Sunday, Nov 20, 2016

Welcome to Sunday. I still enjoy the weekends, especially Sunday, because I feel like I can just relax and be completely unproductive…without any guilt if I choose. I think that is weird since I don’t have a job I have to be at Monday through Friday. I can’t say I’m pressed to be productive during the week, but I do self-impose it.

We needed gringo groceries today. These are items like stick butter, cherry tomatoes, sliced bread, chiflas, greek yougurt, floor cleaning solution, and bounce fabric softener. Just stuff we can’t get or don’t want to deal with at the mercado.

We walked to Supermaxi and it is a nice sunny day. The wind is up and blowing which I can feel a slight chill in, but the hot sun counteracts it. I’ll take it. We walked a less direct route, winding through some neighborhoods, but it is so much quieter than walking along Loja. The noise from the cars and buses is so loud you can’t hear yourself think.

Walking along Don Bosco we passed a couple restaurants roasting their full pigs on a spit out front. We stopped so Michelle could see how people here eat, and even buy for home, their cooked pork. The owner also showed Michelle some stacked cooked Cuy. Each one looks just like a guinea pig, poised in a full run on their spit, minus the fur of course. Heidi has once again stated her refusal to eat one.

Sunday is not the day to shop at Supermaxi. Lots of people pushing their carts in the narrow isles, and it is a constant battle to get to any spot on a shelf for what I want. I don’t have anywhere to be so I just try and stay out of the way until the crowd clears. Eventually the shopping is done and we are ready to leave.

Since we have more than we can carry I need to grab a taxi. Michelle wants to walk back and see if she can find her way home. I told her the way she can go that is relatively direct while avoiding Loja. Heidi and I got in the taxi and Michelle headed home on foot.

Eventually Michelle came walking through our door. I knew she was the type that could find her own way. She told me that on her way back she did everything I told her not to do because, well, that is just the kind of person she is. Her route home was bit more circuitous because of it. Hehehe…wait till I tell what not to do on her way home next time. 😉

Easton is having fun with his friends in Montanita although it sounds like he has a killer head cold. Finding Sudafed is a feat in this country but he did it. Chase is at a wedding today in Salt Lake and enjoying many friends he hasn’t seen since leaving for the Peace Corp over two years ago.

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is this week. My inner clock for the holidays is totally messed up. It does feel nice to be away from all the commercialism that comes with this time of the year.

Chau.