Running Around

We started out yesterday with stormy skies and threat of more rain. We had errands to run, so we didn't let that stop us. On the drive to French Harbor we drove through a little rain and then the sun appeared. We all had to break out the sunglasses.

Next stop was Coxen Hole for the weekly fun at the bank. While waiting in the older persons line, an elderly woman in front of me said that she had stopped at the bank in French Harbor but it was closed because it had been robbed the night before, so she had to come on to Coxen Hole. Rachel said she had seen the yellow police tape across the driveway.

Next stop was Yaba Ding Ding for some gifts to take home, then the New Souvenirs across the street which was crowded with cruise ship people. Don and I bought a couple of beautiful paintings by local artists.

Our favorite restaurant in the Hole was opened but had no cook, so no yummy Black Angus burgers today. We decided to go to the Half Moon Bay Cafe in West End. The view from there is beautiful and was especially good today. The seas were very rough, lots of waves and whitecaps. Rachel and Lance were glad they had chosen not to dive today.



Late in the afternoon, we walked up the hill to visit Dennis and Merlin. Merlin gave Rachel and Lance a tour of the newly completed hilltop house and then the still-under-construction "over the hill house". While we were up there, the sun began to set, affording us this view.




You must be flexible to live here. Last night was a case in point. We had planned to go to Blue Bahia for dinner and to hear Deb sing. Just as it became dark, the power went off. The west end of the island was completely dark, then a few lights came on as generators kicked in. We weren't sure if Blue Bahia would be open, but I figured it was worth a try. Nope. Not a single light on. So we drove on down to the West End where we knew several places that would be opened. We went out armed with our headlamps, flashlights and lantern. You just never know what you might encounter while walking. We didn't even get off our deck before coming across this tarantula. (Click on picture to enlarge!)


He ran into the corner of the step and then froze in our lights. Thankfully, he was gone when we returned after eating pizzas at Pura Vida, and the power was back on!

On the way to the West End, Don drove over a huge white crab skittering across the road. The road in West End was just a washboard of potholes from all the rain, so we parked at the Baptist Church and walked down to Pura Vida carrying our various light sources. It is still a challenge to walk around the potholes without turning an ankle. We saw an amputee on crutches on the way there, and an amputee in a wheelchair on the way back. It's even more of a challenge to navigate that rough road with an assistive device.

You have to go with the flow here.