Painting Progression

Here is an update on the latest painting I am doing.

 

 

 

I find it hard to explain how I get from one point to another. I just keep building up the layers.

 

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Expat Finder Interview

Some time ago, I was asked by Expat Finder if I would participate in an interview about our move to Costa Rica.

I agreed and the interview can be viewed here:

http://www.expatfinder.com/expat-interviews/v7r4/diana-miskell

 

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Using the CAJA on an Urgent Basis

CAJA = Costarricense de Seguro Social (aka Costa Rican Social Security)

EBAIS = Equipos Básicos de Atención Integral en Salud (Basic Teams of Global Healthcare)

Recently I had the misfortune of pinching a nerve in my lower back. Anyone who has experienced this knows how painful it can be. I put up with it for a few days before deciding it was time to see a doctor.

We taxied to the EBAIS clinic in Barrio Jesus. This is the clinic we were assigned to by the CAJA. It is the first step in the ladder of treatment.

If your Spanish is weak like ours, at least for dealing with medical problems, a good idea is to translate your problem from English into Spanish and print it out. Hand it to the receptionist and then the doctor - although our doctor speaks English.

I must have appeared to be in some significant pain because I was seen almost right away. The doctor wrote down my problem in my file and prescribed a pain relieving injection, muscle relaxants and anti-inflamatories - all STAT.

Another taxi ride into Atenas to the EBAIS clinic there to hand in the scripts at the prescription counter. You will need to show your carnet (medical card), proof that your CAJA is paid up to date (receipt) and your cedula (ID card). Then you sit and wait until your name is called to pick up the drugs. In the case of scripts for injections, these are filled at the prescription area and a nurse comes by regularly to pick them up. Your name will be called and you head into a small room for the shot. Neither Lance or myself heard my name being called but a young lady came to get me and I don't know how she knew who I was. Or maybe it was obvious - I guess we stand out because anyone can tell we are not Ticos.

So now we know how injections are dealt with and where we have to go. Every visit we learn something new. Although things seem confusing at first, it becomes clear that there is a smooth running system in place.

 

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Atenas Weather - Year 2014 in Review

For those concerned about the weather in Costa Rica, the charts and comments below about the weather in "Vista Atenas" may be of interest.

 

It is important to note that the temperatures were measured in Vista Atenas near the town of Atenas at an altitude of 2760 ft. (840 m.). Drop a few hundred feet and temperatures are often noticeably warmer. Go up a few hundred feet and temperatures are often noticeably cooler.

The average daytime high was 83.9 °F (28.9 °C). The hottest daytime high was 92.1 °F (33.4 °C) on March 30. The average overnight low was 66.9 °F (19.4°C). The coldest overnight low was 61.0 °F (16.1 °C) on February 4.

All the above temperatures are actual air temperatures. They do not reflect the effect of humidity which, as shown in the next chart, can produce "heat index" or "feels like" temperatures different from the actual air temperatures. Usually, especially during the "green season" with higher humidities, heat index temperatures are somewhat higher than actual air temperatures. - but not dramatically so as can happen in Eastern Canada and the USA during the summertime. On occasion, especially during the "dry season" with lower humidities, heat index temperatures can be less than actual air temperatures.

 

 

In 2014, the maximum "heat index" or "feels like" temperature was 94.1 °F (34.5 °C). It occurred on two days during the year (April 29 and July 15) with corresponding humidities of 61% and 64%. The air temperature highs on these days were 87.3 °F (30.7 °C) and 86.7 °F (30.4 °C).

The minimum humidity during 2014 was a desert-like 11%. This occurred on April 2 and resulted in a "feels like" temperature of 86.5 °F (30.3 °C) - a number actually less than the corresponding air temperature high of 90.7 °F (32.6 °C).

Generally, daytime highs in Vista Atenas were accompanied by relatively low humidities. Overnight lows were accompanied by relatively high humidities. But, these result are not characteristic of Costa Rica as a whole. In the Pacific and Atlantic coastal regions, daytime highs are often accompanied by relatively high temperatures and high humidities. "Feels like" temperatures can easily exceed 100 °F (38 °C) even though actual air temperatures may be less.

 

 

The wet (or green) and dry seasons can seen on the above chart. From January until near the end of April it was dry with virtually no measurable rain. On April 19 and April 25 there were dribbles. Then, on April 26, came the first deluge – over 2 inches (5 cm) in a short period of time. From May to November, several other deluges occurred, the most dramatic being on August 23 – 3.8 inches (9.7 cm).

Total rainfall during 2014 in Vista Atenas was about 74 inches (187 cm). Some parts of Costa Rica got less. Other parts got much more.

 

 

 

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2015 - A Brand New Year

Feliz Año Nuevo!

 

On January 1, 2015, we were invited to Pete and Sherrie's house - our neighbors - to celebrate the beginning of a new year with friends. They live close enough that we were able to walk up to their laneway. We really appreciated having Orlando there to drive people up and down the laneway to the house because it is long and very steep.

Guests brought lots of appetizers which we enjoyed. We met people we know and people we didn't know. There were some who were visiting from Ontario.

Thanks, Sherrie and Pete, for the great time. What better way to start 2015 then being in Costa Rica.

The rancho - perfect for parties.

 

 

View of our valley.

 

Happy New Year from us, Diana and Lance!

 

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New Year's Eve - December 31, 2014

To celebrate New Year's Eve this year, a group of us met for dinner at Mar y Tierra seafood restaurant, which is not far from where we live.

We decided to walk there - about a 15 minute walk and all downhill. Reservations were for 5:00 pm which meant it was still light outside and this made walking feasible. I wouldn't want to walk in the dark on the uneven sidewalks/pathways or step on top of an unseen snake.

 

Just one view on our walk.

Walking towards Atenas on ruta 3. Those joggers are running uphill!

Sometimes it's a path, sometimes it's a sidewalk.

The restaurant is in sight.

Everyone had preordered their meals and ours were the first to arrive. We had bruschetta appetizers - very good and I'd order them again. I had the garlic prawns, which included a salad and white rice. Lance ordered the pasta carbonara and the amount of pasta on that plate was more then generous. It was accompanied by garlic bread.

Our friends.

 

A fun evening - very good meals, good people and nice friends. A lovely way to bring in the new year, especially since we were doing it in Costa Rica!

 

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Christmas in Costa Rica - 2014

Another busy Christmas has come and gone and soon it will be New Year's Eve and a brand new year will be ushered in.

This year, we once again participated in the Angel Tree program. We selected two "angels" from the tree and bought each one a gift. Our angels were a two year old girl and a nine year old boy. I enjoyed buying the presents that they had asked for. I believe there were around 350 children who received gifts and had a great time at the party where Santa made an appearance and handed out all the presents. We have to thank all the volunteers who help make it happen.

Our Angel gifts.

For Christmas decorations, I hung our usual twinkle lights on the hedge. I have a new decoration this year - a tree made from driftwood and decorated with more twinkle lights. It was made by our friend, neighbor and fellow artist, Pete Snyder. He collects the driftwood from the beaches around Jaco and fashions them into trees.

Pete's driftwood tree.

Our friends, Diane and John, invited us to their house on December 21 for Christmas dinner with turkey and all the fixings. Great food and great friends.

Cocktails before dinner at Diane and John's house.

 

The following day saw us heading to a Christmas party at our neighbor's house. These same super neighbors served us another Christmas dinner on December 25th. It was a sit down dinner, served outside by the pool. All the tables were beautifully decorated. There was turkey, a ham, all kinds of different side dishes, yummy desserts.

Merry Christmas from us, Diana and Lance!

It's so amazing to be celebrating Christmas in a tropical country. It is something I wish everyone could experience at least once.

Feliz Navidad, everyone.

 

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