I Have Found Me a Home

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

“Yes I have found me a home
I have found me a home
You can have the rest of everything I own
cause I have found me a home

And the days drift by
They don’t have names
And none of the streets here look the same
There aren’t many reasons I would leave
cause I have found me some peace”

(Jimmy Buffett)

Gideon is now a world traveler. I hope that this vacation is the first of many we go on as a family. Traveling is one of the things that Ries and I have enjoyed together and, though it is different with a kiddo, it is fun now that we are a family.

We had a great time with the Miesmers, whom we do not see often enough. Now we just need to convince them to come to Texas for some good TexMex and some of the 100+ heat we have been having.

I miss the weather in the rain forest!

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I Experience Social Healthcare

My First Stitches

Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

We started walking to the waterfall on a gravel road. I was, as usual, carrying Gideon. My foot slipped and I started to fall forward. All I remember was thinking that Gideon absolutely must not fall on the ground. I twisted and took the weight of the fall on my right knee, then fell the rest of the way on my side, the opposite side that held Gideon.

I laid him on the ground, I knew I was hurt, and I was praying he was ok. Someone scooped him up and by that time he had started to screech. I have never heard Gideon cry like that. They told me he was fine, not a scratch, and that he was just trying to get back to me.

I glanced at my knee and saw a large gash. Ries came over with the intention of telling me to “walk it off” but then he saw that I was holding my knee together. It did not hurt, yet, but I am useless with blood and almost fainted.

Our guide, Luis, took Ries, Gideon, Gary, Cindy, and me to the local hospital. Luckily, there was not anyone else waiting for stitches and I was in and out in 30 minutes. There was still all the usual paperwork, complete with a mumbling guy behind some glass.

Because Costa Rica has social healthcare my stitches were free. I paid $10 for some neomycin and some bandaids. Awesome. Thank you Costa Rica.

The knee is a bit sore, but healing nicely.

The rest of the group continued to the waterfall, which they said was spectacular. Of course it was.

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Paos, the volcano

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

Costa Rica has two volcanoes, Poas and Arenal. Arenal erupted while we were in Costa Rica. We left our villa and traveled to San Jose the last Saturday. We took a guided tour of Poas.

It was overcast, this being the rainy season and the mountains, so we did not see much. Suddenly, the fog cleared and we had a beautiful view of the crater. Then, it started to pour, a cold, drenching rain.

We hoofed it quickly back to the vans and headed for lunch. After a wonderful Costa Rican lunch, beans, rice, plantains, potatoes, and meat, we headed to a waterfall to swim. That was when disaster happened.

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Los Monos

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

We saw monkeys almost every day in Costa Rica. There was a family of White Faced Moneys that came by every afternoon. They had two mommas with babies and one little monkey without a tail. These monkeys have prehensile tails.

We also saw a Howler Monkey one afternoon. He was harping on the construction workers down the road from our villa. Most days, we heard the Howlers but did not see them.

Gideon loved los monos. This little guy came right up to our boat on the mangrove tour.

Some monkey trivia:
Only monkeys have tails. Apes (chimps, gorillas, and homo sapiens) do not have tails.

Most monkeys with prehensile tails are found in the New World.

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A Tale of a Fateful Ship

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

We went on a boat tour of the mangrove forest. It was meh. Gideon had the right idea. He slept through all the boring bits and woke up for the monos (monkeys).

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Ries Conquers La Catarata

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

Here is Ries going down the waterfall.

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La Catarata Adventures

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

La catarata is waterfall in Spanish.

That picture is little old me repelling down a waterfall. We had to climb up and then repel down. Ries and I did that twice. I have two rope burns to prove my courage.

It was harder going up and down the first time, but the second time, I was more confident and enjoyed it more. It was very, very wet, empowering, and fun. I just told myself that I gave birth and after that a little waterfall was nothing.

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One Particular Harbour

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

The beaches in Costa Rica are amazing. The jungle comes right up to the beach. I always feel like I am in the middle of nowhere when I swim out and look back. I mean, nowhere is a relative term, as you practically are in the middle of nowhere.

This is Gideon in his swimming outfit inside Manuel Antonio Park.

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Family Style

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

We had a chef, Leo, who was amazing and took wonderful care of us. Every night we sat down to a great dinner. During the week we had ceviche, seafood paella (with whole squid! delicious!), fish, chicken, pizza, mexican food, and the desserts, oh the desserts.

Ries gained 4 pounds. I am afraid to get on the scale.

Setting the table for 19 people took a long time because no one could count correctly and there would be arguing about if we had enough chairs, plates, and silverware. One would think that after a week we would have figured it out, but a late addition to the party made counting even harder.

Seriously, I think more arguments were had over the setting of the table than anything else.

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Changes in Latitudes

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

Our first day was spent on the beach, where else?

Daiquiris are serious affairs made with real fruit, none of that mix bs that you get here in the States. Gideon enjoyed eating the pineapple and playing with the flowers. Ries and I enjoyed the beverages.

Gideon absolutely loved the sand, loved the waves, and loved flirting with the ladies as they walked by. Seriously, he batted his eyes and waved and smiled to everyone. What a ham.

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A House with a View

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Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

This was the view from the middle level of the Casa de las Brisas where we stayed.

I had almost forgotten how blue the sky is in Costa Rica, how beautiful the water, and the vibrancy of the green of the plants. Almost. It takes my breath away.

I love Costa Rica.

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A Long Day

We are in Costa Rica!

Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre

Costa Rica post #1

We left St. Augustine, Florida, where we attended a wedding, at 3 am Sunday the 14th to head for the airport in Jacksonville. We left without incident, got to Houston, and boarded our flight to San Jose, Costa Rica.

Almost 4 hours later, we got our bags, loaded into a van that was waiting for us and made the three hour journey through the mountains to Manuel Antonio. I was worried that 12+ hours of travel would wear down my happy boy, but he took it all in stride.

We arrived safely and the family was happy to see us.

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Globetrotting

Ries and I have always loved to travel. Indeed, I told him before we married that I expected good (ie far away) vacations every once in awhile. I am a firm believer in vacations. They are good for the soul.

I also think it is good for families to travel together and for kids to learn how to travel. Gideon has already had a long car ride to Florida, a plane ride to Boston, and multiple trips to the family lake house.

Tomorrow, we continue the traveling education. We are attending a wedding of a friend in St. Augustine, Florida and then meeting the extended Miesmer family in Costa Rica! We have a riduculously nice villa in Manuel Antonio. Seriously. This is the place we are staying.

Ries and I were in Costa Rica in 2006 and we loved it. We were in Jaco, which is in the same region as Manuel Antonio. It was amazing. This time around, we are hoping to see some monkeys. I am sure when we get back, I will have pictures galore and stories to tell.

–Michelle, adios!

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Whiney McWhiney-Pants

I am convinced that the only thing those teething rings that you freeze are good for is picking up dog hair off my floor. I have restricted their use to middle of the night only.

This serves two purposes. It keeps the rings free of dog hair, mostly, and gives the poor Milkies a break. I am fairly positive Gideon nursed all night last night. I have the soreness to prove it. I say fairly positive because I would fall asleep nursing and wake up an hour or so later and he would still be attached. If I detached the little remora the whining would start. That was when I gave him the teething ring.

*sigh*

Teething has turned my happy baby into a whiny child. He has not actually whined before but this is full on whining. I hope the teeth come in before we leave for vacation tomorrow.

The Whiner is calling. Momma is needed. I will probably have to read Hand Hand Fingers Thumb 50 times in a row.

–Michelle, sleepless nights, nothing a little coffee does not fix

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The Infirmary

Ries was gone all weekend, leaving me to be a single mom for the weekend. It went well, but Ries returned from Chicago with a sickness. Perhaps it is Swine Flu. Oink! He has been laying abed with a fever and aches since Sunday evening.

Gideon turned up with a fever yesterday, but I think he is working on his top teeth. His gums are huge, his nose and runny eye have been out of control for the past week, and he has those really fun teething poos. Two today so far. Yuck!

Other than an off again on again fever, Gideon has been acting like his normal self, mostly.

So I am stuck in a house full of fevered boys needing Momma. I think today, since we can no longer go to our playgroup due to the fever, I will start laundry for our upcoming trip.

Boring!

–Michelle, bored

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A Firm Grip

It is important to let the bits air out. Sometimes, Gideon escapes before bath, but after his clothes are off and runs gleefully through the house. After bath time and lotion time, but before diaper time, he has another opportunity to take in the air.

There are few things cuter then a naked toddler streaking through the house.

Unless he is walking crookedly.

Gideon walks very well, but when he is naked he tends to swerve to one side or the other. The reason?

He just can not seem to let go of his boy parts whilst running through the house. It puts him off balance, but he refuses to release them. They have been hiding all day. I guess he just wants to make sure they are still there.

–Michelle, too bad it does not work better as a rudder

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Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits

I have always loved biscuits. I have frequently consumed more biscuits than is advisable and ended up happy but with a stomach ache. This is the simplest recipe I have found and they have never, ever turned out badly.

Kiss those canned biscuits goodbye. The extra time it takes to make these biscuits is well worth it. I think I shall make some tomorrow for breakfast. And really, what is 10 minutes of work for glorious fluffy biscuits?

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 c. self rising flour
1/4 c. shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream

Optional additives: 2 tbs of flax or wheat germ

Combine flour, salt, and shortening until texture is mealy. Add milk and sour cream. Mix until a soft dough forms. Allow dough to rest 3 minutes. Roll out the dough to 1 inch thickness on a well floured surface and cut into rounds. You can also just drop the desired amount onto the baking sheet for drop biscuits.

Preheat oven to 450.

Allow biscuits to set for 10 minutes. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Baking time will vary depending on the size of the biscuits.

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And nothing was stirring, not even a mouse

Some of you may or may not know that I was a librarian before I was a chaser of a toddler. In July, I am going back for my first conference in a year and half. That may not seem like a long time to some people, but I was going to a conference every couple of months before I got too pregnant with Gideon to travel. I can safely say that I do not miss my job, but I dearly miss conferences, teaching, and seeing my friends. By seeing my friends, I mean geeking out and laughing over drinks. And of course, solving all the problems of every library in the world.

It is what we do.

I am working on a very cool program with a friend and frequent partner in crime. I was able to sit down and work on the program for a solid hour today because Gideon is taking a nap and I have nothing else pressing.

Beautiful, wonderful nap time.

Thank you, God for nap time. I think God made children need naps so that moms could rest, energize, and stay sane. I am positive naps keep me sane, both his and mine.

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