Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Napkin hats
Thanks to Scott Pike of Enfoque Ixcán for these pictures. Enfoque Ixcán is a cool organization that provides eye care and health education in rural Ixcán, Guatemala.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Visit from Gus
My dad just visited us! He participated in, and I translated for, the Needham delegation's visit to its sister community of Santa María.
Between bagel breakfasts, rural and urban walks, conversations about health issues and human rights, and Curious George reading sessions, we kept him busy! He kept himself busy, too: despite supposedly being on vacation, he'd awake well before dawn, plow through some paperwork, then go on a sunrise hike to the top of the community, and come home to brew some coffee. He'd be exercised, caffeinated, and ready to go by 6:15 to meet up with the rest of the delegation.
The kids of course loved the quality time with Grampa Gus. Thanks for coming! We love you!!
Between bagel breakfasts, rural and urban walks, conversations about health issues and human rights, and Curious George reading sessions, we kept him busy! He kept himself busy, too: despite supposedly being on vacation, he'd awake well before dawn, plow through some paperwork, then go on a sunrise hike to the top of the community, and come home to brew some coffee. He'd be exercised, caffeinated, and ready to go by 6:15 to meet up with the rest of the delegation.
The kids of course loved the quality time with Grampa Gus. Thanks for coming! We love you!!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Ode to Cresh
Our beloved cat Cresh died.
Our friends Shannon and Luis gave her to us after rescuing her as a stray. She lived with us for over 7 years: in Santa María, in Mixco on the outskirts of Guatemala City, and in our current home. She loved being a mother and purred deeply when caring for her babies. A sweet-natured cat, she put up with our children's well-meaning by sometimes rough handling. As Chely learned to be gentle, Cresh increasingly sought her out and followed her around.
Cresh developed bone cancer, and over the last several weeks had become weak and thin, with serious breathing problems. She still seemed to have a semi-decent quality of life, though, since she would still purr when we pet her. The day that she no longer purred even when we tried to comfort her, I knew that her life was close to the end. I took her to the vet, and she died in his office.
We held little family ceremonies for her both before and after she died. We buried her in the wooded ravine behind our home. It is somewhat poetic, or at least fitting: she was born in a ravine of Guatemala City, and she is now buried in a ravine of Guatemala City.
I keep expecting her to appear around a doorway, though.
On the last day of Cresh's life, Chely wrote (with corrected spelling):
I love Cresh. Cresh is a good cat. I love it when she plops on my lap. I love when Cresh smiles at me. She is a good girl.
We miss our precious cat.
Our friends Shannon and Luis gave her to us after rescuing her as a stray. She lived with us for over 7 years: in Santa María, in Mixco on the outskirts of Guatemala City, and in our current home. She loved being a mother and purred deeply when caring for her babies. A sweet-natured cat, she put up with our children's well-meaning by sometimes rough handling. As Chely learned to be gentle, Cresh increasingly sought her out and followed her around.
Cresh developed bone cancer, and over the last several weeks had become weak and thin, with serious breathing problems. She still seemed to have a semi-decent quality of life, though, since she would still purr when we pet her. The day that she no longer purred even when we tried to comfort her, I knew that her life was close to the end. I took her to the vet, and she died in his office.
We held little family ceremonies for her both before and after she died. We buried her in the wooded ravine behind our home. It is somewhat poetic, or at least fitting: she was born in a ravine of Guatemala City, and she is now buried in a ravine of Guatemala City.
I keep expecting her to appear around a doorway, though.
On the last day of Cresh's life, Chely wrote (with corrected spelling):
I love Cresh. Cresh is a good cat. I love it when she plops on my lap. I love when Cresh smiles at me. She is a good girl.
We miss our precious cat.
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