Weekend overview

So, I have a few days back home, and I am tired already! Thursday we did go to Union Christian Church for a pitch-in style Thanksgiving meal, and while we were there we stayed and practiced for playing on Sunday morning. I noticed before we got there the Defender was close to overheating. I checked everything after the engine cooled, the only thing I noticed was it was a little low on water. Something to keep an eye on...especially since the Musso continues to be parked waiting for parts (and the Ford only starts when faced downhill...not sure what is the problem there.) I really love the Musso...but every time it needs parts it takes two months or something, and although I am not sure how we would replace it now, it is something we need to start planning for now....somehow.

Friday I was here at the house in time for the phone repairmen to show up. I did nothing other than stay here and answer questions, and answer the phone, but it seemed like a minor miracle, since the phone has not been working for Valerie pretty much since I left. Another advantage to having a home office...you are home when people show up to fix things.

After that I bought milk and cookies for the milk project and headed to the clinic. After good conversations talking with nurses and nutritionists, I am contemplating how we could do something for the milk project that would provide better nourishment, food for thought as it were. You can see I also got to see what was up around the property. The current clinic building is all decorated for Christmas (they did that a few weeks ago!) The bars are up for where the windows will eventually be installed, and inside several floors were all prepared for concrete, while the work to stucco and finish the interior walls continues, and plumbing starts to take shape. We will need a big push in December (and more cash) to get things where they need to be for the work to continue with teams and wrap up in January.

Saturday was a day to reconnect with the kids (Valerie participating and helping with a woman's conference with various Churches involved all day). We watched a little TV, then went to go to the bank and get ingredients to make cookies, as well as do some mission banking and pay the yearly registration for the Musso (due in November...wink wink) After TWO hours waiting with the kids, we finally got back home....late for lunch. Wow. Then we made cookies...and then it began. We heard the music coming from the grocery store across the street...then the sirens...the the whooping and hollering. I knew Santa was to make an appearance today, but thought little of it as I had time to read, and re-read the announcements while in line earlier in the day. Then I heard (inside the house mind you) that indeed Santa was "dropping out of the air." Then I heard the helicopter. Surely not, you say. I do say, and don't call me Shirley.

The kids were pumped, I felt indifferent, but quickly brightened to the fact that I could share in this with them, and after all, it is only one day a year that you see Santa come out of a helicopter. We went, and stayed for almost two hours as Santa put on his La Colonia show...replete with free gifts being thrown to the 300 or more people there (including....candy, chips, spaghetti, soap, powdered milk, and my personal favorite...big tubes of lard (which splat if they land on the ground.) It was crazy, and the kids quickly engaged with the "hey, throw me a prize!" atmosphere. The spaghetti I caught we plan on giving to Dora...that is, what the kids did not eat while we were there (raw, mind you...is it just me, or is that weird?)

Enjoy this video that gives just a glimpse at what it was like...and we must have heard that song like 30 times by the end of the two hours. No injuries were reported...in fact, the kids seemed to thrive on it. Hmmmm, go figure.


Sunday we played at UCC, practiced a little for the upcoming Christmas event, and then headed back home to watch American football. Valerie's foot continues to bother her....possibly a stress fracture? Hard telling, she would have to take time to go get another opinion. The Defender...the mechanic says it is a pulley or a belt ready to fly off to never-never land, and the parts for the Musso to hopefully put it on the mend are actually in, so Roberto will hopefully start on that tomorrow, and the Ford....looks like we need another battery. Yikes.