Damascus

Saturday, August 25,2012

We finally have a day to relax.  Gloria told us we were welcome to stay in her house all day to do whatever we wanted.  She served us a delicious breakfast of omelets with broccoli and cheese, homemade bread and wonderful French press coffee. She drove us to Rose Bud in the morning to get coffee from a coffee roaster in the middle of Arkansas!  This family actually was from Seattle and the older man actually used to fix coffee roasters for Starbucks!  We bought 3 different roasts. 

. I helped her saw down the large branch of a tree that she was worried would fall across her road.  I do not know how old Gloria is but her Dad was born in 1890 and she keeps talking about her being the oldest of anyone on any of her many trips.  Here she is up on the edge of the bed of her pickup standing to saw the branch.  She climbs up on the tire like she is 16.  Simply amazing.  She also hiked into Machu Picchu in 2006, has been to Nepal, did volunteer work in India with Habitat and frequently travels solo, staying in hostels and with ATC people.  She recently returned from Tanzania on safari and a mission trip with her church in May.  She cooks healthy food and is currently my new role model!  Did I mention that she goes to the gym regularly?  Jack caught up on paperwork, Jodi worked on the blog and we were able to do laundry.  Gloria offered to cook us dinner of pasta Alfredo, wonderful salad and bread.  I watched her make her salad dressing with olive oil, balsamic, plain yogurt and a splash of Italian dressing.  Nummy!  Also a nice bottle of Ecco Domani pinot noir.  Lovely evening of conversation and then she showed us her Machu Picchu pics.  Certainly a memorable day and stay.