May I introduce ...

just a few of the people that make Hopkins such a special place to live? If I were to try and introduce all the wonderful people we have met, this post would go on for much longer than your attention span. (It may anyway but I still plan on doing it.) So here they are: a sampling of the best Hopkins has to offer.
Here are Ernesto (in red) and Lucky (in blue). Ernesto thinks he is one of the family and I'm OK with that. He joins us on day trips, goes hiking with the kids and taught Adrianne to drive standard and kayak the last time she was here. Lucky is a little more reserved than Ernesto (Richard Simmons is a little more reserved than Ernesto!) but a real sweetheart. He is a dive master and took my kids scuba diving over the Christmas holidays. They loved it!




This handsome young man is Shaquille. He is Kori's age and is one of my kid's most consistant friends. He comes by almost every day to sell pastries his mom makes (and she is a great cook). He also loves to drop by for a game of hockey from time to time, or just to visit. We love Shaquille!
They might kill me dead for using this picture but it's the only recent one I have of the two of them. While not actually living in Hopkins, no blog about special people would be complete without Todd and Ashli. They are absolutely and totally a part of our family now (whether they like it or not!) Todd and Ashli actually live in Silkgrass and are here with the American Peace Corp. Almost like our own kids (although NOT 'replacement Rafe and Adrianne!!') my week is not complete unless they come over at least once.
Nurse Judy is one of this worlds sweetest people. She is one of those people that is loved at first meeting. I would do anything for her and, I know the feeling is mutual. Every Tuesday and Thursday (OK, almost every Tuesday and Thursday) Kori and I go and help out at her medical clinic. She provides affordable (mostly free) medical care and medication for the people of Hopkins, Silkgrass, Sitee River and elsewhere in the area. She is funny, passionate and kind. Here she is putting seven stitches in my Dad's hand after he fell on the rocks trying for 'the perfect picture'.
OK, possibly not one of the best, and again not from Hopkins, but Charlie is a definite part of my life here. He hangs out at the 'Price is Right' grocery store in Dangriga where I sometimes shop. He loves to wash our car while I shop and I pay him for that. Much to Alfred's chagrin! He washes the car by splashing muddy river water on it and smearing it around. The car rarely looks better after he is done. But, what he does do that I so appreciate, is scare off any panhandlers that may walk by. If they try to approach me and I say no, Charlie can be counted on to chase them off - with a few choice words. It makes me feel safe.
Are you still with me? Hopefully I didn't over tax your attention span too much. Those are truely just a few of the good folks here in Hopkins. A blog to cover them all would take many, many pages. I think you should all just come down here and meet them for yourselves.