Sunday, August 03, 2014

Our pet lizard, Herman (6" long).  Just kidding--the common Gecko--found all over inside/outside the house

They eat insects, so are very useful except they leave behind excretions.  They make a clicking noise.

After a very rainy night, we found this snail on the outside wall--maybe 4" long!

      We discovered a while ago that we live within a half mile of the ocean.  There are high block fences that surround this subdivision and outside the barriers live many squatters.  It is difficult to see the water because of all the bamboo structures along the sea.  Squatter areas are like little cities within the larger city.  We will have to talk about squatters rights some time; interesting.  George and I have commented that loud horns we hear sound like they are from large sailing vessels, now we know they are:  we live near a shipping area.

     An interesting thing happened at the Mission Office.  It’s sort of in the central downtown area of Bacolod.  Our office land line telephone went down a few weeks ago.  It took a week to get someone out and what they discovered is that someone had stripped 100 meters (~300 feet) of telephone wire.  I assumed they stole if for the copper content, although it would be very little, but the answer was it would be used for clothes line.

     This evening we picked up a missionary and the long winding road to their house was one lane, I should add barely one lane.  When it came time to turn the truck around, the entire neighborhood came out to help George navigate.  Little English was spoken, but everybody wanted to help.  I marvel at the kindness of the people we have met.

Looks like he fell off a moving vehicle the wrong way

     Because of the climate in Tucson, George regularly went to a Dermatologist to have his skin checked.  At his last visit a month before we left, he had four spots treated cryogenically, and got a bill for ~$500 (that was after the insurance had paid).  He had a suspicious spot on his face, so we went to a local Dermatologist in Bacolod.  We liked the doctor very much; she lives in our subdivision, and also shares an office with her husband, an Orthopedist.  She said she would treat his spot, but that the technique here is to use a cauterizing device; which she insisted was better than the cryogenic treatment.  Anyway, she burned off 14 spots and handed him a bill for 1000p or $23.  Hope it works—the price is right anyway!  We find that medical care here is much less expensive. 

Missionary Feast!

     Yesterday we were invited to speak at a fireside.  When we drove up, the Church was crowded.  This little ward had over fifty investigators present, at 9:00 am.  After our part was over, the ward had other activities which included a tour of the Church, games and lunch.  The Relief Society had prepared us a special “snack”.  I said to a counselor in the bishopric (who had returned from his mission only one year earlier) how nice it was for them to provide us some food.  He said, “This is what the Relief Society does”.  We have not eaten much Filipino food.  It was some sort of chicken salad in fancy sweet bread.  It was very good.  George really liked the rice pastry.  They make very tasty sweets here :-).