As you all know

I have stayed home since the 16th of March. I told Heather to brace herself but next week I am breaking out. Now I don’t plan to do anything crazy. And I will be very careful. No bus rides, just Orosi. Lots of hand washing and a scarf around my neck to use as a mask if I need it. There haven’t been any cases closer then Paraiso and there was only 1 there. For many days now the number of active cases has gone down. More people are recovering then are getting sick. If something changes I will go back to staying home.

And what have I been doing the last month and a half? Lots of baking that I share. I also buy as much as I can from the street vendors and then Otto goes to the store and buys basics and delivers it all to those in need. I also ended up with 3 bags of tomatoes. I had peppers and onions and seasonings so for the first time I made marinara sauce and canned it. I got 6 1/2 pint jars and started sharing that. I got rave reviews so I am going to buy a lot of tomatoes and make more. It is time consuming. I peel the tomatoes before I cut them up. I roast the red peppers and peel them before I cut them up. I cut up the onions before I sauté them. I leave things a little chunky. Some of the seasonings are dried and some from my garden. I have jars, thank you Heather. And I can them so they don’t need to be refrigerated until they are open.

And, speaking of garden, it has come a long way since I moved in the middle of February. Of the things I moved here 1 orchid has bloomed and the other has buds. The Lantern tree has blooms, 3 bougainvillea are blooming, the ground orchid has tons of flowers. Several others also. My biggest concerns are the lemon tree and the hydrangea. Jose says they will come back now that rainy season has started. The peanut butter tree has tons of little leaves. The mango tree died but I have a new one started and planted and 7 more sprouting in the kitchen. I also planted a pineapple.

I am also trying my hand at farming. I have planted ayote, squash, 2 kinds of melon, zucchini, tomatoes, ground cherries and cucumbers. I have rosemary, basil, thyme and oregano. I need garlic. I forgot I have onions too.

The area in front of the house was looking quite neglected so this week Jose and his crew came and I now have 2 big patches surrounded by rocks. There were lots of plants in the ground or in containers that I thought would work great out there. I even have a bamboo teepee poles with a tomato planted under it. Some things are looking shocked and droopy but I am hoping with sun and rain they will perk back up. I think it really makes a difference in the curbside appeal.

My friends here, Ligia, Otto, Jose and Emilio have been so great about doing all my errands. Emilio keeps me well stocked with butter from Paraiso as he lives there and comes to Orosi to run the pizza shop. Ligia went to the clinic the day of my appointment and then back the next day to pick up my meds. Jose and Otto come pick up my list and money and do my heavy buying as they have strong arms or use their cars.

I hope everyone is well and staying safe. As an introvert staying home and alone has not been difficult for me as it has been for a lot of others. I have my wonderful gardens and my front porch with the gate locked to watch what is going on. One day there was a detour nearby and all the traffic was rerouted on my quiet little street. It was strange to look up and see a bus go by.

Heather has already started my list for when I can travel north or they can come south. Right now our borders are closed to anyone but residents or citizens. Most airlines have cancelled all their flights until June or July.

On the far side of the driveway.

In front of the door.

One of my squash or melon or both patches.

The poinsettia Ziomara gave me is doing really well. It had lost all the green leaves and most of the red.

12 dozen chocolate chip cookies.

The vendors have been here.

They come on Wednesday and are very nice.

Jose gave me this when I lived at La Quinta Gerardo.

I forgot. The jasmine has been blooming also. 

Today’s adventure

Yesterday I gave Otto an extra bag of breads for a family that lives near him who are experiencing difficult times. Today I messaged him saying I had more breads I didn’t  need and if he wanted to come pick them up I would put a box together. He said yes, later. He said today it would be for a family that lives in the coffee plantation and have nothing.  I thought more about it and sent him another message. I would put some money with the box for him to go to the market and buy some necessities to go with the bread. If he was willing I would send a list and money for him to get some things for me. He has a car and what I wanted was heavy. When someone gets things for me I have them get a lot of it so it lasts a long time and I don’t need something everyday. He said yes and he and his friend , Dayhana, came over. The good news is they were more then willing. The bad news they couldn’t drive the car because of all the restrictions right now. I said it could wait but they said no problem. Otto said I am a strong boy. I can carry it  on my shoulders.

After the market he sent me this picture and a message that they bought for two families and the total was a little more then I gave him. I said that is great, take it out of my money. He said no, they wanted to help and participate and they would pay the difference.

Next he showed up at my house, walking, and carrying bags with the things I ordered. 2 bags of flour, 2 bags of sugar, 4 cartons of shelf milk, 10 cans of cat food, 3 bags of mayonnaise and a little package of baking soda. They asked but the store didn’t have powered sugar for my Chocolate Crinkle cookies. Guess I will do other kinds for next week. My payment to them was some money and 2 beer. I think they enjoyed the beer as much as the money.

I have some of the best friends. On Wednesday Ligia will stop here and pick up my ID card and my appointment card and go to the clinic for me. They will authorize my meds without me actually going. She will go back the next day to pick them up. I will pay her also. Everyone is experiencing difficult times here and although I can’t help a lot of people I can help a few.

So many of my plants are blooming and my garden is coming along. I was told today by gardeners in Costa Rica that they thought a cocoa tree would grow here. I definitely have to check that out. Can you imagine! Chocolate chips off my own tree! My crops are coming along great also. I have a flower on my ayote and my squash and melon are a couple inches high. I found some seeds for dill and flowers and I planted them but they are old and I don’t know if anything will come up.

I first got this at La Quinta Gerardo so it has been moved twice since then. So gorgeous.

This has bloomed 3 times since the middle of February. Jasmine so you can imagine how wonderful it smells.

My little melon and squash. I got impatient by this point and planted all the seeds that were left so I don’t know what will come up. I have just been planting seeds from inside the fruit and vegetables. I have 3 mango seeds sprouting. My mango tree didn't survive the move. I didn’t move my pineapple but I have planted 2 new ones. 

So it is a little difficult.....

To have a lot of exciting things to write about when you are self isolating at home. Or, under house arrest as I said last time. Except now many more people are doing the same thing.

I started on my birthday, 10 days ago. Since then I have only been out a very few times. And when I do go out I am very careful. Monday when I went to the clinic to pick up prescriptions I had people pointing and laughing at me. Long pants, long sleeve denim shirt, big scarf to put in front of my mouth if needed, big floppy hat and sunglasses. Ok so I did look a little odd  but when I went to the ATM it was all of that and rubber gloves.

It has taken Ticos quite a while to take this seriously and set aside their natural socializing. School is out, it is vacation. Let’s go visiting or have friends over or go to the beach. I think it is starting to sink in because yesterday there were still people out and about but they kept their distance. No cheek kissing, looked down when they met someone, not many out and about.

So far the cats and I are doing just fine. I was concerned about running out of cat litter so I went to the vet/pet store yesterday. I  bought some and they said if I need more let them know and they will get it to me. I set up a WhatsApp page with a bunch of my friends and I check in morning and night. That way they don’t need to wonder or worry or come check on me. I told them I would ask if I need anything. Emilio stopped at the butter store for me but someone had just bought the last 9 containers. I told him not to worry. I was fine till they restock on Tuesday..

So till I get out of the house I will entertain you with my garden. I have so much beauty I don’t need to leave. My ayote (pumpkin) is growing like mad and my herbs are too. I have seeds saved for canary melon and squash and will plant them soon. I also have 2 mango seeds sprouting.

Stay safe and well my friends and family. Yes it could happen to you but even worse you could give it to someone who can’t fight it off. Wash your hands, stay home if you can. If you can’t, act as if everything is contaminated and act accordingly. When I have gone out, I leave my shoes outside the door, I strip at the door, turn the clothes inside out and put them right in the washer. I take a shower including washing my hair. Because, I want to be around a while longer to tease and harass all of you.

They don’t seem worried about what is going on.

My squash with homemade applesauce on it. The applesauce is dark because I made it with brown sugar. Very good.

Jeannette planted my herb seeds a week ago Tuesday. They are doing good.

One of my ayote

The other one 

Roses

Roses and orchids

More orchids

In front of the house, bougainvillea 

Now I know this doesn’t look too beautiful but I am excited. Look close. All the new red leaves. Ziomara gave me this at Thanksgiving two years ago and I brought it with me.

Some of my geraniums.

Crown of thorns.

Another geranium 

Now that I am under house arrest......

I have plenty of time to update you on what has been going on.

Yup, you heard me right. This senior citizen is under house arrest. But it isn’t the law that is making me stay in the house. It is Heather. I had a choice to either pack up the cats and fly to Wisconsin and stay where she could lock me in the house or promise to self quarantine myself until we see how things go here.

Quarantine was a little difficult since I had a big party planned for last Sunday to celebrate my new house. We had a great time with music and lots of food and wonderful gifts. There were about 32 of us altogether. Not as many as I hoped but those who came seemed to have a good time. Rosa helped me a lot in the kitchen and Emilio was in charge of beverages. I used my massage table and set it up in the back garden, on the sidewalk. There are concrete walkways around both sides of the house. The girls from Ziomara’s family were a great help when it came to serving food. For the chalupas we operated an assembly line. Emilio did refried beans on the tortilla, one of the girls did chicken or beef, then came lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, guacamole and sour cream. They had also asked people what they didn’t want and we did special orders.

I had done as much as i could in advance to make it easier Sunday. The chicken and a taco meat mixture of ground beef and chorizo were cooked and put in crockpots to heat up. The spinach artichoke cheese dip was made and waiting to be put in the oven to heat. Rosa cut up the lettuce and tomatoes and made the guacamole. The cookies and bars were all made and Rosa cut the bars up for me.

When people arrived they got a drink. Next was a plate of chips and chunky salsa, then a plate of chips and hot spinach dip, then coffee and bread and then chalupas and desserts. Later, when some people had left and the rest were sitting around I realized I hadn’t served the pickles I made so they all got pickles to eat. I know, a strange ending food.

Everyone went away with something to eat. At one point I went to the kids and said are you a child or an adult. They caught on pretty fast and said they were a child. I gave them a chocolate bar. Turns out Jazmin and Ligia are still children so they got chocolate bars too. The adults got bags of cookies and bars.

They were absolutely wonderful about helping with cleanup. I had garbage bags all over and they were collected and put in the container for Monday morning pickup. The rented chairs were stacked and all the furniture was put back where it belonged. Dishes had been done as we went along so I was only left with the serving containers to do.

It’s a small world here and everyone is related. The music man is Emilio’s uncle. The man who delivered the rental chairs is the brother of my main taxi driver, Luis. Speaking of chairs, I paid 5,000 colones to have 30 chairs delivered Sunday morning and picked up Monday morning. That converts to $8.78. There isn’t a lot of tipping here but I had to. That is so little.

So, my gifts. A bottle of wine, an apron, a wonderful heavy wood tortilla maker, roses, a potted plant, a planter of succulents, a little succulent, a hanging that is like the front of a cabin, two beautiful decorated glass containers, two large ceramic owls, a macrame owl in a cloth bag decorated for Easter, an angel, some corn cookies, and two beautiful dreamcatchers that the daughter of Rosita from Cervantes made. I also got a large leaf shaped tray from the lady next door who gave me all the concrete blocks. I think that is it. Lovely gifts.

Yesterday, which was my birthday, was my prep day for lockdown. I went to the market for boxed milk so I would have plenty on hand, the bakery for bread for today and the little cafe and got a casado to go. I promise Heather that was it. Well, except the hardware store but that was really it. I am well stocked with food and drink and leftovers from the party. Otto came at 7:00pm for a massage and today the 3 Orosi Chicas Buenas came with a birthday cake. We spent as much time working in my garden as we did crocheting. Everyone has been great about the hand washing I

My birthday cake

Corn cookies and a rose from Otto

Some of my gifts

Roses from Ziomara 

The dream catchers

More gifts

A 125 cookies

Pretty much a houseful. This is a great house for parties with many areas for small groups also.

Zoila, Rosita and Jazmin’s husband (Rosita’s son)

Sure we had dancing

ask them to do when they arrive.

Now I have nothing planned except a quick trip to the clinic pharmacy on Thursday for refills. The fiesta at church is cancelled for this weekend as are most large events. Sports events are being played but with closed doors. Our Chicas Buenas for next week is on hold till we see how things are going. I will be sticking close to home - I only mean the garden Heather and I hope all of you are able to avoid the virus also.

A very happy and a very sad week.

Also a very busy, hard working couple weeks. I decided the actual moving would start Monday, Feb 3. José and Gloriana and a helper with Jose’s suv and trailer and Jose’s cousin, Brian, and his small truck backed up to the house. It was my intention to move in stages, getting everything I could put away before I actually moved the cats and slept here. We definitely looked like a Beverly Hillbillies caravan going slowly down the road.

I had arranged for Emilio to come to work early and at 12:30 bring beverages and 4 pizzas for everyone to eat. I didn’t know how many people would be here helping and I wanted to make sure I had plenty.  Turned out instead Emilio brought 2 and he and Gloriana stayed and helped unpack and everyone else was busy in the afternoon so I made arrangements they could pick up a pizza and beverages at a time of their choice at the pizza shop.

Tuesday was a massage at the new house on my new massage table (a padded work bench). Worked just fine. Wednesday afternoon we moved a load of trees and plants and got started on the garden. Things are looking pretty droopy but I am watering and watching close. There are new buds and leaves so I think most things will be ok. The next door neighbor gave me a bunch of concrete blocks and I have created a planter below the peanut butter tree which is in the middle of the garden. Thursday I went to Paraiso, to the post office to pick up my new residency card. I am now a resident until December of 2022. This was all last week.

The taxi drivers are getting a big kick out of me needing a ride from my house in Orosi to my house in Rio Macho. I take the bus in, work a few hours and then take a taxi back. I also have to spend time finishing the packing and cleaning in Rio Macho. I HAVE SO MUCH STUFF!

Monday evening was another big load, this time just José and Gloriana and his trailer. I stayed and worked for a couple hours and then called Luis to take me home. He came and I explained I couldn’t find my keys. We looked and looked and finally I remembered where I put them....to keep them safe. I should never never do that.

Wednesday is going to be the big day when we all move to the new house. José will come at 8:00am. Morning feeding time is about the only time they are all in the house so I figure I will lock them in and keep them there until José comes. I have carriers to put them in. I am very worried about Dally and how he will handle the move. He spends the most amount of time outside and free and they will now be kept in the house.

Now let’s see if I can describe the Wednesday morning circus. Dally and Domingo came in but not Rain. I called and called but no Rain. I fed the other two and decided to take a shower. I am done and wrapped in a towel and I hear her. First I go to the front door and make sure no one else gets out. No Rain. So I go to the back door and check and Dally manages to get out and no Rain. I go back to the front door and she comes in but Dally is gone and I can’t go after him because I am in a towel. So, I only have 2 cats. I get dressed, Jose comes, we load more including lots more plants and away we go.

I start both cats out in the back room by their food and litter box and I figure they will hide for a while. I contact Otto, who knows the cats, and ask if he can possibly go to the Rio Macho house at 6:00am tomorrow and if Dally comes lock him in the house. He is an early riser or I wouldn’t have asked. About 6:20 I get a message he is in. I went out about 10:00 and spent the day cleaning. I don’t know what Otto said to Dally but all day he was in the house, calm and quiet. Late afternoon everything was done and Jose came and got us and the last of everything.

Now all 3 are back together. Domingo has been staying very close to me, Rain has been hiding a lot and now Dally is walking around checking everything out. Nights have been tough because for at least 2 hours they play and are crazy and keep me awake. At one point early Friday morning I heard lots of animals around and it sounded like some kind of commotion. It settled and I managed to sleep. When I got up at 6:30 to feed them I opened the doors so they can look out the screens and as I looked out there was Rain, outside. I have been so careful, thinking I had everything secure so they couldn’t get out. After I brought her in I discover where she got out and blocked it. Unfortunately Domingo had also gotten out at some point and has not been back. I don’t know why the others didn’t go when he did but they didn’t. I can’t believe how great Dally has been. Not fighting at all to go out.

The first night I locked the other two in the house and left the door to the back room open. The second night I left the cover off the screened window so they could smell or hear him. I am still hopeful he will come back but so far there is no sign of him. There is a gully behind the house and if he is finding food he could stay there for a very long time. There are many animals in this neighborhood but they are pretty much contained. Rain is very upset and I am very sad.

Roberto has been a great help and has built 5 screen doors and a screen window so the cats and I can have light and see outside. I have to make a trip to Walmart soon for cat food. Not sure it will be today as it is a cool rainy day. Good for the plants.

Domingo was afraid I would forget to pack him.

Hanging on by a fingernail

No problem. It’s tied.

On one of our trips there was a man standing on the bar to the trailer to keep an eye on everything.

A plant I inherited. I love it.

Rain wasn’t taking any chances.

The look says Mom what have you done?

My Chinese laundry. Doesn’t matter if it rains. I love the back room.

I also love my screen doors. I can have the door open and see if anyone is at the gate. And the cats can’t get out.

The peanut butter tree and planter. I know it isn’t pretty yet but it is coming along.

It is official

Today I picked up the keys to my new house in Orosi. I spent several hours there. Moving the majority of things is set for Monday morning at 10:00am. All the big things.  I don’t have to be out of here until the 15th so I will move in stages and hopefully be able to put one batch away before moving the next batch. The plants will be later and the cats will be last. I will continue to sleep here until the cats move so I don’t have to worry about them getting out when people are moving things in.

We did make a couple changes to the big back room at the new house. It is a partially finished area past the kitchen. Some parts are screened so they will be able to see and smell outside. I had a shelf added in front of that area, had a window screen added and had 2 door screens added. There is a latch at eye level but one needs to be added closer to the floor so they can’t push the door open enough to get out.

Hopefully this and the run of the house will be enough to keep them happy. If not we will create something outside like a screened walkway or enclosure. Roberto is great at helping with this.

Since I will be moving in on Monday the ladies are going to give it a Tica cleaning this weekend. They will probably get quite a laugh when they go in because when I was there today I started moving furniture around to make it feel like mine. I am sure they are going to wonder how I managed. Big cabinets, refrigerators, dressers, tv and stand. No problem!

I can’t wait to start on the gardens. They have done a great job of clearing out the weeds and there seem to be 4 raised beds in the front area. There are a couple piles of brush that still have to be removed. I have noticed there are tons of concrete blocks surrounding the various areas so I have tons of those to plant also. They will be great for succulents and cactus. I have the front area on the right side which is rectangular shape and pretty much wide open. I want to have bougainvillea climbing the walls. Next is the area with lemon and orange trees and several concrete block surrounded beds. On the left side is a pretty open rectangular shaped area the full length of the property. The hydrangeas and poinsettia can go there. I will be busy, busy, busy.

Monday, at 12:30 José will go pick up Emilio and 4 pizzas and soft drinks so everyone has a fun lunch. It would be too difficult to try and cook. He will make an assortment and this will give him a chance to come see the house.

I have been working. To think most of what I have came down in suitcases. Well except the buffet and kitchen cabinet and kitchen counter and shelving units and 10 tubs and 4 chairs and a folding table and a tent and a hammock and hanging chair and and and. Think I am nesting?