June 8

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The day started early with the birds around 5! We were out walkling the grounds before 6 – a long walk down the road and trails to the pool – a gorgeous setting but whether we will be too chilly up here in the mountains to use it, we’ll see. We didn’t spy any new birds, but nice friends, esp the toucanets. The view from the terrace is all the way to the Gulf of Nicoya, on the Pacific coast. Maybe 2-3 hours drive, but only about 20-30 miles! Not much between here and there either.

After our wonderful breakfast made by Heather and Mike, scrambled eggs and bacon for most of us, pancakes for Megan who hates eggs, and cleanup, we all (but Megan) walked about 15 mins down the road to a potter’s shop. Marcelo is the 5^th to use a certain stone to polish the clay. He demonstrated the entire process – the type of clay, the minerals to make the standard typical 3 colors, the number of layers of pigment and how the etching is done, all before the firing. Very impressive and interesting. And he spoke only in Spanish but clearly and slowly, and most of us understood.

Then we came back past the house to get Megan and walked in the other direction for 20 mins to buy lunch. Another excellent “typical” Tico lunch. By the time we headed home it was bucketing down. Jean always carries a poncho for David’s camera, and an umbrella, so we weren’t quite as wet as everyone else. An excellent time to shower and relax in the hottub, which is right on the deck. It rained solidly for at least 3 hours.

Jean and the kids played some card games, and some adults went off – thanks to the kindness of Roberto – by car to the nearest grocery store. Dinner was sausage, rice, beans, cucumber and carrot salad and mashed cassava root! More card games and then a surprise by Heather – she had these crazy facemasks (beauty things) in the form of sloths!! All the girls came in acting like sloths. We made the men try them next. That and some Charades had us all laughing pretty hard.

All in all, a fun day, and we are all tired yet again! Tomorrow we spend the day away from the house.

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