4-9 TO 4-16
THURS 4-9 – feel better this morning, finally. I bought some Nighttime Nyquil at the store yesterday and I think along with the antibiotics I got the last time I was sick has helped kick this thing. I will take it easy today one more day, then hopefully I can get back on a schedule tomorrow of getting up early, go for a walk, use the gym, then there is the trading and try to find a kayak tomorrow. I am not going to rent one, by the time I rent one for 4 times, I can buy one. Gina and her Dad John own the boat rental place here, not the only one, but the main one, she will know of a kayak I can borrow for now. Gina is very nice, she has helped me a lot. Her dad is dying of cancer, so she moved back from San Juan to take over the business that has been here in La Parguera for a long time. If she doesn’t know of a kayak available, a guy named Anthony and his Dad Gino owns a bar/restaurant here, they are from New York I think and Anthony should also know somebody with a kayak they are not using. I think they have been here 28 years. He has told me he will do whatever he can to help me.
I am fast getting the impression I am a bit of abnormality here, not because of being an American by any means, but it is my age and my health, the shape I am in. Most guys my age don’t make this kind of life style change. Also, the Puerto Rican’s don’t age well. Hard life for most of them. This country is in a huge recession, the economy is in a very steep decline, things are just falling apart.
There is an abundance of things that can keep me busy. I will just have to have the patience to get things together and let it all just happen. There will be kayaking, paddle boarding, boating and fishing, going to the beach, utilizing the pool, walks, working out in the gym, biking (the doc bikes 3 days a week) golfing down the road, obviously sightseeing around the island to include the interior/the rain forest areas. On top of just plain relaxing and reading. Reading is going to be an issue until I can find an outlet for books in English. Wished I would have thought ahead and brought some with me.
Until I can accumulate some more cash, I will not need to buy a rig. I can go to Lajas with the Doc numerous times a week, and can walk to town easily, there is a small Pharmacy and the grocery store is more than adequate. There is a Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Sam’s and everything else imaginable in Lajas or the major town just another 15 miles away.
FRI 4-10 – Another long day with this infection I have got. It seems to have dissipated from my head but has settled in my chest. It is not in my lungs, or I would be very worried. I hope tomorrow I start to see some relief. I did spend time at the pool again. I even found the energy to clean the little work out room that is under the Gazebo next to the pool. It has a stationary bike, a treadmill and a lift weight. It is obvious that nobody has used them for quite some time. Got those all cleaned and the room itself clean. I hope the first part of next week I can put them into my daily routine, if not every other day.
Absolutely nobody around today here at the apartment building. It is like I have the entire place to myself and this is turning in to be more than I could have hoped for. Tito did call to make sure I was alright when he got home while I was down town, but he was not here when I got back. I did walk down town to get some more juice, Nyquil and to seek Gena and Anthony out concerning books and kayaks. Gena said she will put a box of books together for me. Anthony was drunk, said he would get me some books, but never did. He did manage to introduce me to a guy named Shane, a Vet who has been here for 3 years. He said he has a double/2 single kayaks I can use anytime I want. He also has several sets of snorkeling gear that I can take a set and use. He has gotten heavy, drinks too much beer and has bad knees so he doesn’t use any of that stuff at all. Probably just end up giving him a few bucks for the double kayak and the snorkeling gear, or it wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t just give the stuff to me.
I go to bed early and have been sleeping very well, but wake up very early, which is good, because come Monday I am going to get up and start to view the market and see if I can’t make some headway. After all, it is one of the reasons I came here. The 3 hours difference is a big deal.
Quick story. While I was down seeing Gena, I was standing there talking to her and a couple of the local “boys†who work for her, a Morning Dove came and landed on my Left Hand that I had up on a piece of wood attached to their little “Boat Houseâ€. I showed no surprise at all and this Dove set there and talked to me and let me rub its throat. They were all in shock. Each and every one of them said it was a “good signâ€. I think it was good for me for them to see that. It won’t take every one here locally to catch on that I am different. The fact that I am the age I am, in the shape I am, don’t drink, a vet, and will be as active as I plan on being, it won’t take me long to integrate and be respected.
I need to figure out how to get somehow involved locally from a positive stand point, but not have to make any kind of commitment. I know this community could sure use some “civic pride”. A lot of garbage laying around, no good reason for it.
I also have the name and phone number of a guy whose name is Manuel/nick name for the Seven Seas who will take me fishing and teach me the ins and outs of that.
SAT 4-11 – .Tito and I went Lajas early about 7:30 to meet with his attorney to get the 6 month lease signed. Everything done down here remotely business wise is done by an attorney. Once that was done, he accepted the 1st month’s rent, wouldn’t take it until the paperwork was done. He did however take 1 months deposit the first day.
He showed me a building he owns, where his office is. We stopped and got a subway sandwich. He eats pretty much like I do, we are alike in a lot of ways, and guess that is why we hit it off and we get along so well. Looks like I will pretty much take care of the pool, since I am the only one back there using it. He never does use it.
This infection is still driving me slowly crazy. It is in my breath way in my chest. It is not in my lungs, I can get a full set of air in the lungs. Weird situation, but I know I can’t wait for it to disappear. The rest of Saturday was spent at the pool, I did go down and get some books from Gina, some good ones actually. I also went by and looked at the Kayak Shane is going to let me use.
SUN 4-12 – Not much today. I didn’t go to town. I try to walk down town at the end of at least every other day, get what I need, even if it is a couple of fresh bananas. I did put a bouquet together of flowers from around the pool.
4-13 MON – .. Another tough day at the pool, try to do a Smoothie at least once a day. Because of the weather one has a tendency to not eat a lot. So try to do cereal for breakfast, (although I have had ham/eggs/hash browns a couple of times), then something simple for dinner. Last night was a small half of small ribs/2 small corn on the cob and a small Cesare, with cold milk. I drink a lot of juice. Tonight will just be some lettuce, sliced tomatoes and fresh piece of pineapple.
Cam I hope is sending a guy in Portland money today, who is going to ship me a “cart†for the kayak, hope to get it within 2 weeks, then I can go out on the water. I found a place today right at the bottom of the hill I can put it. I don’t think it will be too difficult for me to bring it back up the hill to the apartment compound where it will be safe because it is all in a locked gate system.
4-14 TUES – I am really struggling with this infection. I have to be careful when I cough, or try to cough, it is so difficult it makes me dizzy. Tito has caught it also, which makes me think it is contagious, for what other reason would he have gotten it? We did spend quite a bit of time together in his small Mazda truck the first week, him helping me get things squared away.
There is also some anxiety, quite a bit actually, do not know if it is depression or what. I am spending way too much time dwelling on the past in a negative way and worrying about the future, which obviously none of us have any control over. It is a common trait as we get older to do so. In fact I believe it is probably one of the biggest emotional/physical health factors in a negative way one can deal with. I get angry at just knowing I am getting older. It is frustrating and I am sure I am not alone in feeling this way. It probably also doesn’t help that I have isolated myself to a certain degree, but I don’t see to many other guys around who have made this sort of move and this move is going to be a healthy one and a good one.
I am also not accepting this situation with Debbie. It is becoming a burden I can’t shake and it is not healthy in any way.
One thing I have going for me, is short of the prostrate situation I am very healthy and am going to stay active one way or the other. Once I get the cart for the Kayak that is going to help. Cam did confirm he sent the money to the guy in
Portland on Monday. I am also going to find a small fishing boat. There are literally scores of boats sitting around nobody is using/w motors and nobody probably ever well. Sooner than later.
4-15 WENS – – Tax day and have made several attempts to reach Giancarlo there in Bend on the LLC final filing and the personal 2014. He/his office is not very good at communicating. Hope he has remembered to file an extension. Just another pool day, which so far is not creating a lot of stress for me. With me not being well anywhere close to 100% it is just as well I am taking it easy. I did go for a long walk this morning early a good 4/5 miles. Also walked to town this afternoon late and got a haircut and got a few things from the grocery store. Heard from Cam today, he was checking on me. Had a good dinner and believe I am feeling better, tomorrow morning should be the beginning I hope.
4-16 THUR – .I had to go to the Doc today/had Tito take me. Cost money I really don’t have. Have no idea if it is going to do any good or not, got another prescription and of course had to pay the Doc. Tough in so many ways. When I got back, I did go get the Kayak, since now the cart’s arrival date is 5/1, which is almost 2 ½ weeks to get here from Portland, OR. Hard to believe. I found a place to lock it up, store it at the closest boat dock, guy and his son run it, so that helps. I hope Tito can take me to Wal Mart tomorrow night so I can get a list of things to be able to use the kayak safely and stay out overnight. Haven’t heard from Giancarlo on the taxes so have to assume he in fact did file extensions.
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