10/2/7

It’s been very busy these past few weeks. Joyce and Liam came to visit for 10 days. Two women, Lorrie and Jen, from Linda’s work were here for a week. When we took them back to the airport, we stayed to meet two guys from Bracebridge who were coming in on the same plane the women were leaving on. They didn’t get there, the airplane had to land in Cancun, Mexico because of engine problems. The airline paid for them to stay in Cancun, and the women to stay in Liberia. We did meet Ray and his wife Natalie, as they got off another plane to go to the Fiesta Resort in Puntarenas. We knew they were coming, but didn’t expect to meet them at the airport. On the 30^th, Jim and Gary came back for 3 weeks, they have gone to Tamarindo today. When we take them back to Liberia, our friends Lorne and Mary are arriving for a week.

We took Joyce and Liam to Jamie’s little zoo, it’s great. She has two white-faced monkeys, two howler monkeys, two toucans, and a baby sloth. We also went to the parrot reserve again, and Monteverde.

I took Lorrie and Jen to Monteverde, and they rented a car and went to Arenal. They went through Canas, and returned through San Carlos. The roads are all good now, and they enjoyed the drive, but, as usual, the volcano was covered in cloud.

Grant and Ricky, from Bracebridge, travelled more on their own. They spent some time in Montezuma, stayed a few days at Jamie’s, and have gone on to Lake Arenal to fish striped bass, and Playa Coco, to fish marlin before they go home.

Ray and Natalie spent some time with us. We had a party at Jamie’s, a birthday supper for Ray at a local restaurant, a day in Monteverde, and an evening here. They also took tours from the hotel, including a zip line tour through the waterfalls at Miramar, and a catamaran tour to an island off Puntarenas.

Jim and Gary relaxed for a while, but rented a car on Tuesday, and went to Arenal on Wednesday. They were lucky, and the volcano gave them a good show. Jim was very impressed with the flowers, and birds, and in particular, the hedges at Zarcero.

Meanwhile, we have built a sidewalk out the back, painted the rocks in the front, fixed the floor, the ceiling and the back of the house, and tried to keep the leaves off the lawn. We also had a bunch of trees cut down, and a couple more trimmed, meaning lot’s of burning to do.

Linda just reminded me that while she was at the beach yesterday, with Jim and Gary, a whole family came down with garbage bags and picked up much garbage. Anonymous thanks and kudos, the garbage men just can’t keep up when it gets busy, and the barrels overflow, and the tide brings more in. I did the same for my little street, and the corner where tourists seem to think they can drop their garbage bags for pickup. It’s been two weeks now, and it seems to be staying clean.

Things have been very hectic here, but it’s been a lot of fun, and time is just flying by.