The Horses of Esterillos

I love horses!  They have been my passion my whole entire life and to live in a little beach town where the horses are often seen running on the beach, makes my heart sing.  Please know that I do understand having horses loose to come and go where they want is not a safe thing, but where I live, that is just the way things are.

Wednesday morning I was sitting at the surf shop talking with Desirae when I saw them headed down the road.  I grabbed my camera, waited until they passed and headed for the beach.  I never get involved in where they are going or try to steer them in a certain direction.  I would feel very responsible if someone got hurt or the horses themselves - but to just see them on the beach is such a pleasure.

One can never have too many photos of horses on the beach!

The best chicken nachos ever!

THE Place:  Tortilla Flats - Dominical, Costa Rica

I know this and so does Shawn!

So.....Thursday morning I am riding my bike into town and see Shawn and TeriLyn in the big green bronco headed my way.  Shawn stops and asks if want to go to Dominical about 1ish with them.  You don't have to ask me twice - of course I do.

Dominical is a touristy but quaint beach town about one hour, 20 minutes down the coast.

Shawn's long time friend Kevin is here for a week and sure enough - 1ish - the 4 of us are headed out of town with a nacho mission in mind.

Neither Kevin or TeriLyn had ever been there so this was a fun adventure for them.

Nachos, cold beer, walk on the beach, souvenir shopping - a fun, perfect afternoon amongst good friends.

Thanks Shawn!!!!!!!

Super Bowl Playoffs

This football season, 8 members of the Soda Mary Surf Team were in a fantasy football league of their own.  I had never done any fantasy games before - at least none I am willing to discuss in a blog.......so, this was a whole new thing.  The initial team players are given to you online by automatic draft.  After that you can try to trade with another player in your league or you can drop and add other players that are not on any other members team.  My team name was the "Shredders". Each week we would be matched up against another member's team and each week everyone of us would be plotting and planning, moving players around in the hopes of beating our opponent.

The way you accumulate points in any game is based on an actually football players performance.  For example, I was assigned Tony Romo for my Quarterback at the draft.  I don't like the Cowboys but because I was given him in the draft, I decided to not go up against "fate".  I was also given Adrian Peterson.  I think it was in my 2nd week I picked up Mark Sanchez as my back up QB and then he became my main man when Romo was injured for the season.

Because we all had players on many different teams this made watching the games way more interesting.  Someone would be online at the same time the games were being played so that we could see the accumulation points immediately.

Bottom line - Brett was in first place all season.....until the very last game and I am still not quite sure how this all happened, but Desirae beat Brett by about 15 points in very crucial game and won the $80 pot and bragging rights for the whole season.

Then we got into playoffs.  That required another 3 weeks with a different game plan that I chose to not participate in.  Lots of people in town - too much going on.

Then last week - the final games that would determine who would go to the Super Bowl.  A huge football day - this was last Sunday.

Brett has a friend - his name is T-Bone.  T-Bone and his lovely wife Jeanine are from New Orleans.  They own a condo in Herradura - about 30 minutes up the beach - on other side of Jaco - very nice place.  They had invited all of us to come up there to watch the games - an invite you don't pass up.

Early that morning - before surfing Brett and I were discussing to possibility of all us us going up to Herradura and considering transportation.  I suggested we take the bus and he agreed.  I spread the word to meet at the corner near Super Sol at 11 am so we could start the trek to the highway to catch the 11:30 am bus. Everyone was on board and excited about the bus adventure since most of the group had never been on the bus before.  This just delighted me to know this was be a new adventure - as everything is here - In Costa Rica.  We we all got together I told them we might be offered a ride, but no - we were walking.  Sure enough Sheila came along in her big vehicle and we all waved her on.

While waiting at the bus stop on the highway someone decided we would all chose a time the bus arrived and who every was the closest got one beer from each of us.  At 11:38 the bus arrived and Desirae - once again - won.

About 40 minutes later we are getting off on the highway in Herradura.  After a stop at the fancy grocery store - as this area is near Los Suenos - probably the most beautiful, expensive marina between Mexico and Panama, we were again walking in pursuit of T-Bone's condo.

After about a 15 minute walk - we arrived.  As we walked into the beautiful, air conditioned, very classy condo we knew we had scored.  T-Bone was out back with the grill loaded with ribs, chicken, sausages, etc.......  Jeanine was in the kitchen working on the best baked beans I have ever had and laying out all sorts of bottles of booze.  Big - flat screen TV on the wall.......Party was ON!!!

About 10:30 that night - Brett had his favorite taxi driver pick all of us in his nice big van.  Immediate he puts on loud, cheesy 70's music which amazingly, most of us knew and joined in singing at least the chorus.  No one - except for maybe Sharon - can carry a tune.  It was loud, it was horrible, very funny.......I still believe Cokie was driving extra fast just to get rid of us!

This coming Sunday is Super Bowl - the end of a very long, fun season.  Fortunately - unfortunately..... Kealy & Desirae and I will be in Panama - Bocas del Toro - along with Sharon and Jeff, Larry and maybe Kara.  Some of this group needs to leave this week to meet the 90 day visa requirement, others like myself are going a bit early just because it's Bocas and this particular group of friends.  It will be a ton of fun, and we will be somewhere for the game, but not with our regular EO gang.

I personally don't care who wins but know.... where ever I am at that moment, it will be fun, I will be into it and will always remember this season when fantasy football was a priority in my life, tons of fun and a happy memory.