The Sea is a Salty One

  An early morning visitor one morning before we painted the concreto walls. I never knew chickens could fly because that's about ten feet straight up. This morning we were driving around. There's been shouting and tears, but no pot roasts flung, until we managed to come to an agreement on where the new bookcase was going, what to do about the flubbed up old bookcase and other critical decorating decisions. As I talked about today on my YouTube video when your husband retires and is around 24/7 and starts holding strong opinions about topics that were only yours before it can make for some tense moments. We're driving along to the store for light bulbs, sunlight gleaming off that eye gouging prideful blue-ness that is our new car when Jim said, "Say, is that not Derwood on the orange motorcycle?" Turned out to be Derwood. Have no idea how long he's been back or anything else. Derwood called him after total silence for the last four months and asked to " ...

  Horses this morning at one of the tourist places near Tamarindo awaiting riders. A very rainy day shortly after this was taken. We're getting the spin off split off from Hurricane Ian, or as they say here 'Tormenta Ian' This last week was a wash for me. I was unable to do much because the asthma kept coming and going and coming and going due to the gasses from the grumbling volcano. When I went into town to get more solution for my nebulizer it was in very short supply. I scored a mere two vials until today. Price Smart pharmacy to the rescue with full boxes of the solution! Jim's made a new buddy pal, a Tico with the legal name, I kid you not, 'Billy Joel' Rodrigues. I guess we know what music his momma listened to. He and his family are living in Velma's back room, taking care of her along with various volunteers. Billy is temporarily homeless. Jim's put him to work here at the house, putting molding up in the guesthouse bedroom and building furnitur...

  The trail leading down to Playa Grande, about a mile and a half from my beloved home here in Costa Rica. We go there often. So we went to see Velma once she came home. I had to pop my head in, wave and ditch. She's a chain smoker with a pile of dogs. It was hi and bye. But I had to laugh, she was laying on the sofa, half sitting up, half supine, smoking and watching Fox News while complaining about something. Velma's feeling better, she's going to make it! My husband Jim and I came to the same conclusion figuring she's right back to what she does so she's alright. Right now I'm planning a quick trip to South Louisiana. Several days ago my mother called with some convoluted story about my aunt needing my daughter's phone number because she was worried about my daughter and the terrible storm rolling through her area.  I gave my mother the number, and thought that is was a weird call. But because there is sometimes alcohol involved in my family of origin I d...

  The huge Catholic church in the oldest part of the city of Liberia, Costa Rica, mere steps from the hospital.  Today was better. Velma had her surgery and did well. Velma is obviously not her real name, it's the name I use for her here. I'm glad. Even better is that when Jim got to Liberia with the pastor of his church they managed to scrape up the rest of the money for the surgery. We didn't have to pay another dime. It looks likely after Jim's talks with the pastor that we'll end up eating that 5K amount we paid yesterday. I guess it is what it is, and I keep saying when you give money you cannot expect anything back, or how it will be used.  The pastor has already put in place a support group of volunteers for the next month once she gets home to care for her. I spoke to Jim about perhaps putting together a list at church for people willing to provide cooked meals for her and her helpers this month. We're talking also about taking over and running the food ...

  Calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean! I don't know if you can see the time I am writing this but it's 2:15 am right now. I haven't written because it's been a stretch of pretty typical days during the worst part of rainy season here. Get up, drink your coffee, rush to do a few things outside before it rains cats, dogs, goats and coatimundies. You rush to do a few errands between these just tremendous thunder storms. You read or nap once it's raining too hard to trot around outside. Very boring. Very wet. This is life here until mid November. In the glut of the rainy season. There's been idiotic YouTuber creator dramaz but I've mostly stayed away from that nonsense. So this morning I'm doing a YouTube live video and end strides the hubby Jim telling me he needs to talk to me. Recently I told him he always has the right to cut into any video or phone call to tell me to wrap it up because he has something important to say, and boy, oh boy, did he. Remember Ve...

 Yesterday this happened in the morning in the town nearest us. Rodeo time babeee! Our nearest town had a rodeo this weekend. I'd heard the cannon fire all week to remind folks of the coming fiesta! Took these photos at around 9 am yesterday morning and the crowds were already drinking hard on their Imperial beer. Saw our motorcycle mechanic on his horse and several others. That first horse was just, oh wowee, had special fancy gait! Later Jim attended the bullfighting and roping without me. Another bad asthma week including painting the guesthouse bedroom wearing a respirator mask. It helped, I only had minimal reactions. My own life is conspiring to unalive me. I just have to learn to med sooner. Started doing it sooner, but not soon enough apparently. Back to the painting. Used a very tropical looking new leaf green that contrasts nicely with the turquoise blue. Wondering if I can twist Jim's arm into painting my bathroom and the guesthouse bath that color now.