0 Comments
Our first guests arrived today. Kevin has known Alan most of his life. They grew up together in England. Alan and his wife, Karin, live in Florida and decided to come for a visit for the weekend. We haven't seen them since their wedding in 2010 so a visit was long overdue. We picked them up at the airport this afternoon and arrived at the farm at 3 pm. We hadn't had any lunch, so I served some ceviche and guacamole to tie us over until dinner. I served Shepherd's Pie for dinner. After a good, long chat, a few glasses of wine and full stomachs, we said goodnight. They've been up since 3:30 am. They'll sleep well tonight with the cool night air and cosy duvets to keep them warm. Tomorrow we'll show them around the property. It's really good to have them here.
We heard today that the municipality will be coming tomorrow to assess the hollow tree across the river. We wrote a letter a couple of months ago stating it was urgent we get permission to cut it down. We've been waiting all this time. Hopefully, we'll get them to realize how dangerous it is. Although it's on the other side of the river, it's big enough that if it falls it can do damage to our property. That's what we're trying to avoid. It's against the law to cut certain trees in Costa Rica ... and the penalties are even more severe it you cut a tree near a river. We've gone through all the proper channels, wanting to follow the rules. We sure hope we get permission tomorrow to cut it down (it's a no brainer, really). Stay tuned ...
Clara and I washed all the windows on the main house and scrubbed the patio tiles down until everything was gleaming. Kevin, in the meantime, replaced the wobbly deck around the guesthouse. It's nice and secure now.
It's my birthday today. I turn 49. I feel great: I'm happy and healthy. Life couldn't be better. I had a fabulous Skype session with my daughter, Phoenix last night ... and with my parents this morning. I had a wonderful day. I went for lunch with my friend, Catalina. Then Kevin and I were invited to Adriana and Roberto's home for dinner. Both meals were delicious. I came home to many Facebook messages, emails and phone calls from my friends and family wishing me a good birthday. I'm feeling the love.
As the sun was going down, the fog was rolling in ... it was thick: I was expecting to hear a fog horn. I like fog. Now we're in for the night watching movies. First one: The Day the Earth Stood Still ... we liked it. Second: Fireflies in the Garden ... verdict is still out (it just started).
It's my sister-in-law's birthday today. Karen and I had a good long chat on Skype, which we haven't done in quite a while. I hear Burlington is getting colder, there were even a few flurries. It was nice to catch up.
Our first guests of the season arrive next weekend. Kevin and I have been busy yesterday and today doing some spring cleaning. While I was taking care of the inside, Kevin was dealing with the outside. I washed all the linens, towels and curtains. I vacuumed the cobwebs and washed the windows. Kevin power washed the siding, the gutters and the walkway. Today he added a coat of paint. Everything is fresh and clean.
We were invited to have dinner with our friends Andrea and Beto. Andrea and Beto run Casa Al Revez, which is a rural camp for teenagers and young adults. They receive groups of travellers from all over the world who have booked a holiday through an organization called ISV. The program is comprised of three parts: 1) Spanish lessons and living with a host family so they can practice their new language 2) volunteering in a rural community 3) adrenaline-rush adventure. The groups come to Andrea and Beto to experience the rural community portion. These groups have painted colourful murals on the school walls in Copey and in Rio Blanco. They learn about agriculture, gardening, organic farming and how to care for animals. It's an enriching experience. Last season, we were asked to give a tour of our property to several of these groups. The idea is to give an expat perspective as well as being an example to these young people that anything is possible and maybe inspiring them to follow their dreams. We didn't get paid for giving the tour. Although the tour takes nearly two hours, we figured it was a great way to spread the word about the B&B. Andrea and Beto said they'd like to give something back and maybe the volunteers could help us in some way.
So tonight, we went over to Andrea and Beto's for dinner and to brainstorm possible ideas. Kevin and I suggested their groups can make and paint signs for our trails and maybe make benches out of logs so when our B&B guests go on hikes, the trails will be clearly marked and they will have somewhere to sit and rest. Andrea and Beto thought this was a good idea and something that wasn't too difficult to do. One group can start the project and the second group can takeover wherever the first group left off and so on. The first group of volunteers arrive sometime in January. It should be fun for them while we, in turn, get free labour. Sounds like a great plan to us. |
EASY
SIGN UP! Receive our blog in your email inbox! Visit Hush Valley Lodge
Archives
October 2023
Categories |