Scroll down to see all pictures Greetings from Linda and Al aboard Carina! December 2006
I didn’t think 2006 was an eventful year until I started writing this! I decided to try something new this year and add pictures. We have so many great photos of events here in Guatemala, and I figured I’d better add some to make it interesting!
JANUARY - FEBRUARY
January was a health-related month. I was recovering from my emergency appendectomy of December 4, and had a follow up MD appointment in Guatemala City- all is well. Al was scheduled for surgery to remove his chronic nasal polyps, so we proceeded with that. We spent ten days at Las Torres Hotel, our home away from home in Guat City, so we wouldn’t have to make the five hour bus trip for follow up care. Al recovered with no complications and we were glad to get home to Carina. While in Guat City we went to two wonderful museums on the campus of Francisco Marroquin University. Museo Ixchel is devoted to the textiles, weaving, and designs of Mayan and indigenous Guatemalans. Museo Popul Vuh has a fantastic collection of Mayan sculptures and pottery.
In February we took the bus to El Remate on the shores of Lake Peten Itza. This is a small town close to Flores and Tikal in northern Guatemala. Flores is a lovely island town, which we visited last year, but a bit too touristy. El Remate is just a wide spot in the road, with horses, dogs, cats, pigs and chickens roaming free. We stayed at a locally owned hotel, the Sunbreeze, and became friendly with the owner Umberto and his wife Saida. We spent a day wandering around the Mayan ruins of Tikal, awe-inspired by the huge temples.
Upon returning to Rio Dulce on Feb. 10th we were greeted with sad news. Our friend Trish relayed the news from my sister that my father had died the day before. Dad had been living in the skilled nursing facility at Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, FL for a year and a half. At age 91 he was still mentally sharp, but his body was giving out. He finally decided he was ready to go and his heart quit. He was a wonderful, inspiring man and a terrific father. So Al and I hastily made travel plans and flew to FL. My family gathered in Fort Myers to be together and have a service for Dad. While there we visited friends at Fort Myers Beach. We rented a car and drove to North Carolina to see Al’s mother and family in Durham.
A week after Dad died we were visiting with my brother Ken and his wife Ann in Punta Gorda, FL for my birthday. Their cat Sammy had been at the vet having his teeth cleaned. When Ken brought Sammy home he had a bad reaction to the anesthesia. I held Sammy in my lap in the car as Ken raced back to the vet’s office. Sammy didn’t make it and died in my arms. Ann was devastated.
A week and a half later, when we were back in Rio Dulce, we learned of the sudden fatal heart attack of our dear friend Chuck Conine. Chuck and his wife Susan were our best friends when we lived in Elk Creek, MO, and we had so many great times with them and the rest of our Ozark extended family. Chuck was a super friend, had a keen sense of humor and sharp intelligence. He was a dedicated teacher and a respected leader of his faculty peers. He was devoted to Susan and his daughters, Alyssa and Johanna. We can’t believe he’s gone. Susan has relocated to Springfield, MO to carry on.
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