Day 39- Backfilling is not fun

I awoke to the sound of intensive rain on our baypalm roof.  I braided my hair and got into my work clothes and by the time it was time to go, it had stopped.  We rode to breakfast- four of us and a large square table in the back- and it "misted" at us on the way to Yalbac.  It was more like a heavy sprinkle at some points, but, we made it into the jungle and it stopped and we started working. 

I helped Jose (Ernesto's son) and Steve with the shoveling and we loaded up a wheelbarrow that Cleofo dumped in on top of the pit.  It was a pretty substantive pit and we finished it in 1 1/2 hours with the help of Ernesto, Don Luna, Stanley and Hannah throwing boulders and cobbles in and Stanley evening out our dirt mass.  The next pit was pretty much finished when we were done, but Steve and I took shovels over and helped a little anyway.  After waiting for Dr. L to take another photo and some extra digging to be done on the largest pit we had opened (about the size of a small house because that's what it was- a priest house), we started backfilling that one as well.  I found that my physical strength and endurance cannot match that of Steve's and I ended up throwing boulders after about 1/2 hour of shoveling.  It was an incredibly hot and humid day- because of the stormy weather- and it just made it worse.  But, the rain held while we were in the field and I didn't have one mosquito come near me, so, I was thrilled about that!  After lunch, I resumed digging and we worked for about another hour and nearly got it done.  It is so close that we could all taste it, but, not close enough that we were allowed to stay.  Dr. L had to get to town before the bank closed, so, we will come back again tomorrow and finish up backfilling (probably about an hour's work with everyone pitching in, or less- depends on energy and the will to get done) and then cart everything home from the field and sort, clean and organize and pack away for Mr. Scott's house (where Dr. L has her field stuff stored).

So, we got back early and are now on break until Dr. L gets back- around 4.  At that time, we will catalog everything we have here and get it ready to package away until the next field season.  My trip is winding down- can't believe it!