Funafuti - Sails repaired

We worked 2 whole days on the sails and the roller furler. All finished. Not as much trouble as I thought it would be. The main had a tear about 3 feet long near the top. We used sail tape then sewed a patch over it. Good as new. The Jib had the protective green cover coming un sewed. Trinda sewed it while I fixed the roller furler. The stiffener inside had just slipped down, so I pulled it out , cleaned it and re-glued. All the major things are fixed now, we're good to go. Course all the little
things I keep putting off are still needing repair, but I'll wait till they are an emergency! Ha! I hate to plan ahead!!!

Last night the boaters all had an or'durve party to celebrate the elections. All the folks in town knew more about the election than we did. We took cheese, guacamole, chips and a chocolate cake. It as a good time.

We went to town this morning for bread. We took the last of the cake to a guy we met waiting for the bus the other day. He was real impressed with the fudge icing. He gave us a bread fruit and then a ride back to the center of town. We went by Rubis' cousin again. Neta gave us some flying fish and coconuts. We had Ironey over for grilled flying fish with coconut sauce, Uto pancakes (the root ball from inside a sprouted coconut with flour and sugar), breadfruit French fries and cone snails sautéed
in garlic butter. Oh yeah, we went snorkeling with Steve and May about noon. May is from the Solomon Islands and she recognized some cone snails that they eat 'at home' so we gathered a few to try. They were very like clams, but more tender and a little sweeter. Very nice too.

Tomorrow we are supposed to meet Neta after her church (She goes a 5:30 AM!!!) to go the the Taiwanese vegetable garden. They have a demonstration garden showing how to grow veggies here. They give the locals starter plants and fertilizer free if they'll grow a garden. They also sell the extras from the garden Friday mornings. Cucumbers, squash, green beans, okra, chills, basil and lots more.