November 28, 2010

How it goes

Two months ago, my vintage apple clamshell laptop kicked the bucket - to be expected, I mean, what to expect from a used machine bought on ebay for a hundred and fifty dollars.  The machine served me well for two whole years, so every penny was worth the investment.  I was worried about getting a new laptop - had the dilemma of shall I spend the rest of my savings on a new Macbook?  Thought twice about it, seeing as how this is sustainable living and all.  I put out my feelers to one of the few in my life who really look out - my brother, and just my luck, he had a spare laptop.  Dad brought it out here (he arrived two weeks ago), and we called our ISP guys and they flipped the switch to turn the service back on.  Now, we're new and improved, as this laptop has Skype capabilities (for some reason my old machine just wouldn't/couldn't download Skype.  I just signed up for a monthly unlimited subscription to the US, so that Dad can call Mom and keep in touch. Modern communications technology - we're the only internet on the island.  I'm now opening an internet cafe - well not a cafe, but an internet access, which I'll rent out in order to get an income stream going to offset the $113 per month internet bill.  This is sustainable living after all.  Mind you, the internet has brought us a better sense of connectedness.  Salesi now uses facebook to keep in touch with friends and family in California; and now with Skype, we can call people and have no worry about phone cards.  So my hard edge against technology is slowly eroding away, and am now grateful for this machine. 

So, as for our projects, we have a few in line for the next three months. They are (in no particular order):
-Vegetable Garden including fence (going to put it on our 'town lot' since the soil more inland is much better than the beachfront soil we're living on now)
-Nursery (We won the Greengrant award!!!!!! Thank u if u voted btw.)
-2 sustainably built beach fales (not using the traditional fale shape or architecture...just using sustainable materials, including bamboo)
-Compost toilet/shower area

Well, that's the plan for now.  Dad is very excited to be back, but misses Mom.  Haven't been doing too much fishing, but eating chicken (mostly from the store) but also some wild chickens when we can catch them.  They usually come around when Salesi is feeding our pigs coconut, and he'll snatch 'em up unawares, and before you know it, he's plucked them and gutting them, and in the pot they go: they have the BEST flavor, no trace of cardboard or freezer burn, which is what one tastes from the store chicken.  PLUS, the packaged boxes of frozen chicken that makes it out here to Tonga consists of thighs and drumsticks and no breast meat...so, to get a nice chicken breast, lolo'i it (meaning cook it in coconut cream), lightly salted and pepper sprinkled on...is just the best dinner ever.  I'm in love with moa tonga (Tongan chicken).  Next time we catch one, I'll try to remember to write a post about it.  Note to self: Try to make a better blog so that more people than just my sister 'Ofa reads it!  Like, uh, the rest of the family, if you could read and comment, that'd be suuuuper, would mean that I would be motivated to write for an audience rather than just sending out words into the dark void.  Pump my creativity and tell me what you want to see and hear about life here on a tiny island in the sea....

Until next post (soon), I'm over and out.

3 comments:

  1. Lea, so glad to see you're up and running again! The kids and I love to read your blog -- Brendon was facinated by the post about all the fish that were caught a few months ago. We're looking forward to pictures and posts about your project and the work you're doing over there!

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  2. Yay! Thanks Colleen, I'm so thrilled that your kids are reading it. I'll keep posting and putting interesting photos.

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  3. Internet technology is a blessing. What a wonder it was to eat thanksgiving dinner over conversation from 'Uiha! We love and miss you and Chuck and Dad!

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