The Panama Fleets

 Karen and Fred have made it to Korea

          Downtown Seoul and the Art Museum.

        At Oido a popular place to get fresh fish.

Karen and Fred finally made it Korea.  For Karen it was homecoming and for Fred it was the first opportunity for him to meet the family.  It was Fred’s first time time in Korea.  Karen was born in Seoul which has a population of over 10 million people.  Most of the family call Karen by her Korean name, “Ok Ja”, and they call Fred, Fred.

 Uncle Lew and Imo Kwang Ja…. “imo” means “aunt”.

 

Karen and her Imo Hyung Sook at the park.

 

 Karen’s family loves to eat.  Karen’s with her Imo Young Ok and Hyung Sook. .. while Fred is experiencing Korean food, An (Karen mom’s maiden name) style, with Young Ok’s husband Mr. Choi and son Che Jo. 

 Fred stands in front of the Seoul city hall.  They are building a new building now.

 

       More sights of Seoul.

 

 At shopping lane. Subway station with Imo.

 

Imo Kwang Ja prepared a feast and made sure that Fred enjoyed everything.

 

Karen works hard for this vacation.

 

     Karen and Fred enjoyed Korea that they decided to return next year for a month.  We leave Korea with ideas of great food, outstanding bookstores, wonderful time with the family and our visit to the Buddist Temples.

Between January and April, Fred and Karen have spent most of their days unpacking boxes.  Fred had all of his library books placed on the shelves within the first week, while Karen is still working at finding places for all the things they brought to Panama.  He unloaded his library so fast, that Karen was amazed, first that he did it so quickly, and he was able to conveniently forget there were other boxes to unpack.  Fred quickly began to enjoy the comforts of writing in his private library, also shared by Karen (of course!), with his books surrounding him.

The Fleets’ belongings arrived in great condition.  So far, Karen has discovered only two broken table glass tops.  After being in storage for over a year, there were no signs of mold or smell anywhere.

The last major project was digging out the well which ran dry in April… just a month or two shy of the wet season.  Fred decided to accept the challenge of working with a laborer to dig out the well.  Fred pulled up 5-gallon buckets full of sand.  As Fred tired within a few minutes, it quickly became apparent that someone much younger should be helping him.  Through mostly stubborness and pride and 4 hours later, Fred was able to brag he helped to complete the job.  Karen decided that next year we’ll hire another person to assist her husband.  Fred was exhausted and had to rest for several days afterwards.

Karen has developed a “Green Thumb” here at the beach.  She has planted several herbs such as basil which have flourished.  Karen has also planted a papaya tree from seed and has transplanted several small flowers from Angela’s (our builder) garden.  Karen collected coconuts from the road and they are growing in the backyard facing the ocean.

Fred and Karen continue to meet new and exciting people like Lloyd and Maria.  They were pilots with United Airlines, retired and decided to purchase an island or three.  Fred can’t wait for the construction to start because Lloyd has promised him that he can help with the dynamiting of the hillside for boat dock.

Fred and Karen are on a budget, however no one was watching what Toby was doing with his share of his allowance.  Unbeknownst to anyone, Toby went out and purchased his own bar.  Fred was the first to order beer from the private stock and Karen examined the deed to make sure it was paid for.  Even though Toby is of legal age to purchase a bar (94 in human years) his allowance has been suspended until further notice. (Do you get the feeling that Fred’s imagination is running wild?!!)

In May, Karen and Fred returned to California for a short visit.  While in Pasadena, they caught a cold, which kept them in bed, sneezing, and preventing them visiting many of their friends.  They are determined to stay healthy next time.  Friends Dottie and Mike were a joy to be with once again.  We got to have some sushi with brother Mike too, and an afternoon with friends Eric and Julie.

We’re planning our next trip; we’ll be off to Pennsylvania to visit with friends, family, and take care of business in between.

Fred has added a few of his poems.  They are from his book, Notes from a Whimsicial Observer.  A few of poems from this collection have been published.

We are so glad to hear from all of you about your families, adventures, and those wonderful jokes.  Keep them coming.

My Advice to Our Neighbors

 

If you hear our bed a squeaking,

Don’t come a peaking.

Mad Dog and Insane Jose

In the town of Guarumal,
Rice grows,
Summer and fall,

Hidden in a dirt road concave,
Is where a ferocious,
Mad Dog stays,

Crouched in a grass abode,
Snares Mad Dog,
From head to toe,

If you stop to observe him,
He’ll tear you,
From limb to limb,

He attacks without a cause,
That’s just one,
Crazy Dog,

He’s touched but not afraid,
Pounces toward trucks,
He’s quite the nave,

Without his daily meds,
That Mad Dog,
Is loco in the head,

Lately he has a friend,
Side by side,
The road they defend,

Even in the pouring rain,
They leap out at you,
Now that’s insane,

Mad Dog sits everyday,
Part crazed, with friend,
Insane Jose

For anyone who follows an insane dude,
Must somehow,
Be crazy too.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Panama City

You know your vacation sucks,

When viewing mountain scenery,

From a tow truck,

What a mess you’re in,

An unfamiliar sound,

Cranks the engine,

It starts like this,

A ping, a bang,

Then a hiss,

The clanging of a valve,

Blinking red light,

Then somehow,

Engine quakes and clots,

In a mile or two,

It’s burning hot,

I stop to open the hood,

The problem,

Like I understood,

My wife begins to panic,

She married a poet,

Not a mechanic,

I turn to become verbose,

Karen screams, “Quiet,

Call Carlos!”,

In Panama one knows,

Make every good mechanic,

Your amigo,

We’re towed to Carlos shop,

My bank account,

Just dropped,

When I finish this discourse,

I’ll trade this car,

For a horse,

To roam the open fields,

Time to travel,

Ride it at will,

I told Karen my genius plan,

She laughed,

Then bought a sedan.