Wednesday, July 25, 2007

2007-07-22 Rainy Sunday

We got the big water tank wrestled down to the new pad, and set it up yesterday. It was cloudy and blustery all day, but the rain didn't materialize until late this morning, about the time we were getting Jim into his runabout to go to Labasa. He was to fly to Suva this afternoon, to see a couple of cabinet ministers about a boat contract, the coconut oil pressing operation he's trying to get going, and my work permit. Between that and a day doing business in Labasa on the way back, he'll be away 3 days or so. I'll be running the morning radio net, and trying to keep things moving in the Island boat shop, as well as trying to improve infrastructure. But I have to be careful not to do things that might be interpreted as working for Also Island Ltd. before we get a work permit from the govt in Suva. Today was relatively quiet, and allowed some time for introspection. I had to wonder a bit if we were taking on more than we can do, living out here and trying to fix enough of the problems at Also Island so that Jim can smooth out the operation enough to survive. There is clearly too much for just him and Kyoko to handle, and priorities have become impossible to set as there are more imperative tasks than there is time to do them. In any case, we've started the process of getting the work visa, and if the govt will let us, we'll give it the old college try. We had enough rain in the collection tank this afternoon for Charlie and me to hook up the tank system and try it out. Had to do a little modification, but it seems to be working. We'll take that as a good omen. And positive results encourage us, so we're ready to attack the coming week.
One of the issues that has emerged in the last week is the food shortage in the village. About 4 months ago a freak cyclone ripped right through the Udu area, taking out most of the papaya, banana, taro and cassava, and knocking the blooms off the lemon and mango trees. In another 2 or 3 months there should be some crops starting to ripen again, but the supplies are getting pretty thin now, and Isai, the chief, says he doesn't really know what to do about it now. I'm going to have to do some research into what it would cost to bring in a boatload of fresh fruit and vegetables from Labasa every couple weeks for the next 2 or 3 months. Won't do to let some people get sick from malnutrition. Prevention is cheaper than sending them to Labasa to recover, to say nothing of being more humane. But we sure need the supply boat I came here to build. Just need to get the permission, find the funds, and then hang on long enough to get it in the water. Well, if it was easy, there'd be no satisfaction in it, I guess. We intend to prevail, so unless we find out the whole direction was wrong, there should be plenty of satisfaction in 6 months or so. May life be as full for all of you as it is for us. Ted

No comments: