20 January

This morning at the construction site, the workers had started on the walls for the service zone. The back and side walls were about a meter and a half tall. They told us that the walls for this building would be completed within three days. They would then do the floor and finally the roof. This is the building we need to have completed in the next couple of weeks so we can store the our belongings from the container. The container is due to arrive on the 2nd of February, and depending on who you talk to, it arrives either in Lima or Paita. The movers have gone through some transitions, so it is hard to know what the channels of communication are. We're hoping the original promise of door to door service still applies and the movers will take it through customs.

This afternoon, I laid out the backing, batting and quilt top on the floor of the kitchen. It was the only space large enough to do this. We are living in a space just shy of 200 square feet. I got the layers basted together and all is looking good. I want to head into Mancora tomorrow to a shop that has yarns, thread and beads. I'm hoping she will also have a hoop so I can begin quilting.

Also this afternoon, Caroline and I went to Mancora for a yoga class. The yoga classes are offerred at Samana Chakra, a hotel we've stayed at several times. It turns out that this week is a workshop for yoga instructors but we were welcomed into the class. The instructor is from India but currently living in Lima and is up here for this workshop. The poses for this class were done using ropes anchored on a wall, chairs and blocks. It certainly wasn't your typical yoga class. Challenging but not organized for beginning yoga students.

This is also where we originally met Lupe, who has begged us for work. Her original request grew into a request to hire four workers. We have told them we do not need or want four workers, but will hire only two. So far they have not listened to us and all four are still looking for employment. When we left Samana Chakra this evening after the yoga class, the guard at the gate told me that Lupe's husband, Frank was waiting at the corner. Sure enough, as I approached the corner for the turn off to the highway, Frank, Mario, his wife and child were there waiting for me. Apparantly, Lupe has been ill and has returned to her hometown of Piura to recuperate. Frank, Mario and his wife wanted to talk with me about hiring them. I gave them my phone number and told them we would be willing to talk with them. Doug and I are not hiring anyone until May and will only hire two people. The longer this goes on with Lupe and Mario, the more convoluted it gets. I suspect we will not hire anyone of them and will end up hiring someone from the mountains that we don't have a personal relationship with.

Afte we