Costa Rica is the happiest place in the world !!!

(CNN) -- Forget Disneyland! Costa Rica is the happiest place in the world, according to an independent research group in Britain with the goal of building a new economy, "centered on people and the environment."
In a report released Saturday, the group ranks nations using the "Happy Planet Index," which seeks countries with the most content people.
In addition to happiness, the index by the New Economics Foundation considers the ecological footprint and life expectancy of countries.
"Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction in the world and have the second-highest average life expectancy of the new world (second to Canada)," the organization said in a statement.
They "also have an ecological footprint that means that the country only narrowly fails to achieve the goal of ... consuming its fair share of the Earth's natural resources."
The Central American country, tucked between Nicaragua and Panama, touts its lush rain forests and pristine beaches. Its president, Oscar Arias Sanchez, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for trying to help end civil wars in several Central American countries.
This year's survey, which looked at 143 countries, featured Latin American nations in nine of the Top 10 spots.
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The runner-up was the Dominican Republic, followed by Jamaica, Guatemala and Vietnam.
Most developed nations lagged in the study.
While Britain ranked 74th, the United States snagged the 114th spot, because of its hefty consumption and massive ecological footprint.
The United States was greener and happier 20 years ago than it is today, the report said.
Other populous nations, such as China and India, had a lower index brought on by their vigorous pursuit of growth-based models, the survey suggested.
"As the world faces the triple crunch of deep financial crisis, accelerating climate change and the looming peak in oil production, we desperately need a new compass to guide us," said Nic Marks, founder of the foundation's center for well-being.
Marks urged nations to make a collective global change before "our high-consuming lifestyles plunge us into the chaos of irreversible climate change."
The report, which was first conducted in 2006, covers 99 percent of the world population, the statement said.E-mail to a friend Mixx it Share
All About Costa Rica

March in Costa Rica

The twin grands are back in school so I have more time to myself now. They are in Preparatory which is the grade before first grade. It's kind of an extra grade at the beginning to make up for only 11 years of school (I think).

I've started practicing Yoga daily, hopefully to improve my posture, balance, and my back problems.

Today I'm meeting with some local friends who are on Ravelry. We're having a knit-together at Paseo de Flores, the mall in Heredia.

I'm planning my annual trip to the U.S. too. I have my tickets and leave on May 1. I will visit my dad in PA first and then fly to the Tampa area to visit with my two sisters. I will be gone until May 21. Can't wait to go shopping!!! I'll bring back many things I can't find in Costa Rica.

More earthquake (terramoto) news

Just received the following from the US Embassy
Subject: Message about January 8 earthquake from US Embassy

The Embassy alerts Americans traveling or living in Costa Rica that Costa Rica continues to experience numerous aftershocks from the January 8th earthquake. The Embassy encourages all American citizens in Costa Rica to contact their families and friends to update them on their welfare and whereabouts.
Most areas of Costa Rica have been unaffected by the earthquake, but the Embassy strongly cautions Americans to delay travel to the areas that were hardest hit which include Poas volcano and the La Paz Waterfall Gardens near the community of Vara Blanca. Approximately 300 tourists, including several dozen Americans, were stranded overnight in that area. Costa Rican authorities expect to extract all of the stranded tourists by January 9.
The Embassy has been in constant contact with local authorities and has not received any reports of any American deaths or missing Americans. A few Americans were reported injured by falling debris, but none seriously. The Embassy encourages any affected American citizen to contact the US Embassy as soon as possible. The Embassy is located in Pavas, a suburb of San Jose; telephone 506-2519-2000 during business hours (8am to 4:30pm), or 506-8863-4985 for after-hours emergencies; fax 506-2519-2099; internet website http://sanjose.usembassy.gov .

Earthquake 6.2 !!!

6.2 earthquake at Poas Volcano about 1:13 pm today with 260 aftershocks so far. The epicenter was only about 30-40 miles from us. Grand daughter Lina was here at the time, Chai had been sent home cause he was bad. I got her on the floor and covered her with my body. Wine glasses were falling from our wine-glass rack in the kitchen and there was broken glass everywhere. The water in the aquarium was sloshing all over the floor and everything was rattling and shaking for 20 seconds. Then we felt many aftershocks. Vicki called and told us to get out of the house, that we were in a red alert for more shocks. So we spent time in the street then went into the bedroom and made a safe spot on the floor beside the bed. We didn't have to go there though as the aftershocks were short. The volcano is in yellow alert for erupting! Our son, Steve's, computer fell and we had all kinds of things fall and more cracks in the walls and a big dent where a wine glass hit the wood. There are deaths and two hospitals were evacuated in San Jose. All the bottles on the top shelf in the refrigerator fell, fortunately they were plastic. All the things I had on the baker's rack in the bathroom fell. Pictures are all crooked and the decorative wrought iron rack on the wall above the stove popped a long screw out and it fell to the floor. I don't think we'll know the full extent until tomorrow. Road damage, landslides, bus accidents, it just goes on and on. But we're all OK, thank God!

101 in 1001 list

1. Phone Dad at least once a week
2. See dentist: have teeth whitened
3. Start a blog and learn to use it
4. Get a 2nd dog
5. drink 1 glas of water for each glass of tea, coffe, juice, etc
6. donate clothes
7. Knit a min of 30 items for charity by Christmas
8. Knit & felt a bag for my Denise needles
9. Buy & use canvas grocery bags (min 5)
10. Compliment someone each day

11. Work on Phonics with grandkids
12. Read to grandkids at least 2x a week
13. Cull my magazine collection - started!
14. Keep a food diary
15. Landscape side yard
16. Get a flu shot
17. Increase flexibility w/stretching tape 3x/wk-YOGA
18. Floss daily
19. Visit a dermatologist
20. Get a complete health exam

21. Use Neti pot at least 1x/wk
22. Get splitter for computer to use SKYPE & speakers
23. Try a new recipe at least monthly
24. Entertain at home at least bi-monthly
25. Pull a min of 5 weeds daily
26. Plant an herb garden
27. Learn to crochet
28. Learn to tat
29. Put stencils back on windows
30. Renew my passport

31. Renew my residency in Costa Rica
32. Practice Spanish frequently
33. Watch some Spanish TV each day to learn more Espanol
34. Take grandkids to a movie
35. Take grandkids to a volcano-nope, earthquake at volcano site!
36. Find a place to store suitcases - done Jan 7 '09
37. Finish knitting Gollywog doll
38. Get allergy testing for Charlie
39. Knit Alan Dart's Tooth Trader doll
40. Eat fish once a week

41. Visit the States yearly
42. Eat 5 fruits and/or vegs daily
43. Lose 5# (.3571 stone) Jan 19
44. Lose 10# (.7143 stone) Mar 15
45. Lose 14# (1 stone)
46. Lose 20# (1.42 stone)
47. Lose 25# (1.7855 stone)
48. Lose 30# (more than 2 stone !)
49. Read this list daily
50. Check my Ravelry group: Stash Dolls daily

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How to calculate your start and end dates

Calculate your start/end dates: http://www.timeanddate.com/date/dateadd.html

1001 days? Make it easy on yourself and use the above link for calculating

101 in 1001

I started this blog today... Monday, Jan 5, 2009... mainly to start my 101 in 1001 list. My 1001 days will start today and my end date is... Monday, Oct 3, 2011. I'm just getting started on my list so sit tight and check in again!

My name is Sheilah and I live in Costa Rica. Moved here in 2003