So, I signed up for this really cool site called couchsurfing.com which is a tool travelers use to share their lives with hosts who are interested in sharing their world from all kinds of places in this world. Garret, the youngest son of one of my best friends, Robin Morgan, suggested I check out the page last year, and when I did, I was really impressed with the mission of the couch surfing project. The goal? Simple: To create a better world, one couch at a time. Awesome! I wanted to be a part of it, just like I knew WeEarth was an awesome idea and I wanted to be a part of it.

When I signed up for the site, I thought of it as being a cool way to share Loma Partida with others - I love it there so very much, and it offers a sense of tranquility unsurpassed in my experiences. My first couch surfers were a young couple from Conneticut, whom I affectionately dubbed Dreds and Tats. She had a head of dreds that those whom love dreds would die to have, and his body was like a canvas of tatoos representative of meaningful images in marking transistions and special moments in his life - and what a cool couple.

Kelli and Erik were incredible people, and made my first couch surfing experience a wonderful one, one which made for a week which passed easily and quickly. They were a really laid back, intelligent, globally-aware couple, and I know that they will go places in the world and make a difference wherever they land. They slept up in the rancho where Kevin and Jeremy used to live, and were visited regularly each night in the wee hours by Rita - and loved it.

I believe that tolerance of a visiting Margay is a pre-requisite for staying in the rancho since there is no real door to shut off the front. She is a social creature, albeit a bit on the rough side!

Erik Linderbeck designed and built an arbor over the Ojos de Agua and the small stream that runs off from it, to hold up my burgeouning mandevilla, and in doing so made a lasting contribution to Loma Partida, which I think is way shades of cool.

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Marcos, from Punta Laurel, has been here daily, cutting lumber for my bodega/water catchment/guest house on top of the hill. I have been filled with awe daily as I watch the entire process of trees transforming into building lumber. Marcos carefully fells each tree making certain it doesn't hit the good trees, then cuts it into sections either 6 or 10 foot in length. With an unfathomable precision, he uses a fishing hook and line which he dips into oil and then measures and marks each tree in preparation to cut the lumber to specification: 4x4x6 for posts; 4x4x6 for sills; 2x4x6 for joists and 2x4x10 for studs. How cool is that!

I had four Indian men level the building site last week, and one day this week, they will begin digging post holes as the next step in this building process. I am a little nervous about this -it is the first thing I have ever built. In truth, the construction books don't seem like an adequate replacement for experience, which I admittedly lack.

There is a part of me which wishes I didn't have to work so hard, physically, to build my world here - in fact - I reflect upon that at least once every three days. This is hard, there is no doubting that...however, if I want to build my dream, then I have to extend the energy. This sure is a far cry from the days of dining at Circa, wearing outrageously expensive clothes and singing along at Costello's piano bar in Wilmington. Those days were special in their own way, another life - hard to believe it was mine, especially as I look at my hands now. Ugh!

It is time to head up the hill to mark the post locations before my workers show up to dig. If only Rita would stop chewing on my ankles. I don't know what has gotten into her, but she is making things difficult!

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I think I am a living oxymoron. All the luxuries and none of the comforts? Hmmmm... Home is where the heart is, isn't it? Even without upholstered furniture?

I am sitting on my deck in Loma Partida, sipping on a glass of 2006 Ventisquero Reserve chardonnay, watching the stillness of the cayucos dotting the vast waters of Laguna Chiriqui which melt into a horizon spanned by seemingly endless cloud-covered mountains. Oh yeah, I forgot to add that I am enjoying this incredibly peaceful vista while waiting for my pasta to finish cooking so that I can indulge myself in the fabulous lobster sauce I made earlier - out of fresh lobster, of course, and garlic, habaneros, green pepper, and basil all from my cayuco garden....with my darling Rita laying by my feet. Less than a week ago, I was lost in thoughts that focused on the fact that life is difficult because I am broke, in debt up to the tips of my long eyelashes, and signs of financial ruin on the horizon. Duh. What was wrong with me!!!!!

Let me think about this for a minute. Here I am, barefoot and freshly bathed at dusk, sitting in a plastic chair on a deck over the water (literally) listening to the waves gently lapping on the rock-laden shoreline, sipping wine, comfortable in my African batik moo-moo, and cooled by a consistent breeze keeps my body at a comfortable temperature. There is NOTHING difficult about this picture. I must have been lost in that same scenario I get caught up in each time I return to my old world. Yeah, the gods truly must be crazy!

OK...granted, I don't have a flush toilet...nor electricity - but I do have a working generator, and I am working towards the solar route - it just takes time and money, of which I have neither right now. This too will pass...if it were too easy, maybe I wouldn't appreciate it as much as I should. The universe is working really hard to teach me a lesson. I need to stop and listen.

I love it here - I have loved it since my first visit - it is the fulfillment of a lifelong fantasy, and I am living my fantasy....here and now. How cool is that? I have my very own pet tiger, little miss Rita, and this really cool thatched-roof rancho with hammocks to lay and read in, a cute little house over the water, my own boat, a coral reef out front, a jungle, incredibly cool jungle flowers....and all kinds of birds to watch. This is kind of like being Jane of the Jungle, without Tarzan. (Dare I hope?)

I arrived in Panama last Wednesday night, but spent a couple of days in the city gathering supplies, so finally made it to Loma Partida on Friday evening. Wow. Every breath was really revitalizing - refreshing....as I remembered it here... and I found myself hard pressed to remember why I left....it had something to do with illness, but that seems like so long ago.

Rita greeted me upon my return, playing a little rougher than I like at first, and as she left her deep scratches and bite marks on my ankles, I was a little frightened that she had lost the tame manner I had known in her - but, as in the last few times I was away for a month or so, she resumed her natural loving ways in a short period of time, and I was swept away with the level of affection I have for her. What a cool pet - albeit an expensive one to feed. I no longer own any chickens, for she has eaten them all. I miss feeding them in the mornings and evenings, and the fresh eggs. Maybe if I build a house for them for the evenings?

Anyway, I am home, at least the home of my heart and fantasies....and happy. I have only three weeks here before I have to return to the US, for Steve cannot keep my dogs any longer than that as he works in DC for the fourth of July - my favorite Uncle Sam on HUGE stilts! The airlines have restrictions on the dogs flying until September 15th, and in truth, I must return then, I am compelled. This place is in my heart, my blood, my soul...... I love it.

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I worked today as a mime for a wonderful, warm-hearted couple, Casey and Casey Townsend, making their first independent film under the name of Gimcrackery Video Productions. The young couple posted a notice on Craigslist looking for background actors to volunteer to work as mimes for an afternoon. This was a non-paying job, with a copy of the film as the only compensation. I signed up to check it out, and was rewarded with a heart-warming experience, one I am glad I did not miss. The filming for the day was shot at Worms and Coffee, a small, family-run gas station/bait shop/store/coffee shop in Hell Hole Swamp, North Carolina. Try finding that on Google map! Worms and Coffee is nestled away at the intersection of Highway 211 and Midway Road near Southport, an old-fashioned North Carolina service station with the type hospitality reflective of Southern culture.

Having experience as a background actress in the film industry in Wilmington, I arrived two hours early thinking I might be able to help set up or sign in the background actors. Upon my arrival, a friendly looking young woman approached me and introduced herself as Casey Townsend, and then introduced her husband, the director, also named Casey Townsend. It seems these two young people met because they had the same name: the same first name and the same last name. As the fairytale would have it, these two artistic people met, married, made a film about mimes, and are living their dream. Welcome to Hell Hole Swamp, North Carolina!

The Townsend's welcomed me and put me to work instantly, making me feel like part of the group, a feeling I really enjoyed. Within minutes I was making up slogans and designing signs for protesters, while helping to assist background actors as they straggled in to sign release forms and their contact information. It was a definitively a community effort, with children, parents, young old adults alike coming to help this delightful young couple in their creative venture. Within half an hour, there were at least eight people working taping poster board on sticks, writing slogans for the signs, or coloring in slogans.

A brief introduction was given by the Townsend’s about Gimcrackery Video Productions, through which they want to promote family films without sexual content or cursing for Christians, because they truly love Jesus. The director went on to describe the scene of the film: a protest rally to protect the rights of mimes who are hunted and persecuted in this story. There are a plethora of social and political implications which can be interpreted in the storyline, but that is another topic altogether. As part of the film, children and adults volunteered to have their faces painted white to look like mimes, while others had their mouths taped shut in silent protest.

The atmosphere during the filming was marked by an air of enthusiasm, and everyone enjoyed their role as mimes, sporting signs with slogans such as “Save the Mimes!” and “Let Mimes Live.” The directors evoked a genuine sense they enjoyed every moment of the filming, and that positive energy carried over into the background actors. The film wrapped with an crowd sing-along song about mimes. By the time the filming day was completed, everyone was smiling, pleased with what they created together on this spring day. The Townsend’s thanked everyone for their participation, and the crowd dispersed with looks of pride evident on their faces. Something very special happened in this rural corner of Southeastern North Carolina. This may have been an amateur production, but I left feeling part of something much larger, a community. Gotta love Craigslist.

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I am planning on embarking on a bohemian journey this summer, living with my two dogs in my pick up truck, using Craigslist as the source for everything I need as I travel about the US. Yep, I love Craigslist, what they do, what they stand for, and an admirer of Jim Buckmaster who led Craigslist to be one of the world's most popular websites while maintaining its public service mission.

I discovered Craigslist through my mid-20's kids who came home last year to provide care while I was ill undergoing chemo for HepC. After an extended illness, the cost of health care and living while too sick to work, I found myself in the position where I could no longer afford the mortgage payment on my condo and was faced with having to move. My kids suggested I list the condo on Craigslist, which I did, and within hours I had a renter, and within a month I moved. Incredible experience! I moved into a rental property, hired movers, a painter, and sold some of my personal items - all through contacts found on Craigslist. The people I met who were providing services were wonderful, salt-of-the-earth folks, and I found myself feeling a sense of connectedness with the community on a level which had been lacking in my life.

I am healthy now, but in debt to the roots of my hair - further than that, if the truth be known. Last week, I started using Craigslist to see what kinds of jobs and gigs are available. My hope was to find a way to sell some of my writing or blog for $$$$ and to pick up some interesting temporary work to bring in enough money to pay on the second mortgage and to provide me with money to live. I need to move out of my house before the first of June when tourists start arriving on the coast of NC, as this house is a beach vacation rental. My 'plan du jour' was to load my two dogs into my pick up truck along with camping gear and clothing, and head out across the country to work in different jobs which I might enjoy. The journey will bring me into contact with all kinds of people, and I want to taste the changing flavor of the America's culture. The idea of a bohemian adventure and lifestyle piques my interest, and I was thinking along that line when I read a blog on the roots of Craigslist. When I finished reading, I knew that I was onto something, something bold and new, and found my direction.

What I want to do is to set out on a journey using Craigslist as a means to find gigs, places to stay, people to share the cost of travel through ride-share, for everything. I want to see just how far the Craigslist community stretches - and then write about it in a daily blog that people can follow. I am confident I can build a good readership for my blog, and in an ideal dream world, may find a magazine or periodical, either online or on paper, to sponsor my project and publish my work, and maybe even pay me! :) I think this is the coolest idea, and am really excited about it.

I don't know what the protocol is for this kind of adventure, or if there is one. I did a Google search, and no one else has done this yet, so I am jumping on it. I think that more direction will come as I prepare for this journey, but I am open to suggestions and ideas. My youngest son, Jeremy, is working with WeEarth.com and I would like to tie in an aspect of 'green' on this journey, and maybe even publish through their site. Along that line, I am going to attempt to make the trip without air conditioning, something that is unheard of in summer travel these days. I remember taking a trip with my parents across the US when I was a small child, and we did not have air conditioning...how bad can it be?

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Well, tomorrow is my 52nd birthday. That sounds really old, but I don't feel old - at least I don't feel as wise as I always thought I might be when I grew up...oh well.

I have been at my home on Loma Partida for the last month, moving at the pace of a slug, and, to my surprise, loving it. I didn't have any major objectives when I came back this time, no emergency squatters, no visa problems for my kids...no reason except that I really needed to be here. It has been so good for me - and in truth, after the course of the last few months, I needed it really badly.

Physically, I feel as if I am improving, and the drugs are not bad at all...and I am still growing hair :~) which pleases me to no end! My days here are as basic as my home - Rita, little darling Kittikins that she is, broke my coffee press, which is probably the best thing that could have happened to my coffee drinking...now I pour my ground coffee into a cheesecloth filter, stick it in my mug, pour boiling water over it and let it seep for a minute or two, and oh my goodness - what a cup of conquer the world coffee, and it tastes sooooo good. Of course, I still add chocolate - what's not to love!

I have been snorkeling a lot - I think I have all the nearby reefs memorized. In fact, I started snorkeling out into Laguna Chiriqui, and swam with this huge manta ray - at least a 6ft tail, and a wingspan that had to be wider than that - it was breathtaking, and a little spooky at the same time - to watch how very graceful it was under water, so beautiful... Twice I had the opportunity to swim with her, and it will be a memory I am not likely to forget.

My biggest treat was making coconut oil and cream. Wow! What a process, and what a product... great for cooking with and good for you too! So, I am bottling it and giving it to my gringo friends this first go about, but, Manatamamma Enterprises has a new venue to add to the self sustaining finca here, selling Organic, hand-pressed virgin coconut oil, bottled in Loma Partida, Panama. This is a no brainer, and fun...and the coconut shells make great candle lanterns.... I feel like a little kid with a fort in the woods!

I took a road trip to David and indulged myself by purchasing some decent pots and pans, glassware, and solar lights for the dock and paths...now that is quite the cat's pajama's! It is fabulous to be comfortable enough to walk about at night...I like that! Sadly, I was so tired on the bus on the way home, that I fell asleep, and when I woke up and hopped off the bus, my phone must have dropped on the floor. I lost my cell phone, so I lost all my numbers :( and had to buy a new phone... bummer, but sometimes caca happens.

The best part of all of this, is that I am happy. Really happy. I find myself laughing, even when I am alone. Weird, huh? I don't feel stressed out - even though I should, I am in debt up to the roots of my hair - but I am not stressed. I have been watching movies in the evenings and on rainy days, thanks to Kevin, visit with friends about once a week when someone stops by - and have enjoyed working on the land and playing with Rita. She has gotten to be quite the outdoor cat now, and rarely comes home for more than a few hours to eat and sleep - the sleeping part is one part I am going to be glad to see end - she purrs soooooooooooo loudly, and insists upon sleeping right next to my head where I can hear every sound she makes.

I am going to Panama city on Friday and if I am lucky, I will be coming home with a solar panel, and then life will take on an entirely different meaning - as in NO MORE GENERATOR! Yeahhhhhhh! Cross your fingers for me, please? I was supposed to return to the USA on Tuesday, but I think I may extend my stay - surprise, surprise. I am still have some small climate control issues from my thyroid and pituitary deal, and even though they are decreasing, I want to stay here a little longer. I simply need it. Go figure.

Anyway, I love having internet access, so I can find recipes.... If anyone has any suggestions as to great ways to cook pumpkins, let me know - I have soooo many of them growing on my farm that I can't begin to give them all away! I also had my first Papaya, picked today - which I planted last April. Cool :~)

Well, not much else about my life, it is good though...

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One of the most multi-sensory experiences on this journey was a visit to the Maasai markets. Wow! Between the sights, sounds, smells and heat, every sense was challenged. This particular market was a days travel, and held monthly, so needless to say, I stayed in less than comfortable accommodations which I would just as soon forget about. There are a plethora of different markets in the same region held once a month, so I visited all of them, beginning early in the day. There was a market for animals, for produce and for products, which, by the way, resembled all the clothing sent by charitable organizations to help the needy...being sold.

I loved the animal market where cows and goats were traded - and where a man offered to pay my father ten cows for me to be his bride! The funniest thing I ran into in the bartering system with cows was listening to a Maasai warrior trying to figure out how many cows it would take to buy a Land Rover from two young British men whom had finished their tour of Africa!

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