30 September 2012

The latest and greatest from Hermana Partridge.  A few thoughts about our the last few days here in the Beautiful Republica Dominicana.  Friday night we arrived home to our apartment about 7 which is early for us, only to find the electricity out and the clock blinking 3:30.  It was very hot and our little fridge hadn't been working probably since 3:30 in the afternoon.  But things were still pretty frozen in the freezer so we left everything where it was and waited.  Electricity goes off sporadically throughout the city so we figured it was one of those times.  No AC of course so we went out to get a bite to eat and got very lost, parked the car in a parking garage where we thought we were going and found out it wasn't so we walkeda few blocks along a busy highway with horns honking and people everywhere.  Found the "mall" we were looking for; went in to eat and since we had to pay 200 pesos to get out of the parking garage, we didn't have quite enough pesos for dinner.  (We didn't want to use the ATM with so many people around since the MTC filled us with dread about being "targets" so we bought two ice cream bars, walked around a little and headed back to the parking garage and then home to our apartment with still no power.  The whole building was dark but there were some lights on in the parking lot so we weren't sure what was going on.  We have auxillary power which comes on automatically and we found a plug for the fridge we could use with a long extension cord and a 3-prong adapter.  We went to bed. 

Brother Breton had invited us to go to Puerto Plata with him Saturday morning early...5:00.  We set the alarm for 4:30 and went to bed about 10.. It was very hot and humid and we tossed and turned.  Much too soon it seemed, the alarm went off and I got up and started getting ready, brushed my teeth and was about to take a sponge bath (no water heater since no electricity except reserve) when I looked at my watch and it said 11:55.  I thought, "Dang, my battery must be going out."  Went to the alarm clock to see what the correct time was and the alarm clock said 4:55 am.  I woke Bill up immediately and said told him we must have slept in; we needed to be at Bro. Breton's in 5 minutes.  He looked at his watch and it said, 11:55.  So the auxiliary power must have gone off and come back on long enough to make the alarm clock wrong.  Anyway, we set the phone to awaken us, went back to sleep...I use the term loosely... tossed and turned some more and got up again at 4:30.  No power at all so I stuffed the freezer with milk and meat and mayo and such and we left for the coast.

The problems at the apartment soon went floating away when I saw the ocean!  A little over 1 hour's drive and there we were!  Brother Breton took us to the beach and left us to go to his meeting.  We walked along the beach, watched the sun come up and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.   Bill took a nice nap while I walked and walked and drank in the ocean.  It filled my soul!  We ate breakfast at the local La Sirena (the Walmart of the DR) with a beautiful ocean view.  I told Bill that's where I want to shop every week!  (In my dreams!)  It was just what we needed to calm our electricity deprived troubled hearts.  The drive back was gorgeous, too.  This part of the island is the most beautiful I'm told.  I totally agree with that even though we've not seen any other parts!

We got home to a powerless hot and humid apartment.  We called agent and he said he'd check into it but we probably wouldn't get any help from the power company until Monday.  The elders offered to come and get our food so we wouldn't lose it since the freezer was thawing by now.  Turns out the power company made a mistake and turned off our power.  We were the only ones without power and we thought the whole building was out.  But, our good agent got his "man" to come and get our power on which he did in short order.  So, all was well.  The bedroom cooled down, fans back on, food getting cold and fridge working.  Lots of loads of laundry to do and hang up in the "maid's quarters."  But hot and humid so nothing dried and probably won't be until Monday.

Last night we went into "town" to try to find a particular store and we had a hair-raising scamper through narrow streets, going the wrong way on a one-way street, people everywhere, horns honking (mostly at us) and still not finding what we wanted.  And to top it off, the humidity fogged up our window, the defroster wasn't working and we could hardly see anything.  Driving here at night is risky business to say the least! And daytime isn't much better...at least in the daytime we kind of know what part of the city we're lost in...at night there's just no hope!  If I weren't trying not to scream I'd be laughing at people going through red lights, pedestrians everywhere, motor scooters darting in and out of traffic, totally ignoring any signals.  Bill has done a great job not getting us creamed or creaming anyone for anything else!  

I was going to drive myself to the church for the General Women's Meeting...it's just 5 minutes away...but after that near-death experience, I opted for Bill driving me there and picking me up!  I got to hear the meeting in English which was heavenly.  I sort of felt bad that I wasn't trying Spanish but I needed to hear everything they said and it was a great uplift.  I needed it.

Today is the Sabbath.  We visited 2 wards, attended the YSA classes and invited them to enroll in Institute.  Everyone is so friendly and sweet and I don't understand anything they say and I stick close to Bill and pray no one asks me any questions.  If they do I just smile and say "Buenos Dias" and "Como Esta" and "Muy Bien" and "Gracias!" and hug and kiss all the women on the cheek (the custom here) and smile some more.  

So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Beunos Tarde!  .