Nicaragua Crisis – Supply Run for August Part II

all photos are courtesy Pixabay

Well, we did make it home in one piece yesterday, just in case you were wondering. We pulled in around 2:30 pm and all my little Cling-ons were waiting for their treat. I told them we would have something after I put the supplies away. I had many little hands making the work a lit more fun.

Perhaps I should explain the term Cling-on. I am sure there are a lot of parents who are familiar with the term. We had rented one of the movie Star Trek for our entertainment one Saturday. Our friends brought their big screen TV down and we set up out in the large rancho. The kids were enthralled with all the different aliens. They all could identify with the big strong, macho-like Klingon character, Worf.

So one day, when I had all the kids hanging off me, legs, arms and neck, I called them my little Cling-ons as opposed to Klingons. They took it to mean a reference to the Klingons in the movie. They laughed their silly little giggles and thought that was really cool. So from then on, they became Mama Castor’s Cling-ons.

When we were done I asked them what kind of cookies would they like. The general consensus was oatmeal cookies made with coconut and chocolate. Adults preferred coconut and raisins. I guess that means two different batches of cookies! 🍪🍪

So gathering around the larger dining room table, 16 hands help make two different types of cookies. I wish I had thought to take photos but what can I say. I was exhausted but I had promised to make cookies, so we did! 8 dozen 2-inch cookies, 4 dozen of each kind. With any luck and beating off the cookie monsters, perhaps we will have enough to last a few days! LOL

So, everyone enjoyed warm coconut oatmeal cookies, either the raisin or chocolate with really cold goats milk. After cleanup, Mama Castor headed to her bed for a siesta before dinner. Our friends had volunteered to do a BBQ chicken dinner. YAY!

We all enjoyed a delicious BBQ chicken, with potato salad, Kid’s garden basket salad and fresh rolls. For those who need to know, we have a variety of small baskets that the kids use to collect whatever veggie form the garden that they would like to have in a salad. Some days we get quite an odd assortment of veggies and fruits but they do get made into some very tasty salads.

Before everyone left for the night, we had a discussion on how we should handle the second part of the run in the morning. It would be shorter in duration and most of the travel would be in the West end of Leon. It was decided that Erwin would drive again and Will and I could handle the rest.

We could be in and back before noon. If all goes according to plan. Luis and Luciano could be called if we felt we needed them since they both live in the west end.

We all bid our good nights and Erwin agreed to return for 7 am. Mama Castor needed her rest and turned in early.

3 am rolls around early and Will and I went for our morning walk along the beach. High tide and turbulent waters. Not a day for a beach picnic with the kids.

Time to hit the shower, make breakfast and get prepared to go out. Reusable bags repacked and the list doubled check for things that we weren’t able to get yesterday. Packed coolers with ice the frozen foods, meat and dairy products on the way back.

Erwin arrived 15 minutes early. Prayers for a safe journey were said with Don Manuel and then we tried to sneak out the small gate without the kids and dogs following. Erwin had parked his car outside this morning so we can make a quick getaway. We made it!

Not these dogs...this type of dogs!

Somehow we managed to pass the pack rat dogs this morning. Perhaps they sleep in on the weekends! As we passed by the small hotel, the owner’s wife flagged us down. Could we possibly give her a lift to the hospital? Her husband, Marcos, was admitted yesterday afternoon. No problem. She ran back in, gathered her things and we were on our way.

Normally we would take a few minutes at the beach, but we thought that perhaps Francesca would like to be on her way, sooner rather than later. She appears very anxious but doesn’t say much, other than Marcos is in serious condition.

It is a subdued trip into town. The market in Sutiava seems a little busier than The previous morning, with more vendors clogging the sides of the street in front of the market. More tricyclos and taxis this morning too.

First stop is at the veterinary where we stopped yesterday. He had told us he was expecting a shipment of dog food in the afternoon. Yes, he had the food, but the bad news is that the price has increased by $10 per 50-pound bag and only 4 bags were delivered. We bought 3, loaded in the trunk and continued on the way to the hospital.

Traffic around the hospital was unusually heavy and there were 4 ambulances waiting to be offloaded, all from smaller communities outside of Leon. Just passing the hospital makes my stomach churn. Too many horrible experiences there to recount in this post. Perhaps one day when the scars are not so raw.

As we get closer to the market we saw a large number of men in black milling about the front of the market. There are too many to count. We pass as quickly as the traffic will allow, trying not to draw attention to ourselves.

We find a parking spot close a side entrance of the Central Market. Erwin accompanies us on this trip inside. Will needs a new pair of sandals. His have huge holes in the soles, have been repaired several times and now the straps have worn too thin to do much good.

We head to a little shop run by a cobbler and his family from Masaya. All the shoes in his shop are handmade from leather by the father and eldest son. Will decides on a fine brown pair and then he sees a black leather Kangaroo pouch (fanny pack) that he would like too.

With the purchases made and bagged, we head for the car and notice a bunch of the men in black coming up the street. Time to head out to the bank.

Finally, we pull up in front of the bank. As we are early, the guard can’t let us into the parking lot but he will allow us to park here at the curb. Will accompanies me once again with his hand in his pocket on the stun gun. Erwin is on lookout outside, hand in his pocket on the handgun he now carries with him daily.

Glancing around up and down the block, there doesn’t appear to be many people out yet. A fruit vendor is setting up his cart across the street. A local vagrant is sleeping off the effects of last night’s binge in the cutter down in front of the entrance to the parking lot. A couple of bank employees step over him to go to the bank’s employee entrance.

Will and I are a little longer this morning. The ATM’s are really slow. But we manage to get the rest of what I need out and we are back in the car in 15 minutes. We leave the bank for our final destination,(Yeah, right. Like that will happen!) the supermarket.

By this time, the supermarket was just opening. Erwin wiggled the car into a tight spot by the front door. The guard there was busy chasing a beggar from the doorway. He was impeding people from entering the store. We are seeing more street people since the beginning of last month. Mostly elderly, disabled or very young mothers with infants.

It is coffee time before we start the shopping. To the small in-store cafe to order cappuccinos. We are out of luck. The machine is broken. They say no problem. They can make a cafe Americano. Okay. 3 orders of coffee Americano.

It arrived in tiny paper cups with a swizzle stick. The potent coffee fragrance assaulted my nostrils and made me snap my head back. Time for the first sip of scalding thick black brew. Wow! They must have left this pot on the back burner all night! This is one cup of coffee that I will neither guzzle nor savour.

Will did guzzle his and then left to buy the phone recharges for the month. I am beginning to feel a little light headed. Being an insulin dependent diabetic, I feel the need to do a quick test. Nope! Not the problem. Hmm….

Will returned and it is time to get moving. Erwin commandeers the shopping cart. You know the one. The one with one wonky wheel. Got my list in hand and ready to do battle with the searching and comparison shopping. Apples, bananas, peaches and pears. Oh, my!

Up and down the aisle of the mostly empty store. Not many staff in sight and even fewer clients. Shelves are scantily stocked. Many products are unavailable and on others, the prices have skyrocketed out of sight. $8/pound broccoli anyone? Pomegranates I grow in my backyard are $5/unit.

My slight lightheadedness has turned into a full-blown stomach churning dizzy merry-go-round and I want off! I need to hold on to the side of the cart and have Will hold me up on the other side. I think it would be prudent to draw a close to this shopping trip. To the checkout post haste and hopefully, I won’t have the newbie.

Gracias a Dios! We get to the checkout and it is an experienced cashier. She also has a bad case of the hots for Will. Of course, Erwin has to shamelessly egg him on. Some days…

Finally, I slide my sorry body into the front seat while the guys load the groceries. A few minutes later we are on our way when I remember I forgot to buy some tweezers for the first aid box. No problem. We can stop at a libreria (essentially a bookshop. Don’t ask) on the way. Score on the first try! On our way in under 5 minutes.

Oh, and need to stop at the gas station on the way home too! Gasoline is up 15 cents a litre over last time we bought. Sigh.

We take a small set of back streets after we leave the gas station as we want to avoid the local constabulary building which has been rebuilt for the third time since the political unrest began.

The final street we start down has a number of fresh vegetables, fruit and cheese stands. As long as I don’t turn my head fast, look down or up and I don’t have to leave my current seated position I can shop! 🤣

The vendors are more than pleased to see us and are practically falling over one another (for sandwiches, ranchero sauce and pico de gallo as my maters are not yet ripe), some pipians (a type of squash for Pipián Guise), carrots and some nice small red potatoes. Okay, now let’s go home.

When we arrive, the large gate rumble open and Erwin drives in as close to the door as possible. Mama Soccoro leans into the car to help me out and she looks at my face and exclaims, ¡Oh Dios mío!

What??? Have I grown two heads or something? Both Will and Erwin come over and Will tells me I don’t look well. Okay. Now I have an official diagnosis. I am ill. I am brought into the house and promptly put to bed by Mama Soccoro.

A glass of cold Suero (an electrolyte drink) is brought which tastes awful to me. Everyone pitches in to put away the supplies. The little Cling-ons are running in an out checking on me. Lady and Fergie decide it would be best to guard the bedroom door.

Stayed tuned for an encounter with the Health Clinic...