Bienvenidos a Casa Ingaso, Altos del Maria, Republic of Panama

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FEBRUARY 2008: “Miracles Do Happen!”

(NOTE: Newcomers, who'd like to get an idea of what this site is all about, would be well-advised to click on "2005 Pages" and read that introduction. Enjoy!)

Originally, our plans for Casa Ingaso included a studio apartment over the garage. It's sole purpose: to house a near and very dear friend, john allen. He was approaching 80-years old, wanted to live in a warmer climate, and was close enough and comfortable enough with us to make the move. The problem was his rheumatoid arthritis.

(Remeber, you can click on the images for larger versions with captions.)

Between Medicare, MediCal, and the Arthritis Foundation, john got his medications (part of which included a cutting-edge IV-fed infusion) almost for free. When he realized that in Panamá he would have to pay for everything, some of which might not be available, it became clear he couldn't afford it, financially or physically. Without the medications and treatments he would, basically, lose the use of his hands, and that would mean no longer being able to create his ceramic art.

We met john while doing the Santa Barbara Art Show, a weekly outdoor event where I sold my photographs for almost sixteen-years, the last seven or so next to john. We were kindred spirits, and it marked the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

(Here's his house-gift to us (on the right): "Ahso", an ohming, budding Buddha, and now our Dapper Diaper Daddy. To see more of john's art, visit this link: john allen gallery.)

So, once TC and I realized john's predicament, we were crushed. Hope of him living here in Altos went out the window along with the apartment plans—after that, john recently admitted he held out little hope of ever seeing us again. And that was the way things stood, until December.

john works out nearly every morning at the YMCA in Montecito, and follows his workout with a soak in the Y's jacuzzi. It was there that he met the man who would make the recent visit possible. The two of them had chatted in the jacuzzi, off and on, over the course of a couple of years. And in December, when john was explaining his woes with his antiquated Mac computer (which we gave him several years ago), the man said, "Why don't you trade services; go down there for a couple of months and teach them how to throw clay, while they teach you how to be more proficient on your computer." Then, he added, "And, I'll pay for your airfare!"

Assuming, at first, that it was a joke, john didn't give it much thought. But, when he bumped into the man's wife and mentioned the offer, she said, "Yes, he does that from time to time." Suddenly, john was caught up in a whirlwind that put a new iBook in his lap, brought him plane tickets to Panamá and dropped him, willy-nilly, into our welcoming arms, all in the space of about four weeks!

“Miracles Do Happen!”

So, almost before he knew what hit him, john found himself enjoying the magic of Casa Ingaso, the beauty of Altos del Maria, and the warmth and sunshine of Panamá.

Unfortunately, I didn't get copies of all the pictures john took while he was here. But, those I do have are featured in this gallery: john's Photo Gallery.

As for our latest and greatest photos in and around Casa Ingaso—some including john—click on this: January Photo Gallery!

(By way of an explanation about the wide-format of a few of those photos: I took them with the still-picture feature of our video camera, and it's not quite up to snuff when compared to my digital Canon EOS. Sorry.)

“Hasta la vista, Baby!”

[click here for March's home page...]