Note: I tried to download more pics for a while this morning, but tooooo slow to get more than this for now! Hello again from and welcome back! For the very first time this blog is being submitted for your reading pleasure from the comfort of my very own shack! Yes indeed, technology is a beautiful thing, I may be several hours from a paved road but I have a usb wireless internet device to connect me to the world. It’s a bit spotty at times, and during the recent four day rain it was not so willing to connect through the staticy/rainy/heavy gray skies. Though, perhaps that’s fitting since it seems that much of life stops here with the rain. I’ve done a lot of reading, listening, staring, playing my guitar, trying to recover from a cold, and waiting for the power to come back on for the last few days and am very thankful this morning to have somewhat lighter gray skies and only an occasional sprinkling.

It has been quite a storm indeed. The winds picked up while I was working the incredibly dry soil in my garden on Monday and drenched everything within an hour. Tuesday morning I made the most of the saturation to dig my garden beds and plant the little seedlings that I started a few weeks ago in containers. All that was done by noon and then unfortunately the real rain started! Lightning and thunder filled the sky, and rain filled my garden. Looks like I’ll only have to replant a couple of the little guys but doubtful about the direct seed veggies fates, they likely washed away into the former soy/now corn field. Is this really worthy of 2 paragraphs on the blog? Don’t know but that’s whats been happening for the last few days and not much else. Seriously, when it storms here its incredible. I’ve been to 40+ states and seen floridas quick heavy afternoon rainstorms in the summer (and even a few hurricanes), the midwests long drawn out gray days etc. But storms here are intense! Maybe it’s the fact that I’m in a wooden structure with a mildly watertight roof, gaps in the wallboards and doors, but the rain comes in buckets (filled up my bucket in about 5 minutes at the height of it with the roof runoff). The thunder is the most amazing part, it rolls a lot longer than anywhere else I’ve heard. Starting with a low rolling hum and building slowly to a wall shaking BOOM and slowly dissipating again over the course of literally 20 seconds or so.

Anyways, I’m hopeful once the rain stops the parents committee will be up for working the school garden and finally making the remaining raised beds. I’ve brought the seeds, maintained the weeds, and have been waiting for rain for the last month to wet the soil enough to make it workable. I could do the rest, but I want more people involved than just me! Perhaps Monday or Tuesday, if the rain stops by then!

Last week I was in Guarambare and Asuncion for the whole week for more trainings, and meetings. Not a whole lot to mention except that it was very nice to see my former host family for a few days again. It was a strange thing to feel like I was going back home, but as soon as I walked in and my grandmother was the only one home I felt so excited cuz I could finally understand what she is saying to me!!! It only took 7 months in Paraguay to understand her Guarani! We all talked a lot and it seemed to be a good benchmark for my language, as well as a comfort to remember there is a very inviting family I can escape to when I need to feel like I’m sort of at home somewhere… Without having to fly a 1000 or so miles.

Not much else, still feeding the little pink pellets to my rat population and they keep on leaving little pink droppings scattered about. Started allowing the neighbors cow to graze on my lawn, cuts down on my machete lawn mowing activities and supplies my garden with some manure… Just gotta watch my step a bit more carefully. The avocadoes are done fruiting and have fallen from the tree, most enjoyable while they lasted. Bananas are done for now, at least another 3 weeks till the next bunch will be ready (and 4 more bunches among all my trees). My garden is planted and I’m patiently waiting and planning the meals. And so far no signs of giardia and I’ve been drinking from my well for about 3 weeks or so – I think I’m in the clear. Oh yeah, and the big news is I now have  another used refrigerator! The first one I bought only worked for about 4 hours and has since been a hiding place for the rats. Fortunately I haven’t paid for it yet, and waiting for the rightful owners to retrieve it. The new one is workin fine and I actually have yogurt and cheese in there that I brought from town this last trip… Maybe that puts something in perspective for ya on this Saturday morning. Life is good if you just remember to celebrate the little things! Till next time happy trails and happy spring!