We are starting to get settled in. Everywhere we look, though, there is more to do! It is hard to prioritize everything we need to do. Should we weedwack the front drive in or scrape the ceilings so the paint stops flaking on our heads as we are sleeping? Or should we get a dresser so we can take our clothes out of the suitcases? Or should we just hang out at the beach?
What’s great is that we can choose how much we want to do and we can rest when we want. Britton likes to wake up earlier than me. Yesterday he cut himself a path to the starfruit tree and the passionfruit vines and we ate that for breakfast. Pretty cool.
Starfruit AKA carambola from our yard
Passionfruit AKA parcha from our yard
We also saw this cool white bird hanging out eating lizards. Such a strange creature with that super long neck!
We went to the Home Depot to pick up a few of those needed things. Our friends are so great, they gave us some gift certificates there and they were very helpful! We picked up a ceiling fan, a bookshelf, some tools, trashcan (zafacon! a new word for Britton to learn), paint and supplies, a chironja tree (orange grapefruit cross) and other stuff to help get us started.
In Home Depot of Mayaguez
Then this morning we kept at the jungle trimming including taking down some of the dead palm fronds from the coconut palms and the traveler’s palm.
This is an old heart of palm that weighed about 30 lbs!
Such an alien world to us!
We had fun working outside with our Colorado lungs we weren’t even breathing hard, but we sure were sweating a lot!
And after working in the yard, the local beer, Medalla Light, with limes was the perfect thirst quencher sitting on the roof of the cabana under the shade of the mango tree.
When it gets dark we settle in and watch a show on the laptop or clean up the inside of the cabana a little. It has rained a little bit and the coqui frogs and insects turn the quiet jungle into an orchestra. I had a dream last night that all the sounds of the jungle were actually a salsa band with little insect trumpet players.
So, we are slowly getting settled in. We are still in need of a vehicle (we have a rental right now) and we haven’t even started on the wood house at all, but I think we are moving at a good pace. We are really enjoying this new life. I would definitely say we are jubilados!
Never really thought much about the wildlife on your acreage, but the insect chorus was amazing! The really skinny snowy egret (I think) will be back to enjoy your banquet of happy insects, amphibians and small mammals.
So Happy for you both!!! You look great Cassie! Island Life works for you 🙂 Remember to balance work and play time….
Hi Annie!
The sound of the jungle at night is pretty amazing. It is much louder than the daytime. It puts you to sleep fairly quickly, or maybe it’s just all the yard work? haha
The egret (I will go with that for now) was definitely stalking the lizards and downed one whole while we were watching it. It went down that long, long neck it has!
Rosa, it hasn’t been all work….but quite a bit so thanks for the reminder!
Hi Britton!
I stand corrected on the bird, and am definitely a newbie in the bird id game. Probably not a snowy, as your bird had black grey legs and feet (snowies have bright yellow feet!), but thought it too small for a Great White Egret, but maybe that is right, a juvenile possibly. They love reptiles in their diet, too.
We have these is the estuary behind us, and they like to roost in tall trees. Big guys. If you have binocs, at daybreak (Cassie says you are an early riser, a great time to see birds and small mammals), check out the tree tops, you may see your white visitor. I love the jungle at dawn. Primeval smells and sounds, accompanied by some great coffee.
How fun!
It looks like an egret (at least the ones in our neighborhood on the jersey shore). That fricking HOME DEPOT. lots of crap in that place, but we make at least 2 trips there every visit. The dollar store in Rincon in Edwards Plaza is great for cheap dishes that you might use until your settled. and of course 7 to 11 (haha).
Thinking of you guys every day! Glad your able to post frequently. I look forward to it.
Linda
We call those magnificent birds Garzas. They love to hang out near the beach, near the rivers, and wherever there are cows. Seriously, those birds love to hang out with and on top of cows and the cows seem to love their company and their grooming services.
Don’t forget to give us an update on Kitty!
Hi Britton & Cassie
It looks like you guys are settling in I must say I really enjoy your website keep up the postings. If you get a chance I have a couple of videos of our place on Youtube (Thefinka1) you will see those white birds they like to hang out with the bulls.
Rick
Hi Britton & Cassie!
Looks like you’re having a great time and settling in quite nicely! Fresh picked fruit from the backyard is definitely one of your life’s ‘new normals’. Your jungle clearing makes our yard work look paltry…I’ll think of you if ever I start to grumble too much 🙂 Enjoying your posts as well.
Pam
forgot to say, just looking at a picture of you at Home Depot brings back memories!! When we bought our house it was stripped. Not even a light bulb. The first few trips to Rincon were SEVERAL trips to HD and the rental car would be FULL.. just FULL of stuff. We even rented large vans instead of little rental cars.
oh the memories. this trip (in November) I’m bringing (as seen on TV) a POCKET HOSE! hahaha.. how times have changed!
There is only one person enjoying these post as much as us, and that would be Char!