Category Archives: Miscellaneous

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Traumatic Experience

After months (years?) of boring, routine sameness, yesterday was a bit traumatic, at least in the morning.

On my morning walk I went past a car parked on the main road. There was a young man inside sleeping. I almost said something to him because it is illegal in this town but went on my way. On my walk back around to the same location he had a friend with him and they were going at it in the front seat for all to see. They did have a blanket over them but the car’s windows were not tinted. It was disturbing, especially since they were parked across from a park. Again I kept going, shocked and horrified and not knowing what exactly to do. I eventually circled back around (still on my walk), and they were going at it. So, I took a quick video to document what I was seeing, and went home.

I was inside a while contemplating what to do and decided if I went outside and they were still there I would take a photo of the license plate and confront them. They were still there. So, I took a photo of the car’s plate and walked up to the window. This is when I got an eye full. The man was sitting in the passenger’s seat completely exposed. OMG. I had already knocked on the window by that time. The man quickly covered himself. The woman rolled down the window and I asked her to leave, told her what they were doing was illegal and that I had a video and photo of their license plate. She got angry, demanded I give her my photo/video and phone number and told me she could have sex in her car because it was her car, etc. Every time I tried to walk away she would try to keep me at her vehicle with an argument in her favor but I stood my ground and headed home, telling her I would call authorities if she didn’t leave. She told me she would follow me home to get my phone from me (eek!). I walked the opposite way of my home so she wouldn’t learn my address. Eventually, they sped by me and out of the neighborhood. I went home and called the police.

The police came and took my statement about 15 minutes later. The officer was very nice and thanked me for getting the vehicle make/model and tag number. He said he looked it up and it is registered to a woman who they know well. She lives on the other side of town (she told me she was from my neighborhood) and is often seen with the man I saw her with. I described them and he confirmed they were the people associated with the vehicle. He reassured me that I was not in any danger of her coming back. He said she would likely never come back to the neighborhood after being seen, confronted and documented. He told me that next time I need to just call the police straight away and gave me his card. He asked me to email him the photo and video of the incident.

I did feel much better after that but had a short cry, relieved it was over. I suck at confrontation and it took everything in me to walk up to that car and ask them to leave. I had thought of all the ways it could turn out, worried the confrontation could go wrong, and it did, but it could’ve gone far worse. She could’ve jumped out of the car and assaulted me to get my phone. She could have driven around slowly behind me, stalking me in her car to intimidate me. She did none of these things, probably because she knew I had her info and assumed I had already called the cops (I called my husband as I walked away so for all she knew I was reporting the incident to authorities). 

Of course, I went over all the alternate ways I could’ve handled the situation after the fact. It would’ve been far wiser to tell her that I overheard that someone had called the police on her and she needed to leave. I could’ve acted like I was genuinely concerned. However, seeing him exposed like that caught me off-guard and I am not one who can hide my feelings easily. I’m sure disgust and shock was written all over my face. lol

What is funny is that my sciatica pain was nonexistent after the incident. It remained so for a while. Later in the evening I was able to do downward dog and fully extend my left leg without any pain. This confirms that my pain is related to root chakra issues, something I’ve suspected all along. Of course I have pain again this morning but it was still so very nice to be pain-free if even for a moment!

I reported the incident to my HOA Board. The response was that the community was considering starting a neighborhood watch because another resident had been harassed by a homeless person recently and filed a police report. It is probably a good idea. Because of the location of our neighborhood, we get lots of migrants (homeless, hitchhikers, etc) coming through as well as petty theft incidents (ransacking unlocked cars mostly). We’ve had a lot of new people moving in, also. Unfortunately, most are young couples and families who seem completely uninterested in any kind of in-person community involvement or cooperation. They would rather post comments online, send emails and complain from behind a screen in the safety of their homes hoping someone else will fix the problem. 

Unfortunately, the visuals I have of the incident stayed with me until bedtime. I couldn’t get certain images out of my mind. It’s not like I haven’t seen any of it before, so not sure why I keep getting flashes of it. It was like a vivid dream I was trying to remember, except I didn’t really want to remember it! So before bed I asked that the thoughts be taken away, and they did go away and did not infiltrate my dreams.

I will be carrying my pepper spray with me on my morning walks from now on. It is sad, but I feel better knowing I have at least some line of defense should this woman or some other person decide to harass me. I usually carry it with me to protect my dog anyway, ever since he was attacked by an off-leash dog (another traumatic event), but now I will carry on walks without my dog. 

Not long ago I communicated my desire to relocate to my husband and was even searching for a home to purchase a bit further from this metropolitan area. My husband was/is against it, wanting to stay close to his business (we are 6 miles away) and all the conveniences that come with city living. Me, being the hermit that I am, dislike highly populated areas in general, but I have been fine with living here the past 8 years. However, lately, going shopping at all the places I’ve always shopped is unpleasant for me. The places have double the shoppers they use to, even at off-peak hours, and the energy of the places have shifted substantially. The energy is just more frantic and anxious. I just want to get in and out as fast as I can. During my shopping I sometimes have thoughts like, “I hate people”. Mostly I will sing funny songs to myself to distract from the reality of the misery of the experience. Rarely do I run into someone who is not sleepwalking through life. Their empty eyes tell all. 

The last time I felt like this I moved to Montana. LOL  

I want to live somewhere with lots of space around me – natural beauty in my backyard. I prefer a space with a pond or lake nearby. Ideally I own my own pond that I don’t have to share with anyone, but if not then at least where I encounter few to no people. Water seems to be a huge draw for me, but not the ocean. There should be a small town/city nearby, like 5-10 miles away, so if I crave company I can easily access it, somewhere with a population less than 50K. 

As for location specifically, I am fine with staying in Texas. My family is here and it is comfortable for me. But the extreme heat in the summer can get to be too much. While I love the mountains, I absolutely do not want to live somewhere that has consistent snowfall in the winter. A little here and there (like once or twice a season) is about all I can take. Also, I do not like desert landscapes. The area has to have green vegetation. 

So far I am not drawn to any one place over another, which is why I just stay put. Eventually, though, this area will be too repellant for me to stay. This I know.

Update: On my morning walk today the couple was back but parked in another location. This time all I saw was the young man sit up quickly and cover himself with a blanket. I did not see the woman and can only assume she was laying down. When I turned the corner I called the police and they arrived within 15 minutes. I do not know if the police caught them, only that two police cars arrived. My son said he saw a white police car following a silver car and the police car I saw was black. Fingers crossed that the police caught up with them and at least gave them a warning.

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Nature Zoom

I’ve been busy. Life can be a PITA sometimes. So, rather than dive into the details, I will share some photos taken with my Iphone 12 Mini with a 15x zoom lens. I’ve had the lens only 24 hours and I’m really enjoying getting up close and personal with nature. Hopefully it lifts your spirits as much as it does mine.

I ran across a ton of “stink” bugs on a blooming cactus plant. Turns out they were mating. lol Sharing some of the tamer shots of those “stinkers”. 😉

It seems the theme, for me at least, is to take a closer look at life. There is so much beauty all around if you just take a moment to pause and L.O.O.K.

Here are photos of my beautiful children’s eyes for you to enjoy. Aren’t they just fascinating!!? The first pic is of my daughter’s eye, the second is my oldest son’s, and the last is my youngest son’s.

Did you know this common grass (known as “big bluestem”) has tiny, pink flowers on it? I didn’t until I zoomed in to take a look. It’s actually quite beautiful! The tiny yellow flower is called Neptunia (thanks Iphone for the look up feature). I’ve never seen one in yellow. Usually they are purple blooms.

The fire ants were eating the pulp of a yucca plant bloom.

Edit: Had to add this tiny bloom (below) to the rest because when I looked it up the name was hilarious. It is called Turkey Tangle Frogfruit, Sawtooth Frogfruit or Turkey Tangle. Now those are some funny names for such a teenie, tiny flower. 🙂

Funny plant name: Turkey Tangle Frogfruit LOL

So cheers! Here’s to finding beauty in the most surprising places. May you ever be in a state of wonder at the world around you.

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Thankful it’s August

I don’t know about you, but July was a difficult month. It started out good (Kundalini dream) but quickly turned sour, at least for me.

On the 4th my husband announced he wanted a divorce. I will spare you the details (and drama) of the whole situation. Let’s just say it’s been stressful. I’ve been on a rollercoaster of emotions ever since, though the ups and downs have leveled out a bit over time. Currently, we are at a standstill, not progressing much because of logistics and trouble confronting the magnitude of changes that will result if we move forward.

That same week, my new assistant at work began to give indicators that he was not happy. We knew he had a tendency to move from job to job based upon his resume but hired him anyway. He was good at the job but he indicated he was unhappy within his first week. Mostly he complained he was not getting as much money as he wanted and he wanted to work from home. At the last minute he emailed me a resignation letter, giving us just one day notice. Someone had offered him a job at the pay he wanted. So be it. The timing was not the best but really it helped ease some of my stress. I am happier with him gone. The last thing I need is a whiny, indecisive, unhappy assistant.

About the third week of July I came down with what I thought was a head cold. My oldest son had the same symptoms and we spent the first two days feeling similarly – stuffy head, mild congestion, and headache. He complained of his eyes hurting and ended up sleeping quite a bit while I continued about my normal, daily activities, unbothered.

By day three I was concerned because my symptoms weren’t getting better. In fact, I worried I was getting a sinus infection because the pressure in my head was getting worse. Someone at work had Covid previously so I took a home test. Within seconds it showed the result: positive.

July 24, 2022

I was shocked initially and then laughed about it. It seemed fitting for some reason. I didn’t test my son because we both knew he had it, too.

The next few days my headache got progressively worse, specifically behind my eyes. In fact, my eyes hurt so bad that I couldn’t bear to have them open for long. The pain was like someone stabbing me with a knife. Ibuprofen helped ease the pain so I could function but looking at screens of any kind was near torture. For every 30 minutes of screen time (I kept working from home) I had to close my eyes for an hour. Day 5 was the worst of the eye pain. I worried I would have to go to the ER if it got any worse because it felt like my eyes were about to explode out of my head.

Then on day 6 everything went back to very mild symptoms and by day 8 I had no symptoms at all. I did sleep extremely hard the entire time I had symptoms and for a few days after. I would get tired around 8pm and then crash and wake up feeling like I had been drugged. I loved it! Sleep = my favorite part of the day.

So, Covid, for me at least, was horrible eye pain and that is pretty much it. It is like the Universe was saying, “Close your eyes. Go within.” That I did (I had to). I will also say that I felt pretty negative the entire time. It was like a black cloud was hanging over my head. Yucky stuff.

By my birthday I was feeling normal again. That very day, though, I had stabbing pains in my right ankle that would come and go. These were accompanied by odd pains in my leg that would also come and go. The pain in my ankle was far worse than the leg pain which I would describe as extremely mild. After two days of the pain in my ankle I did some foam rolling and deep stretching, focusing on my legs. I’ve not had any ankle pain since but the other pain remains. I suspect it is sciatica or maybe a faulty vein. I’ve had both in the past. I’ve also been dealing with sacrum pain again. Altogether it makes me feel like I’m falling apart. Is this what happens when you are over 45yrs? lol I hope not!

Also on my birthday my mom called telling me she had similar symptoms to my Covid symptoms. She didn’t take a test but was worried she had it. The last time I talked to her she was resting in bed and taking cold meds. I had no contact with her whatsoever, so if she does have Covid it wasn’t me who gave it to her.

I blame all the physical body issues on my stress level. I rarely, if ever, get sick. I’ve gone this entire time without getting Covid (that I know of) and then July happens and I get it. Ha! The pain in my eyes was unexpected. I figured it would be flu-like. Nope. Nothing like the flu. More like a sinus infection from hell without the congestion. I wouldn’t wish eye pain like that on anyone. I suspect my other body issues are inflammation-related and it wouldn’t surprise me if they were brought on by Covid. I’ve read it can impact the nerves.

On a more positive note, last Sunday the Universe gave me a gift. On my morning walk I came upon a beautiful, red-tailed hawk. It was in my neighbor’s yard eating something. I was about 20 feet from it when I saw it and I just stood there watching it for a while. I was able to take a photo of it before it flew away. It was magnificent! For me, the hawk represents the bigger picture and gaining perspective. I think it significant that it was on the ground. It was a reminder to me that all things happen for a reason. I may not see the bigger picture right now, but in time I will.

Juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk, Aug 7, 2022

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Mexico Trip

Sorry for the long-delayed update.

I returned from Playa del Carmen, Mexico on April 11.

The trip was okay.

Positives: I slept good, my daughter enjoyed herself, we saw beautiful places, there were no major hiccups, and there were some spiritual influences at play which caught my attention here and there.

The negatives: The energy of the group got to me, I didn’t get enough space away from the energy in order to release it, there were two small children crying on and off much of the time and I didn’t feel as safe as I did in Costa Rica.

Overall, the trip would be a 3 out of 5 stars but only because of the company we kept and the length of the trip. I could’ve come home a day earlier and my daughter said this also. 

If I had planned the trip, I would’ve planned to leave later in the day, like noon’ish, rather than go to the airport so early. We had to be there 2 hours before the flight here in the US and 3 hours before in Mexico. Eek! I always have difficulty sleeping the night before a flight, especially if it is an early one. I would’ve chosen a different place to stay – a resort would’ve been my ideal only because they have food, shopping and English speaking assistants to help with transportation and other things. It makes things so much easier and the price is worth it IMO. I didn’t plan the trip, so the above two things were out of my control. A vacation is only a vacation if you can take most of the stress out of it and just enjoy yourself. I stress with too many unknowns, so a resort would’ve helped with that.

Looking back at when I made the decision to go, I realized I didn’t know that my SIL’s, BIL’s sister was going (or didn’t pay attention to that fact). I will never go on a trip with her again, at least not stay at the same B&B. She has the kind of energy where she dominates the others in the group. There is really no way to escape her energy. It is like a vice grip, and for me, who is mostly open (Human Design), I get sucked up into all her definition and there is no navigating out of it. The experience of being around her all the time was tough. I was either emotional, quiet and subdued or trying to find a place to retreat to. At times, I spoke up without being invited and felt her response and it was too much. I ended up crying in my room more than once. By the end, I chose not to participate in the last activity in order to get the reprieve I needed. Thankfully, my daughter agreed with me and didn’t insist we go.

There was a point in the trip where I felt it would’ve been better had I not gone, mainly because it felt like my input and presence was unwanted. It was a big trigger but I realized it was my tendency to give input when not invited that created this effect. When I was quiet and subdued everything was much better but I was always left feeling like the third wheel and unable to change aspects of the trip that didn’t feel good for me. The only option was to not participate or plan something on my own. I tried to do the latter but I couldn’t find a trip that would take just one person and my daughter didn’t want to go with me. She wanted to just stay in the condo. 

My SIL’s friend/family had her own issues that she made sure to talk about frequently. Her daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes last year at the age of 10. It was clear to me that even though this new development was negative in so many ways and she was obviously not happy about it, the challenge was something that brought meaning to her life. I could clearly see how she had agreed to it, probably in order to bring purpose into her life. Her daughter would’ve also had to agree, so maybe a karmic contract?  Of course, I said nothing to her, just observed the fact that she seemed to really enjoy the challenge of the health issue (talking about it frequently) and the purpose it brought her. 

Spiritual Experiences

While the energy of the place wasn’t immediately apparent to me, some things I did notice. For example, I had various vivid dreams, some emotional. My emotions in general were high, though. I didn’t write any of the dreams down, just took note the next morning. It felt almost like full moon energy.

The day we went to Garden of Eden Cenote was the most spiritual day for me. The day was rainy and cloudy so it wasn’t crowded. As we walked up to the cenote I had a strong dejavu experience that was so noticeable I spoke about it to my daughter. Just a moment later the manager greeted us and began his speech about the cenote. I said, “Hola!” as I walked up and he stopped mid-sentence and looked at me very closely, saying, “Do I know you? You look familiar.” I paused, as I had not considered it when I greeted him but then did seem to recognize something in him. I said, “No, but you look familiar.” Not long after he mentioned Costa Rica and said to me, “Pura Vida!” I laughed, thinking it odd he would mention Costa Rica. 

Secluded area, Garden of Eden Cenote

After he was done talking I saw him around here and there and learned he was born in L.A. and lived there until he was nine when his parents brought him to Mexico to live. He took his job at the cenote very seriously, treating it as an extension of himself. I didn’t talk to him one-on-one but watched from a distance wondering if perhaps I had met him in dreamtime (I think had I brought up the astral he would’ve known what I was talking about). Later I mentioned a secluded area I enjoyed, calling it my favorite place, and he said it was his favorite place, too. Though he didn’t say, I knew he liked it because of its energy. I now wish I had spoken to him about it in private but the timing was not right. My group members would’ve been uncomfortable had I mentioned energy or anything related.

Other than some dreams and the one experience above, I was just very emotional. I am going to blame all the new energy I was constantly around on my inability to get space when I needed it. The good thing is I had my own bedroom I could retreat to. Had I not had that I would’ve really struggled.

Pictures

Here are a few pictures from the trip.

On day one we visited the Tulum Ruins, went snorkeling and then swam in a cave (yep!). The next day we went to the cenote (sinkhole) and the day after that we enjoyed the beach and the rooftop swimming pool. The rest of the trip was beach, shopping, dining, etc. My daughter and I did not go to Xcarat with the rest of the group on the last day of the trip. We were both sunburned, my daughter more than I, and preferred to rest the day before our flight home.

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2022 Goals Update and Other News

 A recap on the goals I set for 2022:

  • Train a new AP Manager (replacement) and then train/move into the position of CFO for our company.
  • Begin taking HD courses with the end goal of becoming an HD analyst.
  • Buy an RV to use to escape on solo trips as needed.

All of my goals have been either reached or begun. 🙂

Progress on the first goal has been slowest. I have been training to be the CFO but there was recently an unexpected change to the process. I have been unsuccessful in convincing my bosses to hire another AP Manager to take my place so I would have more time to devote to training. My husband tried to convince the other owners to do this, but his brother insists on learning the CFO duties first and then says he will decide what to do.

Just this week the picture became clearer when I was informed that I will be stepping into the Treasurer position which includes a move to salary from hourly. The Treasurer position is technically the same as the AP Manager position I already occupy, the only differences are a few other duties in addition to supervising another employee.

I’m not disappointed, really. I have wanted to be salaried from the beginning and felt I should have been “promoted” long ago. However, I’ve been told more than once now by the current CFO that her duties will be split between the new owners. 

How do I feel about this? I am okay with it and not worried. It may end up that I do take on the CFO position at some point. If not, my current job is not difficult. I can do it in my sleep. So, I will be fine either way. 

I’ve made progress on my second goal so far in that I have completed the Rave ABC’s course. I’ve not decided if I want to take the Rave Cartography course just yet or if I will continue on to take the professional courses towards becoming an HD analyst. My main concern is the cost and time of taking these courses. I prefer self-paced (so I can finish faster) courses to scheduled, 2 hour Zoom meetings once a week for six weeks or more. I’m not an auditory learner, so listening to someone lecture for 2 hours is not my idea of a fun time. The slides help, but the pace is so slow that I end up watching videos on my phone or getting chores done between slides. 

Some may wonder, “How can you learn if you aren’t paying attention?” Well, funny thing is, even if I am not listening or focusing on the course and lectures, I learn. It is part of my Human Design, in fact. I suck up everything around me like a sponge regardless of focus. Besides, mostly I tune out the numerous examples and personal stories of the teacher.

Goal three has not been a disappointment but I haven’t been able to spend much time in the RV yet. The two times I’ve stayed the night left me sleep deprived. The first was because it was too cold. The second time I slept in the RV my boys begged to come along and so I let them. I didn’t get good sleep that time either. 

So far the electric and water have not been completed at my mom’s. There are 30 amp hook-ups and two water hook-ups but our RV requires 50 amp. We can use 30 amp but it means we don’t have full power. So, my husband has been helping my step-father put in the 50 amp hook-up but it is slow-going. 

Other News

My Sister

Late last year I wrote a post about my sister and her husband trying to leave the state because my BIL had a felony warrant out for check fraud. Everything was quiet up until the beginning of February. The first clues that something was up came to me via dreams. I had an unexpected dream of my sister and BIL that woke me. I can’t recall why I woke now, I just remember that in the dream they had driven up to my mom’s house, surprising us. Two days later my sister posted on FB when she hadn’t posted or had contact with any of us for months.

Skip to last weekend. I had another dream about my sister, this time she was still married to her ex. It was odd and I wondered about it but didn’t think anymore on it. On Sunday I went and visited with my mom while my husband helped connect water and electric to the spot our RV will soon occupy. My mom and I sat down, had some tea and chatted. She told me that my sister had called to invite her to her son’s birthday party. During the call my nephew told her, “My dad’s in jail.” My sister confirmed. My mom showed me my BIL’s mugshot via the county jail website. He was booked into jail on January 31st. 

The relief on my mom’s face was obvious and I was – am – relieved as well. I knew his illegal activities would eventually catch up to him. I don’t know the how of the story but it doesn’t really matter. Whether he will have to serve the typical year sentence, we don’t know. We just know that as long as he is in jail things will be more stable for my sister and her son. 

Cancun

Some other positive news – I’m going to Cancun with my daughter in April! It kinda just fell in my lap. My SIL called me up last week asking if she could take my daughter with her to Cancun as an early birthday present. My SIL and BIL and their two children as well as a family friend and her two daughters were going as well, so I said it was okay. My daughter was thrilled and my SIL purchased her a ticket. 

About an hour later, while having dinner with a friend, I thought, “I want to go! I wonder if I can?” I immediately texted my SIL and within ten minutes I had a ticket, too. 

The amount of excitement I felt was unexpected as was the spontaneous decision I made to go. I have not yet felt any doubt about the decision either. I think it will be awesome and I can’t wait! We will be there five nights total, long enough to hang out at the beach and visit some of the local attractions. I would like to see the Mayan ruins in the area and visit a cenote (sinkhole filled with water) which I’ve heard are spectacular. 

One thing that is completely out of character for me with this decision is that I have no concerns whatsoever about how this trip will go. I have no worries about accommodations or the number of people or Covid testing requirements or anything. No anxiety at all. Usually I worry about who I will be staying with because their energy may impact my sleep. Not this time. Even with two of the children being very young I have no concerns. When I’ve wondered about this the answer from within I get is, “It will be fine” and I believe it.

Emergence

The end of February brought with it a tangible, energetic shift. All of February felt “off” energy-wise to me. I was antsy and somewhat stuck in the muck and mire of my monkey-mind. Then suddenly it shifted, almost over night, and I wasn’t. I want to say it happened around 2.22.22, or very soon thereafter.

When before my guidance was quiet and my dreams almost nonexistent, suddenly my guidance was back and my dreams became more memorable. One of my dreams was a Kundalini dream that I didn’t post about because it was like so many of my other ones. In summary, I discovered my “husband” had cheated on me twice – once with a man and another time with a 16yr old girl. When I confronted him, he took joy in recounting his experience with the girl and then tried to persuade me to be with him. I told him I wanted nothing to do with his penis ever again. lol Then, suddenly, I felt an electric, “fire” of ecstasy that shot from my root upward. I awoke in complete shock. My guidance was close, which I hadn’t experienced in a long while.

Another change came in the form of me suddenly being more social. When normally I turn down invitations to gatherings, I found myself accepting invitations. For example, our company had a reward dinner for certain office staff and I was invited. I agreed straight away even though it was last minute. Throughout the dinner I felt no anxiety or discomfort. I enjoyed myself.

Around this same time I saw a picture on FB that was painted by one of my FB friends. It looked so similar to one of my own that I almost commented but decided not to. A couple of days later the picture popped up again. This time I shared my own painting, paying attention to the meaning it help for me. The painting is of a ball of fire emerging from the dark depths and is called “Emergence”. 

I knew that the meaning of the painting was a message. I am in the process of my own emergence now. 

The 6th Line Transition

Recently, in my Rave ABC’s class, we discussed each of the lines of the Hexagram in detail. There were details about the 6th line that stood out to me as if to prepare me for what is coming:

As a 6th line in HD, I have spent the last two decades, “on the roof”. During this time I have been healing and recovering, preparing to come down “off the roof”. Coming down off the roof = emergence.

  • 6th lines begin to prepare for their “flowering” when they enter their North Node phase, around age 38. Their flowering stage is post-50yrs, during their Kiron cycle.
  • Your life is going to “flower” and take you where you need to go. There is no pressure, no rush and definitely no instant gratification. It takes time to go through the cycles, so relax into it. Don’t be in such a hurry.
  • When you’re on the roof you’re finally making money, you’re more optimistic, acting as a leader and an authority. But your Kiron is coming and if you resist, you can fall into “lethal” decisions.
  • 6th lines are always looking forward, always looking for the upcoming transition. Transition is what the 6th line is all about.

I find it interesting that around the age of 38 is when I shifted into a career altogether different than any career I’ve previously had in this life. It came about as a result of me asking the Universe to give me what I needed and it was given to me on a silver platter. I wonder now if the job I have currently is somehow the one that is taking me where I need to go. Will it take me to that place of fulfillment I’m naturally designed for? Hmm.

Interestingly, during the last Rave ABC’s class, the teacher took time to talk to all the 6th lines in the class about their Kiron Return – when to expect it and what to expect on the way to it, during and after. When she came to me she told me that I am probably already noticing the shift. She described how it could feel using her own transition period as an example, saying she dropped things and people from her life and felt a sense of nothingness ahead. She said she expected to feel this way all the time and then everything just suddenly shifted. People came into her life, opportunities flowed in and she was pulled along into a fulfilling new life. 

It sounds easy, but I suspect I will be one of those who doesn’t go willingly. It is advised to not resist or there can be “lethal consequences”. As Ra says on pg. 45 in the Rave ABC’s Student Manual, “But if the 6th Line is screaming and yelling, wailing in pain as it’s dragged from the roof, the gods are going to kill it quickly.” lol I can see myself doing this!

So, while on the roof, things get really, really good for the 6th line. This is definitely how it has been for me so far. My bank account is definitely “filling up” and I am in a position at work where I am seen as an authority. The only way I would resist coming down from the roof is if those things were taken away in order to come down. I hope that is not how it works. 

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One Goal Complete, One Begun

One of my 2022 goals has been reached! The other is well on its way. The last is still in waiting.

In case you didn’t read my last post, these are the goals:

Train a new AP Manager (replacement) and then train/move into the position of CFO for our company.
Begin taking HD courses with the end goal of becoming an HD analyst.
Buy an RV to use to escape on solo trips as needed.

RV Purchased!

As a git-R-done Manifesting Generator, my husband wasted no time finding and acquiring an RV once I pointed him in the direction I wished to go. It is one of the most amazing things to watch an MG work their magic. When they know what they want they go and get it.

A business two blocks away from ours had a 2004 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 32AB sitting in their parking lot. Turns out my husband knew the owner and wasted no time getting in contact. We met with him and took a tour and test drive the next day. By the end of the test drive my husband said, “We want it!” I stood stunned and it took me a while to respond with, “Okay.” By Friday it was a done deal and the title was our hands.

The seller and his wife are really nice people with good energy. It was obvious from the moment we met them that they have high integrity. One of the reasons my husband wanted the RV was because of the sellers. We know that if anything goes wrong they will step up. In fact, they already have. The RV’s generator wouldn’t start and so they took it to be fixed before driving it to our house yesterday. Then the sellers stayed for several hours showing my husband how to work it and to drop off a care package.

Now that this goal has been met I have set some other goals that may or may not get done right away. We want to upgrade the TV’s since they are the older models from the early 2000’s. This one will likely get done soon since it was my husband’s idea. The other goal (mine) is to get solar panels for it. It is easy to go off-grid (boondocking) but only for so long. With solar panels we wouldn’t have to burn precious fuel. My husband filled up the RV yesterday and it cost $150! So solar would be significantly cheaper.

Some goals are:

  1. Get a mattress cover and sheets for the bed.
  2. Personalize it a bit (starting with a good sage smudge).
  3. Buy pots, pans, utensils and everything else in preparation for use.
  4. Fix the cracked windshield (the owner is paying half).
  5. Get electric, water and sewer to the parking space at my mom’s.
  6. Make a small porch/deck at my mom’s that is easy to move.

At the moment, #5 is probably the highest priority to me so that I can comfortably retreat to the RV whenever I want. It shouldn’t be too difficult a task for my husband and step-father. There is no septic at the site either, which is a necessity. IDK how the current residents are handling their solid waste but somehow they are. They are likely utilizing the outhouses my step-father built.

Here are some pics of our new RV:

Rave ABC’s

I attended the first class of Rave ABC’s on Saturday. Overall, I found it much more interesting and engaging than the Living Your Design class and am looking forward to the upcoming zoom meetings which are two hours on Saturdays.

The first half was mostly introductions, which went quickly because only half of the students attended. What I found most interesting were the number of 6/2’s present! Almost half of the students are 6/2’s. The next most common profile type is 2/4. There is also another Self-Projected Projector as well as several other Projectors. There is only one student on the roster with a 1st line – a 5/1 Projector. Ha!

Compared to the profile types of the students who attended to LYD course, this course is much more in tune with my type. It will be so much easier to interact with everyone!

Some of the information that I found new and interesting from class #1 was:

  1. The information on neutrinos. They have mass and they pick up and transmit information as they flow through us and everything else on this planet. Three trillion neutrinos pass through every square inch of Earth every single day. We live in a vast neutrino ocean that is constantly bombarding us with information. Our neutrino imprint creates our Body Graph in HD.
  2. Astrology in HD pinpoints the imprinting. HD uses the location of Earth in its calculation as well as the time of birth. It also uses a second time in it’s calculations, the time around the beginning of the first trimester. Aside from these things, HD is entirely separate from Astrology.
  3. Astrology vs. HD – HD is more refined using Gates/Lines. There are 32 distinct lines providing a deeper level of refinement compared to Astrology. Each sign has 5 full Gates, and one Gate with 2 lines. Each sun sign has 64 Profiles with 64 unique expressions.
  4. The Hexagrams are linked to genetic code. There is a relationship (correlation) between the Hexagram, Codon and Amino Acids.
  5. HD also has aspects of the Kabbalah. Specifically, channels between the centers connected by gates. Similarly, HD has four levels of activation.

I really liked the teacher. She is a 4/6 Generator and her teaching style is straight-forward just like I prefer. I also like that she asks us to keep our video off during class so as to not create distractions for those who are easily distracted. We can certainly have our video on, which some did, but by the middle of class everyone had opted to turn them off. I’m not really distracted by other’s videos but by my own. lol

What was especially cool was that I got a mini-reading when I introduced myself to the class. Very unexpected! Like I said, I really like the teacher. 😉

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My Mercury Retrograde Problems

Thank God Mercury is no longer retrograde!

If you think it nonsense, that’s okay. Most of the time, for me, Mercury retrograde doesn’t put a dent in my life. This time around, however (and last time), I wanted to wave my white flag and plead, “Mercy!” 

Dates of Mercury retrograde in 2021:

January 30 to February 20
May 29 to June 22
September 27 to October 17

I can’t recall any issues the first go round. If there were, they were minor enough that I didn’t notice. 

In June, when Mercury last went retrograde, my work computer abruptly died – hard drive failure. I lost everything that wasn’t saved to our server. This was right at the tail-end of the retrograde, too. No biggie really because I was heading to Costa Rica and wasn’t going to do any work that first week anyway. I don’t remember any other glitches from that time. 

This most recent retrograde has been non-stop issues. The issues started before retrograde and just kept going! Here is a list of what I remember (I may have missed some minor hiccups):

  • My company had an email outage at work in early September (before retrograde) that resulted in three weeks of important emails going to my junk folder. I only discovered it last-minute (Sept 30th) and had to hurry up and enter 50+ invoices into the monthly spreadsheet I’d already created. Despite several corrections, the emails kept going to junk. It has only just now seemly resolved on its own.
  • My remote connection set-up had to be reconfigured around this time, too (can’t recall why) and this put a pause in my work but it was short-lived. 
  • Server outage mid-retrograde resulted in an inability to work for several days. As the server was being replaced, the internet went out and caused a delay in server replacement. It was like my computer crashed all over again – all programs had to be uploaded again and I had to wait for certain important programs because of delays.
  • My remote connection suddenly stopped working again(this was last weekend). Nothing our IT guy did worked. I was forced to go into the office to get my tasks done. Only yesterday was the problem resolved. Apparently a Norton and Windows update that happened at the same time created the problem. 
  • Internet outages at work all through the retrograde. Some lasting only hours, some lasting days. 

Apart from the above work issues, I also had other hiccups, also computer/technology related.

  • My daughter had $20 and asked me to buy her an online expansion pack for The Sims 4 (her favorite game). I bought the pack only to discover I had to buy it via her account, not mine and she couldn’t access it. So, I ended up on the phone for a long while waiting to talk to some guy from India who I could barely understand in order to get a credit. In the end, it worked out, but not without a lot of cussing and upset. 
  • My daughter wanted a Halloween costume only found online. She showed me where to buy it and when I clicked the final button it showed the wrong shipping address! Oddly, when I paid with PayPal it used an address from over 7 years ago!! The website had no way to edit or cancel the order so I had to wait on the phone for over 30 minutes to talk to a customer service rep who was brand new at her job. She kept typing in my address wrong but eventually the address was changed and the costumed arrived yesterday without issue. She is going to be Queen Elizabeth II.
  • At lunch, just yesterday, when I paid I added a $2 tip only to discover on the final screen that somehow I gave a $200 tip! OMG! LOL Thankfully, it was an easy fix, but geez! This happened in the “shadow” of Mercury retrograde.

I’m not sure why this retrograde was so eventful but, where once I just shrugged off Mercury retrograde, now I’m paying closer attention. The lesson, for me, has been to take it all in stride. I was driven to frustration and even tears from some of the issues I encountered, but every time things worked out. 

Anyone else experience significant retrograde effects? Please share so I don’t feel so unfairly targeted. 😉

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The Sad Truth and Worrisome Dream

Yesterday we went to my mom’s for a visit and to celebrate my birthday early. When we arrived, my sister and her husband and child were there. I was not happy about this. Why? Because I need to prepare myself mentally, spiritually and emotionally for an encounter with her and her family and wasn’t given the chance to do so. Plus, I was hoping to enjoy my time with my mom as part of my birthday celebration even though my birthday isn’t until next week. Family dynamics are very different when you add my sister and her husband to the mix. Sometime my BIL/cousin is in such a nasty mood that it makes all of us feel on edge. His energy can be toxic. Also, my nephew is hyperactive and his energy is difficult for me to be around. My sister is usually not an issue but I often resist seeing her because past experiences have only led me to the conclusion that she is unwell, depressed and still using Meth. 

The visit was okay but I got a tension headache towards the end, an indicator of stress.

I learned that my sister had arrived early and unexpectedly to wash a lot of laundry. There were heaps of dirty clothes at the front door when I got there. She also had given my mom her typical sob story about how she and her family are broke despite getting stimulus checks and selling the RV my mom had bought them. My sister explained that the money they got from the government was very little because they deducted back child support along with back taxes (which they should!). Of course, their truck (I’ve lost count of how many cars they’ve had now) is not doing well and is a gas hog, my cousin/BIL is struggling to find work – the list goes on. My mom was sad to hear they had sold the RV for only $1000 when she had paid $5K for it. They had not kept up repairs on it and it had so many issues that they had difficulty finding a buyer for it. Their new RV is smaller and can be hitched to a pickup without a special attachment but has less room and no washer/dryer like the old one. They used their stimulus money to buy it and the truck they have now. They had purchased an SUV with the money before the truck but did not maintain it and it couldn’t afford to repair it. Sigh. Currently they are struggling to find a place to park their new RV home. They have jumped from free campground to free campground all summer and are at a place where they have to pay $100/mo but, of course, are being forced to move because they aren’t paying. 

They asked my mom if they could park their RV there because they saw there were RV hookups at the spiritual retreat my mom and step-dad created. The answer was “no” because the last time they stayed there they wouldn’t leave and they created all kinds of problems (having their drug dealer come out to the land, fighting with my step-dad, being confrontational, not working, sleeping all day, and just not keeping their end of the agreement). 

Thankfully my nephew played with my sons happily the entire time and my BIL stayed away and did not spew his nastiness everywhere. My sister did the laundry and wouldn’t swim because she was embarrassed by all the sores on her body (Meth side-effects). When my husband asked if she was still using she flinched and said, “No.” My husband believes she was telling a half-truth, meaning that her “no” was that she wasn’t using today or in that moment but has been. I agree with my husband. Those sores are not “allergies”, they are proof of her drug use. 

I struggle not to give my sister money when I see her. I know she will misuse the money and maybe even buy drugs but I do want her to live better and know I can help. But I have learned it is not good for her to enable her bad decisions with handouts. My sister refuses to work despite being totally capable. She can’t work in her desired field – teacher – and her options are limited but she could find work if she tried. House cleaning is one that comes to mind. She thinks it below her to work low paying jobs. Instead, she puts all the pressure on her husband who has the same criminal background issues as she does. He does find work, often, but usually quits before he gets to the 6mo mark. He hates that they take child support and back taxes out of his already tiny paycheck. 

My recent dream about my sister doesn’t give me hope for her. In the dream I found her naked, curled up in the fetal position with a tiny towel placed over her for warmth. When I tried to get her to get up and come with me, to leave the horrid place I found her in, she refused. She basically said that she had given up and decided it is better to stay high than to confront her life. She preferred the pretend world of drugs to the real world. I began to cry slow, sad tears as I walked away. I knew she had made her choice and that I could do nothing for her.  

Similarly, I had a dream about my mom recently that caused me to wake in tears.

Dream from July 30:

I was outside. A large tree or wooden pole was in the center. Chairs were attached that swiveled around the tree. I was in one and a man was in another. I remember the chairs moving like the solar system around the tree and I could see the man across from me moving in sync with me. We were served Indian (Hindu) cuisine. Then, I remember suddenly knowing that my mom died choking on food. I saw her standing in front of me. She got a shocked look on her face and then she just fell in a heap on the ground. Someone said, “She’s dead.” 

I ended up at my mom’s house and she was there as a ghost. We were talking and I was upset about her death. I remember seeing the answering machine had one message. I played it but it was all static and hard to make out. I remember wondering if anyone knew she had died. I told her what I had witnessed, how she was eating food and just fell over, dead. I was beside myself with upset and recalling all my times in this life with my mom, memories flashing in front of me. I also remember thinking she was too young, only 54 (she is 72 now). At one point I saw stairs going up but there are not stairs in the house. She said, “Maybe they will be added?” I thought it may happen. Then, I was crying and hugging her and saying, “I don’t know what to do. I’ve already lost one parent! I don’t know what to do. What do I do now?” My mom hugged and consoled me and a voice whispered, “She isn’t dead.” I suddenly realized maybe she was alive because she was there with me. I touched her and she was solid and I said with relief, “You’re alive!” She said, “Yes I am.” I cried tears of relief, sobbing into her shoulder and woke up. 

When I returned to sleep the same scenario occurred – my mom died from choking on Brussel sprouts this time. I was in the house crying again and my mom’s “ghost” was there. This time I was in my mom’s closet and the attic door was opened and stairs came down. My sister descended the ladder and I had a conversation with her and my mom about my mom’s will and how it couldn’t be changed. I began to try and help my sister by teaching her about “start, change, stop”, explaining how it could help her in life. I explained that she could “change” or “stop” anything, especially her drug use but other things, also. She said, “I don’t need help with relationships.” I reminded her it could help in other areas. Eventually I realized my mom hadn’t died because yet again a voice said, “She isn’t dead.” I said, “So she isn’t dead? She’s alive?” It was as if I had no clue despite having already had a similar dream! 

When I woke I was crying again and perplexed. Why did I have a second dream where the same thing happened? Was it a warning dream? Could my mom be in danger?

I told my mom about my dream and she confirmed that lately she has had trouble swallowing and goes into choking fits that can make her feel like she is going to pass out. Her heart speeds up, she gets panicked and the fits go on a long time. She has them about once a week, maybe less. Alarmed, I urged her to see the doctor. I hope she will. It is just too “coincidental” that I would dream of her choking twice in one night only to discover she has been struggling with choking on food and water!!

My dream was likely part anxiety and part warning. I often pick up on things happening with my mom, so it is not a surprise that I would pick up on her choking issues. The upset it caused me was severe. I was inconsolable to the point that my guide had to tell me it wasn’t real – twice. It gives me an idea of how my mom’s death may affect me. Ugh. I do think of her as my safe place/person. Life won’t be the same without her.

Dysphagia is a possible diagnosis. My mom’s isn’t severe (thankfully) but she should be checked out so that they can rule out certain causes. Dysphagia isn’t uncommon with the elderly but could become worse over time. My mom told me that she is already changing the way she eats and drinks for fear of choking. She says she holds liquids in her mouth before swallowing now, especially coffee. She is being very careful, but still it is worrisome.

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Visiting the Montezuma Waterfalls

My SIL took me on an unforgettable hike to the Montezuma Waterfalls in Montezuma, Costa Rica. There are three waterfalls in all with the first two being the largest. The first waterfall is easy to get to but getting to the other two is much more challenging if you access them from the first waterfall trail, which is what we did.

Here is a link to more information about the trails, saving me from writing the details myself: Montezuma Waterfalls.

My Experience

As those of you who have been following my blog for some time know, I have experience hiking and running trails of various difficulty levels. This trail, however, is not for the inexperienced! Even the first part of the trail will challenge you, especially novices. If you have any physical disability I suggest you find another way to the falls. If you are just out of shape, be prepared to struggle, especially if you hike it in the wet season, which we did. You will likely get wet. You will probably slip on the rocks. You will probably get dirty. Wear shoes that can get wet and have good tread. Wearing a swimsuit is a good idea, too, since the hike will make you sweaty and hot and there are deep pools of water to swim in when you reach each of the three waterfalls.

The most challenging part of the trail for me was the second half of the trail leading to the two upper waterfalls. It is a steep, almost vertical trail composed of mostly roots and mud with various ropes near the top to assist. It is not for people who are afraid of heights! You will get a full body workout that’s for sure. I laughed and said we were “lunge climbing” because you often have to put your foot on sections that will put it in line with your shoulder. The ropes near the top are a must since you need to put all your weight on them to get to the very top where the trail levels off and follows the ridge to the other waterfalls.

From the top of the trail it gets easier but there are more sections with rope assists along the way. At one point you can stop at an overlook and see the two lower waterfalls from above. It is spectacular! There is no trail to the second waterfall. Most people access it by jumping from the upper waterfall, about 50 feet. Not for me! lol

When you get to the top waterfall you can rest and swim in a deep pool. The top waterfall is not as impressive as the other two but it is beautiful regardless. This is where we found most people lounging and swimming. We moved on, climbing up to the top of the last waterfall and going further upstream where we encountered various smaller waterfalls and pools. We stopped and got in the water when we stopped encountering people.

I waded out into one of the pools and felt numerous fish bumping into me. It freaked me out so I got out and sat with my feet in the water. This is when I got to see the fish. They looked like minnows, about three inches or so long. I saw one “bumping” into me. I soon realized he was looking for a snack because I felt a pinprick bite! I didn’t put my feet or body in those pools of water after that. Were they tiny piranhas? IDK but I wasn’t planning to find out! I sat in a place where the water was running fast and did not experience anymore “bites”.

On the hike back we took an alternative route rather than climb down that vertical portion of the trail. My SIL took me to some stairs that led to a much easier path down. We did have to pay $1000 colones each ($1.60 USD), but it was worth it.

Dinner in Montezuma

Afterward, we walked into the town of Montezuma and found a nice beachside restaurant to have dinner. We then walked around and shopped a while. I haven’t had time to buy souvenirs, so this was the perfect time to do so. Next we had some gelato at a local ice cream shop. Finally, we stopped at a grocery store to get some items.

The grocery stores in Cabuya don’t have many options, so we always take advantage of larger grocery stores when we go into a bigger town. While in the store I paid for a French couple’s food. I just felt like doing it and the man looked at me in shock and asked, “Why??” I said, “Because I want to.” He hesitated and then let me buy his items. It felt good! I told him to “pay it forward” and he agreed he would. Afterward, he and his friends talked to us a while and thanked me again.

We then caught a cab and headed home. The cost for a cab to Montezuma to Cabuya is $5,000 colones, so not bad at all. While on the way home, the driver suddenly stopped. A man and his girlfriend were standing next to his motorbike which was on its side in a mud puddle. The man seemed confused but he was otherwise okay. They had wrecked but we didn’t see it happen. We offered to let them share our cab but they refused. So, we followed behind them to make sure the man was okay to drive. He seemed to be.

The next morning we were both somewhat sore and stiff. The following day we were both complaining that our entire bodies were aching. That vertical climb was the cause, I’m sure! lol

So, if you ever find yourself around Montezuma, Costa Rica, definitely check out the waterfalls. You don’t have to take the path up to the top two waterfalls me and my SIL did, though. You can linger at the bottom waterfall or take one of the other two options for a fee (stairs or canopy bridge).

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Pura Vida

I’ve been in Cabuya, Costa Rica since June 19th. My specific location is at Resurrection Ranch which is part of Horse Spirit Healing, a place created by my SIL whose specialty is Equine Gestalt Therapy.

My first impressions of Costa Rica were mixed. While the place is beautiful and tropical, San Jose was a typical, bustling city with an energy to match. They are under Covid restrictions which restrict travel and require masks among other things.

The first obvious difference was transportation. Rental cars were in short demand and apparently only high end models are automatic transmission. We witnessed a US couple walk away after discovering the car they reserved was manual transmission and no other cars were available. The models of cars were also different with many being older models from the US, most from the early 2000’s or earlier.

While our hotel was nice, it was not long before I began to see how the lifestyle here is very different from the US. You are lucky if you find a place with a/c and hot water. We had both, but the hot water took so long that I gave up on waiting for it. The a/c worked but made such a horrid sound that I opted to just turn it off. The sun rises around 5:30am and sets around 6:30-7pm. This doesn’t change throughout the year because there are no seasons really except for “rainy” and “dry”. The temps are also pretty consistent – humid and in the 80’s. Most Costa Ricans just don’t use a/c because the nights are pretty comfortable in the mid-70’s in most places. I hear the mountains get much cooler, though.

The drive to Cabuya took around 5hours and we had to get on a ferry to go to the peninsula. The roads were of good quality and navigation was not a problem. There were iguana crossing signs all over, which I thought was funny. I was grateful my husband is fluent in Spanish because there were tolls to be paid, about 5-6 total, on the way and the ferry tickets to be purchased. I know some Spanish but not enough to get into details, just enough to ask directions and prices, etc.

Once in Cabuya the reality of this place and just how “pura” it is was unavoidable. Cabuya is very rural and towns are not like ours, not by a longshot. A town is mostly just people with businesses from their homes along the roads. You only know you have entered a smaller town because of the sign.

Our accommodations were provided by my SIL who rents 400 acres and three cabanas. Our cabana was 2 bedrooms. It did have a/c (yay!) but the other amenities were sparse. The houses are built very simply and doors and windows are not sealed so every bug can enter and exit, and they do! Every morning it looked like the bugs had a party as the floors were covered in dead ones and excrement, carcasses, and ants or spiders or centipedes. Geckos hung out inside and chirped all night and day.

We had no hot water and no oven or microwave or really any more modern conveniences. It is like we were glamping (in an RV) but inside a house. The stove, had there been one, would have been tiny. Coffee makers are a luxury. Most people live outside on their porches during the day and into the night. Some have beds outside and are quite expansive. The kitchen I have now has no windows, just wire “screens”. Their washing machines are different, too, with one side to wash and the other to rinse and spin. If you want hot water to clean the clothes you have to boil it. There are no dryers used. They just hang the clothes outside. I discovered this is the norm. Everyone lives like this.

It took me most of the week to get use to living like this and now I am perfectly fine with it. I did not had any issues sleeping which was nice!

The weather was another surprise. We came in the rainy season and the storms sound like hurricanes when they blow through. With a tin roof I was sure the house would blow away, but it didn’t. I have since grown use to this, too.

The 80 degree weather feels like 90 or more. The humidity is killer and I grateful that I packed mostly tank tops and gym shorts that dry quickly and are made for high amounts of sweat. If I’m not wearing that I am wearing a bikini top with shorts (mine is like a half tankini). It makes it easier to just strip down and get in some water to cool down.

The activities we participated in were not planned. My SIL wanted us to meet and be with the herd, so we did lots of that. We also took advantage of a pool and restaurant across the road which also had a great beach. The only drawback of the beaches here is there are lots of volcanic rocks and stones which can cut your feet. The kids usually opted for the pool as did I but we did go into the ocean a few times. The water was also very dirty so when you got out you had to rinse off well or a piece of the sea would go home with you.

The flora and fauna constantly surprise me. The sounds never end and there are some odd ones! The frog sounds scared me at first but now I am use to them. They do not sound like any frog I’ve ever heard! The first morning, howler monkeys were close and I was thoroughly freaked out. If you’ve ever seen the movie I Am Legend, the sounds are like the infected. I immediately thought of that movie when I heard it. Not a nice sound to wake up to! I have sense gotten use to it, too.

There are also critters on the tin roof and fruits falling with a loud bang. Iguanas are the main visitors making scratching sounds that kinda freaked me out at first because I didn’t know what it was. The loud bangs from fruits falling in the night often wake me up. It sounds like someone kicking in the door.

Other things I’ve noticed: cell phone and data coverage are limited, everyone uses What’s App, the stores have limited food items but do carry some US stuff at extreme prices, fruit is everywhere so you just go outside and pick what you want (mangoes mostly). There are lots of naked toddlers as it is normal to just let them run around naked. People also let their kids (and pets) wander. The cars/bikes won’t stop for you so don’t get in their way. Going barefoot is common. There are land crabs that come into the house and crawl up the walls (ick!). The monkeys will throw their feces at you (hahaha). The natives here are called Tico. Most speak some English. You can go to “town” and get pretty much any food item that nature provides and then some – beer, honey, milk, jams/jellies, baked goods, chocolate, etc. There is even a local woman who does nails! Another local is coming to give me a massage on Sunday and there is a woman who teaches acupuncture. The store milk goes bad quickly so I drink almond milk but you can buy it fresh from someone in town. They do take US dollars but you will get their money back. Not many people smoke but drinking is common and drunk people not unusual. lol There is a “town drunk”. Ylang Ylang trees are native and the scent is intoxicating (I want one!). There are lots of Americans who have transplanted here as well as people from other countries. I met an India man yesterday and someone from the UK recently as well. It is not unusual to find someone just hanging out for months or years without ever getting residency.

I may write another post about the horse healing at a later date when I have time. Since I decided to stay on for three more weeks I should get around to it, but I’ve been focusing on being lazy and inactive since my family went back to the US.

Below are some images of my trip. The images of the cabana are of the one I am currently living in – one bedroom, no a/c or hot water and kitchen that allows all kinds of critters inside (land crabs for one).