Neon Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! I know it has been a while since my last entry, but things have been hectic here! We just put my parents back on what must be a record long series of flights back home, and I finally have time to sit down and write. Of course the biggest news is that we were able to celebrate Christmas with my mother and father this year. In hindsight, it would have been an awfully lonely Christmas without them! They arrived on the 14th and we kept them busy. The first day I took my mother out for her birthday present; a sunset beach ride on a secluded strip of land up in West Bay. The following days we did the touristy shopping thing and then settled my parents at the beautiful Westin for three days of R&R on Seven Mile Beach. For their Christmas gift we surprised them with a sunset dinner cruise in the North Sound aboard a sailing catamaran. What a great night! We also took them out on a snorkel trip and Stingray City trip- where my father actually got in a swam with the stingrays! We drove around the island and checked out some historic wrecks and spent quite a bit of time relaxing by the pool and going for cool drinks at seaside pubs. All in all it was an amazing visit and we were pretty sad to see them leave!

Having just experienced our first tropical Christmas, it is time to fess up. We missed the snow. There... I said the four words I thought would never come from Natalie Schneider! Now, to clarify that statement let me elaborate. For anyone who has grown up in a snowy land, Christmas is a hard sell without the snow. I remember distinctly the one Christmas of my childhood when there was no snow on the ground (luckily it also coincided with the year I got a bike for xmas... therefore making the day tolerable) and it just wasn't the same. Though we tried hard to get in the Christmas spirit with egg nog, a christmas tree, carols and ice cold air conditioning, something crucial was missing. So on the 23rd we decided to head out to look at some Christmas lights. With the wealth on this island you can imagine some of the displays. Two houses in particular go all out. The Crighton family Christmas display is spread over an acre of their land. Complete with several nativity scenes, massive Casaurina trees covered in lights, a visit from Santa and his helpers and a driveway dedicated to toy trains, the site is visible from a mile down the road. The entire display takes months to put up, and is often still being taken down by the end of February! Amongst all the bustle of Santa-happy kidlets one might almost miss the festively lit dolphins or santa-on-his-jetski displays. Somehow no matter how you present it, a "tropical Christmas" is a bit of an oxymoron. Further down our road we have the blinding Christmas lights of the Bodden house. Using only high powered LED flourescent and neon colours, this yard comes a close second to National Lampoon's Griswald's house. Palm trees, both real and plastic, are festooned with millions of lights and strange asian looking neon trees are placed intermittently along the lawn. A steel pan drum band plays Christmas favourites giving the whole sight the feel of a Las Vegas Margaritaville explosion.
Our Christmas light viewing trip, although fun and eye opening (literally and figuratively) still didn't quite provide the same satisfaction as the snow. Perhaps Camana Bay forsaw this little dilema, because they have gone to the trouble of recreating a snowy scene each evening at their outdoor shopping centre. Our first encounter was other-worldy, as the little flakes glistened on their way to the ground. However, upon inhaling the air, a coughing fit ensued when we found that the flakes were actually a nasty sinus plugging foam.
No, I am convinced that 364 days of the year, island living is the answer. For Christmas though, there is no place like home, where the snow flakes fall, and the tree tops glisten.

A class above

Its Christmas Party time of the year again! Only someone with a career in Education can really appreciate the scale and grandeur of the rest of the world's Christmas parties. There is no pot-luck portion, no one has to pay for their dinner or drinks, and best of all, there is a certain level of classiness to these events that is unattainable at a teachers party. It is true that we can never complain about our time off, summer vacation and work hours, but when it comes to Christmas time, our parties don't hold a candle to the corporate ones. This winter the KPMG party was held at Grand Old House, right on the ocean. Some women even took the afternoon off for a hair appointment and professional make-up. Everyone was looking forward to the three course buffet and open bar. KPMG rented shuttles to pick us up from different locations around the island and to take us home once we had reached our alcoholic intake limit. In honour of our first ocean side island holiday party, I went out to my friend Kate's store and bought an overpriced cocktail dress from her upscale boutique. At just after 7pm the busses arrived with nearly 200 KPMG employees and their spouses. Since our entire social circle and even our acquaintances are all from KPMG it felt like a reunion of our favourite people. The wine, beer and cocktails flowed freely on the patio. White icicle lighting and a live piano player gave the whole setting an amazingly warm holiday feeling, and the waves crashing in the background brought back the reality that a warm winter party is really the only way to go! Memories of tromping through slush and snow, inevitably ruining my black pumps and freezing my bare feet were far away. The thought of coat checks and waiting hours for a taxi at the end of the evening were long gone. Bailing my car out of the car park early the next morning only to learn I owed an exorbitant fee from parking in an hourly lot didn't even cross my mind. Instead I was fascinated with the create-your-own pasta bar, the tables piled high with fresh salads, the desert gazebo (thats right... a whole gazebo dedicated to my favourite course), and the traditional Christmas buffet line. As if the lure of delicious food wasn't enough, there were even prizes! Bottles of wine and gift certificates were given out to lucky employees. After dinner the dance floor above the sea opened up and we all danced to hits from the last year under the starry sky. A perfect winter party if you ask me!
Now, one might assume that only KPMG offers such classy events, and that would be wrong. The weekend previous to the KPMG party we were generously given tickets to the holiday benefit soiree to honour the National Caribbean Conservation Institute. Working towards protecting the reefs and ocean life, this lavish affair is held annually and is best known for it's Silent Auction and Parade of Trees. Blake and I knew we were in for a good night when we found that the tickets cost $150 each, and the dress code was Black Tie Formal (unfortunately this was at the end of Movember, so Blake looked more like a cross of business man/creepy car sales man). We were greeted at the entrance with a glass of sangria and guide for the evening. We at once started a tour of the trees, only to learn we were much further out of our realm than we had initially believed. The trees and gifts were going for no less than $1000. Attempting to look as classy and well-to-do as possible we searched out our table and seated ourselves. Glass bottles of tonic water had been imported from Austria. A large bottle of wine sat in front of each plate setting and a basket in the middle held all the accoutrements that one could ever imagine. We were seated at a table with two girls from KPMG and the owners of the Luxury Island Charters company. Seated at the next table were the CEO's of the Camana Bay enterprise (MASSIVE real estate) and the best known architect on island. In the middle of the room was the Governor. When dinner arrived we were treated to the most amazing feast put together by different high end restaurants on island. The Butternut squash soup was delectable. The fresh cranberry salad followed by prime rib with lightly roasted asparagus were followed by an artistic mousse and personal size cupcakes. While we ate dinner we were treated to a slideshow honouring the work of the Institute. It wasn't until after supper when we were treated to the real show. A live auction of the Christmas Trees. Every dollar going towards the institute. The more modest trees sold for $1500. The rest sold for around $3000. The largest surprise came when the MC asked for donations to the Institute. A bidding war took place and one man forked over $5000 that evening. Overwhelmed by the affluence around us, Blake and I slipped out the back doors that evening after the auction. It was enlightening to see the money that really is on this island. There is such an abundance of cash that it makes the recession seem far far away... or at least it did for the evening. Blake and I darted the four blocks to the other side of the Camana Bay Complex where we jumped in our dirty squealing jalopy and prayed we would make it home with out the crankshaft belt breaking.

Pictured above: Christmas tree on auction, Dinner photo, KPMG xmas party

Consequences

Well, I spoke too soon about my triumph over Novembers. It seems that November wanted to hold out its punishment and dole it out in one cruel week of vengeance. Through a failed car inspection, and plenty of expensive car repairs to run ins with the boss and a painful last day of work, November if finally done. However, the month ended by providing us with a painful reminder about the consequences of our move. My grandfather has been ailing for awhile now, but he took a turn for the worst last weekend, and after a massive heart attack and many other afflictions he passed away Saturday night. Luckily my parents were able to make it up to Vernon to be with him in his last days, but a death in the immediate family reminds us just how far away we really are. We were able to speak with my parents and grandfather's wife- Vicki, but speaking on the phone is nothing compared to being able to be there and support your family. A sad event like this just hits home that our choice to live down here borders on the selfish side.
My grandfather's passing was not the only difficult thing we had to deal with this year. As many of you know, Blake's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year, and has gone through a long and strenuous battle with 6 rounds of chemo and countless trips to Prince George. It was very difficult to stand aside this year and offer only verbal support. Joel was able to make it home to be with Reita a few times, but we were unable to just drive up for the weekend. We are so very thankful that Reita is now in remission and was given a clean bill of health in September.
Of course we are not the only ones this year who have had to deal with illness and tragedies from afar. Of our friends, one has had her father pass, another is home with his father as we speak. A close friend is still watching his father battle cancer and another has a nephew who is very ill. We do all we can from afar, and go home when the time and money permits, but the distance between us and our loved ones is massive. To fly home Blake and I look at nearly 18 hours of travel and at least 4 flights. Although we chose to live in Paradise and were aware of the consequences, it is not without deep sadness that we bid my grandfather goodbye and send our thoughts and wishes out to those back home.

Pictured above: Blake and his Reita on our visit this fall. My last visit with my grandfather.

Nixing Nasty Novembers

Since before I can remember, I have detested Novembers. In my opinion it is the worst month of the year. The weather has gotten chilly and the first snow has already come. The leaves have fallen off the trees and everything looks dead. From some twisted version of Murphy's Law, I always get a flat tire while driving somewhere important. Generally the day after I have paid too much to have my winter tires put on. The only holiday in November is to celebrate the most solemn of occasions and it is still far enough away from Christmas to be cheery, but my Christmas shopping is already underway, leading to a lot less dispensable cash. All in all Novembers are not in my good books. Misery seems to be the general feeling I associate with the mention of this eleventh month.
This year I am feeling as if I am finally getting even with November. Don't get me wrong, November has still managed to slip in a few fast ones; like some car problems, an interminable string of work days and a two pound weight gain. However I still have the upper hand. The car problems occur weekly no matter what month, the interminable work days only seem so long because they are my last!!!!! And the two pound weight gain can be attributed to an over indulgence in rum punch and Caribbean cooking during Pirate's Week. In fact, I might actually come out ahead of November this time round. The weather has cooled to the most perfect temperature of 25 degrees. Fresh enough for evening runs and long walks, but warm enough to bronze the skin and remind you that you are on an island in paradise. With the amazing weather I have been able to get in some good sea swims without feeling like I am in a hot bath and chill by the pool without having to get in and cool off every 15 minutes. Pirate's Week also speaks for itself and lends a huge hand to making November better. The horrific land crabs have also disappeared back in to their hovels and the light wind seems to keep the mosquitos at bay. This month has also been jam packed with picnics at the park, beach days, diving, stagettes and Birthday parties. Yes, I think I have finally found the cure of Nasty Novembers: paradise. Want to come join us?

Pirate's Week

Why are Pirates so cool? ----- Because they ARGHHHH!!!! Pirate's Week has begun! It is the largest celebration on the island and probably the most anticipated as well. Pirate's Week actually spans 10 days and two weekends and includes the most random events ever to be held under one title. The week started off last Friday with Fireworks on the harbour. For twenty minutes we watched a great show from the patio of a harbour bar. I was actually quite impressed with what this little country had to offer. Although really it should come as no surprise since it is legal to purchase and let off fireworks anywhere at anytime, therefore the locals get a lot of practice. Saturday was an all day event which began with the Pirate's Landing. The story is that the Governor was in his boat being chased by pirates when all of a sudden sirens (mermaids) arose from the sea and formed a protective barrier around the Governor's boat. Unfortunately there was a pirate disguised as a governor's agent, and he ambushed the boat, kidnapping the Governor and his wife. As retaliation, the sirens went after the Pirate's and kissed as many of them as they could, because a siren's kiss turns a soul in to a zombie. Pretty imaginative basis for a week of debauchery. The best part is that the whole scene is played out in the main harbour, and you can watch them reenact the kidnapping and storming of the pirates. A huge effigy is placed upon the rock out in the harbour and burned while the pirate ship approaches shore. Tourists line the bars, pubs, shops and streets to watch the Jolly Roger come in to harbour. Cannons blast and explosive crackers are thrown in the water (undoubtedly killing lots of fish). At the moment the ship docks the whole street erupts with confetti and noise. A parade is held immediately after in which most floats consist of old trucks carrying banners on their sides. The rest of the afternoon passes quickly due to alcohol consumption and piracy. The best part about the week is the costumes. Everyone dresses up as wenches and buccaneers and heads out on the town. There are mock sword fights between adults and kids and a few "professional" pirates tell their stories. As the afternoon wore on we abandoned our very elite spot at the top of Breeze's (the best view in town!) and headed down the street. There was tale of a boat with half price drinks. We ended up on said boat and proceeded to stay out at sea for two and a half hours, dancing the night away on a catamaran. Once we returned to shore (our legs a lot more shaky than when we had left... ) we hit up the tents on the streets offering local cuisine and stages with live music.
The rest of the week holds heritage events in different parts of the town, as well as a kid's parade and concert, a 5 mile sea swim, and a fall fair. This upcoming weekend is also a big one. The cardboard boat race is on Saturday, and KPMG has a team going in. The boat will hold four people, and they must paddle out 100 metres and back. After the race there is a foot race on the ocean surface. Using whatever means possible, the contestants will attempt to walk on water for several metres. I have to say that I am pretty interested to see how that goes! Finally there is the Pirate Trial, in which the Pirates have to fess up to the kidnapping of the governor and then they are dealt the punishment.

All in all Pirate's Week is a great excuse to dress, talk and walk like a pirate (or a wench) and get away with the lewdest and strangest behaviour without being held accountable. Nothing is out of line for a Pirate!

Please help!

I am really sorry to disappoint all of Nat's faithful readers, this blog will not be full of any wild and quirky tales about her boss, rather I am reaching out to you for your help and support. Seriously, please help me. Please?

Some men are born with genetics which allows them to grow a thick, illustrious moustache. I unfortunately, am not one of those men. A picture says 1000 words.



Having seen both my aunt and more recently my mother battle cancer, I have seen how it can affect your life. So when I heard about "Movember" a chance for men to grow a moustache in support of Prostate cancer, I thought it would be a good chance for me to do my part to help raise funds for cancer. We can only hope that with so many different groups raising money for different types of cancer that someone will find a cure. Speaking from a male who has a lot of close male friends and family it seems like a great cause to me.

For those who support my pathetic attempt to grow a moustache, and more importantly the fight against prostate cancer I would greatly appreciate any donations and support, just please keep your views on my Mo to yourself as my wife reminds me on a daily (or more like hourly) basis how pathetic and sleazy I look.

Donations can be made by phone at 1-888-255-0333 or online at:

http://ca.movember.com/

On the Movember website Just click on Donate at the top, and then at the next page click on "To an individual", and then you will be able to type in my name.

Thanks in advance for all of those donating to this worthy cause

Blake

Enough is enough

There comes a time when enough is enough. When you feel like you just can't take one more day. When you imagine a million different ways in which you could quit, each one more grand than the previous. Well I reached that point about five months ago, and I am ashamed to say that only the lure of sweet money and a slight case of delirium have been propelling me forward since. I have never been the quiting kind of girl (so it is a good think I never took up smoking). In fact, I have been the opposite. Fiercely loyal to my jobs, rarely taking time off, dragging my butt to work even when I am sick. The only jobs I have ever had to quit were the ones that were ending due to graduation or end of summer. Oh, except that little gig at Sylvan Learning where I took massive vacation time and just never went back. My point is that I have never had to look someone in the eye and tell them that I quit. I even went through the tiring process of filing for leave rather than quit my teaching job in St. Albert!
On Wednesday I came home after an exhausting day of being belittled and bossed around. In a bold move I told Blake that I was finished. Speedo Lady could take the job and shove it (I may have been more graphic than that). Being the big talker that I am, I described several ways in which I could convey to her, in detail, every single little thing she has done to make me reach this pinnacle of frustration. Then I simmered a bit and decided that at some point in November or December I would tell her that I was leaving. Due to a timely interview and Speedo Lady's insistence that I find someone on this island to cover for me or I couldn't go-(even if it was Blake- and "cover" meant sit at a desk, beside the receptionist, who is already there, and answer the phone the 2 times it might ring) I reached my boiling point. A meeting was scheduled on Sunday (by her, heaven forbid she use any work hours to discuss anything). From her viewpoint we were going to talk about the contract that she has still not drawn up 2 months after my new term with her began, the lack of a work schedule for the last 5 weeks and the fact that I have not received my vacation pay from 2 months ago. From my standpoint I was going to quit.
Saturday evening saw us role playing the whole quitting scenario. Blake made an excellent Speedo Lady and we managed to practice every range of emotion I could imagine Speedo Lady would react with.... or so I thought.
Sunday morning rolled around and I was armed with an arsenal of good responses to anything she could fire at me. My stomach was in butterflies and I just wanted to get the whole ordeal over with. I arrived a few minutes early to gather my thoughts while Blake sat in the car, his presence a comfort to me. Speedo Lady breezed in and for the first 10 minutes it was her show. I couldn't get a word in edgewise. The one time I made a concerted effort to interrupt, she shushed me and said "Just let me finish!" as she described in detail all I was to accomplish in December. When I was finally able to blurt out that I was giving her my notice, I was met with the one response I had not anticipated. Disbelief. Now I'm not talking about a surprised denial, or even a few moments of shocked disbelief, I am talking about the fact that she told me that she did not believe I intended to quit, and I would have to come to her again to resign, as she was a "positive-person" and didn't believe I would actually end up leaving. No matter that I told her three times that it was for real, even though I have no job awaiting, she is still bent on the fact that I will change my mind. So this morning, on my way in, I handed her a written resignation, only to be met with " Well, we'll just see... I think you'll change your mind."
I can't wait to see the look on her face when on November 30th I hand in my shirts and walk out the door for good. Actually, I can't wait to look in the mirror and see the smile on my face!

Costa Rica & Peru

So we have not dropped off the face of the planet, and no hurricane has swept us away. Instead the lack of blog writing is due to the fact that we were on vacation for the last 16 days. I know it seems like we just went on holiday to Canada, but as those who have moved away from their hometowns can attest, a trip back home doesn't necessarily qualify as a vacation. My travel obsession has been itching lately, so Blake and I booked a birthday trip to Costa Rica and Peru for the end of October, to ring in our new ages. Costa Rica was my idea, since I have never been. I have heard much about the beautiful landscape, and because our goal was to avoid beaches and palm trees, we decided to stay inland, in a tiny town called La Fortuna which sits on the base of the highly active Arenal Volcano. Although American Airlines tried their best to mess up our plans, we did arrive in San Jose eventually. We grabbed a taxi three hours out to the Arenal region and spent our first two days surrounded by the most amazing scenery. The Arenal Observatory Lodge was created by scientists at the Smithsonian Institute to monitor the volcanoes activity (It last erupted in 2002 and made quite a mess). The Lodge is the only accommodation that is allowed in the National Park, and it has the best view of the volcano, at which base it sits. We spent the days wandering around the expansive property finding waterfalls, farms and great hikes. We went in to town on the second day to try rappelling down waterfalls and cliffs. An experience everyone should try! Blake is hooked. The last day at the lodge we were excited to hike up the side of a neighbouring inactive volcano and swim in the lagoon that has since filled its crater. The staff at the lodge ensured us the 4 hour hike was safe, so we set off early in the morning. The next four hours have been blocked out of my memory from sheer trauma and exhaustion, but I will put it this way. In the world of hikes, this one was a 10/10. It was more mountain climbing combined with a torturous session of lunges and squats. Two hours straight up landed us at the top of the volcano. Next came a 300 metre "fall" down the steep side of the crater which landed us right in the lagoon. The fresh swim made up for the hike, and we were the only two people on the trail, and at the lagoon (this is because we later learned that the hike was too difficult for most people to even consider and you are something of a legend once you have climbed it).
After our return from the volcanic lagoon of peril, we transferred down the mountain to a hostel in the town of La Fortuna. The hostel was a better place from which to book tours and see the town, especially after we had worn ourselves out on the hike. Our first day we went white water rafting, spurred from our trip in Canada! The rapids were larger and the boats smaller, which made for a fun day! We had an amazing time. That night we went to one of the regions many hot springs. Like most people, I was expecting a nice hot pool or two in which to soak our still traumatized muscles. What Baldi Hot Springs turned out to be was the Vegas of thermal springs. There were 25 pools-each with varying temperatures, waterslides, too many acres of paths and forests, waterfalls and swim up bars. Blake and I spent most of our time just walking from pool to pool, and unfortunately a thunderstorm was in the area, so we also spent a fair amount of time hiding out at the free buffet. It was quite the site to see how extravagant hot springs can get, and I would highly recommend Baldi to anyone with ADHD, but I found it a little overwhelming.
On our last day in C.R. we hiked down a beautiful gully to a 70 metre waterfall and swam in the pool at its base. Never have I seen a waterfall that powerful (I have also never been to Niagara!). We spent a lovely hour just playing in the natural pool and watching the power of water.
The second part of our trip was Blake's idea. From my many tales, no doubt exhuasting, Blake was determined to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Although this was my second time, it was just as amazing as ever. After a day in Cusco to acclimatize to the high altitude we met our GAP Adventures group. Our 15 person tour group was great, and most of them were our age (or at least mine, Blake is getting pretty old...). I think I had forgotten about the jaw dropping cloud forests and inspiring jungles. I had apparently also forgotten how hard the trek itself was. The four hour mountain climb on day 2 took a round out of me, but luckily I was well prepared after all of Costa's volcanoes. In total we hiked 4 days, 43 kilometres, three mountains and saw 6 ruins along the way. The final morning of the hike we got up at 3 a.m and hiked to the Sun Gate, where you can watch the sun rise on the ancient Inca city. There are not many words to describe the wave of emotions that wash over you as the great site comes in to view. Unfortunately it was also accompanied by a wave of nausea, as it appeared something had gotten in to the water or food. All of the group members battled with sickness at some part of the tour, I was just lucky mine hit the last day. Blake was even luckier, as he didn't get it until we were leaving Peru. We spent the day wandering around the site, just touching the amazing stonework and marvelling at the ingenuity of this ancient civilization. I think it is pretty fair to say that I am enamoured with the Incas. I could probably write days worth of blogs about the society, but I shall not bore you. Blake also enjoyed seeing Machu Picchu, and together we found many new buildings and sections that I had missed on my first visit. The altitude of Machu Picchu is less than the rest of the hike, so the tingling fingers, feelings of over exertion and constant coca leaf intake were all but forgotten.
Before we knew it, we were back on the plane to Miami. Our two week vacation was much needed and probably one of the best holidays I have taken yet. The travel bug has gone to hibernate for a short nap, and the coca is slowly leaving our systems (hopefully no random drug tests in the near future). However, it won't be long until we are no doubt planning another adventure!!!



Mom-remember, its pronounced Costa Rica, not Costa Rico:)-Blake

Tropical Storm Nicole

We arrived home from Canada just in time for Tropical Storm Nicole. The flight home was riddled with turbulence, giving us a preview of what was to come. That evening the skies turned a dark grey and the clouds rolled in. The following morning we splashed our way to work and by mid day the Canadian Consulate had sent out their warning to hunker down and keep the flashlights close. A tropical storm can carry heavy and torrential downpour with winds up to 35 miles per hour, a bit shy of a category 1 hurricane. It was interesting to feel the atmosphere around town when the schools were closed at noon and the sky continued to darken. The rains came soon after and were sporadic but heavy. In mere seconds the sky would open up and drop what seemed like an ocean's worth of water down, flooding streets and sending the chickens scattering, and then a few minutes later it would be over. It was a race to get to wherever you were going in between the storms, because if you got caught in the torrential rain, driving became a challenge. With the wipers going full speed and the air conditioning blasting to try to keep the fog off the windows, it felt much like navigating in the dark with a blindfold. It was difficult to even see the car ahead. With our battered old jalopy, the driving became even more hazardous since after the "car explosion" misunderstanding we were warned that driving in the rain would just create further problems to our CV joints. By the evening both Blake and I had managed to get home safely and we watched as the wind bent the palm trees and our pool overflowed. A massive puddle began to form in our drive and random leaves littered the lawn. After a loud night of wind, rain and thunder that shook the room, we awoke to a grey and wet morning. We knew it was truly time to battle the elements. Although many government workers had some time off, neither Blake nor I had the luxury. We had to get up, get out and brave the scariest side effect of Tropical Storm Nicole; Lake Elgin. Blake's office is located on a street with very little drainage. As a result, a massive lake forms in their road and drive. This lake is often on the cover of the news and has become a landmark during storm season. We encouraged the car and petted the dashboard on the way in. Does anyone else ever do this? I feel like the poor car has a personality- a 94 year old hypochondriac's personality- but a personality all the same. When we turned down Elgin Avenue we saw the brown lake ahead. Cars were pushing water to the side as they navigated through with speeds nearing 5 kilometres per hour. The water came above the wheel wells, pushing over the hoods of many cars. Even though I know that there is a concrete bottom, I nevertheless feel like I am driving in to a bottomless pit and may get lost in all of the water. Thankfully the Green Goblin (as I have not so affectionately named our ride) only squealed in protest, but made it through! Definitely a highlight in our day. As the storm wore on, many basements and business received some flooding. It was eye opening to see what a punch a tropical storm can pack, especially on the ocean. The waves were massive, and huge oil barrels would disappear underneath the swell. Some parts of the beach were even eroded. The storm took a few days to pass, and even now, a week later, we are still under rainy skies, although Nicole has since dissipated. This experience has left us wondering about hurricanes. I can't imagine that what we saw was just skimming the surface! With hurricane season nearly at its end, we are keeping our fingers crossed that Tropical Storm Nicole was as close as we'll have to get!!!

O Canada

What a great trip to Canada Blake and I just had! You never really know how much home can really feel like home. My sister's wedding was amazing. She made such a beautiful bride in her gorgeous white gown and flowing black hair. I think it took most of my willpower to hold back some tears as she walked down the aisle to Mat. Luckily I know she is in great hands. The two of them make an awesome pair.
Blake and I were able to relax in the wilderness at Alpine Meadows Resort, 25 kms out of Clearwater, B.C. The grounds were ideal for a wedding as a lake and mountains were the backdrop. It was great to see and visit with my family, as we didn't really get enough time at my wedding, and furthermore, it was great to be able to eat, drink and enjoy the reception this time around! The wedding went off without a hitch, although it was freezing cold! Thankfully Mat and Mel had thought ahead and created a signature cocktail which helped keep us warm. The outdoor heated lamps also warmed up the dance floor, where much to Blake's embarrassment, his wife kept up a steady flow of "Thomsonesque" dance moves. The next day we discovered the perfect cure for a hangover: whitewater rafting in the chilly September water. My aunt, both uncles, mom and dad, and Blake's friend Darcy accompanied us on a 2 hour trip down the river. Blake and Darcy actually got up the guts to cliff jump from a 7 metre rock cut, but I was happy just to watch!
The next day it was up to Prince George where we met Reita and Garry and headed back to Burns Lake. We spent the following week having a great time with Blake's parents. Reita looks amazing for a woman just finishing up 6 rounds of chemo. I think she could definitely win an award for the most shapely skull around. If I lost my hair I'd have a huge flattened section on the back of my head from too much time spent lying in a laundry basket during infancy (thanks mom!). We were both impressed with Reita's great attitude towards the whole ordeal- what strength. I spent some time with Rachel on the Southside as well and laughed at how much her little one resembles her! Payback!!!! We also got some good visiting time in with Tara and Marlon and their newest addition, Rhys. What a cutie! One night we also managed to get up hot-tubbing with Blake's cousin Jarrett. It was so nice to sit out in the cool weather in a warm tub! Finally, we had a big family supper at Blake's Aunt and Uncle's place with his cousins and their children, as well. Claire warned us that the kid's were contagious... however, with three in diapers and two in elementary school it felt a little more like birth control!!!! We have officially nixed any notion of having 5 kids! All jokes aside, the kid are actually great, and they have grown up so fast! Before we knew it, we were on the road back to Prince George to stay with my best friend Heather and her family before flying out home the next day. One thing I love about good friends is that no matter how much time passes, you can always pick up where you left off.
Our flights back home spanned two days, four planes, three countries and proved to be the longest possible way to cross a continent. Unfortunately the flight from Toronto to Tampa was pretty turbulent, pushing my nearly cured anxiety up a notch. I would be happy to not sit in another plane for a year now, but with our next adventure only 2 weeks away it looks as if I'll have to suck it up.

The most popular question we got asked on our trip was whether or not we missed Canada. That is a hard question to answer! So rather than bore you with some long winded retort, I will provide you with a list of what we realized we missed, and of course, what we didn't.

Things we missed about Canada:
1) Fresh air and the beauty of fall
2) campfires and camping
3) Having straight glossy hair that stays put all day!
4) Being able to run without losing half your body weight in sweat
5) T.V. (okay, admittedly we do have TV here, but we are too cheap to order it and our TV in the livingroom bit the bullet well before our time)
6) The loonie... nowhere else has crazy named currency
7) family- this should have been first, but I am too tired to think straight tonight
8) Wearing comfy clothing like jeans and sweatshirts
9) Mudslides in a million different flavours
10) Lack of land crabs, and furthermore, land crab nightmares

Things we didn't miss about Canada:
1) static electricity
2) cold feet and red noses
3) chapped lips
4) Tax (What is with the HST???? is nearly doubled some of my purchases, or at least it felt like that!)
5) snow. Yes. We saw snow. In September.
6) Driving on the right side. We have somehow adapted to this left side driving and now I am all messed up.
7) rules. I never noticed how many rules there are in Canada.
8) 10 digit dialling. What a moronic idea
9) THe sheer size of Canada. Although sometimes I like how big it is, the massive size of Canada makes travel rather tiring
10) Air Canada and their lack of airplane food

Well that completes the list. I love both of our countries, but each one has some special qualities. In the long run Canada will always win though, as our family, past and future lies in the massive land we call our true home.

Random island weekends

I live for the weekends here! Although we are on a tiny island, there never seems to be any shortage of things to do. It seems like every month there is at least one fair or event being held, and the rest of the weekends fly by in a blur of social gatherings, chores and beach time. One of the wonderful things about this island is that the most random things happen when you least expect them. Take last weekend, for example. In an effort to save our livers and a bit of cash, our group of friends decided to have a picnic at one of the only parks on the island. We gathered up salads, cheeses and wine and met at sunset on the edge of the beach in a nice shady and grassy spot. We had a great evening under the stars, just sipping wine and exchanging crazy work stories. It wasn't until my friend Kate and I headed off to the washroom, dodging iguana holes in the dark, that we happened upon a deflated yet fully operational bouncy castle. A quick look around in the dark proved that we were the only occupants in the park. We looked around the back of the castle and noticed that it need only be plugged in to blow up. We returned to the table with our wonderful observation and we decided that it wasn't every day you found an abandoned bouncy castle. We quickly headed back to inflate it. I was seconds away from connecting the plugs when I saw a uniformed guard come around the corner, flashlight in hand. I dropped the cord and exclaimed loudly "Well it is a good thing this is unplugged! I can just imagine what would happen if it had accidentally inflated!" Kate and I hightailed it back to the picnic table. The guards followed us and eyed up the crew. THe main guy struck up a conversation with Lachie and it wasn't long before they were calling each other mates and laughing. The guards left the park eventually and we all ran back to the castle. With one flip of a switch the castle inflated in to the best funhouse any twenty year old can imagine! Complete with a tiny entry door and four sides the 8 of us hopped on and proceeded to act like five year olds for the next half hour. It wan't until all of our crazy jumping stunts dislodged the castle from the air inflator that we were forced to crawl through the floppy rubber mess and call it a night! What a blast and completely random at that!

This past weekend we came upon another random feature of the island. After a beautiful morning dive with Brett and Sarah, followed by a great BBQ lunch overlooking the ocean, we headed over to Spott's Beach. A popular hangout for necking teens and snorkelers who love swimming with turtles, Spotts Beach is only a few kilometres from our house. However, with Brett's stealthy skills, he quickly had us clambering up ironshore cliffs and scaling rich people's garden walls in order to deliver us right to the most exciting cave. With a large opening and sandy bottom the cave was something from my dreams ( suffice it to say, I like small dark places)! There were bats hanging from the ceilings and huge concave holes leading to smaller chambers, most too small to wriggle in to. I could have spent the rest of the day imagining pirate's off loading their bounty and swigging rum, but turns out Blake isn't the biggest bat fan of bats, so we stayed no longer than necessary.

It is unique finds like caves and lonesome carnival castles that make every weekend on this island fresh and exciting. Although we are super excited to be heading back to Canada for 12 days this week, there is the smallest part of us that felt a little sad listening to the others plan next weekend, knowing we wouldn't be around. However, my little sister is getting married in 5 days and there is nothing in the world (except a hurricane... which is a distinct possibility at this point) that could keep me away from watching my amazing Melinda walk down the aisle! There is nobody quite as special as a sister!

Exploding cars and non-existant brakes

I have learned one thing this week: I take stopping for granted. Sometimes I roll through a stop sign. Sometimes I stop well ahead of the sign. There have even been a few times (accidentally) that I have not seen the sign and just flew right through. Well those days are gone. I have a new found respect for my brakes. Earlier this week I noticed that our brakes seemed a little soft. I had to press awfully hard to get any results. It got worse as the day went on, until finally, on my way to the library, the pedal actually hit the floor and the car slowly lost it's momentum. It was at that moment that I realized I had no brakes. I was only a few blocks and one traffic circle from Blake's work, where I was headed to pick him up. I decided to chance it (probably one of the less smarter moves I have made in life). With a quick prayer I turned on to the main road and quickly learned that the same attraction that exists between cats that love people with animal allergies also exists between those who dart across the road, expecting to be let through with those without brakes. It is Murphy's Law really, every car possible cut in front of me, every crazy tourist sauntered out into traffic, and for the first time, the traffic circle was bumper to bumper. My strategy became clear, I had to go as slow as possible while pissing off every motorist behind me, and hope in vain that those in front of me would have moved forward before my front bumper met their rear. It is at this point that I should also mention that three quarters of this island's population drives BMWs, Mercedes and Land Rovers. With little more than a block to go, and sweating profusely (not from the lack of air conditioner, since that seems to be the only thing that works in our car, but from the near run ins), I thought I was in the clear. It was smooth sailing to his office, and with a small turn I would be in his parking lot. All of a sudden it happened. In slow motion I saw the rooster emerge from the bush, shining handsomely in the sunlight. Not a care in the world... he started slowly across the road. I pushed down hard, but nothing happened. I knew this rooster was doomed. He was mere inches from me. I felt my heart thud and the sickest feeling wash over me as my car headed straight for this feathered fowl. I closed my eyes and held my breath and waited for the inevitable thud. When I heard nothing I looked in the rearview mirror and saw that he had stopped right before he ran into my wheel. The lucky guy missed the car by millimetres. Stupid chicken, why did he have to cross the road???
When Blake came out from work, I told him about our little dilemma. He jumped in the driver's seat (after prying the door open with our broken door handle and jammed lock) to see for himself. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe you have been driving this thing!" was the first sentence out of his mouth. With all automotive repair shops closed, and miles from home, we had only one option left...Marvin. Now Marvin is our Jamaican car repair guy. You know how people have their preferred stylist, doctor, babysitter etc? Well in Cayman it is all about the Jamaican car guys. Marvin is our little secret. We call him when we need our ABS light cut so we can pass inspection, or when our window gets stuck down, or when our car squeals every time it hits water. It is like having a 24 hour repair man at your service, the only catch is that we don't understand a word he says, and most things he fixes break within a week. Marvin raced to our rescue, this time followed by his sidekick Bogul. It appeared that our brake fluid was leaking from a major hose leak. "Nadda pra.. Nadda pra..." waves Bogul. Telling us that it was not a problem, he sent Marvin off to buy brake fluid and proceeded to hop under our car. With some tape and a few rusted screws he toyed around under our car and obviously clamped something to fix the leak. Once the brake fluid was put in Bogul began yelling at Blake " Umit umit umit!!!" We stared at each other quizzically. "Umit" he yelled again. I looked at Marvin, who shrugged and said loudly "PUMP IT!" Blake jumped in the car and started pumping the brake, and presto, within minutes we had restored our brakes! However, that was not the only problem with the car. When he climbed out from under body, Bogul told us we would have to replace the hose, which he would do the next day.
So the following day, I trustingly handed over the car keys and watched as Marvin and Bogul drove off in our only vehicle. Every time he leaves I worry just slightly that our car may never return, but it has each time, although with significantly less gas and a reggae station pounding on the radio. That afternoon when they returned Bogul leaned over the window and looked at me sorrowfully. "Dis car mon az bi pra." uh oh... I knew there were a few things wrong with it, but when a technician tells you there is a big problem you know the news can't be good. "Dem cv join boo no wer, bust, all er, car go EXPLODE!" I jumped back in fear. Just like you, I really only understood the las part. " My car will explode!" I exclaimed loudly. Marvin broke out laughing. Bogul repeated "dem explode." I quickly paid them and ran inside to my office. In sheer panic, and imagining my car bursting into flames the next time I started it, I dialed up the nearest auto repair shop and booked an appointment. Turns out Marvin and Bogul were right in one respect, the CV joint boot had "exploded" so now we have some costly repairs, but it turns out I was a little off with assumption the whole car would explode... thank heavens! Thus begins the new saga of car repairs, which on this island will prove to be expensive and interesting... just like everything else here!

Pictured above: our lovely car, damn roosters...

Awful August

Three days!!!! Three more days and I am finished the worst summer ever. Never have I been so glad to wave goodbye to a summer. It is slightly ironic that I live in one of the best places in the world, yet I just suffered through the worst two months of my career. I only have seventeen mosquito bites, one jagged scar from a boy who body surfed a wave right into me, a sore shoulder from my coworker launching a steel chair into my back and one extremely greasy face from a summer of sunscreen. I have survived! This feeling is akin to the high I get at the end of my races. By Friday night I plan on being so deep into an unconscious oblivion that will erase all memories since the beginning of July- and I mean sleep induced oblivion, because that is exactly what I plan on doing for the entire weekend... maybe more. Now if the summer has been difficult, then August has been the hardest. Aside from my torturous days, I have apparently lost my sanity as I signed up for the annual Stroke & Stride. This is a series of three duathlon races. The first was a swim of 400m followed by a 2 mile run. The second was 600M swim and a 2 mile run. The final race in the series is tomorrow night, and is an 800m swim followed by a 2 mile run. I am not sure I will make it to the end! Due to my complete lack of energy at the end of the days, I decided not to bother with training, I mean, if I could run a half marathon 2 years ago, then I must still have some of that fitness left...right???? Haha, the first race saw me nearly collapse at the finish line. I felt like I had thrown everything I had into it, so I was absolutely shocked when I found out it had only taken my 28 minutes. It felt like a century. The second race went much better, but the after effects were way worse. For more than an hour my head pounded and my eyes teared up at the pain. So as you can see, I am much excited for tomorrow to be over and done with, and no, I have not started to train for it...
August has also sucked due to the weather. The heat here is unbearable sometimes. Even the iguanas and snakes seek refuge from the unrelenting sun. Initially I was surprised at how bearable the weather seemed, but that was in June. Now it is a whole different story. By 8:30 in the morning it is already 30 degrees. By 10:00 it is over 35 degrees in the shade. The weather network puts the "real feel" temperature between 42-46 degrees. The fan we have set up at camp blows the hot sticky air straight at us, and I find that my hair is nearly wet through by noon. I am able to sweat through at least two to three shirts in a day and even the chickens are too smart to come out in the heat. They hover in the crevices at the side of the yard clucking away. At some points it is too hot to even think, and I sink into the only comfy chair on the porch and feel as if I will wilt away. Our field trips require getting in to the hot van, which must simmer at a temperature in the 50 degree range all day long. Lucky that Speedo Lady had her windows glued up so we are at the mercy of the air conditioner, which always takes at least three minutes of blowing hot air until it can finally cool down. The only bonus to this heat exposure is that next time we're in Canada and Blake wants to play "hot car" I will certainly win!
So as you can see, the fact that there are only 6 days left in August has me smiling. I can't wait for September, which will bring with it a two week vacation in Canada, of all places! Thats right, we have chosen to vacation at home this fall so that I can return to normal temperatures and actually put on a T-shirt and jeans for the first time in 8 months... and of course the fact that it is my sister's wedding makes the trip even sweeter. Although August was a difficult month I hold out much hope for September, mainly because all of my teacher friends are back to work and now I get to relax!

Pictured above: Even the iguanas need to cool down, cycling in a sprint triathlon- which gave me the idea to sign up for Stroke & Stride

Customer Service

Customer service has reached an all time low in this country. There must be few places in the world you can go where the cashiers don't even acknowledge your presence, but blindly scan your items and then wait until you check the computer for the total. That kind of service is the norm here. When we first arrived I was astounded at the amount of people that take personal calls on their cell phones while at work. Once that shock wore off I was surprised at how many service providers would ignore their customers while they were on the phone The all time worst experience I had was when I went in to our cell phone company's office so I could figure out why my voicemail didn't work. I waited in line for about ten minutes while the guy behind the counter texted his friends. At first I had assumed he was actually working on someone's phone, but when I got to the counter and he asked me to "hold on" as he texted something on his own phone and then shoved it into his pocket, I became very aware of how the service industry has degenerated. As part of a health initiative with a local insurance company, I go out with a team of fitness + health professionals to many local banks, firms and hotels to do what we call a "health check." I weigh, measure and take Fat percentages and Body Mass Indexes of the workers. At one particular job last week there was a young nurse who sat beside me. Her job was to take blood pressure and cholesterol readings. She claimed she wasn't feeling well and would put her head down on the table. When a patient arrived she would slowly lift her head, grab a needle and poke them, not even explaining to them what was going on! Then while she waited for the results to scan through her computer she would put her head down on the table and text. I was mortified! Especially since she was supposed to be part of our professional team. In one particular case, a patient sat down next to her and she didn't even raise her head off the table. The patient coughed, to let her know he was there, and still nothing. Finally he said "hello???" and she raised her head, glared at him and grabbed a needle. If I had to guess I would say that she perhaps spoke to a tenth of the people she put through that day. Contrary to popular belief, it is not just the young ones that are so rude either. At the health check this week, there was a nurse in her forties with us (thankfully the nurse from the week previous didn't return) and I nearly laughed because at one point when I looked up, both she and her patient were chatting in to their cell phones while the blood sample was being processed. It looked like something one would poke fun of in a comedy sketch. This summer I am running a summer camp, and the other camp counselor spends the majority of her time on her cell phone as well. I will be returning from lunch or a bathroom break and find the kids spread over the entire property, climbing high in the trees, beating each other with Lego and practicing wrestling moves on the trampoline while my co-worker is huddled over in a corner, screaming into her cell phone to be heard above the chaos, recounting her latest failed attempt to seduce the newest bachelor in town. Ridiculous! I feel ashamed that parents think their children are in good hands, when a 43 year old single mother can't even take the time to supervise child's play!
In the rare cases when cell phones aren't the culprit, it is fellow employees and friends. Countless times I have had to wait for help while a worker is chatting about the weekend, her family or what is for supper with her colleagues. I have gotten so used to this behaviour that I actually have to step back and remind myself that I can't and don't want to conduct myself in this manner. Perhaps this rant on poor service is just an ethnocentric viewpoint. Perhaps Canadians just have a different level of service, and this is normal in other countries???

Anniversary surprise

This past weekend was Blake and I's first anniversary. I knew from the beginning that I had wanted to do something special, so I told Blake that I was going to take him out kayaking in the bioluminescence and a drive up the coast, and instead I booked us two tickets to Little Cayman- a relatively untouched sister island 90 miles west of Grand Cayman. He was shocked on Friday when I picked him up from work for kayaking and sprung the tickets on him. An hour later we arrived at the airport and boarded the smallest commercial plane I have ever been on. It was so small that we could see out the cockpit window and my butt was nearly halfway into the aisle (and I must admit, I do have a small one)! 30 minutes later we arrived in Little Cayman on a runway that is only 30 feet from the only road, and actually crosses the road to get to the "airport" which is a small building that also houses the fire station (1 fire truck) and the post office (all 60 mailboxes). We were picked up at the airport by our resort staff and ushered to a beautiful dive resort right on the beach. That evening we had an ocean front room and relaxed with some drinks by the pool. We later walked to the only grocery store on island and bought some ridiculously priced sodas and fruit. For dinner we walked the lonely road from our resort to the only independent restaurant on island for a delicious meal. Our walk back in the dark along the poorly lit and very rutted road will forever burn a hole in my memory as the scariest venture ever. The entire walk back I could hear the larger than normal land crabs crawling about in their ditches. Due to the lack of light I nearly stumbled over one of the behemoths, which sent me into a fit of hysterics. Blake had to grab my hand and we walked down the centre line the rest of the way while visions of alien crabs attacking us danced through my head.
The next morning we woke bright and early for a two tank dive trip to the world famous and much acclaimed Bloody Bay. Listed continuously as one of the top five dive destinations, this bay blew our mind! Never in the previous 10 dives have I ever seen coral and life like we did on this untouched and unspoiled reef. It was teeming with bright pink and purple sea fans, huge coral formations and tons of colourful fish, not to mention large turtles and small rays. There were exhilarating swim throughs and little cave like tunnels to swim into as well. On one of our dives a large Nassau Grouper (about the size of small dog) took a fancy to Blake and followed him around, trying to playfully nibble his hair and and pull at his board shorts. I was able to get close enough to pet this friendly fish and he loved it! He stayed with us for the remainder of the dive. Once back on the boat we heard that some reef sharks had been in the area too, but we hadn't spotted one. The remainder of our afternoon was spent on a gorgeous bike ride around the peaceful island that was once the first settlement in the Cayman Islands. There are now less than 150 people who live on the island, and the pace of life is the slowest I have ever seen, but the feeling of calm and serenity was heavenly. We returned from our ride sweaty and ready to jump in the pool. That evening we watched a thunder storm and sipped some wine on the beach, reminiscing about this time last year.
Sunday morning we took the old school bikes out for another spin and then packed up for the airport. Arriving only 15 minutes before our flight we were not even I.D'd when the attendant printed off our tickets. What a way of life! Now that we are back to the "bustling metropolis of Grand Cayman" we appreciate our special island all the much more. I would recommend a visit to Little Cayman for anyone who desperately needs a break from civilization, or anyone who loves to dive. We had the most amazing time! But it is also always nice to be back to our home! I can't believe that Blake and I have been married for a year, no doubt it has been the best year of my life and I can't imagine sharing this experience with anyone else!!!

Miracle cure for Mondays

Sunday and Mondays have long been my least favourite days of the week. I don't like Sundays because of the anticipation and anxiety surrounding the next day. It feels like the mournful last day of summer, the end of something good. And Mondays... well that needs little explanation. In an effort to re-invent these days, Blake and I have found the best remedy. On Sundays we head to the beach at 4:00. The tourists have started to head back to their hotels by that point, and the beach is quiet and calm. The more overcast the weather, the better. There is nothing more beautiful than sitting on a sandy beach under the dark grey and navy blue clouds that float above the turquoise water. We claim a spot in front of a condo complex and next to the Marriot Hotel, so that we can watch the visitors play in the water, but still have our own peaceful spot. We sip lattes and watch the sun go down while reading a good book, or floating with the colourful fish. Sometimes when we are ambitious we will go for a sea swim, but mostly we just sit and talk. Once the sun slips behind the horizon we sneak over to the Marriot and jump in the hot tub for a soak before heading home for our late supper. There is nothing more relaxing!
This past Monday we also found a cure for the worst day of the week as well. Our friends, Brett & Sarah, had us and another couple (Kate & Lachie) over for a glass of wine and a forbidden campfire on their secret secluded beachfront. Under the incredible canopy of stars, and a very bright Venus, we enjoyed our wine and our great new friendships which are so bittersweet, since we all know this brief period in our lives won't last forever. As we laid out in the sand and the waves pounded the shore mere feet away, we chatted about sports and music and travel; anything but the future, which at this point is so uncertain for all of us. When we got home I was almost surprised to find that I smelled of campfire. Blake opted to have a quick shower, but I relished the smell. It reminded me of home and summertime. Mostly it makes me remember Rachel and Heather, but I also can't help but think of Lori's backyard campfires last year too. Ahhhh, the side effects of the current lifestyle we have chosen mean that we will always be missing something, but the rich experiences we get to partake in are worth it. Like I was telling Blake yesterday, sometimes I feel like life is just too short, there are so many experiences I want to have, and what seems like so little time! However, I would not ever want to switch my life with anyone else's. I absolutely adore this life and can't wait to see what else is in store!!! (Although I'd still like to find a way to eliminate Mondays!)

Who's counting? A rant you may wish to skip...

It has been 11 days of 10 hours each,a half hour lunch if I am lucky, no breaks, two Deep Woods Mosquito Repellent cans, 1/2 of a skintastics OFF spray can, 3/4 of a Neutrogena Faces suncream and a full bottle of Ocean Potion Sun Screen and I am at my wits end. 11 says of rich spoiled kids complaining about the heat, the mosquitos, the chickens, the pool temperature and the movie choices. 11 days of "Miss, when do we get to go in the pool?" or "Teacher... teacher.... teacher.... TEACHER" screamed by four year olds with the remains of their lunch smeared across their face. It's not that I haven't been around kids before, and it is not that the idea of summer camp does not appeal to me, but between 17 kids aged 4-12 (who chose these ages?), interminable work days, crazy speedo lady changing the plans every single morning-while sometimes forgetting to tell me, or worse- stealing our transportation, and a coworker thats personal life I know way too much about, I am going to be certifiably crazy by the end of summer! Okay, that was my rant. I feel better already. The main purpose of this blog was not to complain about leading a summer camp, nor another dig at my employer, but merely as a reason for the lack of correspondence with immediate family and friends this summer.By the time I get home every night, I am beyond exhaustion and can only think of falling face first into our supremely comfortable bed and not waking until the next weekend. Unfortunately I have realized that this dream is not always realistic, and there is supper to make, a house to be cleaned and errands to run.
So if my emails, calls and skype chats are lacking, then please forgive me!!!! The job actually makes teaching seem easy. At least when I taught I got my summers off, had the kids for 6.5 hours, had a 45 minute lunch, a 15 minute recess and a nice office to bury myself in should need arise. I am so thankful for this experience though, as there are no doubts in my mind that I miss teaching like crazy and I feel nearly giddy with relief and excitement when I think of teaching for the rest of my career. It sometimes takes experiences such as this one to realize what you really want in life. I came to this island not knowing if I wanted to teach again. This was to be my career break- and break it is....as in nearly breaking my soul into miniscule pieces.... (Okay, maybe a little dramatic, but somedays it feels like that). I have missed the classroom from day one, and I can't wait to get back into my own again. So, even though there are 28 days of this excruciatingly painful camp left, I will remain grateful that it has led me to a conclusion about my career, as well as a super high tolerance to mosquitos and whiny 4 year olds.

PS- too tired to post pictures for this blog :)

Pub Crawl

Pub crawls have never really been my thing. In fact, I have only ever been on one, and that ended with my friend Melanie and I, beyond our limits, dressed up as a witch and princess, stuck in West Edmonton Mall at 3am without a ride home in the blustry snow. Memorable, but not something I would like to repeat. So seven years later I figured that maybe I should see if I can't improve upon my prior experience and give it another go. Last weekend was Nikki and Ian's going away pub crawl. For two individuals who have done nearly every imaginable trip, event, attraction and show on the island, we figured we should make this a crawl to remember with a flavourful mix of ex-pat and local bars. The evening began at KPMG, where we all drove off in a 26 seater bus jam packed with restless accountants on a Friday night. It wasn't until we were a few blocks away that we realized one of the girlfriends had been forgotten... and it wasn't her boyfriend who figured it out either (he was sleeping on the couch for awhile after that). With a complete count we headed off to a bar called The Office, which was unremarkable except for the fact that we found a fast food restaurant none of us knew in the back parking lot... Cayman random. After a rum with a splash of diet coke, all 26 of us decided we should drive to a co-worker's house to rouse him out, since he had clearly told everyone he didn't want to come. We all unloaded and surrounded the premises and were finally able to lure him out. Now in an overcrowded bus we zipped out of the parking lot, cut off a bike rider who ran into the back of the bus and stalked us all the way to the next bar where he climbed on board to scream at our drive. There I ran into some kids I had taught swim lessons to, as well as a member of the gym where I work. Trying my hardest to be coherent I carried on some sort of conversation about which I have no memory. We quickly boarded the bus, where Joanna and I found a bottle of Pimms hidden in the back seat... bad news. By Merengue we were pouring out of the bus. This local bar did not live up to it's name, as the only music it played was old country and had a dance floor large enough to accommodate five bus loads of crazy accountants. The fifth bar was a pleasant surprise. A large outdoor dance floor and bar located next to the airport, playing loads of Top 40 and containing a nice mix of nationalities. We made a rather fuzzy mental note to return again. The next three bars were a complete blur, since they were all located on the very sketchy and low-income "Eastern Ave." Archie's Disco Bar, Blue Marlin and something that included the word "dump" seem like the most plausible names of these haunts. One had a goldfish tank in which several scared and deaf fish were perched upon a rickety shelf that vibrated with the music. The reggae they had been playing turned quickly to "I'm a Barbie Girl" by Aqua (apparently white girls are supposed to love it). At this stop a 15ft beer flag was stolen and hoisted on to the bus. At several of the seedy bars we were glared at by the locals sitting on their stools. However, we quickly found that the bartenders loved us and our cash and many offered us deals if we would only stay longer! The last bar of the night (well at least the last for this girl ) was Triple Crown- back in familiar territory. I am told I got up and sang a karaoke song with some girls (there is photo proof) but I can't remember which it was. At this point I told Blake it was time to leave and we began the lengthy 3 km walk back in to town, with a slight detour to a secret beach we discovered off mainstreet and a quick baseball session with a breadfruit we found on the road and a telephone pole. All in all, I can now see why I am not a pub crawl kind of girl- for the sad fact alone that I only had 5 drinks in total over a 6 hour period... but this pub crawl will hold as many memories as the last!

pictured above: breadfruit baseball, ghetto goldfish, stolen flag, bar number 2!