Little of This, Little of That

So it seems like not much has been going on, then when I look back, I realize that we have actually been up to quite a lot. Here is a photo re-cap of the latest happenings at the Mast Casa.

We had a friendly vine snake visitor. I really wanted to touch it - so I did...then it scurried outa there and scared us all!!

The boys had the day off from school so we went for lunch at a favorite place and hung out, enjoying the sunshine:

Friendly parrot eager to say hello.

Beautiful Scarlet Macaw

My volleyball team traveled to Guayabo and kicked some Tica a$$.

Our second round of incu-chicks netted about 20 but then they caught a disease and started dropping like flies. Three have survived.

Another street rat (dog) was brought over (thanks JJ) and we nursed her back to survival. She is keeping Stella busy and has finally put on some weight.

Jax lost yet another tooth making the grand total three right now. So far, no more are loose so hopefully he won't have to eat with his side teeth for too much longer:)

And there ya have it... not too much happening, but enough that if you blink - you might miss something!

My First 10K

When I first decided to start running I was right in the middle of my weight watchers journey, my mission of losing those 40 pounds I had been heaving around for too many years. I started my workout regimen with the 30 Day Shred and a couple weeks into that, I started Couch to 5k, a running program designed to get your ass of the couch and in 5k shape in nine weeks.

My first run was terrible. I cursed running the whole time (despite that particular session being 1/2 walking)... My goal at that point was to be able to run without my thighs slapping each other raw, it certainly wasn't in order to run a 5k because, well, that seemed like a ridiculous, impossible feat.

Fast forward nine weeks, or maybe 11, I had a trip to the states in there, and I had done it. I was so amazed with myself and my accomplishment. Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to showcase my new found skill until nearly six months later when we went to Wyoming for Christmas and I was finally able to run my first organized 5k, in the freezing cold winter iced over roads.

Seven weeks ago my friend sent me an email about a 10k that was being organized for our little town here in Bagaces. An organized race you say? Oh, but it's a 10k...I can't do that. Or can I? I decided, what the hell, I will try and if I have to walk, I walk a bit - no big deal! So to training I went. I ran on our farm road, I ran with my friends Wiebke and Wilson on the weekends, pushing each other, motivating each other - and thank goodness for them because if someone were to ask me, should we keep going or cut it early, I will ALWAYS choose the latter. They were great training mates to say the least.

So a few weeks ago, I was in Liberia and saw a sign for a different 10k, taking place the week before the race for which I was training. I mentioned it to Wilson and he was all for it (I was just sort of for it) and before I knew it he had signed us both up - no backing out now!

I still figured if I needed to stop and walk so be it, and plus, they had like 3 or 4 drinking stations I could stop!

Last Saturday was the big day and it was hot hot hot. The race was scheduled to start at 2 (really? whose big idea was that?) which in Tico time really means 3:30... Along with Wilson and I were Wiebke and two of her co-workers from the monkey project, Lindsey and Kristen. Karla, who works for my father in law also came and put on her game face!

We checked in and got a sweet shirt and these race time tag things we had to put on our shoelaces...certainly big time! Once the race was underway there was REALLY no backing out. I tried tagging behind Wilson the whole time b/c his pace is faster than mine so it was a good way to push myself. I passed the first water station, deciding to wait until the 5k turn around mark which, when reached, the water lady turned to get more cups as I was passing so I opted to keep running vs. stop and wait the two seconds fully planning, again, to get water at the next.

As I was approaching the 5k mark and as the runners ahead of me started running by, I tried counting the women to get an idea of my placement. After 18 or 20 I lost count and gave up that chore and continued to put one foot in front of the other. I made the turn and started the journey back waving at the friendly faces passing by (the one's I knew that is, I wasn't just running and waving at strangers, don't get crazy)!

Finally it was time for my water - What? You're out? Awesome.

My next mission was to find the finish line. Each time I approached a female I gave a little extra push to pass her. The last stretch was miserable, a sweet down slope - which can only be followed by a breath-sucking, side-wrenching uphill battle. I might have made it up that hill faster if I did actually walk but walk I would not - I was close enough, I was going to finish.

Running through the inflatable finish line I was met by cheers from well wishers and the nice girls who gave me my medal... did I win? Why yes, I won, but not the race...we all got a medal:)

My digital foot tracker thingy time was 1:00:48 and my "official" time was 1:01:00. With over 450 participants, I finished 86th overall and 13th in women! I was pretty damn proud of myself, and really thirsty:)

Tomorrow is the next race - this one is uphill for 5k, and right back down where we came from. I don't have any lofty goals of beating my race time because of the hill factor, but I now know that I can complete it!

Here we are gearing up for the race.

Wiebke, Wilson and me

After race - someone give me an IV

After race gold medal winners

Fresh mangoes and bananas for your tired bodies!

The end.

Welcome to the world baby chick!

Here is a video I shot of our second chick hatching in our incubator. So very lucky to capture it all before my camera battery died! For some reason I can't seem to post video's without the entire right side getting cut off so if you want to see this larger, click on the direct link below. Enjoy!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1A8PLUDFVw

I'm "that" guy, every Tuesday at 9:50am

Picture if you will, running to the store for only a couple items, you grab everything you need and head to the line, only to be stuck behind a shopper who seems to have loaded up to feed a football team - and guess what - there is only one register open!

Yep, that's me - except I'm the one with the cart full of groceries. And I'm that person, every Tuesday at about 9:50 give or take. I shop once a week (on Tuesday's because that's when they get fresh bananas). I plan, I make a list, I buy what I need and pray I don't forget anything. The experience of standing in front of seven people waiting behind me and watching every. single. thing. I take out of my cart and put onto the counter space, which spans all of 1x1 foot, makes me want to slit my eyeballs out with the 7,000 foil wrapped condoms hanging next to the register.

You see, I live in Costa Rica and while I am able to accept it, I am unable to change and revolve around this concept of "Tico Time" where every minute is right now, there is no future time, it is in this moment 100%. Great, wonderful for living in the moment. But do I want to go to the store every day because I can't comprehend what I might need tomorrow. Hells no.

Here is my dilemma, I don't want to be "that guy", so time after time I continue to let a couple people in front of me in line. Today I let in a woman with a soda and pack of cookies, another lady with a single loaf of bread, and a man with a pack of laundry soap and a beer - just one, b/c he doesn't know this yet, but he will want one tomorrow.

So, here I am, letting these people in line in front of me because I cannot bear be so rude as to go in front of someone with only two items. While I am patiently waiting for the ONE attendant to ring them up, a slew of people pile up behind me with... you guessed it, an arms full of purchases. What the HELL am I supposed to do now? If I let everyone in front of me I will never, and I mean never, leave that store. My butter will melt, my bananas will brown, and my ever-present thirst in the 99.9 degree store will never be quenched (I will mention here that I cannot buy chocolate chips at this store because the bags are a solid chunk of melted chocolate...it's hot).

So today I stayed put after the first three. I became the subject of what I'm sure was chatter about me which I didn't understand b/c they were speaking really fast, under their breath, slang Spanish - those tricksters! Okay okay, maybe they weren't talking about me, but if I were a betting gal...

Anyway, as I was on display for what seemed like for-freaking-ever, I felt all 14 eyes leering down on me and my purchases, counting my milks and checking my butter out... Then, finally, after what was probably only four minutes, it was time to pay. I probably only had 40 items and you fellow shoppers and weekly planners out there know THAT is a light load where I come from.

Then a funny thing happened. Well, two funny things. A man walked up to me, who as it turns out, was the owner of the four grocery bags still sitting on and hogging the counter space, and asked me if I had his dry shrimp. I don't even know what dry shrimp is so it's possible I didn't fully understand him, and why do you want to buy shrimp from a store that can't keep chocolate chips from melting? All I could think was "Why don't you MOVE your damn bags off the counter when you're done shopping anyway?"

So the funny thing - as I was putting all my bags into my cart and about ready to push my purchases away from the onlookers and retreat to my car where I would then continue to wait 10 minutes for the delivery truck to move where my butter melted anyway, woman #2 in line grabbed my bag of milk that had been trapped in with shrimp man's purchases and handed it to me.

Well I'll be... thank goodness someone was looking after all! A silver lining to my four minute torture session. Thanks woman #2!

Movies in Costa Rica - eat your heart out.

This week is Semana Santa, holy week here in Costa Rica, and the kids have the entire week off from school. Aaron and I took the boys to the movies in Liberia on Wednesday to see Hop - very adorable, even in Spanish! (I won't mention that it only cost $6 for all four of us).

We decided to grab a bite to eat before the film and found that they opened a new Mexican restaurant which was amazing and way cheaper and almost as authentic as our favorite (and only other) Mexican restaurant around these parts! Can't wait to go back - but - the food there isn't what this post is about.

If you know me, you know I love the movies - and I love the popcorn even more. When I went to the movies in CR for the first time I thought I was dreaming. Could it really be? No chance - if the US doesn't have it, no one has it. Oh boy was I mistaken. And oh boy, what the hell is wrong with the theaters in the US? They don't even have it?

What is this magical creation you ask? Well, come here and I will take you and you can find out for yourself.

Okay okay, I'm not that mean.

It's fresh. popped. hot. popcorn dulce... or Caramel Corn. Ahhh the sweetness. It doesn't get any better than this:

On the left - Popcorn Dulce
On the right - Popcorn Con Sal (with salt)

And there you go. Yes, I suppose I will take you if you come visit me...twist my arm.

Adventures of a Cabalgata

Saturday night I had the opportunity to FINALLY go on my first ever Cabalgata. Typically held to raise money for a certain cause, Cabalgatas are mass horse rides, coupled with entertainment, auctions, food, drinks and festivities.

This particular event was held to raise money for an eight year old girl with Spina bifida. Having already undergone 12 surgeries, she is in need of several more. Currently she has to empty her bladder through a tube connected to her stomach. She desires to go to school and play with other kids and to live a life as close to normal as possible. Just recently, she was given a temporary wheel chair - made possible from the press generated from this event.

Her whole life she has been carried around wherever she needs to go, and her current chair doesn't provide the support her body needs to be comfortable. The government has granted money to build a home for her family, something that is needed before she can undergo any more surgeries in order to have a home to properly recover. However, the family needs a piece of land in order to build the house, in order to have the surgery, in order for her to live as close to normal as possible. So, the money raised from the event will buy a piece of land! Extra money raised will be used to purchase the correct type of chair in order to support her needs.

I am not sure how much money was raised with the event, but if anyone wants to contribute by donating anything, please contact me and we can make arrangements.

Now, back to the Cabalgata...this one was unique, taking place by moonlight! We arrived via horseback and eagerly awaited dusk to turn into night, the moon to light the sky, and the ride to begin. In the meantime, we enjoyed some bocas (snacks) of carne de cerdo con yucca (slow cooked pork and yucca), salchicha (sausage) con tortilla, and some icy cold ones.

Here we are on the way to the event...
Line and Weibke first, Weibke and me second pic...

Here is the bar...

No harassing the bar keeps with this security:)

See the moon?

Live entertainment!

Sights and sounds from the event:


The auction - calf or sheep anyone?

Bathroom break - incidentally the porta-potty was about 10 feet away.

It's TIME!!

Heading out - here you see Ace and Comanche! The ride was about 1.5 hours of moonlit awesomeness. Two big beautiful river crossings, people cheering, riders singing, hooves stomping - the atmosphere was magical.

After about 20 minutes we came upon the refreshment stand!

Everyone sat around and enjoyed a cold one on horse back for about 20 minutes before setting off once again.

For part of the ride these "Cabalgateras" were behind us, singing their hearts out. It seems a "Cabalgatera" is a person whose job is to go to the various Cabalgata's throughout the country and do their thing. Exactly what that thing is remains a mystery - it seemed to me it was flirting with girls and singing songs - what a gig indeed!

Here you can hear them - you can't see anything since I took the video in the dark but you can get the idea of the ambiance.



After returning from the ride, they had a traditional folklore dance performance. I love watching these - the colors are so bright and the people so happy.

A video of the dancing:



Three amigas - Weibke, Line and Yours Truly.

Unfortunately, the night ended and we had to go home. Alas, the adventure wasn't over since we had to ride about an hour to get back home. An hour riding under the light of the moon, I'd do it anytime!

Perry the hungry bird...

Since my mom can't open facebook OR youtube at work, I am sharing this video here! Here is Perry, our Olive-Throated Conure, a parakeet, a parrot, depending on which book/site you look... Anyway, Perry and another baby were either ejected from their nest or fell or something, and thus needed a humble abode with lots of love.

He is a huge pig and loves to eat - here he is eating his breakfast the other morning. This is a mix of corn flour and water as per the vets instructions... Riley is not, I repeat not eating the same food. He is a giant mess of yogurt.

Enjoy!