a sneak peek

Got home late last night & am doing laundry and cleaning! But I've uploaded most of my photos--here's a sunset from our 1st night-1/19

Many more to come!

Food, glorious food!

I usually forget to take photos of the food before it's consumed--will try better this year! At the loncherias --enchiladas suiza and delicious pancakes and bacon...

Flowers at Maria del Mar

Everytime I walk by these I think they are so pretty!

Early morning on the malecon

Enjoy!PS We are having a great time--meeting lots of new people and seeing many old friends! I met Isla Gringo yesterday & had a nice conservsation with him. The bash went very well --a record fish & a great crowd

Barracuda Bash Party

After the second day of fishing there is a party held in the back courtyard of the Vistalmar. All the people that fished plus many others come & have a ball. Many of the Isla boat captains & 1st mates and their families also come. Lots of good food & fun!

This is last year's winner --Rick from Massachusettts--with his trophy--can't imagine having to carry it home. One year Alan came in 2nd--not so bad--the trophy was much smaller! The very happy smiling guy is Treasureman!

Nautibeach pool...aahhhh!

Hope to be spending some time a few mornings at this pool or the beach nearby. We have friends staying there & while the guys are out fishing we usually go to the pool & catch up!

Gaby

We sponsor a student on Isla, Gaby. We have been her co-sponsor for over 1 1/2 years--JoAnne in CT & Tim took over in Sept.08 when her original other sponsor had to drop out of the program. This is a photo of us with her & her little sister & Mom --all out for breakfast last year.

We are hoping to meet up with her a few times during our vacation. Today we are going to LGES to see Maggie and hopefully, Gaby. Over time we have developed a nice friendship with her and her family--it makes our visit to Isla just that much more special. She is an excellent student & we are happy to be able to help her in fulfilling her dreams.

Last minute packing

I think we are all packed except the last minute stuff. We are going to the airport tomorrow afternoon--they are predicting 1-3 inches of snow tomorrow & more on Monday--we have a 6 :30 am flight--pray that we take off! I will be out Tues morning early to get more photos like these--taken in Jan. '08 on Playa Norte

I think I will do a few posts & schedule them--that way I can go in & edit while on Isla if I want!

PS--Sun--They seem to have downgraded the storm--talking snow showers for Mon. Hope that's right!

another favorite Isla photo

This one of those right place, right time photos. I was on the beach at NaBalam and happened to see this little boy playing inthe sand. He and his family were staying at NB, too. I know it looks like he is slepping but if you look close, you'll see metal tongs in his hand that he was using to dig.

Another shot of him.

Interesting sign

Found this in my aunt's slides --it's a store sign from Port Antonio, Jamaica taken in May 1958.
Thought it was an interesting sign, I don't remember bras looking quite like this--kinda reminds me of Madonna!

Rescuing kittens

While looking through some stuff I came across this photo of one of our Kitties with something that the rescue organization we got him from had written. I thought I'd share with you...." James and John , our Easter kitties, were found in a garage when a week old. Their mother was part of a feral colony of 13 cats we were trapping and spaying and then releasing as they were being fed in this location. We felt the kittens had a better chance with a human mom, as one of the litter had died in the cold garage and we didn't want the remaining 2 to grow up wild. Here's to bottles and brothers and mothers of all kinds---to love that saw these boys grow daily and be adopted together forever."
Below is a picture of the same cat, Tuck-- now age 14--his brother , Zach passed away a couple of years ago.

Traveling in style

A few years ago I inherited boxes of slides from my Aunt Kay. I brought them home & looked through many of the boxes, but a few days ago I found one metal slide box that I'd never looked at! This is a photo of my Aunt at Idlewild Airport ( now JFK ) in May, 1958. Very elegantly dressed for travel--she's on her way to the Caribbean with some of her friends--can you imagine dressing up like this to travel now?

Boston

I grew up just outside of Boston, so we went in to the city most every week. When I was in elementary school we used to go in every Sat. to Haymarket Square to buy meat & produce at the open air market & butcher shops--lots of great pushcarts with quite a variety of wares. I took these 2 photos a few years ago on a day trip with a few of my friends. We walked over to Copley Square & I saw these buildings reflected in the John Hancock building.

Our resident squirrels

Another day, another ice storm.....I just got off the phone with owner of the store I work in. Told him I wasn't coming in today. We are in a lull right now, but expect more icing throughout the morning. Guess I can start packing! We have a few squirrels that live in a tree right behind the house. This is a red squirrel; right outside one of the holes in the tree where he lives ( the hole is right by his head)

Another grey squirrel eating the stuff on the ground at the bird feeder.

A few more favorite shots

I have bloggers block, so I thought I'd fall back on the old reliable--pictures of Isla. In the past few days I've rec'd emails from a few of our friends that go at the same time that we do--Are you going, when do you arrive? It's less than 2 weeks & I really haven't stated to get ready...I keep saying ...on my next day off! Well, that's today so we'll see......

Expecting another ice storm tonight so I probably won't be able to go to work tomorrow & that will give me more time!I took this the 1st trip to Isla, still remains one of my favorites!

Seso Loco's

I just found an updated feature of Picasa--new collage styles. This is a few photos taken during carnival last January on a night out at Seso Loco's with a group of our friends. A good time was had by all.

Barracuda Bash --few old photos

One boat's catch. Can usually tell what year the photos are from by the tshirts--at least on the 1st day. These are from 2004.

Alan and Xool and Alan Beck ( he's hidden behind my husband). This was the winning boat in 2004--had 1st & 2nd place on the same boat. It was my husbands 1st year fishing this tournament & he came in 2nd--hasn't placed since!

Sally & Rosie on the 2nd floor of the Vistalmar with the sign

Lake Superior State University 2009 List of Banished Words

I saw a blurb on the news last night about this list.

http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php

I know that there are lists for everything; of course this list just makes people use or talk about these words more! Most will be in fashion for awhile & then fade into the woodwork!