monday may 2,2011

Sorry for not writing much lately to those of you who has been following my blog-and thank you by the way.  This past week has been filled with starting my new job, which I am enjoying and being sick. The sinus infection (we think that’s what it was) that was going around got josh first and then as it goes, it got it a couple days later. The only exciting part of our week was we got a new fridge! Isn’t it sad we are so happy about it, but I can cook again-thank goodness!

Not much in the way of pictures, but this is what grows on the property where we live. The couple we rent from (they are in the Tagalog congregation), give them to us when they are ready. The trees produce more than they or even we need, so we get to share with others. The coconut is one I had josh chop down so I could make curry with the juice and so I could eat the inside-yummy!  The bananas are what they call cooking, they taste a little bit different from the big ones, but I think they have more flavor. Also that grows is mangos and papaya.  Josh introduced me into another way to eat avocados besides plain or in guacamole. So you have to try it for any of you who have not! Take your avocados and put them in bowl slightly mashed/chunked like you would for guacamole, but you had milk, maybe like 1/3 cup and some sugar like 1-2 tablespoons. Stir in together and put in fridge to chill. Then eat! It’s good as dessert even especially when it’s hot out.

I finally tried good papaya (my first experience was an over-ripe one that was so gross!). I got to eat lunch at the corpus’ house today (our landlords). They made lunch for some in their hall that were out in service-that is the Guam way. We had so much good food,  including fresh papaya and mango. I tried a dish that I believe is Filipino, it’s noodles with green onion , hard-boiled egg, fried garlic ,chicken and then the chicken broth which you add evaporated milk to. I know it sounds weird but it’s good and very filling. Also there was pumpkin/squash with the  leaves and shrimp cooked in coconut milk which you eat over rice-yummy! One of the young brothers that came is Filipino but is in the chuukese group here. I believe he is from Guam but then was in Hawaii at the bethel there. He was in the chuukese congregation there, until they sent him here to help out the group. He is leaving Sunday to go to chuuk for 1-2 month. We hope to learn how his trip goes, or if he staysJ , so stay tuned for the latest.

We did finally buy rice, we put it off as long as we could but we were both craving it. It has gone up in price so that’s why we don’t eat it as much now. For example a 25 pound bag of jasmine rice is about $17.00. That’s one of the bad things about Guam, some food products/items are more expensive. But you learn to make do or find ways to stretch the food. We eat a lot of left overs!

By the way for any of you who are wondering where Guam is or like what time it is here, here is some facts.  If it’s 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning in say Florida then it would be 11:00 p.m. Monday evening for us in Guam Or 10:00p.m. Monday evening for you in Florida, then it would be 12:00p.m. (noon) on Tuesday morning. Basically we are 14 hours ahead of you if you are in Florida or on the east coast. We do not change our clocks at all during the year-so keep that in mind please.    Guam is 6 miles wide by 30 miles long. We live on the far north tip of the island right next to the entrance to Anderson air force base. It’s about 85 degrees all the time with way more humidity then Florida. Guam is located south of Japan, west of Hawaii and east of Philippines.   So any time you happen to be on this side of the globe, drop by and see us.