Let me introduce you to the "widow-maker" - Panama style

 This is the standard electric water heating shower head in Panama. The water enters the line cold and then is heated by an electric element. I emphasize that the electric element is heating the water using electrical currents right above my head in the water.

 

Of course, at first I was skeptical about the safety of this type of a set-up. However, my friends, assured me that this was very common and they promised that they had never heard of anyone actually being electrocuted by this very common set-up ( which is also affectionately called the suicide shower)

 

Day 1 in our new house. I did not take a shower. I sacrificed my husband to the elements. Well, the lights flickered and dimmed, but nothing extraordinary happened and he came out clean and unsizzled. Good.

 

 

Day 2, I agree that I should probably take a shower. And it was a hot shower, when I had expected to have to take cold showers. The water to the sinks is cold. So ... bonus! hot shower.

 

While I'm showering I ask Carl, "Did you notice a particular smell when you took a shower?"

No, he responds.

Oh, okay.

"Are you sure you didn't smell anything? I smell something funny."

Nope.

Oh, okay.

(We have mold in the bathroom that I haven't attended to yet)

"Hey," I say

"I understand why we have mold in the bathroom. The steam vent for the shower head shoots straight up to the ceiling. Of course there's mold... the windows don't open."

that gets his attention

"What? the shower doesn't have a steam vent.....

GET OUT OF THE SHOWER... IT'S ON FIRE."

Oh, okay. hmmmmmmmmmmm

 

This is Brother Jim Murphy. He lovingly came over later that day to help us fix the shower. He is really hooked up with the tools. The brothers down here are very helpful and prepared for anything. And anything can happen. I mean really... a fire in the shower? But actually there was no real fire. Just a lot of melting and smoking and stuff like that. The wiring and the wire nut covers were all melted. It didn't look very safe to me. But they fixed it up well. I'm very grateful to be part of such a wonderful brotherhood... I feel safe (in a much larger sense) and cared for. I never have felt like I'm imposing, because it is such a loving family. We've only been here a month and I feel like I've been here for a year. I don't feel lost, confused or isolated. What a loving God we have... especially since he promised this would be the case.

 

Here's the rest of the house!!! It's just perfect for us. I really love it.
It really is what I dreamed of.
It's in a local neighborhood. Not a compound that many of the ex-pats feel safer in. And we're in a sort of enclosure with two other houses. One of them is where the landlord lives. Several Witness families live in the neighborhood around the corner from us. Sylvia and Jim&family; then up that road are the Fosters and the Beckners. It's great. I have the locals and my friends... exactly perfect.

 

And here's the view from the kitchen window.
That's Serra Azul (the mountain in the back)

 

 

A Bible study took us for a sight-seeing tour around the hills of Boquete
(that's another story)

This is the view of Dorado (the neighborhood we live in) just before you get to Jaramillo, which is the neighborhood right below Serra Azul. It's really at the top of the hill entering Alto Boquete. Then it flattens out onto a plain. I hear it's a really good place to see el arco iris de bajareque (rainbows of the mist)

 

 

  This is our gecko. He came in one day. We let him stay... But for such a little guy he really makes a lot of noise. Believe it or not.

They make this smacking sound and this other sound like he's blowing kisses. I figure it's a victory song after he catches a bug... but he wakes me up every time.

Maybe I'll get used to him like I've gotten used to the roosters.
I really like them, now.

 

YAY!! I found a cheap hamaca to hang in our new home. Then, while Carl hung it up, I made pineapple, orange juice. It ended up being more of a chunky liquido than a juice but it was sooooooo delicious. It costs 2.50 for a fresh juice in the restaurants, but I made two big glasses for .70! I'm learning. : )

We had all of the water we could drink at the Kemkarans, because they have a Kangan water filter system. So we could trust the water. But here we have to buy water. Thankfully there is a store very close and thankfully I have a strong husband. : )