Friday- November 4th, 2011 -RAIN STORM

Who doesn't want to hear a few more Cork stories?

So when I awoke I could hear a lawn mower running. When I walked outside I noticed one of the workers mowing the lawn in back. I didn't think much of it... Cork didn't sleep much last night at all so after breakfast he was going to try and catch some more sleep. Three hours later Cork came out to talk to me and he was swearing because the grass was still being mowed and he couldn't sleep because of it. There isn't even much grass here, it would take me 30 min. tops to mow it but the man mowing was not going fast and he kept going back and forth despite the fact that the lawn mower got it the first time. This was the first time since I've been here that the grass was mowed but I'm pretty sure the next time it needs to be done Cork will be taking matters into his own hands. It is also the first time I've seen a lawn mower here, I've mostly just witnessed people cutting grass with a machete.

So this afternoon was the afternoon Cork has been practicing and waiting for since his arrival. The weekly craft market was happening and Cork couldn't wait to bargain with the locals. He was awesome at wheeling and dealing, then once he purchased the goods he would give them a tip for dropping their price to "Cork standards". I think he tipped them because I told him that the country is in poverty because of people like him trying to talk them down to nothing:)

Our craft market trip was cut really short because of a downpour. Which also ended up being the highlight for me... Cork borrowed an umbrella from someone to walk my daughter and I to the car through the mud. Then he went back to return the umbrella before making a mad dash to the car. When he came into the car he was soaking wet. His glasses were completely fogged up as were all the windows on the vehicle. Since Cork has so much experience with fogged up windows he decided to show our driver how to take care of the problem... He reaches over and starts playing with the heat. He cranks it up to hot and high and immediately brown dirt shoots out off all the vents so the inside of the fogged up car became a big cloud of dirt. I wish I had a picture of the car from my view in the back seat. Cork and the driver both started coughing and my daughter and I couldn't stop laughing. I don't know how the driver (who was driving when Cork pulled his stunt with the heat) could even see. Needless to say the heat was turned off once the dust cloud cleared and Cork could find the knobs again.

One last story, on our way home from the craft market I asked my driver (Gilbert) to stop at the grocery store with an ATM machine. It was still raining when we got there. Gilbert was worried about me getting wet so he pulled as close as he could to the store. After doing everything I needed to do I made a mad dash through the puddles to the car. I could see and hear a ruckus going on inside the vehicle. When I tried opening the door I realized I was locked out of the car in the rain. Gilbert was practically tackling Cork in the car trying to get the door open for me while Cork was trying to keep it locked so I was drenched. When the door was opened, Gilbert kept apologizing (for Cork's prank) while Cork and my daughter laughed.

I'd appreciate any prayers, good thoughts or wishes you can send my way. I really need to get two pieces of necessary paperwork early next week.

Still missing my boys and enjoying my girl,
AnnMarie

PS I noticed some grammar errors in my last few posts... I can't correct them because I can't post on blogspot from here for some reason. I am also usually writing these posts and e-mailing them out right before bed when I'm tired. My iPad doesn't seem to always write exactly what I'm thinking... Or maybe it's just my fingers:)