Friday, May 26, 2017
Bachelor Life No More
This was my last week bach’n it on the beach. Heidi will be back Monday. It has been interesting for me being alone in Ecuador for three weeks. I wasn’t sure of what to expect. Would I go crazy from boredom? Would I be sad and depressed? Would I party like an animal?…well I knew the answer to that one. Those days ended when I left college. :-p
Overall it has been a good experience. Plenty of time for me to work on my projects and just hang out with my thoughts. After about 10 days it did become necessary for me to take very long walks on the beach, connect to the world around me. Usually I would end up in Olon, meeting up with friends, or just having lunch on the beach watching the people go by. I am pretty social, so I can only take so much of “my thoughts”. And honestly, some days that place is pretty bizarre. 😉
Best Beach Weather
The weather has been near perfect…whether sunny skies, or rain and cloud cover, windy or calm, but no matter what, never cold. I love living here!
Ecuadorian Boy On The Beach
Beach Wildlife
Some more beach life washed ashore. Another turtle (6 in two weeks), and a pelican. I saw this pelican on one of my walks walking on the beach with a broken wing. It was sad to see because I knew what the end game would be for him. The following day he was food for the vultures. Again, nothing is wasted here.
Beach Wildlife Fatalities
Beach Bounty
Since Heidi has been away I was in charge of making sure things got watered. Her lime tree that Chase and Easton gave her for her birthday last August in Cuenca is flourishing on the coast! It is producing some good size limes. I’m glad I could keep this plant alive, some of the others…not so sure about.
Limes
No Haircut Hassel
I got another haircut.  This time I was able to find the barber in Olon. I knew there must be one here, so I finally asked a local and got directions. Of course Olon is so small, the directions were easy… this street, up 2 blocks, on the left. Sure enough there it was. So in Montanita I paid 6 bucks for the left-sided shelf look on my head, and here it was only 3 bucks and I walked out balanced…well my hair was any way. 😉
Barber Shop in Olon
All Is Good
Everyone is doing well. Chase finished his orientation and training in Seoul Korea today. He begins teaching Monday. Easton has finished mending the net and other prep work, now he waits for fish and game to give the go ahead and then out to sea in Alaska he and the others head. Of course Heidi begins her way back to Ecuador Sunday night, arriving Monday afternoon. It will be nice to have her home.
Chau
HEY TODD, we are happy you survived all this time alone. Not that easy when your wife and both grown sons have gone. I bet you spent some time thinking about all the great times you had with all of them during this past while. The $3 haircut is something to love – John had his hair cut two months ago and it will doesn’t need a cut for another month or so! So glad Heidi will be back Monday – and glad the boys are doing well. You mentioned the weather – has the heat and humidity that we experienced left yet??
We are doing well in Calgary, I am busy planting my veggie garden, and then my thousands (literally) of annuals in pots and hanging baskets. June 14th is my surgery date, so I will have a brand new bionic knee by then. YEAH!!!! I am so happy. HOpefully the constant pain I have had for so long will be replaced by a short term pain from the replacement.
Looking foward to walking your beach, dancing, running, swimming and all the other crazy things I used to do before my knees went caput!
Hugs and Love from John and me in Calgary, Darlene!
Hi Darlene, Happy to hear the updates from you and John in Calgary. Glad the weather is nice so you can plant your garden…and all those flowers :-o. Good luck on your knee surgery! When you’re back in Ecuador we can run on the beach and I’ll try and keep up. Seriously though, what a great operation to give functionality back so you can keep on adventuring! You will do great!!
All the best to you and John!
Todd
I’m happy to have been able to help get you through some of those “tough” times while Heidi’s been gone! It’s good to know she’ll be back next time we meet (probably); her smile and personality add so much to our gatherings!
Thanks Mark…and yeah, she is a hell of a lot easier on the eyes than my mug.