Grace and the Unseen: A Story of Beauty and the Beast

My Diary: August 25, 2023

The Beauty

The above photo was taken on August 23, 2023. I remember thinking, “Can it get any more beautiful here in the morning?”

And then this happened:

Well, yes! Yes, it can!

The Beasts

Illness

We picked up a bug in our travels, probably on the plane. We got home on August 13. The next day, Mike started running a fever that didn’t improve over the next three days. He started on an antibiotic, as did I when I became sick. Antibiotics are finished, but we are still sickies. I spent the last two days mostly in bed, watching TV in the A/C.

We both must be better today, although I’d be hard-pressed to agree. My head feels like a 13# bowling ball, but we did all our normal morning chores, so I guess we are on the mend.

• Fed dogs at 7:00 AM.
• Walked the dogs on the beach.
• Raked the sand.
• Washed a load of clothes and hung them on the line to dry.
• Made Kefir Milk smoothies.
• Made breakfast (Cathy) & washed the dishes (Mike).
• Naps in the recliners (Mike & Cathy).

Sadness

We send our deepest condolences to Mike’s aunt Patty and to his Uncle Dick. Thinking of all the families as they mourn the passing of Mike’s uncle, Dick’s brother, and Patty’s husband, Dan Strine. He died suddenly and unexpectedly three days ago.

I am often comforted by this piece written by Henry Scott Holland:

Chaos

As you know, the lot directly in front of us is vacant. No plans that we know of for a house to be built.

However, one lot to the east and diagonal from us (yellow arrows), the long-time property owner, Lynn Rippelmeyer, has broken ground!

In the photo below, the cement truck can barely squeak through the brand-new gate, which they had to disassemble. The yard you see with the banana trees growing is ours.

Real Life Duties

Although we’ve had a visit from our veggie guy, Tulio, we have yet to get groceries! We’ve been home from our visit to the USA for 12 days and went down-island once to do a bunch of errands that could not wait:

• Max Shipping to pick up dog food for Rocco (Chewy)
• Pharmacy for Synthroid and to restock antibiotics
• Bohomsa for filters, but they had none
• Breakfast at Skal
• Lady Lee for *new TV & surge protectors
• ATM for cash
• Carniagro for Bravecto — ACE
• The TV in our bedroom apparently did not appreciate a recent power outage, so we had to replace it. Hence, the new surge protectors for both TVs.

Eyesores

While we were in the States, we’d heard stories that billboards were coming to Roatan. Whaaat?? Say it isn’t true.

Sadly, we saw three of them on our down-island trip, with the promise of a fourth. Now, that is just sad.

I guess change is everywhere. Part of life.

“The Only Constant in Life Is Change.”

Heraclitus

You can run away to a remote Caribbean island, but change will find you. So, chin up! Carry on. Endure the heat (yeah, we are suffering with it, here, too). And take time to see with your heart.

I love to read your comments. We can relate to much of what is written, and it’s fun to share that! Be well. Be kind to yourself and to others. And I’ll see you soon. xo