For What Ails You - Tea!

A journey to the grocery is still interesting.  Although we've become accustomed to life here in Costa Rica, every once in a while we find something that makes us smile.

Let us introduce you to tea - a cure for many ailments.  Not only can you find a variety of flavors, but you can also find a tea for a specific medical problem.  Here are just a few:

This tea will help with digestion.

(Check out the price too.)

 

. . . a tea to for your colon, indigestion, and colitis.

 Finally - a tea to calm you down.

No need for a pharmacy, we can just head to the tea aisle in the grocery store.

God's Artistry

We are blessed with a spectacular view from our apartment, and during the last couple of weeks we have been awestruck with the beauty of several sunsets.  We wish you could be here to enjoy them with us and see just how vibrant the colors really are.

(All photos are original and none have been enhanced.)

Street "Signs"

As I was walking down the street last week, I noticed dead palm tree branches in the middle of the road.  Even here that isn't the norm.

Turns out there is a big hole in the middle of the road.  Someone got tired of waiting for the officials to fix it, and for over a week these branches have prevented damage to many cars.

Even though this doesn't solve the problem, we have come to love the way Ticos manage to make things work while waiting and waiting on officials.

The Shower Saga

The story begins with our feeble attempts to change our "widow-maker" shower head.  Yes, it's called a widow-maker because electricity is wired directly into the shower head to heat the water.  As water flows through the shower head, the heater comes on and heats the water a bit.  I'm sure you can imagine dangerous scenarios with water and electricity going through one shower head. We are happy the shower head is mounted high enough that we can't accidentally touch it.

So . . .  we tried to change the shower head ourselves, and found it was beyond our limited abilities. 

This shower was obviously not going to work, so I headed off to the 2nd bathroom to take a shower.

This little guy was in control of the shower.  Yes, I know geckos are small, harmless & eat insects (not people).  However I didn't really want to share the shower with him.  I did, but our time together was brief.

The next day when the plumber arrived, we learned that we have been living on the edge shower-wise.  Neither shower was connected to a ground wire, and so at any point we could have experienced a good jolt of electricity just by taking a shower.  We are thankful that didn't happen!!!

Here's to showers that are grounded!!!

Reverse Culture Shock

I thought I'd share a few thoughts about things that have caused a bit of reverse culture shock upon returning to the U.S.  After living all but the last two years of my life in the U.S. it would seem a bit crazy to experience culture shock here.  However it has happened.  

Here are just a couple of things I've noticed:

 

1 - The Quantity of "Things"

Every where you go you find "bigger and better."  Shelves are lined with so many choices that even in a small town you can find almost anything you need to cook like a gourmet chef.   Restaurants have menus that are like books, and plates come to the table overflowing with food.

 

2 - Homes

In the U.S. cabinets, dishwashers, washers, dryers, stoves, and refrigerators are considered standard equipment and are found even in modest homes.  In Central America you will find few homes that have these appliances.  A small range might be found, but built-in cabinets are rare.  Dishwashers. . . I've only seen one dishwasher in two years. Washers and dryers are luxury items and not standard household appliances.  Below is a photo of our kitchen.  We are blessed with both a refrigerator and a stove that is standard sized.  In the back left corner you can see our "cabinets" which are plastic garage shelving.  In Central America this is considered a very nice.  It is a bit more rustic than the small kitchen pictured above, but we are so thankful for it!

These are just a few surface things I've noticed this time and to which I've had to adjust.  

We'll see what else pops up before going back to CR.

Melanie

Let's Try to Get This Blog Restarted

So here's to a new year and a new start to our blog. My intentions are to be more consistent this year, so we will just have to see if I can accomplish this goal.


The newest member of our family was born January 24.  Mark and Candace welcomed baby Anna to their family.

I have had the privilege of being in Texas with Mark and Candace, and it has been wonderful to spend time with our two grandchildren.  It is amazing how one tiny 5 lb. 14 oz.  baby can be the boss of so many grown-ups.  However, every minute is precious to me!

Wilson is adjusting well to his new baby sister.  He loves to pat her head, and he shares stickers, toys, and books with her.

We are so thankful for our girls, their husbands, and our grandchildren.  We are truly blessed.

Melanie