One day until the move, and then I become a San Isidro de Grecia/Alajuela resident! WOO HOO!
Ten days after that, Lisa arrives. HOORAY!!!!
But before we get to today’s thoughts about the move and Lisa’s impending visit, I want to tell you about yesterday’s foray into Grecia.
Lunch was at Grecia Futbol Club
But before Dale, Crystal Rose, Jon and I got there, I went to a few places in town to get a few food items to tide me over until the move (and a day or so after): peanut butter, jelly, almond milk, several bottles of Powerade in my favorite flavor, plus a new litterbox for Charli because her fabric folding one was beginning to fall apart.
I have brown rice and beans in abundance — my staples — but once in a while I feel like eating something else. (Fortunately not often because peanut butter is insanely expensive here.)
Jon, Dale and Crystal arrived fifteen minutes early (Francisco couldn’t join us today; he had business in San Jose) so we ordered before noon and had our meals in front of us by a little after 12. That gave me an hour and a half before I had to head for the bus station, and we used the time talking, laughing and cutting up.
Crystal planted a big, bright red lipstick kiss on my right cheek. Dale took a picture but unfortunately, the lipstick isn’t obvious in it, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the picture, so here it is:
I joked to Crystal, “Here we are, two-timing Dale right in front of him!”
Everyone laughed and then Dale intoned, “I’ll use this picture as proof in the divorce proceedings!”
It’s amazing what LGBTQIA+ folks talk about at lunch!
I mentioned chest masculinization surgery, which got everyone laughing (because I was so surprised not to see cleavage on myself afterward!) and asking questions, which I had no problem answering among friends, especially Jon since he is a retired nurse and he has seen and heard everything that’s imaginable to see and hear, without a doubt!
Jon gave me the Spanish Pronouns workbook yesterday and says he has at least two more Spanish primers to give me, but it won’t be until next week or the week after. That’s okay. It will take me that long to get through this one!
And Dale knows about — and how to play — Mexican Trains! WOO HOO! I will have a game partner for Mexican Trains very soon!
I love my Costa Rica Family sooo sooo much!!!
(We missed Francisco today and a few other friends.)
NEW SOMBRERO
On the way back from lunch, I stopped at a place Dale told me about because I mentioned wanting a new sombrero. He told me where I could find one inside Mercado Municipal, so I went there and got this one:
I have since colored “Costa Rica” blue so it doesn’t scream “tourist” quite so loudly. I’m a proud, happy Costa Rican immigrant and love touting my new country, but there’s a fine line between “twitterpated tourist” and “pensionado-seeking gringo” that I haven’t quite figured out yet! LOL! I’m not a tourist anymore, I’m a freakin’ convert!
These Boots are Made For Walking…
Walked 10, 445 steps during the day yesterday
On Thursday I walked over 7500.
This morning — Saturday, January 31st — I’ve walked 2814 steps so far just gathering all of my belongings into one corner of the casita and then sweeping and mopping the floor, cleaning the fridge, wiping down the appliances, and doing everything else in my power to leave this abode in as good shape as I found it in when I arrived four months ago. I asked Cat, the landlady, if she has some Windex so I can wash the windows that I can reach, and she said, essentially, “Forget about it! Enjoy this beautiful day! Leave the cleaning to us!” (Nope! Not if I can help it!)
What a dear, dear lady!
I ate rice with cheese and some Lizano sauce plus a piece of toast this morning.
I worked in the Spanish Pronouns book last night for about an hour and took five or six of the first tests. Only got a few of the answers wrong. I underlined the ones I flubbed so I can revisit them and rewrite them a few times until they find their way into my brain pan.
I’m SAD and SMART to be leaving this casita
I need to stay ambulatory and that’s too risky here, so I look forward to moving ONLY for that reason and because Dale and Crystal Rose will be my new neighbors. We plan to walk together several days a week.
They say they’re only 250 meters from the mini mart and that there’s a soccer field not much farther than that where folks gather every morning to walk or jog. They say my place is about a quarter mile above/beyond their place, so round trip for me will very likely be my usual 7500 to 10K steps. PERFECT! And there’s a soda across the street from the soccer field that’s open on Fridays and Saturdays (and maybe Sundays), Jon says. Excelente!
It’s cool and breezy today
I took down the wind chimes so all I hear out there are birds and the wind as it whips through the leaves and fronds of the trees that surround this place. Peaceful, quiet, placid.
April is the beginning of the rainy season here
That isn’t very far off. The dry season, apparently, is significantly shorter than the wet season. But that’s okay. It usually only rains in the afternoon so there’s plenty of time before noon to get to town, shop and get back before the daily deluge. And the rains here are riveting and sensational, not at all boring! Nature at its finest — just before the line in the sand where it gets scary!
I feel super positive
Lisa will be here ten days from tomorrow. I just texted her with reminders and she assured me she has a list and that she will be packing this week (a first for her) because she’s so excited about flying here.
It’s gonna be sooooooo good to see her again and have her with me for nine days. It’s hard to even imagine it’s real until she lands and I see her. I think I’m gonna cry both when she lands and when she leaves. It’s gonna feel mighty lonely after that. Wish I could keep her forever! But she’s in my heart, and that’s always with me, so she’s never terribly far away except in distance!