I promise one of these days I will get better at maintaining this blog. ok, here goes. The day after the last blog we had a party at Billy and Dari's Cat House, lots of fun and lots of people as folks were coming in for the Wahoo Tournament the next week. I volunteered to help Dari serve food for the 4 days, not knowing what i was getting myself into.

Over the weekend Chris and I had to move out of our yellow villa and into Jerry and donna's house due to the Two Cats pilots in for the tournament. They always stay here for every tourny and have been for years. So, it was a task to pack up all our personal items and move our food and clothes across the yard for a week. (Jerrys house has spiral stairs that are not easy to navigate, esp with a suitcase) Sunday was the Captain's meeting for the tourny and I went over with Jerry and Roy & Lucille to help serve apps, Jerry was cooking hooter's chicken wings and I was working the floor in Sharkey's trying to balance a tray of chicken wings and a roll of paper towels. Met a lof of great people and got to see some amazing huge boats/semi yachts.

Monday night was more of the same, serving chicken wings and getting free beers. It also happened to be Billy's birthday and there was lots of cheers and toasts going on. Some how at the end of the night, I got invited to go out fishing the next day. I agreed knowing how bad the weather was. Heavy winds from the south and the swells had been in the 15' range that day. I had to be at the dock ready to go at 730am. Not to bad but the drive to Hawk's Nest takes about 30-40 minutes. Got there, took my seasick pill and was ready to go. sidenote- there was a bet going on that one, I would not show up at the dock and two, that I get violently seasick and woudl not make it all day. I have not gotten the winnings from this bet yet as I was early to the dock, and have NEVER been seasick while on a boat. The rumors on this island are enough to remind me of high school. Anyblab, we had 20' swells that day, our 1st mate was green most of the morning and it was wet. Everyone had on rain gear. We did not catch any wahoo that day, only a few baraccuda's. We did consume a lot of beer as the Cow Hunter and IceMan had a side calcutta going for most beer consumed during the tourny. We made it back early and I bounced out for home exhausted and a bit tipsy due to not eating any lunch, prolly wouldn't have kept it down anyway. A quick shower and I was in bed before 6pm and slept all night.

Wed was the awards night and the big party. Chris went with us this time as he had stayed at home watching cable tv. We, Roy, Lucille, Chris and I got recruited to work in the kitchen that night. Roy and Chris cracked 50' pds of stone crab, while I had to help Dari slice all the beef. OK those who know me know I DO NOT eat beef....so to have to watch slab after slab being sliced and me having to pick it up with tongs certified me for life against beef. WE had a great time that night, I got in the line to serve the stone crab and got to chat with a lof of people. After things wraped up there we went across the Marina to Skye's house boat and chatted with him and borrowed some movies.

We spent several days watching HGTV to our hearts content. Love that show, how we have missed cable tv. Started moving ourselves back to the yellow villa as the pilots left a day early. Friday we had some of our surveyors come back from TX. Jerry came back from Fl that day and Roy & Lucille came over for apps and drinks. Jerry was exhausted from the Hard Rock casino in FL and bailed so we moved the party to Roy & Lucille's house for the dinner she had cooked earlier, meatloaf, ceasar salad and mashed potatoes. Their house is amazing and the view they have is the same as the Greenwood resort on the east side of the island.

Suday we had dinner over at Peggy and Jr's house and invited the guys from TX. Lots of food and some fun as 2 of the guys from TX had not been to the island before and got a real dose of 'local' lifestyle while hanging at Peggy and Jr's.

The next day had us getting ready for the business partners coming in for a few days. Between working on getting the roads cleared we had to get the trucks clean and to the airport. Lots of walking and it was hot that week. Things are always craz and hectic when the partners come to the island. lots of people split up into different parts of the property, its hard to keep up with everyone. The trip was good, one of the golf course designers was out and they walked the whole thing in one afternoon.

They decided to leave a day early so we had to cram a lot of things into the last afternoon. Chris and I had found a set of apartments/townhouse in Old Bight that was for rent. It's a brand new unit never been lived in, two 2 bed units and a 1 bed on the end. They are very nice and have have new furniture, however that's all they have. So I now have to get a list of items together for a guy in FL to purchase for our unit and the other 2. THis is quite the task as there are no linens or kitchen supplies. We are ordering a washer/dryer, stand up deep freeze, ice maker and microwaves this week and the rest sometime next week. Fingers crossed that all the items get purchased and onto the boat before we move in April 1st.

This past weekend we had to make a mad dash to Nassau for building materials. We need to bild a generator house that's 12x12. There are no supplies on Cat to do this so we have to go buy them and get them on the boat. We were thinking we would fly out monday and come back tues. Well that didn't happen. our first day to sleep in in over 2 weeks and we get a knock on the door at 830am. Jr tells us that Bam, who flies his own plane that we used to go home for xmas, was booked doing charters and that we had to fly out that morning at 11am. So much for sleep. So we rush around shower pack a small bag and take off for the airport. As most know we don't live with cell service so we have to go several miles for the phone to turn on. AS we are doing 60 mph to the airport I check the vm and a girl we know at the counter is telling us we need to be there NOW! Of course the airport is crazy with locals trying to get to Nassau as well, we made it with only 10 mins to spare as the plane was actually leaving at 1030 and not 11.

Nassau is always the same lots of traffic, pollution and craziness. We ran around most of the day. Ate Chinese food that was actually pretty decent. went to the MALL, yes Nassau has not one but 2 malls. Different experience as the stores cater to the well locals. Several trips to many different places for wood, and doors, cement blocks etc. We stayed at Peggy's moms house in the Carmichael neighborhood. Now that was an experience very different living conditions from what we are accustomed to being in. Sunday we were pretty much stuck at the house all day long with nothing to do. Chris watched some tv and I read a book, we were going stir crazy and very bored. We did go out later that night and met Peggy's sisters and all their kids, who are super cute. We went down to Arawak Cay around 930 ish and watched a bit of the Grammy's while at a bar. Different feeling to be the white kids walking through the dense crowd, which Jr bareled right through with us in tow, Peggy and I had our arms pulled on the whole walk, with guys wanting our attention. We left the Cay and did some more driving, at this point i am drived out and really wanting to not be riding in the back seat anymore. Made it back home and in bed around 1am.

We had the pleasant 7am!!! wake up door knock the next morning. Ungh, we had to box up all the food we bought the day before and get it ready for the mail boat. We did indulge, if you can call it that, in a McDonald's breakfast and a mid day snack from Wendy's....sometimes I do miss fast food and the frosty was delicious. More driving around from 730 to 1230 riding 5 deep in the truck. At this point I have about had it, I am cramped in the middle, its hot, my legs and feet are asleep and I have not had deodorant on for 2 days due to packing in a rush and a fear of it being to oversize for a carry on, more than 2oz. and I forgot to mention we were sleeping on the WORST bed ever!!! AND it had the original plastic bag still on IT!!! noting like sweating in your sleep and hearing that plastic rustle every time you move. Oh and in the middle of the night Sat, Chris was having a dream, we were alseep facing each other all of a sudden he sucker punches me in the FACE!!! He woke up after and was very sorry but DAMN that hurt and at close range. my face is fine my cheek hurt for a while but no marks, believe me he is still paying for that and I will remind him for several days. He says in the dream that a guy was grabbing his arm and he just swung his other, thanks dude.

Made it back to Cat, thank god, around 3ish. Came home, showered!!! yay deodorant I love you, and hung out at home watching movies. Funny how actually doing so little, riding around in a truck, can make you so tired. So for now it's back to work prolly 6 or 7 days aweek. We have a list of things that need to be completed before the ground breaking ceremony on April 23rd, that is if the date sticks. They have changed it several times already. But in 11 days Bruce and Joan will be here for a week!!! Excited to see them and to take a day or two off.

The rest of the month however short it is willbe spent working and building the generator house and several other items. We start grading 1st ave this week, which will take many days and weeks to get asphalt ready. and of course we have the parties!!! Billy and Dari come back the 1st, the 8th is Donna's bday and surprise party and the day Bruce and Joan get here and the bday of JJ, Jr's little boy.

More to come later as we enjoy our last month here at Flamingo Bay and start getting ready to move into a 2 bed apt. I dread moving but having more space will be nice altho no beach or pool....I do have a standing invite to crash Jerry's pool any time.

Gotta run next door for cocktails and apps. Hope all are well.
~K&C

In the few weeks since my last post, we have been working on our Bahamian culinary skills. We talked with one of the cooks from Greenwood, Sheila, and she told us how to make the local dish peas and rice. Not that complicated at all and pretty darn tasty. We have made several pots of this stuff since. We also used the pigeon peas with coconut milk, so good. Poor Chris has been working with chicken, which most of you know that I dont' touch esp if it's on the bone. We got some wings the other day and he spent 2 hours cutting fat and stuff out....while I stay far away from the kitchen. Our diet has been better since returning to the island, more veggies and such.

Party season has arrived for February. We had a birthday party last friday at the Rainbow House in Greenwood Estates. Quite the party as the bday lady's nephew had just proposed to his girlfriend the day before out on a sailboat. Lots of stories and even some music, David played his guitar and a German visitor from Greenwood Resort had brought his harmonicas. Some times it's tough to remember all the names of the people we meet, and there were a lot that night, mostly those here on vacation.

Superbowl Sunday was quite. We hung at home for most the day. The weather has been crummy and chilly, requiring a hoody and as the locals say 'long pants', lol. They are pants people! We made the trek over to Hawk's Nest for the game, they were serving pizza!!! Good crowd, mostly those from the Marina that are coming in for the Wahoo tournament next week. Cardinals fans were in abundance. We got lucky and only last the satellite feed twice and for only short bursts. Was rooting for the Cards but we all know how that turned out.

The week has been quite for the most part. Work has been dirty, the winds have been blowing so hard that the dirt out there just swirls around in the cuts. Kinda like Lubbock....fast forward to Wed. I had been invited at the birthday party to attend the ladies lunch on Wed. Now I have heard stories and seen pics of these events, Red Hat lunches, and I also know that Donna (Flamingo Bay owner) has told me on many occasions that she is the youngest one there. OK, she got a real kick out of me going to the lunch and gave me some tips for surviving. I was the youngest by about 20 years. There were 23 ladies from all over the island. Need to point out these are all ex-pats, not locals. And the cream of the top in ex-pats, lots of talk about private planes and the new boats they are looking into. I was kinda out of place.

Let me restart this adventure, Gilli is a German woman how has lived on the island for 30+ years, she is 89! and still driving, although she should not. She called up tues and asked me if I wanted her to pick me up on Wed. I had already made plans with another woman down the beach from us, but Gilli insisted and said that she was also picking up last week's bday girl. Basically I got swindled into her driving me. Jerry thought he could fix it the next morning but to no avail, at 1115, Gilli and 2 others pull into the drive. This is where I actualy start to pray. She drives a stick but is unable to really shift gears. She also drives like a bat out of hell. She is known on the island to run people off the road and all know to stay clear of her truck. Between the round-a-bout and Old Bight, which is a straight shot, we hit 100 mph!!!! I was holding on for life and of course there are no seat belts in the back.

Lunch was fine, the girls at the Pilot Harbor were overwhelmed with the crowd. The poor girl behind the bar looked like she was about to cry. They didn't have half of the mixers they should and no diet coke, which is a sin with all these older ladies. The food was good and I sat with 2 ladies I have known for a while. They discussed their kids (who are older than me) and their grandkids. See I told ya I was a bit out of place. I did get a few inquires to the project and how things were going out there. Most are still in disbelief that it will actually happen, hello we are here and working folks. The trip home was about the same but this time we stopped for ice cream. We were only 200' from our house around the hill and I am thinking I should just walk home as Gilli has come out with an ice cream cone....how do you drive stick with a cone. Thankfully she passed it to another. Home safe and sound.

There is a party on Friday at Billy and Dari's, which is always tons of fun....and several more the next week for the tournament. I have offered to help cook on mon and wed if Dari needs the help as she is taking charge of the dinners since Hawks Nest is short on staff. Should be many more stories to come next week.