3/7/6

Gary told me my last blog went to Costa Rica newsfeeds, I hope I got it right now. The surveyor came Monday and fixed everything up. It was wrong, but close enough for all to be happy. I lost 5 sq. m. on paper, but the lot is the same, so I guess I’m fine with that. I just wanted to know what was going on for sure. The mechanic was only in Judas, so I could have taken the car in on Monday, but Tuesday he looked at it and Wednesday Marvin took me into Puntarenas for a new water pump that was necessary, and 2 belts and 3 bearings that were getting close. I like that. Better now than on the road somewhere, probably with no shoulder to pull over on. Every road trip with Marvin is fun. I’m amazed at the conversations we have with my limited Spanish. They usually involve beer and fries for me, and whiskey and cerviche for him, and probably another bar I haven’t been to yet.

Last week I started digging for a new sidewalk beside my house. What with the clay, rocks, and roots, I finished yesterday. Jose got off work early and helped me build the forms, as he has more experience than me. I’m amazed at his physical capacity. His job these days is picking up 125-150lb. bags of salt off the ground and carrying them on his shoulder to a truck, maybe 30-40 feet away. Then he has energy left to help me!

My dog is very mellow. He lays around all day, always has, it’s the breed. Sometimes I think the vultures are going to take him away by mistake. But when I grab his leash, he bounces up and down like a Jack Russell puppy. He has always enjoyed his walk more than anything, and, since walking is my favorite activity, we make a good pair. I mention this because this morning we went on a particularly long walk. I always thought the scenery in Muskoka was beautiful. British Columbia is spectacular too. But Costa Rica is amazing! Trees everywhere with bright beautiful flowers, more flowers in gardens and beside the road, mountains, the ocean, and birds of all colours and songs. I’m a tough, insensitive, 70’s kind of guy, but even I had to stop several times just to marvel at it all.