The Bean is back

09/18/2015 Yes, Frito Bean was returned to us, well actually Bill went to get her. The people who adopted her didn’t feel she barked enough. Seems that someone stole her food dish off the porch while she was there and she didn’t bark. I don’t know if she barked or not, all I know is she must not have felt at home yet. Whatever the reason, Bill went to get her on Monday and she cried like a baby when she saw him pull up. Obviously she is happy enough being here, even if she is separated from the others and we’ll just keep it like that, if she’s happy, we’re happy. And, we’re back to 6 dogs. YAY.

Tuesday was Independence day in Honduras. There were parades and marching bands from all of the schools out in full force, clogging the already clogged up roads. It’s really kind of insane that they march on the main streets, as there are no other roads, not an alternate route and traffic is stopped. What if there were a fire in one of the old wooden buildings in downtown Coxen Hole and the streets were filled with thousands of people, I don’t know what they would do. The whole block would be gone in minutes. I guess that’s how they do things here.

The parade was to be over at 11 so I planned to pick up a friend and meet some other friends at a specific location downtown. Marilyn got to my house around 10 and we left for Coxen Hole, not knowing whether we would be stopped for a parade or not. We encountered no parades (if I had not allowed time for them we would certainly positively have been stuck in one) and made it to Eldon’s where I was meeting Lauren.

Lauren is a new friend I met on Facebook. She posted that she needed to buy a cat scratching post. I told her she would not find one here but my husband could make her one. I’m so good at volunteering him for things. Well, the cat scratch pole was a challenge, but he was up for it. She wanted it 3′ high and weighted and covered with sisal rope. The only place we could find sisal was ACE and it was .25 a foot.

Lauren and I became friends on FB and through messenger I invited her to the all consuming craziness that is a Honduran celebration of any type. I said I would pick her up at Eldon’s grocery store. We met there and I drove into town so we could park (hahahaha) and meet Chris and Shannon and their kids for the Children’s Celebration. {I met Chris and Shannon on FB and was at the airport to greet them the day they moved here.}

We drove down the main street and the closer we got the more impossibly ridiculous it looked. Most of the cars in front of me were doing 19 point turns in the middle of the 2 lane road with cars assaulting you from every angle. I followed suit. I ORIGINALLY planned to meet Chris and Shannon at the parking lot across from Carrion; however, you could not get within 20′ of the entrance. I turned around and went to a small parking lot by a sort of hardware store. There was a dirt road alongside the building and we wondered if it might take us where we wanted to be. It did not, however it took us to a dead freaking end with no place to turn around. My option was backing up with a 3′ drop off on my left and buildings on my right on a quasi dirt path. Those who know me know that backing up is not my forte’. Garage doors, tractors, etc. I made it back to the original spot and parked the car to go talk to a guy on the other side of the fence. He spoke English and was very nice, he said I could park there and he would keep an eye on the car. We gave him a few bucks and set out for town. I was carrying 2~ 30 packs of raw eggs and 12 big spoons. Once we got into the crazy crowds, I reached for my phone to call Shannon and realized I had left it in my car, WAY back there through the crowds. DAMN. We watched a few marching bands as we pushed and shoved our way through the crowds, I really enjoy watching them, except when in the hot sun surrounded by 300,000 other people. The kids were in full dress uniforms, long sleeves, long pants, hats, capes and gloves. Sweat much??

Click here to watch the bands and pay close attention to the kids moving, they are into the rhythm.

We walked down to the lot where the Children’s Celebration was to be held with a quick stop off so I could hug Miss Catherine (Daine’s Mom). We found the lot where the party was to be but it was locked and there was nobody around. I left my eggs with Marilyn and Lauren and I walked back to my car so I could get my phone to call Shannon. Lauren was hot and not being used to the insanity of these things, she was ready to grab her cat scratch pole and get a cab home. After I tried to return Shannon’s missed call, I decided to move my car closer to the party; except the lot I was going to park in was all of a sudden closed. I thought I was screwed until I found a spot across from Woods Clinic in a small lot. I had seen Nidia on the way to get my car so I knew things were happening soon. When I got to the lot they were setting up tables and starting to put the sandals and toys and gifts out for the kids.

She had all the kids line up before we started any of the activities. What she really was doing was PUMPING THEM UP. And it worked.

They did a foot race, literally, one guy ran in his bare feet and another in his socks. We had traffic blocked off (again, on the main road).

After the races we moved the crowd inside the parking lot and had some other contests there. First they did a spaghetti eating contest. The plates were heaped with spaghetti in tomato sauce.

Next up was the chugging contest with a 1/2 liter bottle of warm Pepsi. The boys all got up on stage and once Nidia blew the whistle, they started chugging. Some of them started coughing and had it coming out their noses, some were burping while others were pacing it, not guzzling. One boy got a little carried away and puked all over the stage and on the kids standing right up front. It was so gross. Obviously, he lost.

We were going to leave after this but the Plat Pole was going to be next so we stayed so Marilyn could see it (and of course, I wanted to watch it again).

We didn’t stay for the whole plat pole dance because Marilyn’s car was at my house, from there she had to drive to Oak Ridge and then jump in her boat to get home. I was hoping to have her make the trip while it was still light out, but, this is Roatan and that didn’t happen. We had smooth sailing until we got to Los Fuertes, right before the BIP gas station traffic came to a STOP. We barely moved for 45 minutes. I asked some guys passing by what was going on and they said marching band. Just when you least expect it…foiled again. It was dark by the time we got to our house. I was so exhausted all I wanted to do was shower and go to bed!

The guys have been here working on the roof rails so someone had to be here to put the dogs in or out, it’s been a week of sticking close to home. Wednesday morning I was meeting Brenda and Toni to pick up the stuff that Helping Paws Across Borders left here. I got to BJ’s around 8:30. Once we had my car loaded and I mean loaded, it was packed so full that only the 2 front seats were open. Brenda got in and Toni squeezed on her lap with his head out the window. We drove like that to my house so we could unload all of the stuff. Then the 3 of us went to town. She had to get paperwork from Doc C, go to Carniagro and Eldon’s. After Eldon’s they were going to Bojangles for one last time. I had milk, eggs and cheese in my car so I decided to come on home and they would taxi it back to their boat. I’m sad because they are moving back to Germany, I’m really going to miss them. Vet clinics won’t be the same without them.

They stopped the next day on their way to the ferry to give me one last bag and to say our final goodbye. I was crying..

Bill has been working on the cabinets and a security system for the house. The cabinets are finished and hung and now I have much more storage and several empty drawers. Next is the cameras for the security stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dogs have been spending way more time inside and they love it. I’m OK with that except I have to clean the floor everyday, well, I should clean it everyday, but I don’t.

This morning I was going to walk the pups and Frito, one at a time. I attempted to let 1 pup out but 2 managed to scamper outside and run down the driveway and back up, ears blowing in the wind. Bill and I were trying to catch them but they were too busy running. I was just about to grab Barrio when they both went running to the bank along the house. One side is steep but manageable and planted with trees and bananas, the other side is a sharp drop off onto a barbed wire fence and weeds. Gringo hit the weeds and disappeared. I screamed and Bill came running. I got Barrio back inside and went to help Bill rescue Gringo. I could hear him crying and see him but could not get to him. It’s all itch weed and briars and thorns down there. Bill went one way over the bank but couldn’t get to him so he tied a rope around a pillar and lowered himself down over the cliff. Once Gringo saw him he went to him. Bill shoved Gringo up to me and pulled himself up by the rope. Bill immediately went inside to take a shower to get the itch stuff off. I checked Gringo and he wasn’t hurt, no barbed wire cuts or anything. I’ll be so glad when that is fenced off and we can let them out there and not worry about them falling down into the abyss.

Our roof rails are done, finally. Bill went up there with the vacuum and actually cleaned up the metal fragments on the roof. We are looking forward to being able to go up there and watch the sunset tonight, with the dogs. Especially now that we know they can’t fall off.

Next we are having the roof fiber glassed (since it’s flat it will guarantee no leaks) and then the pergola goes up. Bill still has to puppy proof one area because the other night Max jumped right out to the roof and took off running. Not cool Max, not cool at all.

I’m out of here, but let me first say, always WASH the damn knife after you have chopped up a jalapeno. Rinsing it does not remove the hot, therefore the lime you cut for your Dos Equis will be spicy as shit. Lesson learned.