WEst Bay – Mermaid on a Raft

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08/09/2016 I’m recovered from company and have been in chill mode for many weeks, nothing I have to do except enjoy my life on the island. We spent a few days waiting for Hurricane Earl, who, at the last minute changed paths and headed straight for Belize. They got hit, we just got rain and wind. Very thankful we were spared and sad for the people in BZE.

13892211_848901878579723_8024833228533782536_n — This is what we could have been hit with.

A few weeks ago Nidia was contacted by Carnival cruise lines that their employees had taken it upon themselves to organize a food drive for the elderly on Roatan. We met Nidia and Mac at Mahogany Bay at noon to pick up the cruise ship employees and take them and their 60 bags of food to the East End of the island. Due to some snafu, it took longer to pick them up than planned but we got them and were on our way to Pandytown. The people were waiting when we got there.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Alexi helping load the stuff on to Mac’s truck

13767173_664856870339526_8079356712838682988_o — I of course, found dogs. I was pulling ticks off this little girl when the owner approached me and said I could have her. I said, Thank you but no. He said her name was Lola. One Lola is all I can handle. She was adorable.

Next stop was Punta Caliente but when we got there a few crew members had to be back on the ship so we left and took them back to Mahogany Bay.

On July 30th Because We Care did a breakfast for the people in Hottest Sparrow, a community many times forgotten. I got there around 6:45AM and didn’t really do much until the ladies cooking the food were finished, then I helped serve, made chocolate milk for the kids, passed out drinks, some soccer balls donated by Trish and Dave Symons and then helped pass out toys and gifts and clean up. It was a fun morning.

We were fortunate enough to meet some new friends from California via Alex. Kevin and Pam bought some land near us and plan on building on it. They had never been to the East End of the island so we took them to La Sirena, our favorite place.

On the way home we stopped at the pirate ship and our friend the guard was there. He gave us another tour and some more wooden stuff, like a Seahorse statue that I am in love with.

We have had so many people over for dinner lately and that is always fun, especially when it’s a nice day and we can be in the pool.

I picked up my twinnie Ann and we went snorkeling at West Bay again and then had some drinks (of course) at Grand Roatan.

This past week I did something I’ve wanted to do for a long long long time. I got my dive refresher and went diving. Thanks to Eric White of Blue Island Divers, he made my dreams come true once again. It’s been over 12 years since I dove and I really wanted and needed a refresher. Diving is dangerous, it’s good to go over these things. Eric was excellent and made me feel very comfortable. I’m looking forward to diving again with him as soon as I return. Thank you Eric! (his wife and I are friends and she cooked at the community breakfast, great people)

13892193_10154020784558533_8906870062999924236_n — We did a 62′ deep dive, the water was 80 degrees. I was able to dive in my swimsuit. I had my Ariel moment and will be doing it as often as possible now. There is nothing like being down there and looking at the vast world under the sea. Fish are so lucky.

Speaking of Mermaids, Robby and Julie brought me this mug. It keeps water cold and ice stays ice for 12 hours. It’s an Ozark Mtn. mug.

13903420_10154012025718533_1183446735411417772_n — Love this mug.

All was fabulous with the mug until yesterday when I took my mermaid cup to our friends Dave and Trish’s for a party.

The ice stayed ice, just had to refill the water several times while there. (in between glasses of wine) Even after the cup sat along the pool in the sun, the outside was warm, inside ice cold. I filled it again before I left our friends. We got home, put things away, fed the dogs and I laid down to watch some Netflix. I filled my cup w/ more water when we got home and had the cup sitting on the floor while I was on the couch. Around 9 I got up to go to bed and wanted to put more ice in the cup, I took the lid off and there was a small 1′ long Gecko floating belly up in my cup. I FREAKED OUT! Needless to say, I was over the top out of my mind thinking I might have sucked it up in the straw. OMG. I am going to devise something to keep the hole small enough that nothing can crawl in it ever again. Never ever ever again.

Today we delivered the clothes that Robby and Julie brought for Alexi’s brother, nephew and sisters. It was a success because everything fit. They were very appreciative and said thank you very much. I also gave Efraim and Osman a soccer ball donated by Dave and Trish. Earlier I took Alexi to Mega Paca and bought him 2 long sleeve white shirts for school, 3 pair of long pants, 2 black, 1 navy, some underwear, a few pairs of athletic pants and a couple t-shirts. Then we went to LST and bought him a brand new pair of black shoes for school. This is just the beginning of helping him. Thanks to Liza and Mike, Karl, Christy, Brenda and Sean. Thanks also to Tarra for the Old Navy flip-flops. They fit Alexi and he was thrilled to have a few pairs of new shoes. We’re going to take care of a few months of school for him also ($15.00/mo). I’ll keep you posted. Thank you all so much. The little boys and the girls were so excited with all of their new things and Alexi is looking forward to starting school with new clothes!

That’s it, I’m off to bed. I just wanted to get this stuff out of my mind because I’ll be gone 2 weeks and won’t have time to do any blogging then. Mom and Dad have finally said they would move closer to my sister Missy in Olney, MD. They will be 5 minutes away instead of 90+. So much easier. I plan to help them go through stuff, donate and pack, should be an interesting visit.

I’ll post this mañana, I’m off to fill up my water mug (and check for geckos) and then going to bed.

dignity

11/09/2015 I know why I missed my left knee when I shaved. The thing is NUMB. No feeling. I either skim over top of the knee hair or slice a divet in my knee, no feeling. Well, except for the blood, that would be a give away that something was screwed up. So yeah, maybe I need to shave with Nair.. Ugh, leg hair, when does it go away?

This past week didn’t turn out to be as busy as I thought it would be. Nidia had her weeks mixed up. Renee came Saturday and is leaving this Wednesday. She is here working on the sewing machine project. I offered to help on Sunday but they are not doing anything until Monday and I have plans Monday and Tuesday, so I am no help at all. This past Monday I went to West Bay beach, despite the fact that everyone else went to Barbon (Camp Bay) beach. I had a nice day on deserted West Bay with Lauren. It was D E A D. and stunningly gorgeous.

Lauren and I were in the water most of the 4 hours we were at West Bay and I have peeling skin on my forehead to prove it. I saw my friends Celeste and Milos, they own West Bay Lodge, while we were there. We stayed @ WBL the first 2 times we visited Roatan in 2007 & 2008, in fact, we were sitting on the front porch of their office waiting for our realtor to come. When he got there he shared the news that our offer was accepted and we were going to be property owners!! First visit ever to the island and we bought land. Yeah, I know, insane.

Lauren and I had lunch at Bananarama and then floated some more. As Lauren and I walked back to my car I recognized Shawn Jackson, a local photographer and his wife Maggie and their son. I stopped him and introduced myself (we have been FB friends for over a year but never met). I was so giddy after meeting them, it was like meeting royalty. Check out his work in the link on his name, he is phenomenal!!It was 2:15 when we left West Bay. I took Lauren home and went in and saw her apartment (the cat scratch post Bill made was sitting front and center), she’s pretty nestled in the jungle. When I left there and walked down to my car my phone was ringing, it was Lisa, Sable and Bandit’s mother. She wanted me to stop by and see the pups so I jumped on that opportunity. Sable is doing great, she looks good, her eyes are nice and clear and bright and she is all spunky again. Lisa said Bandit was beyond excited to have his sister back. I love these 2 puppies so much and I think they love me too.

We are still picking ticks off of our dogs. I gave the boys Heartgard (with the advice of a vet ) 10 days after I used the Frontline Plus, which clearly did not work. De-ticking since last Friday. Fun shit.

On Tuesday morning we picked up Nidia (Because We Care) at the entrance to Mud Hole Rd. From there we went to the school in Corazol. Our friend Linda and her daughter Brittany were being filmed by House Hunters International and Nidia wanted us to go with her to help out. Linda brought school supplies for the kids and supply bags for all of the teachers, along with 4 new swings for the school. Bill came along too and helped with removing the old swings and hanging the new.

It was super hot and humid that day, I would have killed to jump in a crystal clear blue body of water. We hustled home, took care of the dogs, I took a nap and at 3:30 we were at our friends home. We were introducing some friends who recently bought a home in Politilly, very close to our friends who just returned from the states for 3 months. We were there until after dark. We came home to barking (of course) hungry (double of course) dogs.

Wednesday we planned to get the remaining 2 dogs neutered but I just didn’t have the energy. Instead I went to Mega Paca and ~~wandered~~ shopped for a few hours and found some great deals. Having this store to shop in is the best thing ever, I’ll need to be heavily medicated if they ever close. On Thursday I drove to French Harbor to get Bethany. She is our vet’s assistant and she and I have become good friends. She came out and hung out with the dogs and I. She hasn’t seen any of them except Max when he was so sick.

Friday morning we took the pups swimming again at Big Bight.

There was a dead bird in the sand but they didn’t even drop and roll on it.

They had a good time there but I got really nervous because something kept blowing bubble circles in the water and the clarity is worse than murky there (decayed mangrove). I got all freaked out and thought it was a crocodile so we left. The pups were tired anyhow, 15 minutes of swimming and running non stop will do that. We brought them home, all 3 got showers, a huge brunch and they passed out.

Friday afternoon we went to BJ’s, of course. Rosalie and Bob are back on the island, it was so great to see them! I had 2 glasses of wine and some downright delicious french fries (addicted after one order) before we came home. Saturday I was back at the airport. They changed things up there and it went so much faster for the guests coming in, however Daine and I were discussing the fact that the new way doesn’t allow us as much time to visit and chat with the people. What a difference a small change can make though, they whizzed through everyone, the wait was minimal. Many of our friends returned today so I am really looking forward to catching up with everyone.

Nelson, our mechanic, came for pizza brunch. He is the one who gave me Lola, I’m not sure how she will react when she sees him, she is such a space case, it’s hard to tell. Sometimes she barks at Bill or me when we come upstairs. She acts like she has no idea who we are, weird. Maybe that fall she took off the roof as a puppy made her brain come loose in her head, maybe she never had a brain. She’s a beauty but dumb as a stump.. Oh well, can’t have beauty and brains..

Here it is, Monday again and I’m headed to Camp Bay beach (Barbon) with the Mondays Don’t Suck gang. Looking forward to visiting and floating in the sea. Just another day in Paradise!

Tag: WEst Bay

I’m growing a tail

Tickalicious