I'm here but not really

I've been on a cleaning frenzy for the past week.  Closets, windows, cupboards... Not that it seems I've gotten so much done but it has consumed my waking hours (and I've even dreamed about cleaning some nights).

Our transmission has been making noises for a while and Ivan decided we needed to get that taken care of before we head to Uruguay at the end of the month for our annual missionary conference. He'd talked to a mechanic he trusts in Sta. Rosa the last time we were out here, so we decided to "kill two birds with one stone" and bring it out here to be fixed while we get the house ready for our guests who are coming. They'll be spending a few weeks out here later in March.

So we've been in Sta. Rosa for a couple of days now, LAND OF THE SUPER SLOW INTERNET. Couldn't get it to work on Tuesday. Yesterday I was able to check two e-mails (out of seven) before it went down and would not come back up. Ivan got it to work later in the day while I was fixing supper but by the time I could get to it, it was back down. This morning it's working. Kind of. It went down once already but then came back up.We'll see if I can keep it going long enough to post.

Not sure how long the car will take but meanwhile we have plenty to keep us busy at the house. After a summer of different families using it, the house was ready for a good scrubbing. The yard is coming back, too, with the rain we've had recently so Ivan has been busy outside.

Recent visitors Mirta and family started the job of reviving the terrazzo floor in the main living area. A while back I had looked up what to do on the internet and the different sites I found said you had to strip it with a special product for terrazzo floors before sealing it again. We hadn't been able to find that special product anywhere. Then when we had dinner with Mirta and family recently, they said no, you just had to make sure the floor was clean and then start putting on the sealer (wax). Lorena said it would take several applications over a few months to bring back the luster but it would definitely return. Since they were coming out that next weekend, they said they'd start the process. Even after just one application of wax, the floor looks so much better! I'm going to apply another coat this time and again when we come back with our friends next month. I'm excited to see the floor revived!


My back is still hurting so I continue to move slowly. It's frustrating but I have only myself to blame for moving all those big bins of fabric instead of asking Ivan to do it for me. That'll teach me to be impatient.

Yeah, right. When do I ever learn that one?

Praising the Lord for cooler weather this week. It has made cleaning much more pleasant. We've had more rain too, which is much needed. It rained the whole trip out here Tuesday and through the night. I love waking up to the sound of rain on the roof.

Hoping it doesn't rain this evening though. We've invited friends over for asado and the outdoor grill here is not covered. Yesterday I cooked up beets and today I'll boil the carrots for a colorful salad. Each are cut into matchstick shapes and refridgerated until chilled (separately). When I'm ready to serve I season one or the other with salt, vinegar and oil and at the last minute toss in the other vegetable and lightly mix. The bright orange and purple look and taste fabulous together but if you mix them too soon or too much the dish gets muddy looking.

I'm going to try making brownies for dessert. We'll see how that goes! My last batch wasn't awful, but it did fall a bit in the center. Not as much as the other batches though.

We'll (hopefully) be back in Villa Carlos Paz by Saturday (I still have a lot of cleaning to do there!) but it's all dependent on the car. Until then you won't hear much from me. I'm here, but not really.