Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Sightings and Musings

Don, Snider, Kristen, Lynn, Leonor

Last night after our Spanish class, we took our teacher, Leonor, out to dinner at the Blue Bahia. This was a rare treat for her; she's really a homebody with two small children to look after, after teaching all day at the Sandy Bay Alternative School (private). She also gives private tutoring lessons on weekends and teaches us twice a week. Busy woman. Don thought she deserved a night out and our classmates agreed. Only Andy was unable to go; he always has to get right back to the childrens' home.

Snider took this shot of Lynn, Leonor, me and Don.

We had this beautiful sunset while dining on the beach. A lovely evening.

Full moon last night - this is what I saw upon rising this morning.

Today was errand day. We had to go into Coxen Hole to the bank first and while parking our car in the seaside lot, I noticed this ship anchored out a little ways. I asked Don what kind it was and he said he only knows planes, not ships. Anyone out there have any ideas?

We saw the funniest thing while driving to Coxen Hole, a man crossing the road with a large pig on a harness and leash, hitting the pig several times with a stick, trying to get the pig to go the right direction. I was laughing too hard to even grab my camera. Sorry I missed that one.

The bank was not too crowded, however, there was a young man in the old persons/pregnant women line being waited on and an old man waiting in the chairs beside him. We waited, and waited, and waited. It soon became obvious that he was paying multiple bills for multiple people. Someone else even came up and handed him another payment to make for them! He was one of those guys Merlin has warned us about because they really slow down the line. This floors me, but it's common practice down here to hire someone else to do your banking and bill paying. Don asked the old man if he was going to be doing the same thing, paying multiple bills, and when he said yes, Don got up and went to stand in the regular transaction line. Still, we were in there at least 30 mins.

We stopped in at Arlie's insurance office - we're finally insured for both car and home!! But we're now paying as much here for homeowner's insurance as we pay in St. Louis. At least we got it. Arlie did get a couple of other companies to agree to insure frame buildings on the island, but at significant increases in premiums.

Eldon's was well stocked today in everything except bread. I did get butter and yogurt though! They even had very good looking cauliflower and broccoli- and fresh asparagus from Florida!?

While getting gasoline ($3.26/gallon) at the petrol station next to Eldon's, I saw a truck go by loaded with young workers, each with his small black nylon backpack on his back. This was one of those Kia trucks about the size of a dump truck (without the dumper stuff), a flat bed with low sides and tailgate. The bed and the sidewalls were packed with these young men, sitting and standing, being driven to some job site. Also a common site. Who needs seatbelts?

We stopped at the Glidden paint store and bought the rest of the paint for the interior walls. Time to quit procrastinating - it will soon be getting hot.

2 comments:

  1. That ship looks to be a Perry Class Fast Frigate. You can see much more info at:
    http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/ffg-7.htm

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