Jim called!

Jim called today, Monday. He is doing well. He says that he feels better than he has in a long time. Asama is not a problem and all his joints feel better. The guy who is supposed to come and turn on the gas and the electricity has not arrived. So Jim is sitting in the dark. He said that he has had to change his life style to fit the weather. He gets up early, eats fruit on the terrace, goes to a cafe for pastry and coffee, comes home does some work on the house, takes a siesta in the afternoon and then the shops open again at 4:30. He is eating a lunch/dinner combo everyday so at some point he goes out to find that. Sometime everyday he has lemon gelatto and coffee. He finally bought a battery powered light so now he can read at night.

Luckily the woman at the hardware store speaks perfect English. They have been so nice to him, lowering prices on things and telling him where to go to buy things like a mattress. He had to blow up his air mattress himself. The woman at his favorite restaurant is from Canada and speaks English as well. Already people are recognizing him around the village. He went to the market on Friday. It also happens on Tuesdays. There is a truck with fruits and vegetables that drives around playing music to gather customers like ice cream trucks here. It was parked right outside our house.

Friday night seems to be serious party night. Jim said that everyone who owns a motorcycle seemed to be racing around the village. He filled up the car for the first time since he arrived. But, he didn't know how to do it and there is no one at the gas stations. Luckily a man helped him. He asked Jim if it was diesel or not, but Jim had no idea. I guess they figured it out.

There has been no rain and temperatures around 104, but it is dry. Jim says he can't figure out how it is so lush. There is local corn and sunflowers are blooming. Unfortunately he can't find a place to swim except a water park 30 minutes away that blares disco music. Luckily the beach is not much further than that. He did find an Internet cafe, but you have to have some document to become a member so he is hoping Anja or Casper will help him with that.

He went to a party this week at Anja and Casper's and spent the evening with 30 Danes. Pretty funny.

He is painting the kitchen and has taken down some ugly stuff. He is so pleased with how it looks. I think he has been surprised. He said that the bathroom is also very nice. Now this may be more than you want to know, but I thought it was funny. One faucet is still leaking a little bit, so he fills up the bathtub with water everyday and then when he is too hot he gets in the tub. He also ladles that water to flush the toilet. He did not know when he would be able to call again, but he was concerned about how I was doing making coffee. He gave me some more tips.