When the thunder clapped and the sheet lighting struck I swear we all held our heads.
When the rain came onto the upstairs balcony and the wind threw the water bottle about I swear I thought Hurricane Catastrophe had hit.
At 3.30a.m.I was begging the elementals for sleep. I bargained my life, my art and my woolly brown socks which I have nicked off the daughter.
When the rain reached the mattress him and me started shouting at each other. He wanted to close the shutters but I didn’t want to be locked in a dark, damp, box…
We were going to another beach today but the grey clouds are SO full of rain that I fear we may get blown out to Japan.
ELIZABETH GILBERT is keeping me warm and comfortable, my green soup is keeping me warm and comfortable, Bee’s brown socks are keeping me warm and comfortable, the old git assures me that the rain forest is called that because of RAIN, but the plunge pool is overflowing.
We have 3 days left to top up the tan, remember that we are coming back to a cold, wet Britain, and to be eternally grateful for a really wonderful experience.
I was so cold yesterday that I did what all good neurotics do I cleared the fridge and cooked. I made the best green soup imaginable and THE most moist lime chicken..
I sweated loads of onions and garlic, it was the only thing that did sweat yesterday, in olive oil and butter, then added everything in the fridge that was green. Not the lovely little tree frog who has adopted us. He sticks onto the wall and peeps at us shyly with his beady eyes. We’ve christened him Tristan.
We have a party of ghekkos otherwise known as the ‘Ghekko blasters’. Gordon lives behind the picture and shouts at us the minute the sun goes down. We all shout back ‘GORDON’ to silence him.
I blended the soup then marinated the biggest chicken breasts this side of San Jose in ginger, garlic, olive oil, rosemary, cumin, black pepper and freshly squeezed lime. They cooked in their own juices for 30 miniutes in the oven, yes THE OVEN, I know this is Costa Rica but it’s also costa we have to keepa warma.
We ate supper as the tempest swirled around us. Our brave new menu consisted of coconut rice, lime chicken and sauted marrow, the wind blew out all six of our candles and Gordon stopped chattering.
‘Eat, Pray Love’ reminds me to stop nagging and enjoy what is, but I can’t help worrying about the monkeys. what do they do when the rain hits. I can imagine them all huddled together in the wet leaves….
Okay so we’ve had ‘Halloween’ and ‘The Day of the Dead’, today, according to oiur calender on the wall is ‘Ah Souls Day’ – at least I think thats what it says – Hark! I can hear the howlers, for the first time in two days, does that mean the rain is stopping?
If not I’m thinking of making celery and coriander soup with a set of chicken drumsticks cooked to a crisp. Which is what I wished I were….
Gordon and Tristan, hmm by now you should know not to name wild creatures, if you do they become pets and you won’t want to leave them behind, in the rain !! What do the monkeys do in the rain, they make umbrellas out of the leaves of coconut trees holding them up with their tails. Well today has not been that wet a small shower early morning, but it is not that warm, unless like me you are sitting next to the radiator, listening to hubby in the kitchen trying to carve our roasted checken with the help of the puppy Bentley, who adores chicken, problem is it does not ‘adore him’ if you know what I mean. Wishing you bright sunshine for the next three days, enjoy and rest xxhugxx
Oh Jeni,
I really hope the sun comes shining through for you.
I found your blog whilst trying to find out why you disappeared from LBC. I worked different shifts so didnt realise you had gone
:((( I hope you are back on our tv/radio very soon.. I also absolutely loved good food live ( I hope thats what it was called. I am blonde and the memory isn’t what it used to be.
Love you loads
Sue
xxxx
Dear Jeni and Family! Wow it seems you are certainly having some extreams of weather out there in your tropical paradise not too far from San Jose! I just hope your last three days will be kinder to you so you can top up your tans and so feel in good spirits for when you have to fly back to Houston and Heathrow in Blighty and try to ajust to our windy cold and wet weather (of course it could get better in Battersea and Tun Wells before you get home!) Ill keep everything crossed for you! LET THE SUN SHINE FOR JENI!! i hope you havent still got the rain falling onto the bed Jeni? Thats awfull! you will have to hang the bedclothes etc over the window to dry if the weather clears up or maybee the house also has the luxury of a tumble dryer like you and i have in in our homes in England? hope so as sleeping in wet sheets will give you a chill and you want to be fighting fit all of you when you venture home! i wish you a wonderful last three days in Paradise and wonderful Luck Jeni when you get home. All your Many Many Fans me included are hoping and praying that you will soon be entertaining us on TV or Radio etc as we so miss your cheerfulness and wonderful humour and winning smile! well Jeni its lots of love from Darkest Putney Heath! have a safe journey back all of you! Love always Terry xxxx
Hi Jeni, get back to dear old Blighty and take over Daybreak. It needs a combo of you, Anne Diamond and Anna Raeburn. Men too but I just can’t think of any.
So what are you waiting for?
Love Tish x
HI Jenni
Thought you had gone on a long holiday from LBC and am so surprised to find that you are no longer there. I can’t bear Petri Hosken – she is just such a reactionary Daily Mail reader. I will miss your warmth and sense of justice to stick up for all aspects of our society. We need more bright, funny and sharp omen like you in the media. Best wishes. Clare
Hi Jeni
Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to send postcards, they were so appreciated.
I hope the R&R was everything you wanted it to be, even rain can be restful, and goodness knows you all three needed that [rest not rain!]
Safe journey home.
All Love
June
ITS A SHAME WHEN THE HOLIDAY ENDS AND ALL WE HAVE IS THE PILES OF WASHING TO DO. MY HUSBAND TAKES THE CASES TO THE CONSERVATORY TILL THE WASHING GETS DONE, AS HE SAYS THEY ARE FULL OF BED BUGS (HE READ THAT SOMEWHERE) BLESS HIM HE IS MY CARING LOVING HUSBAND ALWAYS THERE TO PROTECT 🙂 I HOPE THAT GORDON AND TRISTAN DONT PINE FOR YOU ALL. MAYBE THEY SHOULD SNEAK IN THE CASES, BUT DONT TELL THE HUSBAND OTHERWISE IT WILL GIVE HIM SOMETHING ELSE TO FRET ABOUT
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Thanks Seo