27 February 2020

News that makes everything else irrelevant:  yesterday I learned that my brother Jeswant died.

Isa, Jeswant!  What an angel.

He was one of the first neighbors to warmly welcome us to the neighborhood.  Then he showed up often with little gifts.  I would visit him and his handicapped son at their home.  When I learned about the Raksha Bandan custom to honor siblings, I asked him if he’d be my brother – and he accepted with his whole heart.  Isa isa.

Here is an article in the Hindi language paper 2014, apparently surprised at the two of us as brother-sister.

Here Jeswant and I are doing the Raksha Bandan custom in 2015.

And here is a photo of Jeswant with Austin in Sigatoka, just a year ago.

Isa, Jeswant – isa isa.  Rest in peace my dear brother.

* * *

I hope your week has better news than mine had.  (I’m in Hawaii now and there is excitement on the horizon.  I expect a better week as well.)

* * *

 

20 February 2020

Dear Mom,

Bula vinaka, hope this letter finds you well!

This week’s news starts with you winning the Bet with Daisy!!   [I bet three kittens – thinking it would be a few more weeks.]  Yay!  She had three beautiful healthy kittens (2 males and a female).  Keith, Dad and I waited all day as she demanded our attention, later in the afternoon Akka found her behind me on the couch cushion pushing out the first one, I jumped with fright Dad quickly got out a carton to put her in.

The Money tree up at the pavilion made lots of nuts and so we tried to make a food invention out of it.  First it was dried in the sun, roasted hoping the shells would fall off easy.  It didn’t!  We soaked, peeled them, it still had a smokey flavour to it, but was soggy.

So then the idea was to add them in brownies.  Yum yum yummmmmy!

Keith and I went about our harvesting cocoas, guavas, and a little visit with Ryu.  He neighed and was very happy for some guava treat.

[looks like he is eating Keith’s toes to me!]

Yesterday we had a police truck come by the house to gather information about Ryu as a man from Nasovatava village saw Ratu riding him the other day and claimed Ryu was his horse he lost some 10 years ago.  Not true!  He must have been keen seeing how healthy Ryu was.  Ha ha ha

[ healthy horse of ours – and if you look on his shoulder, you’ll see the brand proving our ownership of him :)]

Ill make sure to update you about it next week.

I would like to specially thank everyone for their hard work on the farm so far also keeping happy and enjoying each others company.  Junior works hard on the farm with Lutu, Olo, Naomi and Lemeki.  Nicole does a great job looking after our healthy nephew Keanu.  Rakesh is focused on getting the kiddies pool done.  Akka gets the chickens fed on time everyday, Kiki bear keeps us all going with non stop headaches. Ashmita keeps us all well fed and our precious Dad keeps us all updated with the Virus counts and its deadly effects so far.

[yeah, he keeps me updated, too – which is why I ended up sewing 4-ply face masks]

Mom,  I’m happy too for you that you’re visiting with your babies and having a great time.  We love you and miss you!

Looking forward to next week!

Loloma Levu,

Monica.

***

It is GREAT getting news from home.

Meanwhile, Today (!!!)  I finally achieved a goal.   I went for a SERIOUS ice bath –

right into Woods Lake, right behind my daughter’s apartment.

Ta DA!   I planned to stay for two minutes.  I actually made it for 45 seconds – ha ha ha.   But that was good enough for me.  Whoop  whoop  whoop !!!

***

Happy week, everybody!

***

13 February 2020

(I have to say, getting Monica to send photos and news from home is one of the BEST ideas I’ve ever had!  I am enjoying getting the news each week so much – it’s a first, after many extended trips away from the farm.  Huzzah!)

***

Dear Mom

Last week we had another full week of fun,laughter,visits and hosting guests.

Thankfully we didn’t burn the house down 🤣🤣.

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Dad attempted to light up coconut husks for the annoying mosquitoes.  He left them on a wooden bench near the main house and assumed it wouldn’t light up.   IT DID!  There was smoke everywhere, luckily it was put out just in time.  Now we have a little bench with a charcoal spot to remind us!

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Daisy’s been doing lots of yoga sleeps.  She’s ‘up’ again [i.e. at our kitchen lounge instead of ‘down’ at Junia and Nicole’s house] so Junior, Akka and I have an ongoing bet on how many kittens she will have.

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(Let’s take bets!  I – Mom – say THREE.)

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Keith really likes drinking Noni juice!

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I asked him to collect the soft smelly ones and I prepared it and asked him to drink without smelling it.  He compared it to drinking Sprite juice and really enjoyed it.  (GAG – I say!)

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Now it’s our thing.

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(EWWWW –  and he thinks it tastes like Sprite?   ha ha ha.  Everyone is invited to the farm when I get home to try it – to see if you like it or if it makes you gag like I do.  ha ha. It is very good for health, so I’m really happy that Monica and Kiki have this new “thing”)

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On the 7th of February it was Beamer’s birthday.  We walked up to her resting place to say a few prayers.  I personally remembered how sweet she had always been during the first years we met. We enjoyed watermelons and her beautiful garden Dad replanted.

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That’s about it for this week.

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Mom, I /WE miss you and hope you are taking good care of yourself!

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Lolomas kei na Masu,

Love you!

.

***

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Awww.  So sweet

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I hope all of you – at the farm and everywhere else – have a wonderful week.

.

***

6 February 2020

More news from home … man, this is the sweet and easy to write my blog!

First off, Akka felt like I needed some flowers – so he found this pretty bush with pink blooms for me.

***

Then Monica sent LOTS of news, along with photos.

Dear Mom,

Today was our first Ladies get together without you. We had an opening [Baha’i] prayer from Dad, a Hindu prayer, a Christian prayer and a closing prayer from Lani.  During our around the circle talk with the ladies your name was mentioned a lot because we all missed you!

Awwwwwww.   I’m missing all those sweet ladies!

Kiki caught a cough and his now telling everyone he has “Corona Virus”.

Grandaddy and Kiki have been visiting Beamer’s grave frequently also because of the mulberry tree beside her.  The birds kept beating them to it so Grandaddy had the perfect Idea of putting a net around the Mulberry bush, and to Kiki’s surprise there was a container full of the black juicy ones.

So he decided to make Mulberry milkshake fused with pineapples,the colour was bright and beautiful although Akka will tell you the taste

Dad suggested the Orchids be fertilized because they’re beginning to make funny blooms if the sprays are not very close they’re too far apart.  One is even just making a flower right off the plant instead of growing out.

(Monica sent a photo, but I misplaced it….)

Akka’s made yummy candies made of his very own chocolate with butter lollies.They were dellllicooous.

I wish you blessed days ahead and I’m keeping you, Lua n Family always in my prayers.

Love you,

Monica

P.S.   Yadra Mom this morning Dad and Kiki went to pick the mulberries and they made Jam. Very impressive.