The rain did a steady pour all night long. Not a good prelude to a man hike up a volcano with sleepover under tarps. Perhaps they could use their man drums at umbrellas (drums are a joke for all you literalists). Sounds possitively wet and torturous, but maybe the worse the conditions the stronger the manbond. It was still overcast and drizzly when the guys decided to go another day. It’s extremely unusual to have a cloudy morning here, but here it is. Turned out to be a good decision because it was overcast all day. They would have had no view to speak of, and lots of soggy clothes.
Instead we took our laundry and our books and went to the coffee shop. Lots of people gathered there like a little community center. We had so many conversations with people, I can’t even start to tell you of some of the crazy stories I heard once again. I’m continually fascinated and amuzed by the characters who live here, and make no mistake, there are many characters. Makes me feel downright normal, even bordering on the ho-hum.
I ordered a cake for Cali’s birthday. That was easy. Although I should wait until I pick up the finished product on Friday morning before I do my successful-ordering victory dance in the end zone. Like most tasks I do here for the first time, it takes much longer than at home, often with unpredictable results.
I know two families who own bakeries, so I went to each shop to find out what kind of birthday cake they could make. When I asked Cali what kind of cake she wanted, she emphasized that she does not want an adult cake. Even though I was nervous the answer may include body parts, I knew it would be irresponsible parenting not to ask for clarification on what that meant. She clarified, “Fancy yucky cakes that adults like, the kinds with stuff all over the top and lemon goo in the middle.” Thank goodness that’s all it is.
Ok. No adult cakes. No layers of flavors, fancily scupted adult icing, slices of fruit formed into flowers, spiral chocolate shavings or creatively arranged slices of marbled chocolate. She wants a basic chocolate cake smothered with lots of nasty sweet icing with her name plastered across the top in big swirly letters. I asked my friends where could I get this kind of kid-friendly cake and finally got the answer. A bakery right around the corner. I hoofed it up there, saw exactly what I was looking for. I ordered a big round cake, lousy with cheap pastel icing, with Cali’s name on it. I checked and rechecked the order slip. Looked good. Much to my delight the prices were posted, so there was no gringo sur charge. It’s refeshing to pay the local rate, at least sometimes. Sweetness.
Paul and I went and rented a movie, A Good Year. It’s one of Paul’s favorites because it’s set in a vineyard in southern France.
After Cali was tucked in bed for the night she called me upstairs, in tears. She said her best friend from school is moving to Mexico on Monday, forever. I knew this might happen because I’ve talked to her mom about this a few times. She has wanted to move to Mexico for years now. Her grown son lives there and she doesn’t want to raise her daughter in Pana. I called the mom to confirm what Cali was saying was correct because the timeline seems rather sudden. Turned out Cali had the dates right and I’d need a box of Kleenex. They are packing up and leaving town on Monday. Cali sobbed and sobbed. I sat with her for a long time, then each of her sisters came up and took a turn holding her. She couldn’t be consoled. She cried, no, more like wailed, “Why do all the people I love leave me?” I’m trying to figure out what in the world she is talking about. Here I’m thinkin’ she’s done some pretty cushy bubble-living these past 8 years. She reminded me that her best friend in first grade also moved away, and how could I forget that. True. How could I forget the summer of crying. She created a new river stretching from Paris to Southern France with all the tears she cried last summer. Poor thing. Eventually, out of sheer exhaustion, Cali fell asleep on Madi’s watch. Madi has a special knack for calming her down that none of the rest of us have. It’s one of her superpowers, thank goodness.
After Cali was asleep the rest of us watched the movie, Madi did her homework, Kier was online with friends back home.