One Week and Counting...

Howdy, everyone.

Not a whole lot new to report from down here in Peru. I worked a half day yesterday and made my way up to Lima. Besides a humbling experience that I won't bore you with yesterday, the weekend has been uneventful. Eder will pick me up here in an hour or so, we'll pick up some things from the store, then head back to the lazy surfside village of Cerro Azul before the sun ducks below the horizon tonight.

I tinkered with planning a road trip that I want to take when I get back state-side...a 5 day, 2000 mile journey from the thriving metropolis of Kouts, IN to the deciduous colonial countryside of the New England area. I plan to drive around 500 miles a day and then ride for an hour or two at each stop along the way. The target destination is yet to be decided. The main objective is to see a plethora of fall colors and some covered bridges in the mix...peacefulness...but I don't know if I want to couple the scenery with fall harvest festivals, hiking, or walking in the footsteps of the Redcoats. Maybe I'll just wing it.

We've made great headway in the quest to help those in need in Chincha. A few phone calls and some recent leads have been positive. The tentative order right now includes 6,000 bricks along with some concrete and rebar. My goal is to get quantities figured out this week. It is difficult to manage the task...the communication gaps, the different operating styles of companies down here...nonetheless, folks are going to be able to start rebuilding their homes again alot sooner than they had planned. I'll send out a report once things get loaded and delivered.

I've been a nervous bugger this rotation. I've got a few guesses as to why, but I won't speculate (speculate = one of the guesses). All I can say is that I'm looking forward to getting back home to enjoy my favorite season of the year, to enjoy the company of family and friends, and to enjoy some of Mom's homemade apple pie. This will probably be the last post for a few weeks. I'll see some of you soon...for you others, I'll catch you on the flipside.

Scotty

Catching Up...

Hola amigos.

It's been a little while since my last post. A few new things to report on.

First thing: Thank you to all who have gotten in touch with me and have contributed to the "Helping Chincha" fund. We're over $2,000 right now! That is phenomenal. I am going to meet with my friends in Chincha this afternoon to get the lowdown on things. As it stands now, bricks/mortar/etc are the main items needed. From what I gather, 1000 bricks (ladrillos *la-dree-yos* in Spansish) cost about $100 since the earthquake. It used to cost half that. I will look into cutting a deal with a local supplier and see what we can work out. My goal is for my friends to build better constructed homes than before, i.e. steel reinforcing, more concrete, etc. People are still living in tents. They're slowly picking up the rubble and debris, but things are slow. My goal is to get things arranged in the next two weeks before I go on leave. I will keep you posted. Thanks again.

Second: I live in a new place. Eder and I are sharing a two-bedroom apartment about 30 minutes north of the project site in a little town called Cerro Azul (Blue Hill). The apartment is fully furnished and is fantastic. Did I mention it has an ocean view? Waves are all I hear at night...no more roosters...no more blasted horns. I've never slept this good in Peru...well maybe not for the first week in the apartment. Eder and I show up and we're stoked to be moving into the new abode. We show up and as we're unpacking, we notice there aren't any towels or linens. Uh oh...A quick plea to the gal that manages the apartment complex hooked us up with some blankets and towels...and as thankful as I was to have a blanket, I must admit, I might have been better to sleep in my britches. Them jokin sheets wreaked. I'm not sure where they had them stored or what, but I couldn't wait to upgrade to some cleaner linens. Last weekend Eder and I trekked up to Lima and picked up some new sheets and blankets. What a relief. I've never bought a sheet or a blanket in my life. I proclaim to be one of the worlds worst shoppers and here I am trying to purchase these things. Thread counts? Polyester or cotton? Blue with white stripes or green with blue dots????!!!!???? I thought a pillow was a pillow...not so much. Talk about anxiety. But, it all worked out.

We've got the top floor and on top there's a huge patio up there...complete with table and chairs, a hammock and a grill! Come summer, I'm not sure if I'll spend much time inside! I've uploaded a few pix to the photo link on the sidebar. I'll get more outside photos uploaded once the sun comes out. It's like I've never left Seattle down here! Everyone says November through April the sun never sleeps. I'm looking forward to that.

Cooking again is great. Not all the spices and utensils I'm used to, but the grub is hot and fills the belly. The oatmeal in the mornings is great! I also found a different brand of milk that's easier on the gullet, so that's been good too.

We're far from any gym as best I can tell, so I've had to improvise with the exercise regimen. The complex does have a universal workout machine, but it has seen better days. There's so much rust on half the plates that a 50 pound curl feels more like 250 pounds! It's great in that it has a chin up bar and a few other things that are operable. To get the ticker revved up I'm doing the John Blake workout special...running stairs. John is a laddie from Ireland that works for one of the contractors onsite. Just the kick in the pants I need after sitting in the office most of the day. Rumor has it that the little gym I used to go to in Chincha is closing shop for good and is selling all the equipment. Scotty just might swing by and pick up a spinner and a couple dumbells to toss around up on the roof top.

Third: A few weeks back, my Auntie Manka and Uncle Chet celebrated their 60 year wedding anniversary! Cudowny! (that should be something like "How wonderful" in Polish). Way to go and congratulations, Auntie Manka and Uncle Chet.

That pretty much sums up the main events from the last few weeks. I need to get a move on here.

Take care and God bless,

Scotty