This time two weeks from now...

I'll be doing belly-flops with my nephews at my brother's place in Pensacola....chowin on boiled shrimp and drinking some cold beers.

How goes it everyone? Anything new and exciting north of the equator? Interesting week in the southern hemisphere. I am sure you saw the news about the Brasilian plane that crashed. Another went off the runway in Colombia last week as well. On my way out for dinner tonight there was a cadre of what I estimate to be at least 1,000 angry hospital workers and other health care folks parading past the Columbo. I sure hope the patients are doing alright! Oh yeah, last Tuesday I fell down the stairs in the morning...and up the stairs in the evening. Tweaking my back in the process.

I'm eager to be with family and friends again. Work has been more exciting the last three or four days as things have picked up, but nonetheless, my tolerance of the daily Peruvian experience is approaching its threshold.

Whether it be the simply ridiculous use of high-beams from oncoming traffic, the continuous disregard for public safety, 8:00 spinning classes starting at 8:20 (because no one shows up til then), those damn roosters and just plain old nonsense...I'm just ready for a break.

For example, last week while heading back to Lima, we needed to drop off a friend at a McDonalds in a certain part of town. Eder knew the general locale, but not specifics, so as we're driving along, he pulls alongside a pedestrian and asks where the Micky Ds was located..."Oh yeah", I could decipher from the fella's expression..."Take a left here and it'll be on your right a few blocks down." That would be a negative...so, after realizing we were directed to nowhere, Eder politely asked another hombre where the McDonalds was located. "Oh no, it's not here. Circle back, and head over the Pan Americana. It'll be on your right," the man said confidently. After pulling a yoo-eee and shaking our heads at the first guy's directions, we made our way to the golden arches only to be foiled again. I don't understand it...I really don't. Baloney like this happens all the time here...driving directions, purchasing clothing or artwork...there always seems to be some amount of b.s. thrown in there. Straight and, as we've seen, honest answers are difficult to come by down here.

Ahh....now I feel better.

I got a call from Christian yesterday. The good news is that he is back working for Golder and there's a chance, somewhere down the road, that we may be working together again. The bad news is that his return is a result of his life literally being broken in two. I can only imagine that returning to work in such a manner is a bittersweet occasion. Hopefully we'll be able to catch up before I leave on my next furlough.

I was originally planning to do a Peruvian tour of sorts this upcoming October, but considering that many of the folks who are interested in making the trip are tied up this time around, I've decided to postpone the trek and instead head back to Da Region where I plan to partake in some steelhead fishing and some of Mom's fresh apple pie. I'd like to make a quick trip up to the northeast to see the changing colors...it'd be a short trip, but it's something I've always wanted to do. We shall see.

Well, I'm going to indulge in another piece or two of some tasty nut bread/cake I picked up at the market the other day. Till next time, you kids make it a great one.

Scotty