Coco walked out on me while we were watching the Decorating Channel. I was resting my back, which is still crooked and bent out of shape. She returned with two large books: A.A. Milne the Complete Collection of Winnie the Pooh and All About Animals. I bought those books dreaming about all the hours we’d spend reading and giggling over Tigger, Pooh, and Piglet. But at that moment, I wanted to see how the remodeled kitchen was going to turn out and then maybe sneak a bit of Oprah.

Coco sat on the floor and said:

I’m going to iron my hair.

She leaned over; placed a chunk of locks between the two books; and remained still for about one minute.

Coco has long, beautiful thick goldy-brown hair. The kind that in slow motion would fold upon itself like a shimmering waterfall (when I can get a comb through it). She may have a wave here and there and gets a few cute little flips when it’s humid, but her hair is far from curly.

Where does she get this from? My daughter observes Costa Ricans, Americans, Europeans, and those in between almost every day. Women iron their hair here. I don’t, but I use a hair dryer. Most women here don’t even own a hair dryer. I only wonder on which way she’ll swing with shaving.

Is my hair flat? she said.

Perfect! I said, just as they pulled back the curtains to reveal the gorgeous kitchen on the Decorating Channel.