- electronic translators

- English-Spanish dictionaries 

- GPS

- safari vest

- maps

- Lonely Planet guide

- passports

- compass

- peanut butter

- duct tape

Miscellaneous:
- umbrella

- spare socks

- pith helmut (OK, I made that up.)

- tablet computer

- phone and tablet chargers

- rope 

- flashlight

- spare camera battery

- $$$$$$

- pen/pencil

- little spiral notebook

- business or calling cards with contact info

- dog biscuits 

- soy sauce (the soy sauce in the chifas SUCKS)

- matches

- candy bars (2)

- handkerchief 

- magnifying glass

- binoculars (bird watching?)
- duct tape

I was going to ask this guy about his BAD.
I didn't.

So, mystery solved.
That's what's in those BADs.

If you have any other questions, I'm your guy.

Life is Sweet,
Clarke

PS:  "Be Prepared" is the Boy Scout Motto.

When in doubt, blog about Brennie

She is endlessly amusing, really cute and a little kookoo(SP?) bonkers.

So, you ask, what is my little nut job up to now?

Not sure how to approach this.

Gonna go with 3 alternate titles:

- Living in a Chem Experiment: Part II

- Brennie Has Gone Nuts

- The Cleaning up of Cuenca

Forging ahead ……………

LIVING IN A CHEM EXPERIMENT: PART II

A while ago I wrote a blog about Brennie’s ongoing chem experiments (in the kitchen).

If it needed natural fermenting, it was bubbling away in our kitchen: sauerkraut, yogurt, keifer, sourdough starter and other nutbag stuff.

She even bought a book. “Wild Fermentation”

My magic marker edited it to “Wild Xcrementation”

(That made me pretty popular.)

Anyway, that’s not what this blog is about.

She still makes the sauerkraut, but not the other stuff.

She has taken up making kombucha (fermented tea)

For those not in the know, it is made using a ‘SCOBY’.

A SCOBY looks a lot like a prehistoric or alien life form.

I call it, goofy juice.

I am ashamed to admit that I love it.

But again, that is not the topic of this blog.

SOAP!

That’s what’s happening.

’SOAP’ is not some kind of acronym.

I refer to that stuff that you wash yourself with.

Before I go any further, I must say, that Brennie IS making some damn fine soap and her sauerkraut is superb.

Now that I have said that, I guess that I can say whatever I want.

Our kitchen has turned into some kind of soapy experimentation place.

When she is soaping, there is no room for anything else.

I leave the house to eat.

I avoid the kitchen while she is soaping.

She is making all natural soap.

All natural oils.

Essential oils for scent.

Other ‘pure and natural’ stuff.

I can’t speak intelligently about what all is involved.

Once again …… I avoid the kitchen while she is soaping.

She has lots of special stuff:

- Crock pots.

- Soap cutting things.

- Special soap molds. 

- Not mold like blue cheese. 

- Molds that make pretty soap shapes.

- And other stuff.

Some of the things that were once used for cooking, are now part of the soaping supplies.

Sometimes a kitchen thing goes missing.

I just buy another  (serving spoons for example).

If it goes missing again,

Well, I know where to get more.

Eventually, one stays in the kitchen.

BRENNIE HAS GONE NUTS

Many years ago, I had reason to research ‘obsession’ and ‘compulsion’.

(That reason being a twisted pre-Brennie relationship.)

Anyway ……..

Obsession:  A persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling.

Compulsion: An irresistible impulse to perform an irrational act.

Yep, I memorized them.

Anyway ……

Those terms from so long ago have re-entered my life.

The old Brennie may have gone over the edge here.

If she hasn’t gone over, then she is at it teetering on one leg.

Luckilly (?) the Internet is full of soaping info.

Plus she has experimented A LOT.

She has become a regular mad scientist.

She is nuts.

Example …… I just walked through the living room and she is on a soaping website.

True.  I swear that I am not making that up.

She regularly uses terms like:

- Saponification

- Coming to trace

- Hot process vs cold process

- Words that end in –ystic, -oric, -ide …. 
- Other words that I can’t spell, pronounce or remember.

- What the hell are SAP values?

Her illness even infected our son when he was visiting.

Alex visited for 5 weeks recently.

The first 3 weeks were fine.

Motorcycling by day (I have 2 motos)

Poker in the evening.

Cigars with dad.

You know …. boy stuff.

My boy.

But the last 2 weeks he was here …….. soaping with mom.

He took notes and wrote down soap recipes.

He’s back in Bend, OR now.

Alex is a pretty macho guy.

Certifications in Wildland First Responder, Paramedics, Structural Firefighting, Wildland Firefighting ……. that kind of a guy.

BUT, he made a batch of soap last week in Bend.

(At least he gave it a manly name …… Northwest Mountain Soap.)

He calls his mommy to talk soap.

Brennie's boy.
Looks like 'Breaking Bad".

THE CLEANING UP OF CUENCA

We have plenty of soap on hand.

I am showering 5 times a day trying to keep up.

Doomed strategy.

One of her
soap curing racks.

What to do?

The Brennie has started to sell it.

There is a store called Tienda Nectar.

All natural kind of place ……. not my normal environment.

TN is selling her kraut too.

Some of our friends are buying it direct.

Once they try it, they usually want more.

We delivered to 2 people yesterday (7 bars) while out doing errands.

This will never fund our retirement.

But she loves making it and we can’t use it all.

Soooooooo …….

What’s the cost here?

I have no idea.

All I know is the part that I am allowed to see.

That would be the supplies being shipped from the USA.

(Holy mother of god!!!!!!)

What she buys locally …….?

Well, I KNOW she lies about that.

So why ask?

Just like she doesn’t ask what my cigars cost.

Fair is fair.

Life is Sweet (and clean),

Clarke

PS:  She is making chap stick too. Better than Burt’s Bees.

PPS:  I feel pretty after using her soap.

SOOOOOOOO ......

I am thinking about blogging again, but don't know if there is anyone out there.
I know people used to read my drivel, but I suspect that now , well ........

I used to think that it was funny that some old people have trouble sleeping.
Seriously.
Who cares if some old turd can't sleep?
Right?
It's not like he has to go to work or anything.
WTF?
He can take out his teeth, put on a bib, sleep and drool in his chair all day.
Right?

OK.
I kinda get it now.
Been having a bit of trouble myself the last 6 months to a year.

BUT .......
Last night ......
Great nights sleep!
Is life good or what?



Anyway, I might start blogging again.
If there are any readers out there, let me know.


Life is sweet,
Clarke

Presidential Election

Here is a link to a newspaper article about the Brennie and I voting.

http://www.eltiempo.com.ec/noticias-cuenca/115986-los-extranjeros-se-sumaron-al-sufragio/

The interview was held in Spanish.

The only thing inaccurate is that it is not the first time we have voted here.  
We voted a couple years ago also.
In the newspaper, they had our names correct.  In the online version ..... all the pieces of our names are there ...... but a tad bit scrambled.

The Gringo Voters
Showing our Certificados de Votacion

Once you have your resident visa, you have the right to vote. 
When you vote, you get your certificado de votacion (proof that you voted).
When you do some official things, you must show your certificado de votacion.
From what I can tell, voting is required of all citizens.  (I could be wrong about that .........I often am.

Life is sweet,
Clarke

PS:  Yeah, we bought a couple issues of the paper. 

Sometimes Cooking is a Challenge

I believe that: 
- humans tend to be creatures of habit.
- there is comfort and security reverting to the familiar.
- eating habits are a perfect example of an acquired taste.
- a lot of us are most comfortable eating what we grew up with.
- many gringo expats really miss some of the food we grew up with.
- there is a very good reason we are all familiar with the term 'comfort food'.

I know that:
- a lot of food and spice items are muled down here by friends, family, and even total strangers.
- it is no coincidence that the answer to the "is there anything we can bring you?" question is often something for the pantry.

However:
- sometimes you really must adapt .......   'make do' even where your palate is concerned.

Example:
- we have not been able to find corn starch.
- we have had to make do with the following.
- it seems to work pretty much the same.

Look real close at the label.

Life is sweet,
Clarke