It's only a week away

As much as I love it here, I also love my trips back to the States, especially ones like this one where I will be visiting a lot of family and friends. Even though I don't like all the driving. I want to be magically transported from one place to the other. 

Since I am flying Southwest I am taking a checked bag with me so I have room for coffee and jelly. I am going out today to get papaya and pina and oranges and limes to make a big batch of that. I have several jars back and Ana brought me a bunch of baby food jars. This time will be a new experience as I am flying into Midway airport in Chicago and taking the shuttle to Madison where Heather and Kent will pick me up. It will be a challenge to do that on the way back to Midway because then I will have 2 bags, my carry on and my red bag. I will be heading to Texas for a week before I come back here. Adriana has voiced a possibility of coming here for 2 weeks in July which would be wonderful. I have given her fares so we will see if she can work it on top of changing jobs and moving.

Yesterday afternoon was a sewing lesson and they will be back today. We spent some time sewing straight lines that I had marked on fabric. We also had to take some out and do it again but that is all part of school and learning. One of the ladies, Arabela, was having trouble with the machine I bought here and the thread always breaking so I had her and Efigenia swap machines. It seemed to help for some reason. We also had a lesson in slow. They would take off at 90 miles an hour and it is hard to control anything. I also taught them about reverse and locking stitches but we are having a little trouble with the idea of only 2 stitches. It ends up being half the row. But, they are coming back today so they can't be too discouraged. And, yes, I know their names. I had them write them down for me. Efigenia is pronounced Efihenia as like Gerardo the g is pronounced like an h.

Today's sewing lesson will start with a cutting lesson using the batting and the rotary cutters. I also want to show them zigzag on the machines. I have very simple machines so no fancy stitches. It will give them a break from sitting at the machines and concentrating on the potholders.

If you look close you can see tons of avocado.

This is Cas, a poor cousin of guayaba, but very popular here. They will eat them off the tree but most popular is in fruit drinks with either water or milk and sugar. Tons of fruit on the tree.

My touch of color added to Costa Rica.

The flower garden is coming along.

Tomorrow is craft ladies in the afternoon and somewhere along the way I will connect with Emilio to get the stickers. Another jelly making session, but only one jelly this time and hopefully no blisters - the boiling jelly does splatter! I don't have much scheduled until I leave very early on Wednesday except Katherine and the girls and Otto for a massage on Tuesday. There may not be much to post before I leave.