Dreamy House Plans

 So. For a few days now, Paul and I have been working on the house plans. The latest ones were emailed to us and we printed them off, made some adjustments, scanned it, and emailed them back (with notes).

I tried inserted the copy onto this blog but it appears that since it is in pdf format, my blog server doesn't want to upload it. So you will have to content yourself with knowing that it is

Twelve -- January "Wishes"

I'm taking part in a photography project hosted by Mocking Bird. These are the first two photos I've uploaded this month.

Each month is a new theme and/or color. This month's theme is "wishes" and the color is "white."

Come along if you like. You can join the Flickr group "Twelve" and see the other photos that people share.

Wrapping up my memoir is taxing my creativity in ways that need to be replenished. This is one of the ways I am taking care of myself this year -- allowing myself to participate in another form of art.

Beans and Business

I was emailing a friend of mine today and filling him in on our latest .... and it occurred to me that I could TOTALLY cut and paste. No Shame.

Here's what's going on:

Regarding Paul. He just told me yesterday that he wanted to spend the next year really working on his health: exercise, eating healthier, and losing weight. He wanted to see if that would alleviate his symptoms. The surgeon said that his AVM shouldn't be causing his symptoms and the radiologist said, "Well, yeah! It would." So. Since he got conflicting info, he thought he'd try this and avoid surgery altogether.

But TODAY, the radiologist's asst. called him and said, "Ok. We're all ready for you. We have all the glue we need and we've been trained how to use it. We've heard back from the specialist. You'll need 3-5 surgeries this year."

.....

He's not a happy camper.

It is now my job to call the doc, get all the info he was given but didn't write down. Get the name of the other doc he recommended for a second opinion. Research the glue they want to use. Make an appointment to see the second opinion doctor (in Portland), and make appointments with the three other alternative medical "doctors" that have offered to work on him to avoid the surgeries.

Basically, he's too stressed to deal with it. :(
He wants to just do it and get it over with, but he doesn't want glue pumped in his veins.

**

We're about ready to close on the Costa Rica property. And
we're researching business ideas. For instance, should we import an already manufactured ice cream to sell in a scoop shop over there, or buy the equipment and make our own from local ingredients? If we rent out DVDs, will we buy Costa Rican dvd players and movies, or will we import American ones to rent and then have to rent out the players too? 'Cuz the two don't cross over. (Damn!) Should I bother trying to perfect a gluten-free flour mixture/recipes, if it will turn out to be too expensive to import the special flours? Probably Uvita doesn't sell sorgum, teff, rice, coconut and potato flours. ;) Or xantham gum.

Plus, I'm trying to fix a mysterious garbanzo bean scent coming from the hot tub water. And we're hosting a Chinese exchange student for two weeks next month.

Lots on my plate. LOL

Love and Kisses to you,
Valerie

Chinese Homestay

Well, well, well.

It looks like we are hosting a Chinese middle school student for two weeks next month.

!!!

Time to start researching China.

I picked up Aubrey from school the other day and one of her friend's handed me a flyer about this homestay program. Very excitedly, mind you. Like, she might've even jumped up and down. I read the flyer.

"Do you want to do this, Aubrey?"

"Uh-huh." She smiled.

"Where would they sleep?"

"My room."

I raised both my eyebrows and looked out of the top of my glasses at her.

"I'll clean it." She smiled again.

"Done! If it gets you to clean your room, she can stay!"

We laugh.

"But what about a bed? It says here they need they're own bed."

Aubrey's friend said that the coordinator had air mattresses to loan out to families that needed them.



So.




I filled out the application this morning and met with the coordinator. The first snaffu: it's not a girl.

I guess he'll bunk in Robert's room.


More later.
I guarantee it.
;)

Silliness

We're on the About Us page at Osa Mountain Village's webpage! Just our picture. The bio will be in an upcoming newsletter. :) Does this make us famous?