Really manual labour!!!

This morning we heard "hola!" and looked out to see a man standing outside our gate. Our long-awaited gardener!! Our landlady had set up services in advance but some had failed to show up...Today, Miguel checked under the house for comejen (termites) who build a "tunnel" or "road" up the wood to eat it-fascinating! We'd already found and destroyed these and filled the "troughs" around the posts that hold up the house with oil and water to keep them and ants out. Miguel cleaned the roof and canoa (pipes), cut the grass and overgrown vegetation in the garden, front and the path leading down to our house him. His tools: a machete, a broom, and a rake. No power tools here...and what a great job he did in three hours! All for $2.00-$3.00 an hour.
It was an extremely hot day and he'd ridden his bike from who knows where. We wanted to give him a drink, but  mindful of social etiquette, knew he wouldn't feel comfortable coming into our living area. We were unsure about offering so decided to send Gabriel with a tall glass of juice. It was accepted with a bit of embarrassment but he eventually drank and brought the glass back, waiting outside, until Gabriel took it from him.

Gabriel was quite taken with Miguel's prowess with a machete, so we weren't too surprised to see him dressed in big rubber boots slinging a machete in the empty lot next to ours, to cut the grass for them. Did a good job too!
Michael and Gabriel went for a bike ride after school and ended  up at Pamela's for a fruit smoothie. She was not letting anyone in because the "cleaner" (army) ants were at her house and she didn't want them disturbed. They had the very special privilege of being admitted and watched the ants come in a long line up the entrance and through the restaurant. This is so absolutely fascinating! They come up to a million strong, long, long lines of ants marching in formation about six inches wide, "cleaning" as they go. They will pick up (killing first if need be) dead flies, spiders, cockroaches, even scorpions as they make their systematic and methodical way. At their sides are the "kamikaze's" who will attack whatever threatens the  cleaners. You do not want to get in their way-they bite painfully!! They stay in formation by scent and if their scent is disturbed, will become confused and chaotic and in quite a stir until they are organized again. I can't believe it myself, but when Michael and Gabriel came home to excitedly recount their experience, I found  myself hoping to witness it too. So miraculous!
Later we went to our neighbours new restaurant-Alice's- for supper and to give Gabriel a chance to visit with his new friends, Jackson and Cole.Jon sat with us and regaled us with entertaining, enlightening, and thought provoking descriptions from their life and perspectives. Jon and Allison, unable to philosophically support the United States govern-ment and systems, have researched for six years lifestyles to expatriate to. Jon has been here a few months and Allison a few more. She came with the kids while Jonathan wrapped up their life in the States. San Jose and other areas didn't feel right to Allison as she looked for a place to settle. When she came to Puerto Viejo, she knew this is where they were to live. They bought the restaurant and are now building a living space and studio behind it. Allison is an artist who works in oils in an expressionistic style. She's also a midwife and lactation consultant who had home births with the same, her second, Cole's, a water birth.
Her claim to fame, other than her art, is her placenta, which her husband posted with pride on the Internet and was picked up by Wikipedia to illustrate the definition. I hope she's not offended to have this discloses, except that she wasn't surprised Jon had shared it with us-apparently he shares it with everyone...lol...Check out her work at:  Allison CS Lewis
Jon has developed websites for some pretty major companies. One of his own is: Quit Your Job Day
A very enjoyable evening all around!
We came home once again by flashlight illuminating our path into the jungle, only to discover...Cleaner Ants!! They made a path from the top of the kids' bedroom wall down to the edge of the doors in the hallway- took a tiny jut into our bedroom under the door (someone must have gotten confused there...) -and around the corner into the kitchen. Some came down the wall from the kitchen ceiling, as well. How excited I was to have my hope realized! What a phenomena to experience! While Michael read a story to Gabriel, I watched as they continued to come down the wall and make their steady path toward the kitchen-all in formation and hardly a stray... By the time the kids were tucked in they were finished the bedroom, and we watched as they finished their excavation of our floor and walls and marched away...WOW! Talk about manual labour!!!