Tag Archives: Puriscal
Bovine bliss
As a child growing up in Philadelphia, I neither knew nor cared much about cows. When the family piled into our car and headed west through the dairy states towards Minnesota, my dad’s home, I enjoyed seeing them, and idly … Continue reading
Free medicine
When Jack’s life-long potassium deficiency disappeared, everyone, especially the doctor, was gob-smacked. His condition had required him to ingest mega-doses of the mineral all day long, or risk not being able to get out of bed. For twenty years, each … Continue reading
A healthy balance on the credit side
Life has taught me to be a little nervous when I’m really happy. I want to knock wood, or refuse to speak of it for fear the feeling will disappear. I remind myself of the Chinese peasant in The Good … Continue reading
Crossing the border
For the myriad expats who have to cross the border every ninety days, here are several ways to get to Nicaragua from San Jose. Those who can afford the price may fly, at a cost of over five hundred dollars. … Continue reading
Feed them and they will come
The hummingbird feeder on the tiny veranda in front of our house was empty when Jack and I sat down to chat. A solitary Rufous-tailed Hummingbird perched on the clothesline nearby. It flew in, chirping loudly, and hovered near the … Continue reading
Making New Friends
One of the bonuses of retirement in Puriscal, Costa Rica, is the thriving expat community. Don’t think: gated enclave, though there are lots of them nearby. Folks here live the rural life, isolated from each other and scattered across the … Continue reading
Riding the Floor
About a week after we moved to Japan, my daughter, Bonnie, and I experienced our first earthquake. As we sat on the floor, Japanese style, our legs tucked under the kotatsu for warmth, the apartment began to sway. “Look at … Continue reading
The Big Dig
BufferMy mouth is a silver mine, once you get past the front teeth. Still, years have passed, decades even, since a dentist has uttered the words, “You need a filling.” My new dentist happens to be the choice of a … Continue reading
The Hug: A Handshake From the Heart
When I meet new people, I like to shake hands. I expect a firm handshake, accompanied by eye contact. If I find myself on the receiving end of a limp handshake, I struggle to resist the urge to wipe my … Continue reading
Miracles large and small
The first time I visited Costa Rica, on George Lundquist’s tour, retirement for the non-rich, one of the sights I saw was the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles, in Cartago. George had lots of cool stories to tell … Continue reading
