The Spider and the Superbowl

Well, I managed to pack my camera when we went places this week, and its a good thing because I was able to capture the horror I stumbled across. On Saturday, Jude and I were at "The Hacienda," a term for the guesthouse we reserve for interns and people on short-term trips. It's sort of up higher in the mountains and a bit, well, rustic. Ted and Annie were still down at the orphanage and Jude and I were in the living room playing and waiting for them. I turned to leave the room and was almost out the door when I saw a TARANTULA walking across the table next to the door...I froze and grabbed Jude, trying to remember whether tarantulas were capable of leaping toward people or if it was safe to scoot out the door a foot away from it. Apparently I kept repeating "Oh my gosh" over and over because Ted walked in then and said he heard me talking as he was walking up to the house. He ran and grabbed a bowl from the kitchen and trapped it on the table and we exited safely (but not without a mighty shudder on the way past!) YUCK! Here are some pictures of the ghastly thing.



Bolivia has been crazy this month. Carnaval is coming up, and technically its supposed to only last 3 days but in Cochabamba, its been going on for a month already. And its basically an all-city (all-continent?) water balloon fight. Everywhere you go, anytime of day, teenage kids hurl water balloons at anyone on the street, sometimes from behind corners and sometimes from moving cars. Some of its in good fun, but some of its awful. They'll freeze the balloons and throw them at people's heads. Ted and I have seen business women walking down the street get hit in the head. When we go out to eat, Ted has to hail a taxi from behind the shelter of cars, then hold the door open so Jude and I can run straight out and jump in! They throw them at the sides of cars driving by. I've managed to escape without getting hit (yet). Ted has not been so lucky.

Funny story: we were coming home in a taxi yesterday. Traffic laws are different here, as in, no lanes and you don't have to obey lights or stop signs. I noticed we were dangerously close to an SUV driving along next to us...then closer...then an inch and I braced for a bump or scrape of some type, when our driver rolled down his window and PUNCHED the side of their car as hard as he could, and yelled what translates as "pay attention!" I don't see what was wrong with his horn, but after an incredulous silence, we all died laughing at his outburst, and he eventually cracked a smile:)

And, finally, the Colts. Our beloved Colts lost, and we drowned our sorrows in chicken quesadillas. But we're darned proud of them. Jude was allowed to stay up 2 hours past his bedtime to cheer them on:) Let the countdown begin until next season!