Happy Thanksgiving!

I've always loved Thanksgiving...there's something really amazing about a whole day devoted to being thankful. Not to mention being with sweet family and dear friends. And...the food. Ain't nothin' better than a leftover turkey sandwich.

As you might have guessed, our Thanksgiving this year is a bit non-traditional...it's not exactly a Central American holiday, so it hasn't really occurred to anyone around here (other than us) that Thanksgiving is upon us. And it's summer here...so we won't be firing up the ol' propane tank to cook a turkey or make a pumpkin pie.

But, we will be thankful.

In my kindergarten teaching days, I became all too familiar with the stories of pilgrims and Native Americans...and while I taught my students about the beginnings of Thanksgiving, I was quick to inform them that we celebrate Thanksgiving for one reason: simply to be thankful. Every year, I asked my students, "What are you thankful for?" Their responses made me laugh and cry...for the reason that they were nothing but honest. Some of my favorite responses to this question: "chocolate milk", "my grandma cause she loves me all the time", "oooh, oooh, cheetoes!"

While we sure are sad that we can't celebrate Thanksgiving with our families and our sweet friends, we sure are thankful for all the blessings we've been given right here.

Hope you're finding much to be thankful for.

Remember Me?

Here I am again. Maybe you've been missing hearing me ramble, and maybe you didn't even notice I was gone. Even I didn't quite realize it's been a whole eight days since I've had anything to say.

It sure is a rare event when I quit talking...and when I stopped to think about why I haven't had much to say as of late, I realized it's because we've turned into locals.

Not really, of course. But we've developed a level of comfort here in this tiny surfing village that has made it start to really feel like home. Most mornings we wake up, without the aid of an alarm clock, to a darkened bedroom...dark only because we close our windows at night to keep the wild animals out. (We do live in the jungle, remember?) We open all the windows up as we make eggs and Julia drinks maté...and then we eat breakfast to the sound of the waves outside. Most days start this way...and I promise not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for the fact that I get to spend every morning waking up slowly and eating breakfast with my girl.

After breakfast, every day is a bit different. Most every day, Julia finds time to read and translate, and I find time to send e-mails, immerse myself in wedding plans, and work on applications for graduate school. The internet has become a funny thing for us...as in, can't live with it, can't live without it. I absolutely love that the use of the internet is a bit of a process for us, and involves walking to town and crossing our fingers that it actually works that day...this process makes our internet use very intentional, and most days I find I have an organized list of things to accomplish with the use of the world wide web. That said, it does make me a bit crazy that it is our only connection to our lives in 'merica. Simply picking up the phone and making a call or sending a quick text is a luxury we don't have...and frustrating as it can be, I'll go so far as to say that I'm fine with it.

Some days we go to yoga, or I go on a long walk up into the mountains. There was a day last week when we spent our afternoon investigating what to do with our empty propane tank. It was a bit of an adventure carrying the empty tank into town, trading it in for a full tank, and hauling it back home. By the end of the afternoon, our mission was accomplished. There was another day last week that we spent the morning surfing, and were so exhausted by the time we got home that it was all we could do to stay awake long enough to eat dinner and go to bed by 8pm. We've been to a local baptism, celebrated Julia's second local poetry reading, watched movies at a local film festival, and drank a whole lotta watermelon juice.

At this point, I'm sure you're becoming aware of our greatest gift here...time. It's quite a joy to not have to hurry anywhere...no rushing down subway stairs, or frantically looking at the clock...it's given me a better sense of taking my time and making the most of the moments I'm given.

So I haven't had much to say recently because our adventures just feel like...life. It's a life that makes me thankful everyday...and isn't that one of the things life is all about anyway?

Out For a Stroll

As I mentioned yesterday, our new favorite Sunday brunch stop involves a bit of a walk...which also could be termed a hike, because of the intense hills involved. Still, I ain't complaining.

We had the best time on Sunday, walking up the hills and arriving in lazy countryside.

Thought y'all might like to see...

Easy Like Sunday Mornin'

During our NYC days, we developed some favorite ways to spend a weekend. Every Sunday after church, Julia would turn to me and ask where I wanted to go to brunch. I’m convinced she only did this to let me know that I could have options if I so desired them, simultaneously knowing full well exactly where I’d ultimately choose to spend our Sunday afternoon. She sure is good to me.

Locanda Verde. It’s one of those ‘cool’ restaurants in the city...and this title means that there will be a 2-hour wait. Yes, even at brunch. It’s just a fact. I know, I know, for all you non city slickers out there, you’re outraged at this thought instantaneously...2 hours for eggs?!? Yes. It’s worth it. (At least I think so. If Julia weren’t so sweet, she would be rather inclined to agree with the fact that there’s no reason to wait this long for any meal.) We got to be rather good at it...reading the Sunday Times and being together made the waiting bearable. (As did the fact that we would soon be rewarded with tomato hollandaise and garlic roasted home fries...)

It was a damn fine tradition we created for ourselves. Especially after a few weeks of this routine...somewhere along the way, we became ‘regulars’. There came a day when we walked into a crowd of folks waiting for brunch...and instead of putting our names down, the hostess looked us in the eyes and said. “Good to see you two. We have a table ready for you now.” At first I thought it was some crazy kind of luck...and then, it happened again the next week, and the next...what a couple of lucky gals we are! (I’d be lying if I said this had nothing to do with Julia’s charm and kindness in winning over just about anyone...especially in this case, the powers that be at Locanda Verde.)

Sunday brunch will always be one of our favorite parts of the week...but when we moved here, it was hard to imagine finding ways to continue our tradition...’cause rice and beans for brunch just doesn’t have the appeal quite like a bloody mary and uovo modenese... 

But, leave it to me to find good eats in the middle of nowhere. It involves a bit of a walk...but we've found a place just outside of town that makes some mighty fine cuisine...and it's only fitting that it's owned and operated by Italians. This week, we couldn't resist the pizzas, but I can promise we'll be back for the roasted chicken and handmade buffalo mozzarella...(tradition demands it.)

Mission accomplished.

Our Italian Sunday brunch tradition can continue...

Happy Weekend...

Tomorrow is Saturday...and that means, for me, the arrival of two events of great importance:

Farmer's Market and Football. Yee Haw.

Every Saturday morning, a local farmer pulls her truck into the park in the center of town, and creates a killer spread of fresh (and organic!) fruits and veggies. On our first Saturday living here in Montezuma, we both went into town together to check out this weekly event. Ever since, it's become my haven, and I get the shopping done while Julia gets work done at home.

When we lived in NYC, there was always something good to be found at our local farmer's market...but summer was the best, of course, because of all the variety. I swear I waited all year for some of those heirloom tomatoes...

But here in Costa Rica, it's summer now! So the market is teeming with treats...tomatoes, avocados, papaya, fresh herbs, pineapple, lettuces...ooooh, gimme some.

As for the second event of great importance...it's gameday. With the love I have for college football, I'm sure no one is surprised that I've managed to find a way to watch games all the way in Central America. Go dawgs...sic 'em.

Namasté.

I’ll admit it. I used to scoff at yoga. I never could seem to get excited about a form of exercise that seemed to be nothing other than glorified stretching.

Then, I was coerced into trying it. And, damn, it was really hard...I never imagined that those silly little mats and poses could actually involve some real ability. The hardest part for me was often being able to hold poses for more than a second or two. Blame it on a pair of hamstrings that are eternally tight, or a mind that tends to wander at the first opportunity.

But today...I did a headstand. Just like that. (Er, actually after weeks of practice and effort. Although I’ll take that feeling of accomplishment however I can get it.)

There are two reasons to practice yoga, I’m told...

The first, is to allow ourselves to experience our natural inclination: joy

The second, is to remove any blockages that might be hindering you from experiencing joy.

So cool. I'm starting to get into this whole yoga thang...

Namasté.

(PS...that photo at the top is a painting we saw in a museum in San José...cool texture, huh?)

Go 'head...smile.

When I surf, I smile. I just can't help it.

Whether I catch a wave or find myself being catapulted into the foam, I always come up grinning.

There's something really glorious about the whole process. Being tossed around by waves that reach high above my head...it's freeing. Makes me so aware of how big God really is.

Hope you're finding reason to smile, wherever this finds you.