Back from Costa Rica

Here's a piece of the "cloud" forest we visited in Costa Rica. Not really raining, but so much moisture in the air, it was constantly dripping down off the leaves of the trees and vines.
We greatly enjoyed the WARMTH of the climate and the Costa Rican people. Pura vida! (Life is good!)

Our grandson John had tons of fun with the other kids on the trip. The highest high-light had to be the Zip Line adventure we all took. Eleven trips from tower to tower through the cloud forest.

Here we are in all the gear that was required. We are grinning because we feel stupid, AND we haven't seen any of the course yet. We don't know yet how scary this is going to be!

I had imagined that we would climb a tower, and then there would be a series of cables we would slide down, through the forest/jungle, to the ground. WRONG!

We climbed up a slippery, muddy hillside of trail and steps, up and up, and up.....

I was so glad I had my trekking poles to keep me from falling down. Fifteen minutes of this and we got to the first cable. One by one our harnesses were hooked up to the cable. The guide says, "Just lean back, pull your knees up to your chest, and rest your hands on the handles.

Good-by!" With a push on your back he sends you off into the mist.

That little white dot is someone's helmet. He/she is flying away into a cloud, hoping that there is a platform and another guide to catch her at the other end.

I think I hypnotized myself into thinking that I was dreaming the whole thing. I was so focused on my hands (with which I was NOT holding myself up, I wasn't, I wasn't) that I was unable to look off to the side and see the view for more than a nano-second at a time.

I did learn to trust the equipment as we went on to the next and the next.

And there was only one more long hike through the forect to the sixth platform. I really was great, and I'm very proud that I DID it. (What else was I going to do with my grandson pushing ahead at each stop?)

I felt that Charlie and I each deserved a massage late that afternoon at the spa of the hotel. And Boy, did we enjoy them!

Sara

Steps: The bumpy roads drove my pedometer into unimaginable heights of counting.

Gratitudes:

Tour guides handled all the problems of the group

Eight children enjoying themselves, making new friends

Adults who were calm about suddenly required changes to the plans

White quilting

Exercise today: 40 min "walking" in the pool and 10 min swimming
Steps = 3197

Whew! By sitting down to it two different times, I got the white squares marked and quilted this afternoon. My test of this blue marker on a scrap of white fabric washed right out, so I trust these marks will all be gone after I spritz with water. This not an adventurous quilting pattern, however after much thought I felt more confident using a purchased template--and it was hearts, which was what I wanted.

HOORAY! This gift is done two whole days early! Now to discern which of the many White Elephants in my sewing room will be wrapped for the SpoolSpinner party gift exchange.

After dinner I worked some more on the 9-patches for Bonnie's Caroline Crossroads mystery quilt. I thought I had enough of the 3-patch strips to get the 80 blocks made, but I had miscalculated on the dark-light-dark ones by about 25 out of 160. Made those. Got 40 blocks all put together, pressed and squared-up. Bonnie sez she doesn't square-up, but I don't think my workmanship is a good as hers!

Suddenly agitated about clothing for the trip to Costa Rica, and shoes, and a JACKET!

Sara

Gratitudes:
Sensation of water on my body in the pool
Mouse (wood) in the creche stable
Laughing with Charlie