Summer's Over!

August 28, 2011

Two weeks in the apartment.  The air-mattress thing got REALLY old, really fast.  Not that we’re sissies or anything, but, because four of the five of the mattresses  could not hold air for more than about an hour after the second night.  We love the look of our almond-wood floors, but not the feel.  Even so, the kids did not want to go back to a hotel, so they toughed it out a night or two more until the rental stuff got here (I say “they” because I chivalrously went on a business trip to Nicaragua, where, ahem, the bed was quite comfy).  Now we all have our own beds, we have a kitchen table, and a couch and love seat for the family room (in addition to two folding tables and several folding chairs on loan to us by our bishop).  We’re still camping, but, one step closer to normalcy.

Like that dapper school uniform, Dalt.

Dayna has been back in the U.S. for the past week getting our home packed up in Jacksonville.  Keat flew out to help her, and now our belongings are on a container, scheduled to be in our new home by  . . . . Halloween?  Still too far away to real excited yet.  Dayna loved the week with Keaton, and getting to see family and friends as well.

It feels too soon for the kids to be going back to school.  But they did.  With no small dose of apprehension.  The whole “new kid on the block” thing exacerbated by the language and culture, and being the children of a mere mortal business manager, vs. one of the off-spring of Costa Rica’s rich and famous who make up a big chunk of the student body.

Volcanoes in Nicaragua.

Apprehensions were unnecessary, as it turns out.  They all have fit right in, and are already getting invites to parties, play-dates, etc.  Biggest crisis was Braden getting flustered the other day at lunch.  When he finally opened up about the root cause of the fuss, turns out that he couldn’t decide whether he should eat lunch with his fourth grade friends (he is in fourth grade), or his fifth grade friends (peer pressure stinks, no?).  He Solomonically opted to do recess with the first crowd, and lunch with the latter.

A kinder, gentler, more capitalist Daniel Ortega running for re-election

I enjoyed my trip to Nicaragua.  Not what I expected.  Very calm, orderly, pretty.  Said to be the safest country in Central America.  Daniel Ortega (remember the Sandinistas??) is in power, again, and soon to be up for re-election.  Polls show him in a decided lead.  This time ‘round, he’s a capitalist.  Guess since the revolution he has invested in several businesses (including much of the local media), and now has a healthy respect for making money.

The shuttle back from Managua.

Just gonna throw it out there—with all of the joggers and bikers on the roads everyday, I (Glenn) have found myself pondering another “Tri” for next year.  There is one that looks like a hoot a few hours from here on the ocean (“in” the ocean for the swim portion of the race).  March 17 if anyone wants to sign up with me.  Just throwin’ it out there . . . .      http://rev3tri.com/costa-rica/costa-rica-sign-up/registration/

We get Dayna back in about 61/2 hours, and can hardly wait. 

Let us hear from you.  Remember, you can reach us via a local call to our J’ville number:  217-245-9597.

Pura Vida!

The Karlinseys

CAMPING

August 14, 2011

It finally happened.  After nearly twenty-three years of marriage, four kids, and eighteen domiciles that we have called “home” it’s never been a problem.  But on the nineteenth, there was a clear competition over the bedrooms.  Will protect the guilty and not mention names, but the irony is that the room that was the coveted, and the one that was scorned, were in opposite esteem just five weeks ago.  Oh well.  Truth be known, it is the difference between a Bentley and a Benz (size, views, quality, each has walk-in closet, each has great views)—a point which has been emphasized, but only partially accepted so far.

Entry to the Apartment--which will be through the elevator door at the end of the hall

Yesterday we “moved in” to our apartment after six weeks of hotel living.  We have all new appliances that we bought last week, so we can cook, clean dishes, wash clothes, all from the comfort of our own home.  What we don’t have, however, is anything to sit on.  Literally.  The floor is our throne.  Last night we slept on blow-up air mattresses; two queens and a double—which means that Dalton and Braden had to share.  Don’t yet know how that worked out for them, but if it was at all like Dayna’s and my experience, they gradually lost about half of their air overnight.

Did we mention we like the views?

As comfortable as that wasn’t, the inconvenience of no furniture in the house was eclipsed by the awe of waking up to the sunrise over the Central Valley as it is called here in San Jose.  Personally, I love it.  We have wonderful views in any room with windows.  From the front of the house, it is mountains, valley, our suburb of Escazu, and the city of San Jose.  From the back windows of the house, it is Costa Rican countryside—literally.  There is a lot on a hill behind us where a few minutes ago I watched the chickens roaming the field looking for breakfast.

Sunrise this morning from our Master Bedroom

On Wednesday or Thursday, we will be getting a bit of rental furniture, thank you Cargill, until ours arrives.  (Since Dayna has not yet packed it out, getting our own in house could still be a couple of months away).  Gotta love camping!

View from our breakfast area--back of the house

Tomorrow, Monday, is Mother’s Day here in Costa Rica.  To their credit, it is a national holiday—i.e., the kind where people don’t go to work.  There will likely still be some stores open, and we will likely go look for area rugs.

Last Friday the kids had new student orientation, and school starts this Tuesday (the 16^th).  We have sensed a little nervousness, but nothing too onerous.  They will be in uniforms, and all three campuses (high school—Dalton; middle school—Brynne; and elementary school—Braden) are all within a stone’s throw of each other.  With the high mix of nationalities in the school, we expect a United Nations experience for them.  We are also assuming, from admissions testing and standards that have already taken place, that Country Day may require more study at home that our kids have been accustomed to.

To their credit, all three of the kids have “exceeded expectations” (can I use performance review lexicon?) this summer.  Rarely a complaint has passed their lips about the move.  They have dived in heads first with Spanish, and with Church, and even tennis.  We fully expect they will take on their new school with the same approach, and do just fine.

I will be going to Nicaragua on Wednesday and Thursday.  This will be a first for me.  I have been told multiple times that Nicaragua is the safest country in Central America.  I am looking forward to the visit.

For the record, we now have Vonage set up as well.  So if you want to call us, just use our Jacksonville number (217-245-9597), it has followed us here.

We hope all is well for you, and hope to hear from you soon.

Pura Vida!

The Karlinseys