MALINOIS - The Super Dog

Have you ever seen this dog? I've read that Cesar Millan has one in his pack. What an incredible dog. Can you even imagine trying to run from a dog like this. Just watch the video and you'll see what I mean. I need to take a nap now.....

The best show yet of Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer (El Encantador de Perros) aired twice on Tuesday night here in CR (I watched it both times!). It comes on again this Saturday on the Animal Planet channel (#17 CableTica). I totally related to the lady having anxiety when going out in public. I have that sometimes. I'm tall and blond and feel like a walking target at times in this country, in some places. The story about "A.J. and Sparky" gives me hope and a new direction in life. All my dogs will be companion dogs and will "work" in public when I have accomplished some of my "training" goals with my currently unbalanced dogs. On this episode, "The Dog Park" had information I REALLY need about being around other dogs. My dogs are still nervous-aggressive when passing other dogs so I continue to walk them one by one or in pairs so I can manage them. Max (Mad Max "The Bull")is almost 100 lbs. and he is my best walker!! Max doesn't lunge at passing dogs and provoke attacks from unattended dogs anymore. :)
It takes about 2 hours of walking everyday but I am inspired to reach my goals and step by step,
we will get there. Thanks Cesar, for giving me hope.

The other day, I was walking the beach with Mela (meek Mela but fights Macha when Max starts it), anyway, I was walking with Mela on the leash and I see three men walking towards me with work clothes on. That means, long sleeves, long pants and they look like Nicaraguan workers,,, on the beach. I see something sparkle in their hands when the sun catches it. As they get closer, I realize they are ALL gripping onto a BIG knife except for one who has a short machete. I would have had intense fear and panic had I been alone on my deserted beach but since Mela was with me, I passed as if nothing was unusual, but I didn't look at them. It did cause me to pause and think "what do tourist think" just walking along the beach and seeing something like this. I thought they were on their way to the rocks to fish and their Cuban reels were in their pockets. They meant no harm, they were the ones with fear for a big black dog.

Zac Brown Band

Well, I guess Texan Brett down in Esterillos couldn't take my Spice Girls song line-up another day. Yes, I apologize for leaving them hanging on the TeriTunes for so long. Enough of the old Spice Girls, he sent me THE ZAC BROWN BAND , from the Big C Atlanta, GA, for some new tunes. Southern Country Rock with a little folk sound, my kind of music. Hope you enjoy the tunes and thanks Brett, we were ALL ready for a change!
link to Zac Brown Brown: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zac_Brown_Band


Check out Brett's site at: http://sodamarysurfteamcostarica.blogspot.com/
They sure know how to have fun down there in Esterillos!!

Note to readers: Since my last post, I have been really preoccupied. Check out the comments on "An Old Spice Girl". I am on a mission now to share my story of my fighting dogs and how Cesar's Way has changed our lives!!!
Watch Cesar Millan's show and check out his website: http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/tips.
Your dogs will be glad YOU DID!!

An Old Spice Girl

Yes, I admit it. I used to LOVE the Spice Girls. I was a "play mommy" and my two girls LOVED Spice Girls so that's how I got introduced to them. Saturday, I was sewing and a Spice Girl movie came on and threw me back to 'the days'.

Please pause TeriTunes to watch the video. It is THE SONG that gets me down the beach and back three to four times daily. It's called "Leader of the Gang" and it loops in my head during my dog walks. Here it is:


Thanks to Cesar Millan, I now know that NOTHING substitutes for walking an energetic dog,,, I have four of them, part pits. I really didn't understand the importance of THE WALK until watching Cesar's way. I did not understand why they tore up everything and eventually starting fighting amongst themselves. Too much energy to live within WALLS. I thought by having a big yard, they got exercise. Nope. They need STRUCTURED WALKS, EVERYDAY, with me as their leader. It's hard, my tongue is hanging out by the third go to the beach, down to the rocks and back but it's working. It helps to have a happy beat in my head and for now,,,
COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME On
Do you want to be in my gang, my gang, my gang...

Signed, The Leader of My Pack

The Dog Whisperer - Cesar Millan -
Tuesday night at 6 and 9, channel 17 (Animal Planet)

Cesar Millan and The 'First' Pup

Please turn off the music (pause) to watch this video of Cesar on CNN. It looks like the O'bamas haven't been watching Cesar's show (indicated by the dog pulling them around). The Dog Whisperer is on t.v. here Tuesday nights at 6pm and then again at 9pm. Sometimes, I watch it again on Saturday. He has helped me immensely with the discipline of my pack. Yes, I am the PACK LEADER now!! After hundreds of walks to the beach. No more fighting and my dogs look to me for direction. I never thought I would see the day where my 100 lb. Max would walk calmly beside me and not bolt for the nearest dog. Thanks Cesar, you saved us.

Oprah goes Country

Everyday, at 2:00 p.m., I announce "It's Oprah Time" and me and the dogs run upstairs to watch her show. Tuesday, she is having a few country superstars on her show and you won't want to miss this! Remember Hootie? Darius Rucker will be on with Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, and Sugarland. I'm playing on TeriTunes Sugarland's song "What I'd Give". I heard it on the music awards last week and loved it! Here's the link for Tuesday's Country Music show on Oprah.

Oprah's frequent guest, Dr. Oz (Dr. Emment Oz, heart surgeon), was in Costa Rica studying the "Blue Zones". There are only four locations in the world where people live to be over a century. The Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste, Costa Rica was one of them and it was featured first on the Oprah show last week. I told my friend Mike at www.JacoSun.com about Oprah's show featuring Costa Rica and longevity and he researched and wrote an absolutely fantastic article about it. Pass it on.
Check it out here:
http://www.jacosun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=5&Itemid=31

Tuesday's Oprah Show - Stars of Country Music - all songs performed are on TeriTunes.
It was GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Easter Sunday

Semana Santa

I thought I "woke up dead" this morning. There was not a sound to be heard except for the birds singing and the macaws squawking. It's Good Friday and Costarricans take this entire week VERY seriously. I've blogged about Semana Santa and how people in Costa Rica respect it with their many cultural customs. In the good ole days, EVERYTHING shut down and was closed. Now, not so much. Old timers still respect the traditions of prayer beginning on Wednesday. No cooking, no driving, no t.v., just praying and being with family. No school all week and government offices closed on Wednesday until after Semana Santa.
I live by one of the busiest highways in Costa Rica and not one semi-truck has passed this solemn Friday. Barely any cars except for a few with surfboards on top. All this week I have seen cars passing loaded down with all kinds of items from mattresses, coolers, chairs, to just about anything you can think of for family gatherings and camping. This is a time for families to come together. It is also a very spiritual time. No alcohol sold anywhere in Costa Rica right now, legally.

The song today, The Old Rugged Cross, is dedicated to my mother. I can still remember her like it was yesterday, her sitting at our piano in the "guest livingroom",,, singing and playing this song so beautifully, by heart. It was one of her favorites. She would have loved Brad Paisley's rendition of this old gospel tune.

This is my favorite time of year. It is so peaceful and quiet.
Let us pray ...

Image: I took this photo of in front of our Catholic church this morning.
There are a ton of powerlines since ICE is in the background but I tried photoshopping them out.

Country Music and Costa Rica

I didn't know any better when I moved here, thinking there would be plenty cowboys around in Costa Rica. With a name like Jacó, and open cattle fields everywhere, you'd think they'd be cowboys. There are, but not many. Oh well, I converted a friend of mine recently with the song "I'm Gonna Miss Her" by Brad Paisley playing right now on TeriTunes. Anyone that gets in my car gets it that I drive to country music. That's about all I play in the car. Mike heard this song coming back from a trip down to Esterillos and I knew he was a confirmed country music liker right then and there. He even watched the Academy Awards for Country Music and wrote up a story about it at www.JacoSun.com. He's talking about me in the beginning in case you don't know. Check it out: http://www.jacosun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=12&Itemid=29
I doubt Jaco will ever be ready for a country bar, unless it's country reggae, but I'll keep my boots ready just in case and keep getting converts.
Country Reggae, now that's something to think about since Kenny Chesney took country singing to the island sound. Country music is for everyone, everywhere.

PSS: I couldn't resist writing "her" version of 'I'm Gonna Miss Her',
here it goes -(to be sung to the chorus of the song)

You're Gonna Miss Me
Yes, you're gonna miss me
when you get home
Right now I've hitched our trailer,
and I am as, good as gone
Yes, you're gonna miss me
when you clean that mess of fish
Get ready for your new life
ahh, lookie there,
I got my wish.

"Thank you, thank you very much" EP (hint: The King)

There's more (and different versions) but I'll save that for a rainy day.

Take a Hike

Check this out, totally cool video of some long time residents of Jaco hiking Miro's mountain. I aspire to do it just once and they hike it often. Mind you, the couple in this video are proud to be over 70 and living the Good Life in Paradise.

Please "Pause" TeriTunes so you can hear Ken talk on this video about their journey.

Church on Sunday - Italy

Photo above is in the Italian Village of Paganica.

While we were enjoying beautiful weather and tranquil conditions here in Costa Rica Sunday evening, it was Monday already in Italy and they were not as fortunate as a series of earthquakes hit their central area of L'Aquila.

Our prayers are with you.

TeriTunes

I'm not quite sure what to do about the songs I put here.
Recently, I see this message, "due to license restrictions for your country..." blah,blah,blah!
If you're in ANOTHER country, do they play?
I don't know.
I do know, a ton of songs are blocked now soooo... it may be gone soon.
Pura vida.
The Academy of Country Music Awards this Sunday evening on channel,,, I have no idea
but I'll find it.

BIG Rain

Well, the clouds finally let loose what I would call a tumultuous rain early this morning.
(See "Rain Check" for other kinds of rain)
Power outages around 9:30 p.m. The kind where it goes on,,,off,,,on,,,off -
You just run around as fast as possible unplugging stuff. Yes, I have a voltage regulator on my outside meter and I have surge protectors but these power surges have been known to wipe it ALL out.
HOT, HOT, HUMID - no fans... you just tough it out to sleep and be grateful for a roof over your head because you know the BIG Rain is coming. It was the first good rain in many months. Everything is dry, brown, and/or dead. My grass, it's dormant except for the weeds,,, they're knee high right now. Fires popping up from careless smokers (and controlled burning). It's DRY, bone dry.
Usually with a BIG Rain, there's no water because the water filters clog from the mud BUT that didn't happen so maybe progress is being made with the new water filtration system.

Thank you Lord my roof doesn't leak, much.
Pura Vida.
Teri Tunes is playing an old favorite that has been looping in my head for days.
I wonder sometimes about how personal to be on my blog. I have met so many wonderful and considerate people through my blogging and I cherish our friendships.
You have connected with me when I felt isolated and supported me and my efforts.
Playing now - Leon Russell - Sing This Song For You

"Cocos Island Under Fire"

"Cocos Island Under Fire" article is a must read about Cocos Island. It is written by my good friend, Mike Williams of The Jaco Sun and he has done an incredible job of researching the shark finning that continues. Please take the time to check out his article:
http://www.jacosun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=6&Itemid=30


If you are reading this at a much later date, go to www.jacosun.com and click "fishing" for the article.

There is more to this than meets the eye or what the CR government will disclose.
The Sea Shepherd was invited here only to be ran off under fire. Explain that?!?
Read this about the Sea Shepherd's trip to CR: http://www.blythe.org/nytransfer-subs/Radical_Politics/Sea_Shepherd_Eludes_Angry_Costa_Rican_Authorities

Don't know what the Sea Shepherd is? http://www.seashepherd.org/