October 23, 2022

 

John and Kate family picture.  John has been training for arm wrestling. 

We went to Lampa and cleaned a missionary apartment.  When we left I locked the door, both the handset and deadbolt.  The missionaries called later and said that they didn't have a key to the deadbolt so they found another way in.  They jimmyed the kitchen window and climbed on a chair.  

Here they are in the apartment. 

Here are some pictures of baby James Paul Grange in the hospital.  

He went home from the hospital today.  He is up to 4 lbs and 7 oz. Here he is at home. 

September 18, 2022

September 11 is the anniversary of the overthrow of the Allende government. Apparently they have protests every year on that day.  The smoke in the picture is coming from the metro station near us.  The police showed up with 3 or 4 water cannon and effectively put out the fires and dispersed the crowds. I thought it was unusual that all the police cars have cages built over their windows.  Now I realize that that protects them during protests.  It sounds like the protests were mild this year. 

We have had several earthquakes since we arrived.  They are mild and short but make you think twice about living on the 17th floor. 

My thankyou treat for taking keys to sisters that locked their keys in the apartment.  It happpens about once a week.  

This is the kitchen that we had remodeled.  We had the wall opened up. It makes the kitchen and living room bigger.  You can imagine how narrow the kitchen is without the opening.  We are doing the same type of remodel to a second apartment now.  

Ice cream break in the office kitchen.  They look guilty don't they. Its not their first time.

 

September 25, 2022

 

This is the view from a missionary apartment on the 26th floor over looking some other buildings being built.  It gives me the willys to look out the windows as there is just a short bar across the window.

I drove up to a town about 90 minutes north called Llay Llay.  It is straight up the 5 freeway. I think this freeway is the Pan American Highway that joins into I 5 in the states.  On the way back I was delayed by a goat herd.  In the picture the freeway is to the left and the goats are blocking the entrance to the freeway.  There are two goat herders on bikes behind the goats.  It was a nice day. 

This is picture of Llay Llay it is mostly agriculture.  The air is clear, streets are clean, and it is quiet. 

We had a cabinet maker make these chests of drawers.  They have a hanger rod between them for suits and shirts.  Many apartments don't have closets and the armoires that you buy are in expensive but only last a year for missionaries. 

October 15, 2022

 Jessie came to visit.  We went south to Puerto Natales and went to the Los Torres del Paine national park.  There are several lakes that have glaciers that drop ice bergs into them.  Jessie(sometimes known as Shackleton) risked her life to get up close. 

Gigi had a nasty cough and stayed in bed the first few days.  The last day Jessie rented a car and we drove around the park.  It has some beautiful landscapes and mountains.  The weather changes fast. We had some nice sunshine but by the end of the day it was very windy and snowing. 

Jessie and I hiked up to Los Torres(towers).  It was only about 12 miles round trip but alot of the time it was a scramble up rocks more than hiking. Pictures of it below. 

We wore mutiple layers of clothing and I was constantly taking off and putting on to keep from sweating too much or getting cold.  I think I was the only climber there in Levis and hearing aids.  

Walking sticks would have been very useful on the way down. 

I think you can see some of the red trail markers in the rocks. 

This is the water at Puerto Natales. 

We didn't see bigfoot but did see condors, guanacos and the emu like birds. 

Water front at Puerto Natales. 

Jessie and I went to dinner at the Ultima Esperanza restaurant.  She had pasteles de choclo and I had salmon with 2 eggs and mashed potatoes.  Ultima Esperanza must be the name of the province because it used alot down there.  Also Fin del Mundo is a common name there.  Jessie took a daytrip to Punta Arenas to see penguins but they weren't out yet.  

My cousin Ross(Dintys son)  has several businesses in Santiago.  This is his rock shop.  He spent time with Jessie and I and gave her some nice Chilean rocks.  It is nice to have relatives here. 

We ate crepes in the Costenera Center(the tall tower in Santiago)

Three gringos looking at crepes

The observation deck in the tower.  We had a fairly clear day.  There is generally smog in Santiago. 

We had a nice bike ride in the park on Cerro San Cristobal.

That is the tower in the background.  We are on the bike ride on Cerro San Cristobal. 

We stopped to see Nora our good friend on the way back from the airport and got her out of bed.

Our friend Hno Chamorro's son Gabriel was baptized in Lampa. 

We went to Los Dominicos yesterday.  There was dance program. They did the national dance the cueca.

Sept 11, 2022

 

We were late to a meeting last night in Colina so we went to Gridos for ice cream to drown our sorrows. 

This man lives between our office and apartment.  He uses this cart to collect and sell junk.  He has two nice dogs.  Jackie has given him food for his dogs.  He said the dogs are fat and I am skinny. How about food for me.  

Sept 4 was the election to approve the new constitution.  Citizens are required to vote.  We took a missionary to his hometown Rancagua  to vote. It was calm and very organized. It only took a few minutes.  Some how his mother was there voting at the same time. 

Jackie is becoming famous for her tom ka gai soup.  It is great. 

Ikea opened their first store in Chile.  Same story as at home.  Lots of people and no idea of how to get out of the maze. 

Jackie likes a place called Los Dominicos.  Lots of artisans selling their work.  She bought several nice things from this jeweler.  

At the gas station down the road they have an assisted living facility for dogs. They have nice dog houses, cushions for them to lay on and food.  They seem happy there. 

Flowers are blooming in the park. 

We were on our way back from a bike ride and saw some grafitti guys working.  Apparently the local people pay for the paint.  They were sitting there watching.  Looks like there are Mr Bean fans here as well. 

We go to dinner several times a month with Pres and Sister Simpson.  

We had a decent apartment that had real dirty walls. We kicked the missionaries out for a week and painted it.  Jackies friend Cecilia painted the branch on the wall.  She helped us clean and paint. 

These 2 beagles live right above us.  I think that it is a father and a son.  We noticed that it would rain beagle hair occaisionly.  It would come in our house if the windows were open.  Jackie mentioned it to the neighbors and the hair stopped.