Happy New Year 2011

Happy Holidays to all. Xmas in the tropics is always a bit odd for us and this year Joe is re-doing the pub so all his energy is going into having it painted, reframing and rearranging pictures and beer paraphernalia. We are getting ready for our annual New Year’s Eve gala and this is shaping up to be the best one yet.

I arrived back in paradise in late October just in time to experience the final burst of the rainy season. A tropical storm brought three feet of rain causing flooding in the village and throughout Costa Rica. Up here on the mountain, it was safe and glorious--gentle mists followed by torrents of rain, occasional clearings where the clouds hover and touch the hills across the valley. I loved hiking our mountain with my oversized umbrella taking in the lush jungle foliage and unwinding from my six months in the States.

Living up here with the rhythms of nature is clean, beautiful, and peaceful. Doing yoga is heavenly—the peaceful images, the gentle breezes, the calm rhythms. Generally I only go off the mountain for errands. And I drive my quad like I have been doing it forever. Joe and I watch reruns of Boston Legal on our movie screen every night. It is a great life.

We have new gardeners, Diego and Xavier. Diego is in his early 20's, tall, with dark wavy hair and light skin. He wears some of Joe's old T shirts, like Obama 2008. Xaviar is in his early 40's, with a slight build, a sad face, and a weathered look. Joe meets with them every morning and his Spanish improves as he supervises them. There is so much to explain about how we want things and sometimes there are misunderstandings.

Joe had a “Welcome Home” party for me just after I arrived. About thirty of our friends came, brought food to share, and it was great to see everyone. I did a Breathwork session at the nearby Costa Rica Yoga Spa and I am advertising for Breathwork and Counseling in the Voice of Nosara. I hope to be doing sessions on a regular basis thought our main focus is on selling our house.

No bites on the house yet but I now have business cards I give to our friends. “If you find us a buyer, you get a finder's fee” I tell everyone. Brokers don’t work the way they do in the states. Here, their strategy is to post on the internet, have a live person answer the phone and that seems to be it. We need more active marketing than this and who better to help us than our friends. So check out our blog again. Www.nosaraparadise.blogspot.com which has all the specifics and if you find us a buyer, you get a finder’s fee.

Joe and I went to San Jose last week for medical appointments. It was unseasonably cold with temperature in the high 50’s and people wearing gloves and scarves. Now we are preparing for our big party. We are THE PLACE for New Years Eve. And now since we aren’t open that often, people really want to come up. Thanks to Alejandro, we have two indie bands coming in from San Jose. Pancho’s, one of our local restaurants will be doing the food. Kimberly will bartend. We are hoping for a good fun party.
We have new phone numbers and finally have internet at home
Joe 011-506-8928-5752
Helena 011-506-8718-8568

Happy New Year from the tropics, Love, Joe and Helena