Life, in general, is challenging on several different levels.  We start our day usually with with breakfast in the screened-in dining area, from whence we can watch and listen to the morning birds.  There is one bird we have yet to actually see, but you cannot miss his distinctive call.  He sounds like he is playing an Anasazi flute, but in a major key.  We figure he must have a long neck to produce such tones.

I walk around with insect bites in various degrees of healing that dot my legs, feet, and arms.  I inevitably scratch them til they lead and scab.  Quite fetching.

The kitchen stove and oven run on propane, must be lit with a match, and the oven has no temperature indicator.  A missionary couple who came to visit brought us an oven thermometer so we'll see if that improves my culinary ability!

Our water is filtered through a system that sits on the counter next to the sink.We rinse dishes and  produce in a light bleach solution.  We keep a bottle of filtered water at our bathroom sink for brushing teeth.  When our water is off, we have a reserve tank in the yard that gives us a dribble when we turn on the faucets, but at least there's a dribble and we can flush toilets!

We don't have a change of sheets, so we hope and pray we have water and power when it's time to wash them!  We have been known, at the end of the day, to remake the bed with the dirty sheets, as we have not had either power or water (or both) during the day.

Every day ideally all the floors should be mopped and all furniture should be dusted.  Dust, dirt and bugs just accumulate daily.  Needless to say, daily cleaning does not always get done!

Some days I get nothing done that's on my list to do.  You never know what direction your day will go---always the unexpected or complicated.  For example, we have not had any meat, any fruit, or any veggies in the house for 4 days, and I kind of thought it might be a good idea to go buy some food.  But, each day other things have taken priority, and the cupboard is still bare.  When things are stressful AND you haven't eaten much, that adds to the tension and short fuses.  (If you know what I mean!)  Then something wonderful will happen, people return from the temple full of joy, a project gets completed, you witness baptisms, and you see the bigger picture again, and it's all worth it.