I was in such a rush to get going this morning I forgot all about keeping up my journal. I have already skinned 2 rabbits and washed my tijera {cot} this morning!
I brought the rabbits back from El Maizal, alive, yesterday afternoon. Ed {Shiffer} and I are planning a rabbit feast for Monday. I had to get them killed & dressed before Ed gets home today, since he couldn’t bear to see their “wiggly little noses” and then help kill them. Mission accomplished!
I got the pickup finally yesterday, though I had to wait on Peace Corps Director John Jones to get gas cards. I got out to Don Tin’s {house & restaurant} by about 10:15 and found Jay {Hasheider} there “paseando” {relaxing} with Don Tin. Life goes on at the same mellow pace for Jay out in Metalio!
I got my shit all loaded up by 12:30, and Jay & I went back to Don Tin’s for lunch. Jay wanted to go up in the hills somewhere to get some mud from a fish pond. Are you ready? The mud was supposed to contain methane-producing bacteria which Jay needs for a methane gas generator he is trying to make using cow manure as fuel. It’s been done in India using old oil barrels & Jay wants to do it here! Anyway, we asked directions to the place & ended up with a truckload & a half of belligerent kids. They were going there too & had no qualms at all about tramping all over my stuff. I later found a “topollío” {a local candy} wrapper in one of my boots & a dropped popsicle on my suitcase. So we got to the lake and back without major catastrophes, vowing never again to offer a ride to a group of Salvadoran “bichos” {local slang for kids}.
At El Maizal the pace was becoming of a snail also. Alfredo asked me if I’d been in Costa Rica all this time! They have promoters, but no agronomos {agricultural extensionists} & all of El Maizal is overgrown with grass & weeds. Don Juan expects the tractor any time now to work up the land, etc. I bought my 2 rabbits, said good-bye, and backed up into one of the little fences they’ve built around the trees they’re trying to grow! Expert truck driver, Dino! I only put 2 new scratches in the side of the bed & was off by 3:00.
I pulled my prize boner in Santa Tecla when I carried into the house a bag with my hammock, a bed cover & a (forgotten) jar of honey. I set it down briskly & the bottom went out of the honey jar. What a gooey mess!
I got the truck back to Peace Corps Office, stopped by to see Ed, & brought home a “Santa Claus bag” of his junk to save his back tomorrow (which is now today). Ed was in good spirits & ready to leave. The hospital is too confining for his indomitable spirit, no question.
So now I’m up for a shower, & then I’ll start cleaning my beans & rice to cook them up later today or tomorrow. I think I’ll have rabbit liver with beans & rice for lunch.
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