The Hermit Had Visitors

I have been feeling a bit like a hermit lately. I told Katie (my sister in law) how I just seem to be slipping into not wanting to talk to anyone. I don't know exactly why, but it is happening. Or happened. (Sorry to everyone who I haven't spoken to in ages. I am lame.)

So, to shake things up a bit, I had visitors from Seattle for the last four days. Rachael, Claire's old Montessori teacher, and her sister Sarah (who works for an NGO in El Salvador) came down for a visit. It was really nice to have guests who love the kids and love to speak English. I was a little worried that Claire would have some strange "I miss Daddy" freak out thing (because Rachael she knows from home) but she didn't. She was so happy. Although tonight she cried for daddy :(

It was a relaxing four days and the highlight was taking them down to the beneficio (coffee farmer co-op) for an honest-to-goodness coffee tasting. I think I may have enjoyed myself more than them! Today just before they left we went down to my property (there is a nice garden there) and picked avocados, kale and rosemary. I sometimes take for granted what bounty I have down here! Although, the chickens aren't laying eggs. . . that is another story.

Here are some pics of our last four days.

Misc. Happenings

Henry's new friend. Too bad he isn't real!! (Katie - this one takes the cake!)



Random pretty green bug.



Swedish midsummer celebration - dad was the only non-Swede!



Baking rosemary bread with 'Roggie' - a regular Sunday event.



Looking at our new house plans - at one point, Claire tried to climb into the monitor! I think she is excited.

Henry Reads

I mean, he doesn’t actually READ but he loves books (see him reading in the video on the right.) He loves to chase me around with Truckmice and Llama Llama Red Pajama. I have read them so many times I could scream. But I don’t. I have them memorized.

Then, the gods were smiling upon me and I went to the post office and there was a HUGE box from Auntie Katie. It was a Lipka Christmas. They sent books, socks, shoes, bath crayons, stickers, activity kits, disney towels, bathing suits, and last but not least, mouse ears (there is more but I can’t remember it all!!) Thank you Katie, Ethan, Jared, Cal Bear and Glen!!!

So, I now have a lovely selection of books to read to Henry and Claire occupies herself with the cool crafts that Katie sent.

It was a great day!

Tenemos Gallinas!

The price of food here is insane. It is amlost the same price as it is in the states. Here is an example:

Milk = $1.00 for a litre
Eggs = $3.50 for 15 eggs
Cheese = $3.00 for 8oz of cheddar

What I don’t understand is that wages here are so low! I pay Flori $1.50/hour and she is probably the highest paid nanny in town. The going rate for a nanny is about $.90/hour. So, how do people afford groceries? I just don’t get it. On top of all of that, they pay for water and electricity (obviously) which just went up by something like 40%.

So, I decided that it would be a good idea to buy some chickens so I can have fresh eggs every day. I paid $30 for five chickens and this morning Claire, Henry and I went to the hen house and collected our breakfast. It was AWESOME!

Claire loves the chickens but she refused to stick her arm in the hen house to get the eggs. Not because she was afraid of the hens (and they are big!) but because she didn’t like the poop on the floor. She is such a delicate flower.

Side Note: So much has happened in the last month it is hard to try to blog it all. So, I am starting today and Ben honey, I PROMISE to be better!!!