Of the falling you-know-what. Go ahead, you listen.
I'm sick of it. This is our third rainy season here and I plan on it
being my last. Almost anywhere else will do. Even Key West in the
stifling end-of-hurricane-season heat (she says now.) October through
mid-December here is for the birds. I never knew it could rain so much
or that I could get so sick of it. It's just life-giving rain, right?
Day after day after day after day after day after day of endless wet,
cold, life-giving rain?
When we were looking for a house, we knew
we wanted to be up on a mountain, just not so high we'd be in the
clouds. The first thing we looked for in a potential rental was a
fireplace. If it had one, the house was probably too
high and damp for us. We'd walk in, see a fireplace and pretty much
walk out.
Today, we wouldn't use the Fireplace Criteria. A GPS
would have been more accurate. Anywhere between 1,067m (3,500') to just
shy of 1,524m (5,000') is our particular perfect temperature zone.
Except near the end of the rainy season, when the sun ain't shined for three months straight. When the wind is howling all the time. When
everything is wet, moldy, damp and cold. When you'd give your right arm
for a fireplace.
Today, 21 December 2008, is BEAUTIFUL. The sun
is shining, I am slack-jawed at the sight… and it's warming up the
joint. No dark clouds threatening anywhere, only those big fat fluffy
white clouds floating about. I think I can safely say the rainy season
is over. Tossing a little salt over my shoulder, just in case. The last
couple of years, the rains seemed to stop around the end of November…
maybe I imagined that? This year it just went on and on.
At least
all I'm suffering is cold and discomfort. There have been endless
reports of relentless flooding, particularly on the Caribbean side.
Many (dare I say most?) of Costa Rica's indigenous are in dire straits
because their crops and farm animals were literally washed away in the
last couple of months. If you've a mind to help relieve the suffering,
you can do so at the Voz Que Clama website. Scroll down to the paypal link. I've been to VCQ, met Daniel and Hector, who founded the mission and live there. I've met Beverly, their U.S. ambassador and bookkeeper. Last year, I went to the Christmas party for the Cabecar with the Badgetts. We missed it this year, but will visit VCQ this week.
My
point is that I can vouch for them. I've hugged and spoken with the
children they've taken in. The money to feed and house these kids has
to come from somewhere. In Costa Rica, no donation is too small: $5 makes a huge difference. Thank you.
The
Badgetts arrive in a couple of hours. We are all looking forward to
their visit. Can't wait to hang out with them. We'll be doing a little
running about – there will be much to report this week, I'm sure!!!
That's
The Cascades singing up there. Gosh, I wish my geezer band was that
good. I guess the Cascades have been at it a little longer… At least
there's hope: apparently you are never too old. Or too out-of-shape. Hope is
good.
Sounds like the weather is finally getting to you. This on top of the political “winds of change”. I’ve been following your writings. Perhaps it is the “ghetto Jew” mentality; however, history has educated me to not overstay my welcome. I am not prepared to stay anywhere where there is an almost universal, “governmental”, series of dictates that exhibits I am not wanted. I’ve been thinking about this since you wrote of the change in the law as to foreigners being permitted to stay, attain legal residency, etc. Such laws would be the ink on my going away card. I wasn’t sure whether to share these thoughts with you as far be it from me to be a naysayer. But now reading the weather related issues also, I said “what the hell”.
As for KW, we will be there 12/29-1/6 and again 2/10-2/19. We expect to make a pilgrimage monthly.
You may have heard that the Vandenberg is finally freed from its bonds and will be heading down to KW for ultimate sinking, hopefully within the next few months. I can’t wait personally, and expect it will be the next mecca for divers. KW will truly benefit, I believe in both the short-run and long-run.
Hope I haven’t whet your appetite too much. Regards to Hal and the boys. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo.
Howard (Enrique – 8th grade Spanish class)
Hola Enrique (if I’m Saratica, you are Enrique), I am so torn on the moving thing. I have come around to believe that it’s not that they don’t want us, they just want our money. It’s not a hostile thing, it’s an opportunist thing. There are two facts: 1) we want to stay and 2) the law may force us to leave. The other factor at work is that moving anywhere right now would be financial suicide. That’s a sad fact… we are good, food on the table ‘n all. But down to our last cigarette. Yuck… does anyone smoke anymore???
So we are here for the moment. Funny, I don’t really feel in limbo. Must be used to it!!! So I’m getting through the holidays, we are actually looking at a couple of guesthouses to run which would be great. Give us a little income (as long as we had guests), a little adventure for the moment. If the laws change and we have to leave, we could at least be perpetual tourists for a bit.
The Key West market is not ready to feed me yet. If we had to move back, of course, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. The prospect of a KW electric bill is daunting. Could I live without ac? Yes, if I had to. We used to.
How are they going to move the Vandenburg? I thought it was already sunk… that would be quite the job. Of course, you could tie a rope around your waist, put on some really big flippers…
We’ve just been communicating, “Saratica,” and I’ve just subscribed to your blog and was sorting through the most recent entries. When I had my farm in Costa Rica (at 4200 feet) we had a wood stove. Since we didn’t have electricity for many years, we cooked on it. But it also heated our water for hot showers (thermal convection). We had a system for it to finish taking the dampness out of almost dry clean clothes before they got mildewy. And it KEPT US COZY. I’m sorry, but while mid to high seventies is fabulous during the day, 50’s and 60’s at night, especially when it’s rainy, is uncomfortable. Get a wood stove, and your life will change!
A wood stove sounds like just the ticket! As soon as we find our new spot, that will be on the list. Unless the spot is at sea level. Groan!