Tonga!

Jan. 12th, 2013

We got up early so we could go into the fair and be home before it got to hot. We left at 8:00 but it wasn’t early enough! We needed to get some things from America and that is the best place to find them. We found a bottle of Clorox and a can of hair spray. Then we went to the store and bought a carton of ice cream and 2 small packages of chocolate bits, they don’t have chocolate chips here. I found a store that sells cans of Diet Coke so we bought 6 cans for $9.00 --- it was worth it! The heat is messing with my blood pressure and giving me some bad headaches. Drinking a Diet Coke today really helped.
When we got home we ate a little snack and then went with Elder and Sister Johnston to visit some missionaries. She is the mission nurse and he is her assistant. There was an elder at the other end of the island who was sick, so we went with them so we could learn our way around. There are no road signs on the island once you get off the main road. You just turn at the blue building or at the palm tree that is split up the middle. It will take us a little time to figure it all out! We saw one missionary house that was in great shape and one that was disgusting. It really isn’t the fault of the missionaries that are there right now, it is just old and it has not been kept up. There is soooo much work for us to do to get these places up to the standard that will be safe and healthy for the missionaries to live in. That is of course how I see it. Most of these Tongan missionaries have never slept in a house with doors and windows or even in a bed. They are used to sleeping on a mat on a dirt floor. I guess it is all a matter of perspective.
While we were out and about, we found a couple of new places to shop, a bread store that is lots closer to our house, that makes cinnamon rolls - which were actually pretty good, and a roadside shop where the lady will order things from America for you. Her mother buys them in Cosco and then ships them over here. A lot of people make a living that way, but she is the first one that we have found that will take orders. It might take months to get here, and you have to be there when she unpacks the crate to be sure of getting it, but at least there is a chance. Of course, it will be very expensive. They add at least 40% onto the price of each item. I found a small bottle of hand lotion today that was from Bath and Body. It would cost less than $5.00 in America but it costs $25.00 here. So you can see, if you ship in a bunch, even though you have to pay the shipping, you are making a good profit. That is if you can get someone to buy it. I’ll pay a lot for food, but not $25.00 for hand lotion!
By the time we got home from our little trip it was mid afternoon. Not a good time to start cleaning the house but we only have one day to do it. I did some wash and by the time we got everything done and the floors mopped, the sweat was dripping off my face and my hair had curled up so tight! I told Alan to take a picture, just so the family would believe it, but he wouldn’t. He loves me to much to let me be seen like that. I wear the neck cooler that Carolyn Gray gave me when I clean, and it helps, but nothing can cut through this heat.
Saturday night is always fun, we have movie night. Tonight we watched the movie 7 pounds, the men chose it. I don’t recommend it. It is too depressing. It is an interesting story and it holds your attention but it is hard to watch. So much for that fun evening. The ladies get to choose next week.