Swagman2 recent haul out/ La toute recente mise en carene de Swaggi

When the diver changed one of the zincs, he poked a hole in the hull Knowing the crocodiles abound in this estuary, we really can't be mad at him! The pump started to work and we could hear the water rushing inside the boat. Panic! Domi figured out right away what was the problem as the diver didn't have a clue that the screw he was using to put the zinc in place was too long and they stopped the flow! But it was the kick on the butt we needed to get the boat out of the water and check the hull.

The holes were repaired at Sam Manley, a very professional Puntarenas boat yard. The boss, Sam, an english man whose father came to work on the railway is a sweet 82 years old man, still vibrant and passionate about his boatyard and the big machinery in his shop. We found that the work on the fiber glass that was done on the hull in Mexico, Guayamas, was poorly done and will need attention so we did a quick clean up, painting and back in the water the next day as we need a very high tide to do this kind of operations, (deep keel on the boat and channel filling up with sand). Domi and I have been putting a lot of work on the boat and Swaggi looks good.

Quand le plongeur a change les zincs, il a perce un trou dans la coque. Comme on sait que l'estuaire ici est plein de crocodiles, on ne peut pas vraiment se facher! La pompe de cale s'est mise en route et on pouvait entendre l'eau qui rentrait a flot. Panique a bord! Domi a realise tout de suite quel etait le probleme car le plongeur n'avait pas la moindre idee que la vis qu'il utilisait pour poser le zinc etait trop longue et ils ont arrete l'inondation. Mais c'etait le coup de pied dans le derriere dont on avait besoin pour sortir le bateau de l'eau et verifier la coque.

Les trous ont ete repare au chantier naval de Sam Manley de Puntarenas, tres professionnel. Le patron, Sam, un anglais de 82 ans dont le pere etait venu a Costa Rica pour travailler sur le chemin de fer est un homme encore vibrant et passionne par son chantier et son atelier pleins de machines. On a decouvert que le travail de fibre de verre fait a Guyamas, au Mexique sur la coque n'avait pas ete bien fait and demandera des soins. Alors cette fois ci, on a fait juste un nettoyage et une peinture et on etait de retour a l'eau le jour suivant car on a besoin d'une grande maree pour ce genre d'operations ( quille profonde du bateau et enssablement de l'estuaire) . Domi et moi travaillons dur sur le bateau et il a l'air tres beau.

Ometepe in Nicaragua

One of the two volcanoes of the little islands of Ometepe, the Nahualts, on lake Nicaragua, an ocean of fresh water, is said to erupt every 50 years. So it is due anyday now! But lucky us, it didn't while we were there! It's peaceful, feels like 50 years ago, with people taking care of business either on horse back or bicycle. The cows travel on the dirt road at a leisurely pace. The volcanic spring, the oro de agua, amongst the trees is soothing and fresh. Women use a big volcanic rock to put their laundry on top while they wash, standing up, in the lake or the rivers. Not so hard on the back! We enjoyed the relaxed pace, the cheap local restaurants and a nice bicycle ride.

On dit que l'un des deux volcans des petites iles d'Ometepe, les Nahualts, sur le lac Nicaragua, un ocean d'eau fraiche, se reveille tous les 50 ans. Cela pourrait arriver n'importe quel jour maintenant mais, quelle chance, ce n'est pas arrive pendant qu'on y etait! C'est un endroit paisible qui nous a ramene 50 ans en arriere, ou les gens s'occupent de leurs affaires soit a dos de cheval soit a bicyclette. La source volcanique, l'oeil d'eau, au milieu des arbres est rafraichissante et calmante. Les femmes font leur lessive sur une grosse roche volcannique en se tenant debout dans le lac ou les rivieres, moins dur sur le dos! Nous avons apprecie la relaxation, les restaurants locaux bon marche et une belle promenade a bicyclette.

Fall in Costa Rica/Automne a Costa Rica

We have been waiting for the first rain, so soothing. In two days, the pachote trees don't look like squeletons any longer, the grass is green, everything looks fresh and clean, so beautiful. Meanwhile, we are going from Malpais where the seafood store is, to San Jose a l'appartement, to Puntarenas where we work on the boat and we enjoy the visit of family and friends. Domi regains his strength slowly but surely.

And I do yoga with Snika!

On a attendu avec impatience les premieres pluies, si douces. En deux jours, les arbres pachotes ont perdu leurs allures de squelettes, l'herbe est a nouveau verte, tout est frais et propre, tres beau. Nous voyageons de Malpais ou est la poissonnerie a san Jose a l'apparttement et a Puntarenas ou nous travaillons sur le bateau et nous avons le plaisir de recevoir la visite de la famille et des amis. Domi retrouve ses forces doucement mais surement.

Et je fais du yoga avec Snika!

Recovery in San Jose: out of the hospital/ Convalescence a San Jose: enfin sorti de l'hopital

Domi can't travel so we rent a house in Escazu, San Jose, for a month where he learns to walk again. After three weeks, his big accomplishment is to climb upstairs for a wonderful bath with jets to relax his aching body.

Domi ne peut pas encore voyager alors on loue une maison a Escazu, San Jose, pour un mois. Il y re-apprend a marcher. Apres trois semaines, son plus grand accomplissement est de monter les escaliers pour prendre un bon bain tourbillon qui l'aide a relaxer son corps douloureux.

Recovery in San Jose: the new appartment/ Convalescence a San Jose: le nouvel appartement

We have moved into our new appartment in Santa Ana, close to San Jose, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, at the Avalon country club. Lovely swimming pool, hot tubs, gym, lap pool, tennis courts, mini golf, soccer field still in construction.

The swimming does wonders for Domi who works hard on regaining strength and flexibility. We love the weather, sunny and hot in the mornings, cloudy and stormy in the afternoons, the view on the mountains, cows and horses, waking up with the song of the local roosters and tropical birds. It is peaceful and relaxing after the last three months of intense anxiety. To watch Domi climbing the little hill to the swimming pool and enjoying himself in the water makes me happy. We still take it one day at a time and we are content to do just so.

On a demenage dans notre nouvel appartement de Santa Ana, pres de San Jose, deux chambres, deux salles de bain, au country club Avalon. La piscine est magnifique, bains tourbillons, gymnase, piscine pour faire des longueurs, mini golf, terrain de foot et tennis encore en construction.

La natation aide beaucoup Domi qui travaille dur pour retrouver ses forces et sa flexibilite. On aime beaucoup le climat ici, chaud et ensoleille le matin, nuageux et orageux l' apres midi, la vue sur la montagne, vaches et chevaux. On aime se reveiller avec le chant des coqs locaux et des oiseaux tropicaux. C'est paisible et relaxant apres les trois derniers mois d'anxiete intense. Regarder Domi grimper la petite colline jusqu'a la piscine et le voir s'amuser dans l'eau me rend heureuse. On continue a vivre une journee a la fois et nous nous en contentons pleinement.

The making of the family store:Grand Opening,july 14th/ Realisation du magasin familial: celebration de l'ouverture, 14 juillet 2008

The making of the family store: building!/ Realisation du magasin familial:construction

The making of the family store: planning!/ Realisation du magasin familial:planification

The making of the family store...but life had other plans/ Realisation du magasin familial...mais la vie avait d'autres plans.

I have been meaning to post " The making of the family store" pictures a long time ago but Life had other plans...Dominique is recovering slowly but surely from the agressive bacteria that attacked his lungs, his white cells count went down to 700, his kidneys fell, and kept him sedated for three weeks at the hospital Mexico in San Jose, Costa Rica. We almost lost him but thanks to the good care of the doctors and intensive care staff in the hospital, the prayers and positive energy of friends, family, even perfect strangers, coming from all over, the love of his family and his will to live, he survived, with a total loss of muscles, weakness and a long journey ahead of him to recover. Gael, Demian, Samy and Stephane and I gathered our energies in San Jose in order to be constantly with him. Domi is now starting to walk again. We live in San Jose and the kids go back and forth from the beach to here. No plans for now as it will take a while for Domi to be able to travel again.

J'avais prevu de mettre les photos de"La realisation du magasin familial" il y a quelques temps deja mais la vie avait d'autres plans...Domi se remet tranquillement mais surement d'une bacterie agressive qui a attaque ses poumons et l'a garde dans un coma artificiel pendant trois semaines a l'hopital Mexico de San Jose, Costa Rica. Nous l'avons presque perdu, son compte de cellules blanches est tombe a 700, ses reins ont lache, mais grace aux bons soins des docteurs et du personnel des soins intensifs de l'hopital, les prieres et l'energie positive des amis, de la famille et meme d'etrangers, qui nous sont parvenues de partout, l'amour de sa famille et son desir de vivre, il a survecu avec la perte totale de l'usage de ses muscles, une grande faibless et une longue convalescence devant lui . Gael, Demian, Samy, Stephane et moi-meme ont rassemble nos energies a San Jose afin d'etre constamment a ses cotes. Domi recommence maintenant a marcher. Nous demeurons a San Jose et les enfants font l'aller-retour de la plage a ici. Pas de plans pour l'instant car Domi ne va pas pouvoir voyager pendant un bon moment.

In Nicaragua again.

We stay by a lake, the crater of a volcano, up the mountain at Susan's beautiful house.

The visit of the alcoholic gecko

Our little friend enjoy licking the top of our glass of rhum! Which reminds me of this movie"Animal are beautiful people" (that's the title I believe) where animals, girafes, elephants, monkeys...wait for the fruit of a special tree to rippen and ferment so they can get drunk!

New Year with a pig roast a la Hawaienne

Dig a big hole by the beach, build a fire inside the pit with drift wood. When you have a good heap of coals, wrap the pig in banana leaves, put it on a rack made of banana tree branches, cover it with banana leaves,then put back the earth so no air gets in , let it cook while you drink beers and rum and eat a tender and tasty pig few hours later! Happy New Year everybody et Bonne Annee!

Puntarenas is pretty good!

Swaggie is tucked in a little corner of the estuary and between sanding and painting, we relax at the swimming pool of the yacht club. When we are not on the boat, we are in Santa Teresa enjoying life with the kids...