Somebody That I Used to Know

 

A recent resting place at the beach, me, cane and cheap rubber sandals. Bliss.

Sadly the last few days haven't been blissful. I still cannot reach my mother. We spent the morning getting our Covid tests, that unique brain tickling with a cotton swab. This evening as we watched our friend sing at Walter's Fish and Cheeses in Langosta Beach we had a fender bender in the parking lot. Our car got the worst of it. It's dark, there's crazy road construction and Jim backed into someone's car. Knocked off a protruding turn signal. They were demanding two hundred in cash, in American dollars only, but settled for 30 colones, roughly 60 bucks. I don't doubt it is enough to cover the cracked turn signal, but they're making noises that it's going to cost more.

This is why I don't like going out after dark here. The streetlights situation are mostly nonexistent in Costa Rica. Here in Tama everyone's crazy driving goes up a few more crazy notches when you add guaro and partying to the mix. I've come so close to running over people just jumping into the streets. People will step off the curb without looking in the darkest unlit night. Tonight we saw no less than three motorcycles after dark with zero lights. 

It was an interesting night in that I saw a number of people I used to know from church, who have now departed. We had some conversations. I think it's going to be next to impossible to bring back the old church now. 

Once we settled the fender bender and headed home the moon appeared. I've  not see it that bright, big and low in sky in ages.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Missed Stompism

One anecdote I neglected to pass on that had Jim and I puzzling and laughing. Stompy, Jim and I were talking about her upcoming European trip when she mentioned she was going to be in Amsterdam a few days. I squeal and tell her had I know I would be loading her with money and a shopping list for the Van Gogh museum. I really, really, REALLY want that entire set of sweet Samsonite with his almond blossom painting on it. She turns to us and tells sue she's going to the Sex Museum instead. Oh holy crap!
Read more

Bottomless Betty and Blocking the Aunt Heap

Image
  The Chesapeake Bay Bridge last weekend. So where have I been? Back to Louisiana and then up to Maryland. I wanted to check on my mother in her assisted living. It didn't go well at all, even if I stayed ten days. One of my aunts in the Aunt Heap nicknamed my mother 'Bottomless Betty' after she suddenly developed the inability to wear bottoms at all, no pants, no panties, no skirts. It was most bizarre and had a sudden onset. Her dementia has gone haywire in the few months she's been in assisted living. I'm not entirely sure she knew who I was either. This was a shock, her mental status slid so fast it was scary. Did what I could, talked to the folks in the admin office seeking a way to help her. My mother's doctor had tried a drug to slow the dementia but all it did was cause my mother to hallucinate.   Got home on Tuesday night, taking that long airplane ride from Washington, DC to my home near Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Human Greek chorus and alarmist member of...
Read more

Strange Days and Orchids

Image
Water feature from the Orchid Garden near San Jose. Well, it's been a strange week or two. I've lost days to this silly ankle thing. Took off the boot at a week to start doing physical therapy movements, made it two days and now the boot is back on and I'm down to two pain pills. It's healing so slowly this time. Have to do a medical follow up this week. Several days ago we went to a party for a lady we know who is throwing in the towel and going home to the U.S.A. Katie was trying to do that thing that is impossible here on the Gold Coast -- live as a gringo without a steady monthly income. Even a social security pension will not cut it here. It's expensive, but likely not as expensive as life in the U.S.A. is getting lately. Read that there has been a 40% jump in the price of vegetables and fruits last month. Deporting the folks that do all the grunt work there was one very bad idea mixed with those insano tariffs. We have high tariffs here and it inhibits the amo...
Read more