Monthly Archives: January 2011

It has been nearly a month since I posted something.  On January 5th Tom and I headed to San Jose so that I could catch a flight to go help take care of mom after she fell and broke her hip in mid December.  We went a day early so that we could spend one day getting our Costa Rican driver’s licenses.  After reading what some people had written about the experience, I expected it to take most of the day.  However, we were done in about two hours which I thought was great!!!  Now we have valid identification and can legally drive our car – what could be better?

I got to Casper the afternoon of January 7th and was greeted by my son Jordan who had driven up from Gunnison, Colorado to help me get mom situated and to hang out with me for a couple of days.  We went immediately to the rehabilitation center where mom was recuperating and found her to be in excellent spirits and very happy to see us.  She came home the following Monday, January 10th, and began the long process of recuperating at home.  I stayed for a little over two weeks and then was relieved by my sister Jerilyn who came for a week.  She was followed by Rachel, a very good friend of mom’s from Denver who will stay this coming week.  By the time Rachel leaves we are hoping that she can be on her own and that my brother Tom and his wife Shirley can manage the care until she is back to picture perfect health.

I came back to Puerto Viejo on Tuesday and it is so good to be home!!!  The weather has been absolutely gorgeous – mild temperatures, sunny, humidity not too high – really just perfect.  After the cold and blizzard conditions that we had off and on in Casper, I have to say that I really do prefer this climate     Tom came to San Jose to pick me up and I was able to get some photographs of some of the trees blossoming in bright orange flowers along the way.  It is summer now in Puerto Viejo (although I have to say that it is hard for me to know the difference between one season and another yet) and there are new sounds all around. 

We went out to dinner with friends Sarah and Rene and Rene’s daughter Julia and had a great time. We ate at a pizza place in PV that was wonderful.  The owner is from Italy and makes delicious thin crusted pizzas.  After dinner we went to a bar called Mango’s which is evidently one of the major happening places in our little town.  We drank some beer and listened to the band before we headed on home.  It was a really fun evening. 

Yesterday we were surprised by a couple of huge Iguana’s who are living in the trees next to our property.  We have been hearing them but this was the first time I got to see them.  They actually were mating – quite an interesting sight – so perhaps we will see some little iguana’s in the not too distant future………… 

I have been reporting on the rainy weather we have been having and we fully expected for it to continue on New Years Eve and New Years day.  Instead it started clearing up on New Years Eve and New Years Day was absolutely perfect!!! 

We had planned to go to a party to bring in the New Year but I opted out at the last minute because Kaya and Wiley began acting pretty nervous about all the fireworks.  Also, we had a visit by a couple of dogs who somehow got through our double fence and plopped themselves down on our deck like they owned the place.  When we opened the door to the kitchen and walked out there they were to greet us.  We had heard Kaya and Wiley barking for a short time but figured that they were just talking to people walking down the road.  Wiley, who can be very dog aggressive, acted like he wasn’t even noticing these two dogs.  They were absolutely the most docile dogs I have ever seen.  Clearly they were someone’s pet as they were well fed and very comfortable with humans.  Wherever we would sit, they would both come and sit right next to us.  Tom went on to the party with Sarah and Rene and I stayed home and watched all the dogs.  The visitors stayed all night on the deck and then left in the morning.  I looked for them on the road and down on the beach but couldn’t see them.  So I am sure they found their way back home.  They really were just wonderful dogs.

Tom said the party was great fun and I will definitely plan on going next year.  There were a bunch of musicians there and so people were playing guitars and drums and the women were dancing.  The party started at 9:00 so that people would still be up at midnight    As soon as the clock struck twelve everyone started heading home. 

Yesterday, New Years Day, I noticed that cars were streaming in on the road from Limon.  It was amazing.  Since it was such a beautiful day the beaches were full and the town was rocking!!  Tom and I went into town to have lunch and people watch and it was great fun.  We ate at a restaurant called Café Ivon that was quite good and a perfect place to watch people come and go.  There were people from all over the world as well as from all over Costa Rica.  Across from us was a couple who have a business braiding hair.  They didn’t have any business while we were there so their very cute kids were having a great time playing in the sand and just hanging out.  When we were done, we wandered over to the wonderful ice cream shop in town (honestly out of this world!!) and then headed back home to sit out in the living room and finish enjoying the day.  Sarah and Rene stopped by after spending the day on Playa Chiquita so we have a few beers and did a lot of chatting and laughing.  I honestly could not have started the New Year any better.  Pura Vida!!!!

Pictures from the day:

Boats on the beach

Horses on the road

People on the beach

Kids playing

Visitors

Ice Cream Shop

Of course – the required VW bus!!