To Town

I like to read.  I used to think anything would do.  But now, I am a bit more particular.  I especially like history and historical fiction.  I have read about the people settling in Texas and other places and the  hardships they endured.  In most cases, people did not go to town very often.  It was a planned event and the trip was to purchase everything that would be needed for several months.  Indian attacks and sudden changes in weather were things about which they worried.  At the time, my American mind could not fathom buying things for several months, or weeks.  Or in many cases, even for several days.  There was always one more trip to Wal-Mart.

Now days, we plan our trips to town and buy everything we can while we are there.  I buy groceries for Casa for a month and we go to the market for fresh fruits and vegetables every other week.  This time, the first of the month groceries and one of the market trips coincided.  Also, the school uniforms needed to be purchased.  And we always have a list of things to buy at the hardware store.

As I get in my 1999 Isuzu Trooper, there is no way my trip to town can be compared to the early settlers' trip to town.  I am sure I have a much more comfortable journey, though the roads in Honduras may not be much better than the wagon-rutted roads of earlier days.  I don't have to worry about attacks from Indians, just about being cut off by the crazy taxi and bus drivers. 

Friday, I made that journey with my lists in my hand.  Now, that we have two houses open, the grocery store and the market are both huge tasks.  I tackled the market first.  By the time I finished, the back end of the trooper was pretty full.  I bought the school uniforms, went to the hardware store and the office supply store.  I still had to go to the grocery store.  Matt was in town.  Thankfully, he met me at PriceSmart.  I took a flatbed and he took a flatbed and we started with laundry detergent and toilet paper.  Both are consumed in huge quantities around here.  Think laundry for 24 children. 

If Matt had not been with me, it would have taken me three hours.  I load one cart, pay for it, take it to the car, go back in, load another cart, etc.  Matt and I together were able to negotiate PriceSmart in a little over an hour.  Then we loaded the things for the big house in his car and the things for the other house in my car.  I was so glad to be on my way up the mountain.  By the time I got home, I had been gone over 8 hours and the cars still had to be unloaded. 

I know sometimes the early settlers purchased a little treat while they were in town.  We got home and unloaded the cars and found Marc had pizza waiting for us.  That was just the treat I needed after a long day in town.

Terri