Penny

Occasionally the Newslady sends back an email waiting for distribution because its omissions are so glaring that it just wastes the news.boquete time and bandwidth and would burden 1850 some inboxes with useless email. Having said that, it's really not the Newslady's job to proofread emails for content and accuracy. The smart people who want their email to have some effect, will proofread and respect the resources of news.boquete. The rest usually fail in their endeavors or business.

So I went to the social security clinic in Boquete this morning to get one of their inexpensive ($13) x-rays for a persistent cough I've been experiencing. It's always a grand cultural experience when a gringo does something like this. First of all the whole process is like a Chinese fire drill -- no offense to the Chinese intended. There is much scrutinizing of documents, much pencil tapping, much computer poking, and, of course, much stamping. This is before you take the bill to the caja to pay it. When you return the receipt, the whole process is started anew. Then you wait, and you wait, and you wait. The waiting room for the ultra sound and the x-ray seems to be a well-used shortcut for folks going back and forth in the clinic. I saw about six Panamanians I knew and all stopped to talk. Everybody who walks through gives the obligatory "buenos dias" and all the waiting folks chime in with their own "buenas dias". Many folks say that the primary characteristic of the Panamanian people is their friendliness . . . or their happiness. I am quite sure it's their patience. Now, I'm the first to admit that patience is a virtue . . . especially in Panama but one has to wonder if it perpetuates the same old inefficient system and nothing will ever change because nobody complains. Something to ponder on an overcast Monday morning.

I believe a lot of the charities that Bid 4 Boquete used to support are really beginning to feel the pinch and have had to learn how to fund raise on their own accord. Maybe in hindsight they are learning that it would have been far easier to give Bid 4 Boquete more support than it is now to try to make up the missing funds.

The BCP has committed to running this test for 3 months. The first month it was free for vendors and was a wonderful success in terms of both vendors and customers. In preparation for the free market we did a lot of re-wiring and purchased chairs, tables, electrical cords, etc. So it was a costly experiment. The second market will be held on June 18 (always the 3rd Saturday of the month). It will cost vendors a nominal fee of $7.50. We expect it to be equally successful. There are already 22 vendors signed up. There will be a 3rd trial market in July and we will charge the vendors the full price of $15. If you know someone who might like to sell at this market, email our facility manager, Elena Serracin serracin62@gmail.com or call her at 6920-1111.

Stop by the big flea market at Chiriqui Storage. Lots of vendors, lots of stuff to buy. Stuff to eat (the famous $1 hot dog). You'll see your friends and neighbors and maybe find a bargain. See you there. 10 - 1. 1.5 km north of the Terpel gas station in Dolega. Free parking and free admission.

It can also be paid at Caja Ahorros which is another government owned bank. The registered agent fee varies by attorney providing the service. My attorney charges nothing. Before you ask, he is retired and not taking new clients.

I have had a request to post a photo of Ralph:

There is no immediate funeral planned. Later this summer there will be a celebration of Ralph's life at Emily Haworth's Honey & Hummingbird Finca. Here is the link to a 32 minute video Ralph produced:

I think this is a great idea. I have never been able to find a source for these tags in Panama. A long time ago I had a friend in Boquete whose daughter was a vet in San Jose, C.R. She got me some of these tags through her daughter. Funny story -- I had a german shepherd mix dog named Daisy who was the smartest thing on 4 legs. Daisy really belonged to the town as she would leave every morning on her rounds of leading backpackers down hiking trails and tourists through the El Explorador Garden pathways. She would always come home in time for dinner. After I put the tag on her I would get at least 3 or 4 calls a week about Daisy being on the sidewalk downtown or wherever. I would just say to leave her alone and she would come home. I finally took the tag off her as it was too much trouble explaining to folks that she was just on her walk about.

Of all the public infrastructure projects announced by the president and our own mayor, the one I'm most hopeful for is the rebuilding of the bridge over the Caldera River next to the Panamonte hotel. The history of this project is that the bridge originally washed out about 9-10 (I'm horrible on dates) years ago. The next year they rebuilt it as the one-lane bridge it had previously been. Now, I love the one way bridge. It gives you an opportunity to slow down, defer to the opposing car, and share a friendly wave with each other. This whole process didn't take more than 15-20 seconds out of your day. I guess I was in the minority because there was a growing outcry -- mostly from ex-pats I think -- to make the bridge a two laner. So the mayor had his crew go out and start excavating around the base of the bridge in order to put in a second lane. And then along came the next big flood. Now, my theory is that the bridge had been so weakened from the excavating that it was no match for the flood. Of course two floods in 2 years was demoralizing and it looked like the bridge would never be rebuilt. I'm so happy that they're reconsidering. I always think of the workers who live on my side of town (Jaramillo and Palo Alto) who have to walk twice as far to get to work in downtown Boquete. I also think it would be good for business for the Panamonte. There were many times I would stop by for a take out hamburger and fries on my way home and I expect other folks who live in my neck of the woods did also.

The most common mistake people make is assuming that everyone else is engaged in and/or knowledgeable about the programs that are close to their heart. This is a posting from Joan (Radash) James who currently runs the ferral cat spaying and feeding program. Joan is moving back to the U.S. and has found the Quimbys to take over the program. You're right, it's a little obtuse. Not a good way to ask for money. People zip off a message to news.boquete on their i-phones and don't give it a second thought about proof-reading or making sure the message conveys the correct information in an easy to ready format. They are asking us to burden 1850 odd mailboxes with information that they didn't spend 10 seconds composing. That's why one of the rules is "no do-overs."

I wish he would sell beef like he did for awhile in the David store. He would grind your hamburger to order (20% grasso) and it was delicisous.

Here's the notice from Ralph's son Louis is is here in Panama:

Just heard of the passing of Ralph Desseau. Ralph was an asset to the community, an author, a Rotarian, a great story teller. He lived an amazing life.

Some of you know that my partners Hellmut and Linda are enjoying a much needed vacation touring around the southwestern part of the U.S. (110 degrees in Scottsdale, they write). Well, that leaves yours truly to run the flea market this Sunday. From what I can discern, we have quite a few new and different vendors. Lots of gringos selling out their surplus goods or paring down because they're moving. Also my (almost) famous hot dogs still only $1. I've started ordering the buns from the little bakery next to the Art Cafe. They're home baked and delicious. Come on out. Theoretically the market runs from 10 until 1 but people start packing up between 12:30 and 1. See you there ???

I've known several people who have gone there either individually or as part of a group. I have heard nothing but praise for the place.

I just looked at my check ledger for the account I keep at MultiBank. Basically, the only thing I write checks for is to pay my insurance premiums. I think it's not worth the hassle and fees to keep a checking account in Panama. Like Marilyn, I learned the hard way that there was a $25/month fee for low balance when $125 was deducted from my account before I realized it.

I love the one-way streets in David that suddenly become one-way going in the opposite direction. Here's a tip for newbies: if there's a yellow line down the center of the street, it's a two -way. If no yellow line, it's a one-way. The two stop lights between the overpass and Price Smart need to be synched better. Returning from Price Smart there is often long traffic jams because of these lights. And the overpass . . . what a waste of money. A traffic light would have been perfectly adequate and we could have turned left or right on the Pan American without going all around Farmer Jone's barn. And don't even get me started on the totally inadequate number of turn-around or cross-overs on the Boquete-David four lane road.

Keith If you read the linked article carefully you will see it talks about a new convention center in Chiriqui (not David). I would guess it's talking about the one in Alto Boquete. This convention center has been a dream of the past mayor Manolo Ruiz for many years.

It's wonderful how BCP has come alive and transformed into a true community center. We have the Lovely Lucy to thank for much of that.

Thank you Pat. There have been rumors and rumors about rumors floating around since Manolo Ruiz was mayor Boquete. This was really his dream. The fact that this project has been funded is the news. Hopefully it will be built in our lifetime. I don't think it will be a mammoth convention center like Atlapa in PTY. Probably a building with a few meeting rooms and (hopefully) a large auditorium.

This is a 1753 sq meter lot with a beautiful ocean view and also a nice river view. It is located at the end of a dead end road. This lot is titled and has mature trees. Electricity is available. The price has been reduced to $62,500. Call Penny at 6510-8934 or email pjbarrett@aol.com

This was a major undertaking by Bud and Marcelyn. Being local residents they know who to reach out to for the latest and best information. Unlike the other forum which has no "boots on the ground" in Panama

Save one for me !!!!! I'll be there to get it.

They have these at the big Vivero (Santa Maria ??) in Dolega. Funny story, I went there about 10 years ago and asked for "Ayer, Hoy, y Manana". Apparently they didn't recognIze what I was trying to say because they took me to the office and pointed out their open hours sign. As we say in Panama, ja, ja, ja.