The Big Six Oh!

Yes I can't believe I'm getting OLD! Arg!

We rented a car with Hawkeye, John and Linda and toured the atoll. We drove 33 miles. seems a long ways, for an island 10 miles wide and 30 long with only one road. We drove to the close end the town of Rita, then back and out the other side toward Laura. We stopped and had coffee with a couple who recently bought a cruising sailboat, but still work full time here. They are from Australia, Mori and Rhondi. Then on to the end of the atoll. We stopped at a grocery store and bought lunch fix'in. At the park on the far west end, we ate lunch and then went for a snorkel. The tide was on the way out and there was only about a foot of water over the reef. I was afraid that my belly would drag on the bottom if the tide went out further, so I didn't stay long.

Then on the way back we stopped a the "Majuro Peace Park" an area where the Japanese put up a shrine to remember the dead of the "Eastern Pacific Battles of World War II". I think of this as the West Central pacific, but then I'm not from Japan!
Back near town, we stopped at the Australian Navy facility to see Mitch and Robin. The Ausies sure know how to treat their remote people. They have a beautiful compound called Wallaby Downs. Had a beer with them (their birthdays were Tuesday and Wednesday) then invited them to join us for supper.

We went to a local Chinese place called "Special Restaurant". Such creative names here. (almost every store has either cost, price or less as part of the name). It was the first time for us and a very delightful meal and cheep. Although the island is almost out of beer, only Bud-light left( and no eggs!) They did have a few cans of VB (Victoria Bitters) so it wasn't a completely dry day!

Trinda has been re-sewing the canvas for the dodger and is almost finished with the main part. She got 25 yards of new Sunbrella and made new parts for the top to keep the rain out. It was starting to leak faster than as if it wasn't there. When she made the new top we changed the size, so he had to re-work the side windows and all the zippers. Only one side window left to go.

A couple weeks ago she had a fall and pulled a leg muscle and got a sore on her bottom. It put her out of commission for a while. She took a course of antibiotics and was well enough that she had a good time yesterday too.

I almost forgot, Trinda got her picture in the local paper again. It was from our trip up to Aur. She was playing patty-cake with a local girl. Cute photo, but I don't have a copy scanned in yet.