For 2 days and 2 nights we weathered what I'd call a mini tropical storm. Nothing drastic happened at our house, but there were a few households in Nosara not as lucky. One woman told me that she and her husband sat in their vehicle all night, watching as the wind lifted their house's (not a rental) roof off of the walls and slammed it back down several times until in the early hours of the morning it flipped right off and flew into the jungle. Other houses in Nosara village proper suffered the same thing. Several cars were totaled by falling trees and even a bus shelter was squashed.
The first evening the kids and I were to meet with Wantana for sunset, but when we got to the beach and were literally sandblasted, the kids said "uh uh! no way!". We stayed long enough for me to take a few snaps of the breaking waves' spray and get some sand in my camera. It's been on again, off again since.
We've all had little sleep, because the palm trees crashed and swept into the house, dropping big branches onto the metal roof.
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As afore mentioned, Erroll and Lindsay have been taking surfing lessons. They have had 4 lessons with a bunch of Britts. Today, we went and rented 2 surf boards for them to use for the week. I'm quite proud of them, having arranged the whole thing, learning thru lessons (they could've had only 1, but chose the 5 lesson plan). Lindsay thinks she's gotten bitten by jelly fish a few times. It's quite like brushing up against a nettle, with it's stinging, itching feeling. The trick, I'm told weeks after we've already been stomping around on the bottom of the ocean, is to drag your feet so that you don't step on a sting ray. Their sting will ruin the day.
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Uncle Bob's English lessons are going well. He teaches Graibin and Jennifer at the house, Sadie at her office, Consuelo at the Library and his friend in the fruit truck whenever he passes Uncle Bob and picks him up. Five students. Lindsay and Erroll have helped, as have I. It's very exciting to see Graibin and Jenny learn. I have to resist being taught Spanish during these lessons, as it's forbidden. I can see how they might cover more ground this way, but wonder if there might be a bit more camaraderie, and therefore a better understanding if both languages were taught back and forth.
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The countdown to departure has commenced. We are officially trying to get in as much as we can in the last two weeks. There's talk of snorkeling at a sunken ship, a trip to the mountains to see an organization of organic farms (the ones that sell at the farmer's market), a trip to Nicoya with Manuel and the "Capitans" of the fishing boats, who are going on a buying mission. They are purchasing school supplies to deliver to Nosara and Garza. Manuel at the office of the house rentals we're in has offered for us to come along. We'll see if the "Capitans" have room next week.
There is also the matter of going to Dona Anna's. I saw her at the farmer's market on Saturday. She is quite ill with a sore throat, so I won't go until she's better. Michael, a fellow community garden starter I met at Wantana's is interested in helping Anna get on her feet. Anna's is already established, and a good candidate for my efforts, if I return.
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Tonight is a full moon. There is a celebration on the beach, with a bonfire. I think we'll go.
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