All in a day...

Gabriel and I rode our bikes into Puerto Viejo early this morning. He likes to buy Internet time at the Jungle Internet while I{m working. This morning he asked in Spanish to buy and hour of time...impressive.

Michael and Allie rode in and joined us in the afternoon. They were waiting for a call from a fellow who is taking care of our plumbing issues. Last week, I was taking a shower-they call them "suicide showers" or "widow makers" here, and with good reason. The water comes through and element wired right in the shower head to heat it. Hot water on demand, in its most basic form...You do not want to adjust the shower head while in the shower-you'll get a jolt! After washing my hair I turned the water off...but it kept going a bit. Not thinking much of it, I stepped out and wrapped in a towel. Steam began to come down from the shower head. I called Michael in that tone that says "help!" and he raced in as the entire unit glowed bright orange, steam bursting from all directions, and finally just blew!Could've...would've...didn't... "Thanks God", as our Spanish friends say.
Our pump has been running every 15-20 minutes as well; there is a small leak in a pipe and the drain from the kitchen sink is not going down well, so we have got grey-water smell. Acreage living has taught us to take these kinds of challenges in stride and Michael could probably fix it himself relatively quickly, except it is not our house, so we nee to "put up" with the slowness of the system here. A fellow was here 3 weeks ago to look at the pump; he hasn't been back....Laura, our landlady, is in Spain-we can imagine her frustration in arranging the repairs.
Boy, it would be nice to take a hot shower again! A little more cautiously now...

We went to a little place called "Jammin (Juice and Jerk Joint)" we had heard was owned by a Canadian and was really good. It didn't disappoint! Allie had a tuna melt panini, Michael and I, vegetarian and cheese paninis, and Gabriel, Johnny Cakes (coconut pancakes) with cheese, strawberry jam, and a beautiful array of fruits. To drink: orange and blackberry smoothies. All served on long narrow tables with little stools to sit on, sharing the space with other patrons-kind of like a lunch counter only you sit on both sides. "Jammin" to the rhythms of reggae and calypso turned down just enough you can have a conversation. Introduced ourselves to the owner who is from Victoria but raised her kids here for the most part-in San Jose and here in the Caribbean. Her son became a dive instructor so they opened a dive shop in Puerto Viejo. When he went to Canada for post secondary, she sold it and started the restaurant.
While there, we saw a poster for Alice's Restaurante which is just down the road from our house. they were serving Sangria (fruit and wine punch), snacks, cookies, and had activities for the kids.
Everything was underway at Alice's when we rode past, so we unloaded our bikes and walked over. Met many neighbours and Gabriel befriended Jackson, who is the son of the owners. Joanne, another Canadian whom we met at the bus stop our first week here, invited us to their home. Wow!! An indescribably wonderful house! Artistic in its " presence"! I intend to go back and visit Joanne, who is a really lovely and talented woman. I will bring my camera! Inspiring! Her husband, Ed, offered to sell it to us for $300,000.00 right now. He wants to downsize. Unfortunately, so do we, but we do still have two children at home so the one bedroom and one incredible guest suite just wouldn't work. Of course, there is also the matter of $300.000.00 we seem to be missing from our petty cash...

Quality of Life!

Each weekend we treat ourselves to a meal at a place we have not been yet. The offerings for food experiences here are many, varied, and very, very tasty.!

Tonight we ate at Selvin's, which is open only on weekends. They serve traditional Caribbean food and specialize in the catch of the day. Tonight it was lobster, but since none of us is particularly enamoured by its' taste, it didn't seem prudent to try it at 10,000 colones (20.00) to start and then more per ounce.

Allie and I shared Rondon (traditional fish soup) that was amazing, especially with the very Caribbean hot sauce. Yum! I ate enough to satisfy my palette and leave room for a meal, Michael had a taste that confirmed he is not a seafood lover, and Allie finished it off!

Michael had Caribbean style barbeque chicken, and Allie and I had the sea bass. These served up with the staple rice and beans in coconut milk, and fried plantain, salad, and a variety of green veggies. For dessert...homemade ice cream with chocolate sauce!

Our waitress was a lovely black woman whose zest for life was absolutely tangible! Michael asked her how long she'd worked at Selvins' and she lit up when she'd told us she'd moved from San Jose three months ago. Just knowing there was a happy story there... I asked her what brought her to this part of Costa Rica. She enthused, "quality of life!" She explained, "in San Jose, I woke up, went to work, went home", her smile widened even further and she became animated in a way we recognise as gratitude, "pura vida!", as she described, "here, I ride my bike to work and breathe in the fresh air; a Toucan flew right in front of me the other day! And if I have an extra half hour, I can go for a swim!"

Yes! this is what we have come to know! We were so impacted by another human being resonating the same sense of yearning and choosing to live gratefully, in the moment: it's what we are now holding as we rode home, tucked the kids in, and are enjoying our evening together on our deck. We don't even know her  name, but we've shared hearts, and that is a gift to us. We are grateful!!

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance,

chaos into order, confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast

a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.-Melody Beattie

A huge part of living this dream-realized is about just that! Intentionally "sitting in" the realization of pequenos milagros-little miracles-taking the time and of having heart/mind/spirit "tuned in" to recognizing them as they unfold...
The more you notice, the more you notice...Funny how that happens...Focus where you want to go...

We are so much more cognisant of the power this choice has in our life. We are also aware how easy it is to get mired in the relentless insistence of an attitude of ingratitude that seems to be insidiously present in the "world we live in". Gratitude expands our hearts, our minds, and our spirits' capacity's to grow and enjoy and embrace life...We become more aware of the details of a life we love, and grow in ability to delight in the simple things, and most importantly, the people who contribute to our purpose. Gratitude has the power to change us completely!

Ingratitude causes our hearts, minds, spirits, even bodies, to shrink-really! It breeds dissatisfaction, grumbling and complaining, negativity, and an attitude of "entitlement". To our minds, the foundation of "entitlement" is ingratitude.

In this paradise we are so privileged to live in,there is so little media consumption, we notice a marked difference between our consumer "mindset" (combined with our human tendency to compare), that grows discontent and a belief that we don't have "enough" or what is in our lives "fall short". Here, people don't seem to have time for gossip, back-biting, mean-spiritedness, or negativity. They are too busy surviving, experiencing the wonder of the nature around them, and smiling. Living in an attitude of entitlement just breeds small, petty lives that close in on its' inhabitants. I know that's generalized...it has, though, its' roots in a genuine experience. When we come across a negative person here, it is such an anomoly it shocks our spirits! So incongruent to our sense of "norm" here-smiles that reach the eyes, people who look at and really "see" you in a passing greeting-and 99% of every person you pass greets you-and if you've met once, next time a kiss along with that happy smile of recognition!

We really do choose our quality of life!

Tranquillo

Tranquillo  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                        Make room for that which is capable of rejoicing,

                                      enlarging, or calming the heart- Gerhardt Tersteegen

Yesterday: great waves for body boarding. Today: calm and clear- a snorkeling day. It was so calm and quiet you could go around the "point" of the cove today. Ordinarily, the waves are so high. People will hike up to that point and jump in with their surf boards-gotta be good swimmers...Theres a big coral reef at the point which causes gigantic waves there-perfect for surfers!


Our friend, Aldo, theorises the moon controls the tides and the water is highest at the full moon. After a full moon, the sea is calmer. Aldo plants new aloe vera shoots after the full moon because he says the roots are drawn down to the water because it is lower. Not sure if this theory is scientifically proven but he grows amazingly huge and healthy aloe plants!

I tried once again to snorkel-not easy for me...I did force myself to take four breaths before coming up each time- progress. Not ready to go way out by the point yet-not willing to go anywhere, yet. Michael loves it and describes so many beautiful underwater worlds by the reef! He was out there for hours... Gabriel is still a bit hesitant to go out too far, but is very much at home under water with a snorkel. Allie got the hang of it and saw some neat things but was wary of the reef because she had no water shoes on. Smart girl!

 Bob from Oregon came down with his snorkel too and after a good time exploring, sat down by a log, pulled his hat down over his eyes, and had a snooze! Aldo dropped Andrea and her bike off and she joined the kids just having a calm, peaceful time in the water.

I discovered if you lie on your back and look up at the trees arching over you, it is a majestic experience all its own. Surreal. So that's what I did...floated gently where the sea took me, breathing in the fresh salt water and the expanse of the beauty of this mighty creation! Aware of my family nearby as we shared this day and the sea, each rejoicing n their unique experience of it!
Andrea came home with us-she is such a joyful child! Like her mom! She is like a melodic and cheerful little bird singing a song of happiness. It is infectious-just lifts your spirit being with those two! She and the kids played games and entertained themselves. Aldo and Mar came after supper and we had a lovely evening visiting. Mar speaks really good English and I am gleaning Spanish from her, especially when CoCo is trying to explain something and yell "Mama...how you say...?" Sometimes, though, things do get lost in translation. Nevertheless, we communicate from the heart in ways that often brings tears to our eyes. I am so drawn to Mar s optimism and joy-in-the-moment attitude...it is so genuine. Something we are aspiring to, practising, and reminding ourselves of every day...just is who she is.
When we practise mindfully experiencing the miracle in each moment, we discover, more and more, that we are gently holding (not hoarding) peace, joy, faith, wonder, and gratitude in spirit that is free and ever enlarging.
Tranquillo....

Life! Passion! and Living your Purpose!

We began school this morning examining a little lizard on our wall and then watching a spider anaesthetise a huge flying ant in her web. We've been reading Charlotte's Web each evening, so this is apropos. Nothing like a hands-on education! The opportunities are everywhere and there are days when Michael and I just step back and marvel at the experiences our children are having with nature, culture, history-even sports experiences- through their eyes.

In the afternoon, we went to Punta Uva to take that hike we've been talking about. We've been waiting for the rains to stop a few days in a row, so that it's not a slippery mess. Unfortunately, Allie is suffering from a bronchial infection and with her asthma couldn't take the climb, so she stayed on the beach with our picnic.

Michael hates heights so even the plan of taking the kids up there has been causing him some discomfort...It is high, and rocky, and dangerous...it is also an incredible experience and sight to embrace! So with prayer for safety, gratitude for the opportunity to experience-and a firm hold on Gabriel for good measure- we climbed into the jungle and up to the ridge.

This is a common hike, so the path is clear and well-traveled. There is a grave in there we didn't see when last we were up here-although it is marked a few years ago. Sparked many imaginative possible scenarios in Gabriel!



As we began our ascent, a dog joined us from "out of nowhere" and did not leave our sides-stopping when we stopped and patiently waited while we started up again-like a sentinel, or protector....Littlest Hobo....wonder what encourages Gabriel's imaginative contemplations...

It is amazing to stand in the jungle and take in the vastness, the biodiversity, the incredible size of it! Tree roots higher than we are-and on close inspection, house plants, animals, and insects by the thousands-dare we guess at the number?

 Gabriel, who exhibits most often the rambunciousness of  an "extreme-sports" nature, shows caution and good sense when he is in a situation in which he's not proficient. He was happy to be held onto, and showed equal concern for his dad, who loves the majesty, but hates the altitude!

 

As we were on our way down, we spotted two little boys who we assumed were Costa Rican coming out of another path. They grinned and said "hi" and we could hear them behind us talking quietly with perfect English pronunciation.  Whenever we looked back, they were hiding and "spying" on us.  Just as we were almost down, a little hand "tagged" me on the back with a burst of giggles. Intriguing little boys who looked Latino but spoke English like North Americans...Turns out, they were adopted from Guatemala, and their parents have brought them to Costa Rica for a few years while their dad teaches at an international school.

 Michael spent some time talking with them on the beach while Gabriel and I shared our body board with their boys-Michael and Jonathan-both just turned six and both much smaller than Gabriel. I went to meet the parents, Sally and Mike, of this delightful pair. Michael and I so love meeting absolute strangers from all over the world and quickly finding commonalities...connection...


When asking what each other "did", I said I am co-founder of a life empowerment company, Sally said "I knew you did something like that...just before you said that, I knew it!" She described having worked with a life coach over ten years and it being a huge catalyst to them adopting their children and being here in Costa Rica. I had to ask...what made her attribute that to me? She said I had the same "way" about me, and she'd been encouraged in the same way just talking to me on the beach... Wow! and so I am encouraged! What a gift to be privileged to be what makes you come alive!!

New friends and shared lives..

Gabriel was so thrilled the skateboard park was re-openng today. We heard about it all morning when the focus was supposed to be on schoolwork. Not happening today...focus or skateboarding...Great was the disappointment when we rode all the way there and discovered an emergency note saying it was closed.
Here we are learning to, as mikaira would say, "Chillax". It is a way of life here...tranquillo, there's always manana. A very good, and actually productive, way to live-when things need to get done, they do...you just realize the lack of urgency in most "needs".
Since we were on the outskirts of Puerto Viejo anyway, we took the opportunity to go for Italian ice cream. Stopped at Ola to see Mar and Coco. Coco was as happy to see us as we were to see her. She's on school holiday-like summer vacation. She had asked her mom if they could bike to our house after work...instead we went to their house and had "naturale" tea-kind of like a mint plant, and yummy banana ckae that Aldo had made that day. Coco (and Aldo and Mar) has an open invitation to come over any time she wants and Mar told us mi casa es su casa. Really nice visit that we didn't want to leave. we have had the experience of riding that Cocles road home in the dark and it is treacherous. Absolutely terrifying for me-worrying about my kids' safety and dealing with my own issues of no depth perception at night-in the darker stretches the road becomes a black abyss in front of me-I have no concept of where the road is...or even if I'm on it-sheer terror!
We wandered over to Pamela's miraflores resort for supper tonight. We are so glad we did!! Bob, from Oregon, who we met a little while ago at the Latino restaurante down the road, is now staying at Miraflores. He moves around and enjoys himself wherever he goes! Really intriguing man-full of stories of a lifetime well-lived, and wit and intelligence. He was having supper and visiting with Pamela tonight. We sat at a table beside them and Pamela bustled around getting us candles-the circuits to the light above us was somehow not working. Bob took one from his and plopped it down on ours. He says tomorrow he will fix it for her. While Pamela was making our dinner-she's a great cook-a couple with a small boy we'd seen at the beach (whose son began shouting to them "look! there's my friends!" when he saw us come in) were just getting ready to leave, so they brought their candles over too. Another fellow came in and Pamela bustled to get rearrange candles for a table for him. She is so lovely and nurturing-we just adore her! Bob told her not to bother because the fellow could sit at his table if he'd like. The fellow took him up on it right away. Bob offered him some of his "cheap" wine-in-a-box he'd picked up at the grocery store. We got in on the welcome and asked him his name-Chris- and where he was from. Oregeon!! He and Bob live within miles of each other!! Chris is a massage therapist and came down with some friends for a bit and is now staying over on his own.. A very, very nice guy! He asked Gabriel was he was playing on the ee pad, so Gabriel plopped down beside him and taught him how to play "Angry Birds".
Most everyone we meet is someone we'd like to know....What a gift this all is!

Happy Birthday to David: brand new Daddy! A special year for you!

There are days we just putter, gain our bearings and take care of the details like laundry and maintenance. There are days when we go to the beach and play in the sea and sun, after a morning of schoolwork. There are days we do both. Other days are filled with traveling and visiting, shopping and activities. The rhythm of Caribbean life makes it so much simpler to live that kind of balance. Even though our time here is limited, so is it on this earth, and we are ever aware that activity does not make a moment well spent.
At the beach today-so calm, so peaceful...sitting on a huge log that we often seek out to survey the ever-changing scenery.

We noticed a large truck pull up with what looked like a small house built on to it, out of which a group of men emerged. A little out of context but you see all sorts of unusual things here. Back to our beach watching, we were approached from behind by a man holding a baby. He asked us to move because he wanted our log...We looked behind him and saw tha t group of men... one holding a chainsaw....one a large stick...and one a machete...this is the point where, if you have an active imagination, menacing music begins to crescendo...
Back to reality-there were lots of people on the beach... I couldn't resist asking him what he was going to do with the log (Michael sometimes seems nervous when I do this, especially when there's potential weapons involved...but hey, he had a baby...) With gestures, some English, and much Spanish, he explained he was going to cut the log into lumber to build a room onto his house.

We remembered the story Nick has relayed to us just the day before of a fellow who works for him, who builds his home a little bit at a time, as he can find lumber or bits of building materials. We realized we were looking at just such a man-maybe the very one. We took one look at that baby girl being held by her big brother now, the community of men to help him, and wished there was a Home Depot close by. we could have bought him some lumber-at very little sacrifice to ourselves. Really, we have SO MUCH!
It was quite a production to get the chainsaw working well enough to cut the log, and then use some leverage to get its' pieces hoisted up (thats what the big stick was for...) I asked if they's mind if i took photos. One fellow took over the photo-op, even directing me on the angle and timing of the shots!
So, here we are without one log to sit on at the beach...and a family has a bit more lumber to add one more room to their life...

Advice from a TREE

 


Stand tall and proud

Sink your roots into the earth

Be content with your natural beauty

Go out on a limb

Drink plenty of water

Remember your roots

Enjoy the view