COFFEE, CATS, & PLAY…
Three more very good things around here!
SHOUT OUTS!
A big Shout Out to the Surfside POA and the Surfside ASADA for installation of a Beach Access Ramp at the Surfside entrance to Potrero Beach.
This was done as part of the Ecological Blue Flag Program. Future additional improvements to beach access and beautification include the donation of a mobile ramp for the sand, an amphibious wheelchair, and marked improvements to the look of the entrance.
In a commitment to environmental education, educational flyers and trash grabbers will be donated to the 6th-grade students of Potrero School. This initiative aims to foster environmental awareness and responsibility among young community members.
Shout Outs to The Clean Wave’s mission of environmental protection that includes clean beaches, monkey bridges, and community composting.
To The Shack for always hosting the Potrero beach clean-ups.
To the volunteers who show up and make it happen.
Happy birthday & feliz cumpleaños this month to:
James B. on July 13.
Kristin C. on July 13.
Happy Anniversary to:
Christine & Peter - 22 years.
ESPAÑOL
This month’s Spanish phrase is: “con mucho gusto.” This means “with much pleasure” and is used to say, “you’re welcome.” In Costa Rica, the phrase “de nada” for “you’re welcome” is not typically used.
NEIGHBOR SPOTLIGHT
Let’s sit down for coffee with Jeff Moeller, this month’s neighbor spotlight.
Jeff has been living it up in Costa Rica since November of 2022. He and his wife Gina sold everything and moved from Austin, Texas after he retired from his job as a software engineer at Charles Schwab.
Jeff, Gina, and their four dogs came to Costa Rica on the “dogs gone wild flight.” This was a semi private plane, but not as luxurious as it might sound. There were dogs everywhere and they were super cramped. They rode with two beagles that loved to howl, and he thought the plane would be brought down when all 8 dogs on plane started singing!
Before Jeff worked as a software engineer, he owned a music studio in downtown Austin, Texas and had played in various cover and original bands since high school. He is a multi-instrumentalist but says that keyboards are his jam. One of his bands even opened for Flock of Seagulls back in the day! These days Jeff is working on his ukulele skills and tinkering with various midi controllers and software synths.
In a proud dad moment, Jeff says that he has a 28-year-old daughter who works in the travel industry and is working on her master’s degree. His four-legged loves are Vinnie, a 14-year-old vizsla, Tuper, a 17-year-old chihuahua, Hamlet, an 8-year-old Boston terrier, and Vespa, a 4.5-year-old vizsla.
He says that he has adjusted to Costa Rica like a fish to water. His absolute favorite thing is surfing. He says there is nothing like being out on the ocean, trying to catch that perfect wave.
Besides that, he loves taking the dogs to the beach every morning with his wife. He said that he honestly can’t tell who has more fun – her or the dogs.
Thanks Jeff! We look forward to hearing your musical stylings in the community!
QUE CHIVA!
To Kristin and Ronnie for welcoming the community to express the crazy stuff that dads say on Father’s Day, June 16th.
Unsolicited Nursing Advice That Might Just Save Your Life
By Binta Forte
Here is a quick guide on how to manage snake, spider, and scorpion stings/bites. These are general guidelines for treatment. Certain species will be more dangerous than others, so know what sort of creatures are around, and acquaint yourself with their appearances as this can make a world of difference with treatment.
Snake Bite-
· Remain calm (increased heart rate spreads venom more quickly)
· Call for help; get away from the snake, obviously!
· DO NOT elevate the affected extremity; it must be held still in a position LOWER than your heart.
· DO NOT place ice over/around bite, cut or lance the bite, drink alcohol, take ANYTHING by mouth including water or pain medication, or use a tourniquet.
· REMOVE any restrictive clothing, rings, watches, socks, shoes, etc.
· CLEAN the area with soap or water; cover with a clean cloth/bandage until help arrives.
Scorpion Sting-
· Remain calm, call for help, get away from scorpion.
· CLEAN with soap and water, if available
· ELEVATE the affected extremity ABOVE the level of your heart
· APPLY cold compress, if available
· TAKE acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain, if needed
Spider Bites-
· CLEAN with soap and water, if available
· ELEVATE the affected extremity ABOVE the level of the heart
· APPLY cold compress for 15 minutes each hour for swelling, if available
· TAKE acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain, if needed
· TAKE antihistamine if bite area itches
THE POWER OF PLAY
By Christine Guzzardo
As poet Mary Oliver says in her poem (page 5 below), “…It’s impossible not to remember wild and not want to go back.”
Many of us North Americans now living in Costa Rica are old enough to remember back to a childhood where we played outside all the time. Our parents rarely knew where we were, and we were called home by the setting sun or the ring of a bell.
For many of us, those days were spent roaming neighborhoods, riding bikes, swimming, climbing trees, building forts, racing sticks or leaves in the gutter, collecting bugs, and playing games like tag, capture the flag, hide-and-seek, red rover, hopscotch, or kick the can. Inside the house, we played some of these same games, in addition to playing with toys, dolls, games, puzzles, and trying to stay off a floor of lava.
Play begins in infancy, and it is widespread in the animal kingdom. In humans, the brain continues develop into the late 20s, but most of the neural wiring is completed much earlier than that. As young children play, neural pathways are developing that will later inform their cognitive, social, and emotional skills, as well contribute to identity development, emotional regulation, mental health, empathy, and other pro-social attributes.
Of course, we don’t know any of this when we are kids playing four-square or softball or rolling down a grassy hill or pinning the tail on the donkey or swinging at a pinata. What we do know is the joy of hitting a ball, or winning a game, or feeling dizzy after spinning around. But, despite the joy, somewhere along the way, we stop playing.
We in Costa Rica are lucky to have many opportunities to play. To experience wonder, joy, fun, and to exist in that mental and emotional place that is outside of time and space for a while.
Play can be anything you want it to be. It is different for everyone and there is no “right” way to play. It may be Bingo, trivia, Wordle, running, walking your dog, swimming, coloring, team sports, playing or creating music, card or board games, reading, puzzles, museums or art galleries, yard sales, babysitting, sewing, crafts…the list goes on and on because anything can be play depending on your state of mind.
In adults, play keeps our brains and bodies active, which is good for long term brain health. It reduces stress, strengthens social connections, releases endorphins that are important for reducing anxiety and depression, tires out our bodies so we sleep better, fosters creativity, and can improve feelings of happiness.
So, if reading this newsletter is fun, keep going; if not, put it down and go enjoy yourself!
PET PHOTOS
Meet Peanut! Peanut loves to swim and show you all of her toys. She also really loves running into her litter- mates around town! Peanut’s people are Kristin and Ronnie.
Now meet Roo! Roo expressed some frustration that only dogs have so far been featured in the Pet Photos section. She is a strong advocate for cat superiority in the domestic animal hierarchy. Roo is a Torbie (tortoise shell + tabby) Manx (a breed that originated in Scotland and has no tail). She loves to play and enjoys supervised time by the pool. Her people are Christine and Peter.
FEEL GOOD WORDS
Since I received no votes for the winning haiku, I declare everyone a winner! Blue ribbons for Michelle, Linda, Christine, Peter, Jeanne, and James!
Green, Green is My Sister’s House
Don’t you dare climb that tree
or even try, they said, or you will be
sent away to the hospital of the
very foolish, if not the other one.
And I suppose, considering my age, it was fair advice.
But the tree is a sister to me, she
lives alone in a green cottage
high in the air and I know what
would happen, she’d clap her green hands,
she’d shake her green hair, she’d
welcome me. Truly.
I try to be good but sometimes
a person just has to break out and
act like the wild and springy thing
one used to be. It’s impossible not
to remember wild and not want to go back. So
if someday you can’t find me you might
look into that tree or – of course
it’s possible – under it.
-Mary Oliver
ONE LAST THING
Send me your Shouts Outs (surely you know someone who has done something nice!), birthdays and anniversaries, pet photos, any photos!, neighbor spotlight nominations, and poems. Or send me an article you've written that may help the community!
