Rooster, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica October 2019

This handsome devil wanders over from the neighbor’s yard every dawn with his flock of hens. He hops atop an old stump and crows his little heart out every morning. The only downside to this aural extravaganza? The stump happens to be right outside my bedroom window! Lucky me!

Perro Pondering the Sea, Playa Carmen, Costa Rica October 2019

This sweet boy has joined me at my favorite spot on the beach the past several mornings. He waits patiently while I stretch through my yoga routine, then after a few rounds of fetch, he goes out on patrol. Sometime later he joins me on my towel for some scratches under the collar. I looked up from my journal the other day to this scene. Don’t you wonder what he was thinking?

Note: Just in case, perro is Spanish for dog. My Spanish still isn’t great but my Spanglish is awesome!

The recent passing of my aunt Coralie has been sitting heavy on my heart as she was very dear to me. Most of my young life she lived in Texas. During her annual visits to Tucson I appreciated how she made a special effort to spend time with me.

A lifelong traveler, she’d send me postcards from whatever far-off country she was exploring. Her gallivanting filled me with wonder and, while I was born with a curious spirit, Coralie gets credit for encouraging my wanderlust.

Born in 1930, Coralie marched to the beat of her own drum, which wasn’t always easy back then. The family moved from Milwaukee to Tucson in 1934 in hopes of finding a brighter place to weather the Great Depression. After graduating from Tucson High School she began working in local government. That career path led her to Denver where she took the civil service exam which resulted in a job at the Pentagon.

In the late 1960s, in a very unusual departure from the family’s hardworking ethic, Coralie quit her job and hopped on a freighter bound for Europe. After a few months of touring around she walked onto the Weisbaden Air Force Base and landed a job as a secretary. Several years later she transferred back stateside, to Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio.

Coralie worked in the purchasing department for the C-5A Galaxy (at that time the largest aircraft in the US fleet). She loved her job and excelled at it, even attending night school in order to get a college degree to further her advancement. She especially delighted in her paid vacations and used her time off to continue her worldly travels.

Since Coralie enjoyed her work, she was in no hurry to retire. Every year, after age 65, the General she worked for would ask her when she was going to retire. With a wink Coralie would reply, “You’ll be the first to know.” Turns out, the military had to close the base in order to finally get her to retire!

In early 2001 she moved back to Tucson, to my great joy. Over the last eighteen years I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with Coralie. Since she never married or had children, my step-sister and I happily filled in the latter role. Many a laughter-filled evening was spent around her dining room table. Game nights were especially fun (though you had to keep a close eye on Coralie, since she inherited Grandma’s penchant for a little self-dealing, if you know what I mean).

While her traveling had slowed in the past few years, in the end she had visited every continent (except Antarctica). A dedicated member of her church and supporter of several charitable organizations, Coralie’s intelligence and thirst for knowledge will be missed by many.

I will especially miss our long conversations and random adventures: museum visits, lectures, outdoor concerts, and even a behind-the-scenes tour of the University of Arizona’s sports facilities. Bon voyage on your last trip, Coralie, I will treasure all our wonderful memories…

Coralie, October 2015

Flotsam Colones, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica October 2019

Wow – what a great day! Not only was the weather absolutely perfect for a long beach stroll but the ocean gifted me with a bunch of colones. Up until now, I’ve mostly been finding small coins (roughly equivalent to our US penny). I’ve been using the change to buy my daily banana from the market on my way to the playa (about ten cents).

Today I headed north for a longer than normal jaunt, eager to explore new territory. Rounding a bend I noticed a bunch of colorful rectangles mixed in with bits of plastic debris. The odd shape warranted a closer look and I’m so very glad I did!

At the current exchange rate, 57,000 colones equals $100 USD – that’s a lot of bananas! Thanks, ocean.

On another note: Aren’t colones pretty? They are mostly made of plastic and each denomination features an iconic native animal.

Beachside at Hotel Nantipa, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica October 2019

Stopped in for happy hour after a beach stroll with friends. The clouds masked the sunset yet our view did not disappoint. Drinking in these incredible moments…

Thought I’d share a few seconds of Montezuma Falls with you. My new friend Ricardo led me up the slippery trail to these falls last week. It was a wonderful way to spend a hot and muggy afternoon.

In case you didn’t know, crashing/splashing water releases negative ions into the nearby air. Which, according to studies, are really good for you (in spite of their adverse name). That mood boost you feel from walking on a beach or hiking to a waterfall? It isn’t just from the beautiful scenery, as negative ions are known to increase people’s levels of serotonin.

Sorry, watching this video won’t give you the same effect, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.