Adrián and Maria-José have a couple of cats they rescued and they rule the roost with the exception of a twenty foot no go zone Rusty has created around our cottage.Robert the American has finally got his Land Cruiser camper sorted to his satisfaction and is leaving for Argentina. We aren’t quite yet.
Rusty spent yesterday snoozing apparently wiped out by his afternoon on the beach so we decided to let him rest but Layne had discovered there is a fish truck in Colonia Valdense on Wednesdays from 9 till noon so we climbed aboard GANNET2 and left Rusty to nap as he declined to join us.
The lady in line in front of us overheard Layne tell the fishmonger we were from the US and she asked me how we like Uruguay. Very pretty I said, and peaceful. Peace is important she replied with a twinkle in her eye.
Our lives here have taken a peaceful turn I suppose when the event of the day is a ten minute drive to buy some hake fillets and some fresh Uruguayan shrimp.
The guy was cheerful and helpful directing Laynes attention to what they agreed she might like. I’m not sure it’s visible but the fish names behind him were reproduced in English:
Then we drove to the gas station and bought some $8:25 a gallon regular. The attendant was cheerful and laughed when I explained as always that gringo vans use gas, or at least our Promaster does. At least you speak Spanish, he said. Two weeks ago a Russian tourist came by to get gas. What a problem he laughed remembering his struggles to communicate.
The winter sun was a pleasure to see but a 59 degree day felt much colder for some reason. The day passed in a haze of napping, collecting firewood, reading and watching Rusty snore. Not exactly a life lived radically.
I also rather brilliantly managed to stick my elbow through a glass pane in the door as I struggled to close the latch which was particularly sticky. Adrián called a glazier who showed up in less than half an hour in his Chinese truck with all necessary gear.
I tried to picture such a rapid response in the Keys where getting work done was more of an annoyance. The glazier also fixed the door latch and checked a couple of windows Adrián plans to modify in the main house. And an hour later it was like nothing had ever happened and my elbow had long since stopped bleeding.
We’ve started Rusty on his glucosamine regimen to get his legs stronger. Our plan is to take off as soon as the pills take effect and he gains some strength. He’s still a bit too wobbly for van life.
I can easily afford a little boredom to give him time to heal properly; he’s worth it.
