Monday, November 25

We knew the Kosco was coming back from the West toward Honiara today, we just weren't sure what time.  Since lots of my pineapples are ripening at the same time, I wanted to send some back to our SITAG family in Honiara as a "Merry Christmas".  When we left SITAG in mid-November, one of the ladies who cleans houses for SITAG (and how we love her!) told us "Hapi Krismas and Hapi Niu Yia!"  If you aren't going to see someone before Christmas, it's very appropriate to part with that phrase, even it if is still November.  So, before SITAG's staff begin to leave for their own villages to celebrate Christmas, we wanted to send them each a pineapple.  Yesterday, I asked Eta if she would make me a basket from a coconut leaf and help me pick the best pineapples to send back to Honiara.  She showed up at 7:00 this morning with the basket, told me she expected the Kosco around 11:00, and that she would be back to weed my yard after breakfast. 

A few minutes later, I heard the chugging of the Kosco's engines, and the village began to hum with activity.  I sent Benjamin to run get Eta while I began to harvest the pineapples that were ripe close to the house.  She came running, and we decided that we would have enough time to run get the pineapples from our bush garden.

So, Sarah, Benjamin, Olivia, and Eta went running down to the path to collect pineapples while Aaron went to find anybody who hadn't already gone to get on the ship.  In record time, we had nine pineapples in a basket and on the shoulders of Chief Leonard.  He is a great one to deliver the pineapples because he is familiar with several of our colleagues and can look for them at the wharf. 

After our adrenaline quit pumping, we finished breakfast and morning chores and began our school work.  Eta came around 9:00, and she and her young niece, Mariska, weeded in our much neglected yard.  I don't think I'll ever win the "Marulaon Yard of the Year" award if I weed by myself, so I don't mind paying a young lady to help bring my yard up to village standards!

For our morning snack, I made enough popcorn to share with Eta and Mariska.  We love popcorn popped in coconut oil, and the salt tastes so good when we are sweating so much.  As we were munching away, doing math on the porch, all of the sudden, Katherine yelled.  I looked up, and she was holding her tooth in her hands - tooth #5! 

A few minutes later, Olivia hollered, and she was also holding a tooth in her hands.  A molar for her.  Who knew popcorn would help teeth fall out?!?
Eta reminded us of how to sing the "tooth song" when you throw your tooth up on the leaf roof:
"Kokomita de ngoneo, nam nganeo."
When Eta finished weeding, we walked over to her house so Olivia and Katherine could throw their teeth up on the roof.