Day 164, Year 7: Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Date: Friday, April 20, 2012
Weather: Beautiful Day
Location: Brewer Fiddler’s Cove Marina, N Falmouth, MA
In 2007, we arrived in the Kingdom of Tonga almost a month after the king had died. His younger brother took the crown, and at the end of the required one month mourning period, he was making his rounds meeting the people. We were invited to attend the church service on a Sunday when the new king would speak. We were told that the people were not pleased with the new king as he is a bit of a playboy, but they gathered to give him a warm welcome despite their feelings. At one point, the entire congregation became a choir and sang the Hallelujah Chorus for the king. It was so beautiful, and since that day when I am very, very happy about something, I close my eyes and relive that moment in a Methodist Church in Tonga. This morning was one of those times. Mark and I worked together and finished caulking the starboard deck. When that last piece of tape came up, we wanted to shout and sing, but instead we just let the people of Tonga sing the chorus for us. We realize that we are only half-way done, so we’ll get to rejoice once again when we are totally finished.
Mark was supposed to work at West Marine today, but he just did not feel up to being on his feet all day. He is having a harder time rebounding from this past chemo treatment. He just has no energy and generally feels unsettled. But early in the morning, he felt good enough to help with the caulking. But after we finished that job, he was basically finished for the day. He went with me to pick up Sam and Jonah and spent the afternoon at Heather and Jed’s. He did a great job laying on the couch and sleeping with Oliver which was good for both of them.
An alternate name for this log might have been, “Christmas in April.” Heather spent much of her day working on putting together and painting the brood chamber of her bee hive that arrived yesterday. As a Christmas present, Mark and I thought we got for her what she needed to start a hive, but instead of the base section, the brood chamber, we bought two honey supers. I think we were a bit distracted with Mark’s health issues and just not thinking too clearly at the time. But the problem has not been corrected, and soon Heather will be ready to order the bees. I spent part of my evening using a Christmas present given to me by the kids. My All American canner might possibly be the best boat gift I have ever been given. It is small enough to store on the boat, but is large enough to pressure can seven pints or four quarts at one time. Tonight I was canning the super nutritious chicken broth I made yesterday. There’s just not enough room to freeze the soup stocks, but I am very pleased with the canner. Thank you, Heather and Jed, Justin and Jo, and company.
04 Heather Putting Bee Hive Frames Together with G-diapers Hanging on the Line
