STUFF

I was sent this video the other day and thought it was worth while to send out to my friends. My kids also got a lot out of this video. Syd is studying China and Josh just finished a science module on our worlds wastes. It is 21 minutes long, relavant and well worth the time.

http://storyofstuff.com/

Until I blog again.
Linda

COMPLETED COUCH

Here is our completed couch. Not perfect, but very cozy and comfortable. We all fight for the lounging section! In life I have learned a few things: Love and laugh often, pick your battles wisely and lower expectations. Linda's survival guide!

ANOTHER VISITOR

We were having a nice quiet home schooling morning when we all suddenly heard a loud buzzing. This is not unusually as the flying creatures here can be very loud and very large and we have our doors constantly open to let the fresh air in. This is what we saw:

Because they use up so much energy to fuel wing flapping up to 80 flaps a second, they need to eat every 20 minutes. This poor bird was tiring quickly. He finally flew out the door and crash landed on our front lawn.

We all quickly ran down our stairs and secured our dog. He would have had a great time playing with this bird! It is not often you see a hummingbird this still.

We picked up the bird in a cloth and hand fed him some sugar water.

After a few minutes of refueling, the hummingbird flew away. What an exciting morning! How often does someone get to hold a hummingbird?

Hummingbird Facts and Information

The rapid beating of the hummingbirds wings (60 to 80 beats per second) makes the distinctive humming sound from which they get their name.

The hummingbird is the smallest bird and also the smallest of all animals that have a backbone.

They have no sense of smell.

Because they can rotate their wings in a circle, they are the only bird that can fly forwards, backwards, up, down ,sideways and hover in mid air.

To conserve energy while they sleep or when food is scarce, they can go into a hibernation-like state (torpor) where their metabolic rate is slowed to 1/15th of its normal rate.

During migration, some hummingbirds make a non-stop 500 mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico.

During courtship dives they can reach speeds up to 60 miles per hour and can average speeds of 20 to 30 miles per hour.

They are the second largest family of birds with 343 species.

They can beat their wings up to 80 times a second during normal flight and up to 200 times per second during a courtship dive.

Their heart rate can reach up to 1,260 beats per minute.

Percentage wise, the hummingbird has the largest brain of all birds (4.2% of its total body weight).

Hummingbirds have very weak feet and use them mainly just for perching

There is your class on hummingbirds. By the way, the gecko is still alive. Back to school!

Until I blog again

VISITOR

On the long walk to home school, ie from the kitchen to upstairs, Josh and I noticed a wee gecko stuck in a spiders web. Being the kind souls we are, we rescued him and put him in a safe place while he heals. His tail and one of his limbs looks like it might fall off. He has changed color around 3 times, and yet still is alive at the end of the day.

So cool.

Until I blog again.

Linda

CUSTOM COUCH

I have been complaining about the couches we have in our rental house. Finally after 9 months of trying to be thankful in all things, including couches that give me sciatic pain, I could stand it no more. I tried to be grateful, but I am just not that spiritual. I told Paul I really wanted new couches so the kids and I could cuddle while reading or watching TV. We also have lots people over for supper. I love having people lounge around my place chatting, but the couches we had were not comfortable and the pillows kept slipping. Paul, being the wonderful husband he is, gave me the go a head to get couches. This was a big decision, we do not have a regular income and this was going to be a big bill.

Finding couches here in Panama is a challenge. I either found something that was "OK" for $700-1200, or something I really liked, but didn't love for $2000. I just could not spend that much money on something I did not love. I decided to get a custom couch built. A brave thing to do. I drew a picture of what I wanted complete with measurements, took pictures of a couch that was similar to the one I wanted and headed off to David to see who I could find to make this couch. I managed to find a fabric store that had a guy who told me "no problemo Linda" when asked if he could make me this couch. I got a quote 3 hours later and gave "Jose" the go ahead to make the couch. Simple enough, no? But wait. I had to go into the store to show him which fabric I wanted. A beautiful chocolate micro fibre fabric called my name. A day later I get a call, not enough fabric. I ask if he could order some. Jose says no. I ask if he could call Panama City to see if another store might have some extra fabric, he says no. I ask if there is another fabric store here in David he could call, he says no. I ask where the other fabric stores are so I can go and look for myself, and he tells me how will not do the job unless I use his fabric from his store. I am thinking "Work with me man!" and he doesn't seem to be wanting the business, so I cancel the job. What to do. I suppose I could go to Panama City, but then I would have to factor the cost of travel, transport of me and a couch and hotel into the cost. That adds up. I think about it for a few days and decide to go a head with the couch from Jose, I will do 2 separate fabrics, same color, different texture. Not ideal, but I live in Central America, I have really lowered my expectations and I really want something comfortable to sit on. I go back to the store. Jose sees me and rolls his eyes. Not sure what that was about. I speak with Jose and chose a second fabric to make the back cushions with. I give Jose a deposit of 1/2 the cost and I leave feeling nervous, concerned and even a bit confused about the rolling eyes.

3 days later I get a call. Amazingly Jose has found more material, do I want the entire couch in the same fabric I originally wanted. "SI!" I scream. He tells me it will be ready in a few days.

Sure enough, a few days later, I get the call. The couch is ready. We arrange for pick up with a friends truck for the next day. The next day Paul and I are driven to a huge warehouse that looks like a cemetery for dead furnishings. But there in the corner is my couch. The only thing that is intact in this place. It looks nice from a far. We walk closer, not bad, then closer. We notice a few things that need to be fixed, "No problemo Linda" We load up the couches, minus a cushion that needs to be fixed and head home. We call the kids and tell them to open the gate as we pull into our street, well our gravel road, because the rains start falling. We unload the couches, which are incredibly heavy and realize we might not be able to get them into the house. We measure and hum and haw, and finally twist, and squish and push them through the door. I am feeling like these couches are getting in if I have to rip out the door jam out myself. We set them up and realize they are high, I mean really high. 25 inches high. The kids have to run and jump to get up on them, and I have tall children. Both Paul and my feet do not touch the ground when we sit on it! This is a problem, we have short friends. I had asked for 18-20 inches in height, but I did not write it on the paper I gave Jose. That was a mistake. We also notice a few other discrepancies. The couch does not have any 90 degree angles. Everything is just a bit off, but it is a solid structure.

The next day we load up the pillows and ask Jose to take 2 1/2 inches of height off the cushions. We replace the feet with shorter feet which lowers it a bit more. We pick up the altered cushions yet again and bring them home. The height is way better, then we notice this:

:

The cushions are way off. At least the height is great now. We are getting close to a properly finished product. Another trip to David, loaded with photos, measurements and even video. We bring the cushions home after a third alteration. Still not quite right. Now, only one cushion needs to be made around 1 inch smaller. Another trip is planned this week. So we really have a custom couch. There is not a couch like this in the entire world.

Are you exhausted from reading this? People ask me how I spend my free time. This gives you a glimpse into how something that should be simple is not. Living in Panama is usually really great, that is until you try to get something done.

Please don't ask me about our car repair from the accident I had in May. We are still driving a car that is being held together with duct tape and has a huge dent on one side. We are waiting for the other insurance company to pay for the repairs. When or even if it happens, who knows. Ah the day in the life of the Days.

Until I blog again.

Linda

SATURDAY FUN, SUNDAY PAIN

Last Saturday, a friend of ours had his 8th birthday party. The party was held at a pool/waterside place located further up the mountain. We all arrived with our kids, presents, sweaters and bathingsuits knowing it would be way too cold or/and rainy for the kids to be in the pool and use the waterslides. The kids, however had a blast. For 5 hours, they swam , slide and ate while the parents sat poolside in their wool sweaters chatting. The party lasted all day and by the time we got home, the kids were all exhausted and fell into bed early. The next morning I realized just how much sun my children really got, even thought there was thick cloud cover and even some periods of rain. Syd got the worse of it. She has such sensitive skin. I texted all the other mothers, and all the kids were burnt to a crisp. Talk about mother guilt! Syd's nose was blistered and her back was so painful. I actually had to keep her home from school for 3 days because she had open oozing wounds on her nose. It was not a pretty sight.

Besides the fact that they all burned, the kids had a riot. A great day of memories.

Sydney has a new friend here in Panama. Her name is Caroline. Here she is below with Alanya. The three of them have such a great time together. It does my heart good to see Sydney have such dear friends to grow up with.

Sydney, Caroline and Alanya

Caroline on the waterslide.

Until I blog again.
Linda