Love and the Power of Puppies

Happy Independence Day, Costa Rica! Layne and I are missing the parades and festivities today, preparing for our departure on Wednesday, but we share an appreciation of the freedoms with which this nation is blessed. Those of us who live in a democracy with fundamental rights guaranteed and a voice in our government should count our blessings every day and recognize our good fortune as compared to many others around the world. (Here are local students practicing their parade routine without the blue, red and white banners they will carry in today's Independence Day parade.)

Yes, I know I said my most recent post would probably be my last for a couple of months but our life with Winston just demands a short piece today. We are so very grateful to our friends Chris and Sue for agreeing to provide him a loving foster home while we're away but we do dread leaving the little guy behind. He adds such delight to everyday things. Just a short walk around the neighborhood can turn into a special moment.

Yesterday I took him out to practice his "heel," "sit" and "come" commands, hoping to leave a more well-mannered doggie with Chris and Sue. After a little refresher course under our carport, he and I headed down a quiet road nearby that has few loose dogs or fast cars to bother us. Toward the end of this street is a house with a bunch of dogs behind fences that always set up a clamor of barking as we walk by. As made our way up the next hill, I looked behind us to see the Tico gentleman of the house following us with a little bundle in his arms. As he approached, I realized he was carrying two very small puppies.

The man has often greeted us on our walks, calling out "buenos dias" and shushing his pack of hounds for our benefit, occasionally coming out to the road to chat with us in Spanish. So yesterday I stopped and held a curious Winston in check while he came up the hill toward us with his arms full of puppy.

And adorable puppies they were, so small, hardly a few weeks old, I would say. He explained that their mother had been killed on the road only one day after they were born and of the five puppies left orphaned, only these two had survived. He showed me their docked tails, a natural trait he said, and shared their Spanish names, which I didn't understand, of course. Counting these two, he said he now has ten dogs! Yikes!

It was then I realized what a cool photo he and his pups would make so with his permission, I took a couple of shots and showed them to him, gaining a big smile for my trouble. As he walked back to his house, he sat the puppies down on the road and encouraged them to "venga," or come along behind him. It made a very cute scene.

Winston and I soon turned around and hiked back toward home. When I heard a pickup truck behind us we stepped off the road so it could pass, but instead, it stopped and the old gentleman asked me to show his friends the photos I had taken. He then asked if I could print copies for him, which I readily agreed to do, hoping I would find time to get them back to him.

Yours Truly with our own puppy Winston

So this morning Layne, Winston and I retraced our steps from yesterday, stopping by his house

with the prints. He invited us in, got the puppies again and showed them to Layne, fairly beaming with pride as he told the story of saving their lives, finding a way to feed them, keeping them warm with an electric pad. He thanked us for the pictures and we bid him and his pups adieu until we return in November.

And now, once again, I bid you adieu as well. Pura Vida!

Check out Layne's novel "Moral Turpitude," Kindle edition now available for only $4.99 at Amazon.com. Five star reviews! High adventure with corporate intrigue, danger and romance; from the exotic jungles of Borneo and Costa Rica to the erotic jungles of San Francisco. A great read! Pick up your copy here -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HI25M1K/

Hasta La Vista, Costa Rica!

It's time to get packing, as they say. Layne and I head for the U.S. in a little over a week, so I expect this will be my last post for a while. Between planning and packing what to take and what to store, last minute doctor and dentist appointments, a few dinner dates to keep and the arrangements still to be made for Winston with his foster parents Chris and Sue, I don't expect to have much time for writing.

The next two months will find us scurrying from Texas to Oregon, to Washington then down to California to see our two sons and their families, before returning to spend the last few weeks with my mom in West Texas. There will likely be adventures to relate along the way, such as a possible trip to Kilgore, Texas, for my 50th high school reunion, so check back from time to time but don't hold your breath waiting on my next post.

Of course, it's hard to leave Costa Rica and all our adventures and fun outings here. Just in the last week we've enjoyed a big Labor Day BBQ at Chris and Sue's and a "cedula celebration" at Joni and Mike's. As mentioned in my last post, my cooking assignment for the BBQ was to prepare baked beans for a crowd. Using home cooked red beans, leftover black beans made with Marcial's sausage and a few cans of Goya vegetarian and jalapeno beans, all seasoned with onion, green pepper, garlic, brown sugar, catsup and mustard, topped with a layer of bacon, I managed to fill a big Pyrex pan. And in all immodesty, I must say it was a popular dish - there was just barely enough. The rest of the meal was equally splendid, with yummy contributions from everyone.

Pineapple as pretty as Seidy!

Seidy and Daniel relax after all that good food

And of course, Chef Chris does know how to burn some ribs. With his excellent homemade BBQ sauce, it was just perfect. The only glitch came in the form of the predictable afternoon downpour, which did put a damper on plans for pool volleyball. Boy, can it rain here!

But we didn't care. We just hung out in the huge main room at Chris and Sue's place, eating, talking, laughing and listening to music.

On Wednesday we taxied up to Joni and Mike's spectacular rental in the mountain village of Plancillo in Mercedes. What a view! What a house! A big modern four-bedroom home with a casita behind, situated on a huge piece of manicured land, partly covered in mango trees. It is really quite a fabulous place. The party was to celebrate their achieving legal residency here in Costa Rica, definitely a milestone worthy of a fiesta. Sitting out in the large covered veranda overlooking a panoramic view of surrounding mountains with Atenas in the distance, we enjoyed visiting with the "regulars" and meeting some new friends while we sipped wine and nibbled on great hors d'oeuvres. The crab dip was especially delicious and of course, we all love bite-sized pieces of Marcial's sausage. To crown the day, which happened to be Sue's birthday, Joni had bought a splendid chocolate cake. Only the cake maker had somehow put "Happy Birthday, Zoe" instead of Sue across the icing. When we all sang Happy Birthday to her, the last line came out as "Happy Birthday, dear Zoe," which prompted a big laugh and the inevitable comment: Pura Vida!

So for now we must say adios to our pleasant life here in "paradise" and head for northern climes but we look forward to seeing family and friends in the States. No doubt there will be some good times there as well. Hasta luego, amigos! 

Check out Layne's novel "Moral Turpitude," Kindle edition now available for only $4.99 at Amazon.com. Five star reviews! High adventure with corporate intrigue, danger and romance; from the exotic jungles of Borneo and Costa Rica to the erotic jungles of San Francisco. A great read! Pick up your copy here -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HI25M1K/