ready for a visit!

Well, tomorrow will be three weeks here and although all our furniture hasn't been delivered nor all the curtains done, we DO have a sofa bed ready in the guest bedroom. So, come for a visit we have the sofa bed and a blowup mattress! Our routine is somewhat the same for now. I cook dinner - remember big meal is at noon - with soup and segundo and do some cleaning or washing in between in the morning. We did get a nice size microwave yesterday so in the evening I can warm up any leftovers for our light supper. Daniel has been coming and going buying things we need and helping tio Jorge install lights, shelves, etc. Once the house is pretty well set up it'll be interesting to see how he fills his time. Both of us will soon need something specific to do to challenge us. As soon as our living room furniture arrives - hopefully early next week, and a suitcase with some additional curtains and items for the house arrives with our friend Josh tomorrow, we'll take some pictures. I am anxious to get some plants potted and flowers on the front entrance and on our back patio. Daniel has been playing raquet ball on Saturday mornings with Tio Adrian and some of his friends , but is ready to find someone to play tennis with - and a place nearby.
Tomorrow - Friday - our friend Josh from the Saginaw Church arrives and we will go to the airport to meet him. Sunday we'll go to church with him and then on Tuesday have him and his finance over for dinner. Our first USA visitor. Who wants to be next?
We're thinking about buying a car. The traffic is unbelievable here and so I know I will have to sit on my hands and tape my mouth shut - I'm practicing now with the taxis. I swear the cars come an inch away from crashing. The bigger the car the more right of way it has. So I'm thinking we need to buy a tank! Grandma Centellas is doing well, eating everything I cook. I'm working really hard on making a variety of types of soups. She eats no beef, no rice, very few noodles. I have found some whole wheat noodles here though. Sometimes I makie a separate meal for her and steak and rice for us. Well, enough rambling for today. Hope to hear from you who read this.

Happy Birthday, Andy Pandy

Andy Pandy, Gordito - those were the nicknames of Andres now 26 years old. Born 5 minutes after midnight he was an easy baby to care for. Slept through most of the night from day one - not like Sam who didnot sleep all night until he was almost 2 years old. No colic - like brother Miguel who drank so much he cry with colic. Andy was and still is, I think, pretty easy going, making every effort to please those around him. I'm thankful for this son who has such a good head on his shoulders and a soft heart. Working on his masters while working in a stressful job scenerio he needs both. Happy Birthday.

I should probably also post about how things are going here in Santa Cruz. With almost two weeks under our belt her I'm sure I can't tell all there is. But we are slowly getting our house up and running. I'm working hard at trying to re-learn the city, the foods, cooking styles, and all that makes a Bolivian household function. Going into town the traffic has been scary. I'm learning to get used to cars one inch away, sudden stops and noisy horns. Four lanes of traffic zigzagging in what should be two. I'm also finding the marketing experience a bit much. So many people, so crowded, trying to keep the 1, 2, and 5 pesos coins straight and keeping up with the boy with the wheelbarrow who for 3 pesos carts our bags of food around the market. Haven't got the meat buying down by any means. I couldn't recognize the 'pork chops', but we ate them after cutting away a thick layer of fat. But the fresh fruit and vegetables in abundance can't be beat.
Our living room furniture is on order and our cabinets in the kitchen will soon be delivered. Jorge will come tomorrow to install all the light fixtures. I really appreciate how the Centellas family has helped us. Enrique, our 25 year old nephew has been driving us around in his VW beetle helping us buy things from pots and pans, to selecting furniture. He tranquilly maneuvers his little car around the big buses and Toyotas.
Please post a comment with any questions you might have. Would love to hear from you!

Suitcase weary/ travel update

We have been more than a month living like gypsies from one place to another. Our thanks to brother John and wife Bev for allowing us to stay at their house while Daniel finished up some final reporting for SVRC. Then a couple of weeks with my parents. Fishing anyone??? Daniel and I love to fish and fishing off the little paddle boat was fun as well as off the pontoon. We always enjoy the lake not just for the fishing, but also for the breathtaking sunsets and quiet reflection time it affords us. Of course, being with my parents has been a good time as well. Now after a grueling trip to Delaware in the heat and with our car bulging with suitcases, we are with Andres. On our way out here we enjoyed the Amish country and went through Carlisle where MIguel will be teaching, saw the house and the college. With Andy we will be going there on Wednesday to help unpack the U-haul. So our last day in the States will be with at least two of our children, helping with the turning of a corner in Miguel's life - the long awaited time of becoming a professor. He and Kate have enjoyed time in Chicago getting ready for the wedding and now for a time it's getting back to finishing dissertations and preparing academically for both of them
Yesterday with Andres we went to NY. We saw so much in one very hot day. Times Square, UN Building, Statue of Liberty, walked part of the Brooklyn Bridge, and even rode the subway. I'm glad I had the experience of NY but one day was enough! The noises and sights of the city were overwhelming in one sense. You really can't appreciate the melting pot concept unless you see it in action in such a large city.
This morning went to the Lutheran Church next to Andy's building and appreciate the opportunity to take part in communion and reflect on Christ, the Bread of Life.
This week to Carlisle and next stop - BOLIVIA