Edd:  I’ve been keeping up with the hurricane that hit Louisiana this week. In Cuenca we’re immune to those kinds of natural disasters, but there’s no doubt the weather around here has been very different this year.

Cynthia:  Last year as well. In Ecuador we have a rainy and dry season, but until recently we haven’t been able to tell much of a difference.

E:  In the past, no matter what the sky looked like when we left the house we always carried an umbrella, because you could count on at least a shower sometime during the day.

C:  Lately, the rains have been so light and infrequent that we never think about that any more. During July and August we experience our winter here, which traditionally has meant a lot of cool, cloudy weather. It has been wonderful to enjoy all these unexpected warm, sunny days, but since this country depends mainly on hydropower for electricity, the situation has become grim.

E:  Before we got some decent rain a few weeks back that replenished the reservo...