Change, change, change………….

It has been a busy nine months since I last posted.  Last June we decided to build a small casita to rent out to vacationers and to have for friends and family who want to come visit. Our carpenter/fisherman friend, Marvin, came to Tom with the idea and after much discussion we decided to go for it!  It was a long process as only Marvin and his brother Bismark worked on it, although Tom worked a lot toward the end.  Construction was delayed in July and August because of rain and then again in September and October because those are prime fishing months for Marvin. But finally in mid January it was done and it is beautiful!!  It has been rented out to vacationers since the end of January but starting the first week of April, family will be visiting – my nephew and his wife in early April, my son in late April/early May, and my cousin and his girlfriend at the end of May.  So it is working out just as we hoped!!  The website is here if you want to check it out: Casita Alegre .

We had sad news in December.  Our wonderful neighbors Ron and Don sold their house and will not be returning.  We all moved in at almost the same time in 2010 and although we are permanent residents and they came and went, we became fast friends.  I always would count down the days to their return and it is depressing to know they won’t be back.  But that is a common theme here in Puerto Viejo and Costa Rica.  It is a transient culture – some people end up leaving because the reality of living here was not the same as the dream of paradise and others just decide that they want something else – often just the life they had before.  The good news is that we are always meeting new people and making new friends and for us, the dream is the reality 🙂

We also have adopted another rescue dog bringing the total to six which is definitely the limit of what we can take care of.  Our new dog Steggie was one that I found a home for five years ago.  He had a great home and great life up the road on a farm in San Clemente but last year his owner was deported.  He wasn’t allowed to go back to his farm and so Steggie was running in the jungle and on the beach for eight months.  We tried finding him a home but had no luck.  By the time I got him he was literally dying.  The vet figured that he had been poisoned and his liver was in bad shape.  He also was blind in one eye.  But after four months of pretty intensive treatment he is all well and looks great.  He even got his eyesight back!!  He and the two little ones wrestle all day long and now Thelma and Louise would not know what to do without Steggie.  So definitely a very happy ending!!

 

 

Finally – my Mom turned 90 last August and was there ever a grand celebration.  Family and friends came to Casper, Wyoming from all over the United States (and me from Costa Rica) to give her the best birthday ever!  She just keeps getting better 🙂

 

 

 

 

Some photos……..

Construction

 

Critters

Garden