A chaotic departure

The last meeting on Sunday ended at 3:00.  Before the meeting began, LeRoy announced that there would be a ranchera passing by the grounds at 3:00 for all those who needed a ride to Olmedo.  Mom, Aunt Beth, Katia and I had a ride back to Guayaquil in the Guzmán vehicle, but we weren't sure what Laura's hosts plans were.  So as soon as meeting was over, I ran to find Léster Antonio and Kiara.  Yes, they were planning to take the ranchera.  Okay, so it's coming like now, and Laura's stuff is down at Sra. Neira's.  We had also planned to do a little last minute swapping of things and adding a few items to Laura's luggage to take back to the States.  That's clearly not going to happen!  The ranchera arrives, so Laura and I hop on it after making arrangements with the driver to stop for a minute at Sra. Neira's house so Laura can get her luggage.  I had the key to the house, so I didn't take the time to look for Sra. Neira. I asked Sra. María (Guzmán) to tell her husband that Aunt Beth, Mom and Katia were still at the grounds, so could he please bring them to Sra. Neira's when he got ready to go and pick me up there for our trip back to Guayaquil.  We're all set.

Getting on the ranchera

We arrived at Sra. Neira's and jumped off the ranchera.  We immediately discovered a problem.  The gate was closed, and I only had house keys, not gate keys.  Léster Antonio started shouldering the fence and ended up breaking it up rather completely in one place.  It left a space through which we could wiggle.  The next problem that I discovered as I made my way through the hole in the fence was that it was right on top of an anthill.  Approximately 963 ants bit my feet and ankles before I was able to make it all the way through!  Opening the house was no problem.  We grabbed Laura's suitcase and ran back outside.  Getting back through the fence with a load was a bit more difficult and required a bit more time, giving the ants another great opportunity to feast themselves on my feet.  We finally made it back to the ranchera, and after a quick hug, Laura got on and left me behind, waving.  Quick good-byes are somewhat easier in some ways; we certainly didn't have much time to get weepy!  

Meanwhile, Katia, Mom and Aunt Beth arrived, having walked down from the grounds.  We finished taking care of a few last-minute things in our sleeping quarters upstairs, then got our bags together and waited for Moisés to come and pick us up.  We waited and waited, and he didn't come.  I can't remember now if he called us or if I called him.  He was still at the grounds waiting for my three remaining visitors because María had faithfully delivered my message that that's what he was to do.  In all the other chaos, I had forgotten all about that part!  We finally got everything figured out, and he arrived shortly at Sra. Neira's.  After apologizing to Sra. Neira about her fence and offering to pay for it to be fixed (which she refused!), we were on our way in the Trooper to Guayaquil.  And that's another story for the next blog entry!