Days 22 - 24 Sand Dollars, Fire! and Walkabouts

Day 22
2-24-14

Monday - another fishing day for Kyle. The kids did school work and I researched things to do when our friends visit in a few weeks. The housekeepers came about 11:00, so the kids and I and Elly went to the pool so we wouldn't be in their way. Kyle returned from fishing and joined us at the pool for awhile. He then took the bike with him on the water taxi to Tamarindo and brought back food to restock our pantry.

Our evening on the beach was incredible. I had been talking to Tristan about sand dollars a couple of days ago, saying I wished we would find one. He told me they are not white when they are alive - that they are purplish brown and they are hard to spot because they blend in with the wet sand. I said, maybe sand dollars don't live in this area since we have never seen any. Then last night Kyle was reading to me about being focused on what you wish for, even the simplest things, because if you believe that you are going to find, accomplish...etc. you are more likely to do so. I know it is just a sand dollar, and most of you have probably seen live ones, but I really wanted to see one, so I was focusing!

And guess what - we are walking along the beach and Kyle picks up a whole, white sand dollar and hands it to me. I'm so excited and tell him I really want to see one that is alive. We walk a few steps further and he points to one in the sand. Tristan picks it up and shows me its thousands of "legs" moving and I'm in awe. As we walk, I now know what to look for and I see them EVERYWHERE - all sizes, hundreds of them right there at my feet. It was just amazing!!

I am now an expert sand dollar hunter - catch and release only :-)

Food has become a bit of a thorn in my side. I had dreamed of cooking all of these fabulous healthy meals. But it has been difficult. Rice and beans is getting very boring. So for the first time since we have been here, we bought meat (chicken). I made chicken fajitas and everyone was very happy. All the food was gone at the end of the meal. No leftovers for Elly. There is just something about being a mom....it feels so good to see your children satisfied by a meal. Ahhhhh. I think I need to start a blog for Costa Rican expats about how to use the food available to you to cook meals your family will enjoy-- but I better wait until I have a few more successes under my belt!

Below is Kyle's facebook post from Monday night:

Now I am writing at night time. This time of day is another one of my favorite times. I have a hammock half way between my house and the pool, where at night a slow breeze moves my hammock ever so slightly, while I watch the geckos get close to whatever lights are on, to wait for an easy meal. In the background there are families getting together and talking, eating outside with the jungle all around. It is so peaceful and almost romantic. The bats start doing their rounds, swooping right under our back porch and then somewhere into the darkness. You hear people talking about their day and their voices are not strained, more relaxed and soothing. Where I live there are not many lights, and if so they are not very powerful. It might be because electricity is so expensive, or could be that people want to look up and see the stars talking to them. Then to break the silence, a gecko makes its kissing sound and somewhere on the other side of the pool one answers. Night time here, the temp is perfect to be outside in shorts and sometimes take an evening swim and float on your back and admire the stars and how bright they are. As I look around I see that my dog is happier then I have every seen her. I think she gets more attention in a day down here then she used to get all week. She moves slowy because she is relaxed and she knows 5:30 a.m. is time to eat and then a long run on the beach. A leash is something that she hardly ever sees. She is a free running dog and she is smiling all the time. You have to be a dog owner to know what a dog smile looks like :-)

Day 23
2-25-14

Tuesday - Kyle left early this morning and went to the estuary to fish from the beach. After he was gone for a short time, he texted Ryan and told her to tell me to come down there with him. I said, tell dad "No, mom is afraid of crocodiles." I know people do it all day long, but I don't have the guts yet to walk through that area, especially not by myself. Well, I missed out on seeing some whales breaching. Kyle said there were three whales playing and rolling and jumping for a long time. While he was watching some tourists came walking by and Kyle could tell they hadn't noticed the whales. He didn't want them to miss seeing them, so he starts talking to them in English and pointing. He soon realizes that they don't speak English, so he switches to Spanish, pointing and tell them about the whales. They are still looking at him like he is nuts and they finally say, "we speak german". So Kyle gets a stick and draws a whale in the sand and points back to the sea again. Finally, they saw the whales!

In the afternoon Kyle, Ryan and Tristan went into Tamarindo so that Ryan could photograph a basketball game. She received a call a couple of days ago from a local high school student who heard she was a good photographer. He is doing a project that involves teaching local kids how to play basketball and he needs photos to document his work. Since we don't have a car, Kyle and the kids were picked up by the student. I was having fun hanging out with our neighbors from Canada in the pool, so Kyle suggested I stay and keep enjoying myself. It was really nice. We had drinks and great conversation and laughed alot. It was interesting to hear stories of how they found Playa Grande and what their plans are for the future.

While we are enjoying our drinks in the pool, all of a sudden one of the women says "Fire!" and points behind our houses. Indeed there was a fire and it was really, really close. We all jumped out of the pool and two of the men gathered hoses and made there way toward the flames. There was honestly only 15 feet between the back of the houses and the nearest flame. There were already two ticos there working to contain the fire, but all they had were big sticks. They just kept pushing the dry grass from the edges in toward the middle of the fire. The kept saying "es bien" - it is good. They were so calm. Nobody called 911. We watched for a while and then realized that if these guys were not worried that we shouldn't worry either. We went back to the pool. The occasional piece of ash would float by, we would wave the smoke away from our faces, and comment on the fact that we could feel the heat from the fire. Eventually we forgot about it and when we looked later the fire was out and the ticos were gone.

Kyle and the kids returned and we went to the beach for sunset. I was going to for a barefoot run - but the rum punch still in my tummy from the afternoon pool party, made me change my mind. So I just walked and watched the sailboats and enjoyed the sunset.

And finally, after sunset, another meal that the kids enjoyed! I made penne pasta with alfredo sauce, served with a side of fresh green beans. I just used the local cream cheese (different from our cream cheese, but close enough), some milk, garlic, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. It was a hit. Both kids and Kyle had seconds and they even ate all of the green beans. Again -  no leftovers for Elly.

Day 24
2-26-14

Today I went for a long run on the road, just Elly and I, and I had to fight my fear of snakes the entire run. I usually run in the middle of the road because I'm afraid of snakes being in the brush along the edges. It was especially hot this morning and the shadiest spots are along the edge of the road under the trees, of course. So I would run in the shade only until my fear of snakes over took me, and then I would go back to the middle. Then I would run in the middle until I couldn't take the heat anymore and go back to the shade. It was a battle. Not the most fun run I've ever had.

While I was running and the kids were doing school work, Kyle took the bike and a fishing pole and went down by the rocks.

He got bored and decided to take a hike (he called it a walkabout), which ended up meaning that he pushed the bike up hill for over an hour, not having any idea where he was going, other than up. When he got to the top he had a beautiful view of our beach.

Kyle's selfie with Playa Grande in the distance.

He hiked around but found there were no trespassing signs everywhere and he couldn't keep going. So he rode the bike straight down the mountain - not the way he came up of course - that would have been too easy. He ended up on a farm where there were three tico farmers sitting on a fence. He spoke to them in Spanish and said he needed to know how to get back to Playa Grande. They just stared at him and said nothing. Kyle says that one of three "looked more important than the rest". I don't know how he assessed that, but he walked right up to the "important one" and asked how to get to Playa Grande. This gentleman gave him directions and he made his way home.

The kids and I enjoyed hearing about his adventure when he got back. Tristan, Kyle and I played a game of Canasta in the afternoon, while Ryan skyped with Alex about a new story they are writing together. Then we headed down to the beach for sunset and Kyle brought the casting net and a fishing pole. I decided to learn how to throw the casting net, so Kyle showed me how and I actually caught a few sardines. Kyle put one of the sardines on a hook for me so I could try and catch a fish. Right after the the sun had set, I got a bite. I was so excited and it really gave me a fight. I was using Kyle's lefty pole, so it was very hard to reel left handed. I finally got it in, with Kyle's help, and it was a big sting ray. 

Kyle helping me reel in my catch!

Another beautiful sunset.

Days 19-21 Monsters, Barbed Wire, Fish On!, Art

I can't believe that five days have past since I wrote in the diary portion of this blog. That is a sure sign that life is normalizing. I have some catching up to do.

Day 19
2-21-14

Kyle and I decided to have our coffee by the pool this morning. When we sat down on the lounge chairs we saw a big pile of poop right next to the pool. I said "Do you think that is monkey poop?" and Kyle says, "I don't know, I've never seen monkey poop." Then the gardner comes by and Kyle points to the poop and says "No es mi perro." (that is not my dog's). The gardener, who speaks only spanish, rattles off a big story to Kyle. I can only understand bits and pieces of what he is saying. This is what I hear...very mean, big eyes, eats crabs, climbs trees, lots of them, here by your house, every night, it has fingers, holds him down, pulls the arms off.

As you can guess, my imagination was going wild. I am sure my mouth was wide open and my eyes were like saucers. You would fall out of your seat laughing if I even tried to describe what I saw in my mind's eye while I listenend. So the gardener finishes his story and he and Kyle laugh and the gardener leaves. I say to Kyle, "OMG, what on earth is it?!" Kyle says, "a raccoon". That is exactly what I said, "a raccoon?" Kyle explained...

Raccoons eat crabs. Crabs don't just live at the beach, they live all over the area, and we have lots of them right here around our house. So every night, lots of raccoons come here to eat crabs. Since raccoons have "fingers" they work as a team to get the crabs. One raccoon holds the crab down, while the other racoon pulls the crab's "arms" off.

Ryan and Kyle hiked the trail to the estuary today and Tristan and Elly went with me on a long run. Tristan rode the bike and Elly trotted along beside us. We took the road this time because the tide was too high to run on the beach. There are a few tico houses as you are heading away from our community - they are really just tin shacks. Most have chickens and there is barbed wire fencing along the road in front of their houses. At one spot along the way there was a gap in the fence and Elly went in. I tell her to come because I didn't want her to scare the chickens. Of course she listens to me immediately, but instead of coming out through the gap in the fence she went in through, she came right through the fence. I felt so bad for her. The only spot I could find that was bleeding was on the top of her head :-(  I washed her off with the garden hose when we got home and put neosporin on her head. I think she will be afraid of barbed wire fences and chickens from now on.

Day 20
2-22-14

Saturday was a fishing day for Kyle, so the kids and I started our day by helping Kyle get his boat and all of his gear down to the launch area. It is quite a bit of work and the boat is heavy, but we did it. Afterwards the kids and I went to the beach and swam in the pool and hung out together until Kyle's return. We helped him bring in the boat and gear and his catch for the day...2 jacks, 1 tuna, 2 red snapper and a mackeral. He had a call from people wanting to buy his fish before he even got home. That evening we had tuna for dinner :-)

Here is Kyle's facebook post about his fishing day...

By Kyle
Yesterday got up for fishing and thanks to the help from my family, we carried boat etc. piece by piece to the water's edge and then put it together. I was in luck, it was high tide so it made it a little easier to get out through the waves at the break line. Well once you are out there, it's just you and the ocean. Imagine that you are looking over the foreground and the background at the same time. If you are looking into the background you are watching the big swells that are coming to make sure that none of them want to break or get you wrong and cause you trouble. You also might see a playful marlin jumping, a school of fish, a ray doing flips, or a whale that has come close in to play. The closer eye watches for fish that are breaking in and even right under your boat. You will also see countless flying fish jumping from one wave and pass 2-3 and then land in the next. Cool site if you have never seen them. Now besides keeping your eye on the road, you have to make sure that both poles that you are holding are ready for a fast and hard pull. How hard is this? Well, yesterday I was trolling along and my pole went from relaxed to straight and with as much tension as a guitar string in a couple of seconds. If you aren't ready for this, the pole could leave the boat, never to be seen again. So I hold
one pole with my legs and set the end in the rowing holder for the oars, in a sense I am sitting on the pole. The other pole I'm holding in my hands. What if they get something on at the same time you ask? Yesterday I was trolling over the rocks in the shallower water, so my lines were just behind the boat 10-15 feet. Just as I was passing over the rocks to the deep side, there was a splash of 30-50 fish jumping towards me, 6 foot off the back of the boat and both poles start peeling line. I maintained the one with my legs as I tried to reel the other one in. Wow what a rush, one fish went toward the beach and the other went to the sea. The one I was holding was big and it made a fast turn and my 50 lb test line broke. Not good because that is the one I'm holding. So I switch to the other in hopes that it would stay on the line. I was in luck and the fight was still there Landed me a nice tuna!

Day 21
2-23-14
Sunday - we all slept in this morning - even Kyle and I. I think it was 9:00 before we were all out of bed. We had a very lazy day - enjoyed the beach and the pool and visited with some neighbors. Kyle finished this drawing that he intends to use as a pattern for a stained glass project.

Expat Dogs

So Scruffy wants to be an expat too...

If Scruffy is too big to travel inside the passenger area of the plane with you, it will probably cost you more to bring him to Costa Rica than to get yourself here. Is it worth it? Absolutely! Here are step-by-step instructions on how to do it.

Part I. The Decision

We had two dogs when we made our decision to move to Costa Rica. Of course we wanted to bring them both, because we love them both. But it is was a big decision, one that required a lot of thought about what would best for us and for them.

Elly, our black lab, is a tail wagger. Not much rattles her. She is a happy dog, motivated primarily by food. If there is food at the end of the road - she is happy - period. She doesn't care about other dogs because she is queen of her own world.  She loves her immediate people and food and playing fetch. She likes to have her belly rubbed. She listens to whatever we say because she anticipates that food may be the reward for doing so. Did I mentioned that she likes food?

Zoey, our golden doodle, is very sensitive. She loves all other animals and she loves all people. She will let you know when you hurt her feelings. She is afraid of thunder, and gun shots and fireworks. She is incredibly smart and not motivated much by food. She thinks and plots. One time we put her in a kennel, the wire see-through kind, and she chewed her way out. We were only gone for two hours and when we came back, she was outside of the kennel, laying beside it. She had twisted the wire with her teeth until she made a hole big enough to escape. She is a 50 lb dog! You cannot trick her into anything. There is not a reward that will change her mind. She will do what she wants, when she wants to do it.  If she is outside and a skunk is approaching and she is curious, she will not come when you call her, even if you are holding a big juicy steak.

Now, I have never traveled via cargo, but I can only assume it is loud, very very loud. When I imagined Zoey in cargo, my heart ached. I just knew she would be terrified. I imagined that she would never be the same afterwards. I was afraid it would damage her sweet personality. And then there are the critters - poisenous snakes and mean grison (badger like creatures) and iguanas that take bites out of dogs ears (per a friend). I knew that if she were curious about one of these things, I wouldn't be able to protect her.

I thought Elly might be unhappy in cargo too, but I knew if I gave her a cookie when she got off the plane she would forgive me and forget it ever happened. I also knew that Elly wouldn't be likely to go near another creature on purpose, because she doesn't really like other creatures - they are unimportant to her. Well, she might be curious about a gecko or a little bird, but anything else she will run the other direction.

So ---- we decided to bring Elly with us to Costa Rica and to find a new home for Zoey. The stars were aligned and we found the PERFECT family for Zoey. We were able to leave knowing she is loved by four wonderful people and she is extremely well cared for. She is allowed on the furniture in her new home :-) and she no longer has to put up with Queen Elly ignoring her and bullying her. But we do miss that sweet dog!

Part II. Costa Rica Requirements, Veterinarian and USDA Health Certificate

1. Start by looking online at http://costarica.usembassy.gov/catsdogs.html, to educate yourself about Costa Rica's requirements.

2. Next, call your vet and explain that you would like to take your pet to Costa Rica with you. Your vet will have access to all current information related to taking pets out of the U.S. and to another country.

3. After you hear back from your vet, ask about timing of any vaccinations. For example, at the time of our travels, rabies vaccinations had to be given more than 30 days before leaving the country.

4. Make a determination about what airline you will be traveling on. Find out what the airline requirements and costs are for transporting your pet. It is important to find out if the airline has any requirements that are different from or in addition to Costa Rica's reqirements. For example, Costa Rica requires that a pet's physical is done within two weeks of departure for Costa Rica, but United Airlines requires that the pet's physical is done within 10 days of departure. 

5. Schedule your pet for any vaccinations needed and schedule your pet's physical, based on the airline's and Costa Rica's exam date requirements. Timing is important because you have to allow enough time after the physical to send paperwork to the USDA and get it back, before you leave on your trip.

6. After the physical, the vet will prepare the necessary paperwork. Go immediately and overnight mail the following to your state's appropriate USDA official (you can get this information from your vet):
the paperwork from your vet, any fees due, a return overnight envelope, and a cover sheet with your name and phone number and your vets name and phone number in plain view.

7. Assuming all goes well, the USDA will return the signed, stamped docs to you the next day. Make copies and keep them all in a very safe place!

III. Booking Scruffy's Ticket

1. IMPORTANT: Do not book your own tickets or your pet's ticket until you are sure you can travel on the same itinerary. Most airlines require that you are on the same flight as our pet. I learned the hard way!

2. Figure out your ideal itinerary and then put your own airline tickets on a 24 hour hold -- this should be free. Contact the pet reservation people and tell them what your itinerary is and find out if your pet can travel on this schedule. After your pet is confirmed, then confirm your own ticket.

3. Your airline will you give you specific instructions about how to ready your dog for the trip. You will need a kennel that meets their requirements, typically your dog has to have three inches of space above their head when standing up and they need to be able to walk into the kennel and turn around easily. You need to have an attached food/water dish that meets airline requirements. There also has to be ventilation on all four sides of the kennel. When we dropped Elly off at cargo, they had to drill holes in the back of our kennel for it to meet requirements.

4. Typically your dog will need to be checked in 2-3 hours before departure. When you check your dog in, it will be in the cargo area, which can be a long way from the airport area where you will be checking in. So plan ahead to allow enough time to locate the cargo area, take your pet for a potty walk, give your pet some hugs and love, fill out the remaining paperwork, and still get yourself to check-in on time.

IV. The Experience

1. You are not allowed to medicate your dog - if they see any indication that your dog has been sedated they will not allow him/her to travel. I was tempted...but I followed the rules.

2. Elly was sad for us to leave her and she barked when we walked away. It was hard...but we just kept thinking about how glad we were that she was coming with us.

3. We watched out the plane window and saw them load her on the plane both times. The first time, we saw the gentleman talking to her and being nice. The next time, the person that loaded her never looked at her or acknowledged her. I didn't like that guy.

4. When we picked her up in Liberia she was standing up in her kennel looking at us, but not barking. Maybe she exhausted her barking on the plane rides, but I tried not to think about that. She was panting, because it was hot and she was thirsty, but she looked fine otherwise.

5. She came out tail wagging and had a big drink of water. She has the same goofy dispostition she always had and is loving Costa Rica.

Total costs for us to bring our 55 lb lab, Elly, to Costa Rica.

$150 Physical
$  38 USDA fee
$  30 overnight mail ($15 each way)
$539 United Air Cargo
$100 overnight in Houston
$857

Days 17 and 18 - Tamarindo & "Piggy Backing"

Day 17
2-19-14

Another easy day, not much to report. I had my run on the beach and helped Ryan do science experiments that were part of her school work. Then we worked togehter on a book she is writing. We spent alot of time just brainstorming ideas and then she drew what her characters will look like. I was in awe of her artisitic ability yet again! Since school ws closed in PA due to snow, I gave Tristan a free day and he played online games with his PA friends much of the day. He was delighted!

Kyle took a trip into Tamarindo by water taxi - yes the crocodile spot! He came back saying he is very glad we did not choose to ive in Tamarindo. Our spot here in Playa Grande is so peaceful. Tamarindo has casinos and tourist traps and lots of bars, so just not the family friendly environment we want. In the evening we enjoyed another beautiful sunset as a family and then came home for a swim and a nice dinner.

by Kyle

I am thanking my lucky stars I did not choose to live in Tamarindo. I for sure wouldn't have enjoyed the surroundings and I know that I would not like my kids to be in those surroundings on a day-to-day basis. It's not all bad. I run into great people, where you take the time to talk to them. They are very nice and have a lot to tell and talk about. When they get past the fact that you are not a tourist and you live here, then things change and people open up a little more. Like when ou ask where can I go to swim, they will say a certain spring that costs $30 a person. Then when you say you live here and you want a local spot, they might tell you to go across the stree and under the gate and there is a spot that is free. I guess that is how it works in any tourist spot.

Day 18
2-20-14

We have all adapted to a great routine. Kyle and I get up with the sun and drink coffee together. Kyle usually does his facebook post then too. We get the kids up about 6:00 and leave together for a walk on the beach. Our morning walks have become just as fun as our sunsets. Afterwards, I go for a run and then we have breakfast together before the kids start their school work. During the day I help the kids with school, do pilates, write my blog, and research the different things we can do here in Costa Rica. Ryan is also working on some great writing pieces and I get to be her editor, which is a lot of fun. Kyle surfs, fishes, naps and recently started drawing again - which is awesome! I'm looking into a pottery class in Tamarindo - but I would have to cross those crocodile infested waters to get there - ugh. Everyone does it by boat taxi - like it is nothing. Some people even wade or swim!

Our afternoon was an interesting one and I wish I had photos, but I don't. We recently returned our rental car, so for transportation right now we have one bike. We decided to participate in a community event - a beach clean up followed by yoga and soccer on the beach. However, the meeting location was at the other end of town. So Kyle said, no problem, we will just take the bike and "piggy back". The kids and I said "Whaaaat?"

He first took Ryan, riding side saddle in the middle of the bike, half way to our destination. Meanwhile Tristan, Elly and I started walking. After Ryan got off the bike and started walking, Kyle rode back and picked up Tristan. Tristan took the side saddle spot and Kyle took him to meet up with Ryan. Ryan and Tristan walked together, while Kyle peddaled back to get me. I took side saddle and Elly ran beside Kyle and I until we caught up with the kids. By this time we were all together again, just a block from the meeting spot. Sometimes, Kyle is brilliant ;-)  He had quite the work out!! Now you know what "piggy backing" is.

We cleaned up trash for awhile (fortunately there was very little litter) and then Kyle and Tristan joined the soccer game on the beach. Ryan was asked to take photos of the event. Unfortunately it was with another person's camera so we don't have any of the photos. I did yoga - and it was incredible. The instructor was a Tica (Costa Rican woman) so it was all in Spanish, but her voice was beautiful and it was sunset...so it didn't matter that I couldn't understand her completely. I did quickly learn "in ha lay" and "ex ha lay" (inhale and exhale). At the end of the event, Ryan was invited to participate with some local artists in big recyling art project - so she is very excited about that. 

Ryan had another babysitting job with a family visiting from New York. When she got home she was so excited. She came in our room and layed on the bed with us and talked for an hour. Again she said, "I hope I fall in love with someone who wants children, because I really want to have kids." She had a wonderful time entertaining and playing with and reading to this 4 year old and 6 year old. They, of course, loved her! She was invited to go back and babysit for them again on Saturday night. 

Days 14, 15 and 16 - Maiden Voyage, Fish, Whale Sighting

Day 14
2-16-14

Things are slowing down a bit, so not as much to write about. Kyle and our neighbor took his boat out on its maiden voyage on Sunday. It took four of us to get it from our house down to the estuary where he launched from, but it really wasn't too bad. I was so worried about crocodiles - but we didn't see any, thank goodness.

Ready to launch!

Maiden Voyage

They left about 6:30 in the morning. By 2:00 I was starting to worry that the boat had washed out to sea. I started down to the beach to see if I could spot them. Just as I was pedaling away on the bike, Ryan came and said, "Dad texted and said he is at the estuary and needs help bringing the boat in." Big sigh.

When I got to the estuary it was just Kyle. I asked him where our neighbor was and he said, "Oh he swam into shore because he was done fishing." Geeeez. Only Kyle would make someone swim to shore because he wasn't willing to stop fishing long enough to bring him in. He caught a nice wahoo though, which we had for dinner that night.

Day 15
2-17-14

Monday morning Kyle took the boat out on his own. The kids had a full day of school work and I ran, did Pilates and researched fish recipes. Kyle came back that afternoon with a tuna, a mackeral and big jack crevalle.

Kyle with his big catch of the day - Jack Crevalle

But rather than having fish again, we decided to try a local tico restaurant for dinner. It was a nice evening out at an outdoor table, laughing and joking. Ryan has definitely perked up!

Day 16
2-18-14

Tuesday morning Kyle and I went to beach at sunrise, hoping to spot some turtle hatchlings. We saw several sets of mama turtle tracks and nesting spots. We also saw lots of hatchling tracks, showing that many babies tried to make their way to the beach sometime that morning. We then found a baby that didn't make it. It was sad, but still beautiful.

While watching the surfers catch waves we spotted two whales behind them. It was crazy how close to shore they were. We just saw backs, tails and spouts, no breaching - but nevertheless a great sight to see. No photos, because I was too busy just enjoying it.

We saw this bright orange crab too!

 Before Elly's approach...

 After Elly's approach -- the "Danger Will Robinson" pose.

Since we would have to return our rental car in the afternoon, we left shortly after breakfast for a trip into Tamarindo. We picked up our first order from the "Food Goodies" co-op. So many georgeous organic fruits, vegs and herbs, freshly made cheeses, hummus, almond butter, coconut oil....great stuff!! A fresh caprese salad with reduced balsamic is on the menu for tonight along with the Jack Crevalle. I have read mixed reviews...some say it is not an good eating fish, other says if prepared right it tastes like beef. I'm following a "Jack Medallions" recipe for tonight...so we will see how it goes.

Kyle returned the rental car in the afternoon/evening and the kids and I had an evening at the beach, just the three of us. Kyle managed to sell a bunch of the fish steaks and filets from yesterday's catch to a family in Playa Grande. Always the entrepreneur.

Day 13 - Brasilto Rodeo

Day 13
2-15-14

It was an easy, relaxing day, until we went to the local rodeo. To cut to the chase, Kyle did not ride a bull. But he did volunteer to go in the ring. I'm still not sure I understand exactly what these volunteers are doing...they all look like clowns to me! Kyle said they are there to taunt and distract the bull during the ride, help if the rider gets in trouble, and help guide the bull back to the gate after the rider falls off. Kyle managed to do all three of those things in his quick stint as a rodeo clown.

Kyle in the ring.

Before I tell you anything else about the rodeo, I must say that I felt really bad for the bulls. I kept trying to enjoy the experience - it was certainly a cultural one - but it was hard for me not to think about the bulls being treated so badly. So if you will lose sleep worrying about rodeo bulls, don't watch the videos (ahem Sharon).

The rodeo ring that we watched the men build over the last several days had a metal wall built up around it, so you had to pay to see the bull riding. They also built a "grand stand" sort of place for people to watch from - the expensive seats. The cheap seats, aren't even seats.  You just pay to stand behind the fence and watch - or you can sit on top of the fence. Kyle wanted us all watching from behind the fence because it would be the way most ticos watch the event - he thought we would get the most from the experience this way. This also allowed him to quickly volunteer. When the opportunity presented itself, he slid under the fence and the kids and I looked at each other and realized there wasn't anything we were going to do to stop him!

Here is a video of Kyle in the ring with the bull...

The last bull ride we watched, the rider fell off and his foot got caught in a rope. The bull drug him for somet time and the crowd was screaming and going crazy. Ryan was filiming. Tristan and I covered our eyes and I almost started crying. Right before we left for the rodeo Tristan said, "Mom, I don't want to see anyone die." So that was going through my mind. Tristan and I finally heard the crowd cheer and clap so we uncovered our eyes to see that the rider was okay. Here is a clip.

There were rides and food stands and people everywhere in this tiny little town. There were homeade games and a ring toss and a soft ball throw - and kids crying because they didn't win the paper airplane or stuffed animal. There were no rules when it came to riding the rides - no height requirement, no age requirement, no "no bumping" signs at the bumper cars. A man was riding a bumper car with his baby in his lap, one baby leg dangling out the side of the car.  The ride worker did ask the man to put his baby's leg inside the car.

Kyle and Tristan riding bumper cars.

There were no seat belts in the fast rides, just a rope (in some of the cars). Most rides didn't work completely. There was always someone fixing something. The helicopter ride was coming to an end and one of the helicopters stayed up, while all the others came down. The child in the up helicopter did not freak out and neither did the parent. Someone came along and used a tool and decompressed the air or something like that and the kid eventually came down. Not a single person reacted to the event and noone got out of line for the ride.

Day 12 - Sea Turtles

Day 12
2-14-14

Friday was Valentine's Day - one year to the day since our decision to move to Costa Rica.

Kyle gave me the gift of going out at night with a local conservation group to view sea turtles nesting. Since Ryan had her first babysitting job, he felt that one of us should be here in case she needed something. So I went off by myself and it was an incredible experience. Nothing at all like I expected.

Let me first say, we were not allowed to speak or take photos - it was a silent experience and only infrared light was used by the guides so that we could see. So the photos I will include are not my own.

When we arrived at the beach, we followed two sets of sea turtle tracks from the ocean to their nesting site. We have all seen these turtle tracks in the sand before, but most of us didn't know what they were. They just look like big tire tracks.

Each set of tracks led to a black sea turtle making her nest to lay her eggs. It is an enormous amount of work. They first make a five foot wide hole using their flippers and rotating their body, then they make another hole, using just their back flippers that work like shovels. The second hold is more than a foot deep and is where they lay their eggs. Afterwards they bury the eggs and then fill the big whole back up and then camoflauge it. They spend well over an hour on this process.

Both of the mama turtles we watched worked so long and so hard but weren't able to lay their eggs. The first one hit a rock when she was digging the second hole, so she abandoned and went back to the ocean. The second one hit a root, so she moved about 10 feet over and started all over again. These turtles are nearly extinct and the volunteers there are doing everything they can to help them. Sometimes the spot the turtle chooses to nest has such dry sand that 90% of what they dig up falls back in, so volunteers help them remove the sand -- discretely and quietly. So I didn't get to see any eggs being laid or baby turtles scurrying to the ocean, but what I did see was incredilbe. They lay 80 - 200 eggs, several times in a season, but less than 1% of all the eggs they lay result in a surviving turtle. 

 baby

 Hatchlings making their way to the ocean

Mama

I feel very drawn to the idea of volunteering with the conservation group. It was a remarkable experience and I think it would very interesting and rewarding to volunteer. Have to look into it further. 

Ryan's babysitting experience was a great success! It was just what she needed. She really had fun and so did the kids. She swam with them, walked with them, and she read to them for more than an hour. She said to me afterwards, "Mom, I know for sure that I want to have kids." 

Day 11 - Waterfalls, Anteater, White Faced Monkey, Jesus Lizards

Day 11
2-13-14

We went hiking today to a beautiful waterfall and saw some great wildlife. Lots of photos! It was a bit of a drive, and somewhat hard to find because it was recommended by locals and directions were vague, but we found it. As soon as we parked our car at the trailhead and got out, we saw an ant eater. It was the coolest thing! I freaked out at first because I thought it was something that might hurt Elly - don't ask me why I was worried about Elly and not the rest of us!! We did not have the camera ready yet, but Kyle dug it out of the bag and snapped a few photos...not Ryan quality, but you can still see it is an anteater.

It was a pretty short hike to the falls. Georgeous!! We were all in the water swimming within minutes.

After swimming and a yet another bean involved meal/snack (black bean dip and chips), we hiked further to the top of the falls. It was not fenced off at the top and there were not warning signs every few feet, like at home. It was very primative and a little scary looking down over the falls. It is just amazing that the water falls with such powerful force from the extremely calm pool at the top.

Ryan and Tristan did great - I was so proud of their good attitudes when the hiking got steep, rocky or jungly!

Kyle and Tristan hiked a little further and they saw "jesus lizards" - lizards that run across the top of the water. No photos of our own... but this is what they look like.

And no, Kyle did not make up that name.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_basilisk

On the hike back we saw a white faced monkey. I fell in love!! He was so adoreable. It was as though he knew I liked him. He kept coming closer and closer to where I was and I was talking to him and he was making noises back. We stood for a good half hour enjoying his company - and I believe he was enjoying ours too. Ryan took lots of great photos - here are two.

We finished up our hike talking about how incredible the day was and how we were glad we started early because there were so few people there when we arrived. We are thinking we may not have seen so much wildlife if it had been later in the day.

We stopped at some stores near the airport to get things we can't get near our house. Again -- expensive! I was so disappointed in the quality of the bed sheets when we got home. But then I remembered the tin shacks we passed today. Lots of local ticos live in houses made from currogated tin. I wondered if they have mattresses - let alone bed sheets. I decided I would count my blessings instead of worry about the quality of my bed sheets.

So how are we doing?

Kyle is in his element. What can I say? Look out fish, look out hammock, look out Costa Rica!

Tristan surprises me every day. He has such a good attitude and is so calm. He is not struggling with anxiety like he did at home. I think it is a combination of the home schooling/online school and the easy pace here. It is also that he is so active, he tires his mind and body out every day. He also loves the family time. Of course, he gets his computer gaming and skype time with his friends and cousins in PA, which is a critical element! It is also a big plus that his friend Ben is coming to visit in a few weeks, and he has that to look forward to.

Ryan misses her friends, alot. She especially misses her best friend Alex. She is a social person and we haven't made the steps to get the kids mixing with other kids yet. I started looking into that today. Ryan actually asked me to find out if there is an art club she could go to. I'm on it! Both kids say they don't want to make new friends, but Ryan is definitely struggling without that piece in her daily life. She has fun when we are active and doing things as a family, and is good while doing school work, but in between those times she is blue. She doesn't complain about it, but I know she isn't crazy about having to share a room with her brother either. She is missing her private time. So we are thinking about ways to address that.

I'm mixed, but that is how I always am. I am loving the family time and I'm loving our adventures. It is so nice to have the time to run almost every day and to take care of myself. As our adventuring slows down a little bit, I need to decide what I want to do with the time I will have on my hands. There are so many things I imagined doing...so now I need to pick something and get started. It is hard to see Ryan struggling, that definitely affects how I'm feeling about things. But it has only been 11 days! Overall, I'm good.

Day 10 - Bread, Ray Bans and Sunset

Day 10
2-12-14

I woke to the smell of bread at 5:00 a.m. The gentleman that we get our bread from lives about two blocks away, but the aroma wafted all the way to our house and in our bedroom window. What a way to wake up!

Instead of running I took the bike out for a ride and of course Elly came too. It was an easy ride on the dirt road, but we came back on the beach - much harder. It was definitely a good workout pedaling on the sand! Came home and went for a swim with Ryan. It was nice to have time with just her. She is homesick for her friends, so trying to help her keep a positive attitude. She has a babysitting job Friday night - she will watch two kids at our house.

I found a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses alongside the road when I was running one day. I gave them to Ryan and today she painted them with acrylics - so now they are Ryan's. She also started a water color painting, so these are good signs :-)

The kids did lots of school work and I spent time wrapping up some more loose ends from the states. Went into Tamarindo to pick up a few things and saw a big lizard on the way.

The breadman came and delivered a warm baguette and two warm apple strudles - OMG. The strudle was gone in 10 minutes and the baguette was gone by lunch time. We ordered two loaves of whole grain bread for Friday delivery. For Saturday, 4 pretzels. Mouth is watering.

Our family time at the beach tonight was very special!

Tristan rode the bike...

Elly fetched a stick...

Kyle caught a little fish...

Ryan modeled her newly painted Ray-Bans...

And yet another georgeous sunset!

I smiled non-stop just watching the people I love.

Days 8 & 9 - Casa Charly and Tuna

Days 8 and 9
2-10-14  and 2-11-14

Yesterday was the first day Kyle and I did not write. He was gone by 5:00 on a fishing trip and I was so excited to settle into our new home that I didn't make time to write. So a little catching up to do!

We were up early as usually on Monday, cleaning our old place and taking the last of our things to the new. Our week in the little cabina was perfect, but all of us were beyond excited to move. Ryan quickly organized all of her art supplies and started making plans for her first piece of art work. Tristan didn't care much about organizing his stuff - he was just glad it was out of the suitcase. Both kids were in the pool as soon as I gave the ok.

Ryan and Tristan getting in the pool

Brotherly - Sisterly Love!

It felt really good to fully unpack. I just have one unpacked suitcase of slacks, jackets and long sleeve shirts, but I suppose we will need those things one day. Of all of the things I brought -  here are the things we haven't needed much or at all:

Blow dryer and make up -  Ryan and I haven't touched either one. My hair is going to be curly here no matter what, so I decided to just let it go and I'm getting used to it. Make up doesn't make sense when you are sweaty and in and out of the pool and ocean.  I'm sure we will have a special occassion one day though!

Sunscreen isn't the sort of thing you really use much either - believe it or not. If you follow the locals way of doing things, you do not go outside in the middle of the day. You get up early and spend the mornings outdoors - from 6:00 until 9:00 or 10:00 and then you come inside or go into the shade until about 3:00 and then spend your evenings outdoors. Aside from our day on the catamaran we  haven't used much sunscreen. BUT - if you are a tourist, spending midday hours outdoors - you definitely need suncreen and a hat.

Sunglasses - strange I know, but they are more trouble than they are worth. Again, catamaran day, or driving in the car, is the only time we have needed.

Inhalers, Allergy Meds, Eczema Cream, Exedrine Migraine - Kyle hasn't needed his inhaler since we arrived - no asthma. Not one of us has needed the allergy medicine that we usually take at home for hayfever and sinus issues. I haven't had a heachache yet! Tristan's eczema was gone by day 3. I'm guessing it is the salt water that cleared it up.

Bug Spray - There really aren't that many bugs. A few misquitos at night and a bee or something here and there, or ants, but really not that many bugs that are bothersome. Ryan is still sensitive to bug bites, like she has always been, so we do have special cream for her, but bug bites have been few.

So here is an introduction to tour our new digs...

Path betwee house and pool.

Patio

Kitchen

Main Entrance

Bathroom

Okay - that was a good intro. I will include more photos of the living space next time.

One of our ways to trim our budget is to have just one phone activated. So far we have spent a total of $5 on phone usage. We put a $5 sim card in Kyle's phone and it came with minutes, we aren't sure how many, and use it for local calls only. We have found some great ways to communicate with friends and family from home for free. Skype and Facebook are obviously free and easy. Tristan also found Magic Jack, which is an ap that allows us to call U.S. or Canada for free from an iphone or ipad, with web access. We don't actually get a phone number - so people can't call us - but I used it yesterday to talk to Highmark in the states for an hour and a half at no cost. We also called grammy and my mom at no cost. Ryan figured out a way to get a free text messaging ap on her iphone - it gives her a US phone number for texting only, as long as she has internet access.

Ryan "doing school work"

We are starting to settle in I guess, because we don't have as many exciting stories to tell. Mornings still tend to be our best times. Yesterday we were all on the patio, just as the sun was coming up, and a bat nearly hit me in the head. I screamed and jumped and ran inside. Of course, Kyle and Tristan proceeded to explain how bat radar works and that I have nothing to be afraid of. I didn't care about the science of it, quite honestly, a bat near my head wasn't welcome. So from inside I watched bats fly under the patio roof and over the heads of my family while they laughed. The were big bats!

Yesterday Kyle and a neighbor went fishing and caught 5 tuna! They split up the steaks and we had some for dinner last night - seared and served with wasabi and soy - yummy! The rest are in the freezer. He is already out fishing this morning for tonight's dinner :-)

I made Ryan ride her bike with me yesterday while I ran. She was mad at me for making her do it, so she didn't talk much, until we saw a snake! It was dead, thankfully. Not sure what kind, but it was small and brownish - nothing exotic, but still a snake. yuk

Kyle saw a monkey drinking from our swimming pool this morning but the rest of us missed it. No photo. Bummer. But I do have photos of a frog on the window screen and a crab that was in Ryan's pocket. She had been filling her pockets with shells to make jewelry and soon discovered that something in her pocket was moving!

Pura Vida!

Day 7 - Boat, Surfboard, Groceries

Day 7
2-9-14

One week in Costa Rica.

Yesterday was our busiest day yet. We bought a boat, just like a zodiac, but a different brand. The man who sold it to us was from Portland, OR, Kyle's home town. We then went to Playa Langosta and bought a surfboard from a gentlemen who is an expat from Canada. He and his wife were so friendly and allowed us to leave our car at their house while we explored Playa Langosta. We had a late lunch in Tamarindo at a local "Soda" operated by a Tico family. The food was excellent and a little less expensive that our other dining experiences. 

We stopped for groceries (using the grocery list I made, written completely in Spanish!) and picked up another week's worth of food ... $150. Not cheap for sure. We have been trying to find a cooler - just a small one to take to the beach - but they are so expensive. $40 for a cooler you could get for $15 at Wal-mart at home.

Finally, we headed back to Playa Grande and started moving into Casa Charly. The rest of our day was spent making this little house our home. The kids swam in the pool at our new place and then we took our evening trip to the beach to watch the sunset.

No photos today - but will have some tomorrow of our new place.

Day 6 - Running, Catamaran, Playa Flamingo

Day 6
2-8-14

Yesterday I learned that running at 8:00 a.m. is much different than running at 6:00 or 6:30 a.m. It was much hotter and much sweatier! I will stick to early morning runs for sure.

We decided to do something touristy today and booked a catamaran trip out of Playa Flamingo -  whale watching, snorkeling, kayaking and fishing. To catch the ride to Flamingo we had to take the water taxi over to Tamarindo. The water taxi leaves from the estuary - where there are lots of crocodiles. The kids and I were really nervous walking the path to the water taxi. As we approached the water we saw a small crocodile on the sand a good distance away. As we climbed into the taxi there was a large crocodile right beside us! It followed along side our little boat the whole way across! The kids and I quickly left the beach but of course Kyle stuck around to talk to the boat taxi driver and take some video. People swim across from Tamarindo to Playa Grande and we actually saw a person in the estuary waters while we were there. Crazy!!

We took the taxi (van) from Tamarindo to Playa Flamingo and got to experience the crazy tico driving first hand. We held on tight and got to our destination safely. Our Catamaran left Playa Flamingo about 2:00 p.m. It was so nice to sail and look at our surroundings. We were in awe. It was perfect! There were only two couples besides our family on the boat - so just eight guests, the captain and a mate. It was so intimate and we especially enjoyed getting to know a retired couple from England.
After anchoring Kyle and Ryan went snorkeling and Tristan and I went kayaking. We kayaked into a beach and swam and played and talked. It was wonderful.

They served us a nice lunch and we had soda, rum punch, wine, beer...all you can drink. Then we sailed around looking for whales and watching flying fish and rays jumping and lots of frigate birds.

Crossman Family

On the way back, just as the sun was setting, the mate yelled "fish on" and guess who was there to reel the fish in...yep, Kyle. He was in heaven.

Kyle's Catches a Jack    Photo by Ryan

We really like Playa Flamingo - touristy, but seemed in a more upscale way than Tamarindo, which is a surfer beach. There is no surf in Flamingo, it is really a fishing, boating town. It was the first place we visited outside of our little rural Playa Grande spot, that we really thought we wanted to go back to again.

Playa Flamingo Sunset    Photo by Ryan