Day Reckoning

Wife and I

The day has come so many of my frozen compatriots up in New England have longed for. My next post will be from the frozen north. Today I must abandon the beach front condo in preparation for the return north tomorrow  to join them in their misery. Since my wife’s cousin left my wife and I have had the entire condo complex to ourselves which felt like a bit of conspicuous consumption but I can mollify my conscience by reminding myself the Boston temperatures will be in single digits when I arrive. I had a late night battle with two invading crickets that decided to serenade us around 2:30am. I launched an overwhelming chemical and flip flop attack which decided the conflict in no uncertain terms.

First Friday Yesterday

We spent the entire day bouncing between the surf and the pool as I tried to wring every last moment possible out of the waning days of this incredible vacation. It was the First Friday of the week so I sent the obligatory photo of my location back to my compatriots at work. I think they all hate me now. We wandered over to the Show Pony Hotel since the First Friday of the Week should involve a modicum of bar time to be properly observed. We also received a bunch of photos from the visit last week of the Worcester chapter of the Panamanian Mafia which featured some stirring action shots. In deference to the tropical sun I’ve taken to wearing a t-shirt and hat when I’m boogie boarding – it’s kept the burn to a minimum. I’ll have to invest in one of those new swim shirts for next year.

Visitors Last Week

My Favorite Panamanian Riding a Wave

A Less Successful Gringo Effort

I really like the mornings here when I walk out onto the quiet beach which I usually have all to myself. Panama boasts an incredible variety of wildlife – especially birds. I’ve already written about my morning nods to the surf skimming pelicans but there are hundreds of other varieties as well. There’s usually a huge flock strutting around the surf line digging up shell fish. I have to almost apologetically wade through them to get to the water for my morning boogie board sessions. It’s so cool when the entire flock bursts into the air when I get near them.

Over 50 Pelicans in Flgiht

Morning Walk to the Surf

Evacuation Starts

They Don't Go Far

I’ll need the relaxation I’ve stored up over the past two weeks for my return to work. Yet another key manager has decided to move on and another has been hospitalized over the past week. This could be a good thing because I don’t think it will give me time to pine for the beach as much. I don’t think they’ll sport sunsets like these though. I sent this view to my daughter last evening only to discover she was trapped in a stalled New Jersey commuter train. She hates me now, also. I’m going to miss my Favorite Panamanian most of all, of course. Tomorrow marks the 36^th anniversary of our civil wedding ceremony. 

My Last Las Lajas Sunset for a While

The Bad Cinema project count will remain at #88 out of 100, as I didn’t bring any of them with me.