I went crazy and I am sure it is all Heather's fault!

And I only had to go about 3 blocks. I headed out with the idea of going to the orchid nursery. I found it, and it is probably a good thing they were closed. BUT, across the street is an artist display and as I was talking to the lazy dog, the lady came out and let me in. By the artist items were pots of cactus and then we continued on to different areas and there were tons of potted plants and everything was for sale. Well, you know me and plants and I want one of this and one of that and they all get flowers you say! Needless to say I spent this month's budget - and maybe next month. Gerardo, where are you, I need another container. No trips to the Paraiso nursery, or the plaza Paraiso or the orchid nursery for a while. I may still have to go to the cooking school for the chocolate and I have to go grocery shopping as I am down to catsup and not much else except baking supplies. I forget about buying eating supplies.

Some of the plants are pretty good size as I didn't want to wait forever for them to do something. Some overlap and are duplicated in the pictures. There are 9 altogether.

White flowers on the one on the left.

The one in the front has the prettiest little pinkish purple flowers and has this long cactus growing out of the pot also. I love the leaves on the one on the left. No flowers on this one.

You can just barely see the flowers on the one on the right. The wild thing on the left gets flowers all over it. The big leaves in the back are basically growing out of a log.

I never worry too much about haircuts. They will grow out.

Mine was getting pretty shabby - I got it cut in mid May so it had been a while and I was getting pretty shabby looking as I have a tendency to cut a little here and cut a little there. Yesterday when I was out wandering I came across a little beauty shop, on the Main Street, so today when the rain stopped I headed there. Come right in, we can take you right away. They have two chairs and by the time I left there were people all over so I don't know if I set them back in their schedule or what. 

Please keep in mind there is not a Tica in Orosi who wears her hair cut short. They may dye it, they may have the ends cut off but no one wears it short. Just me. So, it doesn't give the beauticians much opportunity to practice short haircuts. And, in her defense, I kept showing her where it was too long so she would cut more off. There will be no pictures and by the time I fly back on August 22 I will be just fine. And, it only cost me $6.00. They were all very nice. Besides, it is rainy season and I usually wear a hat so everything is just great.

Nothing died in the pots yet. My massage was great. We were talking about the sp..... And Otto said I like beatles. I said the bugs and he laughed and said no, the singers. They are on the radio. He is a vegetarian and is very interested in everything growing in here. I had a Cas from the back yard, nice and ripe, and I gave it to him and he said this proves there is a God. Meaning it was so good. 

That has been my exciting day in Paradise except I stopped in the department store and bought a glass Pyrex dish and I have a meatloaf in the oven. That and American fries and vegetables for dinner.

This is what happens when I can walk

 I went to visit Katherine at the hotel and she and her 2 kids came here so I could pick up my prescriptions from the U.S. and go to the pharmacy to see if they would refill them as I was getting very low. She got a call and had to go back to the hotel so I loaded my red bag and headed out. She said she thought the doctor was bilingual so I figured I could handle it. And, I had my request in my translate program. First stop was Gerardo's store with chocolate for the employees. The pharmacy is only a half block away and I set my bag down and got out my iPad and showed them my translate program. I took out my 3 prescription bottles and the doctor came over. I gave them both chocolate and the doctor does speak excellent English. They had all 3 Meds. The difference here is they only sell a 30 day supply at a time but I was able to get that. The doctor asked if I was here for an extended stay and when I told her I lived in Gerardo's Quinta she said she remembered me coming for help with my leg but she had not spoken to me because his friend handled everything. 

Next to the pharmacy is a bakery and you know how much I like bakeries! The one in the back is chicken (pollo) so that doesn't count. I have been so good and my blood sugar is doing really great - I have even been able to cut back on my insulin - so tonight will be a bakery night for dinner.  I didn't give them any chocolate in the bakery.

Next stop was the super mercado but the cashiers were too busy for treats and there were so many customers that I knew I would run out so I headed for the meat counter. I was greated with a big grin and the man from the back room was there too and a customer. One more stop at the merchandise area for the cashier and a customer and it is out the back door and across the street to home.

I overdid it a bit today so it is going to be a quiet evening.

I didn't make it to the Orchid Nursery but I did find out there is a sign with an orchid on it so I will look again tomorrow, after my massage.

I love being a little more mobile. 

I love what they do with donuts or buns. Both of these are sliced with a filling inside. The sugar donut seems to have a caramel filling. No, I am not going to eat it all tonight. Have I told you I have lost more weight?

I have hanging baskets!

Gerardo brought a couple hooks over and my baskets are hung. Now I need more for the tree and I have a couple empty concrete blocks. And, I am sure if I come home with more, he will find me containers and dirt. 

To prove my back and leg are better, I just swept and scrubbed with disinfectant with insect repellent and some pine sol the entire casa. Right now it feels like it is 4000 square feet but we know it isn't. I am sure the repellent works for all creatures including soggy dogs. If something does get in, it will have to survive on the one square inch I may have missed until it starves to death. And, I took the garbage out to the sink area behind the casa so I am in good shape. I am having serious thoughts of walking to the orchid nursery. I wonder if I would have any luck growing them? I pretty much like things that grow themselves. Maybe I should buy some cactus. As humid as it is, I probably wouldn't even need to water them. It amazes me - cactus and roses growing together here.

It has been a couple days for some

And yesterday for the big pots and things seem pretty much alive. My hanging baskets are still hanging from the branches of the avocado tree but I don't want to be a pest so I will wait to ask again. And if they stay in the tree it isn't so bad. I know the one pot has some dried stuff but they are just sticks and looked that way when the yarn lady gave them to me. I know the one big pot looks like it doesn't have much in it but that is where the Oregon Wildflowers are planted.

Now, for my first scary yucky experience. Don't tell Kaye or Dianne or they won't come to visit. I was sitting in the living room last night and the biggest spider I have ever seen came walking across the floor. I think maybe it was even strutting. There was no way I was going to get close enough to step on it for fear it attacked me. So I managed to open the door because it seemed to be too big to crawl under it and I used the lid of my craft box to shoo it out. I then proceeded to spray all the floors, especially near the doors with disinfectant with insect repellent. I considered sleeping with all the lights on but my only concession was to have the spray bottle handy. This hummer was big, but I survived. I am really surprised this is the first one I have seen. A couple little ones but nothing like this. Apparently I better just get over it. I told Gerardo about it when he came to look at my flowers and he went and told one of his sisters and they laughed. I have been told that only horses die from spider bites and that they just pee on your skin and it stings but I was being told a bunch of baloney so that may not be true either. I do need to be more careful about checking my shoes before I put them on and shaking my clothes out before putting them on. All in all just a typical day in Costa Rica.

On a really good note I am feeling pretty good. I used one of the patches last night that the lady upstairs gave me and now it is 12 hours off and I will use the other one in a different spot tonight. And, it is warm and the sun is shining, the sky is blue. One of the beautiful days in Paradise.

 

I have a new friend and I solved the problem.

Everything has been going along well except for one thing. I have no idea where or when the garbage needs to be put out. I asked Ana but didn't understand anything except lunes which is Monday. No, I haven't been piling up garbage since I got here, but I do have a few bags. Small bags. So anyway, my new friend explained you but the garbage on top of any car in the front area - because of the dogs and garbage pick up is Monday and Thursday morning. Gerardo puts it outside the gate at 6:00am those days so I would need to have it on top of a car Sunday and Wednesday evenings because although I am usually awake, and maybe out of bed by 6:00am, I am definitely not out and about. 

Now about my new friend, who really likes my chocolate. I thought it was Gerardo's friend and her mother who were staying upstairs. It is just the mother. She is a kick. She came visiting this morning because she wanted to see how my cottage looked. We talked about my back and she said she goes to the hot pools for her arthritis. She has a remedy for my back problem and the next nice day she says she will take me with her to the pools. Today is too cold and it has been sprinkling. I asked her how long she stays and she said sometimes all day. She brings along fruit for when she gets hungry. This should be an interesting adventure.

In case you are wondering when I am going back to Cartago, it won't be this week. This is the big pilgrimage weekend when people walk from all over Costa Rica to the Basilica. They are expecting two million people in Cartago. I will not be one of them. I may make it to Paraiso.

I don't think I told you about my visitors last night. They started out on the glider and then came to say hello. We chatted a little and I asked if they like chocolate. Duh! I stopped them at two each. They were very nice and lots of fun. Their mother was visiting the lady upstairs. When I went over to give their mother one, they were telling her they only had one each. They got caught since I could understand and popped up with dos. You know, I really am having so much fun.

I am making progress

The big planters are planted. Now I have to see if anything lives since some of it is just sticks with no roots. I want to get something like asparagus fern to add to the planters.

Also, there is a person working at trimming all the growth on the upstairs level. I gave him a cholocate treat and showed him I keep bumping into the branches on the way to the laundry. It is now all trimmed so I can walk without bending over or getting my hair all wet. I love it. I will have to write a story on what I got in exchange for chocolate in Costa Rica.

The people here are so nice that I am sure I would have gotten it all without the chocolate but it is more fun thinking it is the chocolate.

Now I need to clean up the area.

The tree on the end was my problem.

Three of many, many, many

Gerardo and I walked around the yard behind my house. I don't usually go in there because mean dog is loose but the dogs were in their kennels. I saw oranges on the ground so I was curious. Avocado tree besides the one in front of mi casa. Oranges, cas, guava, mandarin oranges, chayote (squash) and there were several others. This is besides the bananas and Limon tree by mi casa. I am sure there are others on the property. So far September to November come up as dates when they are ready to eat. 

Who needs to go to the Feria!

Second time is better than first

My second attempt at bread seems to be better than the first. It didn't stick to the pan, which was good. I sprinkled the top with a mixture of garlic, spices and herbs. Can't wait to try it. I also have a batch of the Mounds Bars in the freezer, waiting to be dipped in chocolate and I started planting and raking. I know, I know, don't overdo. I'm done for today except for the chocolate part and maybe a return trip to the Super Mercado to get those I missed.

In case you noticed my strips of aluminum foil, that is my makeshift rack.

Basil and mint.

Johnny Jump Ups, basil, rosemary and I don't know what. It's all over here and I broke some off and rooted it a few weeks ago. There is also a lovely leafed plant that is green leaves and pink spots. As you can see I am very knowledgable! I just go with what I like and what is pretty.

I only have a few plants left and two big pots. I think it will be a return trip to a nursery. I also have a heart from Oregon/Washington area that came with Mocha's ashes when she died and was cremated. I am going to plant it in one of the big pots. Courtney, tell Carole, please. The heart has wild flowers in it. Can't wait to see what grows. Hope it isn't ivy.

A good morning.

I went to the Super Mercado with my container of cookies. There is a meeting room in the back and usually there are only a couple people in ther and the door is always partially open. Today I went in and there were people all around the table. My cookies only lasted as far as the meat market so I have to go back this afternoon and start in the front. Yesterday all I could find was things to make tortillas, nothing for pan. I now have lots of flour and have a batch of bread rising. The word for cookies is galletas but most of the people now say cookies when they see me coming.

Then, the really special thing this morning. I typed the explanation of the dream catcher into my translate program - I have to just hope it translates it right. I knew Ana was with Tia so I grabbed the dream catcher I made for her and headed to her house. as I walked in she said que linda - how pretty. I said it was for her and Ana read what it is for. Tia was so touched, she had tears in her eyes. They made sure they knew where and how to hang it. Made me feel really good. I put in the explanation that I put lots and lots of beads to stop the bad dreams and lots of feathers to help the good dreams get to her.

When I should it to Gerardo, I asked him if he wanted one too. I got an enthusiastic Si. So yesterday I made his and gave it to him. He seemed to really like it and said he would take it to his casa. I didn't get a picture before I gave it to him.

All in all a very good morning. One of the cashiers, when she saw I was buying coconut was raving about how good the Mounds Balls are. Chocolate definitely is a hit. Add coconut and it is just that much better.

I love going to church - I think I have said that before.

I left mi casa at 9:30am to walk carefully to church with the hopes of being in the section closer to the altar. Last Sunday I was farther back. Well, little did I know I would be even farther back and I would be there most of the morning.

The whole first half of the church was taped off and as I looked around I saw that each row in that section had a baby under one all in white. Mostly boys in little white pants, shirts and cap. Some did have shorts instead of pants. I figured it was the parents and Godparents and baby. All the rest of the family was sitting nearby and the church ended up being full with people standing all over. There must have been 16-20 babies. I knew this was going to take a while. All of the babies were being baptized.

The music was great again. Very lively with some clapping songs. The priest was not the usual one. A younger man, and much calmer during the homily.

It was 11:30 when I left - yes I waited till it was over. Even got a few pictures for you to see.

There was a soccer game going on and a biking group parked by the store.

Tia

I have talked about Tia, who lives here in the compound, on the other side of the courtyard. She is 85 and has some dementia and has been so nice to me. She doesn't sleep well and is very nervous at night so one of Gerardo's brothers sleeps in her house. Today I made her a dream catcher with lots of beads to catch the bad dreams and lots of feathers to help the good dreams make their way to her.

Gerardo said she would like the bamboo rather than the plastic. 

One of Gerardo's friends is coming today. For a week. She was here when I first moved in. It will be nice to see her again. She and her mother come and stay in the upstairs apt. Her mot his is from here and likes to stay inn town rather than out at one of his houses in the hills. It will be good to have someone who speaks English and can ask questions for me.

What I did today.

Early this morning I went over to the Super Mercado - very slow and carefully. Everyone greeted me with smiles, especially when they saw I had my cookie container with me. I brought along almost all the Mounds Balls. They loved them! Now I have to make more. I picked up the ingredients I needed and made a very large batch of Oatmeal Raisin and a batch of Thumbprint cookies. The thumbprint cookies have either chopped nuts or coconut on the outside and strawberry preserves. My recipe I have been using for years has you put the preserves in the center after they are baked. This one has you put it in before you back it. I tried a different butter/shortening and both cookies turned out good. I haven't quite figured out what I am using. This one is white. Could be lard for all I know. Or some kind of margarine. Works good whatever it is. I tried one of each and didn't get sick so it must be safe.

As to my back, it is even a little better today. Still have the soap in my bed. No spasms last night. I was very careful when I turned over. Donna, do not worry, I can sit and I can walk. We are not canceling our road trip.

It has been a day!

Thank you to everyone, in Costa Rica and the States who have been concerned about me. I really am better. My leg is good and I didn't have any bad muscle spasms today. My back is still a little sore but so much better. I don't know if it is the soap in my bed or the massage or a combination of both. I moved very slow and carefully today. I worked on dream catchers and made up a shopping list for tomorrow and decided I would make Cinnamon Roll Cake and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. This morning Gerardo brought me Arroz con Leche with coconut. Very good. I have the plate from Ana's lunch yesterday and the dish from the rice so I need things to put on them when I send them back. This evening Gerardo brought Tia to my porch so she could say hello and see how I was doing. She even brought me a cane in case I needed it to walk. I showed her I was doing much better and could walk without it. She loved my flowers. Now, my big news. When I was in Atenas in March I met John and Debbie from Prince Edward Island in Canada. Really nice couple and I enjoyed them very much. We started talking today and I told her more about this area and they asked me to look for a place from Jan. 1st until May 31st. I put the word out to Jose and showed Gerardo my translast program when he brought Tia. He explained he is remodeling an area on the other side of the courtyard to add a one bedroom apt. It will be ready in September and they would be able to stay in the compound. We are all really excited. It will be so fun to have them here. And, my sister in law from Little Falls is taking a cruise with a friend that will stop in Limon, Costa Rica. Just all kinds of exciting things.

The good and the bad, no ugly

My muscles have been tightening all of my life. Now I change things and get a massage every week because of my leg and back problem. It is kind of a vicious circle. The frequent massage maybe helping to cause the muscle spasm. All the muscles from the middle of my back down in the left column are contracted. He didn't have any problem finding the problem area. He worked for an hour and a half. I just want to get to the point where I am getting a massage because it feels good, not because I have a problem. Then I will drop back to every other week. It is a little better now. The spasms have let up and I can get up from a chair. I'll try sleeping with my bar of soap and see if that helps. Hopefully tomorrow will be flower planting and cookie making. He did suggest I not take drugs so my body can tell me when to slow down and ease up. Can you imagine, here I am in Paradise and moving too fast! At least no one need worry about me, you can see I have some great people to help me.

Let me tell you about my day and the wonderful people in it.

I got up. My leg is feeling great but my lower back is causing problems. I shower and dress and have plans of planting and making oatmeal raisin cookies. I make a hot pack and go out and sit in my chair on the porch. A little later Gerardo and 3 of his sisters show up with containers and dirt and plans to help me plant everything and hang the hanging baskets. That's when it started - muscle spasms in my lower back. I couldn't get out of the chair. Gerardo offers to take me to the pharmacy at 11am when they open. I knew I couldn't make it there so I had Ana go in and get my iPad off the bed. I asked, in my translate program, that they go in the living room, near the stereo, and get Otto's card. It took a while but they found it and Gerardo started calling. Finally Otto called back and I explained the problem. Otto said he could come at 2:00pm and then Gerardo took the phone back and went over all the details and said one of his family would be there to open the door. 

I sat quietly for another hour and then managed to get up and go inside and do a little to get ready for the massage. I heard someone calling me so I went into the living room and there was Ana with this.

 

I ate a little but most of it I will save for later. Talk about Minnesota Nice in Costa Rica! 

I also got a call from my friend Kaye and she has a terrible time with leg cramps. Apparently she has been trying a remedy for the last 6 months and it really works although there is no explanation as to why. She sleeps with a bar of soap in her bed. She changes the bar every week or so and uses the old one for soap. She knows a lot of people who swear by it so I am going to try that and see if it helps the back also. I will let you know whether the massage helps or not. I want to be able to plant!

I have a new friend and a better deal

I decided I needed a pizza tonight so I packaged up 4 of my Mounds Balls and walked over to the pizza shop. Emelio was working and I gave him the treats. He did share with his father who was making the pizza. Emelio is a kick. He speaks pretty good English and tells me the Spanish word for things. He loves to cook so we talk food and I told him all about what I bought today as far as flowers. I would give him the English name and he would Google it and see what it is, for instance Johnny Jump Up. 

He drew me a map to the cooking school and I know just where it is. I remember going by it today. He also offered to meet me in Paraiso on a Saturday morning and take me to the farmers market - but not at 5:00am, more like 9:00am. He admits it is best at 5:00am but like me he isn't interested in that early.   He will also take me around Cartago when I want to go. Soon as my leg and back are working I am going to take him up on his offer. Should be fun.

My treats paid off. I got a discount on my pizza and I am sure it is bigger than the other ones I got.

How do you walk 3 blocks and get on a bus with 2 hanging plants, 2 Johnny Jump Ups and 5 herbs?

Back to that. My first stop in Cartago was the gardens inside the ruins. It is the first time I have been there when the gates were open. There are some pictures below. 

I spent an hour in the yarn shop in Cartago. I didn't need anything today, but I got lots of mint and Rosemary and a third one that is good for stomach problems but I don't know it's name.

 I went just a short way and had lunch in a little place just across from the square. They had a couple cases full of yogurt and fruit and ice cream, and I was very tempted but I didn't. I am falling way behind with my ice cream quota. I haven't even had any at the stand in the super mercado. The one by the hotel has been closed every time I have been over there lately. I will have to check and see if they have reopened now that the school break is over. 

Now it's find the cooking school and the chocolate. I tried but no luck. I will try again next time. Back to the bus for Plaza Paraiso and the nursery. Heather asked me to take lots of pictures so I did. In the U.S. You would get a cart and go around and pick out what you wanted. Not so much here. No carts. So, I went around and picked out what I wanted and gathered them on a table and a nice young man came along and took them all up to the front, where he boxed them up and I paid. It cost me $28.00 for 2 good size hanging baskets, one is fuchsia and one is Moss Rose. I also got 2 Johnny Jump Up and 3 bags of herbs. It is like the ones I saw growing above the ground in bags so that must have been the nursery here in Orosi. I will just have to figure out the entrance. So, I have everything and I tell them I need a taxi to Orosi because I know there is no way I can make it to the bus with my red bag, bag of mint and Rosemary and everything I bought.

The young man asks me if I want a red taxi which is the official taxi. I say it doesn't matter as I have had good luck with the others and it has always turned out good when it is a local business calling for me. So, Miguel arrives, another nice young man. He speaks pretty much no English and you know my situation. He took a couple shortcuts but then I would see a familiar spot so I wasn't nervous. The only thing was every so often he would pull over and I would think, now what, why are we stopping. We weren't he was just going around the potholes. Yes, I have finally found potholes. There are more during the rainy season. I am able to tell him we are going to mi casa as I can't give him any directions or an address. I really should have Gerardo write something out for me.  Now here, everything is north, south, east and west. All I know is right or left. We did just fine until we got behind the super mercado with trucks unloading on both sides of the road. One place it was so tight I thought we would have product hanging all over us. It cost me about $16.00 and he helped me bring everything inside the compound. In case you are interested, Paraiso is pronounced Para eeso. I've been working on that.

It started out really cool this morning so I brought a jacket along with my umbrella. It has actually been hot and sun shiny all day. Just lovely. Definitely didn't need a jacket. I even needed my sunglasses all day.

I still didn't make it to the Plaza Paraiso itself but that will be for another day. This was a good day.

My stash.

Even in Paridise you have to defrost the refrigerator.

My day included baking two pans of chocolate chip cookies, defrosting the refrigerator and finishing 3 of the dream catchers. The doors on the refrigerator and the freezer have to be pushed shut. That didn't happen at the start so I had lots of buildup in the freezer so I decided to take care of that today. I also had the balls of dough for cookies so I figured I would get them baked. I had to make a run to the super mercado for sweetened condensed milk so I could make another batch of Mounds Bars so I delivered warm cookies. I will make the Mounds Bars as soon as I post this as I needed to be able to freeze them before I dip them in chocolate. I think I will try balls this time instead of logs.

It hasn't rained all day and I am hoping for two in a row as tomorrow it is off to Cartago for the mint and rosemary and to see if I can find the cooking school for the chocolate. Hopefully I have better luck than finding the nursery and bridge here in Orosi. If my back and leg hold out I really want to stop in Paraiso at the Plaza and the nursery there. If not, another day.

I finished the ribbon and feathers on three of the bamboo dream catchers. Pictures below.

Today is the first day my leg has felt much better. All of my problem is in my lower back so hopefully Otto will take care of that on Thursday. 

What a day.

It rained a lot during the night but the sun was shining when I finished dressing so I thought great, I can do laundry. Just as i finished and got everything hung up, it started raining again. I know there is something going on here tonight - they were setting up yesterday so I thought if the sun was out all day they would dry. Well, after being delivered a bowl of arroz con leche I was invited to look at the event area. Turns out a group is having a fundraiser here at 2pm. It is about $2.00 and includes coffee. It is a craft demonstration and they will be working on their items. I took pictures of everything this morning and will take more when people are here this afternoon. After I take down my soggy clothes so they aren't out and on display. 

Right now I am making the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. You roll it into balls and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. We will see how this one turns out. 

I have been loving all the pictures from RiverSong on Facebook this year. I can follow right along. I know they are doing it just for me.

The party room.

Some of the items.

If you look close they aren't finished and they will be working on them.

I did it

Ana and I started with my lesson about 8:30am. She went through all the ingredients and I took notes. Not much on measuring. Kinda like how my grandmother cooked. A pinch of this, a handful of that. My mother once wrote me out a recipe for French pancakes - crepes. First she had a half cup of milk, then an additional couple tablespoons farther down on the sheet and the same with flour. She never measured, just kept adding whatever it needed. I am a very detailed person. Thin is just too vague for me.

Back to tortillas. You make the dough and take some and roll it into a ball. Put it on plastic and flatten it in a circular motion to the size and thickness you want. Peel it off the plastic and put it in the hot frypan with very little oil and brown it on both sides and enjoy. I brought a mashed avocado and they had a sour cream type topping. It was all very good.

I have proof although I can't post it here. Gerardo used my iPad and made a video of the whole process. Here are a couple still shots. As some of you know, River Song starts today in Hutchinson so I am wearing my River Song tee shirt.

Not bad for my first try.

First side browning.

Finished product.

This one I did beginning to end.

I am getting a cooking lesson

We will get back to that. Otto arrived very punctually at 10:00am and left about 11:30am. Another great massage. He said my neck is opening up and I can't believe how good my shoulders feel. Now if we just get my leg pain free I will be good all over. Jose got here about 12:30pm and Gerardo showed up also. With Mounds Bars in hand, I explained my thoughts to Jose and he relayed them to Gerardo. They did a lot of talking and discussing with Jose asking me a question now and then. Apparently there is a group of seniors who do all kinds of crafts and Gerardo thinks that is the place to start. He knows the lady in charge and he is going to contact her about me showing them how to make the dream catchers. I will have to bring Katherine along as communicating will be a problem. He thinks these ladies may be interested in what the shop in Cartago is offering. It would be a way to get the word spread. Jose spoke about an institute in each province that has instructors for all different things and if you get a group together they will send an instructor for free. We may be able to start something where once or twice a month we can offer a class that would be very reasonable because the instructor is free. It was a great start. Nothing much will happen as far as a class until I get back from the states the middle of September. 

Now - cooking. Jose told me about a cooking school in Cartago not far from the bus stop that sells all kinds of chocolate. They all wanted to know how to make the Mounds Bars and I told Gerardo I would trade him. I would teach him the bars and he would teach me the Rice Pudding. I also said I wanted to learn how to make the tortillas. He called Ana over and she is going to teach me tomorrow morning at 8:15. She is also going to teach me how to make rice and beans. I'm becoming a Tica!

I'm going on a date - with two men.

Doesn't that just sound naughty. I couldn't resist. The truth is I am having a meeting with two men. I have been doing a lot of talking with the lady in the yarn/craft shop in Cartago about bringing their classes out here. She was very interested. I want to present the whole idea to Geraldo along with getting some questions answered but he and I do best with one word sentences. Jose, the man who brought me to Gerardo to start with speaks excellent English so the 3 of us will sit down and he will do the translating. I think tomorrow afternoon as I have my massage in the morning and Gerardo is going to San Jose. I need to know if anyplace else offers something like this. I will also need to find out from the shop what minimum I need for them to come here. They usually charge $28.00 for four three hour classes. Crochet, quilting, embroidery and I am not sure unless quilting takes 2 classes. They would also have the cost of materials. I don't know how that amount fits into budgets but I have ideas if it needs to be less. I can teach a class on dreamcatchers and supply the bamboo frames. I know Katherine from the hotel would help with Spanish and her English is excellent. I know she wants to learn crochet. We may need to get a few women involved to see if there is interest.

Some days the creative juices just aren't flowing. I redid the dreamcatcher 4 times today. I think I got it now, unless I look at it tomorrow morning and change my mind. It still needs ribbons and feathers.

Just looking at it, I think I may have to move the center bead farther out. The bamboo will make some interesting frames. I need to get thin leather strips.

The sun has shown all day and is shining bright in my eyes right now. I probably should have done my run to Paraiso today. You never know what tomorrow or Friday will bring. Oh well, no hurry.

Another good pizza

This time I tried the supreme but had him hold the mushrooms. Not so big on mushrooms if I can get it without. It turns out the owners son, Emelio, was running the place. He lives in Paraiso and speaks very good English. He even offered to help me with Spanish if I will help him with English. He also gave me a card for his mother's cousin who is a Spanish teacher. I have a new friend.

One thing that is different here that I need to learn is I would say I live behind the Super Mercado. They would say I live in front of the back entrance to the Super Mercado. Makes sense when you stop and think about it.

I put my knit jacket on to go get pizza, but I didn't think to take my umbrella. The sky just opened up while I was in there. So, as I am sitting there I am figuring my route back. I can put my hood up and duck next door to the bank overhang, then into the super mercado, out the back door, across the street and in the door. My knit jacket is now 4 inches longer than it was. Not really, it had let up a lot by the time I was ready to leave. He says it is dryer in Paraiso which is less than a half hour away. There are tons and tons of different climate areas in this country. It does stay really green in this area and the crops do great.

I went, I saw, I bought and I conquered - or something like that.

It was about 9:30am that I caught the bus to Cartago. 

I started seeing yellow butterflies while I was waiting for the bus. I saw a bunch along the way - well, maybe 20. 

I got one of the last seats towards the back and by the time we left Orosi it was jam packed with people filling the aisle. It's Spring Break remember. There were some interesting people on the bus. One man, all in white, with white hair, white beard and white shirt was having quite a time. It was quite warm today and either he was hot or claustrophobic with all the people. He kept standing up at his seat and sticking his head out the window. He opened all the windows around him and the woman in the seat ahead of him was very upset because it was blowing her hair around. He got off in Paraiso so things settled down. The young lady sitting next to me had started putting on her makeup well before Orosi and it took her all the way to Paraiso. I had no idea there were so many things you could do and so many different pieces of equipment you could use.

I am really getting pretty good at finding things in my little area of Cartago. I get off the bus, turn right and go to the corner. Now I turn left. I go one block and look right and there is the fabric shop. I walk along the ruins. The square was very busy with music and games and lots of people. I go to the corner, cross the street and go a half block and there is the mall with the yarn shop. Ziomaro is working and we talk for quite a while about her business and the changes they are making to give them more room for classes and more display area. They are the only shop in Cartago with craft books. I talked to her about the idea of doing a class, or series of classes here and she was very interested. I picked up more supplies and headed for the fabric shop. Turn right out of the mall. Go along the ruins to the end. Turn left and a half block to the fabric shop. I love that they are close together. I got lots of goodies including - wait for it - plumas! They are all died colors so I still need natural ones, but it is a start. 

Ok, now I have to find the Basilica. Remember, I can't see it until I am practically on top of it. Adrianna and I stayed in the B & B over the restaurant right across the street. It is lunch time, my leg is wearing out so that is where I head. And without one wrong turn I end up just where I want to be. A Fish Casado and iced tea with lemon and I am a happy girl. And I have wifi. And I have 2 iced teas. Off to the Basilica. It is very busy with lots of kids also and lots of people going on their knees up the center aisle. The kids don't make it all the way and Grandmas are teaching them and telling them the story. You can tell that some people are using all their energy to do this. Holding on to the pews to be able to move along. It was continuous the whole time I was there.

Off to the bus. Not even half full and no butterflies on the trip home. The afternoon rain hasn't started so I was lucky. Got back about 3:30 pm.

I paid attention on the way back and guess what is next door to the Paraiso Plaza that I want to go to? A nursery! So if I can't ever find the one here I can go there. I may anyway because it seemed to have lots of things. I suppose Ziomaro wasn't sure I was coming so now we agreed I would come back next Tuesday and pick up the Rosemary and Mint.

All in all a good day. I may just go get a pizza for dinner if the rain holds off.

Lunch

Basilica

People on their knees. I made a video and I will see if I can post it here.

My stash from today. I have been really surprised at how reasonable craft things have been.