December 23 later in the day - I did get the gingerbread cookie dough made, and since I don't have any cookie cutters here yet, I rolled the dough into logs and put them in the frig to get cold.

Today was the Great Banana Cover-up!!! I had gone out into the garden and harvested white eggplant and broccoli. When I came in, Artie asked me to get the two remaining pumpkins. As I was getting the first one, near the banana grove, I noticed a stem of bananas (by the way, they are stems and not hands - hands only have about 12 bananas on them) that had two bright yellow bananas on it, that looked like some animal had partially dined on them. When I came in, I told Artie, who cried, "It's those damned chickens!" And she went out to see, and then called John. "We've got to cover them up, John! There is even an empty stem! I know that damned rooster ate every one of them!" Then she spotted another stem of bananas. Off she goes into the house, and gets two old queen size pillow cases, and calls John to get the step ladder, and with me following with my camera, they go out to their banana grove. Up John climbs, with Artie trying to fit one of the pillow cases over the first stem. No go. John gets out his trusty Swiss Army knife, and slits it up one side, and they manage to cover the stem. Cover the hole where the slit is with a banana leaf or two, wrap it all up with twine, and then go to the next stem of bananas and repeat the whole procedure once again. I was taking pictures and holding the ladder. The next day Artie looked at me and started laughing - "you know, I had a brain fart last night, and realized we could have used those black trash bags!" And having found a third stem almost ready, they did exactly that!

That evening, we all hopped into the car, and went downtown at 5PM. TAKES, a general store, for the past 47 years has put on a dinner for the island - everyone is invited. The island only has 7000 people on it. We took our chairs, and a portable table, and set up in their parking lot, where we could watch all the goings-on. If you bought more than $20 at the store during the month, you could put your name in for prizes. They had boxes with slots for both adults and children. There was a trio set up playing music, mostly Christmas. Then one of the hula groups that meets every week, danced a couple of favorite hulas. Then, after the tables were set up buffet style, the owner said thank you to everyone, and said a prayer over the food, and the lines began. It was mostly Chinese food, very good, and they must have easily fed over a 1000 people, with plenty left over. The streets were crowded with cars and pickup trucks and people. I was very impressed by the all the people, with no one pushing or shoving, everyone smiling, lots of children running around and dancing to the music. It was just great fun! After everyone had their fill, and the food was cleaned up, the tables were rearranged, and the prizes were brought out and the drawing began. The biggest prize was a 50 inch Panasonic TV. We stayed until about 9PM, and then decided to leave. We never found out who won the TV. And really didn't care! Frankly, I haven't watched actual TV since I left Maui and came here. We have watched a couple of movies here at the house, but Artie and John do not have cable.

Thus ends December 23rd!

Life is good!
Adieu, Adios, Mahalo,
I love you all,
Sally