Starting All Over Again

Greetings again people!

I do apologize for having avoided, ignored and completely deserting the blog after the last entry in April of 2010. 

Originally, I was embarrassed by the amount of time that had gone by, as well as the fact that “Momma Went Shopping” was the last posting. Honest, I’m not really that shallow!

Then I went through the guilty phase of having folks ask me if I was going to continue with it and me making vague mutterings about getting back to it some day in the future.

Recently, I’ve decided that I need to do this for my own good reasons and that my life would be richer and happier if I just gave in, gave up the procrastination, and got on with it.

To paraphrase Jimmy Buffett and one of his tunes “Some of it’s been magic, some of it tragic but it’s been a good life all along”… This has been my life in general over the last 20 months.

I’ve made a few new friends here in La Ceiba, I’ve had wonderful times with my grandsons in Canada, I’ve started to learn about sailing and I’ve been able to keep my arthritic body under some semblance of maintained control. Those are the “magic” parts.

The tragic side involves ongoing arthritis deterioration, the usual aging process for all of us over 50, missing my grandsons growing up and the fact that my sailing buddy is now dealing with cancer.

Sometimes, life makes it difficult to make my thank you’s every morning and as many of us do in times of stress, I did withdraw.

But the good news is that I’m going to try this again! I do enjoy sharing stories of my living in La Ceiba, Honduras, and no matter how trivial the content, sometimes the photos tell the whole story. Maybe there will be more photos than written word as my brain seems to be out of practise; maybe briefer passages; maybe who knows what?

I simply don’t know what it’ll turn out to be and we’ll all learn as I reacquaint myself with the Muse.

                                                         Blessed be, Stephanie

Follower's Gadget & Blatant Bribery

Okay, back twice in the same day – rather like the weather today, it doesn’t just rain, it pours!

I am going to make a request of folks who actually take the time to read my wee scribbles. I’ve added the “Followers” gadget and am asking that you sign up as one, please.

Simply click on the Followers icon, sign in using an account that you already have by clicking on one of the coloured symbol thingies (wow, I love technical language!) or create your own Google account using your email and a password.

Also, I’m going to ask for more feedback and comments… Everything is constructive in some way or another and it would really help me try to stay somewhat marginally disciplined about posting new material or photos.

I’m also putting out a request for help! Can someone (who has the spare time, HA HA!) walk me through the process of adding things like a weather strip, a translator function and a promo plug for Honduras Living. (Psst, Patty, I’ve got your socks. Maybe we could barter next time you’re in town?)

Thanks folks! Now I really am going to finish the floor and make the chow mein – heck, I’ve still got clothes so the laundry can wait!

Blogging, The Ultimate Love Hate Relationship!

I think this title says it all for me….

I could apologize for being away for the last five weeks. I could give all kinds of valid reasons like my husband visiting for a month, factual explanations like trips to Copan Ruinas and Utila and even fantastic excuses like I went north because I missed the snow, (yeah right!) for having been away. Or I could simply admit the truth.

I hate Blogger. I hate cyber gremlins. I hate not knowing enough to make these creatures do what I want. I resent the fact that when I go in to do one small thing like add the Follower button (more on that later), the next thing I know the clock is telling me that I’ve been missing in action for the last hour and a half! I resent the fact that I have so many great ideas for small articles, some incredible information for larger full scale articles and probably thousands of photographs that could be featured here but have yet to do anything about it.

I do love to write but will admit that I refuse to have any discipline regarding clocks, schedules, priorities and the like. There are times when the niggling little voices remind me that I’ve been ignoring “Musings & Mutterings”, that I’ve been procrastinating about editing photos or scribbling notes and finally, that I’ve started something here that other folks are interested in (many, many thank you’s to you!) and I’m letting you down by refusing to discipline myself.

I admit that I have no concept of boredom, that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day for everything that I want to do or am interested in learning about. I also admit that I am selfish enough to simply love living alone. I waunder from one task to another, be it cleaning the floors (half the apartment is now clean), cooking a meal (the pork is marinating for chow mein later), doing laundry (okay, it’s sorted and in the bag!) and other sundry mechanics of life.

Living in Honduras for me means that there is always time. Time to watch the rain fall or take pictures of my patio lizard or read a story book; time to natter with friends on FB or write long, caring letters of real communication with friends and family up North; time to take outrageously long walks exploring facets of La Ceiba that most folks don’t see or to stop to have a beer with friends from all walks of life. And especially, there is time to follow up on blogs by other folks in Honduras.

I am envious! Just how do you folks do it?! All of you are involved with immediate and extended families, raising babies or chickens, growing gardens or ministries, living in remote island places or building a home – where and how do you make the time for your blogs?

Yes, I admitted to a deliberate lack of discipline but that also goes hand in hand with procrastination, and the longer you put something off, the easier it is to continue doing so! Throw in another fact of life – I’m leaving in the next couple of days to do a “passport visa stamp” trip to Belize which means I’ll be without my computer for a week. I’m planning to travel really light – spare change of clothes, bathing suit and skirt, tooth brush and camera – and want to be able to go where and when I please if a new place or idea strikes my fancy.

So, that’s my story of love and hate… I’m back and even put up a new photo to prove it but I’m leaving so won’t be posting. Argh, truly the ultimate love-hate relationship!

Where Does the Time Go?

It's a gorgeous, sunny day here in La Ceiba and I've just spent the last 6 hours cruising the blogs that I like to follow, admittedly with time out for a meal and numerous trips to the fridge for cold lime water!

Please, if you’re here right now drifting through my scribbles, make the effort and check out my own “Blog List” posted under my archives. There are blogs from La Ceiba, the Bay Island of Guanaja, San Pedro Sula and Trujillo just to give a taste from around this country of Honduras. Some folks are Honduran by birth, some are Americans retired here, some are expats and married to Hondurans and all have notes of interest if you’re curious about our lives here.

In my personal opinion (and many others’ opinion as well!) the best one for coverage of Honduran life and politics is La Gringa’s Blogicito with great research, media links and solid writing skills. Normally, La Gringa writes about her daily life in La Ceiba, dealing with home construction (and inadvertent destruction like when the floor tiles erupted!) gardening and other facets of an ordinary life. But she has been the absolute power house when it has come to reporting, researching and relaying hard fact about the political crisis that took place here in the past year, much to the chagrin of main stream media. (I hope!)

So, in the midst of your northern winter time and overwhelming "Owe" Olympics “will we have snow” nonsense, stop and take a time out with those of us here, in Honduras. We do welcome new friends and visitors!