Journal, July 9, 1976 AM

Wow, I’ve been sitting here 5 minutes without coming up with a starting point. It’s not really so surprising; yesterday was a day of pleasant but undramatic happenings. I went to Alajuela to get some wood prices from a lumber “deposito” {lumber yard} in the morning. Because of slow bus service it took all morning. After lunch I took a siesta & read a little Sartre. I had an idea for a newspaper article or letter to the editor, and wrote a few preliminary lines about the “New Economic Order” and who it would benefit. (Those who have wealth & power already in third world countries.) Some day, perhaps, I’ll research it and write up something worthwhile.

Jaime {Olson}, Pilar & Doña Marita came here to the Castillo Murillo home for a visit later in the afternoon. Doña Carmen loved it of course, & was at her smiling & gossiping best. We could barely get away at 4:30 when Jaime, Pilar & I had planned to go up to Jan & Mike Galbraith’s. Mike had his short wave radio going, so we heard the international news and B.S.’ed about U.S. politics, recent news events & of course sports. Mike is a fountainhead of information. He keeps himself well informed by listening to his short wave and buying U.S. papers & magazines regularly. It’s almost a shame that he dedicates most of his cerebral “up-time” to sports. He could be a great newspaper man.

<The evening was Sofia’s again.> She really seems definite about coming to El Salvador in September. She says she’ll leave here Friday the 10th and stay until the next week Saturday. Great, I’ll do some planning and save some money to make it a worthwhile trip. It will sure help the time go by faster in El Salvador. We are going to buy the ring in November. I’ll write home and have them send me down that $400 I sent home last fall when I was saving instead of spending money. We’ll probably get married next July, all depending on if I am with Peace Corps Costa Rica or on my own. And so forth.

Speaking of money, being Jaime’s best man will cost me some too. I may have to buy a suit for the wedding. Hopefully my present jacket and a new pair of pants, or a rented suit will do. I want to get up to Guatemala to get them a blanket for their wedding present. Time & money, prime problems of the capitalist (of whatever scale).