Pacific Hwy has been in the Marshall Islands since Thanksgiving. We are now preparing for the annual spring migration - for us, we'll sail to Fiji. Our to-do list for today:

1. Get haircuts from the Phillipine lady that gave Bruce a good $5 haircut before.
2. Get teeth cleaned ($20 at the hospital).
3. Go to the third (and final) hardware store on the island in our quest to find a plumbing part. We don't expect to find it, a 3/4 inch elbow with a threaded female end and a hose barb on the other end, but maybe we'll be able to piece something together that will work. Here's how our Bad Good Bad Good day progressed:

BAD The hair salon was closed even though the sign said they would be open that day from 9:00 - 5:00. No answer when calling the cell phone number posted on the door.

GOOD We stopped at the craft shop next door. I had been there the week before looking for a gift item that was only made at that shop, and to my surprise, today they had them. I bought seven.

BAD We left the shop to discover that our good shoes, which we had taken off as is customary when entering the shop, had been stolen! Most likely by the cute boys who had waved to us and shouted "HI" from across the street when we arrived.

GOOD We got into a cab and went to the shop where we had bought the shoes last December. They had our sizes.

BAD After buying the shoes, we no longer had enough cash to get our teeth cleaned.

GOOD We went to the bank and the cash machine, which had been out of order the week before, was working.

BAD At the hospital we were told that the equipment for cleaning teeth wasn't working and they did not know when teeth cleaning services would resume.

GOOD Next stop was the hardware store and, miraculously, they had the exact part we needed ($1.59).

BAD We found another place for haircuts but the stylist didn't speak much English. One side of Laura's hair is now shorter than the other but we got out of there before the girl noticed because you know how that goes. Later we found out she was not the hair stylist, but the manicurist.

GOOD Laura has lots of hats

BAD Bruce's hair is now shorter than it's been since his elementary school buzz cut.

GOOD Bruce's hair grows fast.

So that was our Bad Good Bad Good day. I realize you should never get a haircut on a day when things aren't going well. But we were just so giddy about that plumbing part! Next on the list is Bruce going up the mast. Better wait for something bad to happen before we attempt that.

(This post is dedicated to anyone who has ever lived in a t'ird world paradise.)