This is just one of the views we are privileged to have in our back yard. We revel in it. On the left side in the background is Volcan Irazu. The other is way over in Heredia. This photo was taken from near the top of our road out of the valley. In reality it's a 15 minute drive uphill from our house.

The newest member of our family is Tigger. He's a Rhodesian Ridgeback, about 11 months old. We've had him a week. We've also had our Land Rover for a week. Simon's been babying it ever since. He played in it yesterday on a trip up Muerte, went 4x4ing with a friend. Our boys were so excited at the possibilities that meant for them next time.

Christmas was good, albeit a little different than snowy Ontario. Instead of snow, white flowers (and red and pink and yellow....) Instead of cold a hot sun and warm breeze. Instead of chickadees and sparrows, hummingbirds and, ok and sparrows. We were able to find a turkey and a box of stovetop stuffing (Sorry Mom--I didn't make my own this year.) The rest of the fixings also were in attendance. Our lights were on, the nativity set moved inside to rescue the remainder of figures from the dog. It was a cute set, the kids made it out of baker's clay. But the wise man tasted too much like a doggy biscuit. We had been keeping up Advent during the preceding month and so finished off that beautiful time with reading the Christmas story out of Luke. It was a really nice Christmas. But there were no people; no family, no friends, no neighbour even. So that made it feel not lonely, but very alone. But we've given up all pretenses of imagining it to be still Christmas week. Life has gone on. New Year's is tomorrow and I'll plan on making our traditonal New Years cookies. We have a volunteer arriving today for a month from Wales so we'll enjoy having him over and sharing the evening together.