Since losing our car in an accident, I’ve had to do a lot more walking.

Our home is a few miles from the nearest grocery store, over slopes and rough terrain, but it’s kind of fun walking there.

Walking back with bags of produce and rice, butter and coconut oil… isn’t as much fun.

Sometimes I can catch a bus for part of the way. Other times I get lucky and can hitch a ride up the road with someone. Often I can’t.

It’s good exercise to walk, though, even if it means being a bit sunburned and soaked with sweat after a grocery store trip.

Usually I’ll take a few children with me. If each of them carries a bag or two, we can get more on each trip. Sometimes Rachel will meet us at the end of the road for the last ascent up the mountain to our house, which also helps a lot.

I don’t know when we’ll be able to get another vehicle though I’m working on it. Life moves slower here and you also need to make sure you’re not getting swindled.

When I was in town recently a man told me his friend was selling a van for a certain price. He asked him on the phone about it. Then when the man showed up with his vehicle, I asked him the price.

It had gone up $2000 after he saw me. I suppose you could call it the white man tax.

I don’t fault people for that sort of thing. They want to get the best price possible. Yet at the same time, I’m no Donald Trump – I’m not good at “the art of the deal.” The vehicle wasn’t suitable anyhow, so it was easy to walk away.

Literally.

Out back we have an abundance of plantains, coconuts and pineapples, plus the mangoes are starting to come in and we’re getting a jackfruit every couple of weeks. Going to the store for items like butter and flour isn’t strictly necessary, but it makes Rachel’s job as cook easier.

We’ll get back on the road eventually I’m sure. For now, I’m grateful for strong legs… and I’m still very glad to be alive.

Have a good Sabbath, folks. Take a rest… there will be plenty of good gardening to get done this new week.

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