A downside of living so far from our families and American friends means that we don't get to see each other very often or without a couple days of travel.
On the upside you get a couple months notice before you have visitors allowing the anticipation to build, the house to be clean and the pantry well stocked.
I have found in life that my Dutch clean genetics kick in more when I know my mom is going to visit. So my house is neat and clean before the visit, benefiting us all. [On LaGonave we worried about the dust bothering mom's allergies, now we are concerned about molds, grasses and trees.] Now don't get the wrong idea, we're not living in a barn-just not as neat as my mom. [She isn't as neat as her mom either so I guess the neatness peaked with Grandma].
But adding 4 more adults into the house and 6 at meals means that we need to put away extra things and focus on the basics.
Today was a shopping day for Cory and John Pierre. The good news is that they were able to buy paint, pillows, a water cooler, frozen chicken, a new toilet, sandpaper, bread, a large rug, screen, and homemade hangers. Unfortunately,they learned that you cannot leave items in the back of the truck without supervision. [aparently merchants sitting near the truck don't count]. So the paint, screen and part of the toilet didn't make it home. Thank the Lord it was a lesson that we learned for less than $200 and the parts of the toilet that they left should work to replace the broken parts instead of replacing the whole thing.
Back at Fauche there was only one clinic patient, who was already being seen, so I returned to the house. Mom, Dad, Gene and Gerda leave clothes, shoes and other items here in boxes every year so that they have more room in their luggage for items we or the mission need. So every year before they come we get out the boxes-air out the clothes and have their items waiting for them in their rooms. This year we will need to work on their works shoes that have mildewed.
This year we also have to work with the cooks more. On LaGonave we had two very experienced cooks who would cook for the teams. Mme. Feliecian [pictured at Christmas with her 4 oldest] would cook lunches and Mme. Gilest cooked for supper. These ladies needed no training and continue to delight visitors at the guest house-especially with their coconut cream pies, fresh rolls and cookies. Yesterday, I translated a recipe for pie crust for the ladies who will be helping with the team.
The recipe was one with oil instead of Crisco and somehow the recipe for one crust ended up with oil for three. Easily solved-Cory helped them to triple the recipe and finish making 2 banana cream pies with an extra crust to freeze for next time. Cory did most of the guest house organizing on LaGonave so I still need to add to my Creole vocabulary words to help more with the guest house and cooking. The pies were good and we were glad to have two instead of one. So the team doesn't have to worry too much about food. We know that Gerda will help the gals to learn a few more American recipes during her time with us.
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