the elections passed without too much trouble. leonel fernandez won another 4 years, so we will avoid the standard complete changeover of jobs, which means that progress on current projects in the country should not be halted.
however, the next two days will be filled with lots of noise created by loud music, motorcycles speeding through the streets with the mufflers removed, and the obligatory "drag sheets of tin roofing behind your car and motorbike". so, sleep will be fleeting until monday, since the president has ordered his people to party until monday, when they should "all return to work".
all this notwithstanding, the best news i have for you is that virtudes, our ex-secretary and laundress, who married hecfrates, our current school principal, had a baby yesterday. yep, married aug 16th and gave birth may 16th. no vital stats yet except that it's a boy. (she had to give birth in san juan, so we won't know until tomorrow or monday). that's just the way it's meant to be done.
however, the next two days will be filled with lots of noise created by loud music, motorcycles speeding through the streets with the mufflers removed, and the obligatory "drag sheets of tin roofing behind your car and motorbike". so, sleep will be fleeting until monday, since the president has ordered his people to party until monday, when they should "all return to work".
all this notwithstanding, the best news i have for you is that virtudes, our ex-secretary and laundress, who married hecfrates, our current school principal, had a baby yesterday. yep, married aug 16th and gave birth may 16th. no vital stats yet except that it's a boy. (she had to give birth in san juan, so we won't know until tomorrow or monday). that's just the way it's meant to be done.
well, it's been five years to the day since i arrived in banica.
hard to believe that it's been that long - but it's been a great 5 years, we'll see what God has in store for the future.
thanks for all the prayers, and please keep them up.
hard to believe that it's been that long - but it's been a great 5 years, we'll see what God has in store for the future.
thanks for all the prayers, and please keep them up.
the Easter season is almost over.
i'm three days away from celebrating my 5 year anniversary down here.
the rains have begun.
the garden is growing.
the puppy ate all 3 kittens.
that's all for now.
i'm three days away from celebrating my 5 year anniversary down here.
the rains have begun.
the garden is growing.
the puppy ate all 3 kittens.
that's all for now.
hey hey hey, look who appeared on the wall outside my office (She's about 4 feet tall):
someone sent me a pic of the pavilion before it burned to a crisp. by the way, my best guess as to the cause of the fire is that either the wire you cannot see (it is on the opposite side) running from the dorm to the top of the roof or the one you can see was blown back and forth by the wind and the tin cap on the roof cut into it causing a short and therefore some serious sparking:
i don't have a before picture, just a during and after:
bad news folks:
the huge covered enramada (big cement floored, open walled patio like structure) in the center burnt down today.
thankfully, no one was injured in the blaze and about 100 people helped move all the boxes, wood, and other items that were underneath the roof. looks like it was a short circuit that caused the inferno, and we can only thank God that all are safe and sound, although we'll be hacking up smoke for the next day or so.
i'll see if i can get some pics to post.
update on the replacement costs forthcoming as well...
the huge covered enramada (big cement floored, open walled patio like structure) in the center burnt down today.
thankfully, no one was injured in the blaze and about 100 people helped move all the boxes, wood, and other items that were underneath the roof. looks like it was a short circuit that caused the inferno, and we can only thank God that all are safe and sound, although we'll be hacking up smoke for the next day or so.
i'll see if i can get some pics to post.
update on the replacement costs forthcoming as well...
5 straight days of rain in the evenings.
it's time to get planting.
it's time to get planting.
okay, time for a post-Triduum update:
i hope you all have followed the proceedings on maria's blog.
i spoke with a few people today and all agree that this was the finest Triduum in recent memory. we had great weather, great participation, and there was a sense (at least in part) that the Triduum is all about God.
the town has calmed down and the visitors have all departed, leaving us with a serenity that can only be found during the Easter Octave in a small town.
now, if the rain would just start falling...
i hope you all have followed the proceedings on maria's blog.
i spoke with a few people today and all agree that this was the finest Triduum in recent memory. we had great weather, great participation, and there was a sense (at least in part) that the Triduum is all about God.
the town has calmed down and the visitors have all departed, leaving us with a serenity that can only be found during the Easter Octave in a small town.
now, if the rain would just start falling...
for some solid reporting of the week's events, including lots of pictures, please head over to maria's blog. she's done a fine job of summing things up so far.
okay, it's Holy Saturday and i just have to say that yesterday, Good Friday, was the quietest on record. so maybe those 7 weeks preaching about Christ's Death and the importance of keeping a solemn Good Friday actually convinced a few people.
okay, it's Holy Saturday and i just have to say that yesterday, Good Friday, was the quietest on record. so maybe those 7 weeks preaching about Christ's Death and the importance of keeping a solemn Good Friday actually convinced a few people.
