My Wife the Easy Mark

Our place is just up the road from a private Montessori School.  Like all schools, they have fundraisers.  This is Monique selling magazines to raise funds.

My wife is the ultimate easy mark... She will never turn a child down.  We have $20 bags of popcorn and more magazines than we can read.

Not sure what she sold, but Monique was content with the sale.  I have a feeling Better Homes and Garden is on it's way here.

We Watched the Regatta

The 37th Annual Rolex Regatta was held in our back yard.  The building right next to where we live is the home of the St Thomas Yacht Club, the hosts for the race...

Don't know much about yacht racing... they line up...

Try to get better wind...

We did our best to cheer on the winners.   Even brought a picnic lunch down so we wouldn't miss anything...

Couldn't tell you who won, but we enjoyed it...once

And on the other side of our point - NEW SNORKELING

I have shown you the easy to find beach, just out our door... But behind us, just as close, but a little hidden is more of a private area... Rocky, no sand...  But private and great snorkeling... My Neighborhood...

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood, 

A beautiful day for a neighbor, 

Would you be mine? 

Could you be mine? 

It's a neighborly day in this beautywood, 

A neighborly day for a beauty, 

Would you be mine? 

Could you be mine? 

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you, 

I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

So let's make the most of this beautiful day, 

Since we're together, we might as well say, 

Would you be mine? 

Could you be mine? 

Won't you be my neighbor? 

Won't you please, 

Won't you please, 

Please won't you be my neighbor? 

Hi fishy neighbors, I'm glad we're together again.... 

the Views from our Point

We live on a bay.  It is very pretty and nice to be right on the water.

But, we also live on a point that extends a mile or so into the Caribbean Sea... If you walk the point, it is a lot of uphill, but you get a great view of our bay...

And a great view if you reach the end of the point... The island with all the houses on it is St John.

Any Improvement???

Before

During

After

The Beach at the Ritz Carlton

The beaches on St Thomas are all public.  They do politely ask that you not use the deck chairs they provide, but anyone is welcome to toss a towel down and be a part of the good life...

Lots of big kid beach toys for their guests...

But really, this looks like work...

Ahhh... His and hers massage tables in a private beach house... That sounds like a vacation.

Oh, they do have a pool, and a convenient ice water with lemons station (shhh... I get a drink from there whenever I walk by).

And a convenient beach side bar is a great place to enjoy a Mojito and watch the world wind surf by...

This time I Spotted TWO

A very rare sight on St Thomas is the deer.  Even more rare is to spot two together.

Just doesn't seem like these guys should be on a tropical island.  originally brought to the island for hunting.  They even were hunted by pirates for some of the first BBQ parties.  In very small packs, the decedents of the first batch brought in the 1700's are still here for the hunting.

But this guy fits right in.

Flowers Everywhere

Tropical flowers are around every corner...

Every color you can imagine...

Even the same type of flower in different vibrant colors...

PACKAGES FROM HOME ARRIVED !!!

I got one... Jackie got one...

The contents of one box...
Big jar of yeast and 25 (yes, twenty-five) CUPS of spices.

The contents of the other box...
High heel shoes, scarves, curlers and toiletry items.

Only $11 for a flat rate box... Much as you can fit in a box.  It only sounds like a foreign country, the US Virgin Islands are indeed United States territories, complete with the wonderfully efficient US Postal Service.

The Ritz Carlton IGUANAS

Our condo almost shares a beach with the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Time Share property.  We walk through there often.  Plenty of photo opps, so you will see their property again...

But this gy is unusual.  he obviously has been feed by guests often.  Instead of running from people (like every other iguana I have met, he walks right up and waits for lunch...

He is about 4 feet long... among the biggest I have seen

Here's his beach roaming counterpart... equally unafraid of humans...

But the scary ones are the ones that just blend into the rocks and surprise you.

Pistarckle Theater - Professional Theater in St Thomas

Pistarckle Theater (name derived from the Dutch Creole: spektakel = noise confusion) is the only professional theater on St. Thomas.  By stateside standards, it is generous to call the building and facilities a professional theater.  Seating is first come, choice of seats, they are in desperate need of additional stage lighting, stage draping and an upgrade on the look of the interior.  Sets are minimalist.

But, what they lack on facilities, they make up for in quality of production and an ambitious schedule.

Last night, Jackie and I saw a wonderful production of OTHER PEOPLE's MONEY.  The play was written 20 years ago, but the concepts are fresh from today's headlines.  It is especially frightening when the villain of the piece declares that Wall Street will always find a way to adapt to the laws of the land.


The Pistarckle performs 10 productions a year, each running only 7 productions.  It is a labor of love that the Island should be proud of.  Once a level of disbelief took your mind out of the distracting facility, it was as fine a night at the theater as I have ever had!

My favorite Fish

He is always easy to find, about 2 foot long, muted pastel colors, easily among the prettiest fishies in our bay.

Face looks painted on.

Oh, and just as I was finishing up his photo shoot, a school of these guys swam by.

Just a typical day snorkeling out my back yard.

Our Condo Reveal - With Guest Room

It's built into the lease that we have a cleaning woman come in twice a month.  yesterday was the first time, and since the place shined so well, thought I would take the chance to show off the place...

Living area... Couch, Love seat and chair with ottoman.

Dining room table 4 chairs

Entertainment center... complete with lending library (newest book was 10 years old), a few DVD's and VHS tapes.  I think people just left em).  We do have cable TV, so I get my fix of Morning Joe  while I do my post).

Master bedroom (looks a little like Marcia Brady decorated)

Master bath with Ralph Lauren towels.

Guest room (plenty of room for you)

You even will have your own bathroom

But when you visit, I get the room with the stuffed iguanas on the wall.

It's not home, but it certainly is better than a hotel for 6 months.

And plenty of room for company