Monday, Dec 13

Today we made another important step in purchasing our SUV. We bought insurance - $100 US per year...Still a bunch of other steps but we are slowly progressing!

I bought a shovel today so I could plant my lime tree and my orange tree. I think that is the most I have ever sweated in my life. I was pulling boulders out of the ground as I was digging the hole for each tree. In any event, they are planted. I think later this week I will post pictures of the new additions on facebook. Perhaps another trip to the garden centre is in order...I want a lemon tree and perhaps another lime tree, some more palm trees, some flowers......

Limes are very popular here. It is really good to add lime juice to your drinking water to help you keep your body's salts in balance, especially when it is hot.

I paid my first power bill at the local Edenorte office. Two security guards with guns. Not intimidating at all. LOL There are signs posted on the front door that customers are not allowed to wear hats, sunglasses or bring in their own guns...go figure.

After all that, it was time to go see the Dominican family who had been searching for passion fruit (chinola) seeds for me. This was my fourth trip and today they had them. The owner of the store told me we would have to go to his home and pick them up. It was about a five minute drive so I said sure. He then proceeds to pick up his two cell phones and his handgun. Ok....now what? So off I go in the car and to his home. Along the drive he explained that he was a colonel in the army and he was required to carry his gun at all times.

He invited me into his home and gave me a tour. This is the first time I have been inside a Dominican home. I was very surprised. Although the home wasn't large, it was beautifully decorated in brilliant tropical colours and was neat as a pin. I'm sure the floors were so clean you could have eaten off them! He showed me each room, including his daughters....okay, so even Dominican teenagers throw their clothes all over their rooms...LOL

This was a very pleasant experience and in the Dominican Republic, it is a special honour to be invited as a stranger into someone's home. I was very touched by his generosity in not charging me a peso for the seeds.

I had a great day today :)