This is really the first time I’ve been to Costa Rica during the rainy season. It seems appropriate, somehow, for the weather reflects our moods admirably.
In the morning, the sun comes up bright over the hills to the east and burns off the fog. Shortly after noon, the clouds start to gather and about the middle of the afternoon the rain begins with much muttering and flashing, falls torrentially for a while. Then evening falls with beautiful mists in the valleys.
We wake up a little foggy from excess, have some coffee, then prepare a simple breakfast. (Today we had gallo pinta (mixed black beans and rice) with onions, peppers and chicken sausage, prepared by moi.) Sometime during the day, some tears will fall, as the grief that Jeri feels is raw and new. Later on, when the storm subsides, we get some work done, and then sort of go off into a misty loveliness, reminiscing.
My alcohol consumption has dropped back to my normal one or two drinks, so I am not all that foggy in the morning. This morning was a little different, since our arousal time was 3:30 a.m. Heather (Jeri’s daughter) left for the US this morning.
Yesterday the two of them went to San Jose to retrieve Jay’s ashes from the mortuary that cremated him. I stayed here, since the house needed to be cleaned. Needless to say, during the last week housework was the last thing on anybody’s mind, and the spiders took full advantage of the lapse in usage of dusting and sweeping implements.
I also thought that this trip was one that was best made by the immediate family, no extraneous energy was needed. Since Heather was leaving today, I also thought that a long period of alone time for the two of them would also be appropriate.
As it turned out, they had quite an adventure. Despite the fact that Heather had a GPS and also went to the trouble to call the mortuary and get directions to it, they got lost. This is pretty easy to do in San Jose, which shares a lot with many European cities in that the streets are narrow, twisty, labyrinthine and not well labeled. Anyway, for some reason the GPS had a little snit and would not take in addresses in any language and then translate them into directions to the same.
After a certain amount of fumbling around which led them into corners of San Jose that non-natives really shouldn’t be exploring without guides and protection, they finally decided to throw themselves on the mercy of the local constabulary. First, the occupants of the small police station that they found themselves at all congregated around the rental car and endeavored to coax the GPS out of its funk. No one could speak the appropriate spell, however, and so finally the policemen decided that the easiest thing to do would be to lead the errant travelers to their destination.
This was complicated by some sort of rule about what locale each police station’s denizens were allowed to take their vehicles into, so the policemen (one of whose number was actually a policewoman) abandoned their little station, piled into one of their patrol cars and led my friends to the edge of their territory.
There they were met by another vehicle full of policemen, who proceeded to escort Heather and Jeri to the actual mortuary. Everybody was happy to help, and I’m sure it was a lot more fun for the police to help Jeri and Heather than it was to deal with actual criminals and rioting.
Anyway, we were supposed to have a wake for Jay at his brother Cal’s place, and the two travelers arrived back home only a few minutes after it was actually supposed to start. No problem, this is Tico country, and things happen when they happen.
I had already gotten our contribution to the party (guacamole) prepared, so they changed their clothes and we got our taxi and went off to Cal’s home, which is lovely in the extreme. There we met with a few friends and toasted Jay, told stories, and generally had a quite nice time.
This morning, after Heather left, I slept a little longer until the rising sun hit me in the face as it beamed through the window. Jeri had not slept.
We went to Atenas this morning to do a little shopping, and had a light lunch near the plaza, where the people have gathered to begin their Independence Day celebrations. Some of the cutest children dressed in national costumes were running around with their Mamas and teachers.
After lunch, we came home, and Jeri is resting. Tonight we are probably going over to Calle Mimi where our very good friend Douglas lives, and avail ourselves of the pool there. Douglas wants to cook us some ribs, so we’ll probably have a quite wonderful evening.
Meanwhile, the clouds are gathering (literally and figuratively). So I must go remove the laundry from where the rain can reach it, and ready myself for the afternoon’s activities.
Stay safe, everyone. And know that I love you, Jim! (I know you will read my blog!)
the havens 