I Am Real... Just Like the Velveteen Rabbit!

It happened yesterday, April 27, 2009. I received my Pensionado Visa! Now can live in Panama indefinitely (or at least until politics get weird and I have to move to another country like Ecuador). Normally a Pensionado Visa only takes 4 to 6 months...but immigration laws were changed in late August, throwing a wrench into the works. Lea (my highly paid lawyer) said if I didn't get my Visa before the upcoming elections (May 3) I risked never getting it. So, I had the interesting experience of flying to Panama City where I met Jorge (taxi driver arranged by Lea to take me to the Migrations Office). It only took 2 hours (a record) of standing in circular lines to get my photo taken & placed on the card. I'm in deep dudu if I ever loose the Visa because it will take the Migrations Office 6 months to a year to replace it...better to just leave the country!

If you are wondering about these pictures (and the video) they were taken at the Las Garzas Jazz Night (April 25) that I helped organize. We even made $300 which will go to the lifeguard fund (to build a lifeguard station and hire lifeguards since many people get caught in the rip current along my beach). The first picture is of Dr. Jennifer Daniels & yours truly in front of the huge bonfire (taken by my new artist friend Patricia). The second picture is the Fantasy Jazz Band.

I had some interesting bird experiences today. Maybe it's because we are going from the dry to the wet season (no rain in 5 months) & the birds are getting anxious. Anyway, I was walking along the beach at low tide (heading east) when I spotted a low flying Brown Booby heading directly for me. I had to duck to avoid being hit (at least it "looked" like he might hit me). Weird! As the bird books say, "Brown Boobies rarely come very close to shore". Last year at this time I nearly ran into a Brown Booby sitting on the beach, looking like he was about to die. My evening walk took me to the farm behind the condo. I saw record numbers of birds (Yellow-Crowned and Red-Lored Amazon Parrots, a Lineated Woodpecker, loads of Red-Crowned Woodpeckers) and a new hawk... the Savanna Hawk. Very cool! They are "distinctly scarce in Western Chiriqui" (where I am) so I consider myself extremely lucky.

I'm headed to David tomorrow to get my Panama Driver's License so I can legally drive my truck & pick up my next company, Sherri Ann and Ken (Juice Plus friends).

Enjoy the music!