May 6

May 6

◦                Breakfast a little after 8:00 again with hymns after

◦                While Olinda, Palmira and Elvia peeled potatoes, I watched until they asked me to share something, which I did, which started a nice conversation that lasted until all the potatoes were peeled. Then we had some nice quiet time before lunch.

◦                Brought my clothes that have been on the line since yesterday morning inside since it's raining anyway. I think they're mostly dry. On my next trip to Peru I will bring two pairs of pajamas since you need a few days to dry anything that you wash!

Marleni decorates a cake for dessert.

Her boys help!  

◦                The brothers, Grabiel, Marleni and boys, Lolita and two children, Chemita and don Elser joined us for lunch, after which I shared some thoughts about running to win.

◦                Stupid pigs (three of them!) were waiting for me at the gate when I headed for the outhouse, so I found a big stick to beat them away. Then I had to get back through them to get to the house. I think I would choose a different arrangement for my restroom facilities if it were up to me!

◦                Was planning to shower and wash my hair when the sun comes out and it warms up a little since the showering facility is very much open air. However, we haven't seen the sun yet, and it's 4:00. I think I'm just going to have to brave it. Brrrr!! Possibly I can heat up some water in the kitchen and dump it over my head without getting too much of the rest of me wet. I can stink until tomorrow night at least.

◦                I do hope that it will stop raining by tomorrow! It won't get rid of the mud that's already there, but at least I won't have to use one of my hands to hold an umbrella!

◦                Glory be! The sun came out! I had decided that the time had come to wash my hair, rain or shine, and it turned out to be shine! I headed to the kitchen to heat up some water. Palmira and Sra. Rosalía were in the kitchen and took over the chore of the water heating. When word came that my water was ready, I slogged through the mud to the shower. Had I not known that the water had been heated on the fire, I wouldn't have known that it had been heated on the fire, but at least it wasn't frigid. I didn't actually undress, just pushed up my sleeves a bit and rolled up my stockings, and tried to splatter as little as possible as I dumped water over my head.

◦                The sunshine didn't last long, but we enjoyed it while it stuck around.

◦                Supper somewhere around 7:00 - We're still eating the pig that was slaughtered the other day, all prepared as chicharrón. It's tasty but greasy.

We weren't sure if we looked more like the Three Musketeers or terrorists. 

Yes, it's a bit chilly.

Looks like the little fellow is ready for bed!

I took about 20 pictures of him while we were sitting at the table.  It's hard to tell here, but he has absolutely piercing eyes!

◦                One final (if all goes well) trip to the bathroom for this day. With flashlight in one hand and a pig-shooing stick in the other, I cautiously made my way over the increasingly slippery rocks and through the ever deepening muck to the necessary house. There and back with nary a pig in sight. Now to rinse of the boots and head for bed.