Newsletter

Volume 6

Greetings from Costa Rica

Just a short letter to tell you things are still going very well for us here.

The most important point is that I am still overwhelmed by the wonderful Costa Rican people I meet every day. They are so friendly, open, and generous.   At first, I thought they must have an ulterior motive and the other shoe would drop and I would see their true feelings.  However, that was not the case. A couple of days ago the mother of one of the boys who works for me sent some cake she had baked, wrapped in tinfoil. This lady is probably a single mother with several kids living on $200 a month plus what I am now paying her sons for temporary work. She couldn’t afford to be so generous. But that’s how these wonderful people are.

Yesterday I went to the Panaderia (bakery) in Turrialba and selected one of those French Baguettes. It wasn’t the scrawny emaciated American variety of baguettes. It was sturdy and robust with a great crust and soft, mouthwatering white bread inside. That wasn’t the only difference. In Florida we have to pay $3.00 (no I’m sorry I mean $2.99 plus tax) for that pitiful excuse for French bread! In Turrialba it cost (for that bountiful and joyful loaf) just 50 cents.

On the way home I saw a man with a truck load of bananas. We already have bananas on our property – good ones, but I decided to stop and see how much he wanted for his. I just didn’t have time to walk up the hill and pick my own. He asked $1.50 for the bunch. I could have bargained him down to one dollar, I know, but I didn’t have the heart to do it. After all, he’d taken the time and trouble to cut them down and I believe everyone should be paid for their work. So, I didn’t hesitate. They’re not ripe yet but will be in a week or so. I counted them. There are 80 bananas on that stalk. They are less than 2 cents per banana – fresh from the tree. No wonder they call this “ Paradise ”.

Our caretaker, Ricardo, came up to the house this morning with his two dogs. I’ve sent pictures of Pelouso before. He’s a Benji look alike and loves to prance and run. Today Ricardo brought his new acquisition “Coquette”. I’m really not sure how to spell her name but she’s delightful. I tried to get some photos but she just wouldn’t keep still. She is probably only six or seven months old but already a fine dog. Marcia had sent some little raw-hide bones for Pelouso so I gave them one each. Pelouso didn’t know what to do with his. He’s really so small he couldn’t handle it. But Coquette knew how to eat both of them.

I guess you can tell how much I love it here. I couldn’t live in Florida again. This is as close to Paradise as we’ll come on this earth. I just can’t wait for Marcia to join me here, which should be in a few more months.

David

David & Marcia Rushton