Rain and more rain.

Friday I spent the day preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for the missionaries here in Ocho.  We decided to buy a turkey.  It was a 3 lb. Butterball turkey and it cost us a little over $30.00 US.  I think the stores carry the turkeys for all the US visitors.  I was able to find  some pumpkin so I made a pumpkin pie and a banana cream pie.  I did not plan on doing any baking here so I left my pastry cloth home.  I have regretted that decision.  I remembered my sister Tricia rolling her pie crust between wax paper so I resorted to that method and it worked out great.  I also found that if I let my roll dough rise in the refrigerator, it was easier to roll out the dough for the rolls.  I feel like I have gone backward and not forward in my cooking skills.  Anyway, we had a good time with the missionaries.  I was always grateful that my boys were invited to eat out on their missions so this was pay back time for me.

Elder Jones, Sister Mouritson, Sister Garrett, and Elder Hall

Saturday we got up early and headed to Port Antonio so that we could meet up with President Brown's family and the senior missionary couples.  From Port Antonio we were going to go to Boston Bay, Long Bay, and then on to Reach Falls which is another hour from Port Antonio.  We woke up to rain in Ocho and by the time we reached Port Antonio, it was pouring rain.  We decided that we would go to Boston Bay and Long Bay and skip Reach Falls.  By the time we got to Long Bay, it had stopped raining so  President Brown and his family played in the ocean at Long Bay for awhile.  The ocean waves were bigger than normal due to the rain and wind.  When we got in the van, it started raining again but we decided to go to Reach Falls hoping that the rain would stop.  It never did.  We sat on a porch and ate lunch waiting for the rain to stop.  The rain continued to pour and we even had lightning and thunder.  We decided we would try Reach Falls another day so we headed back to Boston Bay for some jerk chicken and then on to Port Antonio to pick up the other vehicles.  Boston Bay is famous for their jerk chicken and they even have a jerk festival there.  The chicken was hotter than the jerk chicken in Ocho but it did have a good flavor.  My lips were on fire for awhile.  We had a great time visiting with the senior couples and the President's family so it was worth the three hour drive to and from Ocho.  It was nice to have left over Thanksgiving dinner to come home to.  Brian and I were so tired that we went to bed around 8:30.

Looking at the ocean at Long Bay

Looking in the other direction at Long Bay.  Notice how the wind is blowing the coconut palms.

Elder Hall and Sister Whitehead sitting on the porch at Reach Falls. The rain is pouring in the background.


Sunday we left the house at 8:15 so that Brian could meet with a member for tithing settlement.  The member never showed up but at least I got to study for a little while before church started.  Sacrament meeting and Sunday School were really good.  We had intended to show a video for  joint Priesthood and Relief Society but we could never get the TV working so the missionaries explained the new Christmas focus of putting Christ back into Christmas.  We wanted to show the video that the church put out but that didn't happen either.  Brian had tithing settlement after church so we were at the branch for awhile.  In the meantime, the rain continued to pour.  By the time we left the branch, the street was flooded. It was nice to be driving a truck.  I might mention that the rain seems to keep the members from coming to church.  Someone told me that Jamaicans do not like to get their heads wet so they avoid the rain because they think it will make them sick.  One nice thing about the rain is that it keeps people off the streets so it is easier to drive in the cities.

Today was P-day and it was also another rainy day.  We even lost power for awhile.  When it finally stopped raining, we decided to check out the new store that just opened.  Some of their prices were good but I think General Store under our branch has more variety as far as American items go.  We decided to take some school bags to some of our members and then stopped to visit with the Llewellans.  Sister Llewellan is out of the hospital and her daughter is here from England.  It was fun to finally meet her.  After our visit, we went home.  I decided to read " Jesus the Christ" so I spent the remainder of the afternoon reading before I had to fix dinner.