The damn cookies are done!

I know, I know, that is no way for the Orosi Cookie Lady to talk. I just finished 4 batches of Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. Yes you guessed they are all rolled in powered sugar. I have put them in containers and will bag them as needed to sell.

Tomorrow is our big day. José will be here at 7:00am to load up everything. Two tubs of crocheted items, canopy, table, 3 folding chairs, 2 big baskets, 2 boxes of jelly, a box of cookies and one of jars of pickles. Airpot of coffee, container of misc including crackers to taste jelly, plastic silverware and napkins, sugar and creamer. Pickles and cut up cookies and extra jelly for sampling. Also my 2 red bags full of stuff including yarn and crochet hook so we can be working while we sit. From what I understand it lasts till about 6:00pm. Long day. Hopefully a successful one. We need to make room for new things. My tubs are full.

I will report more after tomorrow.

  

Our new flyer

My poinsettia has flowers. Just the red, not the white yet.

My aloe seems to be blooming.

We did it!

In the middle of a countrywide strike. And, we may not do it again, but we did it. And there was good and bad and ugly but nothing we didn’t figure out a way to handle. But, let me back up.

Jeannette’s daughter works at the Civil Service center and through her we were invited to spend 2 days selling our wares. Jeannette and Ligia came to my house and sorted through everything and  we priced and labeled and recorded everything and packed it in 2 tubs. My thought was Jose would take us the morning of the 18th, we would leave everything there and he would bring us home the afternoon of the 19th. We would take the bus in between. Then there was some confusion over whether we could leave our stuff there. I really didn’t want to pay for Jose 4 ways. Jeannette advised me we could ride in the car with her daughter and it would cost 10,000 for all of us. But, we could only take 1 tub. I said ok and packed the jelly, cookies and crocheted items in the tub with wheels. Jose came Monday and we took it and the big macrame hanger to Jeannette’s. I did my errands and came home to go to bed early as I had the alarm set for 5:30am. Jose was picking me up at 6:10 to take me and my full red bag to Jeannette’s for a 6:20 departure. I went to bed about 9:30 and when I woke up I figured it was about 4:00am. Still dark outside.  I looked at the alarm and it was 11:05pm. Going to be a long night at this rate.

So, I get a call from Jeannette before I go to bed. Calls are difficult for me. If you text I can put it in my translate program as well as my answer. No such thing with my phone calls. So, what I was understanding was the car was malo for tomorrow. Bad, broken. But, she had found another car. It would be cinco. Now I am understanding I needed to be there at 5:00am. I have enough trouble with the idea of getting up at 5:30 but being at Jeannette’s at 5:00 just didn’t do it. I explained, in Spanish, that she and Ligia should go but I would not go. We went over this a few times. Finally I understood  it was still 6:20 at her house and it would be 5000 each instead of 10,000 for all of us. They are so   patient with me.

One of the things I love about Jose is his punctuality. Not common here. At 6:05 he sent a message he was outside. The car arrived at Jeannette’s and we loaded everything up. The three of us were in the back seat with the wooden rack Ligia brought on our laps. We were quite a sight. Now I have  mentioned the countrywide strike and you never know where and when protesters will be blocking the roads. So, to avoid any main roads, from Paraiso on we took back routes. Through the mountains. Not much traffic and paved but speed bumps and potholes almost as big as the car. We had no problems and few delays. Only busy intersections once we got to the city.

We arrived and found we were to set-up at the front of the cafeteria where everyone would see us. We had Ligia’s rack for hanging things and they had brought lots of hangers. We also had a large table with Jeannette’s lovely tablecloth for the jelly, cookies and small crocheted items. I had samples of  the cookies and crackers for jelly sampling. Two of us sat behind the table and Ligia was at the end.  The ladies did a great job of visiting with all the customers and explaining who we are. They showed them the history of Chicas Buenas I had written up. Well, kinda. I wrote it up in English and Katherine did it in Spanish along with a picture. We all crocheted on projects between customers.

Now the bad. It is a difficult time here with the strike and possibility of new taxes to basic food items that have never been taxed before. They liked what we had to offer but weren’t doing much buying. I sold 10 bags of cookies, 4 jars of jelly and Ligia sold 5 items. I sold the most in numbers, she sold the most in dollar amount. They decided not to come back on Wednesday but we were invited to come  back in December.

Now we have to get home. They suggested we leave everything, take Uber to Cartago and take the  bus from there. I decided we take Uber all the way and take everything with us. Uber came, a tiny  hatchback type car. We managed to bring everything except the rack which Jeannette’s daughter brought when she came. First Ligia got dropped off, then Jeannette then me. The driver was great  about bringing the heavy things into my house. All in all I think it was a successful first time learning experience. Next adventure will be the 30th at the feria at the church. My first opportunity to use my canopy tent and table. They tease me and say 5:00am. I say 7:00am.

Our little corner

I hate powdered sugar!

Or maybe I should say I hate working with powered sugar. Now I try to be a positive person and some even call me a Pollyanna. And maybe that is true. But one thing I am sure of is I hate powered sugar.

And wouldn’t you know of all the goodies I make the favorite and the one I make the most is Chocolate Crinkle cookies.

It is a chocolate dough that you make into balls and roll in -yup - powdered sugar! I made a batch Saturday to take to Douglas’s birthday party and this afternoon I made a double batch. Tomorrow will be another double batch to take for our two days of selling in San Jose. It is 6 cookies for 1000 colones. I have gotten pretty good at getting them all the same size. But by the time I am done the house and I are covered with powdered sugar. It has to be sifted and that is where the problem starts. I think maybe I need an old fashioned flour sifter.

So much has been going on. I made about 40 jars of jelly. Guayaba, papaya pineapple, mango strawberry and mixed fruit. The crocheted things are priced and packed. We have a cafe in Orosi that is selling some of our smaller things. Katherine has done up the history of Chicas Buenas in Spanish for us to display. After Tuesday and Wednesday in San Jose, we will have a booth at the feria by the church on Sept. 30.

Last Friday I went to the Independence Day party at the Senior Center. I took fudge for everyone and donated 2 jars of jelly. Since they were priced, Jeannette decided to sell them and keep the money for the senior center. Father bought one and another man bought the other. Everyone was dressed in traditional clothes and I loved seeing the old people teaching the young the traditions.

Heather is coming October 10 for a week. Right now there is a countrywide strike but hopefully it will be resolved by then. All the unions are protesting because the government is trying to raise taxes  that will affect those who have little. There is much dissatisfaction with the rulers who have so much. Sound familiar? Enough, I don’t do politics.  

Michael, who is a transplanted New Yorker brought a bunch of yarn with him. When he heard our story he donated it to us. It isn’t cotton so we can’t make hats for the cancer ladies but it is lovely so the ladies will make things and sell them and use the money to buy cotton yarn. Something great happening everyday.

Today I went into Orosi to get eggs for the cookies. I took with me some gluten free bars I made. I wasn’t sure how they would go over but how bad could they be with peanut butter, chocolate chips and coconut? Well, they were a big hit with everyone. The people in the meat market couldn’t get enough. I saw Jose and he said 3 are enough, well maybe 4. Katherine’s girls, even Tesla, loved them.

Yesterday I went to Cartago for Douglas’s 50th Birthday party. That is Ziomara’s husband. I took the bus and it was dark when I arrived. The taxis are lined up around the corner so I got in the first one and told the driver - in Spanish - I want to go to Tejar but I don’t know where. When it is time I will telephone my friend in Tejar and she will give you directions. He said yes and off we went. He told me when to call her and I ended up right at her door with no problems. I have the best luck with taxi drivers. Ziomara has friends from Orosi who were at the party and they kindly brought me home. She  has been wanting the recipe for the chocolate crinkle cookies so I had it written out and gave her that and measuring cups and spoons.  Back to the party. It was great to watch. Lots to eat and drink. Something new to eat is brought out every little while. There was music and dancing and karaoke.   And as I have said before, Ticos live life out loud. It was very loud! From what I could tell everyone was having a great time. Part of my gift for Douglas was a joke. They have told me Douglas hides my jelly so I used a coffee canister and put a small bag of coffee in it. Under the coffee was a jar of jelly. I think it  was almost midnight when I got home.

  

Our shelf at the cafe.  

Michael and Aldo and the donated yarn. 

 

Two colors left on Otto’s mandala.   

I love the old and the young. Dona Rosa and Jeannette’s granddaughter 

The two who bought the jelly.  

 

Douglas’s cake  

Douglas trying to kill the piñata  

My patriotic gate. 

  

Need some jelly?   

Ziomara and Chicas Buenas.