Instead of feeling really sad that we only have two more weeks left here in paradise, I am trying to chant the above mantra. Many people would be completely jazzed to have two weeks here. So, I will be happy to have had the opportunity, two more weeks to go and the knowledge that I will return in December. Ah, that's better... :)
So what's been cooking since my last post a week ago? Let's see, Saturday we had our usual dinner with Pam and Ted. I made grilled tilapia, mashed potatoes and Greek green beans with tomatoes and mint. Ted was in heaven; he loves mashed potatoes. Sunday was quiet. Monday I met Lorna at the Visitor's Center at the bottom of the hill. I decided to walk down (about 4 km) - boy did my hips feel it the next day! I like Lorna a lot. I was sorry to have to break the news to her that Viviane was not as receptive as she seemed at the end of the last meeting. Lorna was hoping to continue with the group to conduct some workshops, but I told her at our meeting that I didn't think that was going to happen based on a flurry of emails I had been receiving from Viviane. My suspicions were confirmed when I went to the group the next day and discovered that Viviane had no intention of allowing this to happen. When I arrived for the meeting on Tuesday Viviane said that she had received an email from Lorna saying that she would not be returning. I don't know what Lorna's email said (because I did not see it myself and Lorna did not tell me herself), so I'm not sure, but the bottom line is Viviane and Lorna have two completely different formats in mind. I still hope to connect with Lorna when I return next winter. She is a smart, dynamic, loving person with, I believe, great intentions and ideas. I almost didn't return to the Blue Sky group myself, but Dan encouraged me to do so, and Viviane said she wanted to talk to me before the meeting, so I thought, "Okay, what the heck, maybe I can do some good." I was having lunch with Jane Derry and Pam at LaPosada (the meeting site) just prior to the meeting. Jane has also decided to take a pass on the meetings - not her thing either. We saw Viviane arriving, and as Jane was leaving, she turned to me and said, "She brought John Earle!" John Earle is a local guy (don't know him) who told Viviane she is doing everything exactly right with the group. So, I'm thinking, okay, she brought him to set me straight. Anyhow... turned out it was not John Earle but one of the women from the group. Jane sent me an email later and said she laughed all the way home. It was pretty funny. So, this session went much more calmly. I was surprised when Viviane asked me to read again from a New Earth. This time I chose a much more benign entry: Stillness. A very good discussion followed, but I had to smile when Karin, an 85-year-old, German, retired religion teacher, tapped me on the thigh and said, "It's not that simple, Honey. We must think of salvation." I just smiled and said, "Okay." But I noticed at the end of the session, she had copied down the title as well as The Power of Now.
Yesterday I drove into town with Pam and Ted to do a little grocery shopping and buy our tickets for the jazz festival. The jazz festival is a big deal for Boquete. The town is completely filled up. The festival runs Thursday through Sunday. Dan and I are going to go Friday night and Sunday. I have no idea who will be there, but I'll fill you in next time and try to get some good photos. Last night Pam and Ted made burgers and fries. The burgers were so huge - I really did not need to eat a whole one, but I did. I sent her an email last night and told her that I thought I had to sleep standing up. I did sleep well though... lying down.
I studied most of the day today, and Dan hiked with Pia. He was gone for a good five hours. Pia really gives him a run for his money. She's very fit and game for anything. We walked up to see her little rental house yesterday (beautiful 2-bedroom and only $650) and she told us that she had just returned from doing a zip-line trek. She went with another woman who got all geared up and then just before they were supposed to start, her friend took off, so Pia was on her own. She said the first two zips were kind of scary, but the other 11 were fine. I'll pass. Maybe I'll be more brave when I'm her age.
So what's been cooking since my last post a week ago? Let's see, Saturday we had our usual dinner with Pam and Ted. I made grilled tilapia, mashed potatoes and Greek green beans with tomatoes and mint. Ted was in heaven; he loves mashed potatoes. Sunday was quiet. Monday I met Lorna at the Visitor's Center at the bottom of the hill. I decided to walk down (about 4 km) - boy did my hips feel it the next day! I like Lorna a lot. I was sorry to have to break the news to her that Viviane was not as receptive as she seemed at the end of the last meeting. Lorna was hoping to continue with the group to conduct some workshops, but I told her at our meeting that I didn't think that was going to happen based on a flurry of emails I had been receiving from Viviane. My suspicions were confirmed when I went to the group the next day and discovered that Viviane had no intention of allowing this to happen. When I arrived for the meeting on Tuesday Viviane said that she had received an email from Lorna saying that she would not be returning. I don't know what Lorna's email said (because I did not see it myself and Lorna did not tell me herself), so I'm not sure, but the bottom line is Viviane and Lorna have two completely different formats in mind. I still hope to connect with Lorna when I return next winter. She is a smart, dynamic, loving person with, I believe, great intentions and ideas. I almost didn't return to the Blue Sky group myself, but Dan encouraged me to do so, and Viviane said she wanted to talk to me before the meeting, so I thought, "Okay, what the heck, maybe I can do some good." I was having lunch with Jane Derry and Pam at LaPosada (the meeting site) just prior to the meeting. Jane has also decided to take a pass on the meetings - not her thing either. We saw Viviane arriving, and as Jane was leaving, she turned to me and said, "She brought John Earle!" John Earle is a local guy (don't know him) who told Viviane she is doing everything exactly right with the group. So, I'm thinking, okay, she brought him to set me straight. Anyhow... turned out it was not John Earle but one of the women from the group. Jane sent me an email later and said she laughed all the way home. It was pretty funny. So, this session went much more calmly. I was surprised when Viviane asked me to read again from a New Earth. This time I chose a much more benign entry: Stillness. A very good discussion followed, but I had to smile when Karin, an 85-year-old, German, retired religion teacher, tapped me on the thigh and said, "It's not that simple, Honey. We must think of salvation." I just smiled and said, "Okay." But I noticed at the end of the session, she had copied down the title as well as The Power of Now.
Yesterday I drove into town with Pam and Ted to do a little grocery shopping and buy our tickets for the jazz festival. The jazz festival is a big deal for Boquete. The town is completely filled up. The festival runs Thursday through Sunday. Dan and I are going to go Friday night and Sunday. I have no idea who will be there, but I'll fill you in next time and try to get some good photos. Last night Pam and Ted made burgers and fries. The burgers were so huge - I really did not need to eat a whole one, but I did. I sent her an email last night and told her that I thought I had to sleep standing up. I did sleep well though... lying down.
I studied most of the day today, and Dan hiked with Pia. He was gone for a good five hours. Pia really gives him a run for his money. She's very fit and game for anything. We walked up to see her little rental house yesterday (beautiful 2-bedroom and only $650) and she told us that she had just returned from doing a zip-line trek. She went with another woman who got all geared up and then just before they were supposed to start, her friend took off, so Pia was on her own. She said the first two zips were kind of scary, but the other 11 were fine. I'll pass. Maybe I'll be more brave when I'm her age.