Damn, I’m buff!
This morning as soon as I finished the 7000-step walk and climbed the serious hills to my casita from Calle Esteban Salas to the top of my stair steps, I checked my pulse and blood pressure, to see what they were immediately afterward.
My heart rate was 99 and my blood pressure was 126/63.
One minute later, my pulse was 69 and my BP was 120/64.
I AM A MOUNTAIN GOAT!
Cat mentioned how freaking strong I am to be able to climb from Calle Esteban Salas up the hills and then up my stair steps without pausing to rest. But after almost three solid months of doing it almost every day, the climb doesn’t phase me much.
Even so, I was surprised to find out that my baseline stats don’t change all that much between resting and exertion. This indicates that my heart, lungs and leg/calf muscles are all in very good shape.
My usual resting blood pressure reading is just under 120/65 and my resting heart rate hovers between 50 and 60, for an average of about 55, but sometimes it drops into the mid to upper 40’s. Normally that would be cause for concern; it certainly appeared to be whenever I was recovering from surgeries in hospitals because the “low heart rate” alarm would go off every time I’d fall to sleep. The nurses finally elevated the alarm because they could tell I was fine, just super efficient, heart-wise. (Professional athletes have super efficient hearts; their heart rates are lower than normal, too.)
Homer Gave Me Oranges
One the first lap of my travels to and from Calle Los Angeles this morning, Homer emerged from his hut to give me a small sack of tree-ripened oranges again. I gave him a big hug and thank you. He marveled at my hiking boots again, too. He is such a dear. I appreciate his thoughtfulness to Antares and back. We exchange lots of fist bumps and hugs. Because we both live alone, we collect all the hugs we can muster, every chance we get! (I must remember to get a selfie with Homer. Haven’t done that yet. He’s an older gentleman — I think! But hell, I suppose we could be around the same age. I’m not exactly a spring chicken myself!!! LOL! I keep forgetting that!)
I’ve read people should get 18 hugs per day to remain healthy. So, I was waaayyy behind on my quota until I relocated to Costa Rica! Here, I hug everybody and everybody hugs me. I see hugs all over the place, too.
Fist bumps and hugs are ubiquitous here
I thought fist bumps originated during COVID, but they actually originated on basketball courts during the 1970’s. That said, the pandemic was responsible for bringing them into the mainstream.
What do fist bumps signify?
Medicare Insurance Squared Away for 2026
Katheryn Evans is going to find me a less expensive N plan for 2026. United Health Care gouges people for the same coverage, and I’m tired of supporting their greed. She will find me another provider.
We decided not to get the Medicare Advantage plan that works down here (even though there is no monthly cost to it) because there would be no way to go back to an Original Medicare N plan if I drop it. She recommended going this route because if I ever need surgery in the U.S., the N plan is the best one for me (given my individual health status).
There are also expat health plans that work internationally for around $100/month or less, so she’s looking into that, too, I think. (We spoke so late last night that I don’t remember if she’ll still be looking for an additional expat plan for me to use down here.)
GRECIA CHRISTMAS PARADE DEC. 7 2025
The Grecia Christmas Parade was last night. I didn’t go because I would have had to walk about 1000 feet on rocky, pitted, uneven Calle Estaban Salas from the bus stop in the dark had I taken a bus in to enjoy it, and the mosquitoes come out in force at night, too.
But Jon Graham Mitchell got some good images of some of the festivities and shared them on his Facebook page, so I’ll share them here, too.
How freaking cool is this?!
The Grand Marshalls of the Grecia Christams Parade
were the sanitation workers of Grecia!
How’s that for displaying massive respect and appreciation
for the people who literally
put their own health and safety at risk
to keep everyone else healthy!
“Grecia — Clean City”
That’s all for this time! Enjoy the rest of your day!