One month down, by Jodi
Today, it has officially been one month since we left Utah. And, I finally miss Walmart. Honestly, until this point it had been kind of refreshing not having anything I could ever want in one mega, super store, 15 minutes away in any direction you can drive. It made me stop thinking I need so much stuff or that I even want any of it. But now, I'd really like to be able to find some tape or some string and maybe some construction paper so we can make some dadgum snowflakes to hang up for Christmas. Or any kind of Christmas decorations to get us into the spirit when there's no snow around. I was trying to figure out how to make little mini Christmas trees out of seashells and then I realized I have no glue gun to stick it all together. I'm feeling a little scroogish about Costa Rican Christmas at the moment.
Yesterday, on our way to Stake Conference, there was a police road block and they were pulling everyone over and checking their cars. I'm not sure why. Anyhow, Sadie had been feeling carsick and since she'd been sick the day before, I told her to swap me seats and sit in the front so she'd start feeling better. She'd been sitting there for about 5 minutes when we got pulled over for the road block. The officer started telling us that he was going to give us a $560 ticket for having a child under the age of 12 in the front seat and without a booster. He had this binder with all these rules in it that you can be ticketed for and one was that all children under the age of 12 have to be in the back and in a booster. Now, mind you, this is the same country where they pile people into the back of pickup trucks so thick that the last row is hanging out diagonally because only the bottom half of their legs fit in. And the same country where parents somehow pile themselves and all their kids onto one motor scooter.
So, Kevin's trying to talk to this police officer when up pull the Pinas. Jose hops out of the car and walks over to the police officer and puts his arm around him and starts talking to him like their good buddies. Neida walks up to our window, while watching Jose work his magic and realizes we might need a little more help. So, she asks Kevin how much money he has in his wallet. Somehow, he was down to only $10. She took it anyways and gave it to Jose who put it in the officer's hand and thanked him for being so kind and generous and for taking such good care of all of us. And then we continued onto church without a ticket.
Today, one of the dogs we're pet sitting escaped for the second time. He's this big chocolate lab and we've discovered that if you don't keep him locked up tight, he takes off and doesn't come back. The first time it happened, someone at the fruit stand a mile away called us and told us they had him. His tag only has the owner's e-mail address and the area we live in, since there are no physical addresses in Costa Rica. But the guy somehow figured out our phone number and called us to come get him.
This time, though, after Kevin and I both drove all over for a couple of hours, there was still no call. I was talking to Staci on the phone and found out that another time this happened, someone at a smoothie stand in the area recognized him being pulled by a rope behind a strange truck and went and yelled at the guy and then called the owner's. So, that freaks me out and I decide to set off on the bike to see if I can find him better. I rode all around the north end of our community, realizing just how many places in this crazy jungle he could have gone. But, on my way back to hit the south end, I looked down a road near our house and saw a big, brown dog next to a car. It didn't look like him from so far away, but I rode down the road anyways and sure enough, it was. I'm not sure if the car I saw had picked him up and just dropped him off in our neighborhood hoping he'd find his way home or what happened. But, I was really grateful to find him and not be at fault for losing our friend's dog while they're on vacation and letting us stay in their house.
Yesterday, on our way to Stake Conference, there was a police road block and they were pulling everyone over and checking their cars. I'm not sure why. Anyhow, Sadie had been feeling carsick and since she'd been sick the day before, I told her to swap me seats and sit in the front so she'd start feeling better. She'd been sitting there for about 5 minutes when we got pulled over for the road block. The officer started telling us that he was going to give us a $560 ticket for having a child under the age of 12 in the front seat and without a booster. He had this binder with all these rules in it that you can be ticketed for and one was that all children under the age of 12 have to be in the back and in a booster. Now, mind you, this is the same country where they pile people into the back of pickup trucks so thick that the last row is hanging out diagonally because only the bottom half of their legs fit in. And the same country where parents somehow pile themselves and all their kids onto one motor scooter.
So, Kevin's trying to talk to this police officer when up pull the Pinas. Jose hops out of the car and walks over to the police officer and puts his arm around him and starts talking to him like their good buddies. Neida walks up to our window, while watching Jose work his magic and realizes we might need a little more help. So, she asks Kevin how much money he has in his wallet. Somehow, he was down to only $10. She took it anyways and gave it to Jose who put it in the officer's hand and thanked him for being so kind and generous and for taking such good care of all of us. And then we continued onto church without a ticket.
Today, one of the dogs we're pet sitting escaped for the second time. He's this big chocolate lab and we've discovered that if you don't keep him locked up tight, he takes off and doesn't come back. The first time it happened, someone at the fruit stand a mile away called us and told us they had him. His tag only has the owner's e-mail address and the area we live in, since there are no physical addresses in Costa Rica. But the guy somehow figured out our phone number and called us to come get him.
This time, though, after Kevin and I both drove all over for a couple of hours, there was still no call. I was talking to Staci on the phone and found out that another time this happened, someone at a smoothie stand in the area recognized him being pulled by a rope behind a strange truck and went and yelled at the guy and then called the owner's. So, that freaks me out and I decide to set off on the bike to see if I can find him better. I rode all around the north end of our community, realizing just how many places in this crazy jungle he could have gone. But, on my way back to hit the south end, I looked down a road near our house and saw a big, brown dog next to a car. It didn't look like him from so far away, but I rode down the road anyways and sure enough, it was. I'm not sure if the car I saw had picked him up and just dropped him off in our neighborhood hoping he'd find his way home or what happened. But, I was really grateful to find him and not be at fault for losing our friend's dog while they're on vacation and letting us stay in their house.
You guys have certainly made some amazing memories in just one short month. So glad you found that dog and were cleared out of the ticket, ouch so expensive! Can't wait to see what the next month has in store. Oh by the way I am sitting next to the fireplace trying to stAy warm while a big storm is going strong outside... Enjoy your warm and tropical Christmas wish I was there instead, hehe!
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