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Happy Thanksgiving from Costa Rica

November 26th, 2009

moooI really miss Thanksgiving!

There are two or three US holidays that are not celebrated  here… well more if you add all those goofy ones like President’s day where nobody does anything special.  Of them all, Thanksgiving is the worst for me maybe followed by the 4th of July. No fireworks.

First, everyone is working on a Thursday… everyone meaning everyone in my family who would normally be invited to celebrate, so we celebrate it on the following Saturday.

Turkey is easy to buy, but ludicrously expensive.  I cannot buy sage here, required for traditional sage and onion dressing. I also cannot find rutabagas! I know rutabaga is not for everyone, but it is an integral part of my family tradition.  One nice person brought me **ONE** from the USA a couple of days ago. I am hiding it.  We have maybe 8 people coming Saturday and one is not enough to split 8 ways.

I miss the Thanksgiving day TV stuff too.  Football, parades, you know, all the things we do.

It may be the only day when I really miss living in the USA.

Worse, today is the day my wife is having surgery. Just another Thursday.  That was at 7 AM this morning, supposedly no biggie, maybe 45 minutes, but no one has called to let me know she is OK.  It is 10:30 AM I am worried and after posting this, I am heading out to the hospital to find out what is going on.

To all my readers… I have much to be thankful for, and I wish all you you the very happiest of Thanksgivings!

I especially wish a happy Thanksgiving to anyone serving in the armed forces who cannot be with their families.  You are very special people, too many times not appreciated, but by me, you are very appreciated.

Be well and be safe.


13 Responses to “Happy Thanksgiving from Costa Rica”

  1. Ed Royster on November 26, 2009 7:11 pm

    how is your wife?

  2. Tim on November 27, 2009 8:40 am

    Fine thank you! They scheduled her late, then failed to even put her name into “the system”, not uncommon here.

    I picked her up at about 2 PM and she is doing fine, though pretty sore, but she is mobile and I am sure will be in fine shape for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow 🙂

  3. Jane on November 27, 2009 10:02 am

    Tim,

    Maybe you could try to grow Sage and Rutabaga if you have the space. I’m sure you tried Auto Mercado…that’s where I’ve found things I can’t find in other stores. Also, the Mas X Menos near our house has started carrying several items that they previously did not…I find I have to keep checking back! Anyway, you are the CR expert, so I’m sure you’ve done your homework!

    Take care,
    Jane

  4. Thomas on November 27, 2009 10:04 am

    Tim;

    Hope your wife feels better soon and have a great Thanksgiving celebration on Saturday!

    From Ellijay, GA

  5. Andreu on November 27, 2009 12:24 pm

    Tim,

    Glad your wife did well. I am missing Thanksgiving too! We spent the week here and yesterday was insanely mundane and normal. It made me really long for home.

    How is Christmas here? Is it big?

  6. Tim on November 27, 2009 2:47 pm

    THANK YOU! and I hope yours was excellent!

  7. Tim on November 27, 2009 2:51 pm

    Oh yes! Christmas is GREAT!

    While different from “home” it does not fall shot. You might like:

    http://www.hisfault.com/2004/12/06/girlfriends-pizza-and-christmas-trees/ Pre-wife!

    http://www.hisfault.com/2007/11/17/fiesta-del-arbol/

    and

    http://www.hisfault.com/2005/12/18/christmas-tree-2005/

    for some idea how it is herre!

  8. Tim on November 27, 2009 2:58 pm

    Jane

    I bring sage from the US so not too big a deal… except when I run out!

    AM has neither sage nor rutabaga, but it HAS been seen here. Christmas is coming 🙂

    As for CR expert? I try, but I learn something new about every two weeks even after a lot of years. It is still a foreign country, but that is why I love living here! Expat life~!

  9. Tim on November 27, 2009 3:00 pm

    Doing good, but a little testy. Hates being in bed! See other comment.

  10. della dempsey on November 27, 2009 3:16 pm

    I understand the pangs of missing ‘home’. Glad your wife is on the mend. Thanksgiving is special to me too, even more than Christmas.

    I make my gratitude list, and put down as many people and circumstances in my life that I am grateful for, right now. I also try to tell people how thankful I am that they are in my life.

    So, thank you for the site and posts you put your time and energy into, for us (me). May you have a warm, loving day, Saturday and enjoy that expensive turkey!!!

  11. Tim on November 27, 2009 4:08 pm

    Thanks for the nice comment. We should all do that.

  12. Nichelle Brown on November 28, 2009 10:36 am

    AWWWW, boo-hoo! You live in paradise! I aspire to be so deprived one day and I’ll make some chayote instead. 😀

  13. Mrs. Casanova on December 8, 2009 7:49 pm

    Thanksgiving is something I really miss about home, but it can be celebrated anywhere friends and/or family can gather to give thanks. It’s nice if you get to eat some turkey for tradition’s sake. With Christmas coming up I know I will miss the snow.