Today we worked in the garden. Probably not enough work but I got filthy dirty and blistered my hands even more.

I keep meaning to work on the mural but I need more white paint and I don’t know where it is. I’ve asked Stef but he didn’t get it for me.

We planted beans, zucchini, and lettuce.

We also grubbed out another plot to plant.

After lunch Stef and Veronica went back to work on it, but I showered and then went to the supermercado. It will be closed tomorrow for Good Friday and maybe until Easter. God forbid I run out of Coke Zero.

I also bought the ingredients for strawberry shortcake. I told Stef and Veronica about what we would traditionally have for Easter dinner and they thought strawberry shortcake sounded amazing. So I bought what I need to make some. Without measuring spoons or cups. In metric. Wish me luck.

Today we got more work done. Stef said he had been down the last few days but now it was time to get more work done. So we organized the laundry room and I painted some doors downstairs. Lunch was very simple, salad in tortilla wraps, which Stef requested. I think Stef is getting tired of my “complicated cooking,” although I think I have been cooking pretty simply.

Anyway, after lunch I took a brief rest on my bed, because I was SO COLD, then went to the garden and dug up all the weeds again. It was not easy. The hoe rubbed a blister which popped and then a second blister formed afterward. But the garden is ready for planting tomorrow.

The Italian volunteer arrived around 6. Stef asked me at lunch if we were going to speak English or Spanish, and I said Spanish. My Spanish really hasn’t been getting better since Montse and Carlos left. (Carlos made it to Barcelona, btw.) Hopefully it will go back to improving.

I have only met the volunteer; Stef brought her out to the garden where I was working. We said, “Hola” and when I came in she was in her room. Stef heated rice with chili peppers for dinner and I had that damn stew. The volunteer didn’t come out until I was in my room, so I have no idea what she is eating. Hopefully the rest of the stew.

I’m not really sure what to cook tomorrow, or if I should. We haven’t had many pilgrims, and Montse is demanding Stef pay what he owes her. But we are in the middle of Holy week, which is actually a time you get pilgrims, and we haven’t been. And we need to be sure we have all the food we want tomorrow, because the stores will close and they won’t open again until Monday.

Time just gets away from me here. I look at each day and ask, “What did I really do?”

Yesterday’s Curried Butternut Squash and Lentil Stew wasn’t bad, but damn there was a lot of it. We ate it for lunch again today and there is still half of it left. I bought some freezer bags at the supermercado because I am tired of the damn stuff.

I got up around 11 and Stef and I talked until 1 p.m. Then we changed the sheets on the beds (we had two pilgrims last night) and started the laundry. I went for a walk in the rain, got the bags and some Coke Zero (dropped on in the store, so it is in the fridge till tomorrow) then painted a door downstairs that needed a second coat. (It needs a third too, but that is tomorrow.) I was going to work on the mural but I got cold. Dinner was broccoli and mushrooms over rice. I told Mom she’s going to start eating more vegetarian food when I get back.

I know I’ve lost weight but I have no idea how much. But walking and eating mostly veggies will do that. Even though I eat “postre” most days. And a fair amount of Napolitana cookies, although not as many as I used to. (I’m bring a box back, guys, don’t worry. Maybe two.)

I also talked to Montse and Gingerbread Jon. I wanted to make sure he was okay after the shootings in New York. He is.

These pictures aren’t from today but I know y’all like pictures so here you go.