The time is growing near for my return to Honolulu. I leave Sunday morning at 0315 Yap time, and arrive in Honolulu at 1800 Saturday night - so much for Hermione's time turner!

I thought I had escaped the rats, BUT

last night I was lying down, and heard a big commotion at the window, and I felt something slide down the wall and run underneath the bed. I was quasi-asleep, and fighting a sore throat and a growing cold (just a cold, not the flu). I couldn't get back to sleep, nor could I move and risk running into whatever it was that popped through the window. I eventually drifted off, thinking that I'm sure the buggers have been in here when I've been here. I don't think rats go crawling on the bed, though my German neighbors tell me that they sleep on the floor in a tent, and rats do run around the tent occasionally. Oh how I rationalize when I am exhausted.

Oh, well!

I've been saying goodbye to the people here who have helped make this first research expedition a good one: James and Peter from the Historic Preservation Office; my consultants Ann, Joe, Lorenzo, and Floren; the Peace Corps Volunteers Thea, Sarah, Stephanie, and Neil (Neil is asssigned to Ulithi and I had a chance to talk to him about life there - he's the only PCV stationed on Ulithi at the moment); Gilbert, Danka and Ron, Stephanie, and Maria, oh, and Andre too.  I've met a lot of people here. Okay--I'm a schmooze, alright? .

This will be my last post from Yap - we are 20 hours ahead of Hawaii, and I am writing this at 1349 on Friday December 10 - I won't have access to the Web after this post.

Thanks to all of you who have sent me messages of support - this blog has been an interesting experiment in communicating ideas and pictures instantaneously throughout the world rather than fill up everyone's email box with yet one more message. I know people have viewed this blog from Australia, Israel, New Hampshire, San Francisco, Hawaii, and even here on Yap.

Aloha to my new friends on Yap, and a pending aloha to my friends on O'ahu. Frank, it will be good to be home and eat a big salad and eat crunchy bread. And, Phil and Linda back in Atkinson, New Hampshire, I can't wait to sit with you around a blazing fire and take a walk in the snowy woods in a few more days - best to Liz, Jacey, and Allie too! 

Be well, all!