300 yards of Cabaret; superwash merino fingering weight yarn. Only about 1.5 ounces to go.
Jul 17, 2009
spindling Cabaret
300 yards of Cabaret; superwash merino fingering weight yarn. Only about 1.5 ounces to go.
Jul 12, 2009
Tour d' Fleece, spindling and some excuses
You may have noticed that my posts have been woefully devoid of photos this winter (summer for you up there in the northern hemisphere). Yup. I've been neglecting the camera in favor of spindling. I'm participating in the Tour d' Fleece, spinning my little fingers down to the nubs, but so far I'm just managing to complete the plying on one skein of Cabaret fiber. Wah. My 6-days-a-week job gets in the way of spinning, and what a danged inconvenience it is. I think I'm in a fail situation. I may have to concede that I have set my goals too high. I hope not. I still have another 10 days to go, so it's possible that I could still pull this off.
Even if I don't reach my goals, I'll still come away with some nice yarns, and a bit of space cleared on the shelf for more fiber stash. I'll be able to do some vacation knitting and spinning in September, when I go home to the farm for a month. Hopefully, the pair of laceweight spindles that I ordered will be waiting for me, but I'll take one with me, just in case.
What? What's that you say?? Why, YES! I've bought my plane tickets for vacation! Yeay! O is a little bummed out, because he STILL has not applied for his visa, so he gets to stay home again this year and play with Celeste and do his own laundry. Tut tut. It's his own fault. The Embassy will not give you a visa if you do not ask for one. I tut when I think about it.
And, honestly, I must confess that my camera batteries are dead again. Grrr. Must rectify that when I get groceries sometime this week.
I hope that Peru is about done mourning Michael Jackson. I'm totally over seeing the funeral and the 1980's music videos played over and over every day. You do know that there were only two music videos that Michael Jackson made, don't you? They were Thriller and Billie Jean. At least that's the way it seems here. Nothing else is shown on TV, and on the radio? The Man in the Mirror. Over and over and over. The world was fascinated with Michael Jackson, but I'm ready to let him rest in peace. How about some Nickelback or Everlast, just for a change of pace?
Even if I don't reach my goals, I'll still come away with some nice yarns, and a bit of space cleared on the shelf for more fiber stash. I'll be able to do some vacation knitting and spinning in September, when I go home to the farm for a month. Hopefully, the pair of laceweight spindles that I ordered will be waiting for me, but I'll take one with me, just in case.
What? What's that you say?? Why, YES! I've bought my plane tickets for vacation! Yeay! O is a little bummed out, because he STILL has not applied for his visa, so he gets to stay home again this year and play with Celeste and do his own laundry. Tut tut. It's his own fault. The Embassy will not give you a visa if you do not ask for one. I tut when I think about it.
And, honestly, I must confess that my camera batteries are dead again. Grrr. Must rectify that when I get groceries sometime this week.
I hope that Peru is about done mourning Michael Jackson. I'm totally over seeing the funeral and the 1980's music videos played over and over every day. You do know that there were only two music videos that Michael Jackson made, don't you? They were Thriller and Billie Jean. At least that's the way it seems here. Nothing else is shown on TV, and on the radio? The Man in the Mirror. Over and over and over. The world was fascinated with Michael Jackson, but I'm ready to let him rest in peace. How about some Nickelback or Everlast, just for a change of pace?
Jul 8, 2009
Birthday weekend
Last week I had a birthday. I celebrate my birthday in a much different style than most people here in Peru. For my birthday, I prefer to forget about parties and have a quiet day. This year, both O and I were working, so there was no party planning on any one's part. O knows I don't go for parties, but his friends are pretty determined to take advantage of any excuse to have a fling. This year, thanks to my job, there was none of that. There was, however, a birthday lunch at some one's house.
Rosa and Flover live in Rimac, which is a very nice part of town, except for the smallish area where they live. Their neighborhood is SCARY. They have no car, and they live a little too far away from the market or the grocery store to walk, so we often give them rides to wherever they need to go. They repay the favors by making lunch occasionally, inviting us to barbecues, parties, and other events. I rarely go, but now it's understood that I just prefer a quieter lifestyle.
Anyway, Rosa insisted on a birthday lunch on the 2nd. Rosa is from the highlands and her taste in food is a little different than mine. My special lunch was actually Rosa's favorite: chanfainita, a typical highland dish.
How does it look? Tasty, right? Chanfainita is stew, made from chopped potatoes and cow's lungs. Now, I know she went to a LOT of effort to prepare this delicacy, but there are just some things that I don't want to eat. Lung tissue is one of those things that I choose not to eat. I think Celeste would enjoy this stew immensely.
Luckily for me, there was plenty of picante sauce and a good bottle of dry red wine. If not for those, I couldn't have managed to eat any of it. Rosa would have been offended and I would have been embarrassed to pieces. So I poured on enough hot sauce to set the house on fire added handfuls of chopped mint, and washed it all down with judicious sips of wine. Everything ended quite well. I didn't ask for seconds, but Rosa felt well pleased.
On Sunday, O and I went to dinner at Club Sullana, where we had a fantastic steak cooked with annato oil and fried yuca and banana slices. Then we went to see "Ice Age 3" and went home.
Rosa and Flover live in Rimac, which is a very nice part of town, except for the smallish area where they live. Their neighborhood is SCARY. They have no car, and they live a little too far away from the market or the grocery store to walk, so we often give them rides to wherever they need to go. They repay the favors by making lunch occasionally, inviting us to barbecues, parties, and other events. I rarely go, but now it's understood that I just prefer a quieter lifestyle.
Anyway, Rosa insisted on a birthday lunch on the 2nd. Rosa is from the highlands and her taste in food is a little different than mine. My special lunch was actually Rosa's favorite: chanfainita, a typical highland dish.
How does it look? Tasty, right? Chanfainita is stew, made from chopped potatoes and cow's lungs. Now, I know she went to a LOT of effort to prepare this delicacy, but there are just some things that I don't want to eat. Lung tissue is one of those things that I choose not to eat. I think Celeste would enjoy this stew immensely.
Luckily for me, there was plenty of picante sauce and a good bottle of dry red wine. If not for those, I couldn't have managed to eat any of it. Rosa would have been offended and I would have been embarrassed to pieces. So I poured on enough hot sauce to set the house on fire added handfuls of chopped mint, and washed it all down with judicious sips of wine. Everything ended quite well. I didn't ask for seconds, but Rosa felt well pleased.
On Sunday, O and I went to dinner at Club Sullana, where we had a fantastic steak cooked with annato oil and fried yuca and banana slices. Then we went to see "Ice Age 3" and went home.
Jul 6, 2009
Complicated lives
While the US and the rest of the world is mourning the passing of Michael Jackson, Peru is feeling the pain of losing one of their own musical stars, Alicia Delgado. Alicia died last week, murdered at the hands of (supposedly) her chauffeur. It's a complicated tale, which gets more and more complex and twisted as the police dig further into her life.
From what I can gather, Alicia was known as the "Princesa de Folclor" (Princess of Folklore) and was a very popular singer of huayno (Peru's brand of country music.) The story is that she was married and later divorced from her husband, then hooked up with another female huayno singer, Abencia Meza, who later became Alicia's closet lover. After a time of performing together, they decided to come out of the closet. This was complicated by the fact that Alicia also had a male lover, a fact which really torqued Abencia's jaw.
Sooo...last week, Alicia was found, killed by a bullet to the brain. Several people have been arrested, and as the investigation continues, more and more people appear to be implicated, right down to Alicia's own mother, who made it known that if anything were to happen to Alicia, her mother would be able to sell Alicia's apartment for quite a pretty penny. Alicia's chauffeur claims that Abencia paid him to kill Alicia, so it's not his fault and he isn't guilty. Hmmm. That's as far as the things went last night. Maybe the news tonight will reveal still more twists in this confusing story.
Celeste is so confused by this sordid tale that she felt the need to leave a trail of dog food pieces from her bowl to the living room...you know, just in case she can't find her way to bed tonight. Hopefully there are no crows to come behind her and eat her crumbs. She might end up missing her bed and wind up in the witch's cottage deep in the forest, with Hansel and Gretel!
Okay, now I'm the one who's confused. Anyway, here's a Youtube flick of Alicia, and one of Abencia. Don't you just love a good "Whodunit"?
From what I can gather, Alicia was known as the "Princesa de Folclor" (Princess of Folklore) and was a very popular singer of huayno (Peru's brand of country music.) The story is that she was married and later divorced from her husband, then hooked up with another female huayno singer, Abencia Meza, who later became Alicia's closet lover. After a time of performing together, they decided to come out of the closet. This was complicated by the fact that Alicia also had a male lover, a fact which really torqued Abencia's jaw.
Sooo...last week, Alicia was found, killed by a bullet to the brain. Several people have been arrested, and as the investigation continues, more and more people appear to be implicated, right down to Alicia's own mother, who made it known that if anything were to happen to Alicia, her mother would be able to sell Alicia's apartment for quite a pretty penny. Alicia's chauffeur claims that Abencia paid him to kill Alicia, so it's not his fault and he isn't guilty. Hmmm. That's as far as the things went last night. Maybe the news tonight will reveal still more twists in this confusing story.
Celeste is so confused by this sordid tale that she felt the need to leave a trail of dog food pieces from her bowl to the living room...you know, just in case she can't find her way to bed tonight. Hopefully there are no crows to come behind her and eat her crumbs. She might end up missing her bed and wind up in the witch's cottage deep in the forest, with Hansel and Gretel!
Okay, now I'm the one who's confused. Anyway, here's a Youtube flick of Alicia, and one of Abencia. Don't you just love a good "Whodunit"?
Jun 28, 2009
Hot Off The Spindle
Colorway: Catwoman, from Enchanted Knoll Farm.
Fiber: Superwash merino wool, 64 count.
Handspun on a spindle from Restlesspeasant (Ravelry ID)
Approximately 182 yards of light fingering weight yarn from approximately one ounce of fiber. Still have about 3 ounces left to go!
Jun 24, 2009
Attention deficit
Poor Celeste. These days have been extra hard for her, because it's finals week at work. I have exams to prepare for and exams to administer, then grade. Not too much time for playing, not too much time for long walks or sleeping on THE BED. And, I have been working on the Garden of Alla shawl (in hand-painted alpaca) and spinning some superwash merino, too, so Poor Celeste has been suffering from an extreme deficit of attention from me. Today, while I was grading exams, she let me know how much of a deficit there was. Whenever I reached for an exam, she bumped my arm with her nose. While I was marking the exam, she paced in circles, and then rested her head on my knee.
After finishing the exam grading, I picked up my spindle to ply the merino, and she paced in circles around the spindle. She reached out and grabbed the spindle just long enough to stop it from spinning. Hmmm. She didn't want to go outside, just be the center of attention for the afternoon. I can't afford to give her all my attention till I'm finished with these exams.
Hold on, Celeste! On Friday, I'll be all yours to go walking with, to play with, and to just give you all my undivided attention!
After finishing the exam grading, I picked up my spindle to ply the merino, and she paced in circles around the spindle. She reached out and grabbed the spindle just long enough to stop it from spinning. Hmmm. She didn't want to go outside, just be the center of attention for the afternoon. I can't afford to give her all my attention till I'm finished with these exams.
Hold on, Celeste! On Friday, I'll be all yours to go walking with, to play with, and to just give you all my undivided attention!
Jun 16, 2009
Protestation, violation, retaliation, and examination
Well, this last week has been interesting!
there has been a growing unrest among the indigenous people of the Amazon region. For years there has been a law protecting the Amazon rainforests and the indigenous people who live there. But within the last year or so, the government of Peru has opened up that area to logging and oil. This decision affects the property and lifestyles of the people who live in this area, and it was done without consulting them or allowing them to vote on it, or to express their opinions in any way. It has led to numerous non-violent protests and roads blocked with stones and people, typical of the way the Peruvian people usually express their disagreement with government actions. But, as I said, unrest has been growing, culminating in a confrontation between the indigenous and national police who were sent to clear a roadblock near Tarapoto. This confrontation resulted in several indigenous people being killed...which in turn led to police in a different area (Bagua) being killed or taken hostage, in retaliation for what happened in Tarapoto. Bloodshed there in Bagua (pronounced Bá-Wa) continued for a week, during which time the leader of the Bagua indigenous faction fled to the Nicaraguan embassy in Lima to avoid arrest.
Last Thursday, the protestors followed their leader to Lima and staged a protest on Abancay Avenue, where the Ministry of the Interior is located, as well as being just half a block from where I work. The police were prepared, but none of the local people were aware of what was going to happen until it happened. About 3:30 in the afternoon, hundreds of university students and indigenous people marched on Abancay Avenue, armed with clubs, steel pipes, and 2 x 4s, waving flags and banners, and makng a huge racket with horns, pipes, loud speakers, and the like. I was in my classroom and couldn't hear what my students were trying to say.
Then something went awry and the protest turned violent. Police reacted by shooting tear gas into the crowds and chasing a good number down to the middle of the block (where I work!) with gas bombs. Although the steel doors on our building were closed and the windows were closed to the second floor, gas still managed to enter the building. Between the noise and the effects of the gas, classes had to be temporarily stopped. And, heh, I had one student who just couldn't resist opening a window and sticking his head out to see the spectacle. He got a good doses of tear gas.
Oddly, I wasn't affected by the gas. I had several students who complained of sore throats and itchy eyes. I didn't feel anything. Huh. Musta been all those years of gas mask training in the Air Force, with real tear gas. We were locked down for about an hour, then students were allowed to go home out the back way, to avoid the remnents of the protest.
And then, on Saturday, I had to take an English proficiency exam provided to the institute by the University of Michigan. I'm not sure how I did, although it seemed to be to easy to be real, for me. I wonder if this will benefit me in some way. Every ICPNA instructor has to take the exam and pass it, but what will it do for me in the future? Nothing, probably. English is my first language, and at my age, I expect that I should be proficient in it.
All last week, I had substitutions. I'm not sure what was happening...maybe everyone was sick? I don't know, but I had 10 hours of work every day. Love the extra money, but the hours really sucked. Wah.
there has been a growing unrest among the indigenous people of the Amazon region. For years there has been a law protecting the Amazon rainforests and the indigenous people who live there. But within the last year or so, the government of Peru has opened up that area to logging and oil. This decision affects the property and lifestyles of the people who live in this area, and it was done without consulting them or allowing them to vote on it, or to express their opinions in any way. It has led to numerous non-violent protests and roads blocked with stones and people, typical of the way the Peruvian people usually express their disagreement with government actions. But, as I said, unrest has been growing, culminating in a confrontation between the indigenous and national police who were sent to clear a roadblock near Tarapoto. This confrontation resulted in several indigenous people being killed...which in turn led to police in a different area (Bagua) being killed or taken hostage, in retaliation for what happened in Tarapoto. Bloodshed there in Bagua (pronounced Bá-Wa) continued for a week, during which time the leader of the Bagua indigenous faction fled to the Nicaraguan embassy in Lima to avoid arrest.
Last Thursday, the protestors followed their leader to Lima and staged a protest on Abancay Avenue, where the Ministry of the Interior is located, as well as being just half a block from where I work. The police were prepared, but none of the local people were aware of what was going to happen until it happened. About 3:30 in the afternoon, hundreds of university students and indigenous people marched on Abancay Avenue, armed with clubs, steel pipes, and 2 x 4s, waving flags and banners, and makng a huge racket with horns, pipes, loud speakers, and the like. I was in my classroom and couldn't hear what my students were trying to say.
Then something went awry and the protest turned violent. Police reacted by shooting tear gas into the crowds and chasing a good number down to the middle of the block (where I work!) with gas bombs. Although the steel doors on our building were closed and the windows were closed to the second floor, gas still managed to enter the building. Between the noise and the effects of the gas, classes had to be temporarily stopped. And, heh, I had one student who just couldn't resist opening a window and sticking his head out to see the spectacle. He got a good doses of tear gas.
Oddly, I wasn't affected by the gas. I had several students who complained of sore throats and itchy eyes. I didn't feel anything. Huh. Musta been all those years of gas mask training in the Air Force, with real tear gas. We were locked down for about an hour, then students were allowed to go home out the back way, to avoid the remnents of the protest.
And then, on Saturday, I had to take an English proficiency exam provided to the institute by the University of Michigan. I'm not sure how I did, although it seemed to be to easy to be real, for me. I wonder if this will benefit me in some way. Every ICPNA instructor has to take the exam and pass it, but what will it do for me in the future? Nothing, probably. English is my first language, and at my age, I expect that I should be proficient in it.
All last week, I had substitutions. I'm not sure what was happening...maybe everyone was sick? I don't know, but I had 10 hours of work every day. Love the extra money, but the hours really sucked. Wah.
Jun 7, 2009
After a long pause...
...I'm back. I've been swamped, then run down, and consequentially got sick. Now I'm back on my feet again, and although still swamped with work, not sick anymore. I apologise for the tardiness in posting and meeting my commitments, but rest assured that I am back in commission and in gear once again.
See you on Monday!
See you on Monday!
May 18, 2009
An Afternoon with Celeste
Oh Mom, I'm so bored. Can't we play? No, not the camera.
Really. I'm serious. Listen to me. I W A N T T O P L A Y. Should I speak more slowly? No, not the camera. I didn't say get the camera. I said I want to play. P L A Y.
This is my best side. If you have to snap that photo, get this side.
While I'm chewing my toy? Is there no privacy around here?
Can we go outside? O U T S I D E. Can you say "OUTSIDE?" Okay. Let's try this: "vamos fuera de la casa." V A M O S. Better? Sheesh. You just never know with people. Could be one language, or it could be another.
YEAY! You got it! You understand! I'll get my leash! Mom, you're a good girl! 
...and we have winners!
So, I had to get Celeste to help me with the drawing. I had three drawings - one for the mitts, one for the yarn, and one for the fiber. I put the names for each drawing in a bowl and let Celeste stick her COLD, WET NOSE in the bowl. The name(s) that stuck to her nose were the winners. The first time we did it, she ate all the names (sorry about that), so we had to re-draw. For the yarn, two names stuck to her nose, so I will honor that.
Fiber: Iron Needles
Yarn: Jude
Kim
The mitts: KitKatKnits
Please send an e-mail with your mailing address to fuzzknitterATyahooDOTcom so I can get your loot to you.
Fiber: Iron Needles
Yarn: Jude
Kim
The mitts: KitKatKnits
Please send an e-mail with your mailing address to fuzzknitterATyahooDOTcom so I can get your loot to you.
May 15, 2009
fruits from the tropics
Here in Peru, we have fruits that I've never heard of anywhere else in the world. For example, chirimoya. It's often called Guanabana, too. The flavor is kind of like tootie-fruitie, and it makes a great sorbet.
Maracuyá is another fruit that I've not heard of outside of Peru, either. It has a sweet and sour flavor and is popular in ice creams, sorbets, and drinks.
We love both these fruits for breakfast! They are quite common in this area, along with giant mangoes and avocados. I'll be looking for some other unique fruits and veggies from around here, too.
Maracuyá is another fruit that I've not heard of outside of Peru, either. It has a sweet and sour flavor and is popular in ice creams, sorbets, and drinks.
We love both these fruits for breakfast! They are quite common in this area, along with giant mangoes and avocados. I'll be looking for some other unique fruits and veggies from around here, too.
Sunday's the last day!
Wow! Thank you for all the responses! The last day to enter your comments will be Sunday, May 17th. Then I'll have a drawing for names and post the winners here on the blog. Good luck!
May 13, 2009
The Loot
Handspun, handknit beaded fingerless mitts in superwash merino.
3 ounces of soft black merino, gold bamboo, and sparkly stuff.
100% alpaca yarn, mill-spun, approximately 250 yards per skein. Three skeins.
OMG, or It's a giveaway!
OMG! We've surpassed 15,000 visits here at A Bag of Olives! Time for a giveaway! I'll take the pictures of the prize and get them up this afternoon (hopefully. You know me...always on the late side. But this IS Peru, after all. We are always fashionably and frustratingly and irritatingly late.)
You will have your choice between 3 ounces of merino/bamboo/sparkle spinning fiber, a couple of skeins of lovely mill-spun 100% alpaca yarn (enough for a pair of socks, and have some left over!), or a pair of beaded handspun, handknit fingerless mitts (superwash merino) in fun colors. To enter, just post a comment and let me know your preference.
You will have your choice between 3 ounces of merino/bamboo/sparkle spinning fiber, a couple of skeins of lovely mill-spun 100% alpaca yarn (enough for a pair of socks, and have some left over!), or a pair of beaded handspun, handknit fingerless mitts (superwash merino) in fun colors. To enter, just post a comment and let me know your preference.
May 12, 2009
June's socks
Click on the pictures to enlarge them.
Pixie pick-up stix in action! They work pretty well, but I suspect that these are not the genuine PPS, because the finish on a few of them is terrible. I need to take the sand paper to them for a snag-free knitting experience.
Pixie pick-up stix in action! They work pretty well, but I suspect that these are not the genuine PPS, because the finish on a few of them is terrible. I need to take the sand paper to them for a snag-free knitting experience.
May 11, 2009
Cabaret spun up (mostly)
Here are the pictures of Cabaret, posing in her colorful glory: (click a photo to enlarge it)
May 9, 2009
Socks and the Peace Corps
On Monday, I have an appointment with the Peace Corps. No, I'm not joining, but they are in need of people to help with their training program. They need to practice evaluating people who are coming to work with varyinig degrees of fluency in Spanish. My fluency in Spanish definitely varies from subject to subject. I can talk about the house, the market, and work with fair proficiency, but I have absolutely no technical vocabulary at all. So, I'll give themm someone to practice evaluating and they'll tell me what my Spanish fluency level is. I think it's a fair trade, and it should be interesting and fun.
I've been spinning and knitting up a storm this week. Remember this?
Well, I'm in the process of turning it into socks for my dad's girl, June. June thinks her feet are ugly, so she refuses to wear anything except some big clunky tennis shoes, which realy ARE ugly. I'm hoping that with some colorful socks, Junie will wear some sandals or something nicer. Anyway, another pair of handspun, handknit, sparkly merino socks never hurt anyone.
And I've been spinning up "Cabaret" for socks, too. I'm hoping for knee socks. Sparkly, dazzling, jewel-toned knee socks. I'm in the process of plying about 3.5 ounces of it now. Two and a half ounces are still left to spin. I think I'll have enough! :o)
I've been spinning and knitting up a storm this week. Remember this?
Well, I'm in the process of turning it into socks for my dad's girl, June. June thinks her feet are ugly, so she refuses to wear anything except some big clunky tennis shoes, which realy ARE ugly. I'm hoping that with some colorful socks, Junie will wear some sandals or something nicer. Anyway, another pair of handspun, handknit, sparkly merino socks never hurt anyone.
And I've been spinning up "Cabaret" for socks, too. I'm hoping for knee socks. Sparkly, dazzling, jewel-toned knee socks. I'm in the process of plying about 3.5 ounces of it now. Two and a half ounces are still left to spin. I think I'll have enough! :o)
May 3, 2009
El Mercado Negro
On Friday, O and I went to a place called "Polvos Azules" (Blue Dust). It is knock-off heaven. There are copies of almost everything you can think of, as well as originals, from sunglasses to tennis shoes to music and videos to Waterford crystal. Some of the copies are licensed, but most of them are not. Every year the police go through and seize illegal copies of dvds and cds, and almost immediately after, they start up again.
In Polvos Azules, you can find some very good deals, but you also have to be careful. Buying illegal copies is illegal even here in Peru, and often the copies are of poor quality. You could buy a pair of tennis shoes, thinking they are original Nikes, only to find out after you get them home that they are cheap imitations. After they fall apart the first time you wear them. Professionally done logo, but substandard workmanship.
The black market is very big here, too. Usually the stuff on the black market is stolen. When our car was broken into, we lost three headrests. O went down to the black market (yep, it even has a building where everyone knows they sell black market items!) to see if he could find them. They didn't have them, but offered to "acquire" what we needed by the following day. The strangest thing for me is that while it is illegal to sell anything on the black market, the building is well known and even patrolled by Peruvian National Police.
A quote from "Professional Travel Guide", http://www.professionaltravelguide.com/Destinations/Lima-Peru/See-and-Do/Shopping/Stores/Markets/Polvos-Azules-p1835405
"Completely overlooked by the higher-ups, Polvos Azules is Lima's largest, thriving black market. Almost all goods, such as DVDs, CDs, video games, electronics, clothes, shoes and luggage, are pirated or cheap knock-offs. The place is a maze, and you can visit 10 times before seeing everything. Daily 9 am-8 pm. Ave. Paseo de la Republica (2 blocks from Plaza Grau, downtown), Lima."
So weird. I've always heard of the black market, but never thought to find it so conspicuous and well-used by the average citizen. When I think of "the black market", it always conjures up thoughts of clandestine meetings to pass banned firearms and stolen cars, usually between hardened criminals. This place is three stories with a parking garage in the basement, restaurants on the rooftop, and an ATM conveniently located in the middle of the first floor, owned by one of the foremost banks in Peru, Interbank.
I almost said, "Only in Peru," but I suspect this might be more common throughout Latin America than I care to imagine.
In Polvos Azules, you can find some very good deals, but you also have to be careful. Buying illegal copies is illegal even here in Peru, and often the copies are of poor quality. You could buy a pair of tennis shoes, thinking they are original Nikes, only to find out after you get them home that they are cheap imitations. After they fall apart the first time you wear them. Professionally done logo, but substandard workmanship.
The black market is very big here, too. Usually the stuff on the black market is stolen. When our car was broken into, we lost three headrests. O went down to the black market (yep, it even has a building where everyone knows they sell black market items!) to see if he could find them. They didn't have them, but offered to "acquire" what we needed by the following day. The strangest thing for me is that while it is illegal to sell anything on the black market, the building is well known and even patrolled by Peruvian National Police.
A quote from "Professional Travel Guide", http://www.professionaltravelguide.com/Destinations/Lima-Peru/See-and-Do/Shopping/Stores/Markets/Polvos-Azules-p1835405
"Completely overlooked by the higher-ups, Polvos Azules is Lima's largest, thriving black market. Almost all goods, such as DVDs, CDs, video games, electronics, clothes, shoes and luggage, are pirated or cheap knock-offs. The place is a maze, and you can visit 10 times before seeing everything. Daily 9 am-8 pm. Ave. Paseo de la Republica (2 blocks from Plaza Grau, downtown), Lima."
So weird. I've always heard of the black market, but never thought to find it so conspicuous and well-used by the average citizen. When I think of "the black market", it always conjures up thoughts of clandestine meetings to pass banned firearms and stolen cars, usually between hardened criminals. This place is three stories with a parking garage in the basement, restaurants on the rooftop, and an ATM conveniently located in the middle of the first floor, owned by one of the foremost banks in Peru, Interbank.
I almost said, "Only in Peru," but I suspect this might be more common throughout Latin America than I care to imagine.
Apr 28, 2009
The answers
Okay, so I took my concerns to my supervisor and other teachers to get an idea of how things like this are handled, and basically what I got was "Do Nothing."
Most people who spend a lot of time sleeping on the street and in various states of undress are considered to be mentally ill. If their families cannot take care of them, there is nowhere for them to go until they become a hazard to themselves or others. Then they go to prison, where they either improve or die. Although Peru seems to have socialized medicine and is actually quite advanced in their medicine, there is no long-term care for anyone unless some money is provided. There is no state funding or social security of any kind (that I can find out about) for poor people with chronic mental illness. There isn't even a state mental institution. So the treatment for poor, mentally ill people in Lima is to turn them into the streets and ignore or avoid them until they die or commit a crime. Street vendors feed them when they can, and their diet consists of whatever the vendors can spare - soda, candy bars, and potato chips usually. I don't know where they go when it gets cold, but I imagine I'll find out one of these days.
These are not good answers for me, but I don't know what I can do to make things change. I hope someone will read this and tell me that I'm mistaken here. I hope they'll tell that there really is someplace that people can get treatment when they are at their worst and have hit rock bottom.
Most people who spend a lot of time sleeping on the street and in various states of undress are considered to be mentally ill. If their families cannot take care of them, there is nowhere for them to go until they become a hazard to themselves or others. Then they go to prison, where they either improve or die. Although Peru seems to have socialized medicine and is actually quite advanced in their medicine, there is no long-term care for anyone unless some money is provided. There is no state funding or social security of any kind (that I can find out about) for poor people with chronic mental illness. There isn't even a state mental institution. So the treatment for poor, mentally ill people in Lima is to turn them into the streets and ignore or avoid them until they die or commit a crime. Street vendors feed them when they can, and their diet consists of whatever the vendors can spare - soda, candy bars, and potato chips usually. I don't know where they go when it gets cold, but I imagine I'll find out one of these days.
These are not good answers for me, but I don't know what I can do to make things change. I hope someone will read this and tell me that I'm mistaken here. I hope they'll tell that there really is someplace that people can get treatment when they are at their worst and have hit rock bottom.
Apr 27, 2009
I wonder if it's the heat.
Saturday and today presented me with social challenge that I haven't figured out yet.
On Saturday, I walked around the corner of the block on my way to work to find a woman lying on the sidewalk, apparently taking a nap. She was an older lady, I think she might have been in her late 50's. And standing next to her was a policeman. I wondered what was going on, but really, there are many people in this city who simply drop down wherever they happen to be and take a nap. I stepped around her, asked the policeman if she was okay and, getting a curt, "Yes lady. She's fine," I continued on to work. Everyone else stepped over her or around her and didn't worry about her.
Later that day, I went to have lunch in the local Metro supermarket comedor and stepped over this lady again! She was awake this time, lying in a different part of the block, in the middle of a busy sidewalk, stripped naked to the waist and apparently taking in some sun. She smiled and waved to me and I waved back. But I was and still am confused about her. People stepped over and around her and basically ignored her.
This morning while on my way to the bus stop to go home for lunch, I crossed paths with a woman who was completely naked, save for her woven shawl that she wore around her shoulders. She was apparently in no mood to talk and marched resolutely on, bare-footed and bare everywhere else, except, of course, for her shoulders. People and policemen did nothing, said nothing and simpy ignored her.
I wonder what happened to these two women. If I were in the US, the policeman wouldn't have been standing idly by while the first woman caught a nap in the middle of the sidewalk. He might have called for an ambulance or some other kind of asistance, and let her know that there were other places to doze. Later, people might have suspected that both women been assaulted because of their states of undress and called 911, or at the very least offered to help them find some clothing.
Is it the heat? Is it strange that no one else seems to think it's strange to see the isolated naked and half-naked women on the sidewalk in a modern city, regardless of how dangerous or overcrowded it is? Doesn't it bother people to see others like this, especially in dangerous places like this inner city area?
It just frickin freaks ME out. I think need to go talk to my supervisor about what I should be doing in situations like these. Maybe doing nothing like everyone else is the correct thing to be doing, but it sure doesn't feel right to me.
On Saturday, I walked around the corner of the block on my way to work to find a woman lying on the sidewalk, apparently taking a nap. She was an older lady, I think she might have been in her late 50's. And standing next to her was a policeman. I wondered what was going on, but really, there are many people in this city who simply drop down wherever they happen to be and take a nap. I stepped around her, asked the policeman if she was okay and, getting a curt, "Yes lady. She's fine," I continued on to work. Everyone else stepped over her or around her and didn't worry about her.
Later that day, I went to have lunch in the local Metro supermarket comedor and stepped over this lady again! She was awake this time, lying in a different part of the block, in the middle of a busy sidewalk, stripped naked to the waist and apparently taking in some sun. She smiled and waved to me and I waved back. But I was and still am confused about her. People stepped over and around her and basically ignored her.
This morning while on my way to the bus stop to go home for lunch, I crossed paths with a woman who was completely naked, save for her woven shawl that she wore around her shoulders. She was apparently in no mood to talk and marched resolutely on, bare-footed and bare everywhere else, except, of course, for her shoulders. People and policemen did nothing, said nothing and simpy ignored her.
I wonder what happened to these two women. If I were in the US, the policeman wouldn't have been standing idly by while the first woman caught a nap in the middle of the sidewalk. He might have called for an ambulance or some other kind of asistance, and let her know that there were other places to doze. Later, people might have suspected that both women been assaulted because of their states of undress and called 911, or at the very least offered to help them find some clothing.
Is it the heat? Is it strange that no one else seems to think it's strange to see the isolated naked and half-naked women on the sidewalk in a modern city, regardless of how dangerous or overcrowded it is? Doesn't it bother people to see others like this, especially in dangerous places like this inner city area?
It just frickin freaks ME out. I think need to go talk to my supervisor about what I should be doing in situations like these. Maybe doing nothing like everyone else is the correct thing to be doing, but it sure doesn't feel right to me.
Apr 26, 2009
This face
This is the face of a schemer.
This is the face of a manipulator.
And this is the face of a blackmailer.
I think Celeste lays awake at night, laying her plans, scheming how she will control us through the day. This may be the beginning of the Dog Mafioso is our apartment building. All the dogs in this building bark their plans and accomplishments to one another as they leave or return to their apartments. I think they are planning something big. Maybe a blackmailing scheme for bones. I can't be sure, but I see Celeste looking at the other dogs with THAT LOOK in her eyes...hmmmm...
Apr 22, 2009
Thorn Rainbowfly, at your service!
Your fairy is called Thorn Rainbowfly
She is a fortune bringer.
She lives in brambles and blackberry bushes.
She is only seen at midday under a quiet, cloudless sky.
She wears purple and green like berries and leaves. She has multicoloured wings like a butterfly.
I'm sure by now, everyone has tried the Fairy Name generator. So this is the name of my inner fairy, my true self, and who I am in my dreams (yeh right...) I wish I could find a picture of her, but I can't seem to come up with one, so I officially declare my next project to be devoted to creating my inner fairy. I hope I can find some fiberfill stuffing for her body!
Apr 19, 2009
The week in review...
This week has been pretty uneventful. I spun a couple of spindles of some black merino/silk fiber and plied it. It's had a bath and is now hanging up to dry. And I'm working on two more spindles of it. I only have 4 ounces of it and have spun half of it so far. I thought I was getting it pretty thin and would have some good yardage, but so far, I've got only 148 yards of 2-ply out of 2 ounces. But it's spinning pretty fast, so I should be finished with it by the end of this week.
And, I've been looking for some double pointed needles for a long time. There are no well-stocked yarn shops here, like there are at home, so knitting needles are pretty hard to come by. I only have one set of size three DPNs and they are occupied with a sock that I stalled out on for lack yarn, so I've done no sock knitting for a few months now. Yesterday, I decided it was time for decisive action. I marched myself into the local Metro supermarket and went straight to the toy section, looking for something, something, something that would do for DPNs...and I found it!
PIXIE PICK-UP STIX, 30 each in bamboo. They come in a metal box that is just perfect for crochet hooks and DPNs. The pick-up stix are size 3s, just like my single set of metal DPNs. I haven't started knitting with them yet, but I have high hopes. Anyway, for a buck and a half, if they don't work out, I've still got a game and a cool metal storage box for my crochet hooks. I'll let you know how they do as knitting needles.
And on Wednesday, the electric company sent a man out to cut off our electricity because we didn't pay our bill. The catch was that we HAD paid our bill well in advance of the due date. Luckily, I was home when the doorman called up to tell me. I went downstairs to find out how this could possibly be, with my receipt of payment (we don't send payments through the mail here...you have to go pay in person) and the electrician told me that I should have paid by the 11th of the month.
Well, yes and I'd paid on the 5th.
But Señora, you had to pay by the 11th. I have an order from the company to cut off your electricity.
But Señor, I just showed you my receipt that said I paid on the 5th.
Profound silence. Electrician thumbs through his notebook for a few moments then clears his throat.
OH. There must be a problem with the system, Señora. I'll reconnect your electricity now.
Muchisimas gracias.
Such is life.
We went to see Monsters and Aliens at the movies tonight. I must not be that much of a kid anymore. I was bored through the whole thing. It was cute, but just not my style. I did, however, totally LOVE Inkheart and Twilight, even though Inkheart was in Spanish.
Apr 12, 2009
camping, anyone?
This weekend was a long one...we had 4 days off for Easter...and decided to go camping for two of them. What I had in mind was a quiet weekend in a tent, hiking some, reading, spinning, maybe some knitting, and a swim - just generally doing what I wanted to and escaping the noise of the city and escaping people. What I got was just the opposite.
We started out well enough - we packed a few things for just two days, Thursday and Friday. Celeste was going to stay with her buddies and we could play without worrying about where she was. On the way to drop Celeste off, O told me that we were going to take Landeo and his family with us. So much for escaping the noise. The Landeo family has three boys who pick on each other, whine, cry, yell, and generally make life miserable for everyone around them. The mother, Rosa, spends her time yelling at the boys and giving orders to whomever happens to be close. Landeo himself usually spends his time at work, so he doesn't have to deal with the family too much at one time. So, the 2 hour ride up to the campground was kind of miserable for me. By the time we arrived, I had a headache from all the racket going on in the back seats (we have a minivan, so there's always plenty of room for others.)
The campground was well-populated by the time we arrived, but there were places to put up a tent. I have never understood why people say they want to get out of town and then basically bring everything from town with them. Maybe I'm too much like my mother in this respect. O and I brought a tent, sleeping bags, and a change of clothes. On top of tents and sleeping bags and clothes, Rosa brought a boombox, toys, candy, soda, an iron, 6 blankets, a different bottle of shampoo for each boy, an umbrella, a curling iron, make-up, an evening gown and heels, a suit for each boy and her husband, and 4 pairs of socks and shoes for each of them. I guess you just never know when you will encounter a formal party during a camping trip.
Half an hour after we arrived, several of O's friends from work also arrived and pitched their tents right next to ours. Okay, I as glad that O had some other friends to talk to, because I knew that I would be a boring partner for him, just hiking and spinning, and maybe doing some knitting. But not long after they got to talking, a crate (12 liters) of beer arrived, and then a bottle of pisco, and by dark, these people were completely wasted. I took a walk for a few hours, then went back to the tent to sleep, but the party continued for a few hours more. Then I heard our car start up and O and Landeo were off on a joyride down the mountain. CRAP. Two drunks in a car on a mountain road. Not the best of situations. O and I have had NUMEROUS discussions about this and he promise me that he would NEVER drink and drive. By the time he returned, I had been worried, scared, and furious by turns. I heard the car arrive and was on my way out to talk to him, when he cranked it up again. ARRRGH! I flew to that car, pounding on the window and screaming for him to open the door. He did and I demanded the keys. He handed them over, in shock, I think. I took the keys and slammed the door in his face. Yup, in shock. I had never lost it like that, but this time, along with the way the weekend was going, to have O pull something like driving under the influence was just the limit of my endurance.
I later heard him asking his buddies what MY problem was, and resisted the temptation to march out there and attack him verbally. I know that talking to a person who has been celebrating and drinking for hours is pretty much a lost cause. No point to it, because he wouldn't remember it in the morning anyway. And it was true - the next morning, he couldn't find the car keys (because I had them) and didn't remember that I had almost crushed him in the car door after I got the keys away from him. We still need to have a talk about that. We did talk that night - he came into the tent crying and upset that I treated him badly and why and it wasn't his fault, and what had happened that I was so mad, and so on and so forth. I was straight with him and told him exactly what the problem was, which made him cry more, but...like I said, the next morning, he didn't remember. All he knew was that he had a massive headache and a terrible hangover, and he spent a good part of the day sleeping it off.
We left the campground about 6 pm on Friday. We dropped off the whining, crying, and yelling at their house, then went to pick up Celeste. At that house, we were offered a little to eat, ate and got sick later that night. I spent Saturday in bed, feeling like crap.
But today is a better day. It's the last day of the weekend, and I have time to spin, knit, and go for a walk, which was all I really wanted to do in the first place.
Okay, now I'm done fussing and whining. No more of that, I promise.
We started out well enough - we packed a few things for just two days, Thursday and Friday. Celeste was going to stay with her buddies and we could play without worrying about where she was. On the way to drop Celeste off, O told me that we were going to take Landeo and his family with us. So much for escaping the noise. The Landeo family has three boys who pick on each other, whine, cry, yell, and generally make life miserable for everyone around them. The mother, Rosa, spends her time yelling at the boys and giving orders to whomever happens to be close. Landeo himself usually spends his time at work, so he doesn't have to deal with the family too much at one time. So, the 2 hour ride up to the campground was kind of miserable for me. By the time we arrived, I had a headache from all the racket going on in the back seats (we have a minivan, so there's always plenty of room for others.)
The campground was well-populated by the time we arrived, but there were places to put up a tent. I have never understood why people say they want to get out of town and then basically bring everything from town with them. Maybe I'm too much like my mother in this respect. O and I brought a tent, sleeping bags, and a change of clothes. On top of tents and sleeping bags and clothes, Rosa brought a boombox, toys, candy, soda, an iron, 6 blankets, a different bottle of shampoo for each boy, an umbrella, a curling iron, make-up, an evening gown and heels, a suit for each boy and her husband, and 4 pairs of socks and shoes for each of them. I guess you just never know when you will encounter a formal party during a camping trip.
Half an hour after we arrived, several of O's friends from work also arrived and pitched their tents right next to ours. Okay, I as glad that O had some other friends to talk to, because I knew that I would be a boring partner for him, just hiking and spinning, and maybe doing some knitting. But not long after they got to talking, a crate (12 liters) of beer arrived, and then a bottle of pisco, and by dark, these people were completely wasted. I took a walk for a few hours, then went back to the tent to sleep, but the party continued for a few hours more. Then I heard our car start up and O and Landeo were off on a joyride down the mountain. CRAP. Two drunks in a car on a mountain road. Not the best of situations. O and I have had NUMEROUS discussions about this and he promise me that he would NEVER drink and drive. By the time he returned, I had been worried, scared, and furious by turns. I heard the car arrive and was on my way out to talk to him, when he cranked it up again. ARRRGH! I flew to that car, pounding on the window and screaming for him to open the door. He did and I demanded the keys. He handed them over, in shock, I think. I took the keys and slammed the door in his face. Yup, in shock. I had never lost it like that, but this time, along with the way the weekend was going, to have O pull something like driving under the influence was just the limit of my endurance.
I later heard him asking his buddies what MY problem was, and resisted the temptation to march out there and attack him verbally. I know that talking to a person who has been celebrating and drinking for hours is pretty much a lost cause. No point to it, because he wouldn't remember it in the morning anyway. And it was true - the next morning, he couldn't find the car keys (because I had them) and didn't remember that I had almost crushed him in the car door after I got the keys away from him. We still need to have a talk about that. We did talk that night - he came into the tent crying and upset that I treated him badly and why and it wasn't his fault, and what had happened that I was so mad, and so on and so forth. I was straight with him and told him exactly what the problem was, which made him cry more, but...like I said, the next morning, he didn't remember. All he knew was that he had a massive headache and a terrible hangover, and he spent a good part of the day sleeping it off.
We left the campground about 6 pm on Friday. We dropped off the whining, crying, and yelling at their house, then went to pick up Celeste. At that house, we were offered a little to eat, ate and got sick later that night. I spent Saturday in bed, feeling like crap.
But today is a better day. It's the last day of the weekend, and I have time to spin, knit, and go for a walk, which was all I really wanted to do in the first place.
Okay, now I'm done fussing and whining. No more of that, I promise.
Apr 8, 2009
just blabbing
Whew! I just realized that I'm almost back to normal again! Still about 10 pounds lighter than I was before going into the hospital, but with a higher energy level and NO PAIN. That's the biggest thing. And I can think now. And clearly, too. That's a HUGE difference for me.
So while I'm still spinning yarn, I'm now spinning thoughts now, and have some to share.
I've been reading about this new April Fool worm threat that was supposed to do something on April 1st. I wonder if my computer is infected or if our new anti-virus software eliminated it. Or whether our computer is too old for the worm to bother with. I haven't had any trouble with anything yet, but am taking the precaution of using the computer system at work to check on my important financial and banking things. I noticed while I was using the system in class the other day, that a message was sent saying that the worm had been removed. So I think that might be a safer place to access bank records and whatnot. And luckily, I got my taxes done before April first, too. Has anyone else heard anything more about this worm?
I've got a small group of students this month - again - who smell so bad that my eyes water every time I get within 10 feet of them. This morning, I went to my supervisor to ask for advice on the best way to approach this. They are good boys - enthusiastic, motivated, and interested in learning. I don't want them to feel intimidated or embarrassed, and I don't want to shut them down by telling them that they reek. So my supervisor said that the administration would handle it, and that they had had many cases like this before. That's load off my mind. I don't want to hurt any feelings in my classes or make them embarrassed to come to class.
Last month, I had a young lady in my class that had deformed hands. Both her hands were enormous and had only a thumb and two fingers on each hand. They resembled claws, actually. She was so self-conscious about them that she kept her hands hidden in her purse and wouldn't raise a hand to volunteer for about two weeks. I did my best to put her at ease, and really, none of the other students said or did anything rude about her hands that I was aware of. About 2 weeks into the class, she began to participate. I was thrilled! I moved her around to different groups of students and put her with different partners and she seemed to gain confidence and flourish. She did great on her exams and passed the course.
But if I had it to do over again, I would have gone immediately to my supervisor and asked for some advice about how to bring her out of her shell a little sooner. Two weeks into a 4 week course is a little late to decide to participate. It's very difficult to catch up and get up on everything that was missed.
Has anyone ever had experiences similar to this? What would you do to help a student like this gain confidence in a shorter period of time?
And one other thing....I see that I've got over 14,000 visits to my blog! Woohoo! I'm thinking about a giveaway or contest thing to happen when the visit number tops 15,000. Could be some fiber to spin, maybe a spindle, maybe some of my funky hand spun yarn, maybe a crocheted skirt...I think I have plenty of time to figure it out! Whatever it is, it will be a surprise!
So while I'm still spinning yarn, I'm now spinning thoughts now, and have some to share.
I've been reading about this new April Fool worm threat that was supposed to do something on April 1st. I wonder if my computer is infected or if our new anti-virus software eliminated it. Or whether our computer is too old for the worm to bother with. I haven't had any trouble with anything yet, but am taking the precaution of using the computer system at work to check on my important financial and banking things. I noticed while I was using the system in class the other day, that a message was sent saying that the worm had been removed. So I think that might be a safer place to access bank records and whatnot. And luckily, I got my taxes done before April first, too. Has anyone else heard anything more about this worm?
I've got a small group of students this month - again - who smell so bad that my eyes water every time I get within 10 feet of them. This morning, I went to my supervisor to ask for advice on the best way to approach this. They are good boys - enthusiastic, motivated, and interested in learning. I don't want them to feel intimidated or embarrassed, and I don't want to shut them down by telling them that they reek. So my supervisor said that the administration would handle it, and that they had had many cases like this before. That's load off my mind. I don't want to hurt any feelings in my classes or make them embarrassed to come to class.
Last month, I had a young lady in my class that had deformed hands. Both her hands were enormous and had only a thumb and two fingers on each hand. They resembled claws, actually. She was so self-conscious about them that she kept her hands hidden in her purse and wouldn't raise a hand to volunteer for about two weeks. I did my best to put her at ease, and really, none of the other students said or did anything rude about her hands that I was aware of. About 2 weeks into the class, she began to participate. I was thrilled! I moved her around to different groups of students and put her with different partners and she seemed to gain confidence and flourish. She did great on her exams and passed the course.
But if I had it to do over again, I would have gone immediately to my supervisor and asked for some advice about how to bring her out of her shell a little sooner. Two weeks into a 4 week course is a little late to decide to participate. It's very difficult to catch up and get up on everything that was missed.
Has anyone ever had experiences similar to this? What would you do to help a student like this gain confidence in a shorter period of time?
And one other thing....I see that I've got over 14,000 visits to my blog! Woohoo! I'm thinking about a giveaway or contest thing to happen when the visit number tops 15,000. Could be some fiber to spin, maybe a spindle, maybe some of my funky hand spun yarn, maybe a crocheted skirt...I think I have plenty of time to figure it out! Whatever it is, it will be a surprise!
Apr 5, 2009
Apr 3, 2009
and the spinning
These two photos are my latest spinning project. It actually took me about 6 months to get this all spun up. It's 8 ounces of pink, purple, white, and brown cotswold and merino, with some sparkles, spun in two-ply worsted weight. About 400 yards. No idea yet of what I should make with it.
New Spindles
These spindles are handmade by Heidi, on Ravelry, her name is RestlessPeasant. They are quite light, made for spinning laceweight yarn. They are so well made that they make spinning a breeze!
Apr 1, 2009
hmmm...
Well, here I am in an internet cafe up the street from the apartment. Yesterday afternoon, we lost both telephone and internet. So hmmmm. I don't know what the problem is and I don't know when it will get fixed. Just hmmmm.
Mar 31, 2009
Spinning again
Whew! I'm back from a long dry spell. I've been kind of depressed about how long it's taking me to get over the effects of this surgery thing. It's been a month and I still have days when there is a LOT of pain and inflammation. Days when I just can hardly stand to get up. I hate that.
But then I have good days, when I'm full of energy and creativity and get a lot of everything done. So I guess everything balances out in the end. I've been back to work, but with one less class than usual and only in the afternoons, which really has helped, especially on those bad days. I hope this month I'll have a full schedule again. I hope I can handle it.
But on the good days, I've been spinning a lot. I just finished 8 ounces of brown, and white pink, purple, corriedale/merino/sparkly stuff from Enchanted Knoll Farm. I spun it into worsted weight yarn, and ended up with about 400 yards of pretty yarn. Now I'm halfway through some white alpaca that has been carded with kid mohair locks and curls, and a lot of sparkle. It's very pretty so far, but I don't really care for the way the mohair has not been blended into the alpaca. It's more or less in lumps and clumps scattered through the batts. I had envisioned some lovely socks from this fiber, but I don't know if that will happen. There are so many ends sticking out of the yarn...not my idea of a good sturdy sock yarn. I haven't decided if I should ply it with itself or ply it with some white alpaca that I got from my sister, Wooly Works. I have one spindle loaded with about 1.5 ounces, so it might be time to spin up a little white alpaca and do some experimenting.
Believe it or not, my spinning stash is reducing somewhat! Spinning is great therapy for the blues, especially if you have fun colors and different fibers to play with.
A little time has passed since I started this post, and I've been spinning the white alpaca that I was talking about a little earlier. I forgot what a pleasure it is to spin!
Since this seems to be an ongoing post, I'll be back with pictures this afternoon.
But then I have good days, when I'm full of energy and creativity and get a lot of everything done. So I guess everything balances out in the end. I've been back to work, but with one less class than usual and only in the afternoons, which really has helped, especially on those bad days. I hope this month I'll have a full schedule again. I hope I can handle it.
But on the good days, I've been spinning a lot. I just finished 8 ounces of brown, and white pink, purple, corriedale/merino/sparkly stuff from Enchanted Knoll Farm. I spun it into worsted weight yarn, and ended up with about 400 yards of pretty yarn. Now I'm halfway through some white alpaca that has been carded with kid mohair locks and curls, and a lot of sparkle. It's very pretty so far, but I don't really care for the way the mohair has not been blended into the alpaca. It's more or less in lumps and clumps scattered through the batts. I had envisioned some lovely socks from this fiber, but I don't know if that will happen. There are so many ends sticking out of the yarn...not my idea of a good sturdy sock yarn. I haven't decided if I should ply it with itself or ply it with some white alpaca that I got from my sister, Wooly Works. I have one spindle loaded with about 1.5 ounces, so it might be time to spin up a little white alpaca and do some experimenting.
Believe it or not, my spinning stash is reducing somewhat! Spinning is great therapy for the blues, especially if you have fun colors and different fibers to play with.
A little time has passed since I started this post, and I've been spinning the white alpaca that I was talking about a little earlier. I forgot what a pleasure it is to spin!
Since this seems to be an ongoing post, I'll be back with pictures this afternoon.
Mar 20, 2009
Mar 16, 2009
What I've been doing...
These are fingerless mittens made from handspun superwash merino and a few multicolored seed beads. Fun!
This is one of the crocheted skirts I made while I was waiting for the pain to subside. Drawstring waist, worsted weight yarn, size medium. I like it! I've already worn it to work, and it's nice, but it's still a little too hot here for me to wear it again till fall.
These are some shots of the crocheted lace I made from the teal romney. I don't know if you can see the crystal beads in the photos, but in the sun they catch the light and sparkle like raindrops.
Here's Celeste, patiently waiting for me to get out of bed.
Mar 9, 2009
Back from the dead...
Whew! Today's the first day that I've felt anything like myself since before I had surgery. I'm still not 100%, and have some issues, but am MUCH better (aside from having to sit on absorbent padding :o( instead of directly on the chair seat.) While I was out of sorts, I crocheted and slept, so I don't have much news, other than I'm about 10 pounds lighter from a loss of both water weight and body weight. Now that I'm back on my feet, I have a lot of work ahead of me.
As you may know, neither dogs nor men are particularly good at housework. Celeste did her best to keep me safe and under observation. When I cried, she cried. When I slept, she slept - or at least she was on the bed with me. When I thought about eating but didn't (being in abject fear of the pain experienced in the bathroom), she dutifully abandoned her own dogfood to help me dispose of unwanted bread and pasta. Now my bed smells strongly of dog butt and dog feet, but I know for sure that Celeste is a trustworthy and dear family member...no spoiled princess act aside from being reluctant to give up her spot on the bed. She does not, however, sweep the floor or do laundry.
O is the most devoted husbands and caring man that I could ever hope for. I left a long and abusive marriage several years ago, determined to never be treated like dirt under any man's shoe again. Life with O can be frustrating...he is a man who does most things in his own time...however, he has waited on me hand and foot and never made me feel badly about it. I hope I can be the same for O when he needs me as badly as I needed him these past two weeks. However...he cannot be depended upon to do laundry, wash dishes, or clean up after himself in any way. So, I have a dirty apartment to muck out and a kitchen to clean up. I've been chipping away at the pile of laundry everyday, so that is almost caught up, except for some ironing and folding to do.
And, maybe if I do a good job of cleaning, I'll find that damned elusive USB cable for the camera...
As you may know, neither dogs nor men are particularly good at housework. Celeste did her best to keep me safe and under observation. When I cried, she cried. When I slept, she slept - or at least she was on the bed with me. When I thought about eating but didn't (being in abject fear of the pain experienced in the bathroom), she dutifully abandoned her own dogfood to help me dispose of unwanted bread and pasta. Now my bed smells strongly of dog butt and dog feet, but I know for sure that Celeste is a trustworthy and dear family member...no spoiled princess act aside from being reluctant to give up her spot on the bed. She does not, however, sweep the floor or do laundry.
O is the most devoted husbands and caring man that I could ever hope for. I left a long and abusive marriage several years ago, determined to never be treated like dirt under any man's shoe again. Life with O can be frustrating...he is a man who does most things in his own time...however, he has waited on me hand and foot and never made me feel badly about it. I hope I can be the same for O when he needs me as badly as I needed him these past two weeks. However...he cannot be depended upon to do laundry, wash dishes, or clean up after himself in any way. So, I have a dirty apartment to muck out and a kitchen to clean up. I've been chipping away at the pile of laundry everyday, so that is almost caught up, except for some ironing and folding to do.
And, maybe if I do a good job of cleaning, I'll find that damned elusive USB cable for the camera...
Mar 5, 2009
Celeste here again
Hi people. The Mom can't write for a few days again. She went to the vet's (just like I did once!) and had a droid operated. I can't write for too long, either, becauz I hafta follow her around the partment to make sure she's okay. She's sittin in the bathroom right now in a orange tub and kinda cryin so I can type a little. I can see her right now, so it's ok. But when she goes back to bed or into the kitchen I hafta go, ok?
But guess what - she finally finished the romney shawl with the sparklies in it. She showed it to me last night. She sez it has to be blocked, but I think she'll do that later. She started a new project while she was at the vet's - a skirt - but she can't try it on yet.
She was gone a long time! 5 days! I hadta take care of the partment and The Dad went to work and to see the Mom at the vet's. Wow, I'm glad I didn't hafta stay there that long when I was operated. I missed The Mom while she was gone, but I hate the vet's, so I'm glad I didn't hafta go, too. I don't want no droids. I'm glad she's back now becauz I get to spend the WHOLE DAY with her on the bed. She's not so muh fun as usual, but I know she'll get better quick.
Oops, I hafta go watch and make sure The Mom gets to the bed ok. Then I hafta get on the bed and watch her. Bye.
But guess what - she finally finished the romney shawl with the sparklies in it. She showed it to me last night. She sez it has to be blocked, but I think she'll do that later. She started a new project while she was at the vet's - a skirt - but she can't try it on yet.
She was gone a long time! 5 days! I hadta take care of the partment and The Dad went to work and to see the Mom at the vet's. Wow, I'm glad I didn't hafta stay there that long when I was operated. I missed The Mom while she was gone, but I hate the vet's, so I'm glad I didn't hafta go, too. I don't want no droids. I'm glad she's back now becauz I get to spend the WHOLE DAY with her on the bed. She's not so muh fun as usual, but I know she'll get better quick.
Oops, I hafta go watch and make sure The Mom gets to the bed ok. Then I hafta get on the bed and watch her. Bye.
Feb 22, 2009
We Don't Read Here in Peru
I have heard, since I first began to teach English here in Peru, that "here in Peru, we don't read." For the most part, it seems to be true. Many of the instructors that I worked with in CIVIME confessed that they do not read anything, except what is absolutely necessary to complete their lesson plan for the week or the day (and their English vocabulary was severely lacking, yet they did nothing to improve it. How you teach a language if you don't speak it is completely beyond me.) People tell me they just don't have time to open a book. I find that appalling. One of the best ways to increase your understanding and vocabulary is to read, especially things that are of interest to you. I've had a hard time getting people here to accept that idea. There is no real emphasis on literacy here, even in Spanish.
So I decided to do an experiment this month. ICPNA, where I work, is launching a reading program for the English courses of Basic 8 through 12. Nothing is done for Basic 1 through Basic 7, perhaps the idea is that they don't have sufficient vocabulary to understand a reading...I'm not sure. But I know that from the time my daughter was born until she was in the fourth grade, I read her bedtime stories. When she was 4, she began to actively participate in the story telling, reading one page or maybe just a paragraph if she was tired, and then I would read another. Through the reading and the funny character voices and the pictures, she learned a lot of vocabulary and grammar. I didn't test her and we only read things that were fun and interesting. It was just for fun. Now she's a voracious reader, quite an articulate speaker and outspoken in her opinions. I can't take any credit for that. She did it on her own. I did what I enjoyed doing, and she did what came naturally to her.
This month I took "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" to work with me and read it and acted it out in my Basic 4 class, on the second Friday of the cycle. I simply read it and used a couple of pictures and different voices to represent the characters or the story. I didn't test them over it, I didn't explain anything, and then I sent the story home with them. I asked them to bring it back the following Friday and we'd read through it again. Just to see what they thought of the idea. Just for fun.
They LOVED the story. In fact, they had all taken the story home and read it several times and learned some words and could participate in the story. When I read "trip-trap, trip-trap went Little Billy Goat Gruff's tiny hooves", all the students were pounding their feet on the floor till LBGG made it across to the other side safely. When the Troll leaped up on the bridge to confront a goat, they all yelled in a deep, cranky voice, "HAAARRRR! Who's that crossing my bridge?!" And when Big Billy Goat Gruff charged the troll and sent him up the river, they cheered for BBGG, just like my little girl did when she was 3 years old.
So, who says that here in Peru, they don't read? Given a fun or interesting piece to read, I think anyone would be willing to read, even if they are in Peru. I think I'll do this again next month, if I have any classes from Basic 1 through 7, and just see what happens. I think if I can appeal to the kid in them, the students might read just for the fun of it. It's only three talking goats and an ugly troll, but maybe from that could spring great things. I think the instructors from the public school system and other institutes are doing the students here a terrible disservice to assume that they will not read, or that they don't want to. To perpetuate an attitude like that is disgusting to me.
The Three Billy Goats Gruff and I are on a literacy crusade in my part of Lima.
So I decided to do an experiment this month. ICPNA, where I work, is launching a reading program for the English courses of Basic 8 through 12. Nothing is done for Basic 1 through Basic 7, perhaps the idea is that they don't have sufficient vocabulary to understand a reading...I'm not sure. But I know that from the time my daughter was born until she was in the fourth grade, I read her bedtime stories. When she was 4, she began to actively participate in the story telling, reading one page or maybe just a paragraph if she was tired, and then I would read another. Through the reading and the funny character voices and the pictures, she learned a lot of vocabulary and grammar. I didn't test her and we only read things that were fun and interesting. It was just for fun. Now she's a voracious reader, quite an articulate speaker and outspoken in her opinions. I can't take any credit for that. She did it on her own. I did what I enjoyed doing, and she did what came naturally to her.
This month I took "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" to work with me and read it and acted it out in my Basic 4 class, on the second Friday of the cycle. I simply read it and used a couple of pictures and different voices to represent the characters or the story. I didn't test them over it, I didn't explain anything, and then I sent the story home with them. I asked them to bring it back the following Friday and we'd read through it again. Just to see what they thought of the idea. Just for fun.
They LOVED the story. In fact, they had all taken the story home and read it several times and learned some words and could participate in the story. When I read "trip-trap, trip-trap went Little Billy Goat Gruff's tiny hooves", all the students were pounding their feet on the floor till LBGG made it across to the other side safely. When the Troll leaped up on the bridge to confront a goat, they all yelled in a deep, cranky voice, "HAAARRRR! Who's that crossing my bridge?!" And when Big Billy Goat Gruff charged the troll and sent him up the river, they cheered for BBGG, just like my little girl did when she was 3 years old.
So, who says that here in Peru, they don't read? Given a fun or interesting piece to read, I think anyone would be willing to read, even if they are in Peru. I think I'll do this again next month, if I have any classes from Basic 1 through 7, and just see what happens. I think if I can appeal to the kid in them, the students might read just for the fun of it. It's only three talking goats and an ugly troll, but maybe from that could spring great things. I think the instructors from the public school system and other institutes are doing the students here a terrible disservice to assume that they will not read, or that they don't want to. To perpetuate an attitude like that is disgusting to me.
The Three Billy Goats Gruff and I are on a literacy crusade in my part of Lima.
Feb 20, 2009
Well!
Well, yes...I've been busy, and have several photos to show you, but unfortunately not in this post. O has lent out the cable that connects the camera to the puter, so I haven't been able to download photos for about a week and a half. Grrrr....
But anyway, I have almost finished the lace stole that I've been working on. Teal Romney lace weight yarn with gold glitz spun in and crystal clear seed beads scattered randomly across the piece...sounds nice, doesn't it? Well, I love it, but you know...those photos will have to wait till I can get them on the computer. Maybe by the time the stole in finished, the camera cable will have returned.
And...I've finished up a pair of fingerless gloves made from handspun superwash merino. Shades of blue and purple with seed beads at the upper edges. Those sound pretty, too, don't they? Yes! They are, but you know the story...no cable to download pictures with.
And...I received several batts and rovings to spin up - all in a rainbow of gorgeously rich colors...but...not a cable in sight to download those photos. Wah. And a pair of new lace weight spindles came from Heidi in Colorado, but nope - no photos of them either. Phooey.
And, I have a few photos of Celeste with her "I hate cameras" face.
Several of my students come to class badly in need of a shower. I know it's hot, but when someone arrives to the 7 am class smelling like they've not bathed since last Sunday night (today's Friday), it just about waters my eyes when the student approaches my desk. I have a hard time telling students "Hey buddy, you're a little over ripe. Why not treat yourself to a shower before you go to bed tonight?" Not only would he (or she) not understand, but maybe they don't have access to water on a daily basis. Some people here only have water at certain times of the day, and some have to haul water from the truck that comes once a day. So I feel really bad about telling someone here that they need a shower.
But - today a student came to talk to me and I swear, he must not have washed for a very long time. The body odor was overpowering. How do you tell someone in a nice way that they really reek and need to scrub off a little bit? I have noticed that several student take their daily bath in the institute sink, where there is clean water and soap always available. I know they do this because they walk out of the bathroom soaking wet from hair to shirt to shoes. In the heat it doesn't take long to dry. I know these students are more comfortable, so I wonder why more of them don't take advantage of the availability of water and soap?
But anyway, I have almost finished the lace stole that I've been working on. Teal Romney lace weight yarn with gold glitz spun in and crystal clear seed beads scattered randomly across the piece...sounds nice, doesn't it? Well, I love it, but you know...those photos will have to wait till I can get them on the computer. Maybe by the time the stole in finished, the camera cable will have returned.
And...I've finished up a pair of fingerless gloves made from handspun superwash merino. Shades of blue and purple with seed beads at the upper edges. Those sound pretty, too, don't they? Yes! They are, but you know the story...no cable to download pictures with.
And...I received several batts and rovings to spin up - all in a rainbow of gorgeously rich colors...but...not a cable in sight to download those photos. Wah. And a pair of new lace weight spindles came from Heidi in Colorado, but nope - no photos of them either. Phooey.
And, I have a few photos of Celeste with her "I hate cameras" face.
Several of my students come to class badly in need of a shower. I know it's hot, but when someone arrives to the 7 am class smelling like they've not bathed since last Sunday night (today's Friday), it just about waters my eyes when the student approaches my desk. I have a hard time telling students "Hey buddy, you're a little over ripe. Why not treat yourself to a shower before you go to bed tonight?" Not only would he (or she) not understand, but maybe they don't have access to water on a daily basis. Some people here only have water at certain times of the day, and some have to haul water from the truck that comes once a day. So I feel really bad about telling someone here that they need a shower.
But - today a student came to talk to me and I swear, he must not have washed for a very long time. The body odor was overpowering. How do you tell someone in a nice way that they really reek and need to scrub off a little bit? I have noticed that several student take their daily bath in the institute sink, where there is clean water and soap always available. I know they do this because they walk out of the bathroom soaking wet from hair to shirt to shoes. In the heat it doesn't take long to dry. I know these students are more comfortable, so I wonder why more of them don't take advantage of the availability of water and soap?
Feb 11, 2009
A post from Celeste
You may have noticed that The Mom hasn't written anything here for a little while. That's because she's been busy figgering out the frigerator. The Mom and The Dad thought that the frigerator conked out when all the water ran out of it and all over the floor, even coming inside MY VERY OWN BEDROOM while I was sleepin. That was last night. This mornin when it was still dark, there was still water runnin out of it and The Mom and The Dad were talkin about how much fridges cost and lookin kind of worried, but when The Mom came home from her morning work, she went right to the fridge...even ignorin ME, who was waitin with my BIG BLUE EYES for her say "Good morning" to me and take me out to do my buzzniss. She picked up all the towels from the floor and mopped up around my house, and then opened up the fridge and gave it a thunk with her hand. Then there was sort of a crash and she hauled out a big honkin chunk a ice and tossed it in the sink. Then the fridge made a noise and The Mom grinned at me and said "You did it, Celeste!" I donno what I did, but the fridge is workin agin and The Mom's happy agin. I'm just glad all the wet towels are gone from around my house. I had to toss out my jammas becauz they were damp, too. I donno if The Dad noticed.
And The Mom's been spendin a lot of time with her spindles lately. That bugs me. Yaknow, it's MY JOB to make sure she gets outside and goes walkin everyday. I hafta get my own leash now and take it to her to make sure I get to do MY JOB. It's important! It's MY JOB to go with her whenever she goes out a the house so nobody bothers her. I always go with her and take a GOOD LOOK at the people who pass by. She always tells me "Take a GOOD LOOK, Celeste, and see if you think they're okay." So I always that a GOOD LOOK and sometimes they make my hair stand up and I make The Mom walk really fast then till those people are gone. It's MY JOB. Sometimes those creepy people follow us for a little bit, but I always keep my BIG BLUE EYES on them, and let my hair stand up so I look bigger and meaner than I really am. Sometimes I just sit and keep a GOOD LOOK on them and make sure they go away. It's MY JOB, too. The Dad told me that it's MY JOB to go with her all the time so I do. He does notice that.
So, I love MY JOB, yaknow? One other thing I really love is THE BED. Whenever The Mom comes home and takes a little nap, I get to take a little nap too, on THE BED. Ooooo, THE BED is soooo soft that I just hafta roll around on it and jump and play on it and then The Mom says DOWN, and then I get to take a little nap, right there on THE BED! If I could just eat some BREAD BREAD BREAD there too, I'd be set for life. I bet The Dad wouldn't even notice. The only bad part is when The Mom wakes up from her little nap, then she changes into her skirt. I hate the skirt. I get worried when I see the skirt becauz then its not too long before she goes to her afternoon work and I hafta wait until The Dad comes home from his work to go outside and take another little nap on THE BED. The Dad says I can't get on THE BED, but if I wait till he's snorin in his little nap, then I can get up there and take a little nap too. I don't think The Dad even notices.
Okay, I hafta go now. The Dad's comin in and I am sittin in his chair. If I get down now, I don't think The Dad will even notice.
Love from Celeste
And The Mom's been spendin a lot of time with her spindles lately. That bugs me. Yaknow, it's MY JOB to make sure she gets outside and goes walkin everyday. I hafta get my own leash now and take it to her to make sure I get to do MY JOB. It's important! It's MY JOB to go with her whenever she goes out a the house so nobody bothers her. I always go with her and take a GOOD LOOK at the people who pass by. She always tells me "Take a GOOD LOOK, Celeste, and see if you think they're okay." So I always that a GOOD LOOK and sometimes they make my hair stand up and I make The Mom walk really fast then till those people are gone. It's MY JOB. Sometimes those creepy people follow us for a little bit, but I always keep my BIG BLUE EYES on them, and let my hair stand up so I look bigger and meaner than I really am. Sometimes I just sit and keep a GOOD LOOK on them and make sure they go away. It's MY JOB, too. The Dad told me that it's MY JOB to go with her all the time so I do. He does notice that.
So, I love MY JOB, yaknow? One other thing I really love is THE BED. Whenever The Mom comes home and takes a little nap, I get to take a little nap too, on THE BED. Ooooo, THE BED is soooo soft that I just hafta roll around on it and jump and play on it and then The Mom says DOWN, and then I get to take a little nap, right there on THE BED! If I could just eat some BREAD BREAD BREAD there too, I'd be set for life. I bet The Dad wouldn't even notice. The only bad part is when The Mom wakes up from her little nap, then she changes into her skirt. I hate the skirt. I get worried when I see the skirt becauz then its not too long before she goes to her afternoon work and I hafta wait until The Dad comes home from his work to go outside and take another little nap on THE BED. The Dad says I can't get on THE BED, but if I wait till he's snorin in his little nap, then I can get up there and take a little nap too. I don't think The Dad even notices.
Okay, I hafta go now. The Dad's comin in and I am sittin in his chair. If I get down now, I don't think The Dad will even notice.
Love from Celeste
Feb 2, 2009
Some Beginnings and Some Endings
Okay. Now that the laceweight romney has been spun, I have started to wind it into center pull balls so I can cast on the Seascape stole. I have 810 yards and still have about an ounce and a half left of unspun batts...which is okay since I ran out of fiber to finish Tai's garden socks and need a coordinating yarn for the toes.
Anyway, I am so tempted to go on a discourse about my first real lace weight yarn, but just let it be known that I am completely THRILLED with it! I'll be casting the stole on today.
I'm still spinning the Earth Tweed from Maggie's farm. I think I have about 250 yards of singles, and have begun a second spindle. It's not laceweight - more like fingering weight, I think, but I probably won't know until I get it plied. I've been revising my ideas about what to make with this yarn, once it's finished, and I'm leaning towards a lacy, long-sleeved shrug. For this shrug, I'll need 750 yards.
O and I had quite a discussion this weekend. I'm pretty done with people telling me every time I step out of the apartment that I'm going to get robbed because I'm a gringa. I'm sick of constantly looking over my shoulder and clutching my purse to me like a hunted animal. Everyone talks to me like I'm a robbery just waiting to happen. No, I don't want anything to happen, of course not. I don't want to get robbed, but I also want to move about the city with confidence and freedom from fear. O admitted that as long as we live here freedom and confidence are probably not going to happen. Robbery most likely will. You know, I can take the heat, the bugs, the dirt, the stinking toilets, and slum-like conditions of almost the whole city. I could live with that. But I will not live with the constant threat of being attacked and robbed. I work in one of the most dangerous areas in Lima, specifically Jiron Cuzco, where the institute I work in is located. Thank God I don't live there. O has been mugged and beaten several times since coming to Lima. Last time he was pistol-whipped for his cell phone and 5 soles (about $1.75). Most people who live here have been robbed or subjected to violence in some way. They have become accustomed to it and accept it as fate. I'm sorry, I can't do that.
So, we have decided that I have one more year here and then my Peruvian adventure will come to a close. The good part is that O's Amazing American Adventure will begin! He has about that much more time in university classes to complete and then he'll be ready. That decision lifted a huge weight off my shoulders and, unfortunately, planted the weight on O. He spent the rest of the day researching the US and finding all kinds of terrifying info about tornadoes, snowstorms, floods, and forest fires. I kind of added to it when I said that there were all kinds of wild animals that lived not that far from our house in Cheyenne. Saturday night, he dreamed about moving to Cheyenne, and Sunday we talked some more. He looked stressed all weekend, but this morning, I think he's better.
So, next year, I should be returning to my little "House of Rogue Tufts" in Cheyenne, where the wind always blows and the grass grows long and the antelope live just a few blocks away...along with the rabbits, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, bison, and deer. And of course, the cattle. It is cattle country, after all.
Anyway, I am so tempted to go on a discourse about my first real lace weight yarn, but just let it be known that I am completely THRILLED with it! I'll be casting the stole on today.
I'm still spinning the Earth Tweed from Maggie's farm. I think I have about 250 yards of singles, and have begun a second spindle. It's not laceweight - more like fingering weight, I think, but I probably won't know until I get it plied. I've been revising my ideas about what to make with this yarn, once it's finished, and I'm leaning towards a lacy, long-sleeved shrug. For this shrug, I'll need 750 yards.
O and I had quite a discussion this weekend. I'm pretty done with people telling me every time I step out of the apartment that I'm going to get robbed because I'm a gringa. I'm sick of constantly looking over my shoulder and clutching my purse to me like a hunted animal. Everyone talks to me like I'm a robbery just waiting to happen. No, I don't want anything to happen, of course not. I don't want to get robbed, but I also want to move about the city with confidence and freedom from fear. O admitted that as long as we live here freedom and confidence are probably not going to happen. Robbery most likely will. You know, I can take the heat, the bugs, the dirt, the stinking toilets, and slum-like conditions of almost the whole city. I could live with that. But I will not live with the constant threat of being attacked and robbed. I work in one of the most dangerous areas in Lima, specifically Jiron Cuzco, where the institute I work in is located. Thank God I don't live there. O has been mugged and beaten several times since coming to Lima. Last time he was pistol-whipped for his cell phone and 5 soles (about $1.75). Most people who live here have been robbed or subjected to violence in some way. They have become accustomed to it and accept it as fate. I'm sorry, I can't do that.
So, we have decided that I have one more year here and then my Peruvian adventure will come to a close. The good part is that O's Amazing American Adventure will begin! He has about that much more time in university classes to complete and then he'll be ready. That decision lifted a huge weight off my shoulders and, unfortunately, planted the weight on O. He spent the rest of the day researching the US and finding all kinds of terrifying info about tornadoes, snowstorms, floods, and forest fires. I kind of added to it when I said that there were all kinds of wild animals that lived not that far from our house in Cheyenne. Saturday night, he dreamed about moving to Cheyenne, and Sunday we talked some more. He looked stressed all weekend, but this morning, I think he's better.
So, next year, I should be returning to my little "House of Rogue Tufts" in Cheyenne, where the wind always blows and the grass grows long and the antelope live just a few blocks away...along with the rabbits, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, bison, and deer. And of course, the cattle. It is cattle country, after all.
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