Catching up

I started off the week with an if-I-only-could kind of feeling.

A sense of increasing desperation over professional issues.

But it became impossible to keep that up for long, because this arrived...

Thank you Morna for this exquisite gift!

"If it were not for hope, the heart would break"

The English Proverb printed on her magic cards.

Patching a heart, regained hope!

With everything that's going on here, I quite forgot to mention anything about my son Eben's recent visit (he left Costa Rica 4 years ago to study, is now at Cardiff University, and we see each other for a couple of days once a year). This year he was traveling with his friend Alex. We decided to offer them a day on the Golfo Dulce in our new boat. And what a day that turned out to be!

We had a fine morning swimming off a small island in Los Mogos.
 Then moored the boat at Rincon, where you literally cross the street and there's a little seafood cafe.
I took this image just as we were to set out again. The water was like glass. But then half way out of this little bay (2 minutes later) a massive storm hit. Wind and torrential rain. The tide was coming in, and it was one of the highest tides of the year (10 meters). I didn't know whether the best option was to stay in the boat, or throw myself over the side!

Needless to say, I didn't manage to get any images at that point. My other son, Nilo, life jacket on, was bundled under black plastic on the floor of the boat, as we got tossed to and fro for a nearly an hour trying to get ahead of the storm.

This is our captain (my man, Fanier) with one of his reassuring smiles, as he finally steers us out of it.

This is what we left behind us.

And here we are after the ordeal.
Alex (left) who was not once afraid.
Eben (right) and I (center) still looking shaken up.
Nilo (at the stern) amused, just carries on eating :)

That was one month ago, and I haven't been back on the water since then.

Fanier, on the other hand, bent on making us a living at being a fisherman, sets out shortly after midnight most days.
Sometimes, I am afraid for him.

"Pargo seda" - related to Red Snapper.

What else!

When I'm not at work - which is most of the time - I try to do some of this...

what else...

I'm getting to see a lot of this... light patterns and movement on water.

Sometimes, a bit too much movement!

 We sailed into a storm. It was very choppy and I admit I was afraid!

But well worth weathering it out for this.

And this! The man caught "Manchado" - related to red snapper - in the dark.

 It was delicious!

I was thinking about those ocean skies. But can't decide if I prefer it like this...

Or like this??? 

Something started... that will probably just remain as another fragment of an idea. The sky needs more apricot. 

I grated some avocado pit.

Within seconds of being exposed to the air, it starts to turn that delicious marigold color.

I threw it in the pot with a few small scraps. I am not a patient cloth dyer.

I keep finding little scraps of fabric all over the house. I picked these three up today, and the coincidental arrangement was pleasing.

Any minute now, my eldest son, Eben, is going to arrive, and I haven't seen him for a whole year!