Oh, Where or Where Has My Turtle Gone?

When cruising I have found talented people at most of our stops.  On the Rio Dulce, Jennifer of Gringo Bay, is one such person.  Jennifer can paint on almost anything.  She does passport covers and canvas rugs, and she paints turtle shells.  She also makes belts from snake skins that the locals sell to her and she then sells to the gringos.

So one Saturday morning at Swap Meet, Jennifer had a painted turtle shell.  I bought it and it has lived on boat for over a year.  It is in hot pink and purple colors.  I love the thing and the good news is that it is not an endangered species.  It is just a plain old river fresh water turtle that the locals catch.  I think that they eat them.

Since we are thinking of selling the boat we decided to have Michael take some things back to the RV.  Now we were a little concerned about putting this turtle shell in Micheal's suitcase.  We were concerned that it might get confiscated.  How do you prove it isn't an endangered open ocean turtle.  We couldn't figure that one out so we asked Bob and Trish off SV Barnacle to take it back with them.  Right, they were going to drive to the States from Guatemala.  They agreed and stowed the turtle shell.  We got word that they made it across all the borders without problem.

Not wanting to carry it across the country they were going to ship it to my parents in Tucson.  Michael could pick it up and put it in the RV.

Emails confirmed addresses and phone numbers.  Turtle sent, insured and tracking number sent.  And then it happened.  Tracking site said turtle delivered, however, my parents do not have the turtle.  Emails are sent back and forth.  Unknown to us Bob and Trish are in the wilds of Idaho and do not have INTERNET!

Here is my fathers story:

It's amazing how a simple thing can become a nightmare.

This is the Saga of the Turtle.

I had used the UPS tracking system last Tuesday just to see if I could locate the package. No problem - it indicated that we would receive the package on Thursday the 24th of June.

On Thursday I checked once again and found that everything was on schedule.  worked me shift at the VA on Thursday morning and Mom called Bingo that afternoon and I went to Adoration at Church from 1500 to 1600 hrs.

No package had arrived yet. Just prior to going to bed at 2230 I realized that the package had not been delivered. So I went back to the tracking service and found that the package had been delivered to our front door. Went to check, but did not find a package. Went out to the driveway and looked for it, but no luck. Friday morning I called the office here at Sonoran Terrace to see if the package might have been dropped off there. No such luck.

Call UPS headquarters to see what I could find out. They were adamant that the package had been delivered. When I told them No it had not, they said all I could do was have the shipper submit a lost claim. Not very helpful.

Later on after lunch we got a phone call from a man named Rob who said that he had our package. Wanted to know where we lived and when I told him, all he could say was "Way up there!"  He lives at 730 N La Cholla which is West of the I-10 Interstate and as far South at Speedway. He works for Qwest and got our phone number from them. The package was addressed to 787 N LaCholla Blvd, apt 2188.  He said he would call UPS and have them pick it up and deliver it to our address. I said "NO" and that I would come after it. By the way, there is no such address as 787 N La Cholla Blvd. La Cholla ends about 100 feet from his home and you have to drive in on a dirt path and through a deep wash to get there.  He came out when I got there and showed me where he had found the package. It was out in the road [path] just before the path becomes his driveway. His is the only place there.

Called UPS Headquarters after I got home and convinced them that the package had not been delivered to the front door and that I wanted the driver to be reprimanded and counseled. They said they would check into it and have the local supervisor call me. He did and I explained what had happened. While we were talking the driver returned to the facility and the supervisor told me he would be talking to him.

So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Love, Mom & Dad

And now for page two...I went back and reviewed my emails.  Guess who screwed up?  Yup, it was me.  Got to check for typo's especially when sending an address.


So that is our story.  The Turtle Shell is were it belongs.  As for Bob and Trish...they got all the emails after the story ended.  Thanks again to everyone who helped in this Saga.

We Have the Power

Power (n) 1. the ability or capacity to perform or act effectively 3. strength or force exerted or capable of being exerted; might. 5. a person, group, or nation having influence or control over others. 8. electricity

Just some of the definitions for the word, "Power".  For the last several nights we have not had power or electricity at the marina or along the river.  Weekends are always a little worse as the rich Guatemalans come down to the river and they along with all the gringos turn on lots of devices that need power/electricity.  It over powers the system and well then we all have none.  Power that is.

The ironic thing to me is that most cruisers consider themselves as independent and good stewards of natural resources.  Yet most of us, myself included enjoy having air conditioning on the boat.  I love my computer, my iTouch, the DVD player, the Wii, refrigeration, a vacuum cleaner and the water heater.   Some even have washers and dryers on board.  So when the power goes out we bitch, we complain, and we sometimes point fingers as to the reasons why.

As with most things in life if we look around to see who else may need a resource then perhaps we can adjust our usage, or perceived need of usage.  Do I really need to have the water heater on all the time?  Can I adjust the temperature on the air conditioner?  Can I shorten my shower?

Cooperate and graduate use to be a common phrase.  Perhaps if we all tried that there would be enough power for everyone.

So enough about electricity.  Power can also so mean according to the definition...1. the ability or capacity to perform or act effectively 3. strength or force exerted or capable of being exerted; might. 5. a person, group, or nation having influence or control over others.

After living most of the last 5 1/2 years in Guatemala I have been impressed with the sheer power of the Guatemalan people.  The way they cleaned up after volcano, with wheelbarrows, shovels and hands.  It is impressive to watch people get together and and make a difference.

So it is with a group in the small village of Esmeralda, which lies behind the marina.  There is a group of 45 women who believe in community empowerment and social equity of their natural environment.  They desire to have projects that are sustainable and compatible with the natural environment.  They have joined together with the National Fund for Peace (FONAPAZ) to purchase a corn mill for the community.

This group of women need help in building the galley for the installation of the corn mill.   For this they need 16 sheets of aluminum,  25 sacks of cement, 2 pounds of iron and Q5,000.00 to buy the treated wood.

This is real power.  A small group of women in a small village in Central America taking control and exerting their power to change their corner of the world.  I am pleased to add my name to the cause.

The Clean Up

Guatemala has always had a hold on my heart. From the first time I saw her through the mist on the morning that we crossed the bar she has enchanted me.

The greens of the jungle, the flow of the river, the blue of the sky, and of course the ever changing face of Cerro San Gil. Every morning I am stunned by the beauty of my home on the Rio Dulce.

So the eruption of Pacaya and the the flooding of the Montagua has touched me. As always it is the poor that suffer the most. The drive to Guatemala City allowed us to view from the window of the bus the destruction left after the river overflowed its banks. They are cleaning up and moving forward with their lives.

And so it is in Guatemala City. You see piles and piles of plastic bags full of ash on the streets. But you also see the city cleaning up and putting on her usual face of bustling business.

The sinkhole that has fascinated so many is being examined for explanation. How fortunate that the workers had all gone home and the guard went to check on his home, so there was no loss of life.

So on this sunny morning I can look around the marina and see many changes. Changes in faces and the size of boats. Every year they just keep getting bigger. There are changes in the bar.



New samples of seat covers for the seats. Padding, can you believe it, your butt may not hurt so much. New mural on the bar courtesy of a cruiser with talent.

So we are cleaning up.  Change is good.

Alone Again...Unnaturally

For the first time since we moved on the boat almost ten years ago, Michael and I will be apart.  I can't believe that he will be in the States and I will be here in Guatemala on the boat with only Cynthia.

Part of me is looking forward to not listening to Fox News as I sleep and spreading out in the V-berth, the other part of me is not sure that I will be able to sleep.  Part of me is envious that he gets the walk around queen size bed in the motorhome all to himself.  He will now have his TV to fall asleep too.  I won't miss that!

I have lots of projects planned for while he is gone.  Cleaning out lockers and giving them a new coat of paint.  Catching up on Algebra is high on the list of things to do.  Starting once again to go through our stuff and pitch and toss.  That can be a very satisfying exercise, plus you clean out a locker and have SPACE!

I am sure that with internet and phones we will talk daily.  Need to know what is going on with him.  So he takes care of his health issues and I take care of Cynthia's Orthodontist Appointments and we should hook back up in late August or September.  Then a nice long visit in the States together with some serious road time and family visiting.

Pacaya Erupts and Agatha Pays a Visit

Soot and ash on the streets of Guatemala City.  This is in front of the Biltmore Hotel.

Guatemala is certainly getting their fair share of bad weather events.  First Pacaya erupts.   This causes the International Airport to close.  We are not sure when it will open again.  They are talking about next week.  There is 2 inches of soot and ash on the runway.  Reports are the volunteer street sweepers are literally hand sweeping the runways.  That could take some time.  Even when they get it swept up where do they put the stuff?

Now TS Agatha has made landfall on the west coast and has brought life-threatening floods to the country.  Morales a small town close to us is flooding.  The river is higher there than it was during Hurricane Mitch!

We have been asked to have our water tanks on the boat full and to ration water.  The Rio Dulce is on the rise.  Not sure how long we will have electricity or if we will have to move off the dock.  We will see what happens.

There are reports that bridges are collapsing between the Rio Dulce and Guatemala City.   This could cause even more problems for people that need to get to the city to fly out.

Even with all of this we are safe.  No boulders are falling on the boat.  The boat floats and is self- contained.

There are hundreds of Guatemalans that have been evacuated from their homes and have lost everything.  Currently there are 14 Guatemalans that have lost their lives.  We are simply inconvenienced.

The Rainy Season is Here

The rainy season is now upon us.  The down side is that the boat gets a little green and you definitely want to carry an umbrella with you.  Trips to town are timed between showers and if you are lucky you can get back dry.

The good news is that it will hopefully end the terrible drought that Guatemala has been suffering from,  this last year.  The down side is that there is a Pacific Low that will cross the mountains and there will be flooding rains.  The concern is that there will be mudslides in the mountains and entire villages may once again go down the mountain.  It has happened before.  Entire villages were covered and declared cemetaries. 

The good news if that everything is flowering and every morning the sidewalks in the marina are covered with flower petals.  As you walk down for a free cup of coffee you feel like royalty.  The down side...it is raining.

More good news.  There were fresh flowers for sale by the post office in Morales.  Only Q25 ($3) for a dozen fresh long stem roses.  Makes the boat pretty and it smells great!

The good news...hot showers, bar on the premises, a restaurant on the premises, a pool, laundry and last but not least...Good FRIENDS!

I forgot...why am I here???

This has been the non-cruising season. This is the first time that I have said, "I am not having fun!"


First of all we are dealing with Michael's first cancer scare, skin cancer. It was cancerous, but now that is behind us. That was quickly followed by the news that he has prostate cancer. Early stages and easily taken care of, but a shock no less. He will be flying to the States on June 9th and getting treatment.

So off we set for Belize and salt water and a little fish face time. It was not to be. We got out and headed north. Then I got on heck of an ear infection. Finally on the back side of that. However, it means I should not get in the water. So no fish face time.

In short it has had some good moments, but nothing like usual. So we are looking at heading back ASAP. We want air conditioning, cold beer, medium rare steak, clean sheets and hot showers. Not necessarily in that order. You get the idea.

We are heading Home to Comfort! See you on the dock!