Things I am doing right now:
Eating rice and tomatoes.
Listening to the rain fall on my roof.
Typing.
Loving the weekend.
I’ve had a stellar week of exercising:
Running.
Bicycling.
Climbing a mountain. (finding a waterfall and its refreshing source)
Rock lifting.
Yoga.
Hora dancing (L’Shana Tova to di worl’!)
And a productive week of work:
First PTA meeting at our new school commenced with an unprecedented 100% turnout!!!!!!!!!
The Elim Community Friendly Society Farmers Group is planning our Annual Meeting — October 6th for any of you who can make it out. We are talking about all of our successes over the past year, troubles we anticipate encountering, and, of course, our vision for the future. All of us farmers are all putting in lots of work organizing this high profile event. It should be great.
As usual, I am continuing empowerment and positivity teachings with the prefects at Sydney Pagan Agricultural High School. However, this week I encountered difficulties due to the rainy season. As we all know, rain brings mosquitoes. Droves of mosquitoes. But there is nothing quite like Jamaican mosquitoes. This year, they attacked me. I have hundreds of bites all over my body. Literally. The blood suckers marks are no longer identifiable. Ie, they no longer resemble circles or typical ‘bug bites’ — they have multiplied, bite on top of bite; festering, swelling, blistering, oozing. So many different reds, pinks, whites…I never knew mosquitoes to disfigure a person. It’s awful. Not to mention really hard to promote “healthy lifestyles” when the students are convinced they’re gunna catch something from you.
Silver Lining:
Always one too look on the positive side, the rain has also brought rainbows!
Three this week!
One was even a double 🙂 🙂 🙂
I am planning on visiting the river, doing homework with children/impressing them with math skills, and reading a fabulous book this weekend; Shantaram.
If 900 pagers are your thing I highly suggest checking it out.
TGIF, ya’ll!
Love,
‘mi
Adventuresam 
It sounds like mosquitoes are not only the state bird of Alaska but the national insect of Jamaica. Can you say Calamine lotion?
It was terrific to hear (read) about all the great things you are doing in Jamaica. Keep up the great, devoted, energetic, positive, admirable, and important work. See you in 268.5 hours (assuming I’ll see you when you see your little sunflower.
Chocolate awaits you…..
xoxoxoxo
In fact, I saw you BEFORE I saw my little sunflower. Thanks for picking me up!!! Love you 🙂
Glad to hear all is going well. I always enjoy reading your blog. I might not always comment do to lifes busi-ness. As far as the bugs…that’s just what they are bugs. Good thing they don’t rule our lives. Keep up the good work and thoughts! Love you!
Thanks for commenting, Cindyloo! So nice to chat with you while I was in PA! Love you so much!
Sammi,
Wow, no more peanuts? Love reading you! Wish I could plan a Saturday date with you there in Jamaica. I know it would be creative and fun and deeply satisfying. Alas, the economy here is bad and saving seems impossible not to mention actually asking for time off!
But there’s good news! Audrey got a job with the New School that I think she will really like, with benefits, and it will allow her to start working on a master’s (free)!
Heading down to see her next weekend, and see her and Nick’s new digs in Brooklyn. Life up here is good. Today I’m going to finally experiment with those black walnuts that grow all over. Taking the outer green casing off then I’ll figure out what to do with the inner walnut shell. I’ve just finally given up on my old subaru and will be walking until I can save up for a car (don’t quite know how that is going to work out but I have faith), hopefully by next summer. In the meantime the walking will do me sooooo much good. It’s kind of like being addicted to credit cards and you just have to cut them all up. If the car is sitting in the driveway, I drive it. Walking is so much better for everyone and everything.
Sending you hugs, my girl. Keep writing, teaching, and doing good!
xoxoxoxoxo
Victoria
Thanks for reading and responding, Victoria!! I am so sorry to hear that the economy is not treating you too well — bummer!
Super glad to hear about Audrey — hope it was fun with her and Nick.
And that the black walnuts were delicious (!)
Enjoy the walk.
Keep commenting!
Love you 🙂
Hey Sammi,
Happy New Year to you, too. Yeah, rain… it seems as though we have moved to the tropics and/or the northwest rain forest. It has been raining, sometimes more heavily than others, for the past few weeks and even when it has not been raining it has been dark and gray. On the light side, running has been fun in all conditions and I keep hoping that this rain will all continue as snow once the cold weather hits (fingers crossed on that one).
And of course we are lucky that none of the Irene flooding and damage hit us. We do know people both NY State and Vermont who were impacted significantly.
On a family note, L,Z, N and I all got to go meet Auntie B and Uncle M for dinner Friday night. They were in New England and we met them outside of Boston. So great to see them.
We love you and send good thoughts your way every day.
Love,
R, L, Z and N
So Nice to get a message from all of these letters of the alphabet!) – RLZN!
Have you had any snow, yet??
Glad that Irene didn’t damage your beautiful abode and lives!
I am so looking forward to meeting you for dinner outside of Boston one of these days….yay for being in the same country (and STATE!)
Thanks for your updates.
I love hearing from you!
xoxo