...and growing!!!

Editor's note: Looking back, the most recent entry here was made over a month ago, and it contained news that was two months old at that time. Obviously not what we had in mind when we started this thing. So I've decided that rather than wait and publish novellas bi-monthly, to make this a short, and hopefully fun read, and post entries often. Most of the big drama of our move is past, so going forward we'll focus on the things that make living here interesting - enjoy!

We last left you in January after adding Patches to our island family. She has settled in well, as has Champ, who has accepted (and at times even seems to have embraced) the idea that she's here for the long haul.

Shortly after that, our island family grew once more. No - no more dogs, no cats, no chicken, iguanas, mongoose, or deer (at least not that live in the house). Jason was unable to secure an internship that he had hoped would occupy his time and talents during the spring and summer, so we all decided that he should come down here to bide his time until grad school/the next phase of his life. He arrived mid-January, spent a few weeks working on his base tan, his beach volleyball game, and making on island friends, then ended up getting a job at the restaurant Asolare.

So we have a full house now - people that sleep (when the barking dogs and crowing roosters will allow) in every bedroom, and two dogs that sleep wherever they please!

Leslie's babysitting service ( shameless plug - her web site is at kidsnightin.com ) is thriving. One of the side benefits of that is that she gets to see a number of vacation homes that we would likely never get to visit otherwise.

Shane is doing well at his job with Cruz Bay Watersports - he's actually involved with training the new hires!

Leslie and I volunteered to help out at the Animal Care Center's annual winter gala - this year's theme: Party Like a Rock Star. It was held at a beautiful home high above Chocolate Hole, and brought out the best that the island has to offer - in costumes (Elvis won the costume contest!) donations, volunteers, food - the works! And Leslie showed, once again, that SHE is a rock star!

 

We've done a bit of snorkeling (yay!). We even discovered that the bay closest to where we live, which is a five minute walk away, has much better snorkeling than we thought. It's nice to know that swimming with the sea creatures is so easy and convenient!

   

Leslie got a haircut! Maybe not earth shattering news to most people, but it was her first one in a year. And, just like the previous one, it was done in conjunction with her being a part of a team that was part of an event that is a part of a national organization that raised (once again!) a ton of money (not to mention awareness) to help fight pediatric cancer through research. We are all so proud of her!

We have been busy living our lives. We do a lot of the mundane stuff everyone does, and we're not on perpetual vacation. But we do try and stop from time to time to remember and reflect on where we are, and how fortunate we are to be surrounded by friends, family, people having fun, and...of yeah - the scenery ain't bad either!