Today we spent the day pulling old telephone poles out of a pile that looked like giant pick up sticks. We are hoping to build a traditional canoe house. We pulled about 8 good poles out of the pile and now I am sunburned, sore, and tired. I got home covered in dirt and sweat.

One of our group is an interesting character. He is originally from Virginia and maintains his residence there but lives in Taiwan and Guam. He's building a house here but owns several businesses in Taiwan including a few restaurants and a bakery. He also sails professionally and supervises a crew maintaining a fleet of racing sailboats for a wealthy Hong Kong businessman. He is currently building a big cruising powerboat to work down through the islands carrying mail and supplies to the more remote places in the Pacific. It will carry three tons of cargo. He wants me to work the boat with him. He laughs about using it for smuggling and a little bit of piracy. Should be interesting. Tomorrow he will be meeting with the Taiwanese ambassador here on Guam to discuss free medicines for delivery to the islands. Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum!

Yesterday I proposed to Wakana. She says it is traditional for the woman to think about the proposal for a "while".