Life in Costa Rica: I have been reminded

That I am falling down on the job here. Let's see, what has happened since Friday and the prayer service. Well, Sunday morning the church was jammed packed with folding chairs set up all over. The front half was kids in white shirts or white dresses. I am guessing first communion. There have also been a couple parties here with religious symbols on the tables and a little boy in white shirt and black pants so it seems to be a really big deal. I have to admit I left church early because it was so crowded. I need to find out the times of the other masses. This being the children's mass, if there is anything to do with the kids it happens at this mass. The party here that afternoon was the biggest one I have seen so far. There must have been at least 100 people with a clown and music and everything. I even had my first tamale, traditional Costa Rican style.

Monday was quiet - no more batches of jelly - and Tuesday I headed for Cartago to replenish my thread supply for the dream catchers. I stopped into the yarn shop to give Ziomara a map for tomorrow, got my hair cut - I look like a girl now, went to the fabric store and got more fabric like my kitchen curtains. I made a stop at El Rey and the store next door and I will probably never have to buy another jelly jar. My red bag was plump full. In fact I even had to take my purse out. Then I had lunch at the Cartago Grill. Really good. Had a papaya naturale drink and a barbecued chicken breast plate. It was more like teriyaki than barbecue but had potatoes and salad and rice. That was the only disappointment. I thought the menu said frijoles and I like them much better than rice.

On the way home, when we stopped in Paraiso, Emelio got on and we sat and chatted all the way here. Saturday was the graduation party for his sister so the pizza shop was closed. She has been taking classes for a bilingual secretarial course.

Wednesday I spent most of the day in the kitchen. I mad a batch of chocolate chip cookies. It has been a while since I have gone around with my cookie container. I made pasta for lunch and made 2 loaves of Papaya Raisin Bread. I wanted to have something on hand for people tomorrow morning. The recipe called for the raisins to be soaked in dark rum. So, I entered into my translate program I need a small bottle of dark rum, packed up my cookies and headed for the Super Mercado. I picked up more raisins and headed for the liquor counter. I pulled out the iPad and showed him. He pulled out 3 different bottles and I said it was for gallettas and not drinking so we went with the least expensive. It turned out really good. I do like papaya!

Today was supposed to be my massage but Otto just stopped in and we postponed until 2:00pm tomorrow. That will be great after the class in the morning and lunch with Ziomara. I will spend today getting all my supplies ready.

Tomorrow I am expecting 2 from the Senion Center and Ziomara at 9:00am for a little training before we go to the senior center for the class. I am looking forward to it and I think it will be fun. Then I will have to get busy making the frames for the second class. Emelio will be the translator for that one and we are going to do a little training before that. His English teacher wants to meet me so one of these Monday's, after his class, they will come over for a visit and snack. His mother also wants him to bring me to their house and I will show her how to make the dream catchers.

We have been having beautiful mornings and rain in the afternoons and night. My soccer field is soggy. Construction is continuing on the new apartment and Ana is scheduled to come tomorrow to live in the upstairs apt.

There is a humming bird that keeps coming to the edge of the porch to check out the fuchsia. I wish it would stay long enough for a picture. I have three more flowers ready to open on my Christmas cactus. I have planted most of my new flowers

Tia came over late yesterday for a long talk - she talked and I listened. She is so sweet.

I will report on the class and I should have pictures. I think I will take a walk to Gerardo's appliance store and purchase either a toaster or toaster oven so I am all set for Heather. It is the least I can do since she is bringing 2 50 pound suitcases with her and only a carry on for her things. She and Courtney will arrive on the same flight on the 29th. Two weeks!

By the way, my thumb is coming along. I am very careful because it is so easy to hit it on things.

Ana just delivered 2 tomatoes and said no chemicals. I had taken a plate of the bread to them for morning coffee.

That is everything I can think to tell you. If something else comes to me, I will add it tomorrow.