For being so secluded, it's actually hard to have an entire day to yourself here.

First of all, it's no surprise they start work early here. I have a feeling it has more to do with getting done before the afternoon heat or showers than it has to do with the songbirds and parrots waking you up at 5:30. It seems that more days than not, David just shows up around 7:30 am to do some sort of maintenance. I'm not complaining. This place is kept in top notch condition and they work hard to do it. But sometimes a little warning might be nice. Like give me time to put on a bra!

Yesterday around 7:40 am, one of the other brothers, Fredy, the one who collects coconuts on the beach to sell to a processing plant in San Jose, came by. Un-showered and bra-less, I grabbed a scarf to hide my boobs. In short, I ended up spending an hour on video chat doing my best to translate for him and Lynn (who had befriended him when she was here). He came here all clean-shaven (much better sin mustache!) and saying that he'd like to take her up on her offer to come visit and that he wanted to work in the US. Hmmm.

Apparently the company told him they wouldn't pay him for the last batch of coconuts he sent because they were too young and small. He said work is crap here. We asked how much is the minimum amount of money he needs to pay all his bills here and he said $1,500 USD! What? It's expensive here! Well perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he has 4 kids from 3 different women. ;)

Anyway, it was an exhausting morning and honestly I think my Spanish got worse and worse as the time went on.

But I did get a treat in the afternoon. Ellie stopped by bringing me a fresh warm loaf of bread and half a dozen cinnamon rolls with a sack of icing! Oh yes! I can't lie that I was a little surprised that she wanted $10 since I'm used to bakeries in other countries being a great dirt-cheap place to get food, but I guess here the prices are more like US prices, she is an expat (again I was surprised - was expecting a Costa Rican woman, silly me), and she did deliver it. Using both colones and dollars here make it a bit more confusing and trying to figure out who is giving you what exchange rate puts and extra spin on it. You'll get anywhere from 550 to 600 colones per dollar exchange. I found myself (probably still mid-shock over the unexpected-but-totally-worth-it price - what's wrong with me?!) getting frustrated by not being able to properly figure out how to pay her with what meager colones I had left and her not having change, and I ended up acting like a total freak trying to figure out the right payment! ha ha I'm sure she just wanted to get out of there and was wondering what the hell was wrong with me.

Thankfully Dave and David are coming next week and I can have them bring me some colones. No ATM here and I, being in the state of mind I'm in (one of the reasons I'm here - to clear my head), didn't get proper money out of the ATM in Golfito before we came over on the boat.

P.S. I ate a cinnamon roll right away - perfect. :) And I had a slice of the bread last night to make avocado toast - divine! Best $10 spent on food. :)