On losing track of time

July 12, 2007

On losing track of time

Wow, that sounds serious: losing track of time. I’ve not watched the news or anything since I’ve been here. I haven’t a clue on what’s going on in the world. From time to time, I think I ought to tune into Democracy Now, but it seems whenever I go to a neighbor’s or friends to pull down my email, I’m always in a ‘rush’! I have to look at my watch to know the date. Even the time of day often seems to elude me. I more or less go from event to event, project to project, etc. For most of you that are reading this, I wonder how this strikes you? Chances are you may be frequently finding that you don’t have enough time!

On reflection, it isn’t a particularly satisfying way to live as it feels a little too directionless. At the end of the day, I much prefer the feeling, I think, that I’ve accomplished something that day.

I think that part of my frustration is that it seems hard to find focused time. It seems there are always workmen pounding here and there and walking through the house with materials, etc. I start something and I need to run out for something or someone. Or worst of all, Ricardo says he’ll be over, I wait, and he doesn’t show.

I think I need to figure out a better way.

Progress on the house seems to move forward slowly. Sacramento has worked on the terrace covers for a week: basically making six roughly 2x2 feet square concrete covers over the various tanks buried beneath the terraces. Since he’s working alone, it goes slowly, but today he finished and it looks good. (The holes where he built the covers were not all necessarily square with the tiles, so it took him quite awhile to cut the tiles so that they matched all the others). Today he moved (FINALLY) to the job of working on the leaky skylights. This appears to be a very slow going project necessitating the chipping away of the concrete by about two inches all around each skylight and redoing them. He got two mostly done today. Only about 30 to go.

Estephen has been here working on the enclosure needed for the bathroom water heaters (as the wind blows the pilots out!). If I could describe the process (which I could if anyone is interested!), you would soon see why it takes forever to do the work that they do. One thing is certain, that work very steadily.

Fun?

Well, let’s see:

I’ve had four or five meals with Alan and family which are always really enjoyable. The “comidas” or “family festivals” are often to celebrate something. The biggest was the announcement that Alan and Flora will get married on August 12 and I get to be the best man!

The festival of Santa Cruz was last weekend. It is a local festival for many of the surrounding communities and has been adopted as the official anniversary festival of the Botanical Garden … now 16 years old! Fireworks nearly all night! Fantastic traditional dances, lots of foods, bands, etc. The feature is when a whole line of members of the community carry a cross to one of four little shrines at each of the cardinal points. A different community takes each point. The solemnly carry the cross, flowers, incenses, gifts of different types, and play music. They make prayers of thanks and solemn sounding speeches. Notably, there isn’t a priest, but rather the community shamans. The festival, like so many others is a convergence of native traditions and rituals and those of Christianity.

I went wood shopping and found some good stuff. The price is high compared to the US, but they plane it for ‘no charge’!

The high point thus far was a Flamenco performance I went to last night featuring this fantastic male flamenco dancer from Spain, his wife, and our friend Angela. The dance floor was about 3x5 feet and we sat on the same level … about 25 or 30 people. Apparently, this is how authentic flamenco is done and it was totally out of sight. So powerful, so filled with passion. The guitarist, percussionist, and singer were amazing. The male dancer (extremely well known in Spain) danced almost as it in a trance!

I went for a long hike in the Botanical Garden today which was good for the soul! It is an amazing place especially now that the water is rushing down the canyon!

I hope to be somewhat productive over the next two days and go for a long hike up the mountains on Sunday.