The infrequency with which this country provides internet for everyone's use is borderline comical.
I stopped at the internet cafe in the pueblo, the cheaper one, to use their Skype in the fan-cooled white tile room.... however, the smiling woman who works there politely informed me that they were "out of internet." Bummer. I went across the highway to the pricier, tourist-riddled Internet Cafe, prepared to spend the astronomical 6 US dollars for an hour of internet, only to find it closed, with a For Sale / Se Vende sign duct-taped to its window. Double bummer. So I dug out my iPod, which can receive wireless internet where available, and was just in the middle of checking things on Facebook when the power died. My frustration level is rising.
So I'm here, at the Papeleria-cum-Internet Cafe, on a yellowing old IBM computer, having just endured two unexpected power outtages waiting for my gMail account to load.
Again, at this point, it's almost comical.

The past few days have nearly drowned the ranch - dogs, chickens, cats and all - in a torrential downpour of biblical proportions. I've been working mostly inside, doing some spring cleaning with Lucy (which involves me pulling down plastic cups and Pyrex dishes from high shelves, hoping that roaches don't land on my head)... and occasionally, when the rain tapers off to a sprinkle, running out to plant papayas and banana trees out by the WWOOF house.
The dogs are frustrated, too, cooped up due to the rain, sleeping on damp blankets that refuse to dry completely in the humid air, and we've had two terrifying dog fights in the past week. As I said to Lucy this morning, the strength of the 'pack mentality' is something one doesn't really understand fully until one witnesses an out-and-out brawl between the dogs. Pulling a Rottweiler off of a hardened jungle pup with teeth flying everywhere and primal snarls and growls from all sides is enough to make anybody a believer in the wild wolf origins of these seemingly domestic animals.
Thankfully, none of the dogs were wounded seriously, and Lucy and I were shaken up, but neither of us sustained any kind of injury, which is good. Just shaky knees and hoarse voices from screaming at them to stop.

I'm winding down here at the ranch, not so much losing steam or motivation... just becoming preoccupied with dreams about Belize. I love working here, and I love Mexico on the whole, but the old itch is nagging at me and I'm ready to move along. Working at Lucy's has been an enriching, exciting, and thoroughly enjoyable experience, but ultimately the property belongs to her, and for all of the work I've done, I won't reap any of the benefits. I'm not upset about this fact in the least... on the contrary, I know that the ranch runs more smoothly with the help of volunteers and I care about Lucy's stress level enough to feel satisfied in just helping things along here, for her sake. I'm excited, though, to get my hands in the dirt of Belize and plant herbs and veggies and flowers that Jake can enjoy for the next two years. Even if it's not me using the homegrown cilantro for salsa, it's someone I care about... and it'll be fun to hear about the progression of the garden once I'm back Stateside.

Que mas.... Thank yous are in order for both my wonderful Nana and my extremely generous Papa, without whose help I probably wouldn't be able to do this whole soul-searching, solo-traveling shebang. Thank you, thank you. :)
More to come as I move on down the coast. Until then,
abrazos
Suzy