Traveling to A Home Away from Home

José's rabbit

Ruth and her parrot Cuchito

Cuchito the parrot and his quail friend

Flying over Niagara Falls, lower left corner!

When my son-in-law dropped me off at the airport, he said I looked like an excited teenager. I guess love will do that! But I won´t be joining Leví till the 28th.Well, uneventful is a good way for flights to be. All flights were on time. I took advantage of wheelchair service due to sometimes great distances between gates (especially Chicago!) Thanks to sis Deb´s love offering I was able to tip those who served. Especially when the gal in Chicago told me she gets only $5 per hour, plus tips, and she has a baby, and is going to college in the fall. (She was responding to my questions) But once there, I have them leave me, and I do local walks to stretch out a bit.  The longest layover was in Miami, so I did my first drawing. When I have more photos to download, I´ll put it on with an explanation.
My welcoming committee in Lima was a bit smaller than at other times - many WANTED to go, but having to BE there at 4:30 in the morning is daunting (it´s a good hour or so to Villa el Salvador from the airport) - especially for those who have to study for exams. But Jorge and Sabina came with two of my boys, Rónald and José, and they helped load the 2 heavy boxes into the taxi, the driver of which wanted 35 sols at first, but then 50 when we came to the end. That´s about $20, low by US standards, but high there. I covered it - the least I could do for robbing my friends of sleep! Note to self - next trip, get a later flight! Sabi, Rónald and José dozed in the cab on the way home - I  told Jorge he had to stay awake because no way could I give directions.
Sabi prepared me a breakfast of a hamburger as I showed her the herbs and spices Abi and I had gotten for her. She was eager to try them out. I gave José and Rónaald the little goodies I had acquired from my flight - some fancy chocolates a fellow traveler gave me from her business trip, and a couple of oatmeal cookies from the last flight´s"dessert" - and also their "gorras"- baseball caps: for the music team I had gotten some army grey ones that said "God´s Army", which go well with the "Soldado de Bendicion" shirts I gave them last year.
After breakfast I went next door to my hosts´ house, Irma and Wilfredo (José's parents) and had a nap to catch up a bit on lost sleep. I returned to the church at 12:30, where Sabi had lunch about ready, having used some of her new spices.
I've met José's pet white rabbit, and Ruth's little parrot and  pet quail. A nice quiet change from two hulking slobbery boxers fauning for attention! And now here I am. Son Jhon has arrived, so I have to give him his hat and bandana and peanut butter - he gets a little extra spoiling since his own mother passed away. And later I'll have Moisés help me load photos. Youth service is tonight, so I want to get in on that. Hasta luego!
 ... After blogging, son Jhon pops his head in to greet me - he knows I brought him his own jar of peanut butter. I came out of Moisés' room (where the computer is) to visit with him and another son, César. Poor Sabi was tired, so she took a nap while the 3 of us just chilled. Of course I tried to give some motherly advice - to Jhon," Share your peanut butter", to César, "if you want him to share, you contribute the jelly", to both, don't be unequally yoked, and reading to them from 2 Timothy 2 - Love my "Soldados de Barro"! I get back to the computer after they leave, and Sabi spoils me with tangerines, apricots, and fried dough!