Hello again...it's been awhile since my last post which I regret 'cause this is supposed to be my "journal" and I kinda dropped the ball! I made it through my first rainy season here - well sort of...I went to Texas and Oklahoma for a couple of weeks in October to see "mi familia.". When I returned to Costa Rica there was plenty of the rainy season left...this year it lasted a little longer than usual! Looking back on that now, I kinda miss the rain every day - we're in the dry season now and is it hot! Muy caliente! It is warm and sunny every day and a little cool in the evenings...pretty much perfect!
In November (around Thanksgiving), Tommy's 2 sisters and their husbands came to spend some time with us. I got a new car at the first of November (a Terios) and it's a great little car. While we had "company" I drove everywhere and really became much more comfortable with driving here.
On Christmas Eve we left C.R. And traveled to Vietnam for about 6 weeks! A couple of T's friends (P.D. And Rick) traveled with us for the first 2 weeks and then had to return to the States. We landed in Hanoi and toured the whole country. It was an incredible trip! The
people are wonderful. The country has a long way to go as far as education, healthcare, environmental resources, etc., but they seem to be a strong people who have overcome so much! I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to see this wonderful country. BTW, if you read my previous posts... When I came back from Vietnam, my garden was gone (thank God!)plowed up and planted over by "real" farmers! Gardening is not gonna be my strong point here on the farm...I'm still trying to find my niche! So far, I just keep going back to what Tommy told me when I moved here, "you can be on vacation for the rest of your life!". I like that!!
So, I'm happy to report that I'm still very much in love with Tommy and my new life here in C.R. I miss mi familia still very much but planning a trip to see them in May - can't wait!
Some day soon I'll learn to post pictures...stay tuned
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Saturday, August 20, 2011
School's Out!!!!
Hola! Well I "graduated" from school yesterday (Spanish class)! I can't really say I'm fluent but I was able to go to the farmer's market this morning and realize that one of the guys selling his veggies was trying to rip me off!!! I just stood there and waited for my change!! I was with a friend who speaks Spanish very well so that helped! The classes really kicked my butt (4 hours a day, 5 days a week!) Thus - not much blogging goin' on! Not only that but - did I mention that we're in the rainy season??? OMG - it's like monsoon rain here every afternoon for about 4 to 5 hours. It is incredible! Never really wanted a rain gauge until now - I have to know how much we get here every day - ya'll won't believe it - especially anyone reading this in Texas!!!! By the time I get home from "la escuella" every afternoon it starts raining like crazy - sometimes with thunder and lightening! Needless to say, we have to unplug "la computadora"and when the rain is over I try to get on but the service here is just not that good or the wires are too wet or whatever - All I know is - it makes it very difficult to stay connected for more than a few minutes at a time... very frustrating!!
While I was going to class Tommy's "peeps" created a garden for me! It's huge - pics to follow!!! The first day we (Fabian and I) - I'll tell you more about him later - took a few seed packets of flowers and some veggies and herbs out there to plant. Well - next thing we know Tommy is driving up with a "few" more plants from the nursery. Then he went back and got more and more!!!!! Let me just say that it was about noon time and about 120 degrees in a garden that is covered with this white plastic material so you get plenty of sun and not much air!!!! It felt like a sauna - thought I was gonna die!!! Fabian used to work in the botanical gardens in Hamburg, Germany and is doing volunteer work here on the farm and he loves it!!! Tommy lives and breathes to grow/garden/plant!!! Pardy on the other hand has never done this in her life!!!! Fabian tried to teach me how to stand over the prepared rows with legs spread so as not to stand on the plants and just keep walking and planting.....OK - I was not good at this maneuver!! I chose to squat and just keep working in my own style - NOT a good idea!!! When I stood up I thought I was going to faint and my back and my knees hurt like never before!!!!! That was the end of my first day in the garden. I went back out a few days later to "finish" planting and it was a little better (I waited until evening time). I worked until I couldn't work any more and told Fabian that I was done for the day. He said, "but look at that! You have 4 more plants to plant! You can't quit!!" I was so pissed but I knew he was right so I got those planted - I mean after all he had planted 2 rows of plants and I had done maybe half a row!!! I completed my chore and now all I have to do is weed and water everyday - or so I thought!!! Tommy informed me this morning that "You have plenty of space left in your garden - you can plant whatever you want!" OMG - help me!!!!
I love my new life so far! I'm driving now and that in itself is exciting. The streets are VERY narrow and curvy with open drainage ditches on both sides (need I say why?) so you have to be very careful when another car is on the road with you. There are no street signs so you have to remember to "turn left at the white fence" or use other landmarks to get anywhere!! The potholes are incredible - so you really have to watch for those and I don't know why but people steal manhole covers so that can be very dangerous also!! People put umbrellas or any kind of pole with a flag on it to mark these spots (if you're lucky) but you really have to watch what you're doing while driving !!! It's LOCO!!!!
Well so much for my "update"... I'll try to get pics posted soon... Love and peace to all reading this!!!!
While I was going to class Tommy's "peeps" created a garden for me! It's huge - pics to follow!!! The first day we (Fabian and I) - I'll tell you more about him later - took a few seed packets of flowers and some veggies and herbs out there to plant. Well - next thing we know Tommy is driving up with a "few" more plants from the nursery. Then he went back and got more and more!!!!! Let me just say that it was about noon time and about 120 degrees in a garden that is covered with this white plastic material so you get plenty of sun and not much air!!!! It felt like a sauna - thought I was gonna die!!! Fabian used to work in the botanical gardens in Hamburg, Germany and is doing volunteer work here on the farm and he loves it!!! Tommy lives and breathes to grow/garden/plant!!! Pardy on the other hand has never done this in her life!!!! Fabian tried to teach me how to stand over the prepared rows with legs spread so as not to stand on the plants and just keep walking and planting.....OK - I was not good at this maneuver!! I chose to squat and just keep working in my own style - NOT a good idea!!! When I stood up I thought I was going to faint and my back and my knees hurt like never before!!!!! That was the end of my first day in the garden. I went back out a few days later to "finish" planting and it was a little better (I waited until evening time). I worked until I couldn't work any more and told Fabian that I was done for the day. He said, "but look at that! You have 4 more plants to plant! You can't quit!!" I was so pissed but I knew he was right so I got those planted - I mean after all he had planted 2 rows of plants and I had done maybe half a row!!! I completed my chore and now all I have to do is weed and water everyday - or so I thought!!! Tommy informed me this morning that "You have plenty of space left in your garden - you can plant whatever you want!" OMG - help me!!!!
I love my new life so far! I'm driving now and that in itself is exciting. The streets are VERY narrow and curvy with open drainage ditches on both sides (need I say why?) so you have to be very careful when another car is on the road with you. There are no street signs so you have to remember to "turn left at the white fence" or use other landmarks to get anywhere!! The potholes are incredible - so you really have to watch for those and I don't know why but people steal manhole covers so that can be very dangerous also!! People put umbrellas or any kind of pole with a flag on it to mark these spots (if you're lucky) but you really have to watch what you're doing while driving !!! It's LOCO!!!!
Well so much for my "update"... I'll try to get pics posted soon... Love and peace to all reading this!!!!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Ouch !
Well good way to learn about health care here in Costa Rica. I broke a tooth! Tommy took me to his dentist on Thursday and he and I decided there was no way it could be saved. (The dentist in the States who did a root canal on it did not put a post in it and the tooth cracked!) Anyway - he suggested that since he has an oral surgeon who comes to his office on Fridays that it would be best to come back and let him take care of it. I was so scared but Tommy drove me all the way back on Friday (It's about a 30 minute drive) and the oral surgeon pulled the tooth. Let me just say, "I'm so impressed!" Now I've been to the dentist all my life (have terrible teeth) and this guy was great! One shot of novocaine and ZAP! - tooth pulled! No pain - no gas or valium or any other drugs! And now for the great part - he only charged $75.00!!!!! The dentist charged me nothing on Thursday! Unbelieveable!!! He gave me a prescription for pain meds - I took one when I got home (Not because I was in pain but just because he said to) and rested the rest of the day!!! I just had to share this experience!
Now I feel great (after a Red Bull for breakfast) and I'm about to take my first official "tour" of the farm! We have a group of about 20 touristas coming to visit this morning at 9:00 a.m. and it's 8:30 a.m. Hasta manana! Love and peace to all reading this!
Now I feel great (after a Red Bull for breakfast) and I'm about to take my first official "tour" of the farm! We have a group of about 20 touristas coming to visit this morning at 9:00 a.m. and it's 8:30 a.m. Hasta manana! Love and peace to all reading this!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Ca'n't sleep!
Don't know why - but it's 6:09 a.m. and I'm wide awake! Could it be that I've caught up on all my sleep??? Cecilia comes this morning to clean (so it must be Tuesday)! Tommy and I are going out for breakfast so we'll be out of her way. I'm hoping we'll go to the school and find out more about when classes start. I'm so ready to start "living" here and without the language it is just not possible. There is a lady who works here on the farm with Tommy who is Dutch but speaks several languages (has her PhD in Botany!) and she asked me if I felt "left out" when she and Tommy are speaking! I wanted to say, "Speak in English and I won't feel that way!!!" Duh! Being a sweet Southern girl I chose not to say anything!!!
The workers have had a 3-day weekend and will return to work today - some kind of national holiday. His plants were closed also so not many phone calls, etc. We went out to dinner on Friday night (to the same Spanish restaurant we went to the night before I left last time I was here). It was wonderful knowing that this time I wasn't leaving. We then worked in the yard around the house and stayed on the farm all weekend (to avoid the craziness of the locals on holiday). A young couple (who used to work here on the farm) stopped by on Saturday evening with their 3-year-old son to bring Tommy a palm plant that he does not have here on the farm. How nice is that? PLUS - she speaks English (from Minnesota). Her family moved here to Costa Rica and she has lived here for about 18 years and married a Tico (Costa Rican). She is an artist and has painted here with the artist from France who lived here on the farm when she lived here!! She has offered to come to the farm and teach me a little about using the dyes here and at the same time help me with the language! Pretty cool - huh??
People "drop in" here on the farm the way we used to do when I was growing up in a small town. Tommy says it's just by word-of-mouth. It is usually students who are backbacking who are interested in eco permaculture (or saving the earth)! It's wonderful though - it's so nice to know that there are actually young people out there wanting to know more about how to live in this world without doing harm to living things. Tommy has organized or planned tours of the farm but oftentimes they just show up to see the work he is doing here - it's so exciting! This next Saturday will be my first "official" tour with a group of tourists. After the tour is over I plan on serving warm gingersnaps with green tea to the group at the house - IF my baking skills improve here!!! (Having a little problem with the altitude!) It's always something, huh??? Well, that's just life on the farm!
Well the sun is rising now. I'm sitting at a desk in front of a window overlooking jungle and the light is bouncing off the different colors of green. There are squirrels (A little different, they're red and their tails look longer) and gorgeous birds playing outside. I just love this place! Think I'll go wake my "honey" and get this day started!!! Have a great day...Love to all who read this!
The workers have had a 3-day weekend and will return to work today - some kind of national holiday. His plants were closed also so not many phone calls, etc. We went out to dinner on Friday night (to the same Spanish restaurant we went to the night before I left last time I was here). It was wonderful knowing that this time I wasn't leaving. We then worked in the yard around the house and stayed on the farm all weekend (to avoid the craziness of the locals on holiday). A young couple (who used to work here on the farm) stopped by on Saturday evening with their 3-year-old son to bring Tommy a palm plant that he does not have here on the farm. How nice is that? PLUS - she speaks English (from Minnesota). Her family moved here to Costa Rica and she has lived here for about 18 years and married a Tico (Costa Rican). She is an artist and has painted here with the artist from France who lived here on the farm when she lived here!! She has offered to come to the farm and teach me a little about using the dyes here and at the same time help me with the language! Pretty cool - huh??
People "drop in" here on the farm the way we used to do when I was growing up in a small town. Tommy says it's just by word-of-mouth. It is usually students who are backbacking who are interested in eco permaculture (or saving the earth)! It's wonderful though - it's so nice to know that there are actually young people out there wanting to know more about how to live in this world without doing harm to living things. Tommy has organized or planned tours of the farm but oftentimes they just show up to see the work he is doing here - it's so exciting! This next Saturday will be my first "official" tour with a group of tourists. After the tour is over I plan on serving warm gingersnaps with green tea to the group at the house - IF my baking skills improve here!!! (Having a little problem with the altitude!) It's always something, huh??? Well, that's just life on the farm!
Well the sun is rising now. I'm sitting at a desk in front of a window overlooking jungle and the light is bouncing off the different colors of green. There are squirrels (A little different, they're red and their tails look longer) and gorgeous birds playing outside. I just love this place! Think I'll go wake my "honey" and get this day started!!! Have a great day...Love to all who read this!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
First 10 Days...
I arrived here in CR on Tues., July 12, during the rainy season - very interesting. The first thing I noticed was that my hair suddenly went from bone straight to curly - it just doesn't dry! You do not want to put a hair dryer to it 'cause you sweat so much that your hair stays wet and don't dare try to straighten it with a flat iron - oh no - you don't want to do that! You will hear it singe!!!! So, just twirl it around your fingers and enjoy the curls! It rained every afternoon and evening the first week I was here but now we're having "Indian Summer" - absolutely gorgeous days!!!! This supposedly will last for a couple of weeks. You wouldn't believe it - the air is so clean and the skies so clear! This morning it felt like a spring day in Texas when you get to open the windows and not have to use the air conditioning. We sleep in every morning ('cause we can!) and I have decided that tomorrow I need to get up early and walk the farm to see what it looks like that time of day! I have a feeling it's gonna be wonderful. This evening when we walked I so wished I had my camera with me! The evening sunlight coming through the trees and plants was crazy beautiful!
We decided that I should probably start Spanish school around Aug 1!!! Tommy says I'll probably go about 4 hours a day and sleep the rest of the day - he seems to think it will tax my brain! Ya' think??? Being 63 and learning a new language is gonna be a trip!!! Speaking of trips, I gotta learn how to get to school and get back to the farm!!! So, that means I should start driving here pretty soon - It's been real nice having a driver but I'm thinkin' I may have to take the bull by the horns (so to speak) and hit the road real soon! Look out Costa Rica, there's a new girl in town!!
I'm so excited and happy about my new life here in the most beautiful place with the most wonderful man who is tells me, "you're still new here" as an excuse for me being an idiot! I don't speak in public, I don't drive, I can't read the newspaper, I don't understand the money/prices so I'm constantly asking him, "what's that" (for example, I thought the trash containers out in front of everyone's house was a smoker 'cause they use those black oil drums cut in half to put their trash in so the dogs don't get into it. I said, "so I guess they barbecue a lot here, huh? He didn't have a clue where that comment came from!!!) I feel like I'm in a dream sort of - not being able to speak! I wake up and don't even know what day it is 'cause it doesn't matter!!! Is that crazy or what??? I finally decided that the only way I'll know is that the cleaning lady (Cecelia) comes on Tuesday and Friday - Tommy says that's the only way he knows - unbelievable! Speaking of Cecelia - I won't go into how we first met (something to do with her not knocking on the bedroom door and me getting dressed! :( Anyway... Tommy says I run a "tight ship" and he could probably let her go!!! Whoa.............I don't think so!!! I mean I need her - seriously! There's so much to do here on the farm with 2 houses and a tree house plus gardening, plus learning Spanish! Stay tuned...I'll let you know how it all works out but for now I'm off to have desert with "my honey"!!! Buenos noches!
We decided that I should probably start Spanish school around Aug 1!!! Tommy says I'll probably go about 4 hours a day and sleep the rest of the day - he seems to think it will tax my brain! Ya' think??? Being 63 and learning a new language is gonna be a trip!!! Speaking of trips, I gotta learn how to get to school and get back to the farm!!! So, that means I should start driving here pretty soon - It's been real nice having a driver but I'm thinkin' I may have to take the bull by the horns (so to speak) and hit the road real soon! Look out Costa Rica, there's a new girl in town!!
I'm so excited and happy about my new life here in the most beautiful place with the most wonderful man who is tells me, "you're still new here" as an excuse for me being an idiot! I don't speak in public, I don't drive, I can't read the newspaper, I don't understand the money/prices so I'm constantly asking him, "what's that" (for example, I thought the trash containers out in front of everyone's house was a smoker 'cause they use those black oil drums cut in half to put their trash in so the dogs don't get into it. I said, "so I guess they barbecue a lot here, huh? He didn't have a clue where that comment came from!!!) I feel like I'm in a dream sort of - not being able to speak! I wake up and don't even know what day it is 'cause it doesn't matter!!! Is that crazy or what??? I finally decided that the only way I'll know is that the cleaning lady (Cecelia) comes on Tuesday and Friday - Tommy says that's the only way he knows - unbelievable! Speaking of Cecelia - I won't go into how we first met (something to do with her not knocking on the bedroom door and me getting dressed! :( Anyway... Tommy says I run a "tight ship" and he could probably let her go!!! Whoa.............I don't think so!!! I mean I need her - seriously! There's so much to do here on the farm with 2 houses and a tree house plus gardening, plus learning Spanish! Stay tuned...I'll let you know how it all works out but for now I'm off to have desert with "my honey"!!! Buenos noches!
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