Flying Over

Colin flying over our hilltop.

Merlin's hillside garden retreat.

Garden path.

Don and the Rav4 beside our house.

Yesterday was an interesting day, or maybe it just seemed that way because I was operating on very little sleep. Insomnia, again. But no, I think it really was interesting. First, we went into Coxen Hole; no cruise ship in so traffic was light. Our English-speaking teller was not at his window, so Don once again had to go to the Spanish-speaking teller and he did fine. He knows how to ask for money. Crossed the street to Warren's and was happy to find both yogurt (first time in weeks) and fresh lechuga (lettuce). No salad dressing though; that required another stop at Plaza Mar where I also found fresh celery. Success! And, to our delight, we encountered a little detour in front of the gas station/BoJangles Chicken because they are actually repaving the road and actually using concrete! This is huge. This stretch of road is heavily traveled and always deeply rutted with potholes big enough to jar your teeth out of your mouth. Woo boy!

Colin called and asked me to pick Kellie up from school as he had a meeting with the guy who is starting the new helicopter service on the island. At the school (which is behind our church), I encountered two new speed ropes across the road and two young men watching the reaction from the drivers. When I asked about the ropes, they said they were setting up a school zone during dismissal time, just trying to get drivers to be more cautious. As we watched, some taxi drivers drove around the ropes, some drivers refused to slow down despite the big bump, and only one cussed them out. Most people just slowed down and took it in stride.

After I had dropped Kellie off with an after-school snack of chocolate chip cookies I had made, and gone back to my house, Colin called and said to grab Kellie and our cameras and be watching - his new friend with the helicopter was going to fly him right over the top of our houses. So I ran up the hill, got Kellie and we waited. Kellie talked about their new Spanish-speaking housekeeper and how frustrating the language barrier was. I told her the immersion method was supposed to be the best way to learn a language. Moe was happy to see me...came right over and gave me a little love-chomp on the arm. Finally, we heard the chopper approaching and snapped off a bunch of pix as they flew low right above us. There was a reporter from the Bay Islands Voice on board busy taking pictures of us and the hilltop! We could see Colin waving at us, and then they were gone. Kellie went back to her homework, and I went back down the hill with Moe trying to follow me.

The inter-island women's Bible study was last night at Sandi's in Gravel Bay, near the Christian radio station run by her husband. Another great night of food, fellowship, study and prayer. Learned that Tia has a beautiful voice as she sang a song based on the scripture we had just read. Terrific group of women! As we left we were treated to a lovely view of the new cruise ship terminal just around the little bay - very pretty at night with all the lights. We drove back home through Coxen Hole, an even bigger adventure at night than during the day!

This morning we drove up to Merlin's to get some enriched soil from the former rabbit pen and to check out her new sitting area in her hillside garden. Just beautiful. Her gardeners have done a wonderful job in creating a beautiful, restful spot to relax (see photos above). Then we had to go up and see all the new plants she got yesterday (second truckload this week!). I love it because she is always so willing to share her plants with me. Don drove back down with our big pot of dirt, and I walked and took this last picture.