The day begins and closes with tears!!!

...both times tears of joy!
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Yesterday Justin and I were talking about going down to visit Rafa in Mexico City, since I'm not taking a cruise this summer. And then this a.m. as I speculated inwardly if I should clean off the fridge for the repairman, I was looking at the picture of Rafa and family posted there. The thought went through my head that I should write a note to Rafa and say "hi!", but I didn't do it immediately....

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Well, when I got home from the grocery store, I came back in my room to work a bit. The first thing I saw was an e-mail from Rafael (the daddy)!!! He said they read my blog and he loves my painting "The Doors of Santorini"....I cannot even express how delighted I was to read his note! His wife and he are in Africa for a month, with the kids back at home with grandparents. Apparently they'd have to be 12 years old to go where Mom and Dad are in Africa. Wow, I love it, just love it!!!

This happened once before, not too long ago, when I was going through the process of transferring data from one computer to the other. I expressed to Justin my concern that I might lose Rafa's e-mail address and his other letters to me, and that very same night, I got an e-mail from him! The Lord is looking out for our friendship!

Here's the picture Rafael included in his e-mail, taken of Rafi in Acapulco....he's getting so big!

Thumbs down for the refrigerator...It seems that the freezer is not defrosting, hence not sending cold air up into the fridge portion. I don't need to understand it, only have patience since a part needed to be ordered, with them coming back on Wednesday to make the repair. On the bright side, of course there is one!, "Bob" lifted out the two shelf/drawers in the freezer portion to access the panel in back, making it possible for me to FINALLY clean up the mess from the spilled cookies, referenced in a previous posting. It's a good feeling to have the crumbs and sprinkles wiped away. It will cool now, as he defrosted the coils with a machine but suggested I not buy too much perishable stuff just yet. I already tossed most of the opened items such as mayo, Italian dressing, coffee creamer, and so on, and can live without those items at least until Wednesday!!!

Fausto would have had a field day today, if that's the correct expression, watching all the sailboats enjoy the river. It may have been part of some regatta but I couldn't find anything about it on-line. If there was 1, there were 100 boats out there at times, not obliviously racing but certainly much motion. All different colored sails and sized vessels, making my imposed captivity quite delightful today! I probably wouldn't have minded having to stay home all day if it were my idea instead of A & E Appliance Repairs'! It's different when it's your own idea, why is that?

Tomorrow Justin and I are attending Victory so don't look for me at Good Shepherd. We want to go to Joe's Crab Shack for lunch and spend some time at the beach enjoying the lovely 80+ temperatures. Twila was sick last Sunday and Monday, so I haven't seen her since getting back from WI. We'll have to see each other Monday at Bible study. Good thing we ladies were planning to crop here this Wednesday, since I have to wait--again--between 8 and 5 for the repairman to come back. Held hostage by an electronic panel, but at least I'll have co-hostages to keep me company!

I see now a good deal of grey/black smoke rising over Mandarin. Hopefully nothing terrible is going on. Lori called earlier this a.m. to report David and she heard something on NPR about Clarks' Fish Camp and an interview of the official alligator trapper in Duval and Clay Counties! How cool is that? It was on the program "Wait, Wait, I Know....." that I listened to with Judy and Jerry in Winona. By the time I got the message, the show had moved off onto another topic. Nuts! I don't know where I'd find a "public" radio station on my equipment, can't say I've ever listened to it on purpose! But, I would have loved to have heard my "community" discussed on a national radio program!!!! Especially Clarks'! When Judy comes down in October, we absolutely MUST go there to eat!