Birthdays n' Things

Well, it's my birthday. I finally woke up, miraculously capable of handling things. A real adult. What a drag! I'm not really sure what I'll do today. I just baked some sweets and stopped by the store to buy myself some birthday flowers. That's right.  I bought my own birthday flowers.  It's like that year Carolyn had to order her own birthday cake.

 

Yesterday, Lukas's mom took me downtown for a little spa treatment as a birthday present.  It was very sweet of her and I've been rubbing my recently smoothed feet since. His family is coming over for jet-skiing and dinner tonight and I'm sure it will be great fun. I hope. Or perhaps it will be immensely awkward. Either way. 

I'm off to the beach now but I will definitely try to take some pictures.  

As for your tomato plants, I wish them the best of luck. I would be very reluctant to produce fruit in such bitter conditions. I thought it was supposed to be hot out west! What gives? When will it warm up? 

Boone Hall Lately

As the summer has gotten started my little tent of veggies that I was working in has now been upgraded to this big thing!!

 

 

The other day it was 102˚ and I was working from 8 to 1:30. I was very nervous about the heat but was reassured by the workers (who actually have to work in the sun) that I would be just fine so long as I drank my water. It turned out to be a very busy day and I was moving and shaking (and sweating) the whole time.  I was actually having a really nice day. Everyone was friendly, I met a couple from Greece, and the field workers even picked me my own special bouquet of wild flowers from the gardens up by the plantation.

 

Long story short, at 1:05 I passed out! I was so close to making it through the whole shift! It all happened so quickly. I felt just fine and as I was handing a woman her change I began oozing down the counter and onto the floor.  I staggered over to my chair and announced to everyone in line that I need to sit down.  They were all looking at me with bug eyes and then left me and pretended to shop for more produce while I recovered.  I came in and out of consciousness but was able to sit upright with my legs crossed, like a lady should, the entire time.  Luckily the woman who I was helping was a nurse and she came over and took my pulse and splashed me with water.  It was most embarrassing. She told me I was having a minor heat stroke and that I needed to go inside. Easier said than done when you're in a field!

Anyways, I was fine though I had a splitting headache afterwards for 2 days. I was very glad none of the field-hands were around for that would have made me seem even more dainty and frail. Those poor guys were out there slaving away and I got too hot under my shady tent. 

Sometimes, on the weekends, I work in the blueberry division, where I sit under an even smaller tent and wait for people to come by and pick their blueberries. I like this job. I'm deep into the plantation grounds and can only be reached by dirt roads.  Its very peaceful back there and I sit right across from the muskadine vines.  I get a lot of reading and drawing done and often go pick my own berries.

 

I'm very much enjoying working out there.  Everyone is genuinely nice and though I don't know most of their names, everyone smiles and waves anytime they drive by my tents.  Yesterday I baked blueberry muffins for everyone as payback for my lovely flower bouquet.

In other news, Dad has collected Ellen's belongings from Columbia and driven them down here in a U-haul. She will be here Friday. Mom is currently having lunch with Granny and G-Bob and I am off to the airport soon to meet Lukas and family.  How nerve wracking!!

Last One, I Promise

As my final trip post I shall supply you with trip fun facts and random pictures. And sorry Uncle Bill, I didn't take my camera on the boat day.  I forgot it in our shuffle to get to the marina by 8am!!

Fun Fact #1
Kim got too hot on day three.  She couldn't sleep and the heat was stifling her.  The next morning she called the airline and had her flight changed to the very next day!! Yes, Kim left after 3 days!  Can you believe it!!

Fun Fact #2
Carolyn was the driver of our rental car that we so patiently waited for. All in all, she did very well driving on the left side.  We gave her gentle reminders to "keep to the code" meaning "keep to the left".  One day we took a wrong turn and went up close to a 90˚ angled one way street the WRONG way!! This incited panic amongst us as we knew we couldn't turn around.  Luckily no one came down the road while were going up (straight up) but the car rolling backwards once we made it to the top caused nervousness for everyone and hysteria for me.
Also, only one time Carolyn forgot the code and pulled into the right lane, heading straight for a tour bus. We all began screaming and Carolyn froze.  She did finally pull to the left once once she understood why we were screaming. We calmly and casually greeted the tour bus and then burst into a fit of laughter, imagining the bus driver looking into the car and just seeing wide, open mouths.

Fun Fact #3
We had a number of dance parties in the afternoons involving Carolyn's Mick Jagger impression and Mom doing an impressive Barbra Streisand. I filmed all of these however I will not post them here for the sake of not embarrassing them. Remind me though the next time I see y'all and I show you.

Fun Fact #4
Ellen and I got into one big fight, though neither Mom or Carolyn were very concerned. (Ellen started it.)

 I'm sure there are many good stories, like Carolyn trying to hurl our garbage into a dumpster or the homeless man who charged us to park our car, but some stories are better told in person with impressions and facial expressions.  I'm sure y'all will hear all of them when those two goons make their way over to you next month.

Beaches and Boat Rides

Being that it was an island we visited, there were numerous beaches at every turn! Magens Bay is apparently a top 10 beach in some count-down somewhere.  It was conveniently located just around the corner from our abode so we went one cloudy day.

 

 

Mom, Jared, and I swam. Carolyn entertained the thought and Ellen and Kim stayed on shore. After this we went and had milkshakes and promptly returned for some pool time.

 

Mom and Carolyn practiced their synchronized swimming.

 

 

One day Jared took me to a little beach off the beaten path. This beach could only be reached by a short little jaunt through the tropical woods and also, a treacherously steep flight of stairs.

 

 

One day Jared's family invited us out on the boat with another fun couple to go over to the back side of St. John. Carolyn sat this one out for fear of becoming seasick. Though Ellen, Mom, and I were also worried about this, we went ahead anyways. It was a really pretty ride around the islands and into this beautiful bay where we anchored.  We were all having a nice time talking and laughing, except mom who was painfully quiet and a little green. Mom had gotten seasick as soon as the boat stopped. She was the first one into the water as she was hoping this would make her feel better.  Once lunch rolled around we all got out to eat, except Mom who was still just floating.

She and I decided to swim to shore so she could be on solid ground and we slowly made our way to the tourist-cluttered beach. I felt silly arriving to the beach from the sea, but most people didn't notice.  Once on shore, Mom ditched her floatation device and scurried up to the top of the beach, under a tree, where she promptly hurled up her breakfast 4 or 5 times next to a black man with dreadlocks who was smoking weed. She felt much better afterwards but was now too weak to swim back.  Jared had made the swim over after while and was standing with me, away from mom's job site. He sweetly swam back to the boat (which was no minor swim mind you) and collected grapes and hamburgers and then swam them all the way back, holding the plate of food above his head the entire way.

After eating, the three of us made the trek back to the boat where Mom received a few good hearted jokes about her condition.  They decided to break up the party early to take Mom back to dry land and Mom felt terribly guilty. We made way back to the marina and said our goodbyes. I suppose this is their last visual of my mother who was now exceptionally sunburned for she could not get out of the water long enough to reapply her sunscreen. We decided there would be no more stationary boats for mom. 

We came back and told Carolyn who was torn between laughter and pity. The day then carried on as usual and we had a lovely sky that evening.

Touristy Crap

Our morning routine consisted of Carolyn getting up first, making coffee, and then the rest of us staggering in over time.  Ellen was usually up last. She spent much time in bed.  Usually we would be up and dressed and out by 11 or 11:30. The first morning, before we got dressed, Mom began reading the guest registry book where people write about their stays.  One couple wrote an extensive entry about how he proposed to her during their trip. Well, as y'all can imagine, we had great fun changing around the details to create a story involving banana taffy and an eye-patch.

Most days Mom, Carolyn, and Kim went into town to do their shopping. If I opted out of shopping, it was to lounge around the pool with Ellen. The tourist area looked like this and consisted mostly of jewelry shops.

Once the days activites ended and the gals returned, we would all lounge around on the deck talking and laughing of course.

 

One of the first few nights, Jared's family took us out for pizza at a neat open air, porch kind of restaurant that over-looked a marina. Otherwise, our nights consisted of talk of Johnny Depp and Clive Owen as well as bags of popcorn and fruity drinks.  Ellen and I went out with Jared and his brother at night and met various island locals.

Where to Begin

I'm glad to see you two made it back alright and I presume you had a lovely time.  As for our little hoo-rah, I shall start from the very beginning.

I was abruptly awoken at 4am by Mom, who simply opened my door and said, "Get up." Somehow, I found this offensive, but nevertheless, we were preparing for an adventure!  As I cheerfully zipped up my suitcase Ellen stormed in, angry at me because she didn't like the outfit she had picked out to wear to the airport. I did not see how this was my problem and became irritated at the less than chipper attitudes of my traveling companions.  Ellen searched my closet for an alternative ensemble while Mom scurried up and down the stairs frantically and Dad remained in bed.
As we hurled our luggage into the car, Mom scolded me for waiting last minute to find my headphones and Ellen continued sulking about her clothes. Once en route to Carolyn's, I took it upon myself to let those two know that they had greatly offended me and I felt none of it was necessary.  After all, it was a trip we were headed for and Mom is never crabby.  Once Carolyn joined us our moods lifted and the ride to the Myrtle Beach airport wasn't so bad.
After two flights, expensive magazines, and overpriced airport sandwiches, we arrived in St. Thomas! The open airport was humid but brimming with excited newcomers and red, peeling departing tourists. We were greeted by an island girl holding a tray of rum shots to which Ellen took to immediately. We met up with Kim in baggage claim and then waited for our rental car. We waited and waited. After 2 and half hours and once all the people had cleared out (including some employees), there we stood with 3 other people, still waiting. After receiving much sass from the Hertz woman we got our car and followed Ray, our rental homeowner, to our tropical residence.

 

Though it was rainy, the Villa Margarita caused much giggling and excitment from the four of us. Especially during our "tour" given by Ray and his wife who kindly greeted us with fruity drinks upon our arrival. Ray was very thorough in his tour, opening each and every cabinet door and drawer and even pointing out light switches. We get it already!!

 

The house sat on a cliff on the Atlantic side of the island with views of St. John and Tortola as well as Hans Lolik, which Carolyn referred to as Hans Solo. Though the pool was level with the driveway, the house itself could only be reached by descending a number of wooden stairs that were crawling with big and small lizards.

 

Once we settled in, Carolyn and Kim made the treacherous trek to the Cost U-Less, the nearest grocery store, to grab a few things.  It got dark quickly and because of the windy roads, switchback curves, and left-side driving, Mom became very panicked that they would not find their way home in the dark. She waited nervously, wishing they had not gone, especially after we noticed they left their map in the house.  Mom also feared they would be angry upon their return for having had so much trouble finding our hidden villa.  Shortly though, they turned up with big smiles and arms full of groceries.  They had no trouble finding the house and were giggling incessantly at their own silliness.  We thawed some frozen pizzas and after a quick visit from Jared, we all went straight to sleep.