First Play

Speaking of looking for the learning in every day,what types of new things did we learn today..... Some things we did as we often do,not tooo much new. The boys did see their first play today.It was all I could do to keep Alex from bolting out out of the room as the costumed Mary implored that her sister Martha help with the work insead of praying at Jesus' feet.Jess took it all in . I think he's close to participating and interacting now instead of huddling in my shadow all the time. He even helped sing a little. Singing familiar English songs in Spanish is one more way to help him learn the language.
What else new.... We got on the bus at a different spot. We rode in a different taxi. We ate a new kind of soup at Grandma's house. Etc. Yes,there are new learning experiences going on so often.Even on a mostly regular day. It is important to discuss the new things with our children as they struggle to understand more and more. For our job is not to keep them dependent on us but to teach them to fly.
Well,tomorrow looks busy as the children and I hope to have a little time on the farm before making the long trip back to our city home. I hope and pray for our Father's blessing as we enter a new week,a new week in which to seek Him anew. Marcella

Bilingual Boy!

Jess has tackled Spanish with a vengeance after months of dragging his feet and is now spouting lots of Spanish! Way to go,Jess! I am thrilled! My biggest fear is that he{ll soon surpass me! The librarians are thrilled as well. I am struggling to keep the children from being overly spoiled lest it go to their heads but they are such alien, little creatures to the faculty that they attract a lot of attention.Add that they are raised quite differently and have been exposed to so much literature and it makes them truly different from the average little patron. And it was amusing to watch Jess wrinkling his brow as he tried to remember how to tell the guard the Spanish version of his name the other day. He gets an A for trying anyway.
We took Jess out on buisness errands today including getting him his first authentic cappuccino. It was quite an interesting little field trip. We examined all kinds of commercial cooking equipment in many different stores.Well,he saw lots of convection ovens anyway!
And yes,we finally have a lovely seeming little cafe that is ours for the using,er,at least we are planning to turn it into a cafe! Must roll,much to do! Marcella

Of Pastries and Rain

Well,baked goods actually.Ever since we{ve come to Costa Rica I{ve been trying to figure out why the baked good shops serve basically the same things with the same crumbly,hollow,bland flavor. Same old baguettes,same old donuts with that awful,cboiled condensed milk icing, dry muffins etc. The cream horns are passable and the cream cheese stuffed bread but other than that it is one disappointment after another generally,and I have done taste testing all over the country. Well,tonight when I was out dragging home sugar, macaroni and cheese and embutidos, I noticed big bags of unbaked breadsticks close to the bread oven. Hmmmnnn... imagine these are shipped to all the bakeries and so the bakeries all carry the same product..... In some ways the Costa Ricans are big on monoculture. Because ,could you tell me why the little mom and pop shops couldn{t make their own recipes. And that could open a whole other subject.I have tried to teach baking and it has been quite the experience. Grown women that don{t know how to use measuring spoons and cups when following a recipe was a new one for me. Recipes for that matter can be hard for them to follow, at least the older generation. But are there no family recipes remembered in their heads.... Sighs nostalgically and wonders if Italy might be in the her future.
Rain. I now feel strongly that I never wish to be caught without my paragua again.There{s just something about running uphill for blocks and blocks in a pouring rain,Costa Rica style in some of your best clothes that makes a woman yearn for her umbrella.
The nightmare of the cafe rentals has not ended yet.We keep thinking we have secured a place and then something happens and we are out looking for a location again.Next time someone pities us I think I will return that they do not understand,Lee and I seem destined to have adventures of this sort and we have accepted it. Probably we would be surprised to have it go smoothly. I imagine there is some Reason the Master Planner wants it this way. That way of looking at it is very calming to me.
We may have a phone line soon.It depends what Monopoly Phone Company decides.If someone with connections says the right words it may be soon. Connections can really get strings pulled in this country.
I think I{m sounding whiney about this culture.Actually,I don{t feel whiney at the moment.Just musing to the keyboard. May you all have a nice weekend.By the way, I know you guys lurking out there could sign up with Blogger so we could talk. Or you could blog even! I could start naming names but guess it will suffice to say you all live in the United States and are all computer literate.Ok,some of you do send me e'mails. I{m especially thinking of a young lady who has a birthday soon who is a sister of my spirit and she could at least write sometimes.But maybe photoblogging takes all her time.Sigh. I know you like when I make expensive international phone calls. Snail mail me then. Marcella

Jumbled Notes

Well,here we are,Lee and I in an internet cafe late in the evening each doing our thing. Almost didn{t come out but Lee tempted me with a stop at Fresas so I yielded. Well,their chocolate torte is nothing special.Neither is their cappuccino.Lee and I are going around sampling fancy coffees since we did a course on espresso making and all the fancy coffees made from the espresso base. So far we haven{t found any that measure up. Am experimenting with chili soup etc for the cafe. Made baked empanadas to use up old jams today.
Such a round of outings we{ve had! I{m trying to shut myself away from distractions this week.I did take the boys out to the free craft session at the library today.Alas! The teacher spoke to the boys in beautiful English.So much for immersion in the Spanish language. I keep trying. I am quite pleased that I was easily able to take the coffee course in Spanish and listen to fast sermons in Spanish now and understand most of it.Now I want to learn to write fluently in Spanish. It is sooooo nice to be comfortable in another culture,country,language.
A homeschooling aquaintance is moving back to the States so we inherited plenty of books,videos etc. Found a purple furlined cape and a jester{s hat for the costume box.Also an artist{s smock.I imagine that will go well with the black beret we have in there.So that{s what the boys are into right now.Plus Jess found the garbage bag of pretty cloth remnants and felt I have and has determined to learn to sew.Looks like I need a basket for the scraps now.Am hoping the rest of my furniture arrives this week.
The ol{ jeep gave out. We{re trying to decide what to get now. Maybe one to grow into......
Well,I should check my e'mails now.Excuse the strange punctuation.Spanish computers are funny..... Marcella