January 1, 2008

Happy New Year. The builders weren’t here for the holidays, I hope they will be back next week, and have the house finished in two more.
The engine is in the car. I picked it up last Friday, and we went for a ride. We were going to go to the beach, but needed gas first. Lucky we did, because as we passed the road to the mechanic’s, the engine started smoking and spewing oil. I took it right over, and he figured it was the turbo. Next day, I picked it up, took a short drive, and then went into Puntarenas. There is a strange noise I want him to investigate, but no smoke or oil loss. I don’t know if I will get a new turbo from the company that sold the engine, but I doubt it.
We went to a New Year’s Eve party at Jim’s last night. It started at supper time, and we planned to leave early. We had a nice barbecue, but no one else had arrived when we left at 8:00. More people came later, but we have been invited back today to help with the leftovers. I think there was a lot of competition for party guests, and Jim didn’t plan his until this weekend, so many people were already committed. He plans to hold the next party on a less popular night, with more advanced notice.
We were thinking of going to another small party at Irek’s, or even a dance in Coyolito, but Linda pulled her back, so we came home and watched t.v. It’s been a lot quieter here this year. Last year we went to eight parties in fourteen days, and turned down a couple. Mike got back from Canada yesterday, and is coming for a visit with Sandra and their new baby tomorrow. Maybe together we can liven things up a bit.
The picture is of Playa Blanca. We went looking for a place to swim on Sunday. The beach was full, and the tide was low, which makes it hard to swim. Both river spots were crowded too, so we drove up to The Oasis in Coyolito. Coyolito is a small village with a big tourist complex that includes a bar, restaurant, large dance floor, pool, tennis courts, and cabins. Linda had the pool to herself, and we enjoyed some pleasant conversation with the owner and his wife. That’s where the dance was last night. The owner is a musician, and his group plays there every weekend. We will get up to see him soon. It’s a beautiful spot, but very out of the way. I hope he gets discovered, and is able to make a go of it. Now that the farms are mechanized, most of the people that worked on the farms have moved to find work. There are actually quite a few people from Coyolito here in Punta Morales and Judas.