Con Mucho Gusto

My parents left this morning for Costa Rica for the holiday. They own property down there. It is in the mountains not forty miles from the Pacific Ocean, high in the cloud forest. They recently built two cabinas on a mountain top, where they want to put their feet up, watch the birds and listen to the siren call of the howler monkey. Actually, if I know my dad, they will spend most of their time hip deep in mud performing some arduous task or running around dealing with some crisis or other. It is their way, bless 'em.

They took several footlockers full of tools and blankets and gifts for the local children, which may mean some interesting moments at the security checkpoints at the airport! My parents employ most of the locals to help with construction and with the reforestation project my dad initiated on the property and they make it a point to bring stuff for the kids too, especially around the holidays.

My sister and her family will join them shortly after Christmas. I do not often spend this holiday away from my family, but events conspire to keep us apart this year. I hope they have a safe trip and that they have a merry Christmas!

On an unrelated note, it appears that Ursula K. LeGuin is NOT HAPPY about the SciFi Channel's adaptation of her excellent young adult Earthsea series. I have not watched it but I suspected from the commercials and trailers that it bore little resemblence to the books. Read the article and find out what went wrong.