Okay, I have at last summoned up the enthusiasm to write another blog post. If I can remember what has happened since the last one that is. I may have to fish out my journal to have a look and see.
In fact, I'll do that now.
(If you could pause for a moment in reading this and imagine the perceived time it would take for me to do so)
...
A picture for you all too:
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| This is just the view from the bottom terrace. It has no relevance. |
Right, from where we left off last then...
I've taken a trip into Puerto Plata (the next town over form Sosua) and have been and purchased a load of craft supplies. I'll be planning an activity day for some local children, and games and crafts will be at the top of the agenda. (And if the plan is to make and decorate bunting, will that be such an issue?) But still, I'm looking forward to doing that.
That same afternoon (of July 10th) I had my first experience of fried bananas, chicken and rice for lunch.
I was astounded at the fact that Banana is a vegetable here, and clearly very easily amused.
Pauline took a trip into town, and I stayed at the Project to make a canvas roof for the (large) vegetable garden. Henrri, one of the older boys who often stays at the project, helped me, and together the roof was cut, attached, and was amazingly the right size.
I say amazingly because the tape measure went missing so I had to improvise by tying knots in a bit of string to get the right length, then using stones and dog toys to weigh it down on the lawn to cut the canvas to size.
(The ability to improvise is key here, and in the same tangent my ability as a mime artist is being more finely honed daily. I have just performed a great sketch in order to find out where the pegs and the washing basket are)
Anyway, after this I watched as the other workers did all of the woodwork to create the enclosure for the garden, and was then taken with them to walk the dogs. I've said it before but the area is stunningly beautiful.
And hilly.
You have to go up some steep hills, which is always fun in heat. But I spotted my first snake in a tree! ( I must have looked like such a twerp, getting all excited about a snake in a tree, when all of the Dominican's reacted like someone had pointed out the equivalent of a pigeon in Coventry City Centre. )
The walk was good though, and on the way back Wellington and Chilo spotted some passionfruit growing in a tree, so just hopped up to the top of it, got all the fruit down, carried it home and made a load of fresh juice. I have a growing addiction to passionfruit and mango juice. It is SO GOOD.
They were all pointing out the different fruit and teaching me the Spanish names for them, when they decided to introduce me to the joys of coconut milk. Did they get it out of a tin? No. They got Henrri to scale one of the (tall, straight) trees in the garden, and lob one down for everyone. Sandi got us a straw, Chilo hacked them open with a machete (people just wander around with them here) and it was fresh coconut juice all round.
I helped assemble some shelves and storage for the little colmado on site, which serves the local people basic supplies.
The 11th saw the roof being raised onto the garden, and in the afternoon I was taught a Dominican board game, which I then played with two local women. Then helping with the animals in the evening, and teaching Henrri to play chess.
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| The new vegetable garden, at the best angle I could find, which still isn't great. |
The 12th saw me digging out a new path with Pastor the gardener, and creating a border of recycled glass bottles. This meant lots of digging. Glass bottles have to go deep.
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| That man is so ridiculously strong for his age. He's over 60. |
One of the aims of the project is to teach people about conservation, and recycling, along with the concept of using materials available, such as glass bottles for borders, and vegetable gardens. I also laid a path of paving stones between the vegetable beds, and played wheelbarrow woman for the relocation of some plants.
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| The not-quite finished result. But you get the idea. |
Man, this post is long. Sorry. You don't have to go on. It's okay.
The plants had to be dug out and replanted - it was very much gardeners week, so I spent the morning doing that, and then I helped with the building of the rabbit hutches.
I say helped, I just kind of found some chicken wire, jumped on it to flatten it out, then stood on it to keep it in place whilst Chilo and Wellington attached it all. I had my second riding lesson on Jefe, and while checking on him later, a rabbit came lolloping past my feet.
This would be fine, only the rabbits are supposed to be inside their hutches. Someone had left the door open.
I spent the next hour being continually outsmarted by a pair of rabbits. Actually outsmarted. They took my cabbage bait, and ran away before I could grab them. Then, at one point, I actually got rushed by a rabbit. The rabbit intimidated me.
I never caught the rabbits.
Saturday was cleaning day, and the the afternoon at Harvest connections, where local mission groups and charities come to share and encourage each other. It was really good, and a great initiative in an area of so much need.
Sunday we went to church, and in the afternoon we took two girls that live in the next property over to Cabarete beach. I was continually used a a boat/horse by them, and I'm still trying to get the sand out of my hair. But it was a great afternoon, and I had a lot of fun. More importantly, the little girls did too.
Monday was the cleaning out of the rabbit hutches. It hadn't been done in a while... so that was nice.
I'm writing this as I wait for a load of bedding to be washed. Today I'm cleaning the kid's dorm, and washing and sorting and tidying.
And that brings us up to now, and I can stop.
Sorry if I bored you!
I hope everyone at home is safe, well and happy, and the same goes for anyone who has simply happened upon this blog.
You're all in my prayers
x
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