Neighbourhood interactions
 

I am temporarilly in a rented duplex while building. The neighbour in the
other unit is quite a decent bloke but will remain nameless for now. The
guvermint recently intoduced a law that all rented properties must have
smoke alarms installed and our landlord - bless his heart - had two
installed in each unit a few weeks ago.

The neighbour likes to cook on his gas barbeque on his front verandah about
once a month. Well I suppose you would call it cooking, we usually refer to
it (quietly) as cremation. The objects that are taken off the hot plate
look a lot like those hunks of rubber you see on the side of the road when a
tyre has lost its re-tread or come apart. Black and curled up and ragged
round the edges.

A few days ago I heard this persistent beep-beep-beep and had to look around
to see what it was, of course it was the smoke alarm next door. I poked my
head out the front door to check that the place wasn't on fire and (you
didn't guess did you?) there was a cremation in progress.

The neighbour from two doors down the street was riding by on his horse
(people do that sort of thing around here) and being a friendly sort of
bloke passed the time of day with next door.

"Gday"
"How are you mate"
"Good, good, ah is that your smoke alarm going?"
"Hmm yes"
"You know they say that it's a sign of a bad cook when you set off the smoke
alarm"
"Do they?"
"Yes, well see you later"
"Bye for now"

And he rode on.

David

"David Hare-Scott" > wrote in message
...
>I am temporarilly in a rented duplex while building. The neighbour in the
> other unit is quite a decent bloke but will remain nameless for now. The
> guvermint recently intoduced a law that all rented properties must have
> smoke alarms installed and our landlord - bless his heart - had two
> installed in each unit a few weeks ago.
>
> The neighbour likes to cook on his gas barbeque on his front verandah
> about
> once a month. Well I suppose you would call it cooking, we usually refer
> to
> it (quietly) as cremation. The objects that are taken off the hot plate
> look a lot like those hunks of rubber you see on the side of the road when
> a
> tyre has lost its re-tread or come apart. Black and curled up and ragged
> round the edges.
>
> A few days ago I heard this persistent beep-beep-beep and had to look
> around
> to see what it was, of course it was the smoke alarm next door. I poked
> my
> head out the front door to check that the place wasn't on fire and (you
> didn't guess did you?) there was a cremation in progress.
>
> The neighbour from two doors down the street was riding by on his horse
> (people do that sort of thing around here) and being a friendly sort of
> bloke passed the time of day with next door.
>
> "Gday"
> "How are you mate"
> "Good, good, ah is that your smoke alarm going?"
> "Hmm yes"
> "You know they say that it's a sign of a bad cook when you set off the
> smoke
> alarm"
> "Do they?"
> "Yes, well see you later"
> "Bye for now"
>
> And he rode on.
>
> David
>
Yikes, where does the horse go to the banyo? When cows get loose and come
into my yard, they usually leave me a few gifts.
Otherwise, it's a nice happening.
Dee Dee
Dee Dee

Dee Randall wrote:


> Yikes, where does the horse go to the banyo? When cows get loose and come
> into my yard, they usually leave me a few gifts.
> Otherwise, it's a nice happening.
> Dee Dee


We often have burros, horses or cattle wander down our street. Usually
a deposit is left near our driveway while they are grazing on
vegetation . That becomes a welcome addition to the compost pile. If it
is horse manure, it goes directly to the orchids in the back garden (we
have about 2 dozen different varieties now). Seems orchids love fresh
manure.

As far as other neighborhood interaction - the three families across
the street always send over traditional Honduran food at the Christmas
holidays (tamales, flan, etc.) and we reciprocate with traditional
North American Christmas foods. Everyone breaks out the bottles of Flor
de Ca=F1a rum. I like the 12 or 18 year old my self - no need to mix
with coke.

Sandi

Sandi wrote:

> As far as other neighborhood interaction - the three families across
> the street always send over traditional Honduran food at the Christmas
> holidays (tamales, flan, etc.) and we reciprocate with traditional
> North American Christmas foods. Everyone breaks out the bottles of Flor
> de Caña rum. I like the 12 or 18 year old my self - no need to mix
> with coke.
>
> Sandi
>

Sandi, I've enjoyed your posts for years describing your life
there...but for the life of me I can't recall what brought you to South
America? I seem to recall you used to visit, but then moved there
permanently, right? If you don't mind sharing (being OT and all) would
you tell me again what the background is to your move? Were you
bilingual before the move? Family ties?
Curious minds want to know! :)
Goomba

Goomba38 wrote:
> Sandi wrote:
>
>> As far as other neighborhood interaction - the three families across
>> the street always send over traditional Honduran food at the
>> Christmas holidays (tamales, flan, etc.) and we reciprocate with
>> traditional North American Christmas foods. Everyone breaks out the
>> bottles of Flor de Caña rum. I like the 12 or 18 year old my self -
>> no need to mix with coke.
>>
>> Sandi
>>
>
> Sandi, I've enjoyed your posts for years describing your life
> there...but for the life of me I can't recall what brought you to
> South America? I seem to recall you used to visit, but then moved
> there permanently, right? If you don't mind sharing (being OT and
> all) would you tell me again what the background is to your move?
> Were you bilingual before the move? Family ties?
> Curious minds want to know! :)
> Goomba

I am sure Sandi will respond to this soon but in the meantime I will jump
in.
Honduras is not in South America. It is in Central America (South of
Guatamala ).
Map: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/centralamerica.html
At Christmas one can become overloaded with food brought by one's
neighbours.
I live in La Ceiba, Honduras during the Canadian winter months.
And; 18 year old Flor De Caña (Spanish for 'flower of the cane' , THE
perfect name for a rum) is the rum drinker's answer
to Napolean brandy.

Regards.
Ken.

Goomba38 wrote:
> Sandi wrote:
>
> > As far as other neighborhood interaction - the three families across
> > the street always send over traditional Honduran food at the Christmas
> > holidays (tamales, flan, etc.) and we reciprocate with traditional
> > North American Christmas foods. Everyone breaks out the bottles of Flor
> > de Ca=F1a rum. I like the 12 or 18 year old my self - no need to mix
> > with coke.
> >
> > Sandi
> >
>
> Sandi, I've enjoyed your posts for years describing your life
> there...but for the life of me I can't recall what brought you to South
> America?

Central America - between Guatemala and Nicaragua.

>I seem to recall you used to visit, but then moved there
> permanently, right?
> If you don't mind sharing (being OT and all) would
> you tell me again what the background is to your move?

We retired here...ha ha...since I am still working full time as a
teacher but the SO is living the life of leisure at home. But....the
job pays for scuba diving in the Caribbean without having to dip into
other cash reserves. Sig Other has his orchid garden, his classic 1977
Land Rover, his coffee roasting hobby.

> Were you bilingual before the move?

No....and am still only moderately bilingual. My listening and reading
ability is Spanish far surpasses my ability to put it all together and
carry on in depth conversations.

> Family ties?

No family ties. We're Scottish/German ancestry and the Sig Other is
Danish/Scottish acncestry

Sandi

Sandi wrote:
> Goomba38 wrote:
>> Sandi wrote:
>>
>>> As far as other neighborhood interaction - the three families across
>>> the street always send over traditional Honduran food at the
>>> Christmas holidays (tamales, flan, etc.) and we reciprocate with
>>> traditional North American Christmas foods. Everyone breaks out the
>>> bottles of Flor de Caña rum. I like the 12 or 18 year old my self -
>>> no need to mix with coke.
>>>
>>> Sandi
>>>
>>
>> Sandi, I've enjoyed your posts for years describing your life
>> there...but for the life of me I can't recall what brought you to
>> South America?
>
> Central America - between Guatemala and Nicaragua.
>
>> I seem to recall you used to visit, but then moved there
>> permanently, right?
>> If you don't mind sharing (being OT and all) would
>> you tell me again what the background is to your move?
>
> We retired here...ha ha...since I am still working full time as a
> teacher but the SO is living the life of leisure at home. But....the
> job pays for scuba diving in the Caribbean without having to dip into
> other cash reserves. Sig Other has his orchid garden, his classic 1977
> Land Rover, his coffee roasting hobby.
>
>> Were you bilingual before the move?
>
> No....and am still only moderately bilingual. My listening and reading
> ability is Spanish far surpasses my ability to put it all together and
> carry on in depth conversations.
>
>> Family ties?
>
> No family ties. We're Scottish/German ancestry and the Sig Other is
> Danish/Scottish acncestry
>
> Sandi

Sandi;
Please contact me off-list.
solar(at)citytel.net,
I also have a coffee-roasting habit and need some Honduran-specific
questions about coffee answered.

Sincerely.
Ken.

Ken Davey wrote:
> Sandi wrote:
>
>>Goomba38 wrote:
>>
>>>Sandi wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>As far as other neighborhood interaction - the three families across
>>>>the street always send over traditional Honduran food at the
>>>>Christmas holidays (tamales, flan, etc.) and we reciprocate with
>>>>traditional North American Christmas foods. Everyone breaks out the
>>>>bottles of Flor de Caña rum. I like the 12 or 18 year old my self -
>>>>no need to mix with coke.
>>>>
>>>>Sandi
>>>>
>>>
>>>Sandi, I've enjoyed your posts for years describing your life
>>>there...but for the life of me I can't recall what brought you to
>>>South America?
>>
>>Central America - between Guatemala and Nicaragua.
>>
>>
>>>I seem to recall you used to visit, but then moved there
>>>permanently, right?
>>>If you don't mind sharing (being OT and all) would
>>>you tell me again what the background is to your move?
>>
>>We retired here...ha ha...since I am still working full time as a
>>teacher but the SO is living the life of leisure at home. But....the
>>job pays for scuba diving in the Caribbean without having to dip into
>>other cash reserves. Sig Other has his orchid garden, his classic 1977
>>Land Rover, his coffee roasting hobby.
>>
>>
>>>Were you bilingual before the move?
>>
>>No....and am still only moderately bilingual. My listening and reading
>>ability is Spanish far surpasses my ability to put it all together and
>>carry on in depth conversations.
>>
>>
>>>Family ties?
>>
>>No family ties. We're Scottish/German ancestry and the Sig Other is
>>Danish/Scottish acncestry
>>
>>Sandi
>
>
> Sandi;
> Please contact me off-list.
> solar(at)citytel.net,
> I also have a coffee-roasting habit and need some Honduran-specific
> questions about coffee answered.
>
> Sincerely.
> Ken.
>
>

You might also look into your coffee habit at alt.coffee. I don't know
if there are many of us down that direction, but could be surprised.


jim

JimLane wrote:
> Ken Davey wrote:
>> Sandi wrote:
>>
>> Sandi;
>> Please contact me off-list.
>> solar(at)citytel.net,
>> I also have a coffee-roasting habit and need some Honduran-specific
>> questions about coffee answered.
>>
>> Sincerely.
>> Ken.
>>
>>
>
> You might also look into your coffee habit at alt.coffee. I don't know
> if there are many of us down that direction, but could be surprised.
>
>
> jim

Thanks Jm;
I hang out on alt.coffee regularily.
So far I have not noticed any contacts from Honduras.

Ken.

"Dee Randall" > wrote in message
...



....snip...


> > The neighbour from two doors down the street was riding by on his horse
> > (people do that sort of thing around here) and being a friendly sort of
> > bloke passed the time of day with next door.

....snip....

> >
> Yikes, where does the horse go to the banyo? When cows get loose and come
> into my yard, they usually leave me a few gifts.
> Otherwise, it's a nice happening.
> Dee Dee

As usual with horses, where ever it pleases. We also have plenty of cattle
just over the street and down the road and, well everywhere. They stay
behind their fences mostly. This is a _small_ country town, large animals
are the norm. You wear boots. You take them off if you go into someone's
house unless they say "don't bother".

David

"David Hare-Scott" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dee Randall" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>
>
> ...snip...
>
>
>> > The neighbour from two doors down the street was riding by on his horse
>> > (people do that sort of thing around here) and being a friendly sort of
>> > bloke passed the time of day with next door.
>
> ...snip....
>
>> >
>> Yikes, where does the horse go to the banyo? When cows get loose and
>> come
>> into my yard, they usually leave me a few gifts.
>> Otherwise, it's a nice happening.
>> Dee Dee
>
> As usual with horses, where ever it pleases. We also have plenty of
> cattle
> just over the street and down the road and, well everywhere. They stay
> behind their fences mostly. This is a _small_ country town, large animals
> are the norm. You wear boots. You take them off if you go into someone's
> house unless they say "don't bother".
>
> David
>
David, without searching the world for you on the rfc map, where do you
live?
Dee Dee

"Dee Randall" > wrote in message
...
> Yikes, where does the horse go to the banyo? When cows get loose and come
> into my yard, they usually leave me a few gifts.
> Otherwise, it's a nice happening.
> Dee Dee
> >
> > As usual with horses, where ever it pleases. We also have plenty of
> > cattle
> > just over the street and down the road and, well everywhere. They stay
> > behind their fences mostly. This is a _small_ country town, large
animals
> > are the norm. You wear boots. You take them off if you go into
someone's
> > house unless they say "don't bother".
> >
> > David
> >
> David, without searching the world for you on the rfc map, where do you
> live?
> Dee Dee
>
>

Stroud, NSW, that's East coast Australia. It's a town of about 600 people,
an hour from the nearest big city. The main industry is grass-fed beef
cattle.

David