Monday, March 29, 2010
Is that a tarantula???? (funny Dawn story)
I almost forgot to tell you this funny story....it happened while my mom was here....so one evenign after karaoke Idol (lol) my mom and I were coming home......as i stuck my key in the door and leaned over to unlock the door, I felt something land on my head.....i thought what the heck is that??? I felt around but there was nothing there....my mom searched my head and nothing....I looked on teh ground, still nothing....mom says maybe you are just imagining it? I said no way I felt something big land on my head! She says well its gone now so lets get inside! I said I am a bit creeped out, there are alot of tarantulas here in Nevis....what if it was one of them?? (we had a very very ugly spider in our house the week before....about the size of my fist....ick I am still shivering) Anyway we enter the house and I have the creepy jeepys because i know something fell on my head.....as i walk across the living room my mother starts screaming bloody murder...."your back your back, its on your back....omg omg....its on you.....of course I am thinking "what? what? what?" so I start screaming and trying to grab at my back, trying to haul my shirt off, of course it is a dress so isn't coming off the way a shirt would.....the screaming is so loud and it is midnight so of course the kids are in bed adn the neighbor downstairs is very likely asleep as is her baby!! Joe comes running out in a panic as he is pretty sure that Jason from Friday the 13th is hacking us to bits....lol.....my mom is still screaming and pointing to my back....I have now scratched my back to shreds trying to rid myself of what I am certain is a big hairy tarantula......"get it off, get it off" I keep screaming....Joe starts to laugh hysterically, he grabs my hand and says stop....its ok....its just a gecko......a big ass gecko mind you, but a harmless gecko! Anyway I start laughing and my mother is still freaking cause geckos and tarantualas are all just as icky to her.....the gecko jumps off and runs for cover.....anyway quite the scene people! I'm just glad it was just a gecko!
So much to say, so little time.....:)
Hey there, hi there, ho there friends! How are you all? Before you say it, I already know...I SUCK....I have been so delinquent in my blog it is not funny....but I have to say the last 2 months have been a whirlwind of activity and I am extremely busy with life in the Caribbean....I will try to capture for you all of the fun and amazing things happening in my life these days!!!!
First and foremost, I just completed my first (and likely last...lol) mini triathalon.....it was so exciting adn I had a blast but man what a lot of work! My friend Stacey talked me into this way back when we started trying to get in shape and we stuck to our goal and we both went for it 2 sundays ago.....it was the real deal, a few hundred athletes.....we had this special "athlete's area" to sit in and I looked around and it dawned on me that I was ONE OF THEM.....I was thrilled.....that was until I was standing at the start line staring out at the open water that I was about to swim into! Then I started saying holy **** what am I doing??? Anyway my goals were 1. to complete it and 2. to not come last....and I accomplished both and have the medal to prove it! It was great and a real feeling of personal satisfaction...I don't see myself becoming super interested in completeing tris on a regular basis as the training is quite intense and complex....also I am a very weak swimmer....but I could see myself running 5 ks or something like that, fun runs......anyway it was a great great day!
Second interesting event in the life and times of Dawn.....I am a finalist in the Nevis 2010 Karaoke Idol contest.....and what a hoot that is! We started off with 38 and we are down now to top 15....announcements come out tomorrow for who made top 12 (3 get booted each week til the end now!) It is set up alot like American Idol.....of course without the stage and 3 million viewers....lol....but it is so much fun! I am the only caucasion (which gets pointed out each week!) and the only non caribbean person.....but because of my temporary residency status i was permitted to enter.....I have met some amazing and very fun and talented people and I must say the show is very well organized and really entertaining.....some of the performers are fantastic.....my cheeky side is really coming out as I watch other people and I think hey I can do that too.....some of my performances include Shania's Man I Feel Like a Woman, Fever by Peggy Lee, Black Velvet by Alanna Myles and Vogue by Madonna.....anyway i entered it as a bit of a joke and also to win the 1000 prize money......but it turns out to be a very fun thing to do.....I am having a blast....I am somewhat of a local celebrity....ha ha ha.....i did a radio interview the other day and also recorded a commercial for a local business.....anyway what fun!
Third, the riding business has exploded and I am very very busy with rides....taking people out on the beach several times a week.....I am so happy over at the barn around the horses.....it is like therapy! I basically volunteer there as I am not allowed to work here.....this weekend we are taking the horses down to an SPCA fundraiser and giving pony rides.....Monty is going to help me with it so I think it will be a great time! the boys still love coming to see the horses with me, Monty isn't riding quite as much but still jumping on from time to time.....
4. I have had some awesome house guests down to Nevis! My high school buddies Nancy and Valerie came for 7 days and I had so much fun with them that it was crazy.....i haven't laughed that hard in a long time (thanks girls!) We had an absolute blast and I was so sad to see them leave at the end of their time......the boys LOVED them too and Christian raved on about Vals cheese sandwiches for days.....(made the same way as I make them but apparently much better tasting...lol) My mom was just down for 2 weeks as well and that was awesome.....I think she really enjoyed herself and I know the boys loved having her.....we were all sad to see her go....especially me! She was my stage manager for my karaoke performances so i was a bit at a loss when she flew off! Next week we have our dear friends from Saba, Dr Koot and his son Jim coming to stay for a week.....the boys are also off for a 2 weeks easter break and our friends Joe, Tammy and Max from Calgary are coming down for a 7 day visit! So we've had some great company and looking forward to some more!! Any one else want to come join us in paradise??
5. We are moving!!! This week, although from the look of my house and non packing you would not know it! We found a house down the street that is prettymuch the same cost but has a pool....so we figured why not have a pool? It really is so hot here most of the time that we figure a pool will be awesome! So the boys are looking forward to t his.....I am a little sad to leave our house behind because we love it here and the landlord has been great, but the new house will be great too! I'll post some pics on facebook as soon as I have some! I pick up my keys on wednesday morning!!
Anyway those are some of the highlights of what we have been up to! I am going to try to post some pics here on teh blog pretty soon....i find it difficult and the internet is slow so it gets bogged down trying to upload....our new house apparently has very fast internet so I am hoping that once we get settled i might be able to upload with a little more ease!
Everyone is happy and well....Joe is almost done of semester 3, can you believe it.....only 2 more to go....Monty and Christian are doing well with school and with life! We are all pretty settled and enjoying our time in the Caribbean.....I tell you real life is going to suck after this!
so that is my quick update! I hope that you are all well! Take care and I'll talk to you again soon,
Love Dawn
First and foremost, I just completed my first (and likely last...lol) mini triathalon.....it was so exciting adn I had a blast but man what a lot of work! My friend Stacey talked me into this way back when we started trying to get in shape and we stuck to our goal and we both went for it 2 sundays ago.....it was the real deal, a few hundred athletes.....we had this special "athlete's area" to sit in and I looked around and it dawned on me that I was ONE OF THEM.....I was thrilled.....that was until I was standing at the start line staring out at the open water that I was about to swim into! Then I started saying holy **** what am I doing??? Anyway my goals were 1. to complete it and 2. to not come last....and I accomplished both and have the medal to prove it! It was great and a real feeling of personal satisfaction...I don't see myself becoming super interested in completeing tris on a regular basis as the training is quite intense and complex....also I am a very weak swimmer....but I could see myself running 5 ks or something like that, fun runs......anyway it was a great great day!
Second interesting event in the life and times of Dawn.....I am a finalist in the Nevis 2010 Karaoke Idol contest.....and what a hoot that is! We started off with 38 and we are down now to top 15....announcements come out tomorrow for who made top 12 (3 get booted each week til the end now!) It is set up alot like American Idol.....of course without the stage and 3 million viewers....lol....but it is so much fun! I am the only caucasion (which gets pointed out each week!) and the only non caribbean person.....but because of my temporary residency status i was permitted to enter.....I have met some amazing and very fun and talented people and I must say the show is very well organized and really entertaining.....some of the performers are fantastic.....my cheeky side is really coming out as I watch other people and I think hey I can do that too.....some of my performances include Shania's Man I Feel Like a Woman, Fever by Peggy Lee, Black Velvet by Alanna Myles and Vogue by Madonna.....anyway i entered it as a bit of a joke and also to win the 1000 prize money......but it turns out to be a very fun thing to do.....I am having a blast....I am somewhat of a local celebrity....ha ha ha.....i did a radio interview the other day and also recorded a commercial for a local business.....anyway what fun!
Third, the riding business has exploded and I am very very busy with rides....taking people out on the beach several times a week.....I am so happy over at the barn around the horses.....it is like therapy! I basically volunteer there as I am not allowed to work here.....this weekend we are taking the horses down to an SPCA fundraiser and giving pony rides.....Monty is going to help me with it so I think it will be a great time! the boys still love coming to see the horses with me, Monty isn't riding quite as much but still jumping on from time to time.....
4. I have had some awesome house guests down to Nevis! My high school buddies Nancy and Valerie came for 7 days and I had so much fun with them that it was crazy.....i haven't laughed that hard in a long time (thanks girls!) We had an absolute blast and I was so sad to see them leave at the end of their time......the boys LOVED them too and Christian raved on about Vals cheese sandwiches for days.....(made the same way as I make them but apparently much better tasting...lol) My mom was just down for 2 weeks as well and that was awesome.....I think she really enjoyed herself and I know the boys loved having her.....we were all sad to see her go....especially me! She was my stage manager for my karaoke performances so i was a bit at a loss when she flew off! Next week we have our dear friends from Saba, Dr Koot and his son Jim coming to stay for a week.....the boys are also off for a 2 weeks easter break and our friends Joe, Tammy and Max from Calgary are coming down for a 7 day visit! So we've had some great company and looking forward to some more!! Any one else want to come join us in paradise??
5. We are moving!!! This week, although from the look of my house and non packing you would not know it! We found a house down the street that is prettymuch the same cost but has a pool....so we figured why not have a pool? It really is so hot here most of the time that we figure a pool will be awesome! So the boys are looking forward to t his.....I am a little sad to leave our house behind because we love it here and the landlord has been great, but the new house will be great too! I'll post some pics on facebook as soon as I have some! I pick up my keys on wednesday morning!!
Anyway those are some of the highlights of what we have been up to! I am going to try to post some pics here on teh blog pretty soon....i find it difficult and the internet is slow so it gets bogged down trying to upload....our new house apparently has very fast internet so I am hoping that once we get settled i might be able to upload with a little more ease!
Everyone is happy and well....Joe is almost done of semester 3, can you believe it.....only 2 more to go....Monty and Christian are doing well with school and with life! We are all pretty settled and enjoying our time in the Caribbean.....I tell you real life is going to suck after this!
so that is my quick update! I hope that you are all well! Take care and I'll talk to you again soon,
Love Dawn
Sunday, January 24, 2010
THIS IS THE LIFE!!
THIS IS THE LIFE!!
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." -Abraham Lincoln
Well hello people! It's been awhile since I have sat down and written anything about how things are going in Nevis......that is to be interpreted as a good thing (well except for those of you who are dying to know what is happening in our world!) as it means that we are busy and having alot of fun......Things are going great here and we are all very settled into our routines......I was reading one of my friends blogs today (she is a dear friend that I made during my time in Saba) and her title was as per above "this is the life", and I thought you know what? She is so right! It really is! Every day I realize that we are so so blessed to be having this experience! 18 months ago, when we decided to go down this strange path , I don't think that we could ever have foreseen some of the neat and awesome things that we would be doing or the great people that we would meet or just how amazing this all would be.....its funny how we always say when one door closes another opens....or at least a window opens.....I know I always preach that to people....but I remember when Joe did not get in to Dal, how disappointed we both were and how it almost seemed like the end of the dream.....and then I remembered my friend Lynn who had mentioned something that I thought whacky and crazy at the time, about studying medicine in the Caribbean and I said to Joe, lets look into that! Maybe it is an option! We were not so sure initially....we thought this is about the craziest and nuttiest thing that we have ever considered or done in our lives! But you know, here we are a year into our time here and it has been an amazing experience....sure the road has not been smooth or easy and many sacrifices have been made, but at the end of the day, I know a good thing when I see it, or live it! And this is definitely a good thing! I can just imagine myself for years to come talking about our time here.....looking back and saying Remember when we lived in the Caribbean? How exciting is that?? How many people can utter those words? Wow!
So as you can tell things are great! the weather is perfect everyday (sorry to say it yet again!! I know how you all love my weather reports!!) I am having a blast.....I still have my horses around so I am trying to get out riding as much as I can. Monty is doing great with the riding and enjoying it, Christian loves his best buddy, Big Red and I love them all! They have become very dear to me and I am not sure what I will do when I have to leave them all behind! I spend alot of time down at the barn and I love it there. What an animal adventure park it has become! There is a big wildish pig that hangs around and she just had 6 piglets so we are enjoying watching them grow. There are about 20 monkeys that hang out there and they are always putting on a show and performing for me....the other day I just sat in the middle of the field for about 30 minutes and watched them play, they watched me just as closely! It was very cool.....Besides the barn, I am also putting alot of energy into getting into shape....I know I know, you've heard it before! But this time I am really sticking with it! I have a small group that I exercise with and we run/swim/bike and climb together at least 5 days a week at 615 AM! We are now up to running about 4 kms.....then we walk another few.....we are aiming for 5......all of us are planning to go in the Try a Tri, which is a mini triathalon the end of March.....we are all pretty excited and somewhat nervous about it.....I may change my mind and just do the 5 km run but I am training for the Tri just in case! The running is coming along great, and the biking is pretty easy peasy, but the swimming is going to be an issue! lol.....I am really trying but I am so slow in the water! I imagine I swim about as fast as a jellyfish! I am trying to learn to do the front crawl with proper breathing but it is hard! You know how I am about putting my face in the water! So I put my face in and do 3 strokes and I am supposed to be in theory blowing water out while I do those 3 strokes....then come up for a breath in after the 3rd stroke....yes it sounds easy, but people, I SUCK! so I come up for my breath and then I realize, oh crap, I forgot to blow out the last breath, so then I have to blow out the air and grab another lung full before plunging my head beneath the water for the next 3 strokes....so my breathing is all uneven and after about the 3rd cycle of this I have to stop and stand up and breath properly for a minute (which I am thinking is problematic for the Tri since I am fairly certain the water will be OVER MY HEAD....which translates to no standing up for air!! Anyway Monty was trying to coach me the other day and he got the greatest kick out of how terrible I was (and he's quite good by the way!)....and my friend Jen, who is this amazing athlete, brought her boys along and one of them was swimming beside me saying "wow Dawn, you are really slow, I can totally swim faster than you" (he's 8!) He said it a few times so finally I stood up and looked him in the eye and I said "if you tell me how slow I am one more time, I might possibly drown you!" He laughed and laughed and then off he went....little bugger! I know I am slow but I dont need to be told how slow every few strokes!! Anyway it is an ongoing saga and I will keep you all posted how (or if) I progress! I am thinking that I can talk the organizer of the Tri into letting me use a flutter board, or floaties....lol! Just kidding!
The boys are doing great, both enjoying their school, both have made some wonderful little friends and both are involved in some great activities! Monty's Seastars group is so cool, they are working with a young sea turtle that the marine biologist rescued after the hurricane.....yesterday Monty had it on a leash in the ocean, teaching it how to maneuver around in the wild! He is totally thrilled with this! What an amazing experience! He is also playing soccer and still going to Survivor Camp....and he has a few really nice friends.....I have to say that this is the happiest and the most relaxed that I have seen Monty in a long time....maybe ever! I am so happy that he is happy here! And Christian is doing great....he misses his family back in Calgary and PEI....but he is pretty happy too.....
Joe continues to do well in school.....he studies round the clock.....that is probably the only real downside to this journey is that he isn't really getting to experience alot of it with us.....his workload is crazy! I am so glad that it is him doing it and not me! But it is great that he is doing so well.....and it is all going so fast! It feels like time is just flying by!
So I better tell you a few funny Christian stories before I sign off! The other night we are watching a movie and the 2 main characters end up kissing....so Christian says in a very indignant, somewhat disgusted voice "oh well, now i guess they have to get married!" I said why dear? He said "because they kissed and now you dont want her going and kissing other boys and spreading all those germs now do you?" I laughed and laughed.....then the other day as we were driving, he says, "mom, I dont think that I am going to get married...and I say ok why? he says, well you know because grown ups dont wear pajamas and have to sleep in their underwear and I would be way too embarassed to let her see my underwear!" I laughed, and said its ok dear, you can wear pajamas when you are married if you prefer.....he still didnt look convinced.....it was so funny....I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing really hard.....cause he was pretty serious about it! Anyway he is such a cute kid, a delight really......I have some pretty great boys I tell ya!
ok all, I better sign off....my hand is aching from all my typing (not just from my blog btw, I am a serious facebook/email/messenger addict! I will be looking for a program upon my return.....do they have Facebook anonymous yet? I might have to start a chapter! any of you out there want to join with me??
So have a great night friends and take care, I'll try not to take so long between postings! I miss you all, so God Bless and we will talk again soon! Love Dawn
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." -Abraham Lincoln
Well hello people! It's been awhile since I have sat down and written anything about how things are going in Nevis......that is to be interpreted as a good thing (well except for those of you who are dying to know what is happening in our world!) as it means that we are busy and having alot of fun......Things are going great here and we are all very settled into our routines......I was reading one of my friends blogs today (she is a dear friend that I made during my time in Saba) and her title was as per above "this is the life", and I thought you know what? She is so right! It really is! Every day I realize that we are so so blessed to be having this experience! 18 months ago, when we decided to go down this strange path , I don't think that we could ever have foreseen some of the neat and awesome things that we would be doing or the great people that we would meet or just how amazing this all would be.....its funny how we always say when one door closes another opens....or at least a window opens.....I know I always preach that to people....but I remember when Joe did not get in to Dal, how disappointed we both were and how it almost seemed like the end of the dream.....and then I remembered my friend Lynn who had mentioned something that I thought whacky and crazy at the time, about studying medicine in the Caribbean and I said to Joe, lets look into that! Maybe it is an option! We were not so sure initially....we thought this is about the craziest and nuttiest thing that we have ever considered or done in our lives! But you know, here we are a year into our time here and it has been an amazing experience....sure the road has not been smooth or easy and many sacrifices have been made, but at the end of the day, I know a good thing when I see it, or live it! And this is definitely a good thing! I can just imagine myself for years to come talking about our time here.....looking back and saying Remember when we lived in the Caribbean? How exciting is that?? How many people can utter those words? Wow!
So as you can tell things are great! the weather is perfect everyday (sorry to say it yet again!! I know how you all love my weather reports!!) I am having a blast.....I still have my horses around so I am trying to get out riding as much as I can. Monty is doing great with the riding and enjoying it, Christian loves his best buddy, Big Red and I love them all! They have become very dear to me and I am not sure what I will do when I have to leave them all behind! I spend alot of time down at the barn and I love it there. What an animal adventure park it has become! There is a big wildish pig that hangs around and she just had 6 piglets so we are enjoying watching them grow. There are about 20 monkeys that hang out there and they are always putting on a show and performing for me....the other day I just sat in the middle of the field for about 30 minutes and watched them play, they watched me just as closely! It was very cool.....Besides the barn, I am also putting alot of energy into getting into shape....I know I know, you've heard it before! But this time I am really sticking with it! I have a small group that I exercise with and we run/swim/bike and climb together at least 5 days a week at 615 AM! We are now up to running about 4 kms.....then we walk another few.....we are aiming for 5......all of us are planning to go in the Try a Tri, which is a mini triathalon the end of March.....we are all pretty excited and somewhat nervous about it.....I may change my mind and just do the 5 km run but I am training for the Tri just in case! The running is coming along great, and the biking is pretty easy peasy, but the swimming is going to be an issue! lol.....I am really trying but I am so slow in the water! I imagine I swim about as fast as a jellyfish! I am trying to learn to do the front crawl with proper breathing but it is hard! You know how I am about putting my face in the water! So I put my face in and do 3 strokes and I am supposed to be in theory blowing water out while I do those 3 strokes....then come up for a breath in after the 3rd stroke....yes it sounds easy, but people, I SUCK! so I come up for my breath and then I realize, oh crap, I forgot to blow out the last breath, so then I have to blow out the air and grab another lung full before plunging my head beneath the water for the next 3 strokes....so my breathing is all uneven and after about the 3rd cycle of this I have to stop and stand up and breath properly for a minute (which I am thinking is problematic for the Tri since I am fairly certain the water will be OVER MY HEAD....which translates to no standing up for air!! Anyway Monty was trying to coach me the other day and he got the greatest kick out of how terrible I was (and he's quite good by the way!)....and my friend Jen, who is this amazing athlete, brought her boys along and one of them was swimming beside me saying "wow Dawn, you are really slow, I can totally swim faster than you" (he's 8!) He said it a few times so finally I stood up and looked him in the eye and I said "if you tell me how slow I am one more time, I might possibly drown you!" He laughed and laughed and then off he went....little bugger! I know I am slow but I dont need to be told how slow every few strokes!! Anyway it is an ongoing saga and I will keep you all posted how (or if) I progress! I am thinking that I can talk the organizer of the Tri into letting me use a flutter board, or floaties....lol! Just kidding!
The boys are doing great, both enjoying their school, both have made some wonderful little friends and both are involved in some great activities! Monty's Seastars group is so cool, they are working with a young sea turtle that the marine biologist rescued after the hurricane.....yesterday Monty had it on a leash in the ocean, teaching it how to maneuver around in the wild! He is totally thrilled with this! What an amazing experience! He is also playing soccer and still going to Survivor Camp....and he has a few really nice friends.....I have to say that this is the happiest and the most relaxed that I have seen Monty in a long time....maybe ever! I am so happy that he is happy here! And Christian is doing great....he misses his family back in Calgary and PEI....but he is pretty happy too.....
Joe continues to do well in school.....he studies round the clock.....that is probably the only real downside to this journey is that he isn't really getting to experience alot of it with us.....his workload is crazy! I am so glad that it is him doing it and not me! But it is great that he is doing so well.....and it is all going so fast! It feels like time is just flying by!
So I better tell you a few funny Christian stories before I sign off! The other night we are watching a movie and the 2 main characters end up kissing....so Christian says in a very indignant, somewhat disgusted voice "oh well, now i guess they have to get married!" I said why dear? He said "because they kissed and now you dont want her going and kissing other boys and spreading all those germs now do you?" I laughed and laughed.....then the other day as we were driving, he says, "mom, I dont think that I am going to get married...and I say ok why? he says, well you know because grown ups dont wear pajamas and have to sleep in their underwear and I would be way too embarassed to let her see my underwear!" I laughed, and said its ok dear, you can wear pajamas when you are married if you prefer.....he still didnt look convinced.....it was so funny....I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing really hard.....cause he was pretty serious about it! Anyway he is such a cute kid, a delight really......I have some pretty great boys I tell ya!
ok all, I better sign off....my hand is aching from all my typing (not just from my blog btw, I am a serious facebook/email/messenger addict! I will be looking for a program upon my return.....do they have Facebook anonymous yet? I might have to start a chapter! any of you out there want to join with me??
So have a great night friends and take care, I'll try not to take so long between postings! I miss you all, so God Bless and we will talk again soon! Love Dawn
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The revenge of the bugs.........and Run Forest Run....
Hello friends! It has been awhile since I have written. Don't worry, I have been told that my slack-ass ways are not acceptable and that I need to be much more vigilant about keeping this blog up to date.....(thanks Chrissy...lol) So this is my attempt to be compliant and obedient (shaa, as if.....lol) Anyway, life continues to be grand in Nevis, 34 degrees everyday, sun shining all the time, hanging at the beach with the kids, snorkeling, horseback riding, SOS fun nights, karaoke and much much more....REally people, I am going to need oodles and oodles of support (and possibly alcohol) to help me cope with real life next year when I return. This is the life that I was meant for, this life of leisure, this R&R simple life stuff.....I absolutely love it!
So let's see, what to tell? Hmmmm......well, this might come as a shocker to all of you who know me, but I am now exercising every day and contemplating a triathalon in march......ok stop laughing before you read on......lol.....I am serious. I have made this wonderful new girlfriend, Stacey, from Louisiana, she conveniently lives right across the street, and she has done half marathons before. Well she is kicking my ass out of bed at 545 every morning and making me run......we are only at 3-4 miles a day, and we walk some of it too, but it is a great start. we also climb this very steep road/hill that goes up for a mile......a few times a week. In addition, we are using the 30 day Shred, an exercise video. We are both tired of having that extra "baby weight" (well hers is baby weight because she actually has a baby, mine is more like chocolate and french fries weight, but baby weight just sounds so much better...but perhaps the gig is up, Christian is 6 after all! Lol) I am also doing pushups and crunches....working very hard trying to get fit! Oh and of course still trying to ride a few days a week. Stacey and I have a fellow lined up to start training us in January for the tri.....whether we compete or not, we are going to do the leg work.....the running doesnt scare me, it is only a 3 k run and a 10 k bike, which I am sure I can do.....it is the 250 meter swim that has me terrified......do you think they will let me wear Christians floaties? I know the life jacket is out! Or maybe use a flutter board? is the dog paddle an acceptable method of swim?? I am sure I will figure it out......even if I just do the training I will be proud of myself! So all in all, I feel great, I am finally starting to accomplish the skinny part of my Caribbean tanned and skinny goals......(the tan goal was accomplished many months ago!!)
I am keeping very busy, have tons to do, and can't quite figure out how I ever fit work into my busy schedule?? I am sure it will all come back to me next September when I return home! (you will have to take it very easy on me for a while Marylou! There are no promises of stellar job performance for at least the first month......lol)
The boys are doing well. Monty is doing awesome at his school in St Kitts and Christian is enjoying his school as well....they really enjoy this island, they are both pretty active with different camps and activities, both into riding, love the beach and snorkeling, just having lots of fun......I have to tell you, that Christian is turning into quite the boy! He really has quite the sense of humor (finally, glimpses of my personality, he has been all Joe!) I always thought that Monty was the funny one, very dry, quick wit like my brother,Kris, but lately Christian has been coming out with some pretty good lines too.....for instance the other day, Christian and Monty were their regular breakfast war ( you know where they fight during breakfast and you go into an Ally McBeal moment and imagine punting them across a football field...lol) Christian was egging Monty on (which of course we know is like waving a red flad in front of a bull) and Monty was responding, very predictably......so after we dropped Monty off I had the chat with Christian about not picking at Monty in the morning, Monty being very sensitive blah blah blah...Christian looks at me with those killer blue eyes and that cute blond hair, and he say s "ah mom, you know I love messing with Monty" and he cackles.....yes CACKLES......I was like "WHAT??" I had to stifle a giggle as I tried to be stern and tell him that he needs to try not to antagonize Monty in th mornings.....lol....too funny....then later in the day, i picked Christian up from school and we were driving home and I ran through another pothole! (ok I regularly run through potholes and Joe has had to replace 4 tires on our car.....he blames me of course.....well what do you expect, the potholes are frickin' huge here! And our car is so low to the ground....and.....oh whatever, the point is I keep blowing up tires! Get over it!) anyway, so I hit a pot hole and I said oh no, I ho pe I didnt blow another tire, Christian looks up and he says Mom , Dad is going to be mad at you if you did it again......I said I know.....Christian looks at me and he says, dont worry mom, we'll go home and bust into the piggy bank and I will buy the tire and we won't tell Dad....and he giggles and cackles that same little giggle from the morning conversation.....I looked at him and started laughing, I couldn't help it. so I say Christian! First this morning you admit to purposefully antagonizing your brother and now you are suggesting that we decieve your Dad?? He was laughing so hard, it was quite hilarious.....I tried my best to look stern, but really people, it was near impossible!! Anyway the boys are doing great. Joe is also doing well with school. He is very excited to be done another semester (well as of next week) Did I tell you that he bought a scooter?? And yesterday, he took me out all afternoon driving around the island! It was so fun....i think when my mid life crisis starts, I might have to get myself a scooter, or a bike....lol.....
So the bugs.....yeah......there is 1 advantage to having winter, it substantially decreases the bug population.....and here, with eternal summer, there is no bug control.....and there are so many bugs it is unbelievable.....the ants are the worst.....they are everywhere, and there are nasty biting kinds (and they hurt!! esp the fire ants!) You absolutely cannot leave a crumb anywhere or the ants show up with a whole town! Seriously, you know the song the ants came marching 2 by 2? well they dont march 2 by 2, I have witnessed.....they march 10 by 10 at least, and a line that can stretch from one end of you house to the other.....dee-sgust-ing! Other people seem to have serious cockroach issues (shiver...oh yuch) We have been very lucky and have not seen one in our house or around it.....which is good, because over at the barn , I have seen plenty, and they are the size of my pinky finger, so I am ever thankful that they do not come into my home....there are bugs everywhere, the dogs are all loaded with tics (which the boys like to pull of dogs and squish, watching them explode....aren't boys yucky) there are tarantulas, other weird spiders (spider webs EVERYWHERE), strange caterpillars, fireflies, mosquitos, centipedes (which also deliver a nasty bite) Oh and lots of bugs in the food.....yes you read that right.....the cake mix was just the tip of the iceberg.......I went to make another cake mix the other day and it was so gross I had to throw it out.....and we bought miniwheats the other day, the boys were so excited because it was the first time we had seen them here.....well we pour in the milk, and lo and behold, there are bugs in the miniwheats.....we were all gagging, it was so gross........so needless to say I am DONE with boxed baking goods and I now make things from scratch! (yes you read that right.....it is amazing what a girl will do to avoid bug confrontations!
Alright, well my horsies are calling (well whinnying) so I have to get over to the barn......
oh I forgot to mention, we head to St maarten next friday for a day and then off to Calgary for 3 weeks! I can't wait to hit the mall (real shopping with my non money) and the grocery store (can we say selection?? lol) and to see dear friends and family....I am NOT looking forward to t he weather, apparently they are in the midst of some nasty snow storms! But at least I know that in 3 weeks I will return to paradise!! And then I will have only 8 months left, wow!
Talk to you soon, dear friends,
Love Dawn
So let's see, what to tell? Hmmmm......well, this might come as a shocker to all of you who know me, but I am now exercising every day and contemplating a triathalon in march......ok stop laughing before you read on......lol.....I am serious. I have made this wonderful new girlfriend, Stacey, from Louisiana, she conveniently lives right across the street, and she has done half marathons before. Well she is kicking my ass out of bed at 545 every morning and making me run......we are only at 3-4 miles a day, and we walk some of it too, but it is a great start. we also climb this very steep road/hill that goes up for a mile......a few times a week. In addition, we are using the 30 day Shred, an exercise video. We are both tired of having that extra "baby weight" (well hers is baby weight because she actually has a baby, mine is more like chocolate and french fries weight, but baby weight just sounds so much better...but perhaps the gig is up, Christian is 6 after all! Lol) I am also doing pushups and crunches....working very hard trying to get fit! Oh and of course still trying to ride a few days a week. Stacey and I have a fellow lined up to start training us in January for the tri.....whether we compete or not, we are going to do the leg work.....the running doesnt scare me, it is only a 3 k run and a 10 k bike, which I am sure I can do.....it is the 250 meter swim that has me terrified......do you think they will let me wear Christians floaties? I know the life jacket is out! Or maybe use a flutter board? is the dog paddle an acceptable method of swim?? I am sure I will figure it out......even if I just do the training I will be proud of myself! So all in all, I feel great, I am finally starting to accomplish the skinny part of my Caribbean tanned and skinny goals......(the tan goal was accomplished many months ago!!)
I am keeping very busy, have tons to do, and can't quite figure out how I ever fit work into my busy schedule?? I am sure it will all come back to me next September when I return home! (you will have to take it very easy on me for a while Marylou! There are no promises of stellar job performance for at least the first month......lol)
The boys are doing well. Monty is doing awesome at his school in St Kitts and Christian is enjoying his school as well....they really enjoy this island, they are both pretty active with different camps and activities, both into riding, love the beach and snorkeling, just having lots of fun......I have to tell you, that Christian is turning into quite the boy! He really has quite the sense of humor (finally, glimpses of my personality, he has been all Joe!) I always thought that Monty was the funny one, very dry, quick wit like my brother,Kris, but lately Christian has been coming out with some pretty good lines too.....for instance the other day, Christian and Monty were their regular breakfast war ( you know where they fight during breakfast and you go into an Ally McBeal moment and imagine punting them across a football field...lol) Christian was egging Monty on (which of course we know is like waving a red flad in front of a bull) and Monty was responding, very predictably......so after we dropped Monty off I had the chat with Christian about not picking at Monty in the morning, Monty being very sensitive blah blah blah...Christian looks at me with those killer blue eyes and that cute blond hair, and he say s "ah mom, you know I love messing with Monty" and he cackles.....yes CACKLES......I was like "WHAT??" I had to stifle a giggle as I tried to be stern and tell him that he needs to try not to antagonize Monty in th mornings.....lol....too funny....then later in the day, i picked Christian up from school and we were driving home and I ran through another pothole! (ok I regularly run through potholes and Joe has had to replace 4 tires on our car.....he blames me of course.....well what do you expect, the potholes are frickin' huge here! And our car is so low to the ground....and.....oh whatever, the point is I keep blowing up tires! Get over it!) anyway, so I hit a pot hole and I said oh no, I ho pe I didnt blow another tire, Christian looks up and he says Mom , Dad is going to be mad at you if you did it again......I said I know.....Christian looks at me and he says, dont worry mom, we'll go home and bust into the piggy bank and I will buy the tire and we won't tell Dad....and he giggles and cackles that same little giggle from the morning conversation.....I looked at him and started laughing, I couldn't help it. so I say Christian! First this morning you admit to purposefully antagonizing your brother and now you are suggesting that we decieve your Dad?? He was laughing so hard, it was quite hilarious.....I tried my best to look stern, but really people, it was near impossible!! Anyway the boys are doing great. Joe is also doing well with school. He is very excited to be done another semester (well as of next week) Did I tell you that he bought a scooter?? And yesterday, he took me out all afternoon driving around the island! It was so fun....i think when my mid life crisis starts, I might have to get myself a scooter, or a bike....lol.....
So the bugs.....yeah......there is 1 advantage to having winter, it substantially decreases the bug population.....and here, with eternal summer, there is no bug control.....and there are so many bugs it is unbelievable.....the ants are the worst.....they are everywhere, and there are nasty biting kinds (and they hurt!! esp the fire ants!) You absolutely cannot leave a crumb anywhere or the ants show up with a whole town! Seriously, you know the song the ants came marching 2 by 2? well they dont march 2 by 2, I have witnessed.....they march 10 by 10 at least, and a line that can stretch from one end of you house to the other.....dee-sgust-ing! Other people seem to have serious cockroach issues (shiver...oh yuch) We have been very lucky and have not seen one in our house or around it.....which is good, because over at the barn , I have seen plenty, and they are the size of my pinky finger, so I am ever thankful that they do not come into my home....there are bugs everywhere, the dogs are all loaded with tics (which the boys like to pull of dogs and squish, watching them explode....aren't boys yucky) there are tarantulas, other weird spiders (spider webs EVERYWHERE), strange caterpillars, fireflies, mosquitos, centipedes (which also deliver a nasty bite) Oh and lots of bugs in the food.....yes you read that right.....the cake mix was just the tip of the iceberg.......I went to make another cake mix the other day and it was so gross I had to throw it out.....and we bought miniwheats the other day, the boys were so excited because it was the first time we had seen them here.....well we pour in the milk, and lo and behold, there are bugs in the miniwheats.....we were all gagging, it was so gross........so needless to say I am DONE with boxed baking goods and I now make things from scratch! (yes you read that right.....it is amazing what a girl will do to avoid bug confrontations!
Alright, well my horsies are calling (well whinnying) so I have to get over to the barn......
oh I forgot to mention, we head to St maarten next friday for a day and then off to Calgary for 3 weeks! I can't wait to hit the mall (real shopping with my non money) and the grocery store (can we say selection?? lol) and to see dear friends and family....I am NOT looking forward to t he weather, apparently they are in the midst of some nasty snow storms! But at least I know that in 3 weeks I will return to paradise!! And then I will have only 8 months left, wow!
Talk to you soon, dear friends,
Love Dawn
Monday, October 26, 2009
Weevils....the other white meat.....
Hey friends,
I apologize for not getting to my blog in awhile....I am sure that you are all just on the edge of your seat wondering how things are going down here in Nevis...Lol.....well things are fantastic and quite busy so I rarely get much time these days to blog! We are all having a wonderful time here in Nevis, really enjoying it! The weather has been absolutely beautiful, albeit slightly hotter than i would like (yes I said it!) It has been 34 most days and about 40 with the humidex! I have sort of gotten used to sweating all the time....ahhh...nothing like sweat rolling down your back or into your eyes and blinding you....Lol.....so subsequently we have been spending alot of time at the beach. Nevis has some great beaches! Our favorite is Oualie Beach (you can google it http://www.oualiebeach.com/) It is a great place to go swimming and build sand castles, very calm and they have nice beach chairs to sit on as well as a little beach pub that you can order fries, drinks and other good grub. I have gotten to know the owners a bit, the woman is Christian's spanish teacher, she is a lovely woman. The daughter, Rachel is in grade 11 at Christians school, a very nice girl. Anyway we love Oualie! We also like to go to Paradise beach, it is close by and has a great spot for snorkelling (for an amateur like me) There is a sunken cannon, which the boys love. We went for a snorkel after school today and Joe and Monty saw a moray eel, which apparenlty was quite exciting to them! According to Joe, it was about 3 feet long.....according to Monty it was about 6 feet long...(hmm could he be related to me??) It was lots of fun and a great way to cool off after a hard day of.....oh ...who am I kidding......after a day in the sun! Lol....I am telling you people, I am so loving this not working for a living thing. I told Joe the other day that I was staying here forever, he could go off and be a doctor or whatever, but this is where I belong! Of course then the reality of 1) I have no money and so cant stay and 2)I am not allowed to work here (officially anyway) so again money will be an issue longterm! (esp with the cost of living, can we say a $400 US electricity bill for september....GULP)
So we are all very busy and doing great. Joe is doing very well in school, he is busy and he doesnt get to enjoy the island quite as much as the rest of us do, but he is happy and content overall and working his butt off!! Christian is happy in school and doing great...he is learning spanish, and he can still remember how to count in Dutch from Saba! He is also enjoying riding a few days a week, is becoming a master snorkeler and swimmer and is now taking Tae Kwon Do. (and loving it) Monty is doing quite well now, we moved him to St Kitts to the Montessori school as he was not doing so well in the little school here and we were also afraid he would get behind. He likes the school in St Kitts, but the downside is that he has to travel back and forth every day on the ferry (45 minute ride) then catch a cab (same fella everyday) then school and back home. There are 5 kids coming from here so at least he has company. He finds the day long but he loves the school and he has a fantastic teacher. Monty is still in survivor camp and marine bio camp and he and I have been out riding alot. He is becoming quite the horseman....getting braver all the time. It is really nice that we can get out and share this together, I hope that we are creating many lasting memories! And I couldnt be better, really, I am so loving it here in Nevis! I am riding almost every day now, starting to get in shape and tomorrow going to be running to the beach with my friend Stacey.....we are going to run the 2 miles to the beach (ha ha) and then swim for 15 minutes then run back......(so she thinks....lol) I am thinking alot of walking is going to be happening since I havent run since my failed attempts at running the last few summers!! I really want to get in shape though......So the riding on the beach is awesome.....really.....loving it.....I feed and water the horses every day for the fellow, and I also take tourists out on beach rides....probably about 3 rides a week for now....busy season starts next month.....I love it, what a job to have. I dont get paid but I get to ride as much as I want and take the kids riding too so that is definitely payment enough for me......being around the horses every day is so soothing, good for the soul.......I am loving it. So what else am I doing? well, I have made some great friends through SOS and I am on the executive so i spend alot of time helping with planning and organizing activities for our organization. It is alot of fun and we do get to enjoy each others company quite often. If you are curious you could check out our website at http://www.muaspousesofstudentsandfamilieso.shutterfly.com/
So you are probably wondering by now where I got this entries title......or maybe not.....well people, shall I say the bug population is abundant down here? We have ants, ants and still more ants.....I hate ants.....little nasty biting fireants....I want to kill them all......we have the biggest cockroach/beetle thing i have ever seen (the size of a hamster!) and oh yes, we have tarantulas...christian and I saw our first one up close last week....and I am still shivering.....big hairy ugly spider....yuck......one of my questions when I get to Heaven....ummm God, about the bugs? " Anyway, I have seen all kinds of ugly, bizarre, crazy bugs these past few months.....including recently while making Christians birthday cake. I open the packaging of my Duncan Hines mix ( or was it Betty Crocker? ) feeling very domestic to be making a cake instead of buying one at superstore like I usually do.....our friends Joka and Jim were here visiting from Saba.....(she is a physician) anyway I digress......so I pour the packaging into the bowl and start to add the other ingredients and I look in and I think what is in the cake mix? is it moving? is it a bug?? Lo and Behold, it is a bug! Several to be precise......uck....I choke back a gag......and I stare in horror at Joka, my friend......she laughs.....says this is quite normal. I ask her how did the bugs get inside the bag of mix and manage to stay alive????? Apparently this is not uncommon all over the world AND she announces that the bugs are called Weevils (hang on a second while I retch again) Anyway, I am horrified but also in a bit of a conundrum.......cake mixes are not always easy to come by here and we bought one of the only ones......sooooo....if we throw it out.....what kind of birthday is it without a cake????? You see where I am going with this dont you??? I had decisions to make.......lol......lmao actually.....(this is one of those times where I am down on my knees thanking God for celiac disease.....) anyway, Joka says "Dawn, they are just weevils, no big deal really, I mean if you have another cake mix, use it but if not just PICK THE BUGS OUT" (again the gag reflex) So I get the sifter thingy out of the cupboard and I start sifting weevils out of the cake mix....I know, I know,......I am horrible......we got alot of them out, probably most, but definitely not all........there were body parts that went through the sifter and a few weevils that managed to as well (no idea how) Bottom line is I made the cake, weevils and all......and no one was the wiser.....well except for Joka and Joe and I......and they both ate a piece...can you imagine?? I wanted to vomit as I watched them all shoving cake in their mouths.....and usually I want to grab the cake and stog it down......anyway I am happy to report that Christian had a great birthday AND he loved the cake!
Well folks, I can barely see the screen now from laughing/crying over that story, so I better sign off....I will try so so hard to be more diligent in writing regularly....I do love writing this blog!
I hope that you are all happy and well, we certainly are....we do miss you all! Take care and have a great week.....God Bless......
Sunday, September 20, 2009
I remember how much I love horses now......
Hey all,
Well it has been a great week in Nevis.....we are slowly getting into a routine, Joe at school, the kids at school and me, well.....that is the good part....me.....I am RIDING HORSES!!!! ON THE BEACH!!!! I have been out riding 4 different times this week, all along the Caribbean ocean and I have to say that it is the ultimate ride! It is so beautiful, so peaceful, so serene......I absolutely love it. My whole life I had a love affair with horses, they are without a doubt my favorite animal.....and I have ridden since I was a little girl....but once we had kids, it just got difficult to own/ride/visit horses. So I got away from it for a while......and I forgot that I loved it so much....or perhaps suppressed it because I couldn't have it?? So these last few days have been so amazing.....getting back in the saddle again.....feeling the horse underneath me......enjoying the Caribbean ocean from horseback! Riding the horse into the water and getting soaked by the waves! Well I just wish you were all here to experience how wonderful it really is! Having said that it is also exhausting, time consuming and my butt is objecting a little (can we say bruising?) but I am sure that with time I will toughen up. I convinced Joe today to come with us for a family ride and so the 4 of us went on a beach ride today. It was awesome!! The kids loved it, even Joe looked like he enjoyed himself! So basically I have been taking care of a fellow's 10 horses in exchange for riding privileges......sweet deal in my opinion! All I have to do is pop over to the barn twice a day for about 30 minutes to feed, water and check the horses.....keep the paddock areas tidy.....(and to be honest I spend alot more time than that there, just hanging with the horsies, enjoying their company, bonding!)
Other than that, things are going fairly well....Joe has first round of block exams tomorrow so we are praying that all goes well! The boys are slowly getting settled into their school.....they each have some nice new friends....Monty is very busy with survivor camp, sea stars and he starts tennis lessons on Monday....so lots of stuff on the go!
Anyway, it is a short post tonight....I am really tired....all this fresh air, sunshine, riding and beach stuff makes a girl tired you know! LOL.....so take care and God Bless and talk to you all soon! D
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Hey there hi there ho there friends! Well we are entering into week 3 of our Nevis adventure and I have to say that I am really really pleased so far. I really like this island, it has much to offer and we feel that we made a great decision in coming here. I have so much to tell you but to get it all in would require a novel length document....soooo I am going to try to give you the readers digest version.....(and you know how good I am at keeping my stories short and to the point....NOT) but I am gonna give it a go.
So Nevis is beautiful, the beaches are awesome, there is lots to do, we are meeting many new and fantastic people....I feel so blessed to be here......I am not going to lie, that the first week was tough and an adjustment....leaving PEI after getting to spend the summer with family and friends was not easy.....but I am feeling really positive now that we have been here a few weeks!
I will start with Joe since he is the reason that we are here.....he seems to be liking the med school so far, likes his profs, meeting some nice students....there is actually a guy from Montague PEI here in his class and they knew each other a bit as this fellow was a nurse in Montague and Joe was a paramedic there....so that is kind of neat. Joe misses some of his Saba peers obviously, but he is adjusting well and appears to be happy with the decision to move......He has been snorkeling and swimming for stress relief......and loving the water and the beaches here. He is hoping to get out golfing sometime soon and he has a few fellows who are interested in doing this with him.....so overall h e is pretty pleased I think.
The boys are doing well. They have had their first week at their new school and they are both settling in. Monty made a new friend, Lu, who just moved here as well from Cancun, Mexico (his parents run a hotel here in Nevis) and they have really hit it off. They are a very nice family and they live closeby so the boys have had a few playdates already. Monty being Monty isn't completely thrilled by his school but he isn't hating it either...so I will count that as a positive! Christian is enjoying school so far and has made some friends there. He has an awesome teacher, originally from Sweden and recently from England. She is lovely and so kind and he seems to really like her. The school is very tiny and so this has been an adjustment for both of them. Monty is excited though because on Fridays the school offers archery lessons to the older kids...so he thinks that is pretty cool!
Monty is enrolled in a few programs here and he is very excited about them. The first one is called Survivor Camp (based on the reality show) and the leader calls it "Scouts on Steroids!" which I think is hilarious. the leader is a special ops fellow who was in the army in South Africa and he is a real outdoors fellow! Basically he takes the kids up the mountain and they learn how to survive off the land, making shelters out of whatever they have, making fires (without matches), making spears for fishing and catching and cooking the fish, learning what bugs they can eat if they are hungry!! (he ate a centipede on Saturday...the guide, not Monty) Anyway it sounds so great and I think Monty is quite excited about it.....the second program he is in is a marine biology camp, where he will learn about sea life and conservation and will go out on a boat snorkeling and learning about underwater creatures.....it will be a great opportunity for him and the leader, Barbara is a very nice lady.....I am only slighly nervous about Monty going on the boat snorkeling as last week a local was eaten by a tiger shark....so that freaks me out a little....apparently that is extremely rare and not usually something to worry about...but you know me! I love to worry...it is like a sport for me....and I am an Olympic calibre worrier!! Unfortunately, Christian can't attend these camps as he is too young...but that is ok because he is having lots of fun anyway! He is doing so well with snorkeling I can hardly believe it.....he just skims across the top of the water now like a pro......it is so amazing to watch him! Not that long ago he was afraid of the water....now you should see him!!
The beaches here are amazing and we have spent alot of time down the road at Oualie Beach Resort (you can google it) the beach is great there, very safe and calm. We just had a big SOS bbq there yesterday and it was a blast. We have a fantastic SOS group and I am meeting so many wonderful people from all over who are here for the same reasons....to support husbands through med school! (so basically we are all crazy!) I have to tell you a funny story about yesterday......we were all sitting around and chatting and beside me was Hedda, a quite pretty blond woman from Norway.....well Hedda looks pretty good in her bikini and I see Monty eyeing her....finally he looks at me and says " so Mom, look at her, isn't that the body that you have always dreamed of having?" Said so matter of factly that it was as if he was asking me h ow I enjoyed the bbq!!!! I nearly died laughing....and poor Hedda....she thought it was pretty funny...some of the other moms weren't sure how to react! it was just Monty being Monty so i wasn't too put out over it! I mean, really, its not like he was saying something that wasn't true! I would have loved to have Hedda's figure! Anyway he is a funny funny kid.......
So I am having a great time.....I am connecting with my new SOS friends....i am now the Treasurer of SOS......(yeah I know....me with money......) I am exploring the island and learning my way around.....I am learning to drive on the wrong side of the road....it is going much better than I expected;....well except for the part where I continue to turn on the windshield wipers instead of the signal lights and then I get flustered and turn the wrong signal on......LOL.....but overall it really isn't that hard to get used to.....I also have a very cool opportunity that has popped up here.....kind of like my dream job! There is a stable here that has been closed for a while for a number of reasons and I searched the owner out and offered my assistance with the horses in exchange for some occasional riding....Well he was so thrilled to have me to help out (he works full time and drives to the stable to feed the horses 2 times a day) and in exchange i can ride all I want, anytime I want and he may start up some trail rides and have me be the guide.....so that will be taking people from the cruise ships on beach rides with horses....ok really people....does life get any better than that!! So I am excited that I will get to do some riding and so will the kids...and maybe some evenings all 4 of us will go down to the beach on horseback.....so exciting I can hardly believe it....
Anyway I better run....lots more to say but it is very hot out and the boys want to go over to their friend's pool for a swim......so I will talk to you all again soon!!
God Bless and have a great week!
D
So Nevis is beautiful, the beaches are awesome, there is lots to do, we are meeting many new and fantastic people....I feel so blessed to be here......I am not going to lie, that the first week was tough and an adjustment....leaving PEI after getting to spend the summer with family and friends was not easy.....but I am feeling really positive now that we have been here a few weeks!
I will start with Joe since he is the reason that we are here.....he seems to be liking the med school so far, likes his profs, meeting some nice students....there is actually a guy from Montague PEI here in his class and they knew each other a bit as this fellow was a nurse in Montague and Joe was a paramedic there....so that is kind of neat. Joe misses some of his Saba peers obviously, but he is adjusting well and appears to be happy with the decision to move......He has been snorkeling and swimming for stress relief......and loving the water and the beaches here. He is hoping to get out golfing sometime soon and he has a few fellows who are interested in doing this with him.....so overall h e is pretty pleased I think.
The boys are doing well. They have had their first week at their new school and they are both settling in. Monty made a new friend, Lu, who just moved here as well from Cancun, Mexico (his parents run a hotel here in Nevis) and they have really hit it off. They are a very nice family and they live closeby so the boys have had a few playdates already. Monty being Monty isn't completely thrilled by his school but he isn't hating it either...so I will count that as a positive! Christian is enjoying school so far and has made some friends there. He has an awesome teacher, originally from Sweden and recently from England. She is lovely and so kind and he seems to really like her. The school is very tiny and so this has been an adjustment for both of them. Monty is excited though because on Fridays the school offers archery lessons to the older kids...so he thinks that is pretty cool!
Monty is enrolled in a few programs here and he is very excited about them. The first one is called Survivor Camp (based on the reality show) and the leader calls it "Scouts on Steroids!" which I think is hilarious. the leader is a special ops fellow who was in the army in South Africa and he is a real outdoors fellow! Basically he takes the kids up the mountain and they learn how to survive off the land, making shelters out of whatever they have, making fires (without matches), making spears for fishing and catching and cooking the fish, learning what bugs they can eat if they are hungry!! (he ate a centipede on Saturday...the guide, not Monty) Anyway it sounds so great and I think Monty is quite excited about it.....the second program he is in is a marine biology camp, where he will learn about sea life and conservation and will go out on a boat snorkeling and learning about underwater creatures.....it will be a great opportunity for him and the leader, Barbara is a very nice lady.....I am only slighly nervous about Monty going on the boat snorkeling as last week a local was eaten by a tiger shark....so that freaks me out a little....apparently that is extremely rare and not usually something to worry about...but you know me! I love to worry...it is like a sport for me....and I am an Olympic calibre worrier!! Unfortunately, Christian can't attend these camps as he is too young...but that is ok because he is having lots of fun anyway! He is doing so well with snorkeling I can hardly believe it.....he just skims across the top of the water now like a pro......it is so amazing to watch him! Not that long ago he was afraid of the water....now you should see him!!
The beaches here are amazing and we have spent alot of time down the road at Oualie Beach Resort (you can google it) the beach is great there, very safe and calm. We just had a big SOS bbq there yesterday and it was a blast. We have a fantastic SOS group and I am meeting so many wonderful people from all over who are here for the same reasons....to support husbands through med school! (so basically we are all crazy!) I have to tell you a funny story about yesterday......we were all sitting around and chatting and beside me was Hedda, a quite pretty blond woman from Norway.....well Hedda looks pretty good in her bikini and I see Monty eyeing her....finally he looks at me and says " so Mom, look at her, isn't that the body that you have always dreamed of having?" Said so matter of factly that it was as if he was asking me h ow I enjoyed the bbq!!!! I nearly died laughing....and poor Hedda....she thought it was pretty funny...some of the other moms weren't sure how to react! it was just Monty being Monty so i wasn't too put out over it! I mean, really, its not like he was saying something that wasn't true! I would have loved to have Hedda's figure! Anyway he is a funny funny kid.......
So I am having a great time.....I am connecting with my new SOS friends....i am now the Treasurer of SOS......(yeah I know....me with money......) I am exploring the island and learning my way around.....I am learning to drive on the wrong side of the road....it is going much better than I expected;....well except for the part where I continue to turn on the windshield wipers instead of the signal lights and then I get flustered and turn the wrong signal on......LOL.....but overall it really isn't that hard to get used to.....I also have a very cool opportunity that has popped up here.....kind of like my dream job! There is a stable here that has been closed for a while for a number of reasons and I searched the owner out and offered my assistance with the horses in exchange for some occasional riding....Well he was so thrilled to have me to help out (he works full time and drives to the stable to feed the horses 2 times a day) and in exchange i can ride all I want, anytime I want and he may start up some trail rides and have me be the guide.....so that will be taking people from the cruise ships on beach rides with horses....ok really people....does life get any better than that!! So I am excited that I will get to do some riding and so will the kids...and maybe some evenings all 4 of us will go down to the beach on horseback.....so exciting I can hardly believe it....
Anyway I better run....lots more to say but it is very hot out and the boys want to go over to their friend's pool for a swim......so I will talk to you all again soon!!
God Bless and have a great week!
D
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