Friday, October 30, 2009

Potty stop in Vegas

We stopped for the bathroom at in n out in Vegas. Liz is doing well
and will be there until at least Sunday. Please go visit her- Utah
Valley Medical something in Provo.

Blood tests

They are taking more blood to see how thin it's getting as well as to
test for five possible markers that would give an underlying reason
for clotting- they don't just blame the medicine she was on.

Liz in hospital

Liz has been hospitalized for a pulmonary embolism! She's doing well
with the blood thinner cumiden but has to stay until Sunday to
regulate the medicine.
The culprit was some medicine she'd been taking.
It's a tiny blood clot in her lower left lung. She didn't have the
regular symptoms- no coughing or shortness of breath. She just had a
little pain in her lung, thought it might be pneumonia or pleuresy.
She's at Utah Valley Medical Center e577. Valet park at the front of
the building

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Chocolate soap

I made this soap yesterday. I'll cut it into pieces today and it will
take about a month for it to cure. It's actually chocolate orange
flavored soap. Another batch I made with coconut oil from the
Philippines textured with some beach sand.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Headed out!

This is the clinic we finally found. We went to another 'clinic' but it was really a spa. This clinic ironically, is next door to the atm! Imagine that!
They prescribed some oral antibiotics that were quite expensive so I'll try to find some cheaper ones.





This is Shoko, Nanjean, and Kate making the truffles for Fridays. It was awesome because she pre-did every step of the process so it was like a TV show and she would pull out the next step immediately. Shoko had never done chocolates.

We are leaving Fridays for a van, to a boat, to a van to the Kalibo airport for 615 pm Saturday night flight to Manila. Spend the night in a hotel. 815 am Sunday Manila to Tokyo (615 saturday night Utah time), then to Portland and home around 1 pm Sunday. Please have Sunday dinner ready.

Last day in Boracay

Scott, Me and Shoko eating a fresh coconut on a boat. The coconut was sold to us from a boat onto our boat. Great service but I actually think the fresh coconut is disgusting.






Sunset at our beach. About 40 miles away, you can see other big islands.








Me on a coral beach - look close, no sand, just coral which is like rocks and stuff. Very painful without shoes. We had taken a little boat over to this little island. I felt like Gilligan going on a three hour tour of the Jungle Cruise and we landed at Tom Sawyer's Island. Very fun.



Group on the boat to 'Tom Sawyer's Island' eating ice cream that was also delivered to us. We had tied into this bouy in a 'preserve' area to snorkel. Only little fish around here, like maybe 6''. I'm not really an ocean water swim person. It was only about 4' deep, but it still made me nervous even with a life jacket on.


See you in three days or something whenever I get home - the bumps on my legs are totally out of control. I put cortisone cream on with no avail and I bought some stuff at the pharmacy that burns so at least I don't notice the itchiness.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

this is it! We leave in 36 hours!

We've done lots of things the last few days. I finally went to an ATM and got some local money (thanks Tim!). I've just been using dollars but I ran out. The dollar has devalued 10% while we've been here - I think the world is still mad over Obama's Peace prize.
I bought some more pearls on beach from these ladies. I won't disclose how many sets...but if you tell me you want one, I'll give you one.
We went on side by side ATV's. Harry and Tim - they were 200 cc PGO's. We just went on pavement to the top of the island. Nice view.







The first night we were here they had a pig roast for us. We didn't really eat because the natives needed the food but we sampled and it was very good. They stuff the pig with lemon grass - it's actually grass that tastes like lemon and it was amazing! So, then, I saw a boy turning a pig, manually, over coals so I took a picture of that. Maybe you'll see it.
My favorite purchase, is a $3 house dress. My bags are getting pretty full or I'd go buy a few more. I've been wanting a moo moo for a while and this one is perfect! Knee length with a pocket. It reminds me of the good ol' days with Maurine.
Oh, and as my service while I'm here...
The daughter of the guy Don got the boat for is Gemma. She and her brother have horrible skin - the kind that leaves scarring. Don and Cath brought her proactive (probably $40 or so) hoping that it will help her. I had kind of just kept my mouth shut and assumed that medicine hadn't worked for her or wasn't available (no one I'm with knew that her kind of acne wasn't the result of poor skin care).
So, last night at dinner I asked Don if she had seen a doctor for her skin. He kind of laughed and said they would never have enough money for that. A girl was with us that Don and Cath put through college and Don asked her to find out about a doctor. Luckily, there is a clinic on the island we are going to take Gemma to for the whopping amount of $10! Anything they give her will be an improvement- medicine is cheap. I don't know if the have Acutane her because that's what she really needs. So, I'm hopeful that we can find something that will help her and her
brother.
And helping her makes me feel better about buying 30 strands of pearls :)

Me at a fish market. blegh!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

busy day today!

This is the gal I bought a bunch of necklaces from today. I opted to buy from her because she is local, as opposed to the Southern Philippine Muslim men who sell on the island, proceeds benefiting Al Quaeda.





This is my bed covered with the necklaces. Some pearls, some natural stones and oddly, some Italian murano beads.

Waiting for photos to upload. Just fyi, the only sunscreen anyone should ever ever buy again, is the Bullfrog SPF 36 Surfer Formula, Original. It's a gel that dries instantly and is advertised as good for 8 hours. Don't buy the lotion, it never rubs in. I used some coppertone spray on the back of my legs and let's just say it didn't

work very well.
This is a mini unimog - can you see what it says on the side? Zorbing!!! Tim and I zorbed in New Zealand a while ago and it was fabulous! So, we went and did this. I only have a video of it, no pics, sorry. Its raining again now, drats! But supposed to be hot tomorrow.
k8

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

As a matter of fact....

We went on this big sail boat (all motor this evening, no sails) down to the bottom of the island. It rained a good portion of the time but was smoothe sailing and a lot of fun. We didn't see anything like dolphins or such - none of that stuff here.

Owen told me 'Kate, as a matter of fact, I'm allergic to girls.' Well, I'm glad he clarified that.
And, as a matter of fact, I'm watching Discovery channel and it's a shark show. They just said that sometimes young Great Whites venture into the tropical waters to attack! I've got my eyes constantly roaming the water for anything big and scary but no one has ever seen any sharks close. Speaking of which, Tim - want to do a shark dive in San Francisco?
Oh my heck! It's Shark Week October!!!!! I just saw a TV ad (Eric had unplugged the TV without me knowing it) and now I can haunt myself with horrible shark stories!
And, hello?! Kristen Chenoweth in Glee! Wahoo!!

Monday, October 12, 2009

It's a fan

Dyson
We are going out on Don's boat for the maiden voyage today. I'm going to cover up because it's going to be a scorcher today - right around 85 degrees with 90% humidity and then being on the water makes you sunburn so fast.
Then at 3, we are going on a big sailboat for a few hours. The manager of the resort is taking us out - I'm sure in an effort to get Don to book Christmas 2010.
Oh, in the night there was some thunder. The first small clap woke me up then, as I lay there, there were two more claps of thunder - the loudest most crazy thunder I've ever heard. Eric and I both woke up and asked if we were under attack - it was soooooooo insane. But no rain.
Off to put some more bullfrog spf 35 and 50 on - so does that make it spf 85????

Dyson has a new product! But they haven't said what...

Dyson should announce by Thursday what their crazy new product is. I don't know what it is, but I know I will want one. I think it's for the kitchen....?? It might be this cube thing that all of your small kitchen appliances form into - like transformers meets blender, toaster, can opener, etc. I want one!!!

This banana leaf has our entire names on it each night (tim - your wife is here!) with a box of truffles. I'm going to gain ten pounds because being here is like being on a cruise. I did go for a beach walk with Don this morning but it probably didn't do quite enough... Oh, and notice it's 31 degrees celcius with a gazillion percent humidty. I'm sure the UV index was around 11 today (I think the scale goes to 10). Despite my efforts to protect myself from the sun, I've got a few random blotches of burn.


This is me in front of our 'room' which is an individual cabins. Up this path that you can see is the ocean - it's less than 100 yards.

Each afternoon housekeeping comes to turn your sheets down and leave you freshly made truffles - very tastey!

And we went snorkeling today - hadn't ever done that but it was fun. Small fish and star fish were seen.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Don's third boat

Don is basically Mr. Philanthropic over here. Oh, I'm here with Don and Cathy Cooper, from Portland Oregon. We've known them for over ten years.
They have been coming here for about 10 years and the first time they came, they took interest in a guy that was sort of a bookie - you'd tell him what activities you wanted to do and he would arrange it. Don decided that he would set this guy up with enough money to operate his own boat, transporting people between islands and doing scuba trips etc. He has done well, his family's standard of living increased. Last year in a huge Typhoon (F...maybe Frances) his boat got smashed to bits and pieces. So, Don spent about $3,000 and got this boat up and going. Last night was the 'boat launch.' It was supposed to be ready at 4 pm so we went in our swim suits, no mosquito repellent. Well, island time....around 630 about 20 people got the boat into the water then a big dinner after. We politely declined and went to dinner at our hotel then slept very well.








A few pictures - slow internet


This is me buying these popular Asian bags. Someone we know has one and loves it. We went to a big market in Kalibo, where we got off the last airplane to buy a few items. I took a picture of one of these bags at the Manila airport and told our dude Gerry, that I needed some. We found them for about $2 a piece and I bought 15. They thought I was crazy and tried finding me a plastic bag to fit all of them in but of course, I just opened one of the bags and put the rest in. I'm not sure what you'll do with them, but I think they're good for storing things like toys cause they're real big.

This is me walking on to the 5 minute boat ride from Kalibo to the island of Boracay. Porters carry your luggage onto this boat, off the boat, into a truck to the resort down to your room. It was really nice to have it all carried.

Boracay Philippines


This is the beach at our hotel. It took a long time to get here but it has proved worthwhile.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Extra leg room to Tokyo!!

We scored an emergency row! Yarune!!

My trip has begun!

This is Eric me and scotts wife Jessie at the salt lake airport. In
about 45 hours we will arrive to Boracay Phillippines. Really that
long. Salt lake to Portland to Tokyo to Manila. Sleep in Manila wake
up fly to kalibo then take a boat to boracay an stay at the resort
Fridays. Bon voyage!!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Friday, October 2, 2009

Cheesecake Factory

we took a break from the happiest place on earth to come to the
second happiest place on earth - The Cheesecake Factory!! As a special
side, I'm celebrating Steven Sellers one month mission mark!

Meet Nigel, the Elk

> So, random. I was talking to my cousin Jocelyn and discovered her
> basically professional-hunter-husband Lafe, does taxidermy work. Tim
> dropped Nigel off at Lafe's and we'll pick him after his makeover!!
> I hope we recognize him!
>>
>>

Heaven

We're on the jungle cruise- this is fabulous! Wish Tim were here to
enjoy these ever-living animals.

On our way!

We are loaded headed to Disneyland.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Tim tagged his elk

That's a fancy way of saying Tim shot a 6-point elk in the 3 corners
area today with his dad around 7 am on the opening day of the hunt.
They started around 4 am in 20 degree weather. They walked up on the
elk while it was still bedded down and he shot it from about 50 yards
away in the leg then again at 100 yards out. They quartered into 100
lb. sections and four people each carried one out. It took about 12
hours to get it back to the hotel. I think he's going to need some
counseling and he'll send a picture tomorrow.
On a side note, I'm only about one hour from disneyland!!

Katie Smith