HOUSE FOUND, MAYBE

Just a quick update because I'm at a coffee shop with Lula and Malko (there's no internet at Robert's house) and Lula's begging me to pay attention to her.

Joedy and the dogs made it to Montezuma Wednesday without any trouble. Joedy said the town has a distinctive artsy/bohemian feel, just as we'd read, and that it seems pretty dang cool. There's a playground surrounded by trees near the "town center" (I think it's pretty tiny) and the beach is sort of like a protected cove, which means less big waves and less/no--oh god--crocodiles.

Joedy decided to ask everyone and anyone if they have a house for rent, and it's paid off--he's already seen four, I think. Yesterday afternoon he went to Lula's Montessori to meet the director, but the school was closed for the day. As he was getting back in the car a woman came down the road on a bike with two dogs behind her; she asked if he needed help and explained that she's the movement teacher at the school, and it turned out that she has a house for rent on her property nearby. Joedy followed her there and he said the place looks great: it's a two-bedroom house with all the Western amenities, including phone and internet, on a big lot of open land. Rent is $700/month plus utilities and $60/month for internet. The woman (I forget her name) is a professional movement instructor/dancer and artist (she has a dance studio on the property where she takes the Montessori kids to roll around on big exercise balls) and apparently she'd prefer that her tenants be artists.

Joedy's looking at another house today but I think we'll end up renting this one. Oh. My. God. I cannot believe it! We just might already have a place to live!

Yesterday was not a great day. Dealing with Lula and Malko full time while trying to smog/register/sell two old cars is akin to...stuffing cranberries up my nose and inhaling them into my brain, where they rattle around, get smooshed, and drip out my ears. In other words, it's annoying! But I just talked to Joedy and we came to some decisions about the cars that make me feel way less stressed.

On Friday we leave super early in the morning to catch our flight (Lapis will fly solo on Continental), and then, holy jesus, we'll be in ole' Costa Rica. I hardly dare think about it because I don't want anything to go wrong. But things have gone pretty smoothly thus far, so...it should be ok.

It's just past noon now and I should check out the house online (the woman has a website for her business) and then pay attention to my little kids, who are being so patient and sweet.

Since there's no internet at the house I'll have to come to a coffee shop to write again, so I might not be able to post updates as often as I'd like, but I'll try!

Happy Saturday, everyone!