Our Peace Corps Adventure: Holidaze

Yikes! That same "too much is going on" feeling has settled in here at #12 Magoon Street! It started the Monday before Christmas when our house dog, Princess, gave birth to a litter of seven. All our good intentions of getting her a doghouse BEFORE they were born were only that - intentions. She did what all good mothers do - dug a hole in the sand and popped those babies right out just healthy as can be.

Yes! There are seven in that little pile of puppies.

So I spend a disproportionate amount of my time standing or sitting and looking at these little beings. Steve has agreed to let me adopt one when they are ready, about mid-February. Since we have special guests coming - my son and his wife, and her mother - Jeff, Stephanie and Susan - we will wait till after their visit to bring up the puppy to live in the house.

In the meantime, after much coaxing our host mom from Camalote, Sala, came to spend time with us in Dangriga. She arrived on Wednesday. And on Thursday, construction of the doghouse finally got under way. Anthony is the 10-year-old boy who lives downstairs with his mom, Rafaela (Rafi). Princess is their dog. Steve showed Anthony a few things about building, and he took it from there. Steve just supervised. They did a great job!

Sala and Anthony, the dog's master

On Friday, Danny and Breezie, a married couple here with us PCVs, also came to stay. Christmas Eve was our big dinner. Meghan VanDeventer came over and made lobster rolls (Yes - LOBSTER). Along with traditional Christmas fare - mashed potatoes and gravy, salad, and green beans, and beer - we had quite the feast!

We followed the stuffing (of ourselves) with some good old-fashioned card-playing and fun. Lots of laughing and hardly any cheating! Thanks to Breezie for her great photography.

Christmas day Steve and I were invited to dinner at the home of Rafi's boyfriend's mother's home (got that?), Miss Laurette. She lived in the US for 44 years before moving back to Belize. She served up ham and turkey and other foods we were used to for Christmas dinner - delicious! I have to tell you, it was very special for us to be included in their Christmas celebration. We were honored.

By the time we staggered home, we had trouble keeping our eyes open - stupefied from too much eating --- again.

I did NOT mention that Christmas Eve night and Christmas morning, from 12 midnight until 6 a.m. we were treated to ANOTHER all night concert at more than 100 decibels, so no sleep that night. On Christmas night, yet another party two doors down with the loud music. Started at 5 p.m. and finally went off at midnight when the cops shut them down. Thank goodness! I was experiencing some serious self-pity.

It's Tuesday afternoon and all our house guests have gone home. There is some crazy drumming going on close by (for Jankannu dancing, I think), again at a high decibel level. Oh, those poor puppies. It's a wonder that Princess can produce any milk at all.

We were lucky to talk with some of our family over the weekend, still have some people we have to call. I guess the hectic pace helped us to stave off the terrible homesickness we would have felt without it. We are thankful for our great friends here in Belize. Oh, how I wish I could see my family and friends back home.

Here are a few pictures I've drawn in the last month or so. Didn't post them earlier because they were gifts and I wanted them to be a surprise!