Happy Thanksgiving
23 November 2007
Dear Family and Friends:
Gaby and I are at the Library in Pago Pago, American Samoa. There is an incredible rain storm underway, buckets and buckets of rain, kids falling in puddles and sloshing around, and roads flooded-ankle deep. We are not going out until it ceases or lets up or we get kicked out. The librarian took pity on us and hung our over shirts in a janitor's room, as we were drenched upon arrival. Luckily, we don't melt and we dry off quickly. And hey, what a better place to be caught during a rain storm than the Library!!! We are having a great time.
Sami and John are out on the boat. this morning, we moved Encanto from the shipyard to the bay. Back on the water afloat. I'm sure they are collecting water and taking showers. Encanto is a wonderful place to be when it is raining...safe and warm.
We are ready for tommorrow's feast. We went hunting and found a 12.5 lb turkey; actually there are lots of frozen turkeys on the island, as well as all the trimmings in the stores. Gaby has become our pastry chef so the traditional pumpkin pie is being made, although there are crew and Captain rumblings and chants requesting lemon chiffon or lemon meringue pies. One likes chiffon and the other likes meringue. Ah, family feuding over food. (So,typical of us... Politics doesn't enrage us, but food is sacred grounds for contention!!!) She might have to make both to keep the peace in the family. I doubt the pilgrims and the native Indian's faced these kinds of demands. This year we will spend Thanksgiving with just the four of us aboard for the feast, but it will be a feast to be remembered.
We are grateful to be here, safe and sound. All is well. The boat is fixed and we are comfortably set. As always, we are grateful for much; abundant good health, love, laughter, friendships, and all the joy that surrounds us generously. Wow, we are lucky! We couldn't be this happy without you.
We send you our Happy Thanksgiving best wishes. May your day of joy and bliss extend for the year to come and into 2008. We are grateful that you are in our lives and make our lives the absolute best anyone can possibly want. THANK YOU.
Thank you for being our family of blood and heart.
Love,
Judy, John, Gaby and Sami