June 13, 2015, Saturday:  Today we got up late, cleaned the apartment, got haircuts (both of us…did each other), and helped put on a surprise birthday party for Sister Call.  We had about 65 people come for the outdoor tent party.  She really seemed surprised!

Almost all of the guests were young married & single Latino former missionaries from their mission where he served as President in Tampico, Mexico.  Some came from 18-24 hours away.  All of the adult couples from the MTC came as well, so it was quite a group.  Everyone, including the guest of honor had arrived, and still the food had not come.  We had purchased lovely big chocolate cakes (2) from Costco and two large apple pies and ice cream for dessert.  We had guacamole and a tomato/onion dish for dipping chips baked at the cafeteria, and drinks, but no main dish.

Once the Pres and Sis Call arrived, they called the caterer, and they arrived shortly thereafter, and began to put everything together.  I don’t know if they forgot, or if it is just the culture; but it seemed like they were starting from scratch when they arrived.  There were 3 adults, who arrived with a grill (no matches) and a big container of soup. The lady in the trio had a huge pile of dough, which she immediately began to knead and flatten and squash in a press to make tortillas.   Even though they were very late, it worked out fine because people visited, but some waited 2 hours or so.  I’m told it is common to start late and end late at Mexican events, because Latinos really know how to party.  I think everyone had fun.

They served the food plate by plate.  The fare was tortillas filled with cheese (the safest I thought—safest in terms of being not spicy), and some with stuff we couldn’t identify….it looked like black leaves, and another variety was tomatoes, corn, onions, peppers it looked like.  So, they pulled maybe 6 of these quesidillas off the grill, and served them 6 to a plate to each table, then went back and got 6 more to take to the next table.  I had 2 and was stuffed.  We (the Gills and us) thought that was the main meal.  Oh no, after everyone ate plenty of those tortillas, they lined up for a brothlike soup.  After that, came the main course…we were too stuffed to eat that.  Neal had one.  This time, it was a tortilla filled with shredded lamb…kind of like pulled pork only with a higher fat content.  The Latino women are really beautiful I think.  One couple looked just like models out of a magazine.  Beautiful babies as well!  It was a lovely party, but we are exhausted. 

It is traditional in Mexico to bring flowers to events, so there were many bouquets, sprays and two large centerpieces—absolutely beautiful that these young former missionaries brought as gifts.  They sang Happy Birthday (a Spanish variety) followed by cheers for the birthday girl. 

We cleaned up and then came home and crashed.  It was so hot, I stripped  to my undies and prayed no one would come to the door!  We slept for a couple of hours and then went over to Reception to meet the new Dr and his wife, the Harstons….Cute couple, who just arrived.  They seemed pleased with all they saw.  She said, "You know in "Annie" when she arrives, she says, "I think I'm going to like it here.  Well, that's how I felt when we arrived here."  We walked them over to the cafeteria for supper and then home in the pouring rain.  We were all too tired for a movie night after all.

ADVENTURE:  So Neal and I were walking to lunch last week and decided to stop at our respective restrooms.  The stalls in the classroom buildings are all constructed of heavy metal…the walls, doors, latches…all are metal.  I got in and threw the bolt, and then

try as I might, I COULD NOT get that bolt to move back, so I was trapped inside….well, that is fine and dandy for a little kid, right?  You just either crawl under or go over the

top.  It is not so fine and dandy for a 72 year old fat lady, who cannot kneel down on the ground or get up when down.  I contemplated making a running leap over the top, but that didn’t seem feasible….so, I called for Neal, who came to the rescue, but we still had the dilemma of  getting me out.  If he crawled under….he’s skinny, and could have done it, but then we would have two of us crammed in tightly not being able to move the bolt.

So, it was either spend my remaining days on this earth in a very small metal cubicle or lay down flat on my back on the ground and snake shimmy out under the bottom of the door….but then how to stand up without kneeling on my recent surgeries.  So wonderful Neal just lugged me up from dead flat out……oh, true love!  It was good we had the building to ourselves because it was not pretty....me in a dress and all!

MENTAL STATUS EXAM:  Because the census is so low, I really haven’t had much to do.  Neal has been quite busy, but I have not.  The prospect of 18 months with not enough to do has been pretty depressing.  So, I did go to the doctor’s wife and ask what I could do to keep busy and be serving.  We brainstormed some things.  I think I will be doing Family History and trying to help the nurses here, who are interested in that.  As is often the case, with couple missions, I do not have enough to do, and need to be figuring out what will be of most worth. Because we have had such difficult experiences in the past trying to learn Cebuano and Swahili, neither one of us is very motivated to learn Spanish.  We want to learn enough to get by, but the prospect of sitting in a class and learning conjugations just doesn't excite us....bad attitude, right!  We just know neither of us will flourish in linguistics.  They suggested that I could go to the cafeteria and cut up fruit.....so Family History sounds really good to me...I love it anyway, and feel I need to be involved in it.  

I'm still playing the piano quite a bit...for the MTC Choir and also for individuals.  That may change when the new doctor comes if he takes over the choir.  He may have other plans, and

that is perfectly ok.  I'm so rusty, I need to practice a lot.  Neal is very involved reading a large book called, Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon by Allen.  He's loving it.  I've read a couple of short books on the Ipad.  We watched a lovely Netflix movie 2 nights ago, the 2nd movie we've seen in our apartment since we arrived.  TV is a loss for us because it is all in Spanish and the themes are as insipid as the ones at home.

Our mosquito population is alive and well.  We are soooo happy we have our mosquito net.  What a blessing it has been for us.  We hear them at night, but if we are careful not to 

allow any part of our body touch the net, we can evade the little stinkers.  When they bite, we really flare up.  We killed 3 last night, so they are down from the 10 we had each night the first week we were here.  The poor missionaries don't have nets, and the mosquitoes hover around doorways and come in if people aren't vigilant about keeping the doors closed.  They are lousy in the Clinic because the doors are kept open all the time.  We love our zappers and send many, many mosquito spirits to a better place:)