A day at Mr. Kennedy's

Morning comes predictably when the sun comes up at 6:30, the roosters have been crowing for a while before it gets light.  It’s very quiet at Mr. Kennedy’s, hardly any cars on the road from 10 pm until after 7 or later in the morning when Sansrik Elementary School kids arrive by bus at 8.

I get up and enjoy a cup of cold coffee (Nescafe instant made the night before and stored in the frig) and a donut, catch up with whatever the internet brought in overnight. Sometimes I get calls early in the morning, always fun when it’s a friend with no idea they're reaching me in Kosrae.  Always delicious, to talk on the phone, because often the internet goes out in the morning and that’s the end of the phone connection!

Morning sounds always include sweeping.  Mr. Kennedy’s wife Srue sweeps her floors and outside, the neighbors sweep, probably everyone is sweeping all over the island.  Mr. Kennedy powers up his weed whacker some days, overrides the sweeping.  I make breakfast and do a little of this and that, ‘organizing’ my day.  Sometimes that includes doing laundry, which at the moment I’m doing by handwashing in a large plastic tub and drying on the veranda railing.

Around 10, every morning, people congregate at the Kennedy’s living space downstairs and laugh.  The laughing is loud and melodious and draws me to wonder what they are laughing about.  It must be the laughing hour.  Everyone needs one!

I try to get in my 30 minutes of core and hip exercises in the morning.  My trusty fan is a godsend and lifeline and I thank it every day for making my life comfortable here.  Its little sidekick is Venty! given to me by Alaina and Alice.  It charges up on a phone charger and then runs for a long time without being plugged in.  This is a pure treasure, good for working, and for naps, and for when the power goes out.

By midday I am frustrated by the iffy internet and not quite disciplined enough to take on one of the many reading tasks I have on my computer. 

Somedays I have an appointment with in town (10 min drive to Tofol).  Often I take myself and my laptop and phones (one is local, and the other my ATT on airplane mode) and decamp to the Nautilus where I can make a Zoom call or phone call or do work on the internet.  

One afternoon I was talking with Connor in Tokyo (Liaison medical records project) when a gaggle of little kids decided to swim in the pool.  When I moved so I could hear Connor better, the kids got out of the pool and started playing ping pong right behind me.  Those are the limitations of my office at the Nautilus.

Some afternoons I go walking up the hill to the Justice Department, with Glenice.  Other days, depending on the tide, I swim at the lagoon.  These times are special, good exercise, and help me feel I am right here where I want to be.

For the past week, I have practiced the piano for an hour every day, and oh man, that feels so good.  I am actually improving, and moving on to new pieces!  I was trying hard to use the headphones so as not to bother anyone with my halting notes, but with the volume on low, I find I can take the headphones off and enjoy practicing more.  The hour with the piano is as relaxing for me here in Kosrae as it was in Seattle.  Today I found myself thanking my mother for making me take piano lessons, which I hated and quit as soon as I could.  She knew or intuited she was giving me a valuable gift.

By 6 I'm having a beer on the veranda watching the sunset, but by 6:30 I'm driven inside by the bitey bugs.  Then I cook dinner, read, go to bed around 10.  I’ve used the AC many nights (sure way to keep the bugs at bay), and sometimes the fan instead.  I am trying to move away from AC though, too expensive and I think it’s better for my body to live in the local climate.

Yesterday I had two social events at my place, SO MUCH FUN!  Sepe Juanita, a good friend from last year, came over for the afternoon bringing cans of lemon tea and little corndogs made with Vienna sausages from the snack shop just up the street (she said this shop is always good, and very clean).  

Then Nick and Stella came over for dinner.  Nick entertained us by playing the piano, after we had cocktails of box wine Chablis, corn on the cob, and devilled eggs on the veranda watching the sunset.  Dinner was salad  (!!), brown rice with vegetable curry, chicken on the side (I boiled a whole chicken that I'd bought frozen from Mic's, then picked the meat off and used the broth for the curry), a delicious spicy vegetable stew Stella made (African), with banana bread and a bar of Theo’s chocolate for dessert.  The day was wonderful, spending time with these friends.  I felt proud of myself and my kitchen, and also pleasantly tired.  Like I really live here now.

Today it is RAINING.  POURING rain.  I went out in the morning to see about the medical records project at the hospital, but was home by noon before the rain started.  On two sides of my apartment are large expanses of metal roofing covering the Kennedy living spaces.  Pounding rain, even rain gently falling on these roofs makes a most soothing sound, good for napping.  It’s now 7 pm and just beginning to slow down, or so I thought, maybe not!  There are probably flooded areas of road.  My neighbors' gutter/cistern system couldn’t handle it so there’s now a water-filled gully around the back of their house.  The green-ness of the trees is even greener.  Lush

Tonight in between squalls, Tolpe (the Kennedys' daughter) brought me these coconuts.  I think she is gracefully and quietly introducing herself and showing her interest in just whatever it is I'm doing up here!  One day I will share the piano playing with her and see if she's interested.

Day is done.  No day is just like the day before.  None are predictable except: the sun rises at 6:30, and the sun sets at 6:30.  Every day.  And the Kennedys laugh at 10.