Greetings from Costa Rica

I am writing this from my mother-in-law's computer, in her home office, with all the windows wide open and a tropical breeze blowing through. When I logged on to Blogger to write this, the text all came up in Spanish. My two sons are playing dominoes on the balcony with with my mother-in-law and a friend. One of the mutts (and I do mean mutts -- these are true Costa Rican street mutts!) is wrapped around my ankles. There are monkeys roaring in the trees outside. I don't think I'm in San Francisco any more.... My boys and I took the red-eye to Costa Rica Wednesday night to enjoy a week of true vacation, and visit their grandma and aunt and uncle who live here. Dozing on the plane in the wee hours of Thursday morning, I started the transition to thinking in Spanish -- getting ready to speak as little English as possible for a week, immerse ourselves in the culture and community, take a real break from our daily lives in California. I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have this place to come to! Costa Rica is as close to paradise as I have ever found. Hot, gorgeous, tranquil, safe. Amazing beaches. Monkeys in the trees. Iguanas wandering the trails around our house and pooping in the swimming pool. Bugs that we don't care to examine too closely, hidden in corners and folds of the curtains and wherever else it is dark and generally undisturbed. The saying here is "pura vida" -- which literally translates as "pure life." And that's what we're doing here this week -- enjoying life as it is, with whatever it has to offer ... nothing more, nothing less. Pura vida. Wishing you all a wonderful summer from waldlaw!