Jo’s Jovial Jolly Jocular Journal

Who prayed that dog prayer on the 21st June?

Does anyone have any good ideas of films that would be great to show to 13-18 year olds that touch on issues of human rights and would create good discussion about the topic? Preferably in Spanish, but any other ideas would be good too. I would prefer not too violent or confronting…any that you really love? Or, while we are at it, why don´t you just let me know your favourites, cause I am interested in that sort of thing.

I didn´t know it but with Google Maps there is street view now, where it is like you can walk around and look at the place, like photos. So probably everyone already knew this but it is revolutionary for me. So I just had a geezer at Summers Ave, and the Camry is out the front. Which Castle was visiting my family then? And then I had a look at Simmons Street which made me more nostalgic, cause I can´t go home there….ah good times.

Hey thanks for your prayers, just wanted to let you know that whilst Victor didn´t get the job he was waiting to hear about, a couple of days later he got another job which he started yesterday and enjoyed alot. It is not optimal as it is only some hours a week, but it is great that he is working and it fits in really well in other ways, like he can go on a honeymoon and go to Australia in January. So…thanks.

It feels like Wedding has really started as Mum and Janet arrived (somewhat delayed but here) on Thursday. The house in Antigua is beautiful, and we are looking forward to everyone else arriving, and trying to fit in as much as possible in every other spare minute that we have before everyone arrives!! Fun, fun. I am looking forward to being on holidays in a bit over a week and being able to be Full Wedding Focused.

Today´s nature adventure on my run was an encounter with 14 vultures sitting on the wall at the end of a road I usually run up. I got close, but not too close. Those are big and very ugly birds. They look good when they are flying, from a distance…but up close…a different story.

A couple of days ago, as I was lying in my bed, looking out the window, a squirrel jumped from the tree to our neighbour´s roof, ran across the roof, all the way up our wall, did a number of droppings on the top of the wall right outside my window and ran away again. What does that mean in squirrel language?

My final nature story is in regards to our pool, which apparently was doing very well producing same wildlife. One morning last week I went to have a look outside and noticed that the top of the pool was covered in little moving insect-type things. When I showed Victor later he said they were mosquito larvae. I decided it was time to drain the pool, as I had noticed that the percentage of mozzie bites I was waking up to in the morning was increasing. We drained the pool. As it was draining out we discovered that it wasn´t home to only mozzie larvae but a whole range of other water living animals. After the pool had fully drained Victor came inside and commented that it was sad to see all those little creatures running for their lives as the water rushed towards the plughole. Now we just have to find a way to maintain a pool so that we don´t breed or have to kill small bug types.

I have been wanting for a while to pay a tribute to the guards at the gate of our colonia. Always cheerful and ready to open or lift the gate with a smile. Lerae and I started off with one favourite, a young guy whose silver tooth shines as he gives us our opening gate grin, but we are now confused as to who is our favourite, with another older, shorter guy, who is even more eager coming in ties with smiley guy. This one runs quickly out the door of the little cabin as soon as he hears us coming, greets us with a huge grin and even did a full army salute the other day as I passed through. Who wouldn´t want to come home to that?

Wedding preparations are full go ahead now, with the waiting time for guests to arrive diminishing at rapid pace. This week I also begin my despedidas, which are like hen´s nights or kitchen teas, with them starting in quick succession Thursday, Friday and Saturday. If you pray, keep us in your prayers, Victor is still waiting to hear about a job and this close to the wedding it is putting a lot of extra pressure on us. But, we will choose to keep hoping, praying and waiting.

‘Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.’ 1 Corinthians 13:7

Thanks to Kevin 07 I have got some money that I didn´t think I was going to be eligible for. Hoorah. Never fear Kev, will do all I can to spend it in Australia. So, what percentage of a VAustralia ticket will go in to the Australian economy? Anyone? Anyone?

Okay, question no. 2- what is the recipe for Thai Pumpkin Soup? Please anyone who knows, send it to me asap because the pumpkin-like-thing that I have is going to go off soon.

And the third- why doesn´t i-tunes want me to use it outside Australia? And if I can´t buy music outside Australia (because I-tunes has a way to know, or so they tell me), what can I do to buy music?

Thus hereby end my questions.

I saw one running down the cliff wall towards me when I was jogging this morning. He was running towards a lone branch, jutting out from the wall. He stopped and looked at me. It is exciting seeing squirrels.

Second exciting event of the day was when we started hearing the sound of drums beating and realised that there was a procession going down the street outside the office. We went out the back door to see what it was all about and found all these young people dressed in bright circusy clothes and on stilts and so on walking down to the beat of the drums. One of the young men waved to me cheerfully. It has made me so happy, because in Sydney you can get saturated with colour and culture and entertainment like that, and here it is sparse, especially outside the door of our office, inner city Guatemala. If something happens it is usually unpleasant or scary, not some bright burst of colour and music and smiles.

What are your top fave 5 books?