by Judy Handley | Dec 1, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 335: Last Day at Finca Maravilla
Date: Sunday, December 1, 2024
Weather: Sunny AM, Partly Sunny PM; 87 High Temp, Low 77 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico
Entering the daily weather information just now, I realized that I am really not returning to a colder Cape Cod than the one I left. When I get home late tomorrow night, the temperature will be around 30 degrees F (ouch!), but when I fly out of San Juan mid-afternoon the temperature will be the high 80’s. That’s a big difference. I love hot and I am going to miss the 88 degree days. And the warm weather is not all that I am going to miss. It has been wonderful to spend a full seven days here Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco. I hate that we live so far apart, and will miss being with them once I return home.
Today was Christmas tree day. We drove to Home Depot in Mayaguez to get the tree. When we got home, Jo put the lights on the tree while Coco put lights in the hallway ceiling. It is looking festive here! And just now as I was saying goodnight to Ziggy, I realized how wonderful it is that I have been here for Thanksgiving for the past three years. Here’s hoping I can return next year.
by Judy Handley | Nov 30, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 334: From Finca Maravilla to Marina Beach to Puntes to Cowboys
Date: Saturday, November 30, 2024
Weather: Mostly Sunny; 87 High Temp, Low 75 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico
Today was a day of going here and there with everyone going in different directions. Jo and Coco went into Rincon to run some errands while Justin and I walked the horses across the road to a neighbor’s field where they can graze during the day. I wanted to tag along just to see Cacique and Hopi. I have been here six days, and this was the first time I have had a chance to see them. It is a short trip, not much more than half a mile, but the steepness of the driveway getting from here at the house up to the road is truly the steepest I have ever encountered.
I was exhausted by the time we reached the road, but then it was flat and downhill to the neighbor’s fields. The problem was I had to walk back up the neighbor’s steep driveway. Not as steep as Finca Maravilla’s, but steep enough!
Jo and Coco barely got home from running errands before it was time for Jo to take Coco to Marina Beach in Rincon for a birthday party. I tagged along as wanted to go to the beach. Coco said she didn’t want to spend more than two hours at the party, and I knew I could find a place on the beach far enough away from the birthday party so that Coco wouldn’t feel like I was intruding. It was a beautiful beach day with calm water and full sunshine. I enjoyed every minutes of it, but two hours was enough for me. Coco, however, was having such a good time that she decided not to leave when Justin came to pick me up. In the meantime, he had gone to pick up the truck with a new key fob made to order and he had taken Ziggy to a friend’s house for the afternoon. Justin took me home and then he drove Jo to Puntes to the market where she set up a stall to sell her natural beauty products. On the way home, Justin stopped to pick up Coco for the second time, and still she was not ready to leave. So once again, Justin drove up the mountain with just enough time to go get the horses and bring them home before getting a text from Coco that she was ready to leave. I was exhausted just watching him drive in and out and in and out and took a nap while he went to get Coco.
Then it was time for the final trip of the day. After Coco showered off, the three of us went to pick up Ziggy and then drove to Puntes to get Jo. The market was still going, so Justin, Ziggy, Coco, and I walked across the street to an oceanside restaurant and had cold drinks while waiting for Jo. At 7 pm, we went back to help her take down the tent and pack up her goods and get them into the truck. Then we all piled in and went to Cowboys for dinner.
Cowboys is a covered outside restaurant with a yeehaw Western theme where their wood-fired grills “infuse every bit with smoky perfection.” We have gone there many times when I have been here visiting, and Ziggy really wanted to go there for dinner tonight. When Ziggy and Coco were little, they would put on the cowboy hats and ride the little mechanical bucking broncos. Now we just go to eat the food, but after dinner Ziggy did grab a cowboy hat and did a little Western jig. I think that was his was of saying he really enjoyed the dinner.
While we are here in warm, sunny Puerto Rico having fun, Heather, Jed, and the Goldpebbles are now in much cooler Amsterdam having fun. Today’s photo was of the boys looking out over the canal landscape with windmills.
Unfortunately for all of us tomorrow is the last vacation day. On Monday, Coco and Ziggy go back to school after a week long break, I fly home, and the Goldstones fly home. I am not sure what is on the agenda in the Netherlands, but we are going to get a Christmas tree so it can be decorated while I am here. ‘Tis the season.
by Judy Handley | Nov 29, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 333: The Day After
Date: Friday, November 29, 2024
Weather: Mostly Sunny; 87 High Temp, Low 78 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico
It was a slow start this morning, the day after our Thanksgiving feast. I think we all had sugar overload from all the pies as none of us slept as soundly as normal plus then we slept in a little later than usual. Jo spent her morning getting her beauty health products ready to sell at the first Saturday market of the season.
I read outside in the sunshine and Justin ran into town to do some errands. Coco has not been feeling up to par for the last few days, so she stayed in her room resting. She has a virus of some sort but was actually feeling a bit better today.
After lunch, Justin took Ziggy to the gym. Then a little later in the afternoon, we all headed to Steps Beach with the hope of snorkeling. Justin had overheard people in the market this morning talking about it being a calm day for snorkeling at Steps Beach. So that is where we headed. Unfortunately, the tide was coming in and it was just too rough. We walked down the beach past the famous ‘steps’.
Some say they floated ashore during Hurricane Hugo in 1989 while others say it is a concrete set of steps that belonged to a seaside house that washed away. Whichever, the iconic steps just sit there letting the waves crash into them day after day. We walked on to the rock pools where we thought we could sit in the water and be protected from the waves, but even that was too rough. A huge wave came rolling in and sent us sliding back through the sand and rocks. Jo ended up with scrapes on her arms from sliding across the rocks. So we gave up and walked back to where we had left our blankets on the beach.
Justin was going to the truck to get something but couldn’t find his keys. He had left them wrapped in his t-shirt on the beach and before our walk, but Jo had picked up the shirt to put it on her beach blanket before we took off on our walk. She didn’t realize the keys were in the shirt and all we can figure is that the keys fell out of the shirt, landed on the beach, and then got washed out to sea with a waves. Their second key was in Jo’s beach bag that was stolen a couple of months ago, so we were without a key to the truck. And it is a push button start with an electronic fob, not an old-fashioned key. They did a little research and found a local guy who said he could get a new fob and have the truck up and running by days’ end if they had the truck towed to his house. Jo called a friend who picked up Justin, the kids, and me and took us home while Jo waited at the beach for the tow truck. Justin then drove their second car named Cherry back to the beach, went with the truck as it was towed to the guy’s house, and Jo came home. The guy didn’t have the parts needed after all but says he will have them tomorrow. We will keep our fingers crossed. Justin walked home from there while Jo drove Coco to meet up with her friends from school in Mayaguez to go see Wicked. Justin, Ziggy, and I had Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner, as did Jo when she got home. Justin has now gone back to Mayaguez to pick Coco up. Whew! What an unexpected crazy afternoon and evening.
by Judy Handley | Nov 28, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 332: Thanksgiving Day
Date: Thursday, November 28, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; 87 High Temp, Low 76 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico
This was a typical Thanksgiving Day spent in the kitchen, but we managed to have some fun while preparing our Thanksgiving feast. We started the day with Coco making Monkey Bread for brunch to go with the bacon wrapped sausages. Coco had never made this before and I don’t think I have made it for years. But Heather makes it every Christmas morning and Ziggy and Coco wanted to try it
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We don’t have a bundt pan, so we made it in bread pans. Ziggy liked it, but his comment was, “This is diabetes in a bread pan.” Can’t say he is wrong about that!
Next Coco made a fruit turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, Ziggy made an apple pie, and Jo made a pecan pie with a grain-free crust.
Once those pies were out of the oven, we put the smoked turkey in the oven to warm and Justin made mashed potatoes while Jo made roasted veggies, broccoli, and gravy.
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I didn’t get the pumpkin pies into the oven until after Thanksgiving dinner and then I managed to forget about them while we played a game of Uno. Thankfully, only the crust on one of the pies looks totally burned, so we will find out if they are edible for breakfast in the morning.
It is wonderful to be here with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco and to have time to get to know Ziggy and Coco as teenagers. Coco is only twelve, but she is already a full-fledged teen. I am thankful that I got to see them twice this year, once when they visited with me in early June and now visiting them here on their home turf. The last two times I have visited for Thanksgiving, I left the very next morning because flights on the weekend after Thanksgiving are ridiculously expensive, and in the past, Monday was too expensive as well. But for whatever reason, a flight back home on Monday this year was reasonable. So, I have three more days here before heading home. And I am looking forward to every minute of it.
Heather, Jed, and the Goldpebbles spent their day indoor snowboarding and having a fondue dinner in the Netherlands. Heather sent a text explaining the location and sent a photo of them waiting for dinner, but I can’t tell you where specifically they are as I somehow managed to delete the message thread. She resent the photo, but I will have to wait until we are home to find out the name of the university Sam was visiting in the town with the indoor snowboarding.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
by Judy Handley | Nov 27, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 331: Beach in Anasco and Shopping in Mayaguez
Date: Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; 86 High Temp, Low 77 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico
There was a little change in plans today, but we still stuck to the basic plan of going to a beach and then then going to the Mayaguez mall to do a little Christmas shopping. I had asked Ziggy and Coco if they could go shopping with me so I could see the kinds of things they like. But by the time we gone to the beach and then fought the traffic to get to the mall, shopping seemed less inviting to all of us. We were successful in getting a new pair of sneakers for a very hard to fit Ziggy and I was able to buy the “something to wear” part of Christmas for Ziggy, Coco, and Justin. So, I’ll call that a success.
We had planned to go to the beach south of Mayaguez in Cabo Roho, and we still might do that before I leave, but when we remembered that we had to pick up the smoked turkey this evening and go to the Art Mart on the town plaza tonight, we decided we didn’t have the time to travel so far afield. The beach we did go to in Anasco was perfect for me. It had a sandy entry and the waves were gentle. Justin, Jo, and I just stood out in the water and talked for a long while and then I put on my snorkel and just relaxed, floating face down on the water. The mall experience was not as delightful, but I did accomplish my goal of learning a little more about Ziggy and Coco’s taste in clothing.
The smoked turkey and Mark’s cranberry salad are in the refrigerator tonight in anticipation of Thanksgiving tomorrow. Coco wants to make Monkey Bread for breakfast and then we will launch into a pie making frenzy. Ziggy wants an apple pie, I want one of Jo’s pecan pies, and we must have a pumpkin pie. Then Coco is planning to design a fruit turkey to go with a salad for lunch and Ziggy and I are going to make “acorns” out of Hershey’s Kisses and mini Nila Wafers for dessert and Thanksgiving table decorations. After lunch we will launch into preparing all the sides to go with the turkey.
by Judy Handley | Nov 27, 2024 | 2024 Life Logs |
2024 Life Logs, Day 330: Double Beach Day and Wonderful Puerto Rican Dinner
Date: Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Weather: Mostly Sunny, Rain Late Afternoon; 88 High Temp, Low 76 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico
Today was another beautiful day here in Puerto Rico. The weather has been just gorgeous, with no afternoon rain yesterday, but this afternoon the rain started around 4:30 pm. That gave us plenty of time for our double beach day. Coco and her good friend since pre-school, Aurora, wanted to go surfing. Jo went to pick up Aurora and bring her here to meet me before we headed to the beach. When I got here Sunday night, I learned that Aurora has been saying that I am her long lost grandmother, so naturally we needed to meet each other! After seeing Coco and Aurora together, I now call them the dynamic duo. Coco has whitish blonde hair and Aurora has jet black hair, both exuberant and fun loving twelve years girls.
But I learned very quickly that having two ‘granddaughters’ is very different from having grandsons. There is a lot more giggling.
There are many surfing beaches in Rincon, but Justin thought Rio Grande might be the calmest. Jo dropped us off at Rio Grande and then went back to get Ziggy and take him to the gym. There truck cab seats five, but not six people, so she had to make the two trips. As the girls headed down to the beach ahead of us with their surfboards, we heard exclaims of the waves looking too rough for them
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But with Justin as their personal lifeguard, they gave it a try.
The waves were not big, they were just crashing too close to shore with little time between each wave. Plus, there was a strong current pulling them down the beach. They finally gave up and Justin gave it a try, but even he declared it a no go. He thought the beach in Aguada where they used to live might be okay, so as soon as Jo got back from delivering Ziggy to the gym, we headed there. It was fun to visit the Aguada beach where we have had so much fun in the past, but the waves were no better. Justin was able to ride a couple of small waves.
But like Rio Grande, they were cresting too close to the shore to get a good ride. It was starting to cloud over a bit, so we took that as the sign to head home. I didn’t even get in the water today as it was rougher than I wanted to brave, but I still loved just being on the beach watching my two ‘granddaughters’ play in the surf. We documented the event with a photo of me with the two of them.
Not long after we got home, Justin decided to drive to Mayaguez to look for an electrical connection for the truck’s air conditioning. It shorted out and damaged the current connector and it just keeps going off and on. I went with him just to keep him company and just after I got in the truck, it started pouring rain. As we traveled south to Mayaguez, the rain lessened making it a much nicer drive. We were not successful in finding the part, but Justin was told about a place that might have what he is looking for. Unfortunately, it was already closed, so he’ll have to check on it later.
Jo had been preparing dinner while we were gone. We had a traditional Puerto Rican dish called mofongo. This is made with green plantains that are boiled until they are soft and then mixed with some garlic and cilantro and mashed. She served it with vegetables stir fried using the same combination of garlic and cilantro and slices from a filet mignon roast.
It was really delicious. And after dinner we watched the third Maze Runner movie.
Today Heather sent a selfie of her with Jed and boys from the tallest church tower in Groningen. She said the weather is mild with today’s temp in the 60’s. Before they left, the weather forecast was for highs in the 40’s, so the unexpected mild weather is a bonus. Sam loved his visit at the University of Groningen and tomorrow they move on to Rotterdam. So things are going great here in Puerto Rico and in the Netherlands. The only little problem is that back in Falmouth, Shadow is refusing to eat. This often happens when I leave him with others. He did eat some dinner last night, but not much again today. Hopefully by tomorrow he will start eating again. Now to bed as it is really late and we have another big day planned for tomorrow.
