Well, it's been a while since I've done any blogging. I am trying to cope with dog issues these days. Sally, the younger of my two dogs was abducted for five days. She evidently escaped and showed up at the house late one evening. It was wonderful to have her back. However, she is extremely traumatized and is not comfortable to let me out of her sight. She used to stay on the property or in the house when I left, but not any more. For a few days, I tried to outwit her by blocking exits but that didn't even slow her down. As a result, she has been an honoured guest at Happy Hour at Perla's for a week or two. To further my frustration, Gracie, my other dog has now taken to following us to Perla's. Dogs are welcome there but I don't feel comfortable with it. Tonight is the big Hallowe'en Party and I will have to find a way to keep them home or pass on the party.

I have brought a traveling kennel into the house and have left Sally there two or three times when I had to go places she could not. But she is so smart she will not come to me at five o'clock when I typically leave the house. She doesn't think the kennel is much fun compared to Perla's, I guess. But if I can get her in there today, then I think I might get be able to get Gracie and bring her in the house. Gracie shies away too, because the maid waxed the patio floor and Gracie can't stand up on it - she came with a bad leg. This happened once before and it was months before I had her coming back in. Now she just doesn't trust it. So it should be a challenging evening.

I don't like Hallowe'en. There is a big annual party at Perla's. I won't wear a costume although I have in the past. It just doesn't make sense to me and I don't believe that 20% of the party goers have a clue what it is about. It really creeps me out when people I can't recognize but who know me come up to speak with me. We'll see how it goes tonight.

I just got a micro grocery delivery. One of my neighbours offered to pick up some items for me at Automercado - a large American-style supermarket in Tamarindo, about 40 minutes' drive from here. I seldom get an opportunity to leave my home-office long enough to make the trip. And although the local grocery shopping is good, there are certain items that just can't be had here in Surfside. So I am a happy camper. Tomorrow I will experiment with a crock pot chicken lasagna recipe I found.

This has been some day. My older daughter got married back in Newfoundland, Canada and I couldn't be there. That, although understood from the get-go, was disappointing. However, apparently all went well and she got a hot turkey sandwich to boot!

I spent the day emulating a plumber. I had two toilets go south on me simultaneously. The flush mechanism on toilet number one physically broke yesterday so that toilet was totally out of commission. I was able to adjust toilet number two yesterday to working order but the toilet seat needed replacing. I went looking around in my bodega and lo and behold there was a toilet seat there! With a little old-fashoned modifying, I was able to replace the toilet seat so now I had one functional bathroom.

Then I attacked the other, number one bathroom. I searched the bodega for suitable replacement parts and believe it or not, I had them! When you live in remote places like this you build up a supply of spare parts just for occasions like this. After working in a kneeling position, mostly working with my left hand for what seemed like hours (and probably was) I restored the facility to working order. I was feeling pretty cocky until I saw the leak. More to do tomorrow....but hopefully just tightening connections.