RAIN FINALLY

We finally got some rain today! That was after spending the day with zero water pressure. We did receive a note from ICE the corporation that owns all phone, water, electric and who knows what else for the whole country of Costa Rica. They told us that we are 35% low on water for this time of year and we would start rationing soon!

When we moved to Costa Rica from Arizona a big reason was to be near water. Now we are running low on water. All we can hope for is that this will be the wettest October in history. Although we just saw on the news this rain is actually just a front blowing through and not actual rainy season rains. What that means is it will not last as long or be as hard as seasonal rains.

On my morning run this morning it was sooo hot I felt like I was running my marathon again. I mean to say it was freakin hot. I almost stopped because I realized that I did not have to do this. I am not training for anything, I was not racing, in other words there was no reason to be out there suffering so.

I have headed back to the gym and had forgotten how much easier spinning and lifting are. But nothing burns the calories like running, or gives you that runners high!

TEXAS

Well it is on to Texas for a few days. It is very humid here and feels great! I actually missed the humidity while in Arizona. The flight here was so nice. I am so used to the international travel with all it's hassles and forgot how simple it is to fly little.
I am still working on my inmate and trying to get him settled. Evidently there was a mix up and the jail people "accidently" moved him into a pod he did not want to be in. Everyone had agreed that he would spend the remainder of his time in the same pod he was in, but someone missed the memo.
The mentality in jail is such that change is very difficult and they know that. Sometimes they move people just to make their lives miserable. As if losing everything and everyone near and dear to you is not punishment enough. So when I visited him he was very agitated about being moved.
He was in lockdown and could not make phone calls or anything. For his own good of course, since he had just taken a plea. The deal is all the lawyers had agreed he would stay in what has become his home over the year he has been there.
The fact that he will be there for at least six months more is not helping. First time I've ever heard someone beg to go to prison. Anyway the facts and figures of his plea and a great picture of him are all on www.azdailysun.com in archives for micah neumann. He's so freakin cute!

1 HR RUN

Yahoo, up to one hour run time. Of course in Arizona it is sooo much easier here to run with the flats and no one trying to harm me with their car. Not even dogs chasing me so I probably don't run quite as fast for sure. I kind of miss the adrenelin rush of running Costa Rica though.
There is nothing quite like wondering if the car coming straight at you is trying to avoid a pot hole or if they are really intent on taking out a gringa.
Or the husky dog sniffing around the trash who looks up when you are running toward him. Like is he going to chase you down or not?
Then of course there are the hills that are everywhere and I don't mean little hills, I mean big ole' hills that kick your booty.
If it sounds like I am homesick, it is because I am! I have only been here a week and already I miss my family, my home and all the quirks that go with living abroad.
Yesterday I was looking at a picture of my baby and wishing I was there to brush her hair and give her a big hug. She did a sleepover with big sis last night so I'm sure Mom is the farthest thing from her mind.
The good news is Mom is home and no more sister sitting for awhile. I just hope I did not miss too much going on under my nose while on my watch.
My artist is headed down to see me next week and then home. Can't wait.

GRATITUDE ATTITUDE

Did you know that when you are feeling grateful you are not feeling a whole lot of other negative emotions? If you can practise a gratitude attitude you will be amazed at how your life will change. There is an old hymn about "Count your Many Blessings".

The reason for that? You cannot feel sad when you start counting your blessings, they do not fit in the same mind. It will bring a smile to your face and before you know it you are wondering why you were depressed in the first place.

We all have so much to be thankful there is no way we can sit around feeling sorry for ourselves. When our family worked for "Families Helping Families" building houses for poor families in Mexico, we never left feeling that we were extremely blessed and very grateful for our little house in Arizona.

This picture is a picture of our neighbors. They are squatters who threw up this shack behind a house two doors down from us. They are hooked in to the electricity of the neighbors and the water. They have kids, and their kids leave everyday for school looking clean and dressed and pressed.