Sunday 30 December 2012

New Year, New Start

The tradition of the Christmas creche is widespread in countries with a Roman Catholic cultural background and Costa Rica is no exception.
Public buildings, like the Teatro Nacional in San Jose. have the creche, or 'portal' set up either outside - the weather being clement - or inside.
Banks and offices also create their portals and the approach of Christmas is the sign for children to ask that the home portal be set up, the figures approaching the manger day by day.




My favourite, though, is this one set up by a friend; an artist in wood and paint, a postman in his day job, while he was building his new house last year.....


Amid  the mess and the detritus of a building site, he made this portal for his family, to make it really Christmas....and I discovered it on being invited, as every year, to his New Year celebrations.

For that event it didn't matter that the house was unfinished as everything took place outside to accomodate the assembled pack...family, friends, waifs and strays all perching on chairs brought out for the elderly or on logs, stones and building materials for the rest: the elderly ladies refusing (for form's sake) to believe that the wine was not fruit juice and glugging away happily; the children playing with the dogs; the beer circulating, plates of food on the trestle table and the television brought out to add its contribution while waiting for midnight and the national anthem.

The centrepiece was the fire...with a vast cauldron perched on breezeblock in its midst where lard sizzled, awaiting the plantains, potatoes and pork pieces - chicharrones - which would form the main event of the feast.

The master of the house is also a master cook of chicharrones and served his offerings at midnight as the anthem blared out and the skies around exploded in fireworks.
Hot food, cold beer and good company to celebrate another New Year...what would it bring?

It has been, on the whole, a great year...good news on my husband's health,  The Neighbour hammered by the court, the work on the house in San Jose advancing and plenty of discoveries made in what is still our new life.

There has been a downside, though, which has made blogging less of a pleasure than it used to be....the stalking by those who want to know what we are doing by the backdoor, as it were, rather than doing the normal, open thing of using the 'phone or e mail.

I'd hoped we were done with that, but I was mistaken as I discovered when one bright spark telephoned my mother to find out whether I was actually in Europe or whether, as he said, I was using the blog as a red herring.

There are limits, and having a woman in her nineties bothered by the unpleasant obsessions of others is one of them. It also made me aware of the number of times I had decided not to write something beause of the eyes at the keyhole and I have decided not to continue with this blog...nor with French Leave. The pleasure is tainted.

You have given me so much....friendship, support, information...opened my eyes to so much,...and I am very grateful.

I will continue to blog elsewhere....and would be delighted to give you the new address if you would care to e mail me.


Happy New Year to you all.
 

40 comments:

  1. Do send me the new address - you're not going to shake me off that easily!

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  2. I look forward to your posts so please send me your new address. I'm not sure how to email you.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you...will do.
      E mail is on the profile thingy.

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  3. First, the little creche is enchanting and I will believe all those stones are stacked, even if glue is proven.

    That was to unknot my stomach. My email address is coming next. Please keep me on your list as I must also know about the donkey and the little boy.

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    1. Crumbs! Glue hadn't even occurred to me!

      Both horse and boy doing well...and thank you for wanting to keep in touch. Much appreciated.

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  4. I'll be in touch.
    But I am sorry you've had such problems and do hope a fresh start will shake the bastards off!

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    1. Thank you!
      Given half a chance I'd take a meat cleaver to the pack of them...

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  5. Thank you for your wonderful blogs, and I look forward to the new one.

    A happy and prosperous new year to you and yours.

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    1. Thank you...and a happy new year to you and your family.
      Reply on it's way.

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  6. Replies
    1. Unforgettable! Though after that penguins joke....

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  7. How perfectly horrible!! Happy to volunteer to sharpen the meat cleaver!
    I'll be in touch via email -- I enjoy your posts far too much to give them up :-)

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  8. I love the portal tradition, Fly, though I can't say the same about the sad people who won't leave you or your blog alone. You have my email address, so I will await the new blog address eagerly. :-)

    Happy New Year to you and Mr Fly.

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    1. The portal is lovely...in a number of families they and friends still gather for prayers centred around the portal as Christmas approaches.

      Sad! I wish I could as yet muster up the charity to say so....!But you are right...they are.

      Happy New Year to you and your family.

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  9. Its hard to believe how dreadful some people can be. I have your email address, and I know you have mine, so I look forward to continuing our blogging friendship Fly. I love your analysis of , well....most things.... and love to know what is happening in yours and Mr Fly's lives. Fondest wishes for the new year. Love Janice xx

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  10. Thank you...and our best wishes for all good fortune in the year ahead.
    I'll be in touch, certainly!

    Perpatua is right, these are sad people...but just at the moment the meat cleaver has great appeal!

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  11. Fly, please email me your new blog address.

    So glad that for the most part 2012 has been a good year for you, and look forward to reading more about your life in France and Costa Rica.

    Happy New Year, and Happy New Blog. :)

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    1. Will do!

      And a happy new year to you two and to the menagerie!

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  12. Oh no. What is wrong with these people? It's sickening.

    Well of course you know I will want the new one.

    Lots of love and a Happy New Year to you and Mr Fly xxx

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    1. On its way....with much love.

      Happy New Year to you, Mr. A (hoping he will make a New Year Resolution re shelves) and dear Poppy.

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  13. Very best wishes Fly. llegitimi non carborundum as they say.

    Send link to usual address please.

    M

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  14. Please let me know your new address. I hate it that some people try to spoil the joy for others. You can let me know your new address in the comments in my blog, I am the one who reads them before I publish them, as I have my comments under moderation. Happy New Year to you, you are a great friend.

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  15. I'm thrilled that most things were good last year and I love the new year story but really sorry to hear you'll be closing these blogs.

    Wishing you lots of even better things for 2013 xx

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    Replies
    1. How it goes...but if you want the next thrilling instalment..e mail me.

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  16. Hi Fly,

    I will give you my e-mail address. w r e ncanada@gmail.com (without the spaces, of course). Please let me know if it is O.K. that I put your new blog address on the list of blogs I follow on my blog page. I had your French leave one on my list and so please e-mail me to let me know if I can add your new blog to my list...I wanted to ask before I do it. Thanks, dear friend.

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  17. I am so sorry about this. Please give me your new address and I do hope 2013 is a good year for you.

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  18. I've tried on your message form...but for some reason it is not going through.
    My e mail is on the profile.

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  19. Sorry to hear the Toxics are still bothering you and yours.

    You have my email address, do please let me know where you'll be setting up shop next. :)

    Happy New Year, I hope 2013 brings you good health and happiness.

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    1. Once a toxic always a toxic!
      Pity they've nothing else to do with their lives....

      Will be in touch.

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  20. Was so enjoying this post - then read it was probably the last one! Oh Fly! Do keep in touch. Hope all goes well for you this new year and that the positive notes you strike continue to resound. Much love. Axxx

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    1. I've e mailed you....and am feeling much more positive.

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  21. I am distressed to hear of this...I do hope you'll stay in touch via e-mail!

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  22. How strange. I thought I had commented on posts since Christmas. But I've been pretty out of it in the last few months so I suppose i can't have done. The most amazing |Christmas cribs I have ever seen were on the island of Gozo, just off Malta. Organising ever more elaborate Christmas cribs seems to be the main leisure occupation of many villagers throughout the whole year!

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  23. I've just been round to photograph the portal of an elderly neighbour in San Jose...her cousins in the U.S. want photographs and her many sons and daughters are 'too busy' to oblige...

    It was a portal worthy of a government building...she should have applied for a grant and opened it to the public!

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