Daily chores and other tidbits

Monday-11/1/10-Saturday-11/6/10. I have been offline for only 6 days but it seems like a lifetime. I am amazed at how dependant I have become on my laptop. It is truly my lifeline to the outside world.
Then again, there hasn’t been much to blog about. I am in this cute little house a block away from the Pacific Ocean and ½ mile the other way to the highway/buses. My landlord suggested I get a cheap phone with a few minutes just for emergencies. I saw the value in that, so Monday I rode the bus to Coronado (28km) and bought one. I asked the salesperson if this phone would be good in all the countries I was going to visit and he said yes, all I would have to do is take it to a phone repair store and get it unlocked. Ooookayyy. I’m not sure about that but will do as he says. In the meantime, I am covered here in Panama.
I am learning to get along with less and less.
Laundry: In Ecuador, I always had someone who would do my laundry for me. Here I am on my own. Good thing I grew up in the 60’s! I hand wash all my clothes and hang them on the clothesline (remember clothespins?). If they get rained on its ok, it just rinses the soap out better. There is a shower here every day usually in the late afternoon.
Cooking: I have no measuring spoons, a small 2 oz measuring cup, no microwave, no oven and no dishwasher. I have an electric burner and two gas burners, a toaster oven and an outdoor grill (no charcoal). I also have a refrigerator, a sink with running cold water and plenty of dishes, bowls, silverware and pots and pans. I make do. Today I plan to make a pot of spaghetti. Last night I made popcorn in a covered frying pan on top of the burner. Remember those days? Next time I go to the grocery store, I’m going to look for a pan of JiffyPop.
AC: I have a window unit in the bedroom. My landlord said if I run it for 3 hours before bedtime, I will be able to turn it off and run the ceiling fan all night. I don’t think so! I turn the AC on low cool and it stays on all night. I hate being hot when I’m trying to sleep.
Language: I don’t speak Spanish well at all. I try, but I cannot carry on a conversation and can only pick out a word here or there. I study every day, but it’s not coming very fast. The caretaker came over last night and tried to ask me something. I could tell he wasn’t very patient with my inability to understand him, so I got out my Spanish-English Dictionary (really big book that I got at Half-Price Books for $1) and handed it to him. What I finally understood was that he was asking if any cars came to his gate while he was gone. I was able to tell him, without the book that Cable & Wireless had been there. He seemed happy about that and went on his way. I’m a snob and I think everyone should speak English but then I wouldn’t have the opportunity to learn Spanish, would I?
It has rained for three days straight, so I have been stuck in the house. My laundry is on the line getting rinsed off good and if the sun comes out today, they will be dry in a couple hours.
My landlord is coming by today with his brother, who is supposed to provide internet service for me, so hopefully, I will get to post this and be one with the world once more. Yippeee! (Yes, he came but we had to go into town and buy a new sim card but at least it worked and I am back in the world.)