Tico Tuesday, July 8th

Hello and happy Tuesday to you!
In spite of all the crazy weather that happened over the weekend, I hope you were all able to enjoy it! I think I just had the best Independence Day celebration I've had here in Costa Rica. Thursday, I noticed on facebook that a friend was at the Esplanade in Boston. When I went to the website to make sure everything was set for the real show the next night, I realized that, due to weather, it had actually been moved to Thursday!! That made me happy and excited, since I had other plans for Friday night! The Boston Pops, plus a great Broadway singer (Megan Hilty), plus the Beach Boys. Plus fireworks. From my perspective, it really can't get much better than that!! Well, there's nothing like fireworks in real life, but my gringo friends and I were unsuccessful in finding any. (Note: watching Pops Goes the Fourth is special to me since we used to watch the end of it every year when we got home from our local fireworks. Last year I could only listen to it via online radio, but this year they webcasted it and I was able to see the whole wonderful show!!)
So, the actual 4th, I went to my friends the Kampers' house and hung out with their tico landlord and several other gringo families. Someone had given Liz patriotic paper plates and napkins and they were so great! The food was too. I sat by this handsome date at dinner (pictured--and check out the amazing silverware!!!), and we had so much fun! I also enjoyed playing ring toss, watching several of the kids experience their first three-legged race, and enjoying the new trampoline. In the midst of the Tico passion and frenzy with the World Cup, it was really good to stop and cherish my good ol' USA.
America, America, God shed his grace on thee! And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!
Love,
Carrie

BONUS 1 of 2
FINALLY!!! AN EASY GOVERNMENT PROCESS!!!! I was at the PO last Tuesday mailing a letter I'd meant to send about5 weeks beforehand, when I spotted a sign. "License Plates that end in the number 4 must be traded in May-June-July 2013." It was July 1, and my license plate ends in 4. So, I asked the lady what I needed to do to get the new license plates. She explained the process to me, which included showing an unexpired ID card. I checked the expiration date on mine. July 3. So I made a trip to the National Registry on Wednesday, July 2nd (the only place I could get my new plates in the same day). I was quite nervous the night before since I didn't know about parking or anything, but after getting advice from a friend and my landlord helping me make sure I could get my plates off by myself (using a handy dandy pair of pliers), I felt ready to go and face another government entity. I got there, found parking no problem, got my plates off no problem, bought the necessary stamps right from the parking guy so I wouldn't have to make line twice, pranced right in, and waited in line for about 5 minutes. A lady took my form, plates, and stamps, and gave me a little receipt telling me to come back in an hour and pick up my new plates across the room. BOOM! It was that easy!! I'll take that a thousand times over Migration! As I walked away from the service window, I recognized a coworker from Roblealto and said hi. After sitting down and reading for no more than ten minutes I got a text message from a friend, "I'm right in front of you!" So, we grabbed smoothies and caught up for an hour. Then, even though I was feeling marvellously capable, I decided to accept his kind offer to put my new plates on and put on the new sticker. The whole process could not have been easier. Thanks be to God!!

BONUS 2 of 2
To come in a separate post... I must get Tico Tues out!