First day of Easter or Holy Week break started out like any other day-I felt that I was in for a day of mind numbing boredom with no travel plans, no friends in town, chores to do, a bored puppy.....I thought I would take a hike on the mountain but not entirely enthusiastic about the idea, i decided to stall by taking care of the pile of dishes in the sink and dirty clothes in the laundry basket.

The sky was cloudy, as it had been the past few days, and which my counterpart accounted to burning sugar cane on the coast...I was a little doubtful about that theory, holding out high hopes for some rain. I'll be singing a different tune come mid-rainy season, but the dry season (mid-november and on) has turned my town into a dustbowl-the likeness to an old western movie lost its rustic appeal quickly. Non-weather sealed doors + living next to the dirt soccer field = a lopsided battle against dust in my house.

Where was I? oh yes, I had decided to do chores. Now, since my host family moved to xela, taking their washer machine with them, I have been handwashing clothes more often than not-it is, in fact, easier than hauling them down to xela to the laundromat. Not being my favorite task, it only happens once or twice a month, and inevitably invokes a little shower. But today, as I was hanging my first socks out to dry, it began to sprinkle. Thunderclouds rolled in, i finished up with the laundry, and took the hint to curl up inside with a book all day so far. Have successfully only left the house to buy ingredients for Tomato Dumpling Soup and take Bella to stretch her legs. She's got rainy day puppy syndrome, but for the moment is curled up happily in my reading chair.

So a mediocre day has turned into a great, cozy, rainy day with fantastic thunder and lightning, which for me never gets old. With the power flickering on and off, I may even get to read by candlelight tonight. Willie Nelson on the stereo, some hot chocolate, and warm soup on the stove. Does life GET any better?