Nothing Says Carnaval Like A Stack Of Sheep's Heads

We had a peaceful week with some difficult books to image but we managed. Monday night we had a fun family home evening with the Agüeros downstairs. Sister Agüero made Columbian empanadas that were delicious and we took chocolate “mint” brownies. The brownies were yummy but it is impossible to find real mint extract or any extract for that matter. There is a “mint flavored” liquid that has green food coloring in it and after using nearly ½ bottle in the frosting there was a very faint hint of mint but it was green! They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery yet despite our longing for the desired effect and best efforts at divination and experimentation, they were nothing like the brownies that Kim makes in Edgewood, boo hoo!

We have a friend named Raquel that comes to model for Rich here at home. He has been working on portraits of her and we have had a fun time getting better acquainted. Julie made banana bread the other day which Raquel loves. This loaf had chopped pecans in it and Raquel didn’t know what kind of nut that is. Rich got one from the kitchen and showed it to her then invited her to eat it. She was bewildered when he gave her the half pecan to eat and said, “Oh, I can’t eat that! I couldn’t eat a  whole nut, they are too strong for me!” We had a good chuckle over that as we thought about all the whole nuts we have eaten in our lives.

Our favorite chef in Peru, Gaston Acurio opened up another restaurant here. It’s a sandwich, burger and fries kind of place. Their hamburgers are all veal and the ones we had were delicious.  We’re glad to know there is good place to get a burger now and then.  We also have a good place to get salads that are safe. We can buy lettuce in the market but it doesn’t last more than a day and it’s not great. Who knew that we would get cravings for lettuce?  Of course we have cravings for black licorice, Mexican food, Vietnamese food, Thai food, Kim’s brownies…but lettuce?

Saturday night we attended the adult session of the Cusco Stake Conference. It was a great meeting and we loved being there with the members. We were sitting near the front and had to chuckle when a stray dog wandered in and somehow made it up to the stand and to the back row of the choir before anyone tried to get him out. This church is big and modern, sits on a busy street and the chapel is upstairs in the building. That was one persistent pooch!

We spent Sunday in Izcuchaca and had a nice time there. There was a barbecue on the corner next to the church with salsa music blaring the whole time. It was a fund raiser for the family that lives in the home. Apparently the gas tank exploded and burned everything except for the physical adobe structure.  Fortunately the family is OK, but it is heartbreaking to see because they had next to nothing already and then lost it all. Life certainly can be tough at times.

Artsy beggar photo

Little salesgirl

Artsy beggar photo

Empanadas for breakfast

Not Mary Poppins

Checking on her  stuff

Waiting on a ledge

Beggar

Neighborhood Boxer

Getting breakfast

Joy on a trike



Julie in Gaston's burger joint

Rich in Gaston's burger joint

Sauces in in Gaston's burger joint

Ladies laughing at Rich

All business

Nuts for sale, go figure

Sawing  a sheep's head

Nothing says festive  like a stack of sheep's heads

Or  maybe nothing says festive  like a stack of cow's hooves

Or  maybe nothing says festive  like a cow's head

Just because Karisa likes funnily named Peruvian treats