The beauty of the flowers on our walk this morning stands in stark contrast to the darkness of our mood. Yesterday we got word of another family member with a serious health crisis, prompting Layne to head for Oregon this Saturday for several weeks to help the family. We are quite worried and as a result of the uncertainty, we decided not to take the house I wrote about in my last post. Although we are disappointed, it would have been very difficult for me to pack and make the move without him here. Plus, the possibility of additional trips being necessary during the next few months means we need to conserve our funds; so all in all, it seemed like the best decision. As I’ve said before, we love where we live now, appreciate our wonderful landlords and other than wanting more space for parties and guests, we really are quite fine here. So here we’ll stay for now. |
| Roscoe returns! |
The good news is that Roscoe, our pit bull pal reported missing in my last post, is back home! Eduardo went to the gentleman’s house who was holding the dog about a mile from here and, when he explained the situation, the man said, “Well, if he’s your dog he’ll know you.” And of course, when Roscoe saw Eduardo, he was beside himself with joy so the question was answered in the affirmative and home they came. When Roscoe came bounding down the hill to our apartment Tuesday morning, we were so happy to see him and clearly the feeling was mutual. The smile on his face was ear-to-ear!
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| Playa Dona Ana |
Last week we went back to Playa Dona Ana with our friends Sally and Leonard where we rendezvous from time to time with Gringo and Tico friends from nearby communities. Often we meet someone new and this trip was no exception. In addition to acquaintances Paul and Gloria from San Ramon, who organize these beach outings, we met Kevin and Patricia, saw locals Jim and June and made a new friend named Joe. Layne had taken along his cool backpacker guitar, a gift from his son Jess, but when he found out that Joe was a “real” musician who plays local clubs with his band, Layne got stage fright and never took the guitar out of the case. However, when we learned that Joe would be playing here in Atenas this week, we decided we’d go watch the big boys play. So on Tuesday evening, we headed downtown to Don Tadeo’s bar and restaurant for dinner and a little live music in support of our new friend.
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| Musician Joe at the head of the table |
Joe plays the drums, so with all his equipment he was the first band member to arrive and start setting up. But soon after he had begun to spread out the snares and cymbals, the manager approached him and as they talked, we could tell there was a problem. Joe soon came over to our table and explained to us there would be no music. After a few neighbors went to the city complaining about the noise and other problems, management had decided to end the live music. Unfortunately, they didn’t get in touch with the band members in time to avoid their making the trip to Atenas, in one case a three-hour drive from Cartago! To say we were all disappointed is an understatement. But when our Tica friend Leigh and her Gringo date arrived, we made the most of the evening with a few beers and some lively conversation. So, as we say, Pura Vida!
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