As requested I am starting a new thread. My own connection to the internet is shaky at best, being that GTA, the Guam Telephone Authority, is running like a dog on three legs. Recently it was privatized so we can expect higher rates and less service. So it is easier for me too if we keep the thread lengths short. Click here for the last thread, Springtime in Guam.

We had an interesting accident on the island recently. Last week a 2,000,000 gallon water tank collapsed and the contents washed down through a neighborhood. Nobody was seriously injured but thre homes were damaged and a road was washed out. A nearby 3,000,000 gallon tank was damaged and capacity had to be reduced to 25%. Water crews working on other projects were rushed to the scene leaving their other projects unfinished. As a result our village was without water for several days because one of those crews was working to replace a water pump and had shut down the system. The cause of the accident was corrosion and failure to inspect the tanks regularly.

Poor service and mismanaged infrastructure is part of the way of life here on the island. In the meantime the court is working hard on trying many of the former government officials on corruption charges and mismanagement of funds. It isn't a pretty picture.

In the meantime we have reached the true end of mango season. We had some of Gordon's mangoes for breakfast. I think that is the last of it. Our six mango trees are now only shade. One of the down sides to having six wild mango trees behind the house is that the ground is littered with rotting mangoes that scent the air with the odor of over ripe fruit.

We have also reached the rainy season. It rains nearly every day. Driving down from Tamuning yesterday we could see rain showers ahead of us and soon ran on to wet roads. Then farther south we ran into another rain shower rolling in over the hills.