Life is But A Dream

I had to return my rental car because the cost of rental and insurance was more than what my per Diem allowance was. Peace Corps will not reimburse for car rental but will give you mileage. So I was back to using public transportation for short trips (the bus system sucks in California especially central coast public transportation) but my son who owns a construction company had a work truck I could use for emergencies.  The truck is a diesel 2500 that needs 2 parking spots and it was a little intimating to drive. At first my foot couldn't reach the pedals and it was hard to handle but once I got use to it I was fine (did I have a choice!!).  I did find that when people saw me behind the wheel, they just kind of moved out of the way, I felt powerful!!  I had to make a stop at Costco to pick up a few things before I came back.  There were only single parking slots and one between two other trucks (not nearly as big as the one I was driving), so I squeezed in between the two and figured I would run in and out before they got back and saw they had little room to get into their trucks.  As I was coming out of the store I pass an older man with a cart full of groceries and apparently he was watching me as I came up to the truck, opened the door and was just about to get in, he said I would have never guessed in a million years that would be the car you were driving!!!!  He just so happen to be the owner of the truck that I parked next to.  He smiled and shook his head and so did I.  As I was going back to my son's I notice the gage light on so I pulled over and called my son.  Mom he said, it is just overheated, you have to get to a gas station and put water in the radiator. Sure sweetheart, but the hood of this truck is above my head, how do you propose I do this? Mom, you will figure it out, if not call me.  Darn, nothing is ever easy.  I went to the first gas station I saw and just hoped that someone would help me.  I pulled as close as I could to the water hose and got out to open the hood and I knew I was in trouble when I couldn't get the latch to unhook.  I went inside, and explain my problem and the attendant came outside to help.  He asked why I was driving this huge truck and again I explain it was my son's work truck and I was only borrowing it. Well, he put water in the radiator and I was off to spend a couple hours at the beach. Another crisis adverted, I did not blow up the truck!!! It was a GREAT day.  Here are a few pictures.



My ride

At the beach an Art Show

Look how beautiful the Beach was



These last six weeks have flown by but alas all doctors have cleared me to go back to Azerbaijan.  I left on Sunday and was in Baku on Tuesday at 2 am with rain. Oh joy. Fortunately, a friend of mine gave me a North Face rain coat, boy did that come in handy.  I got to the hotel around 3:30 am and went to sleep. In the morning, I went to the PC office, met with the doctors, they told me if I have one episode of swelling that HQ told them they had to send me home. I told them that if I did, I probably would not tell them.  I also spoke with my program manager and the director.  The next day Wednesday, I took a bus to Zaqatala, a 7 hour bus ride but at least it stopped raining.  I was greeted by my site friend Kaylee and my cat Mint who let me know it was about time I got back!! I spent the next couple of days paying bills,buying groceries and cleaning.  The dust on the floors made me sneeze it was so bad. The weather is finally warm enough that I can sleep in my bedroom again, so I clean the floors, put clean sheets on the bed and it is now ready.  I go back to school on Monday and there is only a month left of school.  My site mate had started conversation club at the university here for me so I will go with her on Wednesday and we have decided to split the group up.  I am also working with her on a summer camp in her village in September.  Zaqatala's summer camp will be in June and I am working with my Azerbaijani friend on that.  She wants to have an environmental summer camp with hiking, park clean up and recycling.  So we will see how that goes.  I am planning a couple of trips this summer, one to Croatia and one to Georgia.  So it looks like it is going to be a busy summer.

Life Challenge:  You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream   C.S. Lewis