From 5:30PM to 7PM, on the 21st, Artie and I were in a yoga class. Svroopa yoga. And I did pretty well. I even got down on the floor, and back up at the end of the class. There were only a few things I did not do. Artie helped me with putting all the blankets, etc. where they should be, and the teacher positioned and straightened me when needed. It is a gentle yoga, and I really liked it. I also even got on my knees shortly, without hurting them at all. I am very proud of myself.

Then we came home and after having dinner, John built a wonderful fire in the back yard, and we went out with two drums (one a Bodhran - Irish) and a shaker, and we chanted and played our instruments. The evening of the 21st is the real Winter Solstice. Then Shanawatt arrived, with his drum, and chanted. He is American Indian, but right now, my brain isn't remembering from which group. Then we just sang all kinds of songs, songs I sang at camp, songs that we always sang on road trips, etc. Artie has a huge repertoire, so it was a lot of fun. The full moon was rising steadily and came right overhead, and we all got up and greeted it, and chanted our own thing (my was a constant HEALGIHAN,HEALGIHAN. Then we gathered in a circle and each shared blessings. Shanawatt then chanted a prayer, and we said our goodbyes, and went to bed.

Good news - I have lost ten pounds and my PH balance is in sync. I feel great.
I have also cut my glyberide/metformin (for blood sugar) in half, as I was getting low sugar warnings in my body. That I did on my own, and I do feel better. I won't go entirely off anything until I get back to my doctor in Harrisonburg.

After lunch yesterday, we went into town and went to the bookstore. Artie and John set up there each Wednesday from 3 to 5 to demonstrate weaving and spinning. I sat and knitted. The store owner is a good friend of theirs, whom I had already met. Her store has a lot of Molokai artists' work for sale, as well as used books, and other items. Kat was coming in at 4:20, so John and I left to get her a lei, and then go out to the airport. She looks wonderful and so happy. There is a lot of stuff that has happened here to the Habitat affiliate, and her close friend Emillia is no longer with them. That is a long story that I won't go into at all. Kat came into the bookstore and said hello to Artie, then John took her to the Molokai Hotel where the team will be housed for the build.

We came back for dinner, and then sat around and talked. I am able to get a wifi connection out on the lanai (porch), so I went out there and went through email and stuff. Broken Tail got up on the porch and curled up in Artie's lap, and then got into mine. It was nice to stroke a cat once again. The other cats here are skittish. Calico, known as Calli, is skin and bones, and she is fed differently than the others. She doesn't seem to be able to eat dry cat food, so she gets canned cat food. I have taken over the job to see that she eats what is given her. She is terribly skittish, and I have found that if I give her just a little food, she will eat it all. Then I wash out the bowl. And cover up the can of food, and put everything in a zip lock. Then when she asks for more, I put some more in the bowl. If it left in the bowl, she will not eat it. So we will see if this works.

Today I named the main rooster Poseidon. Artie laughed when I told her. He is a beautiful guy, but he knows it! And struts around shepherding his girls, and the other males with purpose. While Artie and John went to the dump, I went out to the garden and harvested white eggplant and more broccoli. Then I came in and am writing this blog. They just got back, and we are all going to stop and have a cup of coffee, before we have lunch.

This afternoon I am going to mix up gingerbread dough for Kat. My packages still have not arrived, so the cookies will have to be round like wreaths. Artie has all the ingredients for me to mix them up, since my stuff is still in the package that has yet to arrive. Such is life.

This evening we are going to go down to town, where one of the stores puts on a huge Christmas party for everyone on the island. It is like a huge block party from what I have been told. I will let you all know what it was like.

Just to let you know. It is partly sunny, not humid, with a sea breeze coming in, and in the high 70's. Perfect weather.

Life is good.

Adieu, Adios, Mahalo.
I love you all,
Sally