Kier had a great time with her friends last night. First they went to PanaRock, then to Chapiteau. Both are bars/restaurants. The teens here hang out in places like bars for a couple of reasons. Being totally realistic the first reason is probably because, there isn’t an inforced drinking age. If you can afford the drinks, you can drink the drinks. Kier didn’t partake in that way. She has been to plenty of parties where there is alcohol and she has fun without it. Especially here, she needs to have her head about her. The other catch is that most of the kids (including us) live in rather small houses that are not conducive to teen gatherings. It’s not like our house in Canada, where they disappear into the basement where there’s a large family room, flat screen, kitchen, bathroom. Kier has groups of kids over every weekend, and we hardly knew they’re there because they have their own space. But here, as I said, there is no obvious place for kids to gather. So they end up in restaurants, which in some ways is fine since it’s a public place.
After they were in Chapiteau, they went to someone’s house because they have a small hotel. There was some room they could hang out. The group she was with is three people from her current school and three people from the school she went to when we were last here. All the the kids in the group are in the musical except for one girl, who just got back from living in France. This same girl lived in Toronto for three years, so she and Kier had a point of connection. Kier said the group is a lot of fun. They are good kids, I know all but one of them from last time. I know the parents of 4 of the kids. I’m glad Kier has a group to plug into that she likes because she left a close-knit group of friends at home that I’m sure she misses. But I’m pleased she has a ready-made social circle of good kids, and I know she’ll be safe hanging out with them and that they look out after each other.
I couldn’t sleep until she got home. So I called Paul and we talked while I waited. One of the guys from her school made sure she was inside the door, safe and sound. That was also appreciated.
This morning Cali was up early. There was parade of chicken buses barreling down our street, and those suped up bus engines are loud. The buses were coming from the country, going down to the lake for the weekend baptisms. I heard the loud music a few hours later and the buses left around 2 pm.
Neither of the younger girls wanted to come into town with me for my coffee, they wanted to watch cartoons, and Kier was still asleep. I went alone, which is nice, too. I enjoy walking through town when the vendors are setting up. Many walking vendors come into the restaurant on Saturdays. There is a man who sells orchids from the mountains. He was here the last time we lived here, too. He has them strapped to his back and carries one in each hand, he’s a walking garden. The flowers are bobbing all around him as he walks. I saw a new vendor today, a man who had a box strapped to his back, and was selling wooden angels. The woman at the next table who was from the city, bought four. It always makes me happy when I see people buying from our local vendors.
I went home and Kier was just getting up, the younger girls were happy little couch vegetables, and wanted to stay that way. So Kier and I set into town. I feels like she’s been here for ages, even though it has only been 3 full days. She hasn’t been to all our regular places, and joked that she’s only been to bars with her friends (not really, well, actually that’s true, but it sounds worse than it actually is). Determined to show her the world outside of bars, we set out. On the walk up our street we saw her main teacher, who was going to the beach, her Spanish teacher, who was feeding the stray dogs food to keep them alive, and later her other teacher who was working in the used bookshop. In such a small town you can see your teachers in a variety of settings, not just at school.
First I took her to the big new grocery store. She was impressed that we can now buy new pillows in town, and that if we so choose we can eat meat. Last time we were here the only meat we could fnd was brought in the back of a pick-up truck and carried into the market while stray dogs were licking and biting the end that hung down. At the big store we bought her some flip flops.
We stopped for a coffee and Kier had a Tampico. It reminds me of Tang. While we were sitting there, a woman came with a cooler which she was carrying on her head. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but she went over to a group of 5 men who were having coffee. Her cooler was full of some kind of meat. After a bit of bartering, each of the men sitting there bought a plastic bag full of meat. They put the bags of red meat right into their pockets. It was a small thing, but something you wouldn’t see back home. I think of all those groups of older men who drink coffee at Tim Hortons at home. I can’t imagine a group of them buying meat from a total stranger, stuffing it into their pocket, and going home. Love those small experiences.
Next we walked to the plastic store and bought a little shelf for the bathroom upstairs. Then we bought a mirror for that bathroom from another store. I introduced Kier to Sandras, which is a small grocery store that has lots of yummy baked goods, and Cali’s favorite chocolate muffins. I found an extension USB chord that I needed. I’m getting better at knowing who to ask about random things I need. While we were in the used bookstore I was talking with a guy who used to work at the Porch and asked him if he knew where to buy the little extensions. He said he just happened to have one that he would sell me for 25Q. Done. Asking around and networking is the way this whole town runs. If one person doesn’t have something they’ll tell you who does or who you could ask.
We walked home by way of Santander, the main tourist street. Kier hadn’t been down it very often. She wanted to look for a black beaded necklace. She popped into about 6 different stores, didn’t find exactly what she wanted yet, but there is time. There is an increasing population of hippy jewelry makers, for lack of a better description of a group of people (ok, label, there I said it). Last time we lived here there were 3-5 people in their twenties, dreadlocks, multiple piercings, tats. Now there is a much larger community, maybe triple in size. There are lots of little babies and children with them now, too. They all seem to be into jewelry making, I wonder if that’s their only form of income.
On the way home we bumped into four people I knew and I introduced them to Kier.
Then in the afternoon I took Kier to her first guitar lesson. Her teacher doesn’t live far from our house, just a short walk. He is the lead guitar guy who plays in numerous bands in the area. She had an hour lesson and was excited about her teacher. He plays in different locations all around the lake, and works most evenings. I waited in the hammock by the house for her lesson to finish, and didn’t realize the lesson went for an hour.
After her lesson Kier did some homework and the girls played house upstairs. Later, after Cali went to bed, Madi watched a movie and Kier went out with her friends. First they were going down to look at the lake because apparently it was extra beautiful tonight. Later they may end up going dancing. It all depends on the group that ends up congregating. Seems to be a bit spontaneous, although she does know about a birthday party happening next weekend. That’s advance notice, a whole 6 days. Crazy planning ahead.
Cali’s frog blog: Today I had lots and lots of fun. I was the first one awake this morning, so I went to watch cartoons. Then I had three eggs for breakfast. Madi got up and we watched Pink Panther 2, then Barbie Mariposa on the computer. It was a tv morning, which made me very happy. Then Madi and I went upstairs and played house for hours and hours. We set up a new scene upstairs for when my friend comes over tomorrow. That’s what I did all day. P.S. I love you all very much.