Making a House a Home

This weekend I had my first house guests, as I had a mini cottage warming party with four good PCV friends. I've been in my new place just over a month, and the work back in November and December sweeping, disinfecting, and adding fresh coat of paint certainly helped brighten the mood.  Moving in was a relief, and my kitty (to be profiled later) helped make the place feel lived in.  Still, there's nothing like some good laughter and companionship to make a place feel really one's own.  

Friday two of the crew arrived and we made mango curry for dinner.  Breakfast the next morning was pancakes and hash-browns.  Once the other two arrived, we hiked up to the cemetery to enjoy the view and a picnic of granola-tacos (tortillas with peanut butter, granola, and honey inside: delightful).  After a trip to the neighboring town to pick up supplies, we entertained ourselves by producing large and scrumptious meals for dinner (tostadas with spicy bean dip and mango tomato salsa, home made macaroni and cheese) and breakfast (french toast with mango sauce, hash-browns, scrambled eggs).  

We probably spent most of our weekend preparing, consuming, and cleaning up after our culinary adventures, with a movie huddled around my laptop thrown in for good measure. I suppose the opportunity to pool our resources and eat some gringo food after all those beans and tortillas was too good to pass up.  Last night we had three in my bed (plus one cat), and two on a futon-ish mattress on the floor with sleeping bags and shared blankets for a cozy night indeed.  

On the way down from the cemetery we found some wheat just after harvest (a fairly uncommon crop) and played farmhand for a photo.  (Our 5th companion is taking the photo, of course).

Below are the long promised shots of my pleasant little place, well spruced up with the many items I was able to buy for a one-price-fits-all screaming deal off another volunteer who ended up leaving Guatemala early.  Many times over the weekend I was asked "where'd you buy this?" and I would respond, "I inherited it..." to my companions' increasing envy.  The shots start in my cooking corner and rotate clockwise around the room (skipping the doorway).  

Kitchen.  Where the magic happens.

Rest of kitchen, and mud room... er... bench.

Wardrobe, bath, and laundry room area. 

Bed.  Not made due to a sleeping feline.  Please excuse.  

Office + Refrigerator space.
Look!  I have a microwave!  Not something I'd ever have imagined in Peace Corps or considered purchasing for myself, but since it came with the rest of the furniture.... I mean, I didn't even have one of these in the states for a good while there!  I think I've used it four times, so far.

The room is pretty spacious, and allows me to feel like I have a separate sleeping area from cooking, with my little office-y spot in between.  The door behind the oven leads to the grandfather's office (but we don't use that door, clearly), and the door to the left of my bed leads to a storage room that I don't have rights to use.  I just keep the door open to let a little more natural light through from the other little window.