first posting

I watched a sunrise the other morning with my nearly 5 year old. That is, I saw the sun just before it rose over the top of the mountain, and then I saw it after it was fully up. In those few minutes of rising, I was dealing with an "emergency." Perhaps a new cup of coffee, a childish dealing. No se! I don't remember. I do remember that we haven't seen the sun much since then. Instead we have watched the rain. And darting between raindrops are a variety of hummingbirds fighting out supremacy over the flowers and feeders. It gets a bit like the Battle of Britain when we're sitting on the deck and they're flying--that word seems too slow--over our heads.

We have the Latin American climbing champion here today grading the climbs in the indoor climbing gym. He and some friends of his will be inspiring to watch.


We attended our first AGM Sunday. All in Spanish. Mostly Gringos so their Spanish wasn't bad to understand. However, our Tica director speaks fast at the best of times....this wasn't a best of time. It sounded something like the hummingbirds divebombing each other. Except musical. Among other things we discussed the state of our camp bridge. It collapsed 2 weeks ago. It is the only way to get across to the main part of the camp. Unless you have a big heavy car that can drive through the swollen river (rainy season.) That means every weekend 60 people get to carry all their stuff across and up to the lodge, the food gets wheelbarrowed each week by a previously-happy-now-grumpy cook. Makes life exciting.

My boys are nearly out of school for the day. It's nearing the end of the school year so exam time is coming up. As a result, each of the kids will have days off here and there since they're not a part of the exam schedule. They're oyentos (not sure of spelling) or auditors. They're not convinced of the fact but are beginning to understand more of the Spanish around them.

Car woes

We have yet to drive our own vehicle while in Costa Rica. It's had one thing after another fixed and now it seems to be in the final stage. But....After unreasonable promises of a new car part delivered in 1-2 days, we were proved right. It's been 6 days. Not bad by local standards. But considering that the paperwork was delivered and signed for today, it seems unreasonable even by locals that we still must wait 1-2 days for actual delivery of the product. A visit to the warehouse with the aforementioned signed paperwork let us know that in order to pick up the product we needed an authorization--notarized by a lawyer--that we can pick it up. We'll let you know...

Blog On Amigos

Well this is the first blog experiance I've had the pleasure of. It could go either way. The coffee is brewing so this might be short.
Yesterday i got to drive in an area where some of the best coffee in Costa Rica is grown, Santa Maria. Imagine a valley in the Rockies covered in coffee plants. In the 'fields' (is a vertical space a field?) there are banana and plantain trees. Indescribable beauty. The sky was clear of clouds and the sun was intense. Dry weather is a blessing this time of year.
I am getting to know where building supplies are in San Jose and the surrounding areas. There are no 2x4s for building. I did buy some Almond wood to make a table with.
Well the liquid gold has brewed so i will partake.
Quick update on the Land Rover, i have ordered a new cylinder head from the UK. As soon as it gets here it will be fitted and we should be on the road. I need to learn what God is teaching in this situation.
Until next time,
Simon of Staffordshire.