October 2nd

Well we finally got our stuff on Thursday! How wonderful to go thru all the things you packed almost a year ago. Finding treasure that you forgot and realizing those knives and forks are still in Canada waiting to be shipped. Stan and I spent the weekend unpacking and organizing. Last night we went to the Holiday Inn to watch the final rugby game between the Storm which Stan's cousin plays for and the other team, which I honestly don't remember their name. The other team won but it was a really close and good game. Yes it is hard to believe I like rugby!

My first painting class was good, a lot of time spent on prep work, which I expected. Putting together the stretcher bars, cutting canvas discussing materials. I hope this week we put brush to canvas.

Went to the IWA (International woman's association) bazaar. One or two of the women are really talented, but the space was small and cramped which is not the best environment for displaying your wares. The gods and goddess did smile on them and we had a very humid but not raining day! I have been drying my laundry for 3 days now and they basically tell you after 3 days that's as dry as it is going to get. It is just wrong to put clothes away that are cool to the touch because you know something is going to start growing on them.

Josie and I also went to the spice market, so cool and the smells so amazing. I have been invited to Josie's house Thursday to have a cooking lesson from Josie's next door neighbor. I am looking forward to learning ethic local cooking.

tomorrow starts the week long Melanesian Festival; food, arts and crafts, indigenous medicine, storytelling and ton's more from Papua New Guinea, Solomans, Fiji, and New Caledonia.

I will try to get pictures of the festival,


Jay