Yap-tastic Part 2

Posted on March 11, 2017 by mariannedecher

I will post the rest of the pix from our fab trip to Yap and then keep the space available for updates about Mom (they’re not good at the moment 😦

Please notice that I always have my thighs covered in the pix below. That is cultural respect! No shorts in Yap that don’t cover the legs.

Just don’t 🙂

This is the MNUW – a stationary restaurant. Pete and I spent a lot of time here and loved it!

On the pathway and the 68 stairs to our Yap bungalow at the Oceania. Loved it!!!

With new and old friends. Counter clockwise from left: Ted, Dr. John, Pete, moi, Tim and Lucy. At the Oceania restaurant. Loved it!!

Tim and Lucy look splendid!! Great island hosts.

Tim and Lucy loaded us up with wonderful island gifts. And Pete and I did “glisten” (have never sweat so much haha)

Pete posing with the famous Stone Money.

Interpreting a song into ASL in Tim’s class. The students always had fabulous flower leis and headbands (wrong word, I know) for me and Pete. So thoughtful!!

Tim’s classroom is super inspiring with all kinds of sayings. Love it here!

Tim’s dog Bubba who is at his school every Friday. Good dog!! Tim and I doing music. Great audience!

Good News re: Mom!

Posted on March 3, 2017 by mariannedecher

The Dr. is guardedly optimistic that Mom just has a bunch of cysts on her pancreas. It may also be that the ducts are too narrow and hence causing pain and digestive issues. Can I get a resounding Alleluia???

A huge thanks to RJ and L for caring for Mom this morning. And I heard that several friends sent Mom a huge bouquet of flowers. She really has an awesome support network.

The biopsy results should be available Monday night.

Doing a happy dance!!!

How to Help Mom (for now)

Posted on March 2, 2017 by mariannedecher

Welcome to the Updates on Mom postings. If you want JUST postings about mom, please click on that category in the box to the left.

Any of you who are here know STeuber (I do keep some things nebulous since blogs are public). Hi – I am Marianne, her daughter. If you need to reach me for any reason – and this info is public and shareable – I am at:

mariannedecher (@) comcast (dot) net.

503 X 348 X 2668

(Written like that on purpose so trolls and auto copy systems don’t spam me. If you contact me and I don’t know you, please give me some clues that you actually know mom and are not a spammer. Thanks).

As is typical with what Mom will be going through in the medical system, there will be much hurry up and wait. Waiting for calls. Waiting for procedures. Waiting for results. The best thing to do at this moment is to send her a card with, “I’m thinking of you” kind of messages. If you need her mailing address, please contact me.

Btw – for the awesome folks who have offered to bring meals (a few have coordinated with mom directly) – please make it low fat, as fat bothers mom’s guts. And *thank you* for your kindness.

Thank you for your interest and support. It takes a village to rally The Mom back to health!!! (This is our fight song!)

Mom and the Yap Trip

Posted on March 2, 2017 by mariannedecher

Mom did not go on the Yap trip. 🙂

There are friends and family who want updates on Mom’s health. Please go to the “categories” box on the left side of the screen and click on “Mom” to read just about how she is doing. (That category box shows up on my PC but not on my smartphone btw)

I will also continue to post about our recent trip to the island of Yap. If you want to follow just that, click on the “Trip of a Lifetime” category.

If you click on “Home” in the top menu bar, you will see everything I post as it is posted in a hodge podge manner.

Thanks for stopping by.

Yap-tastic

Posted on March 2, 2017 by mariannedecher

After Guam, we virtually disappeared from the face of the earth – well, at least the internet due to little or no access. We were in Yap for 7 days visiting our friends Tim and Lucy, making many more new friends, and still celebrating our 30th anniversary with the Trip of a Lifetime.

There is no way to adequately describe the experience that Yap is. It is traditional, and a more simple, *refreshingly* slow paced way of life, compared to the US. The Yapese people are humble, shy and so gracious. Nature, there, is breathtaking as is the incredible humidity! Yap is only 9 degrees from the equator, so I heard.

My feeling is that visitors either take to Yap and connect with the locals like we did, or they are more removed and doing a diving adventure. Yap really suited me well. Pete loved it too but the ‘skeeters got to him.

Enjoy the pix. More tomorrow!

Flights arrive, only from Guam, only on Wednesdays and Sundays, at 12:30am!! Walk on the tarmac to customs.

Yap International Airport. Technically, every flight coming in is an international one!

The welcome sign at Yap International Airport.

Yap State Court Supreme Court

No official street signs anywhere except these markers.

An outdoor museum of traditional housing and meeting places. Notice the distinctive stone money (round with holes in the center)!!

Guamzilla

Posted on February 7, 2017 by mariannedecher

Guamzilla poses all over – Guam!

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Buh Bye

Posted on February 7, 2017 by mariannedecher

When we arrived in Guam on (whatever day it was recently), it was rainy, super humid, dark and we were exhausted. At that point I thought, “What are we doing here??” Turns out, we *loved* Guam. Ok – we were in a Hilton on the beach but still – it was wonderful. We saw SO much in 48 hours. Until we meet again…

Onwards!

Posted on February 6, 2017 by mariannedecher

After some swimming and touring around today, this is where we are headed tonight. To the island of Yap. Here is a Yap Map. Will explain later how we picked that.