News From Guam

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 07 Jan 04 - 06:40 PM

I believe most of this island is safe even if the Antarctic ice sheets melt. As I remember the estimate is that world sea levels would go up 20 to 30 feet if that happened. Most of this island is higher than that. The land slopes gently up from the water for a way and then runs up into a cliff line that varies from 50 to 200 feet high. We'd probably end up as two islands with the center swamped at high tide but I can easily find a house lot that is out of reach of the water. Right now I live at quite a high elevation up in the hills. Of course the office would be gone but who cares about that!

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: freda underhill
Date: 07 Jan 04 - 09:31 AM

hmm

hmm rainfall is a consideration if you're buying property - is Guam one of those shallow islands that are worried about going under? I work with several Pacific Island communities and a couple of them have genuine fears about water levels, given global warming.

(better keep those gumboots handy!)

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Jan 04 - 09:02 AM

the Rain Gods welcomed you to Gaum, Brett

sandra

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 07 Jan 04 - 01:59 AM

Well, it's official. The rainfall for 2003 came to 100.35 inches or just over 8 feet. The average annual rainfall is about 83 inches. The rainfall for December alone was 20.33 inches and October was 21.74. No wonder this place is humid.

Looking at a graph of the numbers the increased rainfall seems to coordinate with my arrival on the island. But that couldn't be, could it?

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 07 Jan 04 - 12:49 AM

I think haolie is a generic term used around the Pacific just as a--hole is used in many parts of the USA. *Grin*

I'll have to check on the acoustics. That will be a stumper of a question for Gordon.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: SINSULL
Date: 06 Jan 04 - 06:34 PM

Koreans often give their businesses names like "Lucky" and "Happy". I always thought it as an attempt to attract good fortune.

This week I saw a History Channel program on Hawaii which mentioned that the natives called whites "howlies" (sp?). Odd coincidence? Wonder how the term made it to Guam.

What are the acoustics like in one of those domes, Brett?

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 06 Jan 04 - 05:51 PM

It occurs to me whenever I drive around here that I haven't mentioned the names of the many convenience stores around the island. I sometimes wonder at the difference in culture that leads to naming conventions. Back home we either have chains of stores like 7-11 or Cumberland Farms or we have the little mom and pop stores like Tyler's Market. Stores back home are named for the owners or the location.

Here they seem to pick out words that bring a positive connotation. Thus you get the Joy Market, Happy Computers, and Luck Store. Most of the stores I've been into seem to be run by Korean families. Maybe that is the method they use back home. It's interesting to see these differences.

I am also still looking forward to... the Christmas specials. For some reason our TV runs two weeks behind mainland USA. So this Thursday we will have the Christmas day specials on some of the channels we watch. ACM will have Christmas cowboy movies and SciFi will be running Twilight Zone all day (I think). We still have Christmas commercials too. If I see that Santa riding the electric shaver one more time I'm gonna barf.

Merry Christmas!

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: freda underhill
Date: 04 Jan 04 - 07:45 AM

it looks like a big hobbit hole, naemanson!

could be a good investment..

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 04 Jan 04 - 07:11 AM

I went up to Gordon's "ranch" today. I put it in quotes because he doesn't grow anything up there, it is not a productive farm. However, I'm beginning to think that "ranch" is a generic term and doesn't necessarily mean "farm". Back home many people have a house situated on a lake. Some of these are rather rustic, others are full scale houses. But they are all called camps. I think "ranch" is the Guam term for the same thing. But none of the ranches are on the water. Instead they are in the boonies, the bush, the outback, the boondocks, the jungle, etc.

I have been thinking more and more of staying here until I retire. I keep thinking of buying a house and settling here. Gordon wants to build monolithic domes. You can see what he wants to do if you look here. I am kind of taken with the idea.

Saturday I was just heading out the door to go to the weekly meeting of the Seafarers when the plumber arrived to replce the broken bathroom sink. He also had to repair the leak on the toilet upstairs. It took them a while and when they were done the toilet still leaked because he had only replaced the angle valve and had not brought a replacement water pipe. And there is no hot water in the sink because he had not brought, wait for it, a replacement water pipe. So he'll probably be back next weekend to finish the job. Sigh, I'd complain but it isn't me paying for it.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:24 PM

Happy New Year, everybody! No fireworks here last night and the midnight noise consisted of, I think, 3 firecrackers, and a couple of dogs barking. Pretty tame.

Naemanson, I hope you have a great day and a wonderful year. Thank you for this window into your world.

Eb

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: SINSULL
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 11:29 AM

Me??? Get up before sunrise to look for green flashes? Has the heat and humidity gone to your head? It is not going to happen, Brett. Happy New Year, officially.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: CarolC
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:09 AM

I was without internet at home for several months, Brett, so I haven't been able to follow this thread very much. But I don't think I'll let that stop me from whishing you a very Happy New Year!!

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: bbc
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:52 AM

Happy New Year from New York! Thinking of you.

love,

barbara

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:26 AM

I still get a kick out of living on this side of the date line. By my calculations Charley and Sins are now 1/2 hour into the new year. While I slept away the wee hours of the day you were all attending to business, moving through the day I had just finished. Call me naive but I love it and it always surprises me.

Last night the crew got to talking about the green flash. For those who don't know about it this is a phenomenon that occurs just at sunset. Just as the sun disappears below the horizon there will be a brief, very vivid, green flash in the sky. According to the crew this takes place when you have a clear flat horizon, with no clouds obscuring the horizon. They've each been here over 30 years and each has only seen little more than a dozen of them. I have been looking forward to seeing it since I got here with no luck yet. According to these guys it can also happen at sunrise. It has been reported in Kansas and one Maine person has reported seeing it at sunrise. So, Charley and Sinsull, get up before the sun and get out there to check it out.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 10:41 PM

Groan!

Still an hour and a half to go!

Charlie

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: SINSULL
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 07:53 PM

Better the grain than the groin...did I really say that?
M.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 07:04 PM

Charley, did I mention that a better name for that mouse would be NotEven as in "...all through the house not a creature was stirring, NotEven a mouse..."?

Happy new year to all and to those on the other side of the International Date Line, hello from 2004.

Sins, actually there was a sign of snakes last night. I went over to Gordon's house to celebrate the evening. Gordon makes jewelry from various polished semiprecious stones. One of the styles he makes uses vertebra from snakes. He explained how he finds the snakes dead on the road and cuts off the head and tail and runs a wire up the spinal column. Then he sets it in water until the flesh dissolves away and he has a whole wire of jewelry accessories.

It was a nice gathering. I met members and friends of the family. Just before midnight we climbed ladders to the neighbor's roof to watch the fireworks disply at Rizol Beach. All around us was noise. A party at the end of the street had a sound system that broadcast all over the neighborhood. We were a block away and could barely hear each other. Guns and fireworks were blasting the night around us before, during, and after the official display. At one point I heard a fully automatic weapon going off somewhere close by. At midnight we toasted in the new year with sparkling cider and applauded the display.

And now, it's New Year's Day in Guam. The sun is shining and I am going to find some breakfast. I have to throw out most of the food in my kitchen as I plan to start the Atkins diet today and most of it is not compatable with that diet. Sigh. Throwing out food goes very deeply against the grain.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 03:56 PM

Amalina-

Happy New Year to you and all our friends in Sydney as well. We've still got 8 hours of 2003 to run but not to hurry, it's been a pretty fine year. And here's one to every one adjacent to Woolloomoolloo Harbour!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble, gearing up for a quiet evening with Judy, 3 cats and one mouse at home

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: freda underhill
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 09:09 AM

happy new year - sydney 1.05 am!

I have just come back from Woolloomoolloo, by the harbour, on top of the roof of a 4 story building watching the midnight fireworks over the harbour!

fantastic - happy new year Brett, Sandra, Charlie, Judy and everyone else who reads this thread!

best wishes

amalina

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 05:34 AM

new year greetings from Sydney's entertainment capital at 9.30pm on New Year's Eve.

The noise generated by the 9pm fireworks has subsided - firework THUMPS & human screeching over for a few hours. Fortunately none of my neighbours appear to be having noisy parties, but there is the rumble of voices from nearby, and it is a bit early yet. I hope to be asleep before the real midnight noise starts.

I have a very tiny, almost unmeasurable, hearing difficulty & just for one moment wished I was the proud possessor of 2 hearing aids so I could remove them & miss all the noise.

bah humbug, I'm sure all the noise makers will have sore throats tomorrow & maybe hangovers!!

Of course if I was at a singing session with close friends I would feel differently, but most of my friends are away at festivals celebrating the change of years in a more civlized fashion than is being done around here.

sandra

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: SINSULL
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 09:47 PM

Any sign of snakes, Brett? Happy New Year!
Portland is warm and a bit cloudy. The last snow is almost gone. Bracing for January.
SINS

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Amos
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 07:36 PM

Brett:

May your coming year be full of rich surprises and warm rewards.

A

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 07:06 PM

It's funny you should mention that. I was thinking of the last year this morning and how things have changed in my life. My niece wrote, "to my most adventurous uncle" on the artwork she sent me. I am slowly getting over my last heartbreak and I find I am feeling better about myself. As long as I can keep on that track I will be fine. It can only get screwed up if I let someone into my life who isn't already in here with me.

To all of my friends who have helped me through the heartbreak and the move to Guam, thanks you and have a very happy new year.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 02:52 AM

Have a very good New Year, Brett. You've certainly come a long way since this time last year! I'm really impressed!

SRS

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 01:34 AM

I came to work this morning in a driving rain. Usually the clouds and rain clear off during the day and we end with a nice day. I was sure enough of this that I loaded my swimming gear into the truck. Now it's quitting time and for most of the day the rain has poured out of the sky. We had a glimpse of sun and blue sky but now the clouds are gathering again. Sigh.

They say this weather is supposed to last until Friday. Ordinarily Guam gets a little over 5" of rain in December. So far we've had over 10". This is SUPPOSED to be the dry season.

Tomorrow night I am headed for a New Year's Eve party. I have been asked to bring my guitar. I'm hoping to meet the other sea music fan on the island.

My Christmas packages just arrived from my family. I have a nice little pile of loot. I got a book on the samurai, an atlas of Middle-Earth, and a book on the making of Master & Commander. I also got a calendar with old photographs of New England and a shirt. Plus a CD of Mexican Waltzes. Interesting. My niece created a workof art for my refrigerator and wove a God's Eye for my Christmas tree. I also got my brother's annual Christmas letter with a picture of stockings hung with care... from the rigging of the sailboat they used to explore the coast of Belize!

And now it's quitting time and here comes some more rain... Sigh.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Dec 03 - 10:54 AM

Brett-

"They told of one man who was killed by a turtle."

This may have to be your new song. I'm burnt out from my "Barbie Lobster" collaboration, which I've just put to music.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 28 Dec 03 - 06:20 AM

I haven't been able to get on the web since yesterday. Here is my report for Saturday. It was a good one. I went up to Nimitz Hill to the Seafarer's meeting. Larry was supposed to get a tattoo and there was a long lost son of the island revisiting for the holidays. As it turned out Maria was sick with the flu so no tattooing occurred. We had an interesting discussion about building sprayed concrete dome houses and then we got into a discussion on building the new utt (canoe house). Gordon wants to use pieces of concrete telephone poles. There are plenty of pieces lying around after the last supertyphoon. He has a plan and we discussed it at length. then we had to try to figure out how to ship an outrigger canoe down to Palau for FesPac next July. Some of the guys want to sail it down but that would require leaving in June and no one can get that much time off, much less our navigator. So we have to ship it which may require taking it apart and that is not the easiest thing to do.

All the while that was gong on we read abstracts about the canoes of Oceana written in the 18th and 18th century by such notables as William Dampier, Commodore Anson, and Woods Rogers. We are trying to figure out how the Marianas canoes differed from the canoes of the Carolina Islands and the rest of Oceana. Apparently one early name for the Marianas Islands was Islas De La Velas, which apprently refered to the many sails that plied north and south along this island chain.

We stood around the canoe discussing various aspects of its construction while Manny worked on the yahms with his adze. Then he started talking with one of the other guys about the Christmas Drops. The military on Guam collects necessities and some luxuries and airlifts them to the outer islands for Christmas. Most of those islands don't have airstrips so the stuff is dropped by parachute. Manny reminisced about being a boy and getting a pencil with an eraser and a pencil sharpener and a toothbrush. I could tell from his voice he was still excited about that grand gift.

And behind us two of the company were hard at work cooking in the outdoors kitchen. I was told they were preparing for an event in the afternoon so I gave it little thought. After a while one of them came out to the canoe and announced it was time to eat. We headed in under the carport and ate barbecued steaks and pork chops with taro root and tatillas. We ate with our fingers, no plates or cutlery. There was also some steak kelaguen that was pretty good. I must be getting used to it.

There were stories being told all around. They told of one man who was killed by a turtle. You see, to catch a turtle you swim down and grab it in a half nelson and then swim it to the surface. This guy apparently didn't notice that he had grabbed a female turtle that was being courted by a male. And the male didn't notice the human hanging on behind his love interest. And a male turtle's, uh, equipment, is as long as your arm and barbed… Let's just say love can kill you if you are not prepared for it… Charley, do you see a song in this?

They also got to talking about live ordnance left over from the war. They told of people who find old shells and bombs and remove the explosive to use for fishing. Manny told of a friend who built a fire for cooking while he (Manny) went fishing for lunch. Suddenly there was an explosion. Apparently they'd built their fire on a live grenade or something. His friend's neck was nicked by the shrapnel. Gordon told of using a metal detector to find a property marker. He had a strong signal and dug down a ways but found nothing. Later he decided to dig deeper to see what was there Almost right away his pick hit something hard. He brushed away the dirt to find an unexploded shell with a fresh scar where his pick had hit the detonator. Manny told of using old shells to support a big cooking pot over a fire. Some neighbors saw his rig and asked him to bring them some shells next time he went out so they could copy it. He brought them the shells and reminded them that they had to remove the explosive. Apparently they didn't. The last time anyone saw that cooking pot it was headed skyward. Manny says there were some injuries but he didn't elaborate. He also described some villagers trying to break open a bomb they'd found. They used a block and pulley to raise it up on end and then let it fall on some rocks. He never heard an explosion so he assumes they were either successful or they gave up. He didn't stick around to see for himself. He says the bomb was at least 8 feet long. He also described the military EOD team and how they came in and marked a whole bunch of unexploded ordnance with little flags for later defusing. They carefully explained to the people they had to avoid that area. When the team came back they found that all the shells were empty. The people had gone in and taken all the explosives out of them. It's all pretty hairy stuff.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 26 Dec 03 - 07:40 AM

I haven't heard of Theodore's Rock. Bear Rock is a large rock sitting on the shore. It looks like a bear sitting on its haunches looking out to sea. It's a dark stone formation, possibly limestone, possibly volcanic rock.

Open Mike – Your son-in-law is going to have to wait until I get a computer that can handle a scanner. This one can barely haul itself into an awake mode so I can work. I use a film camera so there will be no downloaded images right away.

Haolie = white person on Guam and a few other islands.

The south has very few military installations. Anderson AFB is on the northern tip of the island. I work on Orote Point which is on the west coast at the midpoint of the island and forms the southern side of Apra Harbor. The south is very rural and the people like it that way. I do too.

Barbara – Good luck to David and to you in your new life without him at home. Happy New Year.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: freda underhill
Date: 26 Dec 03 - 06:39 AM

could it be Theodore's rock, found in the centre of Guam, large, bear shaped and a sacred site (like our Uluru?) does it light up red at sunset?

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 26 Dec 03 - 06:20 AM

& what's this bear-shaped rock?

sandra (Mz Bear to someone I know thru work)

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: open mike
Date: 25 Dec 03 - 10:55 PM

thanks for that little island trip!
my son-in-law , whose family is Chimorro,
was here and read your post--now he wants
to see thos pictures! I understand much of
the sounth part of the island is air force
and not accessible to locals, as it the
northern part, where the navy has it's
base.
What's a Holie? (howlie??)

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: bbc
Date: 25 Dec 03 - 09:25 PM

Merry Christmas, Brett! We're just having a quiet one here, my 2 sons & I. David is on the verge of taking a job offer in CA & leaving me. I'm happy for him, but sad for me.

hugs from rainy, warm NY,

Barbara

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 25 Dec 03 - 06:31 PM

Charlie, two trips to Australia and you don't know that a chook is a chicken?

Yesterday I took my camera for a drive around the southern part of the island. I started out with my first big decision being which way to go. This may not seem like a big deal for those of you who do not live on an island but it is here (at least for me). Previous trips have been south along the west side of the island. This time I chose to go south along the east side of the island. It was a good decision. By doing that I saw sights that were previously behind me when they became visible along the coast.

I headed east along the Cross Island Road and then, on a whim, took 4A south to Talafofo. I made a few miles that way before I casually check my dashboard. I was almost out of gas… on Christmas Day… many miles from a gas station. I had some important decisions to make.

I turned around to head for Agat. Then I decided there must be a gas station in Talafofo. There wasn't. I headed for Yona. Mile followed mile with the gas gauge showing no fuel. I took comfort when going up hill that the needle moved up a bit. There was still something in there. I drove through Yona, my heart sinking, as I saw no station anywhere. I had just decided to keep on for Hagatna when a Mobil station hove in view and I pulled in. Saved! At $2.07 per gallon!

I finally turned south and drove back through Yona, Talafofo, Inarajan, Merizo, Umatak, and back up into Agat. I took pictures along the way. It was a bright, partly cloudy day. We've had rain and clouds for the last three days or so. The sun was welcome. The temperature was in the low 80s but the humidity was high so it felt hotter. Nonetheless I drove with my windows open and the A/C off.

It was a beautiful day. I stopped to inspect the archaeological dig at Ylig Bay and checked out the surf farther south where the reef lies in close to the shore. I almost stopped at Jeff's Pirates Cove for lunch but the presence of a tourist bus kept me away. I saw the Guam shaped hole in the rock out in a bay next to Bear Rock, a bear shaped rock about fifty feet high. I stopped at Merizo's boat ramp and talked to a guy, a hoalie, sitting next to his camper van. He'd been tossed out by his wife and was already three sheets to the wind. He offered me a beer but I refused by lying that I did not drink.

As I passed into Umatak the clouds gathered and then the Rain Gods blessed Umatak and Agat. My trip was at an end. The scenic overlooks for the southern mountains were lovely, damp and austere, but I was out of film and they had to be observed without recording them. My last picture was of a wild rooster and his hen.

I headed north to the Micronesia Mall to go see LOTR:ROTK. The movie was sold out for the next two shows so I headed to the GPO and got into the 4:00 show. What a movie! The scale is staggering. Fine work and the end of four or five years of waiting. It was a little sad to see it end because the anticipation has been a part of my life for a long time. But it has been only a tiny part of my life and I was also glad to finally see the end.

After the movie I realized I had not eaten since breakfast and I went to King's for supper. Kings is similar to Friendly's in the States, Friendly's without ice cream. I had steak and tempura shrimp. Then I was off for home listening to Ken Nordeen's Christmas Wordjazz broadcast.

And that was my Christmas day. I hope yours are as fine or finer.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Dec 03 - 11:05 AM

Merry Christmas Brett.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 25 Dec 03 - 09:57 AM

JennieG-

I'll bite. What's a "chook in the oven"?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 24 Dec 03 - 08:42 PM

Merry Christmas! I was up late last night, just for kicks, and slept in this morning. I was luxuriating in bed, listening to the radio, when my younger daughter called to wake me up on Christmas morning! Rotten kids, you just don't get away from them!

Then I called my family for a long visit by phone. Many of them have gathered at the farm for a traditional Maine Christmas with snow, a tree, too much food, lots of presents, dogs, cats, and one excited kid (my niece).

Today I will take my camera for a long drive around the southern part of the island. I want to stop at the Inarajan Pools and get pictures of Bear Rock and the Guam Shaped hole in another rock. Then I will find a nice white sand beach to enjoy my own version of a White Christmas. After all that I will head up to the theater to see LOTR.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas. May you enjoy it in whatever way makes you happiest.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: JennieG
Date: 24 Dec 03 - 08:34 PM

I have a jigsaw that my son gave me a few Christmases ago - had no edge pieces at all, AND has 5 extra pieces. I'm saving it up until we don't have a curious young cat in the house!
And Merry Christmas Brett, it's 12.30 pm on Christmas Day already in Sydney! My sons here for lunch so I had better check up on the chook in the oven.
Cheer and Cheery Mistmas
JennieG in hot sunny Sydney

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Dahlin
Date: 24 Dec 03 - 09:50 AM

Well Brett we are getting ready for Christmas Eve here in the State O'Maine. Forecast is for two days of rain. I mention that so you won't mis the snow! Hah! Have a cooconut milk eggnog and enjoy.

Dick D

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 24 Dec 03 - 09:03 AM

While surfing for boats in Guam I found this web site belonging to NOAA. As a word of warning it is a large page with lots of pictures so it will take a while to download. I have seen many of them in my explorations of the island. What is really interesting is to compare the list for Guam with the lists for other places. We do seem to have a lot of wrecks here.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 22 Dec 03 - 04:23 PM

Thanks Charley, I really appreciate that.

I am taking some time this morning, some would say wasting it, to check in with my email and the Cat. I have been constructing the gag gift for the office. It's a Do-It-Yourself Chinese Acupuncture Kit. I made up a flashy sheet advertising the benefits which iwll be on top of the box. Inside will be a small bottle full of sewing needles with instructions to jab yourself with needles until you no longer care if you have the affliction.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Dec 03 - 12:44 PM

Brett-

Your Port Douglas book is in the mail, going somewhere!

A sampling of our digital images from the OZ Foray should be on my personal website between Xmas and New years:Charley Noble Website

Enjoy your holiday festivities.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 Dec 03 - 08:55 AM

Remind me never to let you near my jigsaws.

Worse jigsaw I ever owned was one showing the earth from the moon surrounded by BLACK. Earth was a small circular bit in the middle, black was more than 3/4 of the pic. All the black pieces were the same shape & size.

Maybe you can meet the Dude over the festive season & report back to us when you have info.

sandra

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 22 Dec 03 - 08:45 AM

Aw, who wants a jigsaw puzzle to be easy.

Now that I think about it I believe I did that twice to my daughter. The second time I took out all the edge pieces.

I haven't mentioned the Walking Dude. There is a guy I see quite frequently as he walks along Marine Drive in Hagatna. He appears to live in one of the cabanas in front of the GovGuam Offices in the old governor's palace. He carries all his stuiff in a backpack that rides high on his back. His hair is thin, blonde, and straggles down to his shoulders. He has a long blonde beard. Some day I am going to have to stop and talk to him and hear his story.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 Dec 03 - 06:16 AM

muddling jigsaws - that's cruel. If someone did that to my jigsaws I would get very cross, to put it mildly!

Brett, I love reading your dispatches from Guam, it's like being there.

sandra

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 22 Dec 03 - 02:16 AM

That's pretty ignoble of you Charley. You got the easy part, the chorus. Now let's see what you do with the verses.

Well, I'm out of here. Christmas party tomorrow and I have to go wrap gifts and prepare my edible offerings. I'll be making Cuban Black Beans & Rice and Maine Corn Chowder.

The woman whose name I drew in the gift exchange listed Dove dark chocolate and a jigsaw puzzle in the wishlist that went around. I couldn't find any Dove chocolate but bought some dark chocolate treats from a local candy store and picked up two 750 piece puzzles at KMart. I plan to mix the puzzle pieces together in a shirt box and put the chocolate in with them. If the challenge of putting the puzzle is too much for her I will give her the boxes so she can see the pictures. I did this to my older daughter once upon a time. In less than an hour she had figured out that she had two puzzles and was already assembling the edges.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Dec 03 - 08:06 PM

That's how they showed their respect for Brett Burnham,
That's how they showed their honour and their pride;
They said it was a sin and a shame, and they winked at one another,
How everything in the wake-house went the night Brett Burnham died!

Charley Ignoble

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: SINSULL
Date: 21 Dec 03 - 06:57 PM

Well Brett. I know of one sure way to get a crowd at your funeral. Offer food and drink and a lot of it. Skimp on the casket and the flowers but not on the food and drink. Cheery thought.
SINS

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 21 Dec 03 - 05:55 PM

One point I forgot to mention a while ago is that the toads have disappeared. From the day I got here they have been a very active part of the wildlife here. Every evening, or very rainy days, they would gather in the grass and on the pavements. Their corpses littered the roads. Now, I never see them. They must do something else during the dry season.

Also there are big white egrets here that were not here before. This seems to be their wintering ground or perhaps they are passing through on their annual migration.

By the way, dry season is a relevant term. Yesterday was a day of grey clouds and showers. Then last night the skies poured rain all night.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 20 Dec 03 - 09:13 PM

Charley, I did not pick up his book and I keep wondering why not. It's just as well. Once I had my big red duffle packed with all the snorkel gear and all it was 4 kilos over the allowable weight and I haad to repack it to rearrange the load. I had to do this while standing at the ticket counter at 11:00 PM with a long line of irritable and tired travelers standing behind me. Not a favorite part of the trip but almost the only black mark on the whole experience. The Peter Lik book would be welcome. You might want to forget about the snowball. I can get my own ½ cup of undrinkable water from the kitchen tap.

I'm glad to know the Aussies think they can convince me that their country gets hot and muggy. All I experienced was cold and rainy. *Grin*

Speaking of undrinkable water, I happened to mention drinking water from the tap the other day and two of the lunch table people were incredulous that we can get drinking water from the tap back home in the States. I thought that odd but I mentioned it to the women at the counter in Tuan's (a restaurant where I buy take out food sometimes) and they couldn't believe it either.

I saw a terribly sad sight the other day. First it was flashing red lights followed by a hearse and then two cars, only two cars. I would hope that when I die I have a bit more of a funeral escort than only the people it would take to fit into two sedans.

A friend and I went up to see the Spanish Steps on Friday. They are hard to reach because the road passes through the high security are around the ammo pier. Consequently the road is usually closed. However, the pier is being repaired this month so we can get up there. We drove out a former two lane road that has been narrowed by the creeping grass growing up from both sides. I had a general idea where the steps were. We followed the road all the way out to Orote Point where we found an antenna installation and some navigation markers for shipping. At the edge of the cliff we could look down on the beaches that surround the Spanish Steps but we were definitely in the wrong place. However, the view was breathtaking. We were perhaps two hundred feet up overlooking the entrance to Apra Harbor. It was a sunny day and the water was deep blue farther out but a lovely tropical green in close. And directly below us was a shallow bay with crystal clear water. Every detail of the ocean floor stood out in sharp relief, all tinged that same shade of lovely green, dark hummocks of coral and paler green sandy areas.

We went back along the way we came and found, in a clearing, the entrance to the trail down to the Spanish Steps. The steps were supposedly built by the Spanish (or more likely their Chamorro slaves) to provide water to the forts on top of the cliffs. Apparently there is a well at the bottom of the cliff line.

We walked into the woods a short way and found the entrance to the trail down the cliffs. We stood there, dismayed at what we saw. It was little more than a hole in the brush running straight down the cliff. Someone have run a 2" rope down the trail for people to hold on to for the descent and ascent. The cliff face was rough enough that there were plenty of footholds. It really would not be a difficult climb for someone with two hands free and able to take their time. And perhaps in better shape that we are. But we decided not to chance it at that time. I had my camera in my hands and didn't want to risk it dangling from my neck and my friend was totally daunted by the prospect of the climb.

We drove back, headed for Gab Gab but took a detour to explore the location of one of the old Spanish forts. The trail was well cleared for a ways but then devolved into a mere straggle of open space in thick brush, We did well along this until I took a photo of a particularly nice spider web. When my friend heard the word spider she headed back for the car and nothing I could say would turn her around.

So we went down to the beach an wetted our feet in the salt water and sand and talked and looked at the harbor.

I guess I'll have to go back to explore those areas without her.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: freda underhill
Date: 19 Dec 03 - 07:58 AM

note to self for Gulgong..

hat

water

good book

new songs

comfy sandals

peace and quiet..       part of me is considering a last minute dash up to Woodford..    fred