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