Dottie Atwater

I couldn't watch the video either. Why the HELL didn't the mayor take action against these people instead of expecting someone to file a denuncia?

Just days before his extradition hearing, he presents this petition. If he is granted bail, does anyone really believe he will show up for the hearing? Twenty million is a drop in the bucket for him.

Nope. Schwab is my bank in the US. They reimburse ATM fees so it makes no difference to me whether BN charges $4 or $5.25, except BN should correct their "mistake."

The ATM at Banco Nacional (in Volcan) says the charge will be $4.00, but then the actual charge is $5.25. False advertising, not good. Is this the same at other banks? Dottie

Thanks. This would not be butcher paper--it has a coating on it. I've found out the paper I want is called "papel manila."

I wrap our gauze and gloves for the clinics in brown paper and then sterilize them in my autoclave. I need a new roll of the brown paper--I guess it may be called "wrapping paper." Does anyone know where to find this, and what it is called in Spanish (besides just "papel"). I need this right away.Thanks in advance.

I hope the "owner" will be prosecuted!

http://spaypanama-chiriqui.org/106th.html 49 animals were spayed/neutered by Dr. Andres Tello, our wonderful veterinarian. He sterilized 30 dogs and 19 cats. Of the dogs, 22 were female and 8 were male. Of the cats, 9 were female and 10 were male. This brings our total of dogs and cats sterilized to 3,970. Even with so many animals, we did not have an extra-long day because there were a lot of male cats. The surgery is quicker for them than the females. And there was only one pregnancy, a cat. Dr. Tello charges $10 extra for pregnancies because the surgery takes longer and is more complicated. We are grateful to see so many Panamanian owners who dearly love their dogs and cats! Now we very seldom see any underfed animals. Most are fat, happy, and well cared for. See the photo album for pictures of many loving owners and their pets. https://www.flickr.com/photos/panama_expat/sets/72157683717228340 We had a total of 9 no-shows: 1 female cat, 1 male cat, 6 female dogs (2 with tumors), and 1 male dog. Alex Rios cleaned the teeth of one dog today. Please make an appointment to have this procedure done if you wish. The cost is $25.00. Our next clinic will be on July 23, 2017. Please call for an appointment right away. The clinics fill up rapidly. Thanks to everyone who participates in the various ways to make our clinics a success! Dottie

And Amazon has gotten very annoying lately by shipping a single order (with multiple items) in multiple boxes, often very large boxes that cost more than the weight because the shipping costs are figured on "volume weight." I paid $13.00 (at The Box Shop) for a package of velcro that weighed a few ounces but was shipped in an 8x8x10 box! Thus the "volume weight" was figured at 5 lbs. (Box Shop is less expensive than anyone else; figure how much 5 lbs. "volume weight" would cost with the others.)

These dogs look to really need to be groomed--plus a haircut. Good luck in finding homes for them. It's very sad. I know they miss their human.

Will do, Keith. Thanks.

My car is currently titled in my foundation. I want to change it to be titled in my name. Can anyone tell me how to go about that? Thanks!

Thank you for the link! I don't have a radio and could not figure out how to listen. I'll tune in next Friday.

Jim, lucky you have "you" and lucky I have Jose!

I'll add that most of the glowing posts are from people who have something to sell--not only expats. That being said, I'll add my expat's positive comments about my life in Volcan. It is stress free? Nope, especially with 18 rescued dogs. But despite that and the lack of 24/7 "conveniences," my life here is less stressful than it was in the US. Jim is unique in that he knows how to build/fix almost anything. Many people, including a lot of men, don't. I attribute my relative ease of life in Volcan to my employee, who does know how to build/fix almost anything, plus he does a lot in caring for my dogs. Without him, though, I'd have to change my lifestyle a LOT. In the US, I had to depend on electricians, plumbers, people for car servicing and repairs, gardeners, (all VERY expensive) etc., and no matter how highly their work had been recommended, the work often turned out to be incompetent; therefore back to more hassle and expensive do-overs--if in fact they hadn't ruined what they had "fixed." (I've had more competent car servicing and repairs right here in Chiriqui--not to mention much less expensive!) Plus expensive and time consuming permits for everything in the US, practically even to breathe. So many laws against everything that people can unknowingly break the law every day. Too much government control. "Legal system" no more honest than in Panama. (The "fixed" system is just less apparent than in Panama, but anyone who is aware of how the system actually works knows the truth.) I bought an old Panamanian house within two months of arriving here and began the frustrating process of enlarging and updating it. (I've never regretted it, and my house and location are perfect for my lifestyle.) Yes, that was stressful. But I've never had a contractor anywhere that I didn't want to kill, and boy does that include in the US! Well, I could go on, but my point is I wouldn't trade my life in Volcan for anything, and this is the best time in my life, ever.

Sorry I didn't get back in time to clear up your confusion, Bud. Yes, I was not referring to content being deleted from CL. I never for a minute thought that would happen. I finally did see the rest of the post on Bonnie's link that was not complementary to the Panama "education" system.

Granted I didn't spend a lot of time but I couldn't find the message you copied. I wouldn't be surprised it it was deleted.

On May 21st, Dr. Tello sterilzed 23 dogs and 13 cats. Of the dogs, 19 were female and 4 were male. Of the cats, 6 were female and 7 were male. This brings our total of dogs and cats sterilized to 3,921. http://spaypanama-chiriqui.org/105th.html We are very fortunate to have such a skilled and compassionate veterinarian as Dr. Andres Tello! He is the best veterinarian I have ever known--anywhere. Dr. Tello also performed several examinations, removed two tumors, and performed a complicated surgery to remove an enormous ear hematoma. Sara Cotton brought this neighborhood dog (already spayed). Sara will give the dog the necessary treatment after the surgery. Sara has brought several dogs from her neighborhood to be sterilized and paid for the surgeries herself. Bless you, Sara! Regarding clinic costs: Now most (but not all) clients are able to pay $25 per dog and $15 per cat. However, costs still exceed income. Dr. Tello is the only one who is paid, but there is the cost of anesthesia, medications, supplies, and equipment--and of course rent for the building. The cost of the anesthesia alone is $3.80 per cc. No one is turned away for inability to pay, and we also give some "complimentary" sterilizations of dogs that wander near the clinic. Now we have another potential "mascot" that we want to neuter. Every time I go to the clinic, he accompanies the other local dogs we have sterilized. This one is still afraid of people, but little by little, he is gaining trust. I was recently able to feed him a treat by hand. Probably by the June or July clinic, we will be able to lure him into the clinic building to be neutered. Thanks to generous donations lately, my out-of-pocket expenses have been reduced significantly. (In the past the deficits have sometimes been more than $4,000.) Special thanks to our financial contributors! See the income and expense breakdown for this clinic on the web page. And see the link to the photo album on the web page, too. We had a BIG surprise when Danielle McGrath brought her dog Oscar for teeth cleaning. And she thought two molars would need to be extracted--there was a hole into the gum above two upper molars on each side of Oscar's mouth. But what a surprise! Dr. Tello found a stick embedded crosswise in Oscar's mouth, which created the holes above the teeth into the gum. It had been there for maybe a month and was partially dissolved by saliva. Danielle said Oscar never complains about anything, so she had no idea! Both Oscar and his sister Gracie are very lucky dogs. In November of 2015, I rescued the two puppies that were only about four weeks of age. Danielle adopted them both and they have a very good home. Our next clinic will be on June 18, 2017. Please call for an appointment right away. The clinics fill up rapidly. As always, many thanks to Dr. Tello, our volunteers, those who bring their animals to be sterilized, and everyone who contributes, whether financially or otherwise. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Dottie

Great job, Ruby and crew!

Does anyone know if Organica in Boquete has coarse pink Himalayan salt? Thanks.

Can anyone find contact information for Fatima Sánchez Marciaga? I'd like to contact her about the fact that the corredigor(s) here don't know the law (I always have to take a copy to them and read the applicable paragraphs to them), that filing a denuncia is a time consuming hassle, and the fines and penalties are not enforced. The situation is ridiculous!

There would no doubt be more reports if the proper officials knew the law!--and would act on the law. Filing a denuncia is a big time and hassle commitment.

What a sweet response, Marcelyn and Bud. Thank you!

ToDo lists are never complete!

Very well said. And life is not stress free even in one's country of origin. People who thrive after a move "abroad" are those who adapt quickly to change and view the move as an adventure and opportunity to learn. Others? Well, the stress is too much and they return to their country of origin at an enormous cost, as Brundageba said. When I moved to Volcan 13 years ago and began the enlarging and extensive remodeling of an old Panamanian house, I had never lived in such "primitive" conditions in my life. The work took at least two years. And the growth of Volcan and conveniences that exist today did not back then. Yes, there were some stressful times (still are), but it was an adventure (still is) and I never regretted moving here. I'm still very grateful for my life here in Volcan. And a learning experience? One thing I've developed here is a LOT of patience! I have a wonderful employee and although I pay him very well, no way could I pay someone in the US to do what all he does. Then there is my beloved family of 18 dogs (okay, okay, sometimes they are stressful) and my work with the spay/neuter clinics. With the clinics and the rescue of dogs, I have found my true purpose in life. I would never have found that in the US. I have learned so much about care and treatment of dogs through the years that I and my employee often help people with injuries and illnesses of their own dogs. Right now is the best time in my life, ever. Too bad that some people swallow the rose-colored claims by the hucksters. One size indeed does not fit all.