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.