Ode to John Denver

OK, I know "Country Road" is sappy, but after 27 hours in airports, jets and departure lounges, I was humming it under my breath as we turned off the highway at 4:30AM into the dark stillness of Greenwood Road. (Note to self: flying in February ... a bit fraught.) I'll spare you the details except to say that when a block of seats finally opened up in Miami, there were cheers each time a name was called. From a high of 93, the standby list was finally shrinking!

We brought two pilgrims home - Jemma and Dana still needed to get to their luggage and car in Eugene, and then home to Roseburg, but needed sleep even more. Bill, who is a saint, had been making hotel reservations along our flight path (and then canceling them) and brought us home to a lovely fire and freshly-made beds. After we slept a few hours and had breakfast, we picked up all our luggage at the Eugene airport, had a lovely Thai lunch (thanks, Jemma & Dana!) and dropped J&D off at their car. We were home "for good" by 5:30. Fire up the grill and I'll pour the wine!

If you're wondering, gentle reader, if it was worth it, look at the pictures and then decide: Guatemala album. I've sipped neon-pink wine high on a tower above a piss-elegant composting toilet at Candice's enchanted organic acreage by Santiago Atitlan, hiked four hours up hill (I mistyped it "hell"!) and down dale birding with Josue at Tarrales Reserve, walked my ass off looking at ruins all over Antigua with Debby, was bitten by a gorgeous macaw in Honduras, near Copan Ruinas, and was conked on the head by a little boy with an eggshell full of confetti. Luis made me speak Spanish for over two hours, and I found out I could!

At the elementary school where Luis teaches, we delivered our supplies to each teacher and spent a happy hour in L's class. The kids tried out their English and we tried out our Spanish (the kids did better than we did). I showed them a finger game and Morocco juggled a soccer ball and two rolls of toilet paper (use what you've got!). Soon they'll be raising brine shrimp (sea monkeys to you) to watch with their new microscope.

And I met the weavers, Johanna and her mother, whose work left me drunk and stumbling. This little piece is meant to be sewn together at the blue ends and then have the top edge gathered together for a baby cap. Don't worry! It's not for young master MacAdam! The ones I found for him won't get him beaten up on any playground!

Everywhere we went, we met Americans, but no ordinary tourists. A few were in language schools, but most were in Guatemala to serve. We met doctors, nurses, Habitat for Humanity teams, and masons. These last are installing simple, high-efficiency low-emission stoves,like this oneto replace the open fires inside many homes. This stove uses 1/4 the wood of an open fire, too, which may relieve some of the pressure on native forests while making less work for the family. At Candice's we had a gourmet meal for 16 cooked on one of these, including banana cream pie!

So, maybe it's windy and cold and wet back here at home, but I've got triple-tasty memories, a bunch of new friends, and - best of all - I'm back in my sweet baby's arms!