Here, there and everywhere....

After a quick visit to Calgary, I headed "home" to Idaho after saying goodbye to Roger in Panama. We figured I would be returning to Calgary to pick him up at the airport in about 10 days, but I had no sooner arrived in Idaho when he emailed to say Cabo had asked him to stay on for a few weeks while the manager, Herb, was on his time off in Canada. So, I'm here...he's there...

After experiencing a cold, wet, and sometimes snowy spring in Calgary, it was wonderful to pull into our property and see the apples trees in bloom, and the grass a dark green.

Sandpoint hosts "Lost in the 50s" every year which starts off with a parade of cars ranging from antiques to the latest hotrods. As you can see from the crowds, it is a popular event with some ladies dressing up in poodle skirts and guys looking like James Dean.

I decided since I was going to be spending the summer here, I wanted to do some volunteer work. My interest was piqued when I read in the paper the Ironman Triathlon in C'oeur d'Alene was recruiting volunteers to help take off swimmer's wetsuits -- apparently it is a much sought after job (wonder why??!). Those positions were filled by the time I applied, so I am now scheduled to volunteer at the Sunscreen Station! The triathlon is being held June 21st and I think it'll be a great experience.

I also emailed the Priest River Chamber of Commerce asking if they knew of any groups looking for a seasonal volunteer. They put me in touch with the Seniors Center in Priest River which hosts the Soup Kitchen - a community lunch held every Monday, and is also home to the Food Bank. I spoke to the coordinator, and they are always looking for help so I start this week. I'm hoping there will be other opportunities to help this lumber-oriented community that is having its share of difficult times.

I asked Roger to send me some pictures from Panama to post on the blog so we can see what he's seeing:

In response to the H1N1 virus, Panamanians used masks more than any other place I've seen.
The hotel where we stayed was stringent in their use.

There are always projects on the canal to either widen or dredge it to enable larger ships to pass through. Here is a barge with drills mounted to it.


The Cabo office recently moved their office to Howard Airforce Base - Roger is there on the right hand side:

When Roger is at camp, he often has to fly to the drill sites by helicopter. The area gets rain 350 days a year so while I didn't get a warm and fuzzy feeling from seeing the windshield almost obliterated by rain, Roger said the pilots aren't fazed by it.

Here is a picture of one of the drills doing exploration work:

The foreman that worked with Roger in Spain, Miguel, surprised Roger by walking into the office the other day. I was glad to hear he was working on this project, and that he is closer to his home in Chile.

Roger and I want to extend an open invitation to you to visit us in Idaho if your summer travel plans bring you to this beautiful part of the States. There is always enough food, cold beer, and watercraft to keep everyone happy! I've added our contact numbers to the sidebar of the blog, so you know how to reach us.

So from Panama and Idaho,

Hasta luego and see y'all soon!