Bridges...aren't the same everywhere

I am hating how I cannot choose where these photos are placed on the page. Blogspot has changed a bit since I last posted which was three months ago. Much has happened in our lives since moving back to Michigan but I haven't felt like writing for some reason. Ah...this is about Costa Rica. Well, this is a mountainous country which means many winding, curving roads. There are many canyons and wide rivers to be crossed but, for some reason, probably cost, the bridges generally are one lane wide. Now, that wouldn't be all bad except one may round a curve to find the bridge approach is immediate. No problem unless you don't see the car on the other side of the bridge that has also just rounded a curve and mounted the bridge. We had to back up several times to avoid an accident and most folks allowed for a blinking headlight to signal..go ahead. Several shook their arms and hands in anger when they had to back up!

Kenz decided to hop out and give with a pose which the vendors in a wagon nearby enjoyed.

Bill's Place

Our first day at Bill's when we walked the beach, there was this huge piece of driftwood which was a good landmark so we could see where we needed to return to Bill's. The tides are huge here and this piece of wood was covered just a few hours after we took this photo.

 Kenz wanted to make some picture art...so drew this message in the sand. Pura Vida is used constantly by the Ticos and is used as a greeting, a good bye and an answer to whatever malady has occured. Water glass breaks..."pura vida!"  Weather cruddy..."pura vida!"  Bought a t-shirt and leaving the shop, "pura vida."

 A planter at Bill's which I love. He also has a big bush planted in a huge tractor or truck trailer which is a great idea. Rainy season ruins wood and the tire will last forever.

 Hard to see this guy but he is a huge toad. They come out at night and Kattia was totally afraid of them. They aren't poisonous but obnoxiously large. What I never found out is...why do they stay outside and not hop into the house which was always open. They skirted around the doors and kept away which is lovely. Imagine waking up and going to the bathroom and seeing this guy sitting next to the stool at 3 a.m.

 MTC on the piece of huge tree washed up on the beach that Kenz is seen on earlier. Next walk...no sign that we had actually seen or sat on this. Powerfull tide surges and the waves pounded continuously. Very relaxing.

 The last day Bill was with us, I yelled at him that there was a horse in the yard. He asked Kenz to shoo it away and we couldn't. Bill came out and hustled the horse out of the yard, but not before it pooped a bunch. Bill went to get ready to leave and the horse came back. It belongs to a guy nearby who has a horse tour business and this guy got loose somehow. Bill left and when we got back to the house around 2:00 p.m. this guy was back munching on the grass. The owner finally came and got him around 4 ish but the yard had a distinctly horsey smell by that time.

Wandering in Costa Rica

We ended our week long trip with a last day's stay in San Jose. We, however, had the special opportunity to stay with my friend, Bill, who is pictured here on the right. Bill has a place on the coast, in a small community not too far from Jaco, with picture perfect ocean views. Here are Frank and Kattia on the far left, and they take care of Bill's home for him while he is working in Honduras where I met him originally a few years ago. Kenz, sitting next to Bill, met Bill last year in Guatemala where he also has work responsibilities. Bill joined Logan, Addison, Kenz and me on our last year's grandma trip in Chichicastenango. Kenz is wondering which country we will next encounter Bill? Has to be Spanish speaking because his command of the language is native...he sounds like a Tico...what Costa Ricans are called! 

 This is Bill's home snuggled amongst some gorgeous palm trees. The hut above is where we ate breakfast in the morning and listened to the waves crashing across the path from the house.

 The gate to heaven is just below. Looking out of this gate, one sees crashing blue huge waves that are a surfer's dream and mile after mile of dark sand. Kenz and I walked the beach a bit each day and she found time to drift in the waves, do handstands on the beach and even found a horse to cavort with which found its way into Bill's backyard...much to his dismay! Big horses leave big piles of mierda!

What is extra special about Bill's place is that it is his piece of quiet on earth. And best was that we were able to have him at his home when we were there. We ate wonderful food, slept like the dead and had one outstandingly long power outtage which made for a long humid night's sleep...loved when the air kicked on around 4 a.m. Oh, and broad daylight occured every morning around 4:15 a.m. and nightfall was complete at 6:15 p.m. On the beach, with neighbors a ways away, no commercial business nearby and only the ocean across the street meant that an outtage was complete....black as all get out. We looked for flashlights and candles but...no worry. 8 ish...so we just went to bed and looked forward to an early start to another gorgeous day.

Making Caseville home

When I finally arrived in Caseville, I knew I would be confronted with a difficult time. Richard and I struggled with our packing up 12 years of memories, and pieces of our lives that represented so much special to us individually and together. We pitched, we donated and we packed...and packed and packed. We sold most of our furniture, knowing that the Florida furniture wouldn't fit our lifestyle or our house in Michigan. I knew we would need to buy new furniture and thought Richard understood this also. I was a bit wrong there!

The photo above is the large number of photos and pictures which need to be hung...and then, there are many that I wanted thrown away or donated while in Florida but they were packed. NOW I will have to get them outta here. Finding a wall to house these pictures, many hand painted in Ethiopia or Honduras will take some time. We have managed to get our bedroom organized...that leaves three more bedrooms to go!

Stressful is trying to take 12 years of Florida and incorporate those items into about 25 years of our cottage expansion and our memories here. Each item which was perfect for here or there...is now being questioned as to whether or not we need to keep it or should keep it. IF it was good enough for us in the past...why not now? Trying to explain that a home is where one lives and a cottage is what one visits has not worked too well yet. We have had years of wonderful weekends and visits here at the cottage and now, we have to start calling it home. Transitions are sooo difficult. And add to those the fact that we have not seen the sun in days and it is cold, dreary and rainy. And I miss my friends and have to make more up here.

We had a great surprise the other night when our friends, Dennis and Kat came over with wine in hand. They also brought some pulled pork and cheese and crackers and we sat and laughed and relaxed. A great start weaving new friends into our new home. And they were lovely and didn't laugh too hard and our disasterous decorations found around the house.

Travels to Michigan

Travel went fairly slowly from Ft. Myers up to Michigan but fortunately, I was able to spend a couple of days in Marietta with my younger sister, Sheryl and her family. While there, I was able to see my nephew, pictured here. I haven't seen Kyle in a couple of years and he has grown up and acquired a lovely young lady friend. We had dinner with Kyle and Maya and then, went to see Kyle's new and quite classy apartment.

My second day with Sheryl and her husband, Larry and their daughter, Allie, we went to the Taste of Marietta event down at the square. Food looked yucky so we didn't buy anything other than a coffee but we did enjoy listening to several musical groups. Made it up to Michigan from there in one day and was totally exhausted...stopped at Heidi and Chris' house in Davison, slept over and made the final trek to the cottage. And while there...I had an emotional break down. Richard and his buddy had delivered so much of the Florida house and placed the stuff all around the house. Piles confronted me everywhere.

What really does "neighborhood" mean? I have given this lots of though over the past month as we separated ourselves from our Aqua Cove Lane neighborhood. I try to tell friends and family about the feelings I have for the people and space we have occcupied for the past 11 and a half years and sometimes, the words just don't convey the depth and breadth of what I feel.

As I was driving up to Georgia, I mulled over the leaving of my neighbors and was reminded of the years the girls, aged 2 and 4 at the time, and I spent in married housing living in Cherry Lane at Michigan State University. Most of the inhabitants were married and graduate students from one foreign country or another. I was a 20+ undergraduate, living alone, still married with the girls, working part time jobs, and taking 20 credits a semester. Our neighbors helped raise my girls, and I helped raise theirs. We ran in and out of each others' apartments, used each other's food, shared food stamps (yes, I received welfare for a few years but have more than given back!) and helped with chores.

That is how I have lived these past years, minus food stamps, with my neighbors. Several have had keys to our home, many have given a knock and opened the door to come in for a beer, to share a glass or bottle of wine, to borrow some needed ingredient or to just share a gripe about one's child or family member. We have been to funerals together, celebrated family occassions, cried together and hugged hurts away. These people know us, warts and all. We know them and have experienced their ups and downs, also. Neighbors can and do tell war stories about each other...going to miss that alot. Going to miss them alot.

It has been months since I have written and apparently the whole look and feel to my blog has changed. Will need to update this but realized today, as I was driving to our new home in Michigan that I have missed writing and sharing with my family and friends. Like others, I am sharing on Facebook but it occurs to me that the feelings, flavor, zest and angst are just missing when one only writes about three sentences.

And so...the past couple of months have been very stressful and incredibly trying for our family. We arrived in Florida in mid-January and a month later, I had my second knee replacement which has gone very well despite a slow rehab and recover. Slower than I would like...but my doctor says I am on target.

Within a couple of weeks of my surgery, we listed our Florida house for sale, using a recommended realtor who got us a great price. Unfortunately, the new buyers wanted in the house within two weeks which we couldn't do because Richard was in Atlanta with his family for his mother's funeral and I was hobbling around. The new purchasers were wonderful and they allowed us six weeks before the close today.

Today was incredibly sad for me. I returned a twin blow up bed to Carolyn and fortunately, she was out so I hugged her once again. Same when I returned Vicki's blow up bed and then, Deb was around when I returned her fold up chairs. And surprise of all surprises...Louise knocked on our door. She was home from the Virgin Islands and came to say, "bye." Then, I hopped down to say good bye to Tammy and Wayne because they hadn't been to our going away party. Tammy's mom is dying so they are waiting and feeling overwhelmingly sad.

Closing went smoothly but the packing and decision making that went into the past month of packing, donating and pitching has caused undue friction and pain. Richard and I are barely talking which is sad because we are both committed to this decision to move closer to the kids and to our northern friends. This also will save us a bundle of bucks which will allow us to do some things we really want to do. For me, more travel with kids/grandkids and for Richard, more time hunting and fishing with his buddies. He wants to also teach his grandkids a bit about his passion for outdoor enjoyment.

I cannot imagine what I will find when I get to the cottage but I know I will need the patience of Job and will have to keep my mouth zipped. For those of you who know me well...you know how well I will probably accomplish this little task.

Tomorrow, I want to share our neighborhood party with you. We had a ball and I am going to miss my neighbors and friends so much. Seeing Bud for breakfast tomorrow morning in Tifton. Can't wait.