I think this just may be the longest blog break I've taken since I entered into this sphere a little over year ago. I may no longer be on island, but I'm still on island time. While we were away, I didn't watch a minute of television, check an email or read a single headline. No...instead I watched the people I love most loving the amazing tourkuoise (according to Miss Bit) water, having conversations about the beautiful days, vistas, occasion and reading 2 books. When you are 700 miles at sea in island paradise, there are no worries...well, except maybe Portuguese man of war, melting ice and sunburn. I'm struggling with keeping up with appointments and 'to lists' and I cannot even think about all those season finales on our Tivo or end of year parties now that I'm stateside.
This time last week I was sitting on a pink sand beach sipping a rum swizzle into the gloaming. My favorite time of day with my favorite people...I wanted to bottle up the moment as if it were the crushed shell and coral under my feet. I was gazing out at the ocean that I witnessed earlier in the day going from murky cobalt to brilliant shades of sea green, azure and cerulan. I saw the amazing transformation with my own two eyes from the windows of the plane. Despite the fact that we had been up and traveling for 10+ hours, Miss Bit and T. Bone were not showing any signs of slowing down. Miss Bit made a mad dash for the inviting Atlantic and on the way she left behind a trail: flip flops, cover-up, and her more cautious older brother. She had such rapport with the surf it was hard to believe it was her first time swimming in it. We canceled our dinner plans for the night (room service it was) in favor of more beach time and then retired to our own little cottage overlooking the ocean...we happily called the quaint Sandpiper home during our stay. My hubby and I enjoyed our surf and turf right on the patio under the stars and I kept hearing my Grandfather's voice saying "And I should complain" competing with the waves crashing below us. Family stopped by for a night cap after the kids turned in for the night and we toasted being together in such a stunningly beautiful place for a happy event.
We had to wake the kids up the next morning, but I'm pretty sure we would have slept the day away too if not for the courtesy of a wake up call. We joined Grandma and Grandpa for breakfast. T. Bone and Miss Bit were loving the bacon buffet. Well, there were plenty of other options, but they wanted fried pig fat with a side of fresh fruit. OK then...we're pretty lenient when we are on vacation and I wouldn't want someone telling me I had to eat the whole bran topped with ground flax seed that's for sure! And that's pretty much the way every day started. The kids were also quite amused by the little birds who flew around the restaurant helping themselves to the pastry table. These wee brave chirpers would flee whenever they saw a blue shirt...the color worn by the staff, and the amazing thing was that they would always fly right out the one open door despite the fact that the room was all glass!
We took a taxi to the Dockyards where we were scheduled for a glass bottom boat tour at 10:30 only when we got there, we were told that it was changed to 1:30. That was when I first started to grasp the definition of island time. Think go with the flow mon, but with a British accent. We decided to explore the area since we already forked out a $50 fare to the wharf...us and like 10,000 other tourists as there were 2 massive cruise ships in port that day. It turned out to be a welcome delay as we discovered The Keep, their fascinating Maritime Museum. This six acre fort had some of the most stunning views as well as a wealth of interesting information for us all to take in. My Dad was happy because he is a history major, my step-mom was excited to see the dolphins, T. Bone was jonesing on the prison and Miss Bit fancied herself Little Bo Peep with the flock of sheep who keep up (or down) the grounds.
After touring the museum, we welcomed a seat on the boat and a swizzle. We only saw some not so beautiful fish and lots of coral, but the trip was worth it because of what we learned about the island and the ocean. Oh and now I know where David Bowie's McMansion is. It was a wise choice to ride the bus back to the resort they are after all pink and there was no way we were renting scooters on those narrow, windy roads! But really, it's a great way to get a real feel for the local culture and it was an added bonus that school was just letting out. The kids rely on public transportation and filed on one by one. Every single one of them boarded the bus with a "Good afternoon," for the bus driver. We made room for a couple cuties to squeeze in beside us in the back row so we could chat them up, and Miss Bit shared her candies. They were delightful!
After a swim in the pool, followed by a swim in the ocean, followed by a delicious seafood dinner with my Mom's brother and his wife, daughter and new son-in-law, we enjoyed a welcome party thrown by the bride and groom on a patio overlooking the...you guessed it, the ocean, of course. T. Bone was so exhausted that he fell asleep on a chaise lounge on the deck and Miss Bit worked the crowd. I have THE BEST behaved kids E-V-E-R! One of the delightful bartenders that night was named Happy, but then I guess you'd be hard pressed not to be delightful with a name like that, and I'd pay good money for her accent!
After breakfast Friday morning, we headed to the beach where all sorts of frisbee, football and backgammon were played. There was also some sand castle building and some snorkeling. T. Bone braved the choppy waters and the men of war and enjoyed his first snorkeling experience. I was a chicken. Miss Bit threw herself into the waves with reckless abandon, rode them, jumped them and was even tossed around and upside down by a few of them and she kept going back for more. I was an even bigger chicken. Our lunch came just about time we realized that we had to get ready for dinner...that's what I'm talkin' about - that's island time. We took it to go and I finished my pina colada on the way to the cottage. Somehow all 4 of us managed to get ready in an hour after which we took a taxi next door to Water Lock Dock for a cruise on the Rising Sun a prelude to the rehearsal dinner. All's I can say is it was lovely, my daughter has zero fear and was reenacting leo and Kate in Titanic, and I saw Michael Douglas' house.
We disembarked in Hamilton for dinner at a local bistro. It was hard to choose an entree given the many choices, but I was very pleased with the local Wahoo especially with a forkful or two of my hubby's risotto, which he kindly shared with me. T. Bone wrote and delivered one of the nicest toasts of the night. Mine was short and sweet given that I didn't plan on giving one at all, but it all worked out in the end. There were words I felt were best kept between my brother and I so I wrote him a note. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable by getting verkhelmpt in front of his friends and family. I'm hoping I made the right call and that he appreciated that. My emotions are still so fragile and unpredictable.
My hubby was up early to golf. I let the kids sleep a bit before hitting the "bacon buffet" and then we crashed Aunt L. and Uncle L.'s beach. It was a little more crowded, but not as rough and just as beautiful, and hanging out with them was hangin' loose. We walked over to Horsheshoe Bay just to say that we were on one of the most famous beaches in the world. Let me tell you...not bad for a public beach! The kids were just pleased because there were snow cones for sale. Sadly, we couldn't stay long because we had places to go and dolphins to swim with so we met up with Grandma and Aunt Carol and headed to the Dockyards. Miss Bit was excited to swim with her namesake and another dolphin named Bermudiana, but Grandma and Aunt Carol were really like kids at Christmas giggling and unable to contain themselves. I can now say that I've danced with a dolphin.
Upon arriving at the Dockyards, it was obvious that it wasn't all abuzz as it was a couple days ago. No, it was more like a ghost town because the cruise ships headed out to sea. No, problem until it was time to hail a taxi and there was not a single taxi in sight. Yes, the bus was still running, but the information booth that sells the tokens was closed. In fact, most everything was closed and as I came to this realization just a couple hours before I was to be ready for pictures, I started to hyperventilate and feel a major anxiety attack looming. I was so absolutely sure that I was going to be late for my only brother's wedding so I did what any girl would do in said situation...I cried...no, I sobbed. I took my tears into a local shop and had the lovely owner ready to either have her own heart attack or call emergency for the one she thought I was having. She got on the phone trying to get us transportation as did the two local patrons in her shop without prompting. (Such are the kind people of Bermuda.) A couple tourists offerred to take us on their scooters, but I was sure we'd miss the wedding because we'd be dead if we went that route. And here's where I have to thank the prime minister of St. Kitts for choosing to vacation in Bermuda with his security entourage because his local police escort called us a cab at the vehement request of Aunt Carol who I am quite sure has never seen me come quite so undone in the 40 years she has known me. It took hours for my blood pressure to return to normal and just writing this now...well, it's on the rise.
So, it was once again a Chinese fire drill for the 4 of us to clean up for the wedding. I couldn't have done it without my hubby's help and sense of calmness, and as it turned out I didn't need to because the pictures I was supposed to be ready early for were never taken. I'll chalk that up to island time again. My brother was extremely anxious before the ceremony...it's not often that he gets a case of nerves. He took his place on Caso's Point, a little deck jutting out over the translucent water and when the violinist started to play Canon in D I heard him say, "Here she comes." Well, first were the handsome nephews dressed in matching seersucker blazers followed by the nieces also adorable seersucker twins for the day. Think classic J. Crew. I was extremely proud of T. Bone and Miss Bit for patiently guiding the little ones. And then da da da da...the bride all beautiful was walked out onto the point on the arm of her older brother to join my brother. The ceremony began with a moment of silence in remembrance of my Mom and the bride's parents. My eyes welled up, but T. Bone was more in need of the Kleenex I had than I was. The vows that followed were simple and sweet and short...the ceremony couldn't have been more than 10 minutes. As we converged on the upper deck for congratulations and celebration, my cousin pointed out 3 whales in the distance. Coincidence? My brother told me he felt my Mom's presence that day, and I'm so glad he felt her with him. It was such a perfect night...the best yet despite the fact that rain was in the forecast. After enjoying cocktails and steel drums, we kicked off the delicious 3 course dinner with a champagne toast given quite eloquently by my Dad. I was especially fond of the part where he said we should make an annual tradition of the renewing of their vows right here in this beautiful island paradise. When T. Bone heard that, he said, "Oh yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Remember...he's 9. It was a night to remember... a vacation to never forget and as cliche as it sounds...I hope the happiest day in their past is the saddest day in their future. That's exactly what my Mom would have said, if she were there to raise her glass. Slainte!
This time last week I was sitting on a pink sand beach sipping a rum swizzle into the gloaming. My favorite time of day with my favorite people...I wanted to bottle up the moment as if it were the crushed shell and coral under my feet. I was gazing out at the ocean that I witnessed earlier in the day going from murky cobalt to brilliant shades of sea green, azure and cerulan. I saw the amazing transformation with my own two eyes from the windows of the plane. Despite the fact that we had been up and traveling for 10+ hours, Miss Bit and T. Bone were not showing any signs of slowing down. Miss Bit made a mad dash for the inviting Atlantic and on the way she left behind a trail: flip flops, cover-up, and her more cautious older brother. She had such rapport with the surf it was hard to believe it was her first time swimming in it. We canceled our dinner plans for the night (room service it was) in favor of more beach time and then retired to our own little cottage overlooking the ocean...we happily called the quaint Sandpiper home during our stay. My hubby and I enjoyed our surf and turf right on the patio under the stars and I kept hearing my Grandfather's voice saying "And I should complain" competing with the waves crashing below us. Family stopped by for a night cap after the kids turned in for the night and we toasted being together in such a stunningly beautiful place for a happy event.
We had to wake the kids up the next morning, but I'm pretty sure we would have slept the day away too if not for the courtesy of a wake up call. We joined Grandma and Grandpa for breakfast. T. Bone and Miss Bit were loving the bacon buffet. Well, there were plenty of other options, but they wanted fried pig fat with a side of fresh fruit. OK then...we're pretty lenient when we are on vacation and I wouldn't want someone telling me I had to eat the whole bran topped with ground flax seed that's for sure! And that's pretty much the way every day started. The kids were also quite amused by the little birds who flew around the restaurant helping themselves to the pastry table. These wee brave chirpers would flee whenever they saw a blue shirt...the color worn by the staff, and the amazing thing was that they would always fly right out the one open door despite the fact that the room was all glass!
We took a taxi to the Dockyards where we were scheduled for a glass bottom boat tour at 10:30 only when we got there, we were told that it was changed to 1:30. That was when I first started to grasp the definition of island time. Think go with the flow mon, but with a British accent. We decided to explore the area since we already forked out a $50 fare to the wharf...us and like 10,000 other tourists as there were 2 massive cruise ships in port that day. It turned out to be a welcome delay as we discovered The Keep, their fascinating Maritime Museum. This six acre fort had some of the most stunning views as well as a wealth of interesting information for us all to take in. My Dad was happy because he is a history major, my step-mom was excited to see the dolphins, T. Bone was jonesing on the prison and Miss Bit fancied herself Little Bo Peep with the flock of sheep who keep up (or down) the grounds.
After touring the museum, we welcomed a seat on the boat and a swizzle. We only saw some not so beautiful fish and lots of coral, but the trip was worth it because of what we learned about the island and the ocean. Oh and now I know where David Bowie's McMansion is. It was a wise choice to ride the bus back to the resort they are after all pink and there was no way we were renting scooters on those narrow, windy roads! But really, it's a great way to get a real feel for the local culture and it was an added bonus that school was just letting out. The kids rely on public transportation and filed on one by one. Every single one of them boarded the bus with a "Good afternoon," for the bus driver. We made room for a couple cuties to squeeze in beside us in the back row so we could chat them up, and Miss Bit shared her candies. They were delightful!
After a swim in the pool, followed by a swim in the ocean, followed by a delicious seafood dinner with my Mom's brother and his wife, daughter and new son-in-law, we enjoyed a welcome party thrown by the bride and groom on a patio overlooking the...you guessed it, the ocean, of course. T. Bone was so exhausted that he fell asleep on a chaise lounge on the deck and Miss Bit worked the crowd. I have THE BEST behaved kids E-V-E-R! One of the delightful bartenders that night was named Happy, but then I guess you'd be hard pressed not to be delightful with a name like that, and I'd pay good money for her accent!
After breakfast Friday morning, we headed to the beach where all sorts of frisbee, football and backgammon were played. There was also some sand castle building and some snorkeling. T. Bone braved the choppy waters and the men of war and enjoyed his first snorkeling experience. I was a chicken. Miss Bit threw herself into the waves with reckless abandon, rode them, jumped them and was even tossed around and upside down by a few of them and she kept going back for more. I was an even bigger chicken. Our lunch came just about time we realized that we had to get ready for dinner...that's what I'm talkin' about - that's island time. We took it to go and I finished my pina colada on the way to the cottage. Somehow all 4 of us managed to get ready in an hour after which we took a taxi next door to Water Lock Dock for a cruise on the Rising Sun a prelude to the rehearsal dinner. All's I can say is it was lovely, my daughter has zero fear and was reenacting leo and Kate in Titanic, and I saw Michael Douglas' house.
We disembarked in Hamilton for dinner at a local bistro. It was hard to choose an entree given the many choices, but I was very pleased with the local Wahoo especially with a forkful or two of my hubby's risotto, which he kindly shared with me. T. Bone wrote and delivered one of the nicest toasts of the night. Mine was short and sweet given that I didn't plan on giving one at all, but it all worked out in the end. There were words I felt were best kept between my brother and I so I wrote him a note. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable by getting verkhelmpt in front of his friends and family. I'm hoping I made the right call and that he appreciated that. My emotions are still so fragile and unpredictable.
My hubby was up early to golf. I let the kids sleep a bit before hitting the "bacon buffet" and then we crashed Aunt L. and Uncle L.'s beach. It was a little more crowded, but not as rough and just as beautiful, and hanging out with them was hangin' loose. We walked over to Horsheshoe Bay just to say that we were on one of the most famous beaches in the world. Let me tell you...not bad for a public beach! The kids were just pleased because there were snow cones for sale. Sadly, we couldn't stay long because we had places to go and dolphins to swim with so we met up with Grandma and Aunt Carol and headed to the Dockyards. Miss Bit was excited to swim with her namesake and another dolphin named Bermudiana, but Grandma and Aunt Carol were really like kids at Christmas giggling and unable to contain themselves. I can now say that I've danced with a dolphin.
Upon arriving at the Dockyards, it was obvious that it wasn't all abuzz as it was a couple days ago. No, it was more like a ghost town because the cruise ships headed out to sea. No, problem until it was time to hail a taxi and there was not a single taxi in sight. Yes, the bus was still running, but the information booth that sells the tokens was closed. In fact, most everything was closed and as I came to this realization just a couple hours before I was to be ready for pictures, I started to hyperventilate and feel a major anxiety attack looming. I was so absolutely sure that I was going to be late for my only brother's wedding so I did what any girl would do in said situation...I cried...no, I sobbed. I took my tears into a local shop and had the lovely owner ready to either have her own heart attack or call emergency for the one she thought I was having. She got on the phone trying to get us transportation as did the two local patrons in her shop without prompting. (Such are the kind people of Bermuda.) A couple tourists offerred to take us on their scooters, but I was sure we'd miss the wedding because we'd be dead if we went that route. And here's where I have to thank the prime minister of St. Kitts for choosing to vacation in Bermuda with his security entourage because his local police escort called us a cab at the vehement request of Aunt Carol who I am quite sure has never seen me come quite so undone in the 40 years she has known me. It took hours for my blood pressure to return to normal and just writing this now...well, it's on the rise.
So, it was once again a Chinese fire drill for the 4 of us to clean up for the wedding. I couldn't have done it without my hubby's help and sense of calmness, and as it turned out I didn't need to because the pictures I was supposed to be ready early for were never taken. I'll chalk that up to island time again. My brother was extremely anxious before the ceremony...it's not often that he gets a case of nerves. He took his place on Caso's Point, a little deck jutting out over the translucent water and when the violinist started to play Canon in D I heard him say, "Here she comes." Well, first were the handsome nephews dressed in matching seersucker blazers followed by the nieces also adorable seersucker twins for the day. Think classic J. Crew. I was extremely proud of T. Bone and Miss Bit for patiently guiding the little ones. And then da da da da...the bride all beautiful was walked out onto the point on the arm of her older brother to join my brother. The ceremony began with a moment of silence in remembrance of my Mom and the bride's parents. My eyes welled up, but T. Bone was more in need of the Kleenex I had than I was. The vows that followed were simple and sweet and short...the ceremony couldn't have been more than 10 minutes. As we converged on the upper deck for congratulations and celebration, my cousin pointed out 3 whales in the distance. Coincidence? My brother told me he felt my Mom's presence that day, and I'm so glad he felt her with him. It was such a perfect night...the best yet despite the fact that rain was in the forecast. After enjoying cocktails and steel drums, we kicked off the delicious 3 course dinner with a champagne toast given quite eloquently by my Dad. I was especially fond of the part where he said we should make an annual tradition of the renewing of their vows right here in this beautiful island paradise. When T. Bone heard that, he said, "Oh yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Remember...he's 9. It was a night to remember... a vacation to never forget and as cliche as it sounds...I hope the happiest day in their past is the saddest day in their future. That's exactly what my Mom would have said, if she were there to raise her glass. Slainte!
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