Friday, October 31, 2008

Kevan stories

'Kevan stories' are simply events from my life where I have acted so foolishly that it has become family legend over the years. From what I understand, this started very early in my life... sort of an absentminded professor type of thing...

When I was in pre-school I decided to experiment with scissors. By the time I got through, I had cut a swath down the center of my hair--an inverted Mohawk haircut.

Many of my problems came from having a bad temper. For example, my brother always had a way of pushing all the right buttons to get me infuriated. One day, while in the dressing room of the local pool, my brother began to tease me and push me around. Finally, I got so mad I picked up something to hit him with--at which time he ran out of the dressing room, with me following right behind him, determined to pay him back for his abuse.

My anger at my brother was so intense that I was well outside the dressing room before I realized that I was stark naked! My brother suddenly turned around and began to laugh at me, as did lots of other people who had suddenly noticed the naked boy running down the sidewalk...

I'm sure my entire body had turned bright red with embarrassment before I somehow made it back to the safety and seclusion of the dressing room. Fortunately, the dressing room had a back door that I could slink out of...

And so it began...

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Why the Tinian blog

I am always surprised when I discover that people other than friends and family members read our blog... so I thought I would discuss why I write it.

1. The first and most important reason is simply to inform family and friends of our adventure on Tinian. It was never envisioned to be insightful or provocative in any way--just informative.

2. However, knowing that this is a public site that anyone could read, we determined from the start to try to make it as positive as possible--which was easy considering where we live!

3. Almost as an afterthought, we thought we might talk a little about Tinian in an attempt to give people a reason to come to Tinian to see the island for themselves. This last item is the only one that brings up any dissension-- how 'objective' could we be in talking about the island, being strangers here ourselves? So we do our best to look at events that occur on Tinian in as objective a way as possible...

We have also made a point to correct and/or delete any entries and comments that people may have found objectionable. One thing I have discovered over my 56 years is that I make a lot of mistakes...and on too many occasions I care to share, I have made a fool of myself! In fact, it has happened so often, the extended family has gathered together what they call 'Kevan stories'. At more than one family gathering the entire crowd could be seen rolling on the floor with laughter as even one of these stories was retold! Believe it or not, they became so popular, when we lived in Connecticut, that they were used as part of sermons from the pulpit--to help wayward youth learn what NOT to do! As for me, I just try to learn from my mistakes, and try not to make any more--which seems to be a hopeless cause.

So...if anyone has been offended by something they read in our blog, I apologise, and will try to do better. For those who enjoy 'peering in' at our lives on Tinian, we hope you enjoy the the posts and perhaps decide to come visit Tinian for yourselves.

Being away from our new home...Tinian

Terri and I are spending time in San Diego. Terri is attending a medical conference, and I have the opportunity to visit with my father--now in his 80's! However, we already miss being on Tinian.

It is difficult to get to Tinian, and difficult to leave once one is there. But perhaps that is part of the allure of the tiny island.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Honoring a fallen soldier

Today, during my daily walk, I stopped by Ben Manglona's home to pay my respect to his son Julian, who recently died. They have created a shrine for him where family and friends can gather to pay their respects.

They have placed many family pictures around so that those who visit can get a sense of who he was, and the love his family had for him.

The formal respect the local Chamorro people show for their dead is very touching. 18 days are spent in mourning-- 9 days for both family and friends to gather, to pay their respects, and to share meals together; and another 9 days for just the family-- Wow!
As Mormons, we have simple funerals that last a couple of hours (an hour meeting in church where friends and family gather, and another half-hour to an hour grave-site service where we inter the body and dedicate the grave). They we return home. Some family and freinds will gather after the funeral to eat a meal and talk about the one who died, but anything after the funeral is informal and up to the individual.

The body of Sargeant Manglona is supposed to arrive sometime today, and, as I understand it, the funeral will be held on Monday in Saipan.
Terri and I will not be able to attend the funeral, as we will be wending our way to San Diego. But we deffinitely want the Manglona family to know our thoughts and prayers are with them!


Not much progress on the home next to the high school-- perhaps they are just waiting for the concrete on the roof to dry

A new trench was dug near the NMC college branch. Don't know what it is for...

And I noticed that candles have been lit in the shrine next to the Korean war memorial

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

There is obviously a fisherman living in this house--he has his fishing nets hanging to dry in one of the trees in his yard


More flower 'artwork' to be found on Tinian

A tether-ball! I used to love to play tether-ball as a child. Every elementary school had several of these poles on the playground, and we even had one in the backyard of our home. One of the earliest memories I have is when I got into trouble because, for some reason, I got angry and took a knife and slashed the yellow ball on the pole... It was a great lesson in karma and consequences! In my anger I had forgotten that I was only hurting myself--the next day when I went out to play, I had nothing to play with... From then on I began to learn to control my anger!


More new construction is appearing around the island, especially up on Marpo Heights

This home is starting a big addition--3-4 bedrooms are being added. I spoke to the man leasing the property--he was Chinese and did not speak much English, but he spoke enough to let me know what he was doing with the home and to say that he had moved to Tinian about three months ago and was a farmer! I guess he is starting a new farm on the island. How interesting! I hope he is successful so that we can get more fresh produce right here on Tinian.

Another home--I'm not sure this is a new home, it looks more like an older home that is being rebuilt and/or reworked.

Most homes built now-a-days on Tinian are made out of concrete, in order to withstand the typhoons that frequently hit the island. Here is a new home that is being built in a more frugal way--wood with metal corrugated siding. It is not expensive, and goes up quickly and easily, but the danger is whether or not it will still be there after a big storm.

The community 'manger' continues to progress on Broadway


One new home on Marpo Heights has planted 'carpet' grass, or 'putting green' grass in their front yard. It stays green, is low maintenance, and, if you have a hole and a pole, you can practice your putting!


The same home has created a beautiful front entry and sitting area

They are also building a new carport, that is progressing quickly

Goats (the local lawn-mowers) are a frequent sight on Tinian. They are just an all-around good pet to have--they eat anything, they work hard (cutting the grass!), and when you are tired of them, they make a great stew... I know because I had goat for my 'going away party' just prior to leaving on my mission.

In my extended family I have a 'goat' side and a 'sheep' side: like the scriptures that talk about the sheep and the goats, one side of my family is very religious, and the other side of my family is the opposite--they like to have wild parties. Well, the 'goat' side of my family decided to barbecue a goat during my send-off prior to leaving for two years to do missionary work in Pennsylvania. It was a great party!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Preparing for Youth Conference

Each year Mormon youth participate in a 'Youth Conference', where young men and women 14-18 yrs of age get together to participate in activities, perform charity work or other projects, and have speakers talk to them.

This year, for some unknown reason, Terri and I have been asked to be two of the speakers at this years youth conference, being held on Saipan next week. Perhaps the group that visited Tinian recently had such a good time they simply wanted to bring a piece of Tinian back to Saipan with them...

Anyway, Terri and I now have to prepare to speak to a group of youth--which means we have to
'hit the books' and study (the scriptures) so that we can pretend to know what we are talking about... Hopefully it will be worth their time to bring two old folks like ourselves over from Tinian to talk to them about spiritual things!

Another day trip around the island

Terri has a weekend off! Someone from Saipan came over to cover the weekend, so Terri was free to sleep-in and be out of contact with the hospital... woo-hoo!

We started by driving up to the scenic overlook, so that we could see the progress being made on the new casino...


As we planned to go swimming, we dressed accordingly

They have poured a lot of concrete around the worker's housing.


The casino was started in June and not much has been done. There is still a large sign stating that the casino will open in 2009.

Here is an interesting plant we saw on our ride (we took a back road from the casino site down towards the airport). The leaves are slowly turning red--or perhaps they were red and are slowly turning green...

We saw a lot of fenced parcels of land along the dirt road we took. I would hate to be the 'bush cutter' assigned to keep the jungle away from all of these fence lines!



Here is the brand-new fence that was installed near the blow-hole just a few months ago... no one would even know there is a chain-link fence under that mass of jungle!


Terri can just barely be seen as she races along Runway Able

As we went to cool-off with a swim in the ocean, we discovered some spear fishermen getting ready to head out to sea. They all had home-made spear-guns made of wood, a 4' long steel rod used as a spear, and some rubber straps (perhaps from inner-tubes or something), used to power the steel spear. They also had a length of metal wire they tied around their waist to hold the fish they spear while in the ocean. We watched as they paddled out of site, beyond the reef, and into the deep blue ocean...



We also discovered a merman at the beach! We simply assumed that he was discovered coming out of the ocean, as he seemed to love the water.



We tried to see if the spear fishermen were still alive and well, but couldn't see them. I had asked them if they see any sharks-- after all, they spear fish, and then hang them around their waist, quite a feast for a shark-- they said they saw sharks all the time, but were never bothered by them... hmmm

This once open road is slowly closing in...



And this open ground was once a jungle! It is hard to see, but there is a large military vehicle right in the middle of the picture!


When Liz and I were here taking pictures, we had to climb through waist-high prickers to get a shot of this vehicle! Not long after that, it was head high! Someone has been hard at work beating back the jungle.



We arrived home without incident... I only had to stop and fix my bike two or three times! Terri's bike always seems to run perfectly... perhaps it is bad luck, or just more weight, I don't know. But, in spite of the abuse we give our bikes with all the back roads we take, we always seem to make it back in one piece.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Back to the Carolinas!

The holidays must be getting closer, as the new Christmas Manger is taking shape!


On the steep road up to the heights, I discovered these stairs to nowhere...oh, there was a house up there somewhere...

I still find it amazing to see cactus on a tropical island


From the Carolinas heights is a great view of the village


Occasionally there are roads to nowhere...


This little puppy was sunning himself in the middle of the road, but was too shy to say hi

Perhaps the beginning of a house...at least he is using his land!


Must be laundry day


Here are the remains of a small dog...its collar and rope were still around its neck


The house on top of the world-- this house was up next to the base of the cliff, just below the Japanese Shinto shrine


There is a small road that connects the Carolinas subdivision with the road up to the shrine

The Shinto shrine is in need of help again. Another tree has fallen across the stairs up to the shrine. I guess I have a chore to do...


Once you get past the fallen tree, the shrine is beautiful, as usual



There have been visitors who have left gifts to their ancestors



Still my favorite shrine on Tinian!