Cooking/cleaning

My new frig and stove


Double sink for soaking in bleach

For the first time in a year, I have a "normal" size kitchen with "normal" sized appliances. In my apartment in Costa Rica I had a Barbi sized stove and oven, that was more than 30 years old. My refrigerator was also Barbi sized, and it shocked us each time we opened it. Cooking was a challenge. I have so thoroughly enjoyed having the "regular" things to cook with. I realize this seems like such a small thing, but it's HUGE in our household! I made chocolate chip cookies for the first time in a year! It was so much fun! Also, we have the pleasure of having a few fruit trees on our property. In our front yard we have a coconut tree that Madison has enjoyed taking down and opening up and drinking the water inside. In our backyard we have a small little avocado tree. Don't know if we will get any fruit or not. We also have a guyaba tree and a lime tree. However, this is like no lime tree you have ever seen! At first I thought it was a grapefruit tree, but after taking it off the tree and cutting it open - it is a lime tree indeed!

Another interesting tidbit - the tap water is not safe to drink. Even the Hondurans will tell you that. So - you must drink bottled or purified water. We have not been able to get out to the store to get water until today, so I've been boiling my water for 20 minutes on the stove, then chilling it in the frig for our drinking water. Also, all our fruit or uncooked veggies must be soaked in bleach water for 20 minutes before eating. Finally, after washing my dishes, I have to rinse them in bleach water as the last stage of cleaning! Nothing is "quick" around here - especially as no one has a dishwasher!

My grapefruit sized lime. Yum!