TGIM

Thank God it's Monday. I really do enjoy the development work I'm doing for Transitions. They perform a unique and needed service for Guatemalans with disabilities, so they have a great story to tell. Today was so beautiful that I decided to walk the ten or so blocks from our casita to Ochenta. In most places that would be unusual. Here, it's as natural as an afternoon rain during the rainy season.

My current project, which is due in Houston, via email, tomorrow, is for a significant donation from a Houston church. Today, I managed to get the financial information I needed to complete the grant's financial report for 2010. I'm still needing four more photos to accompany the application. Except meeting the deadline, there's not really any stress on this application, as it's a done deal. This church has provided significant support to Transitions for over ten years. I guess it helps that one of our U.S. board members is a member of the church.

Once that was done, I began researching other potential funders, although most won't be providing funding until 2012. Fund development is a long range activity. You just don't get funding by sending in a proposal,,,usually. I'm also researching on-line donation sources. We already use PayPal, but there are others that are project oriented that I'd like to use.

Today, Linda walked over to join me for lunch. After lunch, she went with Santo to do the weekly shopping in the mercado. I thought she would enjoy doing it and might even find some regular and dependable vendors for us to use. They left about 2:00 p.m. and didn't return until about 4:00 p.m. I won't say anything more about her mercado trip, since Linda will be blogging about it tomorrow.

After she returned, we lost Internet service at Ochenta, so I packed up and we headed home. On the way we saw this section of street where the cobblestones are being replaced. This happens every year in Antigua. All the streets get repaired in anticipation of Cuaresma (Lent) and Semana Santa (Holy Week). Both are big tourism draws here in Antigua. I can't wait to share them with you, now that we actually live in Antigua.

Soon afterwards, while crossing the street, I saw this street light pole base. I wonder if Coca Cola had to pay a fee to have their logo there. As much Coke as is drank here, they may have paid for the entire pole.

Heading on towards home, it began to sprinkle lightly, but we made it before anything substantial fell, which it did around 6:00 p.m. As in the morning, light sprinkles don't keep people here off the streets. For that matter, heavy rain doesn't either, except maybe some gringos.