Massages, Movies & Memories

"Really, Doc - I will ice my back for 15 minutes every waking hour for the next 24 to 48 hours"....right! I think today I got in 6 ice opportunities between laundry, pushing the kids on the bike, doing dishes, walking up to Cerro Plano because we didn't have a colones in the house and finishing up some documentation for the school project. So, again I say...."oh my aching back".

This week I splurged for a deep tissue massage at Rio Shanti and I must say out of all the massages I've had - maybe 5, (Mario Triccoci in Chicago, Plaza Hotel in Manhattan) this was indeed the best. Janet, the owner has a heavy hand which was just what I needed and she honored my request to concentrate the full hour on my back. The price for MFS teachers - $25 - can't beat it. She recommended I see the chiropractor that visits Monteverde each month from Tilaron...so I did just that on Friday afternoon. Ed, the chiropractor, could not believe how inflamed and hot my back was and after adjusting it, recommended the 2 day ice treatment. So, here I am filling the little ice trays that accompany our freezer with enough ice to fill a tiny zip-lock.

Rio Shanti is a quaint little establishment just off the main road/path on the way to school. Janet sells everything from jewelry, clothing, soaps, lotions, raw honey and has a nice little yoga studio in back. The outdoor deck is where many a meeting is held, Peace Pilgrim discussions, Prayer and Share. It is great to pray/meditate with the winds whistling overhead and the river quietly roaring in the background. I've included some pics. I have yet to take a yoga class there, but who knows...never say never.

The last two Friday nights, we've walked across the driveway, up the stairs to Bromelias and watched a movie. It is a great family night, free of charge - last night I sipped on a red wine, while the kids enjoyed an empanada. Last week's movie was "Fly Away Home" - I had never seen it - very sweet, the boys were so engaged and loved the relationship between the little goslings and the 13-year old little girl. For those of you that know the movie (the scene where the bull dozers come plowing in and destroy some of the forest), well this scene disturbed a friend of our's little 7 year old boy so much, they got up and left. She told me later that they had quite a discussion on the fate of the trees on their way home that night "but Mommy, how are they going to replace the trees?"...this concern from a 7 year-old...perhaps only in Monteverde! Last night we delighted in El Oso "the Bear" which was very endearing as well. The boys again were focused and all-eyes. A great way to relax after a busy week. When we walked up to Bromelias, they were getting their bon fire ready out on the terrace as some of the parents of the older kids sit out and visit during the show. There is a play and live music coming up soon, so we have so much entertainment truly just a stones throw away. I think a celebration of Bob Marley's birthday is coming up.

Somethings never change....on the odd occasion, I would get a call from my sister asking for help with her resume..."I can't align the headings", or "can you help me finesse the wording?" or "am I completely crazy for applying for this position?" She'd come over, I'd crack open my laptop and a bottle of wine and we'd let our creative juices take over. Well, thanks to Skype, we are able to continue this tradition whenever she gets the 'itch'. So, the other night, I found myself dragging the computer and the modem around the corner, out of my bedroom, where Mike and John lay sleeping at 8 p.m., into a darkly lit living room. I perched myself on our couch (it really is a futon) and placed the call to Beth back in Chicago. "Got your resume - hey, let me share my screen with you so I can take real-time edits". She was drinking the wine; I was just trying to keep my eyes open, truthfully. We chuckled about how, even though I am in another country, I can still support her through yet another round of resume writing...ah - technology!


Per Mike's post earlier today, truly, the white-faced monkeys were something else as they encroached on us humans Friday after school. As Andy and Flori sold their chocolate rolls and homemade breads, the monkeys got almost too close for comfort; there must have been 1/2 dozen of them. So close, almost like they were taunting us! It was pretty amazing; one must remember they are indeed wild animals.

The cat "Comanche" safely made it to Kinder earlier this week. She is adapting to her new home and I am glad she is gone, as I had forgotten how allergic I am to the little felines. Comanche is the second pet the class has welcomed this month. Nube (cloud) the rabbit also is enjoying the love and attention from the 4 year-olds. She is a six year old bunny, and I have come to find out that she only has three legs, as she got 'into it' with a weasel as a baby. No shortage on her love and affable nature. The boys enjoyed picking clover in our yard and filling plastic bags and presenting her with a yummy snack mid-week.

Tomorrow we head to the Guindon farm for dinner with a couple from the East Coast who has been volunteering at the school since August. It will be a good walk, so I am sure the boys will eat them out of house and home.

The mom of the gal who cuts my hair here in Monteverde will be tutoring me in Spanish starting on Tuesday. I am so excited and can't wait to have some one -on -one time to converse and study with her. She is married to one of the sons of the original Quaker families (Lucky and Wolfe Guindon) and is such a delightful person. Although my Spanish is coming along, I am getting to the point where I want someone to correct my grammar and really help me with the pronouns, which I find very confusing.

We had a roaring fire tonight after dinner. We saved some of sausage and threw it into a cast iron skillet and placed it on the fire. We devoured the marshmallows in no time and ended the night with stories around the campfire and I even sang a few versus of Kumbaya. It reminded me of the many years as a brownie/girl guide in Canada and going off to camp with my mom (as she was a leader forever it seemed). Next on our list, hobo dinners on the fire!

Finally, I think we purchased every watermelon the little market at the bottom of the street had in stock this week. We are easily going through one big watermelon a day...que rico!

It is getting late and I am feeling guilty if I don't get another ice treatment in before I turn in so I will close this for tonight. In the background, I hear a crew at Bromelias getting ready for tonight's gig. We'll enjoy free of charge sitting here cozy under our down comforter!
Signed: S