I'll Be Back...

hello blogosphere!  it's me again.  my hiatus is over.  at the behest of my best, i have returned!!

as you know i have a thing with woodpeckers.  they're pretty much the coolest birds ever made.  the pileated woodpecker, aka "woody the woodpecker", is one of my favorites. glorious, isn't he?

 

i happened to spot one during our 4-wheeling excursion a few days into our trip to costa rica (or as my dad would say: "costa rrrrrrrrricaaaaaaaaaa"). it pretty much made my year!!!!!  i concluded she's a female, after much zooming and inspection of my not so great picture (it's the best i could do with a tiny camera and BIG excitement!).   

from that point on, the trip was a success...no matter what!  a close second to my friend here were the exciting encounters on our snorkeling trip.  mind you, this was my first time handling the breathing apparatus, and austin, being mr. pro scuba diver, had no trouble flopping right in.  meanwhile i struggled putting the nasty thing in my mouth and jumping into the unknown...but alas, at the risk of looking like a ridiculous tourist and being the very last person on the boat, i succumbed.  literally not 10 seconds after i put my face in the water a giant and i mean GIANT stingray and it's pack were gliding by five feet below me...at which time i did the underwater scream as austin was completely oblivious.  i was nightmarishly frightened yet tranquilly calm (explain that one).  the leader of the pack was at least six feet wide, which we later found out was actually quite "small".  huh??  they ain't got those in ocean city.  it was big!  the octopus and moray eel were pretty cool, along with the schools of colorful fish.  it was a great day of new adventures!  and who would mind this island view??

driving in costa rica was pretty sweet!  delivery trucks, buses, 4-wheelers, walking and dirt bikes are the main modes of transportation. no rules apply.  dirt in your eyes, mouth and hair are inevitable. sore and chaffing butts WILL plague you til calluses are formed...sounds miserable, but somehow you can't beat the wind in your hair and the "do as you please" automotive mindset.  it's almost like a little rock road experience, except costa ricans are actually good at it! 

it's a boring saturday night...couldn't get a poker game together...so sad, too bad