2RetireesInPanama: July 2015

Happy Mother's Day and 50th birthday to me!

Trying not to sound like I am in a Confessional, I will write that it has been almost three months since I last posted in my blog. All the while during this time that I had decided just to end it, there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that this was just plain rude. Rude because my family, friends and followers, would be left hanging lol and wondering what happened to Ray and I in Panama. Okay, if you are our family and friends you would know with or without this blog that nothing had happened to us. And truthfully, I have had a few blog followers email me asking if I was okay. Thanks! You know who you are out there. They have emailed me asking if we are still in Panama and what we are up to these days. I simply just stopped writing and journaling about our adventure retiring to Panama. I stopped writing about our adventures and also normal, daily events once living in Panama. I stopped writing after almost three years, close to one year after leaving my dental hygiene job and dental world and almost one year after living in Panama. My first post was written May 3, 2012.

www.2WannaBRetireesinPanama.blogspot.com

When it comes to days and dates with remembering and recording, I was told, and not in a nice way, many years ago that I was calculated, and yes, when it comes to numbers and dates and things that have happened on a certain day or during a certain time period in my life, I am still that good at remembering things. These days and dates have meaning to me. I remember exactly where I was, what I was doing, what I had asked about, and what day it was for that matter when I was "reprimanded" about being calculated. And while writing that paragraph just now and remembering that person and that day, I realized, who cares what I was reprimanded for and what happened in the past. Just get on with ending the blog.

So what really happened with blogging. Ray and I got busy. Like all new retirees in a strange country, we met wonderful people and made great friends, and I decided I didn't need to put it all out there anymore. After filming for House Hunters International, then I really decided I don't need to tell all. It is all pretty much out there now. Ray suggested blogging once a month. Easy for him to say. He knows me better than to think I could come up with something short and sweet each month. I am too detailed to keep a monthly blog or journal. My family knows what we are doing and what is
going on in our lives, our friends we have made in Panama are living it with us and don't need to be put out there in my blog (thanks to those that have been a part of it and given the "okay" and also to those that got me started blogging in the first place), and our life long friends keep in touch enough to keep up with our busy days. We face time family and friends and keep in touch now with those that want to stay in touch. Facebook and Instagram are great social medias as well. Everyone can keep in touch this way. And House Hunters International will be on soon enough (no air date given as of today), and more of my life will be put out there for all to see. Oh dear. Why, where, when, and how we bought the house, etc...more details that I probably didn't need to share, but anyone retiring to Panama will hopefully appreciate the information.

***Thursday, September 17, 10:30 pm Eastern Time HGTV Channel House Hunters International airdate set with our title being "All Their Money went to Coronado" So now you know where we bought a house (and not in Coronado).

Those that follow me on my blog and have been reading this for three years have emailed me and know to continue emailing me any questions they have about Panama. They have found me and sought me out for answers (if I can help). They have found me in Panama as well (which is still so odd to me and takes me by surprise every time I hear "are you the Allison that writes the blog?"). I will leave my email out there, but I will put the blog to rest. I continue to journal, and I doubt I will ever put that to rest.

So with ending it, what has gone on these past three months that those possibly making the move to Panama would love to read about, what do we do with our days, and what are some of the activities that have taken place with the fantastic friends we have made in such a short period of time?

In no specific order, here goes:

Moving into the house, vacationing from retirement (right now), floating in the pool, attending pool and dinner parties, meeting new neighbors, seeing a Mystery play in the city, learning to paint a canvas, attending a wine tasting in the city, attending CASA coffee and wine socials, shopping for furniture and shopping some more, weekly Spanish lessons, checking in on the girls at Woody's House of Hope and delivering donations (the summer is quiet while MC is on mission trip), organizing the books in the library at Woody's, volunteering for Spay the Strays clinics, going to the dentist, taking friends to Gatun Locks, shopping in Casco Antiguo, helping friends move (Ray), tackling the hammer drill to hang pictures (Ray), serving as a TV and internet technician (again, Ray), attending PriceSmart Grand Opening (a huge deal haha), trying new restaurants (Fusion Playas, El Galyeon, La Posada, Restaurante Fu, Casa Florencia) and patronizing the old (Bluwater, Sukha, Lunarossa, Gourmet Pizza, Leonardos, Bamboo Express, El Pampero, Carlitos, Beirut, Pantay, Machetazo Cafe), watching fireworks on the beach along with nights spent watching amazing lightning (it's rainy season, but we always can use more rain), listening to bands at Picasso's and Sukha's, re-learning the game of tennis (love this and thanks to our Coach and friends for being so helpful and patient!), trying yoga (key word is trying), walking with friends through Coronado's Dry Forest, enjoying coffee and conversation at the bakery, planning trips to Virginia (where we are as I write this) to Colorado and maybe South America, planning return trips to Boquete and Contadora, and, as if all that wasn't enough, we always enjoy those happy hours chatting with old and new friends (and the occasional blog follower, too!).

And finally (and perhaps most importantly here), Ray and I have simply loved lounging and being lazy on our patio reading or inside on the big comfy couch catching up on TV shows and movies relishing our new home in this thing called retirement in Panama.