Day of Rest

Posted on November 6, 2011 by silvergrrl

Sabbath: a regular (usually weekly) time of rest, worship, and/or special activity, observed by any of several religions and traditions.  [Wikipedia]

I’ve been thinking lately about the religious admonition to “honor the Sabbath and keep it holy.” When I was growing up in East Tennessee, pretty much everything except churches were closed on Sunday. Grocery stores and diners, maybe, were open, but with limited hours. Most people in the Southern US are familiar with “blue laws” that prohibit businesses from operation on Sunday, even if they are rare these days.

Over the years, we’ve all gotten past such archaic ideas, haven’t we? Sunday’s just another day, substitute church for work if you are of the Christian persuasion.

So I am astonished to realize how I have come to cherish my Sundays, because they are the one day I am free to relax. No plans, no commitments, no nothing unless I voluntarily agree to take it on. My day of rest. I mooch around the house, read the paper, MAYBE go to the grocery store if we didn’t manage to get there on Saturday. Knit, watch TV, read a book, take a nap, rent a movie. I need this time, this day, this respite from the world. It is precious to me, and I do not willingly yield it.

So that “honor the Sabbath” stuff is ancient wisdom speaking to me today. Not the bad old days where everything was closed. The inner Sabbath, the need for regular retreat from the vortex of modern society. I take mine every Sunday. When’s yours?

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Sueños de Bambú

Posted on September 25, 2011 by silvergrrl

Have you ever walked in a bamboo forest? Some are open and light, others are dense and shady. The stalks clatter gently in the wind. They smell grassy.

Bamboo Forest at Dawn

On the island of Maui, there are several bamboo forests, and when we lived there I loved to visit them. There’s one where you can walk for about a mile through the bamboo, then you come out at the top of a very tall waterfall with huge rocks to sit on and a view of the ocean.

Aside from being amazing while alive, bamboo is also one  of the world’s up and coming building materials. If you are not familiar with bamboo as a building material, it is wonderful for many reasons. It grows fast, it’s beautiful, it’s VERY strong, and termites don’t eat it.

For example, the company CO2 Bambu is doing extremely cool things in Haiti and Nicaragua with bamboo: post disaster reconstruction, shelters, houses, schools, etc. As a Central American business, they are having a huge impact in that part of the world.

Some friends of ours on Maui are doing a somewhat more upscale version and creating gorgeous temple-like buildings. This video from Bamboo Living includes our friend Kutira and some buildings on her property.

And you know what’s even cooler? The folks from CO2 Bambu and Bamboo Living are joining forces in Central America to provide a broader spectrum of available bamboo housing.

More about Kutira: she is an amazing singer and teacher, and her husband Raphael is an incredibly talented musician. If you want to find out more about them and the Kahua Institute, click here.

Hasta pronto, aloha nui loa, until next time.

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One Step Closer to Costa Rica

Posted on September 21, 2011 by silvergrrl

We are about to commit some money toward our retirement plan.

After doing our due diligence, we have decided to invest in Osa Mountain Village in the southwest part of Costa Rica. It’s a developing sustainable community that seems almost too good to be true, except that we’ve talked to a bunch of people who are involved on different levels, and are going down there to see it in person in January.

I’m sure I’ll be writing more soon. But first, I’d better get on those Spanish lessons!

 

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Hello world!

Posted on September 19, 2011 by silvergrrl

And so I take my first tiny step away from Google in the world of blogging. It’s the same reason I have my own domains – the same reason I like cats. I walk my own path.

My old blog will stay put, but no new content will go there. I’ve pulled over my favorite posts from there to here and will just keep on going!

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I have always been a loner

Posted on July 6, 2011 by silvergrrl

I am totally amazed that I have been happily married for nearly 18 years. How on earth does he put up with me?

Here’s the thing: I am totally retarded at relationships once they get past a certain level of closeness. I just don’t get how emotional intimacy works except with a very few people. Plus I seem to have an instinct for choosing friends with psycho streaks that end up dooming the friendship. When their crazy point hits mine, cablooey! Hmmm. That might all be related, yes?
Perhaps there’s nothing wrong with having only a few close friends, but it feels very lonely sometimes. All I can say is that fundamentally, it’s how I am. I am recharged by solitude. I like it.

I think it’s why I like Twitter better than Facebook. It’s more interesting and less connected, if you will, at least for me, and I like it that way.

And yet, still, I want more companionship than I have. I need to get involved with — something. That fits my schedule and is fun, no responsibilities. God knows I have enough of those already. I think maybe I’ll check out the local drum circle that meets on Friday evenings. I know some of the people who do that. Get my husband to go with me, he knows some of that crowd too.

I will keep you posted.

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Fun in the sun on a perfect afternoon

Posted on July 2, 2011 by silvergrrl

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What Makes a Home? or, can I really learn Spanish in my 50s?

Posted on May 22, 2011 by silvergrrl

My husband and I just took a trip to Costa Rica. Aside from being a VERY much-needed vacation, we were traveling with an eye to potential retirement a few more years down the road.

There is nothing like getting your feet on the ground somewhere to feed thought processes.We lived in Hawaii for several years, so I know what it’s like, at least on some level, to live in the tropics. But Hawaii is part of America, and everyone speaks English. I’m daunted by the thought of moving somewhere that requires a new language.

Now, many Americans live in Costa Rica and don’t learn Spanish. They live in “gringo neighborhoods”, or hang out mostly with other ex-pats. Personally, I can’t imagine that. It would be way too isolating. Many Costa Ricans speak some English, but not that much. How could you enjoy people you can’t talk to, or participate fully in the culture?

So while I ponder uprooting myself yet again, I signed up for LoMasTv.com and I am enjoying the little beginner videos. And I am following some Costa Rican Twitter accts, and painstakingly translating their tweets as best I can.

So adios for now, I have to go tend the black beans I am making for Gallo Pinto. That would be Costa Rican black beans & rice – too yummy!!

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My trip to the Vet – by Grrrkitty

Posted on May 21, 2011 by silvergrrl

I am stealing Mom’s blog again to talk about my trip to the vet today. It’s way too much for tweeting!!

I went because I hurt my left rear leg back in April, and I have been limping ever since. The X-rays did not show a break, but did show that there is a problem with my knee. The diagnosis was ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal tear. This kind of injury doesn’t really heal itself without surgery.

So today I went to the vet that would do the surgery, if I have it. He checked my general health to make sure I am healthy enough for the surgery (I am!), then he had to check the joint. Ouch! So Kyle the nice veterinary assistant held me while the vet moved the joint around – we were afraid it would REALLY hurt! But you know what? All I did was fwip my tail and meow a couple of times. So now Mom & Dad know that I am not in very much pain, which made them feel better. The vet said I’m limping mostly because the joint is unstable, and I know not to put too much weight on it.

So what to do? The surgery would help stabilize the joint, but might not fix the limp. I’m actually getting around pretty well, I can even run through the house and play with my catnip mouse. The vet also said that in cases like mine, sometimes after a few months enough scar tissue forms around the injury to stabilize on its own WITHOUT surgery.

But another thing we saw in the X-ray are some arthritic changes in the OTHER knee, which so far is OK. But if it also gets a problem, then I would have problems in both legs which would not be good. Or if I blimp up and get obese (I am a svelte 7.5 lbs) then I would also have more problems.

So Mom & Dad are thinking over what the vet said so they can make the best decision.Fortunately there is no hurry.

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Full Moon Over Costa Rica

Posted on May 17, 2011 by silvergrrl

May 16

It’s nearly over. Tomorrow we fly home. But today…well, today we are still in CR, and it was a gorgeous day. Sunny with a wonderful breeze.

Normal breakfast at the hotel, and fun conversation with another couple that we met who live in San Jose, CA, which of course is Mick’s home town.

After relaxing on the patio for a while, we walked to the Yoga/Pilates studio down the street, and I took the 11:00 Pilates class. It was supposed to be 75 minutes long, but actually lasted an hour and a half. The teacher taught the class almost entirely in Spanish, but I was able to get most of it because I’m so familiar with Pilates. I actually understood more of it than I expected to because of that. She cued me in English when I needed it.

For lunch, we went back to the same place as yesterday – fish tacos and a fruit sandwich, as well as la gata daintily begging. It was just as delicious today. The rest of the afternoon was devoted to the lounge chairs by the beach – sun (yes with lots of sunscreen), reading, swimming in the ocean. There was just enough surf to make for fun in the waves. Then a dip in the pool to get the salt off, and a few more minutes in the sun to dry off.

When it was time for more food, we decided to try a BBQ place near the Pilates studio. It was GREAT. Smoky delicious pulled pork, tropical cole slaw with papaya and pineapple, sweet potato fries. And the sauces – they make their own. Regular, sweet smoky, and “Carolina style” vinegar. Yes, they called it that. And hoo boy, it was better than any vinegar-based BBQ sauce I EVER had in SC. We asked what was in it, and I am going to try to recreate it.

I actually have a number of recipes to find/create that we have really enjoyed here, all listed in my handy little notebook.

As we walked back to the hotel. the full moon was high in the sky, looking serene and beautiful over the trees.

Tomorrow morning we are getting picked up at 9 to head to the Liberia airport, which is about 60 miles away. We are checked in but still have to pay the departure tax after we get to the airport. Here’s hoping that all is uneventful.

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Sun, Sand, Shopping – In other words, Heaven

Posted on May 16, 2011 by silvergrrl

May 15

La Gata - our lunch companion

La Gata – our lunch companion

Low key today. Woke up around 7:30, had breakfast, strolled around to see what was open & checked out the various stores. It never ceases to amaze me that two stores will have the same merchandise for wildly different prices. There was a skirt I found that I liked – one store had it for $33, and two blocks down I found the exact same skirt for $20. Guess which one I got? Also a great t-shirt with koi on it, and some sandals.There was a cat hanging out at the open-air cafe where we had lunch, friendly but really more interested in whatever food she could coax from the diners.

After lunch we walked around a little more, then it was back to the hotel. We went swimming in the ocean and the hotel , then just relaxed on the lounge chairs by the pool for a while. We decided to walk down to a restaurant called FTs for dinner, another open-air place. When we got there, they had the Sharks/Canucks game on! Unfortunately, we sat at a table right underneath a light, and were bombarded by little black beetles during our whole meal. Yuck.

Tomorrow, I might go to a Pilates class, it depends in part on how much it costs. The schedule was on the door of the studio but not the price.

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