Comments on: All That Glitters Is Not Gold http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/ "Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." - James Dean Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:16:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: visitor http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-17096 visitor Wed, 14 Mar 2007 21:47:17 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-17096 >There are as many downsides to having a maid as there are benefits. Just as with a wife! (wink!) >There are as many downsides to having a maid as there are benefits.

Just as with a wife! (wink!)

]]> By: Don Ray http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-16950 Don Ray Sun, 11 Mar 2007 22:09:21 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-16950 Hi Visitor. Thanks for commenting. I think you are correct. I posted the above because I think a lot of the comercial sites list that ability of having a perminant maid and one of the benefits of living in Panama. However there maids and then there are maids. There are as many downsides to having a maid as there are benefits. Hi Visitor. Thanks for commenting. I think you are correct. I posted the above because I think a lot of the comercial sites list that ability of having a perminant maid and one of the benefits of living in Panama. However there maids and then there are maids. There are as many downsides to having a maid as there are benefits.

]]> By: visitor http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-16946 visitor Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:50:54 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-16946 What a wonderful blog! Thanks very much Mr. Ray for all the super info you have here. I don't think the maid problems described above are unique to Panama. When living for years in many different countries in the the Carribean, I had identical problems with most of the maids -and all of them spoke English as their native language. Yup, ruined clothes, cookware, plumbing. I have had all those and more! What a wonderful blog! Thanks very much Mr. Ray for all the super info you have here.

I don’t think the maid problems described above are unique to Panama. When living for years in many different countries in the the Carribean, I had identical problems with most of the maids -and all of them spoke English as their native language. Yup, ruined clothes, cookware, plumbing. I have had all those and more!

]]> By: La Gringa http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13972 La Gringa Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:47:50 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13972 You buy your tortillas from Costa Rica?! Is that legal? ;D You buy your tortillas from Costa Rica?! Is that legal? ;D

]]> By: Don Ray http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13859 Don Ray Mon, 11 Dec 2006 14:38:26 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13859 Well, they sell Butterball turkeys here and it sounds like you have the experience. Several restaurants do offer traditional American Thanksgiving dinners (sort of). Well, they sell Butterball turkeys here and it sounds like you have the experience. Several restaurants do offer traditional American Thanksgiving dinners (sort of).

]]> By: Rick C http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13858 Rick C Mon, 11 Dec 2006 14:30:13 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13858 I know what you mean about the stove. My Panamanian wife has been with me for 5 years and still refuses to use the stove. If I want Thanksgiving turkey I have to cook it myself or go to Boston Market. I don't know what I will do when we move to Panama next year. I have to have my turkey. I know what you mean about the stove. My Panamanian wife has been with me for 5 years and still refuses to use the stove. If I want Thanksgiving turkey I have to cook it myself or go to Boston Market. I don’t know what I will do when we move to Panama next year. I have to have my turkey.

]]> By: Don Ray http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13835 Don Ray Sun, 10 Dec 2006 18:09:50 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13835 You have me rolling on the floor. I also have given what seemed to me to be simple instructions only to find they had been transmogrified into something completely different. However, I think you had your on version of the sorcerer’s apprentice. You have me rolling on the floor. I also have given what seemed to me to be simple instructions only to find they had been transmogrified into something completely different.

However, I think you had your on version of the sorcerer’s apprentice.

]]> By: Linda http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13833 Linda Sun, 10 Dec 2006 18:00:11 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13833 Hi Don Ray, Here's just one of many incidents that have happened to us in our lives here in Central America: We had just completed construction of a house and needed one final cleaning before moving in. Our cleaner, Lisabet, had worked for us for several weeks and I had felt confident that she understood that I had wanted her to wipe down the kitchen cabinets, shelves and counters with a damp cloth and to take down some spider webs. I left to run an errand and came back 15 minutes later to find an inch of water on the floor and to catch Lisabet in the midst of throwing yet another bucket of water into the cabinets and up the drywall walls as high as she could reach. When she saw me, she asked for a taller ladder because she couldn't reach the highest shelves and webs by just throwing the water. On the bright side, the floor was cleaned earlier than I'd planned. Hi Don Ray,
Here’s just one of many incidents that have happened to us in our lives here in Central America:
We had just completed construction of a house and needed one final cleaning before moving in. Our cleaner, Lisabet, had worked for us for several weeks and I had felt confident that she understood that I had wanted her to wipe down the kitchen cabinets, shelves and counters with a damp cloth and to take down some spider webs. I left to run an errand and came back 15 minutes later to find an inch of water on the floor and to catch Lisabet in the midst of throwing yet another bucket of water into the cabinets and up the drywall walls as high as she could reach. When she saw me, she asked for a taller ladder because she couldn’t reach the highest shelves and webs by just throwing the water. On the bright side, the floor was cleaned earlier than I’d planned.

]]> By: Don Ray http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13818 Don Ray Sun, 10 Dec 2006 15:31:26 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13818 Between us, we have probably come across most of the things to watch out for. I buy my tortillas from Costa Rica. They are better than I can make. Between us, we have probably come across most of the things to watch out for. I buy my tortillas from Costa Rica. They are better than I can make.

]]> By: La Gringa http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13815 La Gringa Sun, 10 Dec 2006 14:15:50 +0000 http://chiriquichatter.net/blog/2006/12/09/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/#comment-13815 Hey, Don Ray, I'm glad my travails inspired you. You mentioned several things I didn't because she didn't stay long enough. One other tip is that don't allow tortilla making in the non-stick pans -- I found out the hard way that the high heat needed for tortillas will ruin the pans. Since the pans are empty part of the time during the tortilla making process, they overheat and it destroys the finish. I hope that helps someone. Hey, Don Ray, I’m glad my travails inspired you. You mentioned several things I didn’t because she didn’t stay long enough.

One other tip is that don’t allow tortilla making in the non-stick pans — I found out the hard way that the high heat needed for tortillas will ruin the pans. Since the pans are empty part of the time during the tortilla making process, they overheat and it destroys the finish.

I hope that helps someone.

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