Hola

Celebrating our Anniversary with Chad and Michele filling in for Ryan and Lizi and Fernando for Aaron - Hey but someone is missing - where's Indie? Actually Chad and Michele and Fernando are not really fill-ins they are now fully fledged members in their own rights (not sure if they are really happy about that or not - hehe)

The chef of this very fine establishment

Sure didn't look like this 30 years ago!

Gringo Lunch and not a word of spanish to be heard

Alison, Amanda and Ashley (Alison is in Amanda's chinese group and Ashley is visiting from the States)

Randy, Carey and little Oliver - they have been serving here for quite a number of years then Oliver showed up. Didn't stop this bubbly couple though - they are still pioneering and supporting a congregation about an hour down the road from us.

Mark practices his Grandpa skills with Genesis

The two new sisters in our congregation - Blanca and Carla (mother and daughter)

Me looking pretty exhausted (after a heavy weekend) at the fiesta

Mark once again gets in a little practice with Heidi
(little girls do seem to love him so I am sure he will do fine as a Granpa)

I know, it's been ages right? Sorry about that but I have been pretty busy getting ready for my marathon trip back to NZ. This past weekend has been non stop action atarting with a night out with our little family to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary. Mark was busy all day with drama practice and cleaning for the assembly day - he made it to dinner but only just! Saturday was our one day assembly - and it was so cold and wet but the happiness of the brothers and sisters made up for it. Sunday came and we had a Gringo lunch organised at our house - so nice to be able to only speak english for an afternoon. That night our congregation alos had a party planned so I dragged my tired body along and had a bit of a dance with the crew - last time I will see my peeps for a month so it was worth it.

Well it's going to take me a grand total of 51 hours from the time I leave the house here in Cuenca until I reach my son and daughter-in-law's digs so I don't think you will be hearing from me for awhile.

Hasta luego todos and cuidate mucho!

Yay - back in Cuenca

Well my aspirations to being a B & B Queen have come to an end and we are back in Cuenca after the torturous 13 hour bus ride. We left Tena at 7am and thought we were going to be ahead of shedule when we rolled into Ambato where we had to change buses at 11am - with the next bus leaving at 11.30. At quarter to 12 we were told that the bus had mechanical problems so we would have to wait for the next one at 12.30. That's still pretty good, we thought, but of course that bus was late too so we didn't get away till 1.30! Oh well that's what happens in Ecuador and as long as you make it home eventually - it's all good!

Another First and a pretty big one at that!

Ryan-Osarisita made her apparence today

Our son Ryan and his wife Lizi have just made us Grandparents to a beautiful little girl - of course I don't really know that she's beautiful because I haven't seen photos yet, but with parents like Ryan and Lizi she's bound to be! All is well with them both so we are very relieved. I haven't been sleeping well the last few nights and I think it is because we are so far away - a weird feeling that I can't just go and see them right now. Anyway it is only 3 weeks and I will be jetting my way home to have a wee peek - Mark and Amanda are staying here so I will have to get lots of photos for them.

To explain the knitted toy - we used to call Ryan - Osaris so I thought it was appropriate to knit one for Indie (that's her name - cool eh)

Can't sleep so time to update the blog with the comings and goings of the last few days.

First off - we were out witnessing this afternoon and I was nearly rendered speechless by one guy we met in a shop - he said he was an atheist! Now while that is not anything new back home in NZ - he is the first guy I have ever had here in Ecuador tell me that! With the population being 95% Catholic - and as I have said before - the Ecuadorian Catholics really do have a respect for the bible - they pretty much always listen to you and let you read a scripture or two - so this guy really threw me for a loop! Anyway we had a nice chat, trying to make some headway until he had a customer come in which put an end to that. The next place I talked at - the woman said " I'm Catholic" so I surprised her by saying how good it was to meet someone who believed in God! Was able to have a long talk with her and left her with some food for thought.

Needless to say - dinner was ruined!

Some of you long time readers of this blog may remember my experience of the gas oven blowing up in my face - way back when all was exciting and new. I have had a healthy respect for gas ever since but the other day, I had a little reminder of just how dangerous gas can be. I had just stepped out of the kitchen (thankfully) when there was an almighty boom and I rushed back in to see flames leaping up the wall and glass everywhere. I grabbed the fire extinguisher and couldn't get it to work and was in a right panic. Mark was out walking the dogs so I screamed over the telephone for him to come back as quick a possible as the flames were getting higher. I have never been so scared in all my life, I can tell you. He came hurtling back and saved the day of course and  thankfully the damage is minimal, it really could have been so much worse. In case you are wondering - it wasn't anything I was cooking that made it explode - it was a leak that had occurred in the pipe at the back and the reason I couldn't get the extinguisher to work, was because it was empty! I am just so thankful that I or anyone else, including the dogs, were not anywhere near it when the glass cover exploded!

Note to self - never leave a empty wine glass on the bench - it's an invitation
 to alcoholic creepy crawlies!

Well I am alone no more - Mark and Amanda are back with me and I have to say they look pretty good! So nice to have my family with me again - I am not cut out to living alone. We went out witnessing this morning, had to take an hour long bus ride to get to the territory, actually they are still out - it was too hot for me to continue so I came home for a siesta while they trudged on. Nice territory though - had some nice talks. When I got on the bus home, a little fellow sat beside me and fell asleep on my arm, he suddenly woke up when the bus started going down hill - said goodbye to me and off he hopped. Must has traveled that route so many times that he knew exactly when to wake up. Cute.