Update on Sparky

Well, here's the delio on Sparky
Now that she is healthy, well fed and thoroughly loved, she has decided that she hates those who hurt her in the past. So now, we have to watch her, because she'll go after indiginous old men and women. Well, it's their own fault. You hurt a dog and they never forget it. It is funny how this funny faced little spoiled puppy turns into cujo the minute she sees one. She is no longer afraid of anything or anyone. I hear the little puppy that my friends rescued the other day is soooo happy to be alive, that he is just a bundle of energy and life and love. These little street dogs are sweet, but of course not as queenly as Isis our rottie cross. She still overwhelms the crowd with her presence and Sparky loves the fact that Isis is bigger than her. Sparky is still very much a puppy, and does all those puppy things that drive you nuts, like chewing and rough houseing using her teeth a bit too much. The other day, Sparky was playing a little too rough with the workers kid and Isis got in there and gave Sparky a lesson to remember and wouldn't let Sparky play with the kid anymore, she got in the middle of them and didn't allow Sparky the chance to play anymore. It was funny really. Our 2 dogs are the talk of the town and are still very much apart of the family. Sparky is Rachelles dog and Sparky has never been happier. Time will tell to see how much more confidence she will get over time.
I did the amazing thing today,.... I climbed to the Virgin (650 steps) on a clear day we celebrated with pancakes and juice, good way to start your day by tackling your fears. Let your choices dictate your life not your fears.
Talk with you all later Robin

Life, the universe and everything

Well, life down here still trundles on. The kids and I are finally falling into a pattern of schooling. This means we are getting work done and quite quickly. I am happy to say that the influence from our Spanish teacher, Mario, is creating steam under Dane. His concentration is wayyyyyy up and interest is too and not in just spanish but other larger questions of life and how it all fits together.
I must say that I am glad that we live in a concrete house and that we are reaping its benifits for security and safety measures, as Dane continues experimenting with electricity. So far, he is only allowed to create using batteries. Thus, he is only able to send off small and controlled amounts of fire power. He does have a fertile and creative mind. The other day quite shocked me. He put in series 6-9volt batteries and alligator clips and a pencil lead from a mechanical pencil and created a metal cutter. He spent the evening showing us he could cut alluminum and tin foil. The lesson on Safety rules also meant he had to use sunglasses until we can get proper eye protection, because shockingly enough the spark was very intense. Again, I am glad for the cement house. He has a soldering gun which he uses quite frequently, but this this little invention was of his own making and requires him to find out how this works. You know, when I was a little girl, it never ever occured to me to stick electricity on the end of a pencil lead. I just wouldn't have gone there. I have to take some of the responcibility here. I think I went a bit too far with him as a child. When he broke a toy and would cry and be sooo sad and I would ask how could he make a new toy out of the pieces or what a great opportunity so see how it works. I just didn't think that wise question would cause so much creativity and pandamonium in the future and such an incredible mess. But who said motherhood would be a clean job anyway. Now, he challenges his mind to say, "how can I change that and make it do something that I want to do," therefore nothing that moves or is electrical is safe from his scutiny. In honesty, it is quite fun to watch and I, myself, am always learning.
Dane ,of course, gravitates to people (as we all do) to who think similarly or as creatively. Therefore he has found a new playmate. This little fellah has interests in electricity and radio's. Fortunately, he also has an education in both areas but happlily he can fully understand what and where Dane is planning as a project. He also feeds further information to spur Dane on and asks the all important question of "why?". Richaard is a retired ex military, scientistish, sailor, pilot and motorcycle enthusiast who travels around with his giant schnauser, Helga. I have noticed that I might have to limit their time together, as I thought I overheard them say something about really shocking the neighbors. Best to nip that little idea in the bud, just in case.
Dane, in the true form of being indigo, is a natural to his gifts to the point of genius and often it seems as if he came to this earth already knowing how certain things work and how certain physic laws work without ever being told. I am told that is also rather Savant too. Either is good, as I love him and his wonderful expanding mind. He has a great heart and has for the most part good intentions. Everyone has their place in this world and all we have to do is help others get there, by guiding them and supporting them. Oh yeah, having huge patience and also the ability to clean up when the mess gets just tooo big for them to handle all alone.
For those of you who are interested in how the house is coming..... well it is. I have to say if this were Canada, WCB would be all over the place. The workers here really do take some risks that set your hair on fire. A couple of times, I saw an accident waiting to happen, and as I know first aid, I just couldn't leave. They seem to have had a birth, a doctor put, in a personal and private place where the sun never shines, a horseshoe. At this moment, we are accident free, and still building. But this Lax safetly attitude is not just at our house but on all jobs that I have ever seen here. Where the US and Canada go overboard on safetly issues, these guys make up for in risks. I mean in driving, plumbing, cooking etc. I am slowly learning to look away and breath slowly and deeply.
Which brings me to a different and yet similar subject of: finding patience. For those of you who know and for those who don't, we are applying for residency here, and this means hiring a lawyer (ours is Dr. Carlos Bombon of Quito) ( his name is great and he is a really nice person, he is named after candy right) and aquiring all the neccessary papers sent to and given to the immigration gods, who by some circumstance of ill-opputunity are personages who are flighty and of the character of changable mind. When you think the paper requirements are established and the rules of the immigration road are sent, it is: on your mark, get set, go ,,,, the paper chase is on. Here in Ecuador, the laws of immigration can change welllllll daily, (as I have said of CHANGABLE MIND). This means resiliance and inner calm are required. Even the greatest of calm minds would be greatly tasked. In fact, it is probably one of the rights of passage for monks and other spiritual adventurists, to come here as their final test of enlightenment from their gurhu. He would say from top of his mountain retreat. "Apply for residency in Ecuador, my child and the trial following will bring you to true enlightenment". (I can feel a new business idea forming.) Add to the mix Canada and her laws and public access to personal documents and you tests of inner strength and power to find personal peace are challenged to the heavenly heights of frustration and denial. .......
Sooooo, we are waiting for these last 2 papers. First, the confirmation that the birth certificates of Rachelle and Dane are in fact birth certificates and not sales receipts. To Quote in cliche of "Survivor", "the First part of the first challenge is set as such": the birth certificate had to go from here back to Canada to Foreign Affairs for confirmation, yes these are birth certificates, then sent to the Consul of Ecuador in Richmond, for translation , these are birth certificates and not sales receipts from Walmart, and rubber stamped and then get paid for bycertified check, by my friend by courier and sent back to the lawyer by courier, whose couriers only go to 2 places in Ecuador, fortunately one of them being to the city of Quito.
The next and really the most difficult, though you wouldn't think so, is the police report. It used to be in Ecuador, that you only needed an interpol check but now you need it from the country of origin. Originally, Canada had it that you could get a police check/report in any RCMP office in Canada.......Well, in the infinite wisdom, ( I always say this when I am looking for an explanation from the powers that be when I don't understand them and how they could possibly function under all that paper and bruhaha) of Canada, there is only one, I repeat, ONE office in Canada where you are ALLOWED to get a police check and it is in Toronto. The Canadian Center of the universe. Rules are: You may only communicate with them by sending in your request by priority post and no other (no monopoly there, eh?). You may not call or e-mail or show up in person, There is no way in which to contact them as there is no number, email or contact person, only a lonely cargo bay delivery drop off. It was to be sent to a cargo bay area. Now that just reaks of a weird FBI or maffia drug sting or deal. But you know, I understand the reasoning for this inability for communication. There is only one office in all of Canada for this service. They must be incredibly stressed in getting that button pushed on the computer printer for all those millions of people. This process may also take in excess of 120 days. No kidding. What the heck? In England, it has to be done in 30 days and if you have a passport it is automaticly done for the safe passage of all and since criminal checks have already been done there is no need to do one in any other border. I thought that Canada was part of the common wealth and with 911 that we would do the same to make traveling to the US easy. Sorry, I will shut my mouth as it might give the government an idea and make getting a passport even harder to get than it already is. I have never had such a feeling of rejection , or a need for a follow up visit to a group therapy self esteem class, as I do when I apply for a passport in the passport office. Boy oh boy, they are the SS of legal officers and do they take their jobs seriously. If you ever sign out of the little bitty box or smile on you photo in anticipation of you once in a lifetime trip you are in deep do do, my friend (fortunately, I am dylexic and one of the few people who can ask for help and for them to fill in the paper because of my disability, true story, its in the legislation)
At one point last week, I thought we would have to leave the country because our visa was running out with only 70 day left, and having to wait the 120 days of gettting the police report , well, Yikes. We found out differently. Thank god. But we were thinking if we had to leave we would have gone to Columbia or Peru or Uruguay. All of which would have been just as good if not better and we could see way more and had a huge history lesson. We might just have to do it anyway. Sooooo, needless to say I am waiting in the purgatory of residency, waiting for one, just one paper to make things complete (the police report). It is a sad little wait really, because at this point I am only guilty of committing traffic violations, which are committed with the regularity of breathing here. One friend of mine down here said that in this time of purgatory, I might be able to commit some crimes back in Canada and never be caught, but I would only ever consider this if it would involve a great deal of poking fun and a guarantee of getting away with it. Maybe they will consider this writing of this posting illegal and possible risking the safety of the country and I will be having it on my police record, on that note I will finish my posting for risk of my police record taking longer............
Talk with you all later
Robin

It was a dark and stormy night

Hi there all
Right now it truely is a dark and stormy night. But true reason for this posting is a question that my spanish teacher asked of me the other day, soley with the reason to practice speaking in the future tense. He asked me to write a story regarding "What Robin will be doing in 10 years?" Now you all might think that this is an easy question, but for once in my life I can honestly say, "I don't know". It is weird for me, because most on my life I have always known in some way shape or another where I was going, and the path I would take to get there. Maybe it is a good thing to break the anally retentiveness of always knowing your path and allowing the universe to put in their 2 cents worth. In the next several years, the kids should be flying the coop and on their own paths, possibly interacting with ours now and again. This will be a hard time for me as I have enjoyed our kids, they sure have taught me alot, and teaching them too was and still is a huge challenge. When you have 2 indigo children, with one possibly a sauvant, it has made me become even more creative and faithful. Back to the story though, with the time moving from the kids to Rob and myself, this will create the need to get to know Rob again and Rob to know me again. HMMMMMMMMMMMM this could be good and bad, but again time will tell. I know that I will still be painting, but perhaps I will be able to sculpt again and who knows where I will target market my work. Will I still be working with people but in other ways, more nonprofit organizations? Will I go to school for languages? (I love learning them, even though spanish is the only other one right now, I did learn french privately, but as they say use it or loose it and I did). Perhaps I will go to learning teaching english as a second language, who knows. What a simple class question with the sole purpose, just to practice speaking in the future tense and it has caused a huge reaction rippling in me as to where I will go from here. This has been a good exercise for me in opening up my mind, and keep it open to change, prosperity and of course as usual faith. I talked with my teacher today about this question and he looked at me and apologuised and I said, no thank you for this marvelous opportunity it has been a great adventure. Now he really wants to read my homework. The funny thing is he looks identical to a boy friend that I had and whom I had unpleasant unresolved (angry) issues with. In this time, it has been easier to forgive this person without ever having to talk with him again, and possibly even having admiration for. Well, that is really pushing it, but if I say it oneday I might believe it. I prefer to not carry old baggage throughout my life and kindly just more on, forward and lightly. I guess, this whole experience has really been about letting go, enjoying life and the process by which life happens. Let nature take control, plan for as much as you can but allow the abundance of life to interfer and create even better opportunities. This is one of the great lettings go that was created when we left the predictable life in Canada, to totally winging it here.
Cheers to unexpected joys and new challenges.
Allow the universe the opportunity to play in your world too, you never know when given the change it could create an even better experience.
Talk with you all later.
Robin

getting residency

Hi there all
We are in the process of trying to get the residency papers organized. There is the dealio (and let me tell you it is long and arduous so I will keep it short), the final papers that I need are: my police check of interpol on me (to make sure that I am not a criminal mastermind, good thing they don't look at my blog), and a confirmation paper saying that these birth certificates of the kids are real. Here's what has to happen. The birth certificates have to go to foriegn affairs in Canada and then have to go the Ecuadorian consolate in Canada. It can either happen in Toronto or Vancouver or both. Now to explain this to an Ecuadorian that you just can't ask a family member to hop in the vehicle and drop off the papers in Toronto and later that day or so, toodle off to Vancouver and get the other paper. The idea of the vastness of Canada is inconcievable. So, we have 90 days to get these papers delivered back to us here in Ecuador. Right. I will continue having conversations with god. He has always been a good listener.
We had to go to Quito, to see the abogado/lawer, Dr. Bombon. He is a really nice man, and he asked this question of me, which I thought albeight rather late (since we have already invested in the country by buying a house) still profound. Were you happy in Canada, why are you leaving and the most important one, are you happy? This talk went on for about 5 hours. It lead to theological philosophy, and other grand concepts. I rather enjoyed it but in reality I just wanted my papers done, I have confidence in him that this will take place. I think he just wanted to make sure (being the kind heart that he is) that we were really wanting to do this for the right reasons, and what to expect in terms of life here and all its complexities. I have only every found 1 other lawyer who cared that much and he was in Canada. I am proud to say that I said it in Spanish and only now and again did we struggle. In the struggle to communicate therein lies true compassion for one another.
The day actually started like this, we picked up the birthcertificates at the couriers in Ambato and the I talked with the lawyer with Susanna who helped me on the phone, then we had to rush to get papers here in Banos that were wellllllll, sort of done, if you get my drift, and rush to get to Quito. Unfortunately, the rushing took away some of the fun that went with the adventure of travelling again. We arrived late at night in Quito and went to the International hostel of which they share the same name with at least 4 other hostels (confusing for the taxi drivers), but the one we know and love for its concrete beds and even harder pillows were open and willingly let us in, which is rather reassuring in the dark night in Quito. The next morning, we went off to visit Dr Carlos Bombon abogado/lawyer. Later, we hopped into a taxi and went to the mall, where Dane was in heaven because there was a "Radioshack" not the "Source" there and Rachelle found seemingly endless racks of clothes. The next taxi took us to "Confederate books" where I was in heaven. Being in books stores always gives me warm fuzzies, because my mom would let me go to the book store and buy almost any book I liked and I would read until my eyes went fuzzy and travel through time or space. Soooo, I got to find a few literary adventures and Dane in his glory found an older book on How things work. He has toted that around to all our friends places and had great conversations and is making plans for further inventions. He has found Bobby, who also likes to do this too. He is mentally the same age as Dane(7 - 65 years old) but Chronologically about Robs age. Not that that means anything. I repeat that I am glad that I live in a concrete house, as I am expecting explosions that will match any that the volcano can deliver.
We were extra aware in Quito, because of late, we have heard of travellers having problems with robberies and other assorted, creative crimes. I think that what often happens is that people try to be cheap and take the public transit, it is there where there are more problems. We only ever travel there by taxi, it is way more comfortable and relaxed. The taxi drivers know where they are going , it is relatively inexpensive at the most $5:00 ( I have never paid more than 3, now that I know about the mandatory meters in all taxis) and they make sure you get where you want to be, especially if you are travelling with kids . No one here likes problems for kids. The taxi drivers have always been friendly and when you show that you are trying to learn the language and are living here, out comes the red carpet. I love the people here, everyone says hello in the streets, and if they are friends we are still having fun even though beurocracy is alive and well and reproducing rapidly here.
I must go as one of the workers here is leaving right now, to help his wife get to Ambato to have their baby. I think that we will give a gift of a teddy bear with a little bit of money for the baby. Talk with you all later.
Robin
Find your bliss