Life and Times of the Dominican Gringa

Black Bird Visit

Posted by rdgringa on February 25, 2012 No comments

Teli, The Dominican Dog, and I came home the other night form a walk-about. It was dark as I opened the door from the street to enter the building where my apartment is.

As usual, I undid Telis leash so she could run up and down the stairs to the 3rd floor and back down. She likes to play and it also tires her out. This time she was just starting to bound up the stairs when she stopped abruptly and came back to me looking a bit perplexed. She would not go up the stairs and she kept looking at me as if something was wrong.

then I saw it. Two glowing eyes on the 3rd step and a black outline. First thing I thought was that it was a rat. I backed away to the door and Teli just stood there at my side. Now what were we to do. i could no see what was there. It was not moving. I was not going to go up the steps and have something bite me on my ankle as I passed…oh what a delemma.

I got out my cellphone and opened it for a little light. There for sure was something sitting on the stairs. I took out my camera to maybe use the flash to see what it was just sitting on the stairs. All this time the brave Teli was sitting at my side to afraid to go up the stairs.

I snapped three pictures before I realized it was a bird. It still did not move even after the flash so I went up the stairs as close to the opposite wall as possible. Teli followed running past the black bird just sitting on the stairs.

We made it into the house with no more incidences. But what was that bird doing sitting there on the stairs?

The next morning I was looking for it and has some sunflower seeds to feed it but it was gone. The only clue that it was there was the pictures I took and a few bird droppings on the stairs.

Hot Water For Me!

Posted by rdgringa on January 20, 2012 No comments

I have been living in this country for about 10 years now. Even the time in the middle years when I had to go back to USA for a time I still lived here because all my stuff was here. Anyhow, I only had hot water in the very first apartment I lived in for six months in Ensanche Julietta.

I remember when I moved in and could not figure out why there was no hot water in the kitchen when the shower had hot water. I was checking pipes to see if maybe it was turned off or was broken. I saw nothing. So I called the landlord. She spoke a little English and I spoke very little Spanish at that time. I tried to explain to her that the hot water was broken. She went in the shower and checked and said it was working fine. I took her into the kitchen and turned on the hot water facet and nothing came out. She started laughing at me. I had no idea what was funny. No water came out and she would have to fix it. Was that funny? Then she explained it all to me. The ole imaginary light came on above my head. The only place in the apartment that had hot water was the shower. Hardly anyone had hot water throughout the house. This is the way it is in Dominican Republic.

So when I moved to the Colonial Zone to my new apartment there was no hot water at all. But then half, or more than half, the time there was no water at all. I learned to bucket shower and run a hose from the facet in the street to get water. Then the last place I had we had water in the morning only so it was shower early when there was water pressure or bucket shower. If the water was too clod just had to heat some on the stove.

Now I moved to this new apartment. There is almost always water. The pressure is good. So I guess I am a bit spoiled now. I do not want to heat water on the stove when it is really cold. I want to take a real shower with hot water. So, for my Christmas present from my parents this year, I got hot water in my shower.

It was too expensive to put in a hot water heater tank and we could not figure out all the pipes in this old building. So I opted for the shower head with the heat coils inside. It was the easiest way to install hot water.

My shower is really small. If I drop the soap and ave to stoop down to get it I have to get out and pick it up. Its about the size of a refrigerator box and the ceiling is really low too. So it took some finagling to get the shower head in where I didn’t have to take a shower on my knees.

My Fit-it, repair man Rudolf, is wonderful. He came on time to check out the situation and to see what he could do to get me hot water. He thought he could get me a hot water tank but I did not have enough funds for that. So he said he could fix the pipe in the shower so I could stand underneath and shower in comfort.

He got all the pipe in. Got the heater hooked up. turned it on and pop! The fuse blew. When he checked the fuse box the fuse was way to small to handle the wattage so he went and got a higher amperage fuse and put it in. When he had the fuse box open I was totally amazed with what I saw inside. Whoever did the electric work had the wiring all electric taped together. I never in my life saw anything like that before. But I shouldn’t really be surprised with the way stuff is done here. Yet every time I see the wiring, in houses, businesses and in the streets I am just amazed.

So I got my hot water all hooked up thanks to Rudolf and took my first hot shower in my apartment. I was so content. I will not use it all the time. Only when it is cold and there is no sun to heat the water in the pipes. Electric here is very expensive and I do not want to run up my bill. But it is so nice to know that I gave hot water when I want it. Thanks to my mommy and daddy for the Christmas present and to Rudolf for fixing it for me.

By the way, I highly recommend Rudolf if you need anything done. His business is called Xpress Dominicana – (check the link for more information about the Handy Man Services) Maintenance and Handyman Services. He does Repairs & Maintenance, Handyman Service, Major & Minor repairs, Painting, Re-Refurbishments & Upgrades, Project Co-Ordinations, Moving & Packing Services, Point Of Sale Installations, Prepare Home for Sale or Auction. Commercial & Residential Cleaning Service. He speaks English which was a really big help. My Teli, The Dominican Dog, really liked him too! His contact information is: 829-665-4144, 829-474-4144 xpressdominicana@gmail.com. Tell him Janette, The Dominicana Gringa sent you!

A Hazy Sunday in January

Posted by rdgringa on January 15, 2012 No comments

I wrote a post but something happened and it just disappeared. I have no idea where it went and, of course, I can’t remember all that I wrote. So I am just going to put up the pictures I took out my window today and maybe another day I will write about whatever it was that I lost. It is not easy getting old…lol.

Enjoy your day as Teli (The Dominican Dog) and I will be enjoying ours.

The above picture has the Caribbean Sea circled. It is the same color gray as the sky. It is difficult to distinguish where one ends and the other begins. This is the view out my Colonial Zone balcony window to the right.

I love the sky with its evil looking clouds. I put some arrows to point out the points of interest. This is the view out my Zona Colonial balcony window to the left. I hope the pointers pointing the points make their point. Ok, I am being just plain silly but I hope I made my point. Anyhow, here is a little picture tour or my window view.
Red arrow – The oldest cathedral in the Americas, The Cathedral de Santa Maria.
Teal arrow – The Hard Rock Cafe sign.
Blue arrow – The Palacio de Borgellá.
Pink arrow – ChuChu Colons Coke-a-Cola train.
Purple arrow – A human watchman.
Yellow arrow – La Casa del Sacramento. The place where the Archbishop of the Dominican Republic hangs out.

This is the view out my balcony window straight ahead.

104 Years Old Drinker and Dancer

Posted by rdgringa on January 10, 2012 No comments

This woman turned 104 in Janurary. She still has her memories. She rememberes the times of Trujillo. She dances, cooks and drinks her beer. She has 7 children, 21 grandchildren, 30 something great grandchildren and over 100 great great grandkids. I wonder if she can remember all the kids names.

If I live to be that age I can only hope that I have her energy.

Happy birthday Leonida Artiles. I hope you have as many more birthdays as you want. If I was there I would buy you a beer and maybe dance a little Bachata with you! You go girl!

The Days of Christmas 2011 In My Life

Posted by rdgringa on January 2, 2012 No comments

I do not do much for the holidays. I am just not into it any more. So here is a little of what I did do in my own little apartment for Christmas and New Years.

Teli, my dog, and I walked around. I had beer and she had salami or cheese in the Colmado. Sat at the computer worked, played, talked and watched movies. Thats about it. I did pretty much nothing and am sooo content with it. I loved my Holiday time.

Now the video of Teli and I having a good time together. She is such a comedian. She makes me laugh too much.

This is our wonderful Christmas Tree. She is a real beauty. The essence of pine wefted through my home with this baby. LOL!

Trying to get all the lights untangled was a real chore.

Now here is the big one. Taking down the Christmas Tree after the holidays. I was really sweating doing all this work.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas and New Year Holiday time. No matter how you celebrate. With friends, family, someone you love or all alone. As long as you enjoy it that is what matters.

Life is soo good! Love and blessings to you all. I hope your year to come is all you hoped for and all you deserve.

Christmas Sancocho d’Pennsylvania

Posted by rdgringa on December 30, 2011 No comments

Here are bits and pieces of an email I got and because of it I made some new friends. I love being able to make new friends.

First email from Greg:

(edited) I stumbled upon your writing while I’m researching a Christmas gift for my brother’s girlfriend who originates from the DR. She’s new to the family and none of us knows much about her. Your Christmas page was helpful in many ways but I think most helpful by being a friendly voice and a potential advice giver:)
As it turns out, we live in Pennsylvania! (Thanks a lot for including your current temperature on the site!). You’ll be aware that I can’t do much in the way of fireworks here…but I’d like to give her a piece of familiarity as part of her Christmas. I’m thinking about making a special food. Any suggestions about what that might be and recipes? I don’t know her family’s traditions so I’m looking for a truly universal DR food.
Thanks for your time Janette and thanks for such a great website.

I sent him some suggestions about making Sancocho or some other Dominican type food. Maybe getting some Mamajuana or some Dominican rum and got this response:

(edited) I think I’m going to make Sancocho d’Pennsylvania. There’s no cob corn available now and goat meat isn’t readily available….but it is Pennsylvania it is deer hunting season after all so I might adapt with some venison. My thought is that squirrel or rabbit might be better replacements but that venison will be gamey enough as a substitution. We have plantains aplenty though…amen to our diversifying population:)
My favorite thing about that recipe is its size! You can tell that it comes from people who value large family gatherings. There will be about 12 of us on Christmas day and I’m quartering the recipe. I wish there were 50 of us:)

We sent another email or two and we agreed that in PA Sancocho game meat could be a substitute, as the recipe is not set in stone.

On December 24th Greg sent an email:
(edited) Janette….It has begun. Venison defrosting now:) Debbie took over so I’m reduced to writing about the project….but hey, she’s a better chef than I am and doesn’t swear while dicing vegetables:)
I think this is going to work out well. Rick gave me a big Venison roast and probably 20 pounds of pork that his father raised. When I got the beef today, the butcher severely cut his price on the beef (just nice…I didn’t know until I was paying)
Anyway….Christmas music on and dogs asleep everywhere…kids cleaning the play room and Sancocho started. It’s a good Christmas Eve. Thanks for being part of it, Amiga:) Merry Christmas.

The next communication I got had the end results and the picture included.

(edited) PA Sancocho was a hit! Lorena was thrilled and surprised. She didn’t know it was coming but coincidentally had been describing it to my brother the night before.
We made a few substitutions based on availability. We used a turnip to replace one of the root vegetables and of course, the venison instead of goat. The first substitution went unnoticed but we asked for feedback about the deer. She said it tastes just like goat:) I even found fresh corn on the cob:)

The whole family really enjoyed it and my mother’s lasagna went un-eaten….which means I got a lasagna to bring home. (Bonus:)

They got to enjoy their PA Sancocho and all I got was a lousy picture..jejej. I am so happy that I could help them show their new Dominican friend a good Christmas. That was so nice of them to care about her and work to make her feel comfortable and at home.