A New Adventure Begins

All preparations are done, god I hope so! Took the car to JAX on Wed., all the totes to the shipper Thurs. and all the final bag checks today and mailing odds and ends. I forgot checked bags can only be 50 lbs. now, and only 2 per person. Now trying to get Mom ready for the morning flight. Sure are looking forward to that first rum punch , Cruzan of course. St. Croix 3:00pm tomorrow.
Happy New Year to All!!!!

Fairchild Tropical gardens

Our time in Miami is coming to an end and I did want to go to these tropical gardens so, yesterday I plugged it into the ole garmin and off I went. damn these drivers here. In such a hurry to get to the next red light. WTF! Blow their horn whip in front of you slam on their brakes in front of you, squeel the tires slam on the brakes and on and on. And we all got there about the same time. Anyway, beautiful tropical gardens in Coral Gables. Saw some palms I had never seen before and some way cool orchids, well worth the admission price. There were sculptures throughout from some French couple that I thought were neat, Susan had another opinion. That's life, with Dan and Susan.

And had some great mango chutney on my sandwich there. Mangos grown on site.

Cheers!

A Larry in Protective custody

Yes, Susan found another "Larry" this time on Marathon Key. He was in protective custody though. Look how big this sucker is and you see why. Any Guatemalan see this guy he'd be on the bar-b and feed a whole family, jungle chicken. Better stewed from what I hear.

Then there were the gators we saw on our Tamiami Trail run they were pretty sizable too. Yep, got me thinking 'bout gator bites. Those delectable deep fried bits of gator tail. Yum Yum!

These road trips can really work up an appetite!

Key Tripp'n

"What am I supposed to see down here?"

Oyster shooter and I get to keep the glass!

Sunday we took a drive down to the Keys. What a fun time! The drivers here in the Miami area are absolute fools, I mean real fools! But the drive along the islands was very enjoyable, I wouldn't want to do it during the summer or in a few weeks when their "season" begins. We drove all the way down to Key West. Lunch was on Marathon at a great little place called The Island Fish Co. We both had lobster sandwiches, fried lobster. The first time either of us had ever had fried lobster, very good! I mean fried whole lobster, we made lobster fritters with head meat down on CC several times. Man that head meat was tough to get out and really not worth the effort, in my opinion. But it was a true learning experience.

I can post again now since we bought a new laptop down here. That cheap little netbook I bought was an absolute POS. The new phone was nice but tghe keys are so tiny and the process of posting sometimes didn't work, or I couldn't get it to go through. You know, operator error, that's me.

Windchill?

Windchill in Miami 33 WTF! Sure didn't expect this. Still posting on th phone. How wild. Cheers!

Miami we are here!

Well we got here without incident and a nice drive all-in-all. This place we are staying in (Candlewood Suites) is ok. not far from Susans store but not near beach or grocery. The two most crucial things to me other than Susan, ofcourse. Yesterday we drove across Florida on the Tamiami Trail! So cool. the everglades are just as expected and we had a great time together. Marco island sucked. condos and no public beach that we could find. So we went to the little "town" of Goodland. Cute old fishing village.

The Adventure Begins

A photo of John & Sally's pig roast on Caye Caulker, at the drying-in of their house.

Ok, today we head to Miami for a few weeks, never spent that much time there. Mater of fact the only time spent in FL. was "boot-camp" in Orlando back in '72. I sure hted thinking of those days. All our belongings are packed and in a storage room and ready for me to come back up and get for shipment to St. Croix. This is the last post from home computer. When I.m done it's unpluged and boxed up. I'll see what I can do from the hotel room, oh it's gonna be so much fun!!! That's what I keep telling Susan anyway. Party-On!!!

Can't wait till our pig roast!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Look at the size of this thing!













It don't fit. So fa'sit she sez, o...ok.

One done bird!











Chris got the biggist bird I have ever seen, much less cooked. I usually cook the bird in a brown paper bag so it stays nice and moist, but not this year. I would have had to make a bag for this thing. Looks good.

They No belive it!

For the past couple of years Susan has been working for "Dollar Stupid" as a store manager. this gave her something to do beside sit around the house or take care of the Moms. Good for her, and the added money is always nice. Anyway, you read about my forwarding her resume to a job offer on St. Croix and it coming to fruition. We still no believe that, but nobody else can either. The kids said "WTF" yea, sure, for real, when? We just laugh, this just gave us the out to do it NOW. Ha! Ha! When she called her Dist. Mgr. to tell him, he was in disbelief; St. Croix? Office Max, when, how'd you find it. I don't blame you and am envious. Other manager are in shock of such good fortune. again, we just laugh. Nobody really thought that our return to the islands was imminent. Ha Ha!! Our neighbours are still in shock. "So when can we come down?"

Then the story of what I did. Most think she should kill me, but again we just laugh.

Most things are already packed into totes so I can convert them into grow boxes once they are empty. I saw a great you-tube on make your own earth box, so here we go. Will post on that venture too. Water conservation is #1 on islands but fresh veggies is #2. I have been using "A Garden Patch" grow boxs here and am sold on this form of gardening. Ready water availability no over/under watering, very little evaporation easy water installation all good. Just brace tall growing plants for the winds. Not tropical force winds in those occasions the garden is your last thought. But harvest before anyway.

Gotta go and prompt Mom to her packing, yes she is coming with us. That's a whole 'nother story. Making Mango salsa now with some really ripe juicy ones don't want them to rot (any more than the are). Cheers

You did what???

My Love says, "You did what?!"

"WTF!" "yea, can you believe it?", I says.

So, who knew somebody was really looking at that website. To make a long story short, about this time last year I noticed a posting for an asst. mgr. for Office Max on St. Croix. I watched this post for weeks. About Jan. I thought Iwould shot Susan's resume to them, it was already posted on one of those job sites. Anyway; about May she gets a call, a bunch of shit later they express interest. During our visit in Sept. She visits the store and she and the manager hit it off. Now in Nov. almost a year later she does a piss test and they want her 1 Jan. WTF!! She looks at me and says what the Hell! She's happy, but what the fuck! Did you tell me about this? "I don't think so!" so lets go. Now She goes to Miami for a few weeks for training then we head to "Paradise". More on that story soon. We will be here for Christmas and enjoy the grandkids, but then we are off. The grandkids are so excited, "when can we come?"that's all they are interested in. Who the hell knew? Yes, we were going, but not on our schedule. Now it's on Office Max's, that's OK too! Party On!!

Better eat these last Mangos soon, 'cause I'm apparently crazy as a loon!

Cheers!!!!

Sad Day

It's a sad day in the C'town Casita Conch. Our most loved "bedroom cat" Bucky became sick Sat. and pasted-on last nite. What a f''king bummer. So quick. Maria's gonna be some upset. She is back with her dad and us after her mom took her away. But that's another story. We all miss our Bucky!

Now eat them f'ing mangos before the rot!!

A boardwalk with no boards?

Last weekend we went up to Wilmington to meet our friend from Caye Caulker, Mel. She was there seeing folks she knew from the past so we were all able to rendezvous. How cool. As usual; we almost did not go due to some new family drama, but after some deliberation we said, what the hell, and off we went Sat. morning. Met Mel at the motel drank and relaxed a bit then headed downtown for dinner on the river front. Ate at Elijah's right on the river walk and the food was great as were the stories swapped. Sunday we headed for Carolina Beach. did you know they have a boardwalk with no boards, it's all concrete. How odd, but we ate lunch Olde Saltys, known now for not allowing screaming kids in the place, good food and no screaming kids! A good time had by all. It wqas fun to see current fotos of CC and hear of old friends on island. Sorry to hear about OJ's wife but other life goes on. We hope to see Mel again before one of us heads for the islands again. So remember; eat them mangos before they rot
or all that money spent was for naught

Ships

We went to the beach on sullivans Island a few days ago and had a great day. While chill'n I look up and see these things coming right at us. It takes things this size a while to turn. really fun to watch.

Day-tripp'n

Wow! Hadn't done this in a while. Yesterday was Susan's day-off and she was awakened by a phone call form her asst. mgr. that was to open the store saying she had lost her keys. Could Susan come open the store for her. Susan was some pissed!!! To say the least, her fucking day off! Anyway, I decided to drive her in and as we were half way there said ass't mgr. called saying she had found her keys in the baby's car seat, f'n btch. So as we turn around I suggest we go on down to Savannah, why not. Susan looks at me asif I'm crazy and says, why not. So, after a short pit-stop at home off we go. Had a great time just cruzz'n down 17, hatted getting on I-95 for the 20+ miles but a fun time just the two of us. She still got 4 calls from work cussing each time, but she is one of those who can't not answer the damn dinggy thing. We had lunch at The Pirate House, really neat place and the food was good. Susan had been here before but was my first time, I would recommend the place to others, and they say the place is way haunted. that's cool too.

The day was Great, so I encourage others to take the day-tripp'n bait.

Exit stage left, here come Earl!

Wow! we got off island just in time! While on St. Croix Earl was projected to go further North. That hot sea water sure can add vigor over night! Mom would have crapped had she known that thing was out there.



Anyway, we had a great time and Mom was able to see the entire island and was amazed how large it is. Remember, all she knew was our Caye Caulker love affair. She could only imagine another wee island. No image on a map had any meaning. Hell, she's 88! Now she can't believe how big the island is. Yes. quite the trip. Need to get the property chopped again so will wait till after the blows, might be some time though.

Lemmon Pepper Sauce

So lets get started

Cooking the grindings

Blended sauce

Blended Sauce

The good stuff!

F'n cat, now he won't move so I can finish the bed

Freak'n cat woke me at 4:30 this morning! gonna kill the SOB one morning if I can catch him in the dark. F'n lil shit! So I had plenty of time to make my Hot Lemmon Pepper sauce. These little chilies are so tasty. They have a slight citrus flavour to them and a medium hotness. Susan says they're hot-as-hell but that's her. They say these chilies originated in Equador or there 'bouts but they are pretty and tasty. The bushes are large and spendly with loads of fruit, a pretty plant. I had a bowl full of chilies but after I ground them down I ended with a packed cup full of pulp, seeds and all (tiny seeds).

1 C. pulp

3 C. vinegar

1 T. Kosher salt

1 tsp. cane sugar

bring to boil, reduce heat simmer 30 min, or there 'bouts

1/4 tsp. xanthan gum and blend all 'till smooth (this stuff keeps it from seperating, keeps all the little bits in suspension). Can be omitted, will just need to shake alot.

Let cool and bottle, ENJOY!!

Now for some ripe/rotten mango and yogurt.

Cheers!

When is a buffalo is not a buffalo, or is it?

The thing lounging beside our first cabanna on Caye Caulker was a "vat". that same thing if lounging on St. Croix would be a "buffalo". Silly me. For months I had been looking for a plastic vat/cistern. Then I find some at a hardware store yard I ask about price for item and they don't know what I'm talking about. I show them, "Oh, de buffalo. Oh, dat $1475.00 for de 1000 gal one." "Oh de buffalo" I say. ok, now I am trying not to think or say vat, but buffalo for vat is hard to say. Dat one expensive buffalo any way you look at it.

This experience was a month or so ago but it's taken that long to find a vat/cistern/buffalo picture from our Caye Caulker times. How great they were!
No cabannas on St. Croix but a small house. Maybe: Cassa Conch. Can't be too small because of G.D. covenants! WTF! A G.D. civilized island?" And wear shoes in stores??? WTF!!! Good thing I don't go into too many stores and I do own a pair of phlop phlops or two.

A Buffalo.

Pepper Pick'n time

What little yellow ones?

How 'bout this one

Are these ready PaPa?

Time to start making pickled peppers and hot sauces! Busy weekend, fore we leave for St. Croix early Monday morning. "The boy" has the cat and garden watch while we are gone. No problem, his garden has been great this year as-well. He's making sauces too. Way to go "J". these garden boxes a fantastic since they bottom water the plants, so efficient. I still had to use regular pots and some bottom water pots from W Mart, not so good, would not recommend, but got some pots from DeerBusters that were made in Canada that worked real good. they have a decent size reservoir, these I will recommend. can't wait to plant some Mango's and other great tropicals and coconuts too.

Cheers!

Scuba Cat

Bucky seems to ready to go. Please! take me with you. Our brave and fearless Bucky has become a "bedroom cat" he's a freekin PUSS! Since he went outside for a couple of days, probably got his ass kicked, he stays in the beedroom away from Maxie the other heathen. And Bucky is the bigger if the two. I think he's getting worried about us going to St. Croix and him having to coexist with Max for a week. Jeremiah will be tending the patch while we be gone and he aint gonna pamper this puss! So, take me with you Dad, I will figure-out how to work this thing. Shit, I'll even eat a rotten mango or two. Please!!!

School time yet?

Maria and me discussing global economics. It blows! Bubbles make it easier to understand. Is it nap time yet?

Wow, what a summer. Now when does school start? Soon, I hope. I have had a a great time watching the grandkids while their parents worked. Yes! All employed! So now it's time for school to start and give me and Maria a break. Maria should start her school/daycare this year too. Especially since we will be moving to St. Croix soon.

We are headed back to St. Croix on the 23rd and taking Mom to see where she will be moving to. Let her get a sample of a big island and the life there. ther'sa K-Mart all should be good. We'll see.

Man has it been hot here in Charleston these past few months, much hotter than I remember, now August and the "dog days" this will be fun. I look forward to the island breeze.

Cheers!

Susan and the BaBoo

Gran'ma Susan and her "BaBoo". Always has been always will be, her BaBoo!

She's trying to tell him about the beaches of St. Croix, but he's more interested about the one he's on NOW. Yea, yea Gran'ma I'll come visit, now can I go, boggie-on BaBoo.

I have made contact to have the lot chopped so I'm waiting for a photo of the finished job. Our most GREAT realtor, Kim Lucas said she would send photo for us. She has been soo good. Can't recommend her enough. Hell, she put up with us and took us for "mamawama's" after a few, mama wanna! How cool! So, you can get thoroughly toasted and watch a pig drink beer from tourists hand at one nifty spot up in the rain forest called Dominoes. A really great place up Mahogany road. A must do!

Today finally a day of rest and time to pickle some of the peppers from my wee garden and some that were left from Erick. Also made a Spanish Bar Cake. this is a cake from Susans childhood memory that I found a receipt for and have been making. We love this thing. I'm still tweaking it so after this one I will post the directions. Oh shit, better go, got to do the dishes before she gets home. Cheers!

for God's sake, don't let the mangos rot!

ya gotta love'm a lot!

Erick the Red is in town!!!

Wow! What a suprise Tuesday to hear our Erick was on Folly Beach for a week on vacation with his other grandparents and family!!!! We were so lucky to be able to see him on several days! How great for all our family. Jeremiah his dad got to spend a good bit of time with him and all was good again.

I have been watching all the kids of-and-on through the week so the parents can work, Yes! everybody has a job!!!! Me too; "Grumpy Gran'pas Kid Kare & Burrito Bistro". "What's for lunch granpa?" "Guess!" Oh well, lov'em all, and everyone working! Now we can go the St. Croix, as soon as school starts.

This week has been frantic with news that Erick was in town and all kids wanting to get together and the adults as well. A whole bunch bunch of shuttling to and from the beach, but that was cool, Erick was in town!!

July !?

Mom with Erick, Jeremiah's oldest, who lives in NC with his mom and we see so rarely! But his other grandparents try to keep us in touch. Hope he got my letter.


July already? So where have I been? Let's see; June, Lief's birthday the 2nd, now 12, Susan's the 9th, still the girl I married 39 years ago, and Heather's the 16th, now 10. Not to mention all the doctors appointments and shopping loads for Mom, damn June was a busy month. Not to mention the closing on the property on St. Croix. Almost a month in delays on that, "island time" is the same East Caribbean or West Caribbean. Oh, Happy Independence Day!!!! Where ever you are!!! I remember the fireworks. Jude grilled ribs and Chris balled out a watermelon and soaked the balls in One Barrel, the finest rum in the world! And I ate a bunch of the balls. Others thought them a bit heavy, but I found them quite refreshing!! Yea, refreshing. thus I took no pictures, but the fireworks were COOL! The ribs were great too. Ok, that takes care of 5 weeks, and I remember 4 events, that's pretty good I guess.





Now we start the planning for the move to the VI. we will be taking Mom with us so that adds a whole 'nother dimension. We have in the past just sold everything and moved. This time we should have so interesting trials and tribulations. Got to love her, but she's 88 and insists on going with us. Ok, let the adventure begin. she is already balking at my insistence of only 20 outfits to go. that means 20 of everything; undies, socks, etc., "only 20? What will I wear?" something of that 20 I said. The kids will have a coat for when we come up if it's winter. "Only 20?" It's gonna be fun! Stay tuned.





Cheers to all, and eat them mangos before they rot!


Or at least soak 'em in rum an drink a lot.

Keep the larries away!

One of Susan's many larry's

All lizard like things are a larry to her. This one on Sanibel, but they do have them on St. Croix.

Lee banannas in paradise, soon to be mine.

These however at Cottages by the Sea!

Today my fingers just don't seem to be working right. I think someone switched the buttons on the keyboard last nite. No, I am not a touch typer or keyist or whatever they call it now-a-days. I still look, but if I since a wrong stroke I can usually find it, maybe. Oh well fucvk-it.

I had been trying to e-mail a friend and I kept sending partials so after three atempts I decided to try this. It aint going much better so I better stop. But keep them damn larries away from my mangos an 'nannas!!!

Hi Mel!

cheers!

Dan

Island Gardening, Caye Caulker style

Mom with the beginings of the garden.

Our first tomato !!!!

The garden grows. Great containers eah.

Milk container lined with palm husk. dries out quick.

salad garden and seedlings.

Gardening on a small island almost a necessity if you want salad and fresh greens other than cabbage. I couldn't have imagined the task ahead. Water was number one. All of our potable water was rain catchment. Quite valuable we came to know. Potting mix, what no potting mix. black dirt, where I find black dirt? Oh, the guy at the back bridge on Tuesday evening with the boat. He also has botons. Ok, I find the guy with black dirt, how many? He only has five, I take them. Next week he shows up with ten, I take them, the next week I see him in village he expects my to buy more, I say no, he not happy but ok. No more black dirt for me. But then I was in BC at Prosser's getting fertilizer and a 500g. vat and saw they had a bale of Fafard peat moss, price was good so bought it too. Out on that little limestone spit of land peat moss was heaven sent. Thus the garden grew and grew. It grew so well that folks walking by became interested and soon so did the police. Now the police Never came down to where we lived, but one morning three showed up. One plain clothes officer two in uniform one with a gun(Barney) don't know if it was loaded. Anyway they hailed us over Champ's barking and I went down to visit. the inquiry was all about the plants. What they were and what I was going to do with them. Yes,"what was I going to do with them?" "Yes" "Eat them" I said. "Eat them?" they said. "Eat them" I repeated. Anyway, they wanted to see what I was growing to eat. So I chained up Champ and led the parade up to the garden. They were impressed. Many things they had never seen, others they knew but had never seen growing. From chard, kale, okra, peppers, tomatoes, green onions, kalaloo, basil and a whole lot more. they finally became satisfied all was for eating, but where did I get the black dirt? Yes, "where did I get the black dirt?" I said some guy at the back bridge that's all I know. Then as they left the officer says, "I bet you could grow just about anything." I said,"Yes I could" He said,"You know what we were looking for" "Yes, and if I were growing that they would never find it" "Dat maybe true" he said walking away. "Have a good day" he trailed "you too" says I. Now to water the garden and scratch my head thinking what the fuck!!!!

The trials of island gardening, drip irrigation, water holding polymers, proper crop selection. Offer tours to the cops!

No I didn't share, and they didn't come back either.

Cheers,

Dan