It’s catch up time again. I’ve been vegging for the past few days, so there hasn’t been much need to report in. But today I have news, so here we go!

 

I rode the bus to Grecia early this morning to get bloodwork and a urinalysis done at Clinica Sanchez.

 

By bloodwork, I mean checking my INR level again (for the third time in a month) to be sure it’s coming down into the 2.0 to 3.0 range; and to see how my (only) working kidney is doing.

 

By urinalysis, I mean — duh — seeing if I have another UTI.  (Yes, I do, so I’ll pick up antibiotics for it tomorrow.)

 

My kidney checks out fine (no deterioration from the kidney tests six and ten months ago — yay!) and my INR is at 3.06, very close to the upper end of “just fine,” which is 3.0.  But I’m going to start skipping a dose on Wednesdays for a few weeks to see if I can drop it down to 2.5, which is the sweet spot for an INR reading.  That gives me some leeway to eat an avocado (or two or three) every week without bumping me up into the 3’s.

 

Rainy Season is in the Air

 

I can feel rainy season in the air. 65 degrees feels downright chilly, and there is more dew and damp on the ground now.  It hasn’t truly poured yet, but it has spattered a little on some afternoons.

 

And the red bugs have come and gone

 

… that is, they showed up for several days and promptly croaked, which is their lifecycle. I was expecting hundreds/thousands of them to arrive and die all at once, but only saw several each day they were doing their thing.  A few did get into the house, though, because I had the screen door open a bit so Charli could come and go until the other bugs made their appearances and put the kibosh on that routine!

 

I have to keep the screen doors closed now because the mosquitoes, flies, etc. are more prevalent during the day now than they have been. Charli is good about meowing when she wants to go out; she doesn’t try climbing the screen. That’s a good thing, or I’d have to pay to replace it!

 

It’s Time to Sign the 6-Month Lease Agreement

 

May 1st will be the beginning of the six-month lease agreement. Deb and I are getting along great, so we’re ready to keep the good times rolling. Yay!

 

I’ve Been Walking Every Day

 

…but am beginning to get a little arthritis in my left knee, I think. When I start out, or sit for a while, a part of it gives me a little twinge. It doesn’t take long to stop, but it’s something new.  I haven’t twisted or hurt it in any way, but I am 75, fer gosh sakes, and at some point I suppose something’s gotta give to remind me that I’m on the very precipice of “no longer a spring chicken”!  HA!

 

I may get a knee brace if it continues or gets worse.  Once in a while it feels a little like it might even want to start aching, too, but not enough to unsettle me.  An ibuprofen would solve it, but I haven’t even had to resort to that, yet. It’s very infrequent, and only minor.

 

I walk between 8K and 10K steps at least six days a week, usually seven. On rare occasions, I do even more. I may start carrying cans of water (to serve as hand weights) when I walk, too. It’s good to add a little additional weight training at my age.

 

After the Sanchez Lab Visit This Morning

 

…I walked down the hill into Grecia to Pali, where I got cat food, cheddar cheese, and milk, and then ambled down to Subway for my weekly sandwich and limeade.  I was good and hungry, as I didn’t eat breakfast before heading out.

 

After I left there, I walked down to Mercado Municipal and got two boneless chicken breasts — which the butcher prepared for me as I waited  — meaning, he de-boned the freshly obtained chicken breasts that he brought with him just that morning.

 

The butcher likes to practice his English with me.  He’s awfully sweet. He has it down pretty well, but he doesn’t know about truncating common phrases, so he sounds “book-taught” — probably the same as I do when I speak Spanish!   A lot of Ticos just say, “Buen” or “Dia” instead of Buenos Dias or Buenas Tardes/Noches, for example.

 

I’m getting the hang of “Buen dia”

 

… and learning some placeholder words (the equivalents of “so…” “and…” “uh…” “you know..”)  so I don’t come across like someone with a stick up my butt. These Spanish books that Jon Graham Mitchell gave me have been a real godsend!

 

The rainy season brings additional bird species into the yard

 

I should also start seeing more baby mammals, too.  Hopefully some local coatimundi families.  I would love that!

 

Since their mating season is January through mid-April (here in Costa Rica) and the babies start ambling with their moms about six weeks after birth, it’s close to the time for the January maters to start bringing their “kids” out to learn the ropes. (Their gestation period is 75 days.)

 

So, come on, mamas.

Show me your babies!

I want to make them famous on this blog!

I wish I could think of more to say. I want to keep writing but don’t have anything more to write about.

 

Ask me a question! 

That might help trip a synapse or two!

 

Until you do, I’m signing out!!!  HUGS!!!