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We fired our third maid yesterday. Maid #1 wasn’t a great cleaner, although I believe she was honest. And, in truth, looking back, she may have needed to come for a full day to get the job done, not just a half day.
Just as I was becoming more and more suspicious of Maid #2, she left to go back to school. She’d probably "raised" enough money to pay for the next semester…
Hal did the firing of Maid #3. I couldn’t stomach it. When she was done for the day, he said: "We won’t be needing you . . . → Read More About Another One Bites The Dust
My friend Dan wrote me the other day. He said, "Okay girl, step away from the computer… yes, that’s it, take your fingers off the keys and step away…. 6 posts in 24 hours, you trying for a record?"
Not exactly. Just in a race against time to get all the recent experiences out of my head and into the blog. Before it goes out of my head and into the fog.
First of all, the boys are in New Jersey having their stateside adventure. It is SO QUIET around here. Great writing time! Still, I am . . . → Read More About So Much To Say… So Few Hours in the Day!
My friend Trixie in Key West wrote to me this morning. She is a world-traveler, lately fixated on India and immediate surrounds. We are certain she was an Indian princess in a past life. If there is such a thing. As a past life.
She so enjoys her adventures. But, sadly, last week she returned from a trip to find that HER very lovely home in a very nice Key West neighborhood (that she bought with my help for a very good price) had been successfully burglarized:
Dear S.,
I unfortunately . . . → Read More About Cayo Hueso Loses Rosy Glow…
Our first few months in Costa Rica, we were taken aback by the intense security around homes: high gates, electric fences, massive bars covering every window and door. Many subdivisions (and some private homes) have guards, from casually dressed bicycle guards to uniformed and armed. Most U.S. citizens have a similar response to ours: we just don’t get it.
Fences are topped with all sorts of unwelcoming stuff: sometimes just a roof-over a gate or the fence to make it impossible to climb . . . → Read More About Slipping Off The Rose-Colored Glasses
July has been quite the month for lessons on crime.
On Day One of Camp J2J, we were stolen from. At our first cabina in Puerto Viejo, I was accused of stealing, lying and poor parenting. When I got home, I discovered we’d had an attempted break-in at our house. Thievery from every perspective.
On being accused: I chose our first cabina in Puerto Viejo because they offered wireless internet. I like my internet. Being able to blog about what’s happening while it’s fresh is the best.
We arrived in PV 6pm Wednesday, planning to . . . → Read More About Thievery From Every Perspective
Our little Royal Family was not happy in Parismina and we left as soon as humanly possible. The day after our forced march, we were so exhausted that doing a patrol that night was out of the question. And this first day, our only full day there, we were stolen from left and right. Very discouraging.
But the straw that broke the camel’s back and drove us from Parismina was the heat.
I’m a Straw-That-Broke-The-Camel’s-Back kind of gal. There may be loads of reasons to do or not do something, but there is always that One Determining Factor: . . . → Read More About Hot Like In Hell
Hal spent a year in Germany in his youth. During that year, he traveled all over Europe. He said in every country but France, you could hold out your hand with money in it to pay for something and get back the right change. They’d count it out so you’d know.
Do NOT do that in Costa Rica. At least not in heavily touristed areas, like along either coast. You will NOT get back correct change. For the first time in Costa Rica, we had money flat out stolen from us, starting with that cab driver. Over . . . → Read More About Stealing For Sport
I went to the ATM last Thursday with my mom. You put your card in, you punch in your code, select ENGLISH or SPANISH, DOLLARS or COLONES (get colones, it’s easier), punch in the amount… wait while the machine whirrs and counts. Then take your cash, receipt and card. Easy.
Only this day, the machine counts and counts and counts and counts, on and on and on. It must have taken 10 minutes. I kept wondering should I stop it? Cancel? Would it debit my account anyway? Would I have to go in and try to convince someone I . . . → Read More About Ethical Dilemma. Sorta.
When I sent yesterday’s letter to A.M. Costa Rica, the editor wrote back and grilled me about owning a gun, asking if I was married to a tico, did I take the test, did I register the gun… yikes. I couldn’t figure out if he was against private citizens owning a gun or if I offended him in some way. Still don’t know… but here’s what I know about gun ownership.
You can have a gun here, either as a resident or through a corporation. You can buy here or import them. Importing is a . . . → Read More About Owning A Gun
Crime in Costa Rica is a hot topic these days. It’s been heating up for the past few months. Then that 70-something-year-old ex-Marine cruise ship passenger killed an armed mugger with his bare hands on a bus in Limón. That made the news. Then Robyn in Jacó suffered mightily at the hands of thugs in her home. She is talking long and loud about this, hopefully some good will come of it. Tica Teri says Jacó is filled with cops this holiday week and she is feeling safer there . . . → Read More About Letter Re: Protection From Crime
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