Tidbits

Yesterday afternoon, we took off to see if Calle Corpachi went all the way through to the road to Bajos del Toro ... still don't know!  We drove and drove, took this turn and that, but finally gave it up.  We may try another time, but those dirt roads are pretty slow, bumpy & make our white car really dirty ... and we don't have our hose yet.

This morning, as I was dreaming about meeting our shipper (Charles Zeller, whom I have NOT met yet), I heard Roy talking to someone out front.  Mind you, it is 6:30 am ... so I got up to see what was going on ... nosey! Turns out, it was a guy, on a tractor, delivering the official receipt for the water bill payment that we made last week!  A bit later, el ICE showed up to read the electric meter ... we also paid just last week, then soon the fellow on the tractor was back to read the water meter.  Things ARE different here!

Pura Vida,
Kathleen

A lovely Sunday at the Finca

Today, we spent a wonderful day at the finca behind our house:

 http://www.organicretreatcr.com. 

We arrived a little early and so walked down the dirt road that leads to the river in the canyon bottom.  I only went part way, but Roy continued to the bottom, where he met one of these:

It obliged his thoughts about how cool it would be to have it stick around a while and flitted between his legs a few times before coming to rest on his shin!  AND, Roy without his camera!  First Blue Morpho spotted (by one of us anyway) since Puerto Viejo in 2010!

For lunch, there was a choice of the "plate of the day"; which was pretty much a typical meal of rice, black beans, piccodillo, salad & meat cooked with peppers or olla carne, which is a typical country soup made with meat, potato, corn, yam & I don't know what all else ... Roy had that.  All organic, of course.

After lunch, the patron gave a talk about "why organic" ... pretty interesting.  Then a game with a few couples that resembled The Newlywed Game ...  pretty funny, with a box of fresh organic veggies as the prize.  Then coffee & pastries, then a tour of the finca.  They had their veggies for sale and I now know where to buy geraniums & fuchsias!  I bought some of their coffee (the best) and some pure aloe gel for my ever drying skin.

Back to our house for a quick beer w/M&M, Alberto & Juan (their two youngest sons, who were enamored of the young ladies of the finca ... just sayin).  Then they were off for Alajuela to watch the Alajuela/Saprissa "football" match.

Went up the road to Isobel's for coffee later, which (for me, at least) also turns into dessert.  Tonight it was a cappuccino &  Peanut Butter Crepes with chocolate sauce.  We got into a discussion about the availability of Queso Cotija (none here) and decided to research making it.  Anyone coming to visit, please bring rennet, calcium chloride & Thermophillic culture.  Don't need much, but supplies are hard to get here!  Will let you know how it comes out if we make it.

Pura Vida,
Kathleen

Off to Sarchí

Yesterday I had a rather rude awakening about just how NOT good my Spanish is.  We had hired the Laundry Guy to do a couple of loads and I mistakenly thought it was $4 per load ... NO, $4 per ITEM!  Really?  Even for panties?  So, instead of paying $8 or $9 dollars ... it was $80! ... AND, he cut me a deal, or it would have been $160!  Live and learn!

So, first thing this morning went to Craigslist Costa Rica and found a gringo in Sarchí selling an automatic washer for $165.  Guess where WE are headed this morning?!?  Apparently, his housekeeper prefers the semi-automatic, so it isn't being used.  Yet another adventure coming up!

Pura Vida,
Kathleen

The trip to Heredia ... et al

So, this morning at 7:30, after putting out the garbage (around $60 per year), we hopped in the car and headed out.  First stop, BancoNational in Grecia to hit the ATM ... reason later ... then meet the Laundry guy (yet another Marco) to drop off our WAY dirty clothes to be washed, dried & ironed for $5 per load ... we don't have many, so only two loads!

Then, off to Heredia (east of Alajuela, west of San Jose), to meet Alberto Castillo Blanco ... our "nephew", as it were, to visit Aerocasillas and try to pick up the stuff that I (in my infinite wisdom) thought it was better to mail.  Turns out, NEVER MAIL YOURSELF (OR ANYONE ELSE) used clothing or shoes!  They are holding my Mephisto sandals hostage in there!  Anyway, found Plaza Rubi (which we NEVER would have been able to do without Alberto) and found Aeorcasillas, hiding behind the (mostly empty) mall.

Go into la officina, they refer to warehouse, warehouse refers you back to office, visit manager, head out the door to warehouse, finally meet up with Walter, the fumigator, and pay 25,000 colones ($50 ... still can't find the symbol for colones on the computer) and he issues a certificate for the fumigation (which, by the way, has not been done) and back to the warehouse.  We finally get to SEE and open our boxes ... yes, those are the very ones!  Then, can't seem to bribe work with any officials, so off to yet another import office, who also can't seem to help ... but they have to be paid anyway!

Entonces (well, then), Alberto says he has to return to his officina to prepare two invoices, return to the warehouse manaña, redistribute stuff among boxes, pay taxes, storage, the other import guys, etc ... to the tune of yet another $100 ..... sigh!  Fine, we need that "stuff".  We will see!  That is what might happen to you if you don't read the contract (in Spanish, if you please)!  Praises be to Alberto!

So, as we are already in "El Valle", we swing into Alajuela and head to AutoMercado (a very gringo-like market) for a couple of bottles of the only drinkable wine we've thus far found in CR.  Then, head to the gas station for a cheap fill-up and off to Friajaines ... Peggy Cole, you know this place!  Had a wonderful visit w/Camilo, whom we have known since our first trip many years ago (muchos años pasado).  Camilo offered some plant starts (even Helliconia from the jungle!), then we were on our way again.  Stopped off at another  friend's house (Marilyn, whom we met in maybe 2008, maybe 2007), visited for a while, then back home.

Driving is getting easier!  Except with a manual transmission, up a hill, following a tractor with two LARGE trailers hauling sugar cane, going 3 mph!  Even our little, low geared, Samurai doesn't want to go that slow!  And the speed bumps!!!  Still, I am getting better ... will always drive like una abuela (a grandma).  Need new shocks, though.  I don't think I've ever met a car in this country that couldn't benefit from a new set of shocks!  May have to bite the proverbial bullet and have a mechanic do it, as we still don't have "Roy's toys" ... just kidding about TOYS, I KNOW they are tools!

Tired from dodging potholes & speed bumps, semi-toasted from the Italiano vino, Sandy finally in, time for bed.

Pura Vida,
Kathleen

P.S.  OOOOOH!  Clean clothes manaña, a las 3!!!

It is truly amazing how little time ...

You have when you are "retired"!  Took off in our "new" car for Grecia this morning around 11:30, to obtain insurance on said vehicle and run a couple of errands.  Got home after 5 and we didn't goof around at all.

Into town, withdraw $$ w/our US ATM card (to plump up our Banco National $$ account in preparation for the eventual arrival of our container.  Swung up to INS (the government insurance agency) to obtain, at the very least, mandatory liability insurance for the car.  Lady at the door tells us to come back @ 1 ... no reason, sign says 8-5, but come back @ 1.  OK.  Went to BNCR and deposited the previously withdrawn $$, then went across the street to Municipalidad de Grecia ("The City") to make sure they had my email to send me a property tax bill, as Don Alexis said he had paid 3 months worth.  Lady at information says "your taxes are paid for a whole year" ... who am I to question!  OK!  Gave her my email for future billings and was out the door in 10 minutes ... a new record!

Brief interlude for STOUS!  Had to get my politics fix ... such a junkie!  Oh, too much!  OD!

Have I told you yet today ...........

............ just how awesome my husband is?  Well, he IS!

Yesterday, we grabbed the 7:20 bus for Grecia and hopped the 8:45 to San Jose.  Got into SJ, caught a cab to Edificio Jorge  Debravo (the pension office in SJ) to meet Melissa and buy the Samurai.  M came down, escorted us through security and had us sit, waiting for her Mom (actual legal owner of the car) and her husband (attorney & friend of the notary who was doing our paperwork) to arrive.  Didn't take long until the papers were signed, then off to the bank to transfer the funds for the purchase of this: 

It's small, cute and, as it was VERY inexpensive and a 1988, it has its share of issues.  Basically a sound little rig with a 1300 cc gas engine that climbs the hills to our house like a mountain goat!   Stopped for gas before leaving SJ (filled it for around $25) and discovered, after we were all the way to Alajuela, that the gas station attendant did NOT replace our gas cap!  Guess we need to find a new one today in Grecia!  

We discovered (after picking up some groceries at AutoMercado, where we also bought and then delivered to Marianella some of these ... her favorite flower)

 and heading to Price Smart, that our back hatch didn't lock ... well, it does now!  Armed only with a Leatherman Wave multi-tool , Roy was able to fix the back lock.  

There are some other, minor, issues but until our shipment (and Roy's tools) get here, they will mostly have to wait.  Maybe ... as I still hear Roy rummaging around in the garage with the car fixing or adjusting something else!  

Going into Grecia in a bit to buy insurance for both the house & car ... apparently not like in the states, where you have to show proof at time of purchase.  

Loving these warm, sunny mornings with coffee on the porche delantero (front porch)!  Todo es Pura Vida!

Besos,

Kathleen

Dinner last night, San Jose today

Last night, we attended an Italian "gringo" dinner @ Essprezzo de la Casa.  Apparently, Joyce & Tony from Brooklyn do this around once a month.  Started with fresh bruchetta, followed by a wonderful salad with hand made Italian dressing, then Chicken Parmigiana with ziti (I think it was).  Hand made cream puffs filled w/chocolate for dessert!  Yum!  We haven't been cooking much on our "shocking" stove, so it was a real treat! A few photos for y'all:

Home and to bed early and up at zero dark thirty (again) to take the bus to SJ to do a little business & look at a car:

Cute, but small!  We are dealing with the owner on price at present. Will keep y'all posted.   

The "other business" involves the ramifications of trying to be smart, without reading contracts.  Before we left Oregon, I (in my infinite wisdom) decided that our luggage was too full, so we stuffed a bunch of things (clothing, shoes, electronic accessories ... "stuff") in a couple of "if it fits, it ships" boxes and had Kendra mail them to us at our Miami PO Box, to be delivered to San Jose.  Sounded like a good idea at the time.  Sigh ... NOT!  Apparently, you can bring any old thing in your luggage, but mailing USED CLOTHING OR SHOES is "a major, big time, NO NO"! (as my dear friend, Patricia would say).  So, our stuff is sitting in customs somewhere between SJ and the airport and we are supposed to call one of 5 numbers (don't know which ONE) to see what needs to be done ... fumigation apparently.  So, sicced M & M's son, Alberto ... the customs expediter ... on the problem and headed back to San Luis.  I am really missing my Mephisto sandals!  And, Aerocasillas will start charging us storage if we don't retrieve it within 30 days!  Live & learn, I guess ... hummm ... been doing a lot of THAT lately!  

We did pick up some mail at ARCR, which involved a refund check from NWNatural and a dividend check for Roy from some stock he has ... so we took them to Banco National in Grecia to deposit them to our $$ account.  Easy, right?  WRONG!  Because the house is only in my name, so are the accounts, so, even though Roy is a signer on the accounts, they didn't want to accept the dividend check for deposit.  Apparently, the "powers that be" in San Jose can refuse to accept it and return it and the charge for that would be nearly equal to the bloody check!  Sigh, again.  So, at the suggestion of the teller, we made two separate deposits, as they won't refuse the NWNatural check ... even though it was made payable to both and they would only let ME endorse it!  And they wouldn't let Roy sign over the other one to me.  Sheesh!  Plus, we had to explain the source of each of those checks ... Gee, $27.13 ... stock dividend, $130.?? refund from the gas company.  Had to explain the whole concept of "refund".  We will see how that all works out.  Banking "es muy differente, aqui"!  

Tomorrow is another day, another adventure!  Pura Vida,

Kathleen

The Grrls

For those of you who are concerned about the trauma the kitties are experiencing, here ya go!  

Taken just a couple of minutes ago.

Fuego en la montaña!

As if it wasn't exciting enough with the ambulance, cops and everyone else in San Luis barreling up the road LAST NIGHT ...

Tonight, Roy & I walked up to Essprezzo de la Casa to deliver a promised 1/2 loaf of the awesome whole wheat sourdough bread from the Feria to Isobel ... who wasn't home ... Roy took his laptop to show Isobel's daughter some freeware art programs.  While they were futzing with the computer, I shot a couple of  sunset shots (sorry for the reflection)

turned around and saw FIRE!  (NOT that close ... this photo stolen from the firefighter's FB page)

Somehow, a fire started just up and across the road from our house and the flames and smoke were pretty intense.  We could see that it had possibly started down the hill (brush burning? ... In summer?) but had made it's way uphill and was threatening to jump across to our side.  Regardless, I called 911 @ 5:35, was put on hold several times, finally got someone who spoke English and explained where they were needed.  Bear in mind that the nearest fire departments are in Grecia & Sarchí, so it took them a while to get here.

I stayed at the restaurant with the girls, while Roy came back here to check what was happening.  Apparently, a few local guys were using a couple of holey old hoses to keep the bank wet and they nearly had it out by the time the FD got here.  It is over an hour later and they are just now done combing the hillside to make sure the fire is well and truly out.

Three of our heroes (gotta say the one on the right is a stone FOX, a Tico who was raised in NYC and fought fires there)

And, this is the group who came ... maybe not all of them, but hats off to Bomberos de Sarchi!

Mari's Birthday, the Super Bowl & a wee bit of excitement in el campo.

Sunday 3 Febrero, 2013

Up at zero dark thirty to catch the 7 am bus to Grecia ... which, on Sunday, turns out to be the 8 am bus.  Whatever!  Took it to Grecia, immediately hopped on the bus to Alajuela and got there right around 10.  Mind you, once we get a vehicle, it will take much less than 1/2 that long.  More like 40 minutes.  Anyway, set out to find a Birthday card for Mari ... in the morning, on a Sunday ... and finally found one.  Not much selection.  Walked down the street a bit, and grabbed a coffee & a juice @ the new McDonalds near Price Smart and called Marco for a lift to the party.

Alberto (second youngest son) picked us up in his new little Renault and we wound our way to Lourdes & Eric's house and were the first to arrive.  Their new home is VERY nice with 3 bedrooms & 2.5 baths, compact but comfy.  The rest of the family began to arrive shortly and we started drinking beers around 11 ... it IS a party, after all.  Eric is a total "grill master" and was busily cooking up two different types of chorizo, chichirones, chicken and topped it off with a HUGE slab of beef!

The whole family was there!!  

This is Mari & 6 of her 7 kids.  Gabrielle had already left, so from left to right:  Juan, Javier, Lourdes, Mari, Aurelia, Alberto and Marco's nephew, Marco, who is "one of their kids" ... they really only have 6.  

Marco, Mari & the Gringo part of the family!

Mari & her grandchildren (Young Marco, age 17, had to leave earlier)  Also in the photo, Javier & Aurelia.  What a handsome family!

Marco, Roy & Eric talking about their upcoming fishing trip.  You can tell that there are lies being told ... their mouths are moving!  

So, around 4:30, Javier & Juan ran us up to Alajuela Centro to catch the bus back to Grecia for the SuperBowl.  We got there not too long after kick off (Ravens 7, 9ers 0) and proceeded to drink, watch football and swap lies w/some of our new Gringo friends.  As it was appearing to be a blowout, Tony ran Steve, Brenda and the two of us home ... we were all beat!  Got home, booted up the computer and found USTVnow.com ... where we watched the rest of the game live!  Whoot!  

Near the end of the game, an ambulance went screaming up the road with siren blaring (mind you there are only 10 houses above us), followed by a couple of cop cars and numerous private vehicles!  Whoa!  Neighbors below us were all out in the street talking and gawking, but we didn't go out, as we were watching the game.  After about 20 minutes, the ambulance came back down with no siren ... not a good sign unless it simply wasn't needed ... followed by speeding personal vehicle and cop right on his tale!  Don't know at this point what the heck was going on, but will update when details are available, if they ever are!  

Hiking in el campo

Saturday, February 2, 2013

This morning, we vegged a bit, tracking our ship & container, looking at vehicles and decided in the early afternoon to take a "stroll" up the road to the end.  Given that it is only about 1.5 km, but you probably climb a thousand feet, it isn't technically a "stroll" ... is it?  Found bunches of  native blackberries (Mora) and some were even ripe!

We made lots of new friends, many of whom appear to be in the same family, some of whom are definitely not!  

Early to bed ... again, as we have a BIG day tomorrow!