Working for the weekend!

Will has been busy writing about our first impressions and experiences, so I thought I would give him a break and reflect a bit myself. We'll go ahead and post as much as we can, especially with these new experiences, then we hope to get into a weekly rhythm, once the details of our routine get too repetitive:)

We arrived on Friday and Dave was kind enough to let us get settled in for the day, feeding us delicious meals and sharing great chats. On Saturday, we woke up early, with the sun and los gallos (roosters) crowing. Well rested, we rolled out of bed to do our morning chores. We rolled out our yoga mats and took our time stretching and enjoying the wonderful place where we would be living. After yoga, we drank some tea and admired the scenery, then finally headed up the stone staircase to the main house for breakfast. It was Saturday, and Evan had off for the weekend, so he went to Pana(jachel), a big town on the lake. Will and I continued to get to know Dave and enjoyed a filling breakfast. Following our meal, we walked with Dave around the property as he decided what needed to be done. He mentioned things here and there, which were hard for me to keep track of! I was tempted to make a list, then review each task and how it should be done.... but it's WAY more relaxed than that here. We ended up with an idea of what to do, and Dave headed out to run errands while we set to our gardening. We weeded and planted and identified new plants. When Dave got back we reported our completed tasks eagerly and asked for more. Though once the afternoon rains began we relented and hung out in the casita, studying Spanish and resting.

A little humorous side note: It turns out we left the only season that isn't overwhelmingly rainy in the PNW to come to the rainy season around Lake Atitlan. But it is different when it's warm and pours like its trying to get it out of its system... The evening regularity is especially nice. Also the altitude is higher- around five thousand feet, so it does not get blisteringly hot; though when the sun comes out you can definitely feel its power.

A not so humorous side note: It turns out scorpions are the bees that crawl into your clothing and bedding. Michelle has unfortunately experienced the fury of one of the little buggers who crawled into a tapestry we bought. This variety is thankfully not deadly, unless you are allergic... Michelle is no longer as scared of future stings. Will slightly less so.



Sunday was similar to Saturday, except that Will caught a little bug (possibly from the market food we ate so enthusiastically on Friday). He pushed through and helped Dave with some reorganizing of the wood shed in preparation for tree house bamboo while I did garden chores. Will rested for the afternoon, and I continued to finish tasks, among them milling corn for the chicken feed. There was no rain as we expected on Sunday, but work was done mid-afternoon, and again we got to enjoy our afternoon and relax until dinner.



Outside of the casita is a passive solar shower. The shower has a tub with a capacity for 4 gallons of water which theoretically soaks up warmth from the sun. We ended up showering later in the day over the weekend, and quickly learned how the temperature of the water drops with the change in temperature. It was cold! Without jumping ahead too much, I will say I enjoyed a luke warm shower which I could stand under comfortably for more than 30 seconds at a time today. We'll be working on timing the showers perfectly.

Well, that was the weekend. We made dinner Sunday night, and Evan returned to eat with us. Apparently, he and Dave have decided we are all part of the Buena Vista supper club, where we center our lives around delicious meals. I have to say in my expereince on farms and with gardeners, great meals are always a common thread.

More Later!

Michelle