Quiet Time

Melba was told by many of her co-workers at school that we were very fortunate to have secured on-base housing. With the limited number of on-base housing available on Yokosuka most, if not all, newcomers have to live off-base. All I can say is THANK YOU GOD for looking after us.

Until our things from the States arrive, Melba and I will still be living out of our suitcases; probably five or six weeks. And groceries... last night we had to go to the Navy Exchange to buy some of the basics. The base commissary has great shopping, but it's difficult carting all those plastic bags filled with cereal, cleansers, and other household knit knacks back to our apartment. I have a Japanese drivers license but no car. We had to call for an on-base taxi, and they aren't cheap; $6.30 for the short quarter-mile hope to our tower apartment.

When evening came, we sat down for some prolonged "quiet time" because now that we have left the Navy Lodge we find ourselves with no television. Ours is en route from the States, but in the meantime, what are we to do?

Melba suggested we make a quick trip to the Navy Exchange to see what they offered in the way of small television. We were hoping to buy a cheap little, old-fashioned tube-style TV. No here, baby! Flat screen LCDs and plasmas was all they offered. The cheapest was nearly $600. We walked away empty handed, when back to our new home, and sat quietly with a book and a magazine and enjoyed some "quiet time."

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Walking to the commissary this morning we ran into Valerie, one of Melba's co-workers at school. She's the gal who met us at the airport eleven days ago and drove us to Yokosuka. "Where were you last night when we needed a car?" I jokingly asked her. "We could have used a friend with a car instead of paying for a taxi." We got to talking and I told her about not having a TV in the apartment.

"Come on with me. You can borrow one of my girls'," she offers. "They're away at school. You can use it until yours arrives."

God provides, baby! God provides.