A sad fowl story

Since I have been staying with Nunch and Orlando.. I really love to watch the chickens go about their daily business.. Their strutting and crowing and cackling and getting all those bad bugs consumed.The little chicks are especially cute as they follow the hens about.

One unfortunate day, one of the hens got too close to the dog and he injured her. She can no longer peck for food. She has been a good mother so Nunch has been hand feeding her and making sure that she has water..also given by hand. She has also gives her some of her own medication to ease her discomfort..

Today as I went out to hang my clothes , I noticed that the hen can no longer stand and her foot is paralyzed.With all this care, the hen has become somewhat tame and a pet. And we have become quite attached to her. But it has become time to do what must be done.

Orlando cannot bring himself to end her suffering ..so I thought I would ask the Chinese couple next door to do this act of kindness and perhaps use the chicken for soup.(she is healthy but injured). I thought How hard is it going to be ? After all it's just another chicken to someone else?

I thought I had a language barrier with Spanish..but trying to get the Chinese couple to understand my request was next to impossible. After much picture drawing and pantomiming the death of the injured chicken..my request was refused because they thought the chicken may have rabies from Orlando's dog..No amount of begging would make them do this for us.

So I continue to make the hen drink..Nunch said perhaps the Mennonite who owns the glass store on the other side of the house will do us this one small favor..Par Favor. Now I must wait until Lando comes back from his meeting

Orlando returned from his meeting and it has been decided that the injured hen will be given to the Mother down the street.. She has seven children and no support. She has a small part-time job ...her children are always clean and the house tidy..This woman is a good mom so this good chicken will go to her.

Friday, April 23

Good morning !!! I was awake @ 6 and now alert.. Today I am staying here at Nunch's . I am going to Anabels' this evening for dinner @ 6:30..

Luis is going to pick up the materials for the tanks and the wood for the tables.. I told him to get enough for two. He will have it all completed by this weekend.

I am going uo to the Champa tomorrow..It is Orfelina's last weekend before surgery.. I will also be there while the men are working. Nelson has a generator.so they will be able to accomplish the securing of the foundation ..the water lines and the tables in good time. It will be good to be there while they are working.
I think we will be preparing sandwiches for lunch.. Chili and salad for diner. ..Leftovers with eggs and cheese for breakfast. The food is not as expensive as last time because we have all the staples..We also will get Yucca( cassava) and hearts of palm, and sugar cane from the land...not to mention herbs to season with.

Annabel will be leaving tomorrow for Guat..I will return to her house until Orf goes to surgery..Then return here..at Nunch's for the remainder of my stay. I will take Anabel and her students to overnight to the Champa next week..So far , all the people that go to visit want to return many times..
Listening to the Radio..you can get a masters in Archeology and an Executive masters right @ Galen U (Right here in Cayo)..perhaps Fred and I will both attend!!

Jill has created a beautiful video for Eric's 35th b-day on Facebook ..It made me cry..such a gift. I shared it on my Facepage ..Happy Birthday to my wonderful son-in law Eric.

Love..Gata

Oh..last night Mrs. Clumsy open the fridge and a bottle of hot sauce fell out of the fridge hit and cut my big toe..great place for infection..will have to wear a sock.

What a weekend!!

Today is my first whole day in Belize..
Last night we all got together and Orfalina made a wonderful chicken with rice..I made a salad and did all the talking..That is fair..'ya think?? I slept well and now just have to catch up on the 2 hour difference. My bed is great..as I fell asleep, an amazingly sense of peace came over me .. I love it here. I was... to a wonderful rainstorm on the roof.

We are going to Sopilar today and I will take plenty of pics of the progress thus far.
Weather was beautiful when we arrived at 10 am..Orf, Gigs, Yasmine , Andes and me. We had gone to the market and picked up stuff for our meals and purchased a frying pan, grater and tongs.(.we forgot to bring a big spoon for stirring.but Carmen fashioned one for us from wood on the land.)

We began prep for the meals and Orfalina made the chili, i grated the cabbage and carrots for the slaw and the rice was on the fagon..this was lunch and was so very good'
@ 3:00 pm all was ready and Andres brought up the rest of the people. I was saddened that Nunch had a fever and a very bad throat and could not attend..However I was surprised with Narcisso and Orfelina's husband , Cleotilde , and Nora and Raphael came..

Went up to the "back yard" at almost sunset ..There was no wind for the kite..maybe on Sunday.

We had a BBQ- cook-off between Andres and Narcisso..Narcisso cooking the chicken on the fagon on top of bayleaf palm stems and seasoned with cilantro and wild oregano .all from the land.
Andres cooked the chicken with BB-Q sauce on the grill fire. Both entrees were great!!( Of course, the winner was given the honor of doing the dishes ..so each said the other one was better)`We also had the chili and slaw and fresh corn tortillas that Betty made.
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After dinner, we sat around the fire and talked and laughed..Andres had brought up some chairs and a small table from home and It made such a difference to enjoy the talking.. My Spanish is soo bad..not to mention that i talk with a French accent..BUT now I can understand a little of the subject matter .The computor had some charge left so we all watche some of the "Blue Planet" Fred, we actually did not hit the hammocks until 9:30..not like the last time.

The fireflies are out now and Narcisso called to one with his flashlight and it came to him!!They are so much bigger and brighter than in the US. The Howler Monkey also sang us a husky lullaby..and we saw a Fox,,it must live-by because he was around a number of times..We talked on until 10:30 about "Le Tigre"

Work up to the sounds & birds of the morning. We will be having heart of palm (Narcisso had cooked among the coals last night ) with eggs, oregano, and tomatoes and the remaining tortillas ,and beans. ( I skipped the carne and beans and had the yogurt from market with granola) Andes and Carmen came back to the champa with about 10# of Yucca . It tasted like a buttery boiled potato.

I am also going to take the young, tender cactus shoots and fry them..don"t worry , Fred, I will make Andres test them for poison..(I may have to gift him my little radio as a peace offering..he is so bossed about by all the women.. He is out side cleaning the vehicles with it on now and I am in peace..it is a win-win :-) )

Giggles loves the camera and is taking a lot of close-ups of all..she is my shadow.
Yasmin is soo mature and beautiful..She is such a help to her Mom and cleans and prepares without being asked..We need more like her.

After breakfast I was walking about with G. Since it is the dry season .. I was able to look ground side behind the Champa..Fred!!there is another cave entrance on the mound.. We took pictures. I believe that Carmen was hesitant to say anything after El Pilar..but it is there..and it may be attached to the other on top of the hill. Now you must come!!

Feeling Helpless against hate

I have a step-daughter named Barbara..she has 3 exceptionally wonderful children..At least what we know of them
Actually we only know one well.. Kimmie. What we know about Kimmie is that she is beautiful, ..a well of untapped talent and absolutely loves her mother and will do anything to get her love.
We do not know much of the boys...Barb's husband, Kevin, really did not like us much..either.
SOO we were kept at a distance '

Well,.. having been a parent.. not the best .. but tried like hell. And working in social services.. I know the signs . and i call it like I see it.so Fred and I are threats ..

Barbara calls her Dad "sperm donor" she accuses him of things that only she could have been told. I do not play the games and she totally hates me..soo Her choice of weapons are her children. poor Kimmie is not allowed to talk to us..and the boys will never know their Grandfather..
Fred is magic..he looks like Santa ..He loves to read out-loud those classic stories..and uses the appropriate voices..He is magic and a wealth of information..more than can be learned in a lifetime...

This is about a bad divorce.. bad choices..and selfish revenge..the victims are and always will be the innocent.

If anyone is interested ..we have tried to mend the rift..but you cannot control an absolute controller.the weapons of choice for B are her children.. I hope someday that Fred and I will be able to connect with Kimmie, Kory and Kevin in a positive and loving way

a new addition??

We have a new addition to our home..
Last week, Fred's' Mom gave us a new coffee maker . It is called a Keurig. It makes the best darn coffee, tea and hot chocolate we have ever had. It is easy to use and makes a single cup on demand...BUT

it requires the purchase of K-cups. If you have seen them in the store, you know they are expensive..even with a coupon!! So I go-online to see if there are better deals available.

I register our Keurig and become a member of the Keurig Coffee Club. I Haven't got my official card yet ..but I check the mail anxiously so I can put another useless plastic object in my wallet. But wait there's more!! I also get two cartons of 24 k-cups with my order!

So I order some Earl Grey and 3 different types Green Mountain Coffee..But wait!! there's' more!! now I am eligible for a free sample pack.. I can not choose between two kinds so I purchase one too. I was going to order some Cocoa but for some reason, they are out of stock until May...Which is one of the main reasons Fred's' Mom purchased it for us to begin with.

NOW I am starting to feel environmentally guilty for purchasing the little K-cups...Wait Wait..there are accessories you can purchase for your new best friend. I pour over the items and find reusable cups..ahh I feel so much better..THEN I read that these little puppies need re-usable filters in them...Did I mention that you have to use filtered water?>?You can also purchase a water filter made by the Keuig company..You would not want this sweet thing just to have a Brita.
They also offer a wide assortment of coffee cups and mugs..But don't you use just a plain white one 'cause the coffee maker won't brew in a plain, white mug.

Did I mention that I also have a new Beta named Gilbert Grape?? If I had to choose which was lower on the maintenance scale..I would choose Gilbert..Maybe I can teach him to make Coffee!!!!!

First Blog ever

My name is Cathie Eaton and I am about to publish my first Blog.

At present, my husband Fred and I are living a happy existence in Malta, NewYork.. but are looking forward to moving to our land in Belize-- whenever that card is dealt... We love it there..no we Really love it there.!! Our 45 acres is located next to the archeological site called El Pilar; our backyard faces Guatemala. We call it SoPilar.

Yes it is Humid..Yes it is hot..yes- my hair looks even worse there than it does in the north...and yes, there are fire ants, tarantulas, and lots of little critteres.

But it is beautiful and spiritual..when we look out over the mountains; all we hear and see is Nature... no planes. no roads , no smokestacks or factories. All we hear is the wind , the rustling of the fronds on the champa and the howler monkeys claiming their territory,
We see the colorful birds and the hawks riding the thermals. The flowers are beyond compare. I have always thought of the woods as the real" church"..this place is a cathedral!!

We have healing plants that provide remedies,..we have foods to consume and trees to provide us shelter..and we are going to continue to add to these treasures and we will share our adventures with those who want to experience them with us.
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