What's That Smell?

As a newcomer to Belize I have become accustomed to not knowing.  Not knowing if I can find my favorite cereal.  Now there is a problem.  A box of Kellogg’s cereal is as high as $9.00 here.  Not kidding.  Not knowing if that sound outside my window at night is something that will eat me if given opportunity.  Not knowing if I can do laundry because there is no water.  Not knowing if that oncoming car in my lane will make it back to his own side after passing the loaded bus in front of us.  These are all things directly related to living in Belize.

 

There are some things that happen here that could happen back in the states.  The other night I told Dennis that there was an unpleasant aroma coming from the little kitchen area.  It wasn’t too terrible so we waited for further investigation the next day.  By then we could identify the aroma as something that was definitely deceased.  At first I went outside to see if there was a dead thing out there but it was all clear.  Dennis grabbed a flashlight and started checking behind the unused washing machine in the corner.  Nothing.  The smell was becoming quite nasty.  He looked behind the new stove and then the new fridge.  Nothing.  Then he opened the oven door and in a real ominous tone said, “Well, there it is.”  These words would have concerned even the most hardy of women, but remember we are in Belize.  I took about four steps back, almost panicking and squealed.  (Dennis says squealed, I prefer exclaimed.)  “What is it?”  He looked at me and laughed, “A pork chop!”  Yes, it was the dreaded Belizean pork chop.  We had tried them for the first time about four nights ago.  This one was the victim of an overstressed wife who can easily forget simple little things like food in the oven.  I’m sure we’ve all forgotten food in the oven before, right?  Just glad it wasn’t the giant dead iguana I was imagining.  Or, our friendly, bug-eating gecko that I accidently sprayed with bug spray the other night.

Love you guys!