Security knows me!

Now that might be a really scary thing in some instances but not in this one. Today when I arrived at the security desk at the hospital and was digging for my permission slip, one guard said to the other gorros para chemo. Now I don't know if it is me they remember or my red bag but it sure makes life easy. They didn't really look at the permission slip, just motioned me thru. In the chemo room the staff greeted me and introduced me to the ladies getting chemo. It was a new day for me so a new group of ladies. I gave away 7 hats.

I didn't have any trouble getting to the hospital. I go to the Paraiso bus stop, take a right turn and can see it off in the distance. I head for the blue building and on the return head for the trees. I went first to the yarn shop for macrame cord but they were out. I headed for Ziomara's shop to ask if they could suggest another place. Johanna was there and said they may have a buyer which would be great. If it works out the shop would move to a new location. She suggested another shop that might have the cord and it was a place I had been many times for ribbon. I was able to get it and headed back to her shop to say thank you and go next door for a haircut. I really needed one. Then it was time for lunch.

I love delis so I went back to the same one as before. I should have used words instead of pointing. Most of it was really good but what I thought was roasted potatoes turned out to be fried bananas. And I got 6 instead of 3. Not my favorite so they got wasted. The chicken and beans and macqaroni salad and mango fresco were very good.  Now I know when I first came here I talked a lot about ice cream. Not so much for a long time. Well, there is an Italian gelato place right by the deli and the lemon pie flavor and vanilla yogurt with fruit were really good. I took that with me and ate it when I got on the bus. It is only 2 blocks to the bus stop. I was so full I didn't even have anything for coffee at craft ladies and there was lots.

There were lots of ladies so lots of talking and sharing of projects. I have been helping one of the ladies with a hat for an infant and she was concerned it was too big around so we tried it on Mila's grandson who happened to be there. No problem but she still needed to do 5 more rows to make it long enough. A couple other ladies got involved and it was a riot trying to explain what to do when they don't speak English and I don't know the crochet terms in Spanish. And, what they use and the translate program are totally different. Next week it will be the flowers for the hat.

It seems I am in the doghouse with Dona Alicia again. I expected her Tuesday. Wednesday I was working outside and didn't have my phone with me. When I checked it later, it turns out Jeanette had sent a message and called to let me know Dona Alicia was at my door. I sent a message back to Jeanette saying I would bring her a gift at the senior center tomorrow but it turns out they aren't meeting there. Instead they are going to church at 10:00am so I will go there and take Ligia the macrame cord and something for Dona Alicia.

I have the itinerary all planned for when Kaye and her friend are here. I am also working at pricing and tagging all the items we will take to the Féria at Iliana's finca. Hopefully we will sell some things. Ligia made another big and 3 small macrame hangers. I have to round up Gerardo and have him cut me more bamboo.

That's it. Life goes on in Orosi.

We still don't know what it is, but it is really big. I also have a mango doing great.

One of my roses doing great

Lunch for the whole family.

The ladies today

Our model

Today's present.

While I was reading this morning I heard someone on my porch and when I looked out I realized it was Marta making a delivery. I had asked her to make one of the painted tin can planters for me to take to Heather and there were 5 of them in 3 sizes. I have put together a thank you gift bag for the next time I see her. One of my tubs is full of things I can give as gifts when I need something. I try to keep both adult and child things on hand. I put together 2 kitchen towels, a cutting board and matching knife and a spatula for her. They are things that Heather comes across at good prices. New, not from the Digs.  She is off the Digs right now and is instead hunting white dishes with words or sayings on them. Some for me, some for her.

One of the plants that Jose brought me a while back, that he said gets a beautiful flower, has a flower coming. I am excited to see what it will look like.

The latest macrame hangers

I don't remember how much I told you about Dona Alicia. I first met her at the senior center and Emilio and I went to her house for a cooking lesson for me which turned out to be an eating lesson. She has invited me back but it is difficult unless I have someone to translate. I was malo and said I would go on a Monday a couple weeks ago. It turned out it was the Monday Jose and his crew came and I didn't go. I ran into her in the street and apologized and invited her to my house today at 3:00pm. Seems we are taking turns at being malo because she didn't come. I thought it would be easier with the crochet ladies here because they know her and can help me with talking.

Three of the ladies were here today and I told them I would be going to the hospital Thursday morning so I can see some new ladies. I have a good assortment of hats and afterwards I will go to the yarn shop to get more macrame cord. Ligia Sanchez brought me another large hanger and 3 smaller ones. The large one has room to add 2 of the smaller ones  for 3 plants. She also brought a matching hat and purse that only needed lining for the purse. I showed her several patterns that she liked and wants me to print. I translate them to Spanish, especially if they don't have a diagram of the stitches. I showed them the cat hat I made for Courtney and the monkey hat I am making for Lexi. I am also working on a plain hat for the cancer ladies.

The 20th is Jeanette's Birthday and she loved the top she made so I gave it to her for her birthday gift. She was so happy and loves it.

For coffee I had egg salad with avocado on crispy bread and I made an impossible pie with banana flour so it was gluten free. I drizzled it with raspberry sauce and they loved it. I had made a lemon refresco and coffee so we had plenty. They tease me about making them all fat.

Thursday will be Cartago and craft ladies and Saturday will be back to Cartago to see Ziomara at the yarn shop. They have decided to close the shop and I will pick up the items we have there. They started their sale today and they will close the 28th. I am sad to see them close but I can understand. They haven't had any luck selling the business and Ziomara has another full-time job and Johanna has moved and has a very long commute.

Two weeks from tomorrow Kaye and her friend will be here and I have a busy week planned including a trip to Puerto Viejo and Bribri. Gerardo will be taking us to the top of his mountain and Jose will give us a coffee tour. A Féria with the craft and crochet ladies and massages will round out the week. I think it will be a fun time.

Our lovely pots from Marta.

The bud on my plant.

Jeanette with her new top.

In case you missed it. April had a baby boy.

The beautiful flower in the middle of the onion patch. And, I have cucumbers!

Courtney and her hat with cat ears. She loves purple.

Let's just say

that if anyone came to visit I would have to just talk to them through the door. I wouldn't dare let them see me. Day two of planting but I tried something different this time. I wore pants - did I tell you I had shorts on last time? No gloves this time so you can imagine what my hands look like. I also had containers of clean water so I could wash them off - often. I wish I could say it was a success but no, I am still dirt from one end to the other. I am down to about a quarter of the outside ring to plant but I have gotten lots done today including the onions and roses. I am not concerned about filling all the concrete blocks, just getting everything I have planted. Some are just sticks and may or not make it. I will have green onions and strawberries and thyme and parsley and oregano and Rosemary and a lemon mint that works good for the stomach and regular mint and I know one of the planters has a natural insulin but I am not sure which one. I have all kinds of flowers on the cucumbers and the tomatoes look good but no flowers yet. The radish tops are big but I am not sure there are any bottoms. I may have overloaded the pot since up until now I haven't had much luck with vegetables. I do also have a mango seed with good shoots and remember I have a papaya tree with lots of fruit. The pineapple plantation is still doing good - 4 planted and 3 ready to plant when I figure out where. The peanut butter tree is getting big and Gerardo is going to figure out where to plant it. It is still in a planter.

It hasn't been raining lately so I have lots to water. Hopefully while I am gone in June it will rain a lot. I may have to arrange for someone to keep an eye on it.

Yesterday was crochet ladies but only Ligia Sanchez was able to come. Everyone is so busy with cooking for Holy Week. Jeanette did send her granddaughters with the hat she made and a package of bread for our coffee. It is a cheese empanada that is baked instead of fried and is a tradition along with chivere during Holy Week. Ligia was going to make hers today. She crocheted the cutest matching hat and purse set and also 2 hats for the cancer ladies. I made Banana Neutella Bread and Had tortillas. I made tuna salad and a salad mixture of lettuce and tomato and avocado with just lemon juice. It all tasted great in the tortilla. We also had Jeanette's bread. For a beverage I made a papaya lemonade. As there were only 2 of us I had leftovers and am finishing it all as I write this.

Otto will be here tomorrow morning which is good as I am having some trouble from all this gardening.

Where it all started. The peanut butter tree is in front.

The section I need to finish.

The tomatoes and cucumbers with a bamboo dreamcatcher on top.

I love these yellow flowers. I hope they spread like groundcover.

Ligia' s hat and purse

I have been gifted today!

Ok so Saturday I went to the Féria and after I bought out the first stall Emilio said did you see the other plants. Wrong thing to say to me. But they had things I didn't have like thyme, which smells so good, and parsley and dahlia and pretty fushia. How could I say no? I think maybe I have more than enough because I am splitting and dividing them up. The other really good thing is the empanada stand is back. Other than plants that was the only thing I bought. They are so good and nice and crispy.

Emilio came back with me to look over my new garden and help. He worked on the tomato/cucumber planter and the tomatoes are now strung up and the cucumbers have a wire fence around the pot so they don't hang on the ground. There are lots of flowers so hopefully I will have lots of cucumbers. He also took some pictures and I don't take very good pictures but he made even me look good.

Between Saturday and today I have about half of the flowers planted. Now, let me give you a suggestion about planting. It works very well to sit on a block of concrete that I found in the back with a little rug on it to make it softer so I am raised up a bit since I don't bend so good anymore. What doesn't work so well is to do this in shorts with gloves on and a pail of water nearby to soak the plants and water the ground. The reason why is as I brush away all the little gnats I flick dirt all over me. Did I mention I am in shorts! It is all better now, I have had a shower.

Now, the rest of my day. Katherine and the girls were coming to visit this morning and by the time I went to open the door they were here and across the street talking to the neighbors. When the girls saw me, Lexi, the two year old, came running calling Gay Lee, Gay Lee. When she got to me she put her arms out for me to pick her up and gave me a big hug. It was really neat. Courtney also came over carrying a painting she had done. I thought she brought it to show me but she brought it to give to me. She is only 4! We decided where it will go in the living room.

Jose called and I let him in. He had brought a vehicle full of bricks to make my path in the garden better. He was concerned about it during rainy season. When he went to pay the man for the bricks, the man sent me 2 coleus for my garden. Gerardo was here also and I have to tell you what he said yesterday and again today to make sure I understood and passed the message along. I put in my translate program and let him read it so I was sure he understood that my friend Kaye wanted to know what he would like her to bring him from the US. He got a big grin on his face and said just tell her to bring her friendship. That is all. Isn't that so nice. We went over the dates today and he made sure where they would like to go with him when they are here. His finca is on top of a mountain and part of the way is a tiny narrow road he built and it is straight up. When she was here before and we went there he kept saying no Heidi. That is what he calls Heather and he knows she wouldn't have liked it.

That's about it. Tomorrow is more planting and crochet ladies. I don't think I will do a hospital visit this week as it is Holy Week - Semana Santa. Next week. I have to do Monday, Tuesday and Thursday still.

Happy Easter in case I don't write again before then. Here the bigger day of worship is Friday and lots of places are closed Thursday and Friday.

My wonderful gift

My new path

Me in the hollyhocks

Look close. The ring on top is a bamboo dreamcatcher frame.

I did it and then I went a little overboard.

At the crochet ladies yesterday I found that no one would be available to go to the hospital with me today. It is getting really close to Easter and everyone is busy. I would have gone on another day but we had promised one of the ladies we would bring some plainer hats today. So I said " no problem, I can go alone." I told myself you can do this. You can find the hospital. I looked it up in google maps and knew I had to remember 4 and 2. In Cartago they do have some street signs and the 4 and 2 are avenues and streets. I am not afraid to ask directions and I had money if I needed a taxi but I didn't need either. I only went a block off track and after correcting that I ended up right at the hospital door.  I again showed my permission slip to the guard and he asked me if I needed someone to show me the way. I said no and off I went. I took my time going into chemo because there were ladies with prayers and communion and when they finished I went in. There was also a volunteer there and a couple people who knew some English. I have found when I am alone and stumble along with my Spanish, they come forward and help with their English.

The lady who wanted a plainer hat was there and chose the second one I made. I went around to all the other ladies and we were able to find one for everyone who wanted one. Some of them agreed to pictures, some no. I did learn that they are not open Saturday or Sunday and if I want to see different people in the afternoon, 2:00pm is a good time. If I understood right, they close at 4:00pm. I know there were things I didn't understand, but I managed.

After the hospital I started heading for the park -  I look for the trees. I was almost there when I saw a strip mall and headed in. Turned out I knew exactly where I was - next to ABC Bazaar. There is a nice deli/cafeteria and I had lunch. AND I ordered everything in Spanish. I also pointed but I said the words too. Pescado con limón, mini papas, ensalada de pepinos y tomates y fresco de mango. Now I know that isn't very complicated but I was quite proud. Little by little my vocabulary is increasing.

Of course I had to make a stop at ABC Bazaar and came away with 6 happy plates and 4 jelly jars. I didn't move my dishes here and I haven't bought hardly anything because I want happy dishes. I love these plates - salad plate size and I can use plain white dinner plates or other solid colors. I think I have seen that at another store I go to often in Cartago. That is where I got my happy cups.

It is just a short walk to the bus and I have already decided to stop at the nursery. After all, I have 100 new spots to plant so I definitely need plants. I knew I would probably be taking a taxi home from there, but I have done it several times before and they are great about calling for me.  It is a sea of colors there and then I saw the 2 for 1 and 3 for 1 signs. Well, how can a girl resist!!!! I couldn't, I didn't. Since the concrete block spaces aren't that big, I will divide the plants up and they will cover a very big area. I also got a new hanging plant because I love the little petunia like flowers but they didn't have any little pots.

My driver came and we headed home. As he was unloading the flowers, a car pulled up alongside and spoke to him and then pulled ahead and parked. I came out the gate and at first I thought that he thought my driver was selling flowers. We explained they were mine. He stayed and talked, although I didn't understand most of what he was saying, but it didn't matter. I know I am old but this was my bit of eye candy for the day. He was a middle aged tico, good looking, and a good body. Now I know this because he didn't have a shirt on. I still have no idea who he is and I don't think I have met him before.  After a few minutes I said goodbye and came in and closed the gate.

Tomorrow is craft ladies and I have to stop at the opticians and have my glasses fixed that I got there. The lens fell out. I also want to check on new lens as I have several scratches on these. A bug got under my glasses and as I was brushing it away I knocked my glasses to the sidewalk.

All in all a good day in my part of the world. I hope it is in yours also.

4 new little cactus

New hanging plant

Let me tell you about Jose!

If you have been following my blog you know that I met Jose on the first day I came to live in Orosi. I was staying at Katherine's hotel and she made arrangements for him to come and show me places to live. The house I rented fell through and I came with no place to live. Jose brought me to meet Gerardo and see La Quinta and as they say, the rest is history. Jose does a lot of jobs including property management, organic fertilizer, coffee growing and processing, touring and shuttling. That is probably just a few of the things he does. He came to my rescue when I was sick and we know he works all the time with the poor people. Ok, so that is a bit about Jose. Oh, and he is very good looking and loves chocolate.

So, I sent him a message asking him to speak with Gerardo who, along with his crew is so busy. I said I was willing to hire someone to mow the soccer field and work with me on my garden area. Jose sent me a message this morning that Gerardo said he would do it by Thursday. I told Jose I would have to talk to Gerardo because I had other things I wanted to do and I knew he didn't have time. Jose called me to say he was at my door and wanted to see what I wanted done. After he understood he called Gerardo and explained. He got an ok and things started moving. He figured I needed 50 concrete blocks and went and ordered them for immediate delivery. He picked up his two workers and a bunch of bags of dirt. Now let me tell you, these men worked. I have BIG planters and they moved them around and dug up all the weeds, placed concrete blocks and filled them with dirt and spread dirt all over the area so I can now plant in the ground as well as in the planters and concrete blocks. A second trip had to be made for more dirt. Oh, yes, another job of Jose is high quality volcanic dirt. They even gathered slabs of concrete from around La Quinta so I now have a walkway through the area. They even did some planting for me.

When they were finished, with Gerardo's permission, they cleared out my back porch area so I have a covered storage area that can't be seen. 

When they first came I put out a big pitcher of lemonade and ended up refilling it. It was a very hot day. I also made a pan of peppermint brownies and sent them and jelly and bread I picked up at the bakery but didn't use with Jose. My problem now is I may never leave my porch.  After they left I planted my strawberries and green onions and a couple other flowers. When I finish this I will water the whole area in case it doesn't rain tonight. I love it! My rose is planted as is the eucalyptus and the bright leaved plant and all the rhododendrons and the other plant Jose brought a while back.

So what I want to say is, Jose is kind and considerate and very hard working. Loves his children and is so proud of them. Good driver, even Heather is comfortable with his driving. I am happy to call him friend and have him to turn to when I have a need.
The pictures are my walkway, one of the workers, Jose with the big slab of concrete and a shot from the soccer field.

La Quinta Chinese laundry, day 2

Let me back up. I told you about the trip to the hospital and I was all set on Thursday to start laundry before my massage. There is a different washer in place but now there is no water! Life can be a little challenging at times in Paradise. So, now, besides a pile of laundry, I have a pile of dirty dishes. And,of course, a bowl of overripe strawberries slides from the refrigerator to the floor and we won't even talk about the problems in the bathroom. Seems they were working on some problem in the street and no place in La Quinta had water. That did change before I left for the craft ladies and I was able to take a shower and wash the oil from the massage out of my hair. So, now it's Friday and I get going early before anyone else gets the machine and do 5 loads of clothes. This machine is a little smaller so the loads are too. I left all the towels and sheets for today incase a problem developed. My main concern was clothes. Remember, it has been 4 weeks.

Both days have been beautiful, sun shiny, hot, little windy so the clothes dry really fast. Especially anything I bought here because it is a little thin. The sheets are practically dry by the time I get them hung on the line. Ana showed me they had put a line across the courtyard so I could hang things in the sun.

So today, I started again and I am finally done. 6 loads which included 6 sheets and an unlimited number of small and large towels. All my kitchen towels and my door curtains which I bleached first. Now I can hear all the wheels turning. Why so much when she is one person in one bed. Is she living a secret life we don't know anything about? Wouldn't that be fun! Here is the story. There have been 2 massages during that time so I have a sheet, then a big towel I lay on, then a sheet I cover with, then 2 towels he uses various places to keep me warm after he works on that area. Then I have a little towel covering the little pillow I rest my forehead on and a little towel covering the other small pillow under my chest, and 2 small towels rolled up for under my ankles. It all adds up. I will need to change the sheets on my bed again but that can wait a couple days. 

So, for today, the laundry is closed. Except for taking the rest of the dry things off the line. Ana brought me lunch. An interesting  soup with meat and avocado and chips and a tangy very good broth and something else. I am not sure what. I thought it was pieces of hard boiled egg whites but it isn't. Maybe a kind of cheese. I am afraid to ask. It's white, that's all I know.

I am off to the pharmacy to pick up a couple things. The fruit marmalade is done. It is at least sauce consistency. Now I can concentrate on crocheting some plainer colored hats for our next trip to the hospital next week. I am on my second one.

We worked out details at the craft ladies Thursday for when Kaye and her friend, Dick, are here in May. Instead of the normal class we are going to Iliana's finca and having a Féria. My crochet ladies are invited also. Anyone who has anything to sell will bring it. Should be lots of fun and it is a great spot to spend the afternoon. One of the ladies had bags of lemons for sale and flowers. Well, you know me and flowers so I asked what kind. Maybe I needed them in my garden. They responded they are to eat. Now I am really confused. Next Emilio called me to explain they were an edible flower so I said no, just lemons. When I got to craft ladies I saw the flowers and recognized them but I had never known what they were. But, one of the other ladies brought me a bunch of different shoots or small plants, including roses, for my garden. Since I had so much to carry already, Iliana is bringing them today or tomorrow.

Now my next project is to get some help to work on my garden area. Gerardo and all his crew are too busy with the hardware store. I may need to see if Jose knows anyone I can hire. I have ideas and lots of things to plant!

Day 1

Usually the round rack is plenty for my delicates and socks. Not this time.