Sometimes there are things that are just so good I have to cross post them on both my blogs. This is one of them. Thanks, once again, to Duckworks for providing the link to these wonderful photos Photos by Marion Post Walcott.… This is just one of seven.
See the rest here: http://drx.typepad.com/psychotherapyblog/2012/01/vintage-houseboats.html#more
One More Good Adventure 
I suspect that shantyboat life isn’t very easy. On the other hand, it looks awfully appealing. I enjoyed seeing the whole series of photos – reminds me of life on the bayou. (I enjoyed a quick perusal of the good doctor’s blog, too. There are interesting subcultures all over blogland!)
Hello Richard,
I found your blog a few days ago, have read most of it, and enjoy your writing and point of view. I’m a carpenter, not a sailor, but both things require getting your hands dirty, so you’re OK in my book. These shanty boat pictures caught my eye, because I was born in Charleston, W. Va. Since I’m reading an ex-pat’s blog, it probably won’t come as a surprise I’m considering moving out of the USA when I retire in a few years. Heck, it’s either that or starve, ever since the Republicans declared war on working people. Good luck, and I’ll drop in on your blog now and then.
John
Thanks for stopping in and taking the time to leave a comment, John.
As you can probably tell, I’ve been enjoying living the expat life here in Panama. I knew for 20 years that unless I wanted to work until the day I died I’d have to clear out of the U.S. And even if I had wanted to work there aren’t many companies looking for 70 year old white guys except part time bag boys at the Publix supermarket or clearing tables at Wendy’s at lunch time.
I agree with you about the Republicans. The real decline of the United States, as I see it, started with Saint Ronnie of the Ray Gun and his deliberate and systematic dismantlement of America’s middle class. And he fed the booger-eating, mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging, Bible-thumping “family values” voters who think that “fair and balanced” is a Fox News operating principle instead of an advertising slogan that he was going to give the States smaller government and a balanced budget, neither of which happened. Instead he took the U.S. from being the world’s largest LENDER nation to the world’s largest DEBTOR nation in the space of eight years.
Clearing out of the States for a reasonably-priced exile isn’t a bad way to live. The down side, though, is that addle-brained conservatives have the same access to passports as do reasonable people. You get statements like this from people who live in the gringo ghetto of Boquete: “Bill, I am an American citizen, conservative in my views and believe in limited government, freedom ,liberty and leave me the hell alone so I can pursue happiness. . . I now have options if the USSA continues on its socialist path as I’ll just pack up and leave as I do not want to live in a socialist/ communist country. Virtually all of the ex-pats are in their 50’s and 60’s and I very rarely see an ex-pat child. I would love to find an English speaking Christian church to attend so I can meet more people who share my set of values.”
Besides the ludicrous idea that the U.S. is becoming a “socialist/communist” country you can see one of the problems of people like this guy. He’s looking for an English-speaking Christian church to meet people who share his warped set of values. One he doesn’t want to learn Spanish which is the language here and two, are his conservative values really compatible with the whole concept of Christianity?
Well, that’s enough of a rant for now.
Besides