New Year's Eve

December 31:

It rained last night and the ground was basically one big puddle.  We went to sleep with rain pounding on the roof, and anticipation of a rainy day today.

However, when we woke up, although it was very dark and overcast, it wasn't rainy.  We ate breakfast at Mrs. Chocs and got to hear Cleofo's grandchild crying again.  He is 2 weeks old!  It rained a bit during breakfast, so I moved our backpacks into the cab, but afterwards cleared up nicely.  We walked about 2 miles over rough terrain (fairly large ditches and slippery rocks and fallen trees) to Pool 1.  It had changed quite a bit from 2010, so we took some photos at the water's edge.  We surveyed 3 plots and then walked back out again.  We wore Dad out, and we had to stop every so often to make sure that he was indeed still following us.  The last time Cleofo was at Pool 1, one of the guys in the group took a wrong turn and ended up lost for 1 1/2 hours until Cleofo and company found him.  We didn't want to have to be locating Dad, so we waited for him.  Earlier in the day, Cleofo and I examined a potential new site, and I called for Dad to follow us.  It wasn't far from where he was, but Cleofo had taken an unusual path, so Dad ended up lost for awhile.

It was a bit chilly with the windows rolled down on our way back to Valley of Peace, and the weather was very nice overall today.  We picked up Ernesto's family on the way back to Banana Bank, and I got to meet his 2-month-old daughter.  So many babies all over the place!  I am surprised how many babies the women of Valley of Peace pop out in their reproductive years.  I think that Ernesto and Cleofo have about average-sized families.

Tomorrow is Cleofo's last day with us in the field before he has to go back to work for the logging company.  I was very lucky to get him this trip.  Usually, he works 15 days, has off 2, and goes back for another 15.  This pattern repeats all year, according to him.  However, with this being the holidays, he got off quite a bit of time and I was able to put him to work!

Dad is still playing Christmas music on my laptop, and still working to make his machete as sharp as possible.  Tomorrow, we are switching rooms and moving to a house (next to the aviary) that I have never stayed in before.  It should be fun!