October 26, 2011 My bedroom.

It's a great, old house. An inheritance from a prosperous, gracious era. It sits snug against the  corner sidewalks, but off to one side is a big yard.

 

My bedroom is the one in the peak. Three sides are outside walls with big windows. No screens, just hefty grates and inside are sliding windows.

So much space around a house in a settlement is uncommon. I had no idea what to expect in my placement. I imagined country, and I imagined town, but I was surprised to find this combination.The big yard full of trees allows the air to move and we have a breeze almost all the time, day and night.
It is quiet here, too. Well, lets qualify that. At 3:00AM the roosters (you can see one in the cage to the left of the yellow bush) flap their wings wildly and split the air and the dogs start barking intermittently. Then the dogs in the neighborhood start conversing. At 4:00AM the church bells start. I count about 50 peals. "Why 50 and why the irregular rhythm?" I asked a resident. Their answer was that the only meaning has always been to get going! Start praying and preparing to come to church.

My nest and my red mosquito net, which I roll up and clothespin to the curtain every morning. At night I pull it down and tuck it under the mattress all the way around.

It's been Christmas time since early September, so Ate Belin decorated with these pillows. (Standing up in the arm of the chair is my big, typhoon-strong umbrella.) Ate Belin also hung fresh curtains for me a few days ago. Many days I walk into my room to find that some nice little change has taken place. The shelves on the left materialized and all my shoes were arranged on them. One day the pitcher and glass appeared on a little tray. They tend to me, wanting to make sure I'm comfortable.

Here's the view from over my bed. The grates are reassuring. It's like sleeping outside, only completely protected. Now look beyond the grates and the roofs...

...this charming antique house. And turn your head to the left, toward the sound of the bells and here is what you see.

The rising sun reflects off them and they shine bright yellow.

So this is what I leave in the morning and what I come home to in the afternoon. I settle down in my bed-corner to read or use the computer and right about that time the daily broadcast of the Rosary begins. It is loud enough to cover all San Jose. Shortly after that the nice little neighborhood bar/restaurant fires up the videoke. It rivals the church bells in volume. We're talking rock band type speakers. This is the background music, and what I hear as I fall asleep. Soon enough all is quiet, and then before I know it I'm once again hearing the flapping of wings and the raspy crowing. Another day!

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