Settling in Our Place

Well, we have been getting settled in pretty well.  We now have a Supermaxi card (a grocery store like Kroger), a Co-op card (an organic food store like Whole Foods--only EXTREMELY cheap--more about that later), a Fybecca (pharmacy) card and a new bank account with Banco Pichincha.  We have also been making some new friends--Mick and Kathy Wesson, Jim and Silene Reed, and George and Carol Evans (California Kitchen) and reconnecting with old friends--Clarke and Brennie Green, and Alberto Ordonez. 

We have been walking around all over town.  Check out some of these pics:

Yet another river (Rio Yanuncay) running through Cuenca.  You always have to carry a jacket if you are going to be out for a while.  It may get colder; it may get warmer; it may rain...

Isn't it beautiful?  Check out those trees.

And we like to sit in Parque Calderon and watch the people go by.  If it is sunny, we sit in the shade.

Last Saturday, there was a special presentation under the pavillon at Parque Calderon.  Some young people were doing some jazz and modern dances to music. The first song that I recognized was "Burlesque" by Christine Aguleira.  I thought it was pretty racy under the circumstances, but the dancers were really good.

My first Mother's Day away from my girls was a little different, although I went to a wonderful church service at Verbo Cuenca (a contemporary Christian church in Cuenca) where they honored mothers just as we have always done at church in Kentucky.  There was one woman who was recognized as having the most children--11!!   She was surrounded by all of her children.  And then they honored the mother with the youngest child in attendance.  Her little baby was only 1 month old! 

And my wonderful husband bought me some flowers for Mother's Day and said they were from my girls.  I told them about it on Facebook and that their dad said that they owed him 1 dollar each for the flowers.  Caitlin said, "what did he buy?  A bunch of weeds?"  I said, "no, take a look at the picture.."

Aren't they pretty?  For only 2 dollars!!  Pat said that it wasn't exactly the Rhapsody bouquet from Kroger (which is what I usually got), but I was very happy with them.  Plus, the red rose actually smelled and opened up like a rose is supposed to do.

And then on Mother's Day night, we had a wonderful home cooked meal with Mick and Kathy Wesson and some other friends that they invited.  Kathy is an AWESOME cook!!  We even had homemade rolls.  I don't know how she has learned to do it in this altitude, but she has set the bar pretty high for the rest of us.  I guess when we invite them over, we will just have to order Papa John's pizza!!   You can't go wrong with Papa John's pizza!!

I have not been taking as many pictures as I would like to.  I have either lost my camera charger or forgot to bring it.  I thought I had left it here when we were here before, but I can't find it anywhere.  But I have been making do with my I Phone camera.  I always have my I Phone with me because I have a Spanish language app that I use all the time.  It really comes in handy.

Well, enough for now.  Will post again soon.  Hasta luego!!