REFLECTIONS OF 2011 IN CUENCA

We have had such a lot of amazing times and experiences here in Cuecna this last year. Meeting new friends and doing new things. There are alot of photos that never made it to the blog so I thought Iwould just go back through this last year and post some of the more memorable ones that I never got to show you.

These are beautiful plants that grow all over Cuenca, but these are my favorites in the Parque Calderon..so other worldly..

Randy did himself proud this last year, gaining his Auto drivers license as well as his Motorcycle driving license. Here they give you a whole separate card.

My daughter Kelsey and her boyfriend Daniel came to visit for almost a month..I think we had more fun than they did; but all in all I was happy Kelsey got to experience where we live.

I was invited to visit Macara, in Southern Ec. to join in the festivities surrounding the dedication of a school in the honor of my friend, Graciellas, father Ignacio. He had passed years before, but his name and his family is very well known in this small town next the the Peruvian boarder.

 I finally learned how to know something other than just garter stitch, and kept myself pretty busy with gifts for others.

 I learned how to weave and was able to share a gift with TOK (the other Karen)... Karen Wine,

Brennie made Randy a cool Apron for his birthday; now that we have time we are discovering our hidden talents!

We said hello and goodbye to new friends who have decided to move from Cuenca to Malaysia..

We were able to meet new friends at house parties over the New Year, some were passing through on visits and some had been here for months... word of mouth parties get to be alot of fun!

I would like to end my year in review with this photo.. This is a gift we  received from our housekeepers sister. I was able to order a netbook computer for her and bring it back when I returned from the states right before Christmas.. Marina came to the house with $300 in $20 bills.. more than a months salary. She expressed her gratitude because to buy them in the U.S. is much much cheaper, and she had no way to get one from there. Her son needed a computer for school.. These eggs from her chickens and the dried beans were her gift, with shy thanks and saying in Spanish that is was not much but she wanted to give me something to express her gratitude..I just about cried..

Here is to a wonderful 2012, we are looking forward to what it has to bring, and all our new experiences here in Cuenca.