It’s a bright, beautiful Monday morning here in El Cajon Costa Rica, so I took a walk down our driveway to the main road, and then up a steep hill to the nearest Tico owned tienda.

Here is what I saw on my way there:

 

That’s Grecia off in the distance.

Above it on the other mountainside is where Villas Escondidas is.

This sign, on the main road, points to my casita!

It used to be offered as a B n B — that’s why.

Above it is the actual road sign… Calle Estaban Salas

 

The road from the casita sign to the nearest tienda is up a very steep hill about two blocks…

I got an aerobic workout this morning walking up this hill and and then back up an even steeper hill (but far shorter, thankfully!) to my casita.

Here is the sign in front of the tienda

 

A super simpatico gentleman named Jose runs the place. The door was open but the lights were off except at the entry point, so I wandered in and introduced myself in Spanish as a new arrival to Costa Rica. Jose was extremely welcoming and turned on the lights throughout the place so I could wander around and see what he has on offer there.

 

The place doesn’t miss a beat. It appears to have just about everything someone might need in a pinch, from laundry detergent to food and drinks to light bulbs. “Soup to nuts,” as the saying goes. I will probably take a photo at some point to show you.

 

I chose four items and asked if he accepted “tarjeta de credito.”  He said he did, but then I realized I still had enough on me to pay in colones, so I paid that way.  As I left I said, “Agredezco mucho” (I appreciate you very much) and he responded, “Muchas gracias. Hasta la vista.” So he knows I plan to be back later!

 

So, now I’ve met my first neighbor (other than my landlord and landlady).

 

This is what I bought.  (I tell ya, my life is an open book! HAH!)

 

 

Charli is Out Exploring This Morning

 

It’s day three, so I turned Charli out this morning to get the lay of the land. She immediately headed for the side of the casita with the most foliage and went in there to rummage around.  I let her be for about 30 minutes and then went out on the porch and called for her. Pretty soon I saw her in the foliage making her way back to me, so I said, “You’re fine… keep on keepin’ on!” and I went back inside to take a shower, my first here because the first time I tried, the water was colder than a witch’s tit. Turns out I had the handle turned the wrong way!  (I did turn the handle both ways the other night, but I didn’t wait long enough for the hot water to come down the pipe, so it all felt too cold to me to do more than what my dad used to call a quick PTA bath  — pits, tits and ass).

 

This morning I figured out the handle and enjoyed a nice shower.

 

At about the time I was dried off and dressed, I heard a brief “confrontation between felines” out where Charli was so I raced out there and asked, “Hey, what’s up out here?!” Charli  appeared, looking fine and dandy. But a little while later, I discovered WHO she had encountered. He’s gorgeous and he isn’t territorial. He’s just curious.  So, I think it was Charli who said, “Back off!” when she spotted him the first time.  She seems nonplussed about him now, since he hasn’t chased her at all. I will try to find out his name. My landlady’s family members live all around us, so he is probably one of their pets. Here is his picture:

He’s steel colored. This image almost does him justice but not quite!

 

Wind Chimes

 

My wind chimes are up again, finally. They offer zen-like sounds when the wind blows.  Heavenly.

(Yes, I asked for permission to put them up and received it.)

 

 

I reckon this is all for now.  You’re all caught up to the minute on the first three and a half weeks of my grand adventure if you’ve been following along. I’m still happy as a clam, even though Jon told me I’m up too high now to see iguanas. Well, drat.  Maybe there are fewer snakes, too.  Haven’t seen a single one of those in the entire time I’ve been here in C.R.. Or any tarantulas or big spiders. Heck, I saw more spiders in my back yard shed in Tacoma than I have seen here. I haven’t seen even one, although I have seen a few webs.

 

I’m in paradise!