Early last week, Mary asked if we saw rocks when we closed our eyes. Everyone laughed. Now, as we approach the end of week 2, the rocks have infiltrated my dreams. I see the cistern wall and the ever-lowering pit of dirt and rocks when I go to sleep at night. I think about what could be waiting below our feet (other than all the spiders and scorpions which will inevitably be uncovered and killed). The site has began consuming my thoughts, while both awake and sleeping. I never thought I’d get attached to the site so quickly.

While I’ve never been so hot or sweaty in my entire life, I want nothing more then to get back up on the hill and find the bottom of my cistern. Today, we got a surprise day off because of rain, and while I greatly appreciated the extra sleep, I was sad when I found out we wouldn’t be going to the site today. Even over the weekend, my mind wanders back to the hole in the ground filled with rocks on the top of a hill. I have become very attached to our site. I feel like it’s my baby which I must protect against any wandering animals or tourists. I thought Mary was joking about seeing rocks when you close your eyes. She wasn’t.