It was Carnaval weekend. School was out the following Monday and Tuesday so my friends the Cascantes and I piled into their car and headed for Riobamba. Janett's parents have a lovely tourist center they built on an old hacienda where we could enjoy a night's sleep with no airplanes, no barking dogs, no construction going on half the the night, no traffic, no car alarms...ah, peace and quiet. I slept like a baby. I didn't even hear tree frogs clacking about rainy season.
Carnaval is a big deal in the Riobamba area. People in colorful costumes danced in the streets as town bands played the familiar tunes used often for celebrations. People milled around the city with cans that sprayed white form to see who they could catch off guard. Kids with buckets of water, garden hose or water balloons hid on roof tops or in doorways facing the street splashing those who didn't duck soon enough. We drove with the windows up and often had to turn the wipers on after giggles kids drenched the car on the way by.
That of course, was the fun part of Carnaval, but as evening approached, red faced men who had spent money they didn't have to spare on liquor they didn't need, staggered home, some leaning on their wife's shoulder, others simply sprawled out on the sidewalk to sleep it off. I was told they save all year to blow it on Carnaval parties. It broke my heart to go by their homes that stood in dire need of paint and upkeep knowing that the money had gone for such excess.
The new semester is in full swing. First semester kids finished up their projects (like this teddy bear) and a new set of middle schoolers are learning the art of cooking and sewing. I guess as a grandmother, kid nonsense bothers me less and less and I find myself just enjoying their youthful exuberance. "What are we making today, Ms. Ruth?" greets me at each cooking class. The room fills with a scurry of hand washing and apron tying. "Is this a teaspoon or a tablespoon? Where's the sugar? Can I break the eggs this time?" I love the excitement in their eyes as they carry home a piece of aluminum foil filled with their latest culinary conquest. Mom's also thank me for having the patience to teach their children to cook. It's great to hear that one of my kids made a pizza for the family or a batch of biscuits, or brownies or whatever they just learned. My eighth graders are trying to master needle and thread. We've gone from basic stitches to embroidery. Next nine weeks we'll tackle the sewing machines and projects like neck pillows and stuffed animals and maybe even white knuckled knitting. :) It takes them about a week to relax holding the needles.The big Christian School Conference is March 17th. All is coming together. Keep us in your prayers. I'll try to post more often. A computer crash complicated life for a while but we are back on track. My Ecuadorian pictures were still in my camera. Woo Hoo. Until next time...
