This and That from Here and There: The events of April 21

My journal begins:

Apr. 21 - It's COLD TODAY!!!

My first time to have green soup for breakfast

I think it's chicken broth and contains potatoes, eggs and a green sauce.

Plus, fried potatoes and bread, which I had no room for.

Mark 2 study after breakfast

I finally got up the courage to take a shower for the first time since arriving in Ramoscucho. (And, as it turned out, the last time there.) To get to the shower, you had to walk around to the back of the house and enter through the garage of sorts. I was told that there used to be no hot water at all in Ramoscucho but that in recent years, they have devised a method to heat the water via the stovepipe. So now there's hot water. That's definitely a good thing, because even when the water is hot, when the air surrounding you is of the temperature that requires you to wear layers upon layers of clothing, getting under a trickle of hot water is not going to warm you up. So, I got in the shower and turned the water on to see what its exact temperature was going to be. Not hot. So I waited because often it takes the water a while to warm up in these parts. And I waited and I waited and I waited. And I finally decided that a hot shower was not going to be happening. The water was tepid, at best, which is not the ideal temperature in Ramoscucho's climate. I had to wash my hair anyway; there was no choice. So, without removing my fleece-lined tights, socks or boots, I washed my hair while trying not to get any other part of my body wet. Perhaps you will now understand why body odor is more of an issue in cold climates than in hot ones, despite the fact that you sweat more in the heat.

It looks like a nice shower. :)

After "showering," I headed back to the kitchen to try and warm up. Olinda was in the process of making jam from the blackberries that we picked yesterday.

Janela looks on.

Kevin gets involved in the process as well.

Lunch was at don Marciel and Sra. Emiteria's (parents of Lisho and Encarne). Their daughter, Maruja, was also present. After chicken and rice and potatoes and a sort of slaw, Jairo and Olinda shared some nice thoughts since they were not on the speaking list for the 3:00 gospel meeting that afternoon. Don Marciel coined the phrase that a number of the Peruvian staff would recite to me at mealtimes during the rest of my stay in that country. "Comerá, siervita, comerá." ("Eat, little worker, eat.") I tried valiantly, but I just couldn't seem to eat enough to please anyone!

After the gospel meeting, in which Almansor and I spoke, we three sisters lucked out and were able to grab a passing combi to take us partway to our home for the night. While passing through the town of Ramoscucho, we stopped briefly, and a middle aged man knocked on my window. When I looked out, he just stared at me with a goofy grin on his face. I don't think they see many "out of towners" in these parts! We got off the combi just on the other side of town to walk the rest of the way to Hugo and Yolanda's.

I like walking, but I must confess to having been very glad that we had gotten a ride for part of the way. Our little cross-country hike after getting off the bus was plenty for the afternoon.

Looking back toward Ramoscucho

A little muddy in places

And we've arrived!

There are actually two houses on this property. One is still under construction, but the bedrooms and bathroom are useable. They still use the kitchen in the old house, so it's a little walk to get to where your meals are served. Not a big deal, unless it's raining or something. :-)