I'd rather not be awake. In better circumstances (physically) I might toss on some running shoes and hit the road for an early morning run. But .... no, that seems like a bad idea since when Amie and I went on a brisk 2 mile walk (okay, it was not really all that brisk) it caused blisters that are still not healed. That, and the massiveness of my gut is causing poor balance and precarious walking conditions.
Troy seems not to notice that I toss, turn, toss, turn ... Sigh heavily and walk circles around the kitchen table. I am happy for him. REALLY. I am.
He did his first check-in with the mission today. Peter said all things were under control and only one person is interested in stirring up trouble right now. If the glass is half full, one trouble maker is nothing to worry about. The guy Peter is referring to can be blamed (or thanked) for bringing Troy from a place of not wanting to leave Haiti --- all the way to a place of dying to get away - and all in a period of a few days.
Troy is super impressed with the shampoo aisle at Wal-Mart, the smoothness of the roads, the availablitiy of all things, and the wonderfully cool temperatures. He is fighting Haiti shopping mentality. This mentality tells you that if you see something you want and or might need in .... Oh, say, 6 months ... well -- you BETTER BUY IT NOW because there might never be another chance. He kept saying, "Hey, we might need this!" He stood like a deer in headlights looking at all the stuff we might need, wondering .... Will Wal-Mart still carry this item in two months? Should I buy now? What if glue is no longer available ... or deoderant, or orange juice. Carpe Diem.
I pointed out that this Haiti-shopping mentality could cause a person to go into deep debt in the land where everything is available at all times in seventeen locations in one square mile ... and that he maybe ought to simmer down and adjust a bit before he starts shopping for things to bring back to Haiti. He agreed. In the end one stick of deoderant was purchased and Troy is trusting the system, going out on a limb assuming that deoderant can and will be found again.
Tonight's insomnia left me bored enough to clean out old blog posts. I found this rat obituary that I wrote many moons ago and never posted. I think the rat that I wrote it for never died and I felt it dishonest to claim he had. I must have been really bored (or unable to sleep) on this day as well.
Mel Warehouse Rat 2004-2007
Died of apparent bread overdose.
Survived by wife, 250 children and a large extended family whom all wish to remember him as a good father, husband and friend. "Mel" worked as a tireless leader in his community forging new and innovative ways to get into the mission house. He is credited with patenting the laundry room window entry-route and had it not been for the fateful night when a deranged missionary spotted him sitting on the dryer he would have used that same laundry room window for years of undetected entry and exit. He came close to providing his entire community with pancake mix from mission pantry - enought to last a lifetime.
Proceeded in death by other mission-house rats -
Cousin rat killed by visiting missionary Jan 06
Brother rat killed in Livesay bedroom by blunt force trama to the head Feb 06
Mother rat trapped by glue trap but ultimately killed by shovel to the head March 06
Friends killed in Feb 07 one body never recovered and assumed to be rotting under cabinet, one body found behind stove, apparent death by poisoning.
The family of "Mel" would like to request memorials to PETA.
Have a great weekend everybody!
Find not too frequent updates from the Livesay family here
