Such is Life in the Tropics

Life is Good.....

2012-01-25T12:36:00.003-04:00

Here I am, again, on the way to Curaçao. This is the trip I wasn't sure I could take, wasn't sure I wanted to take. This is the trip I am taking and will enjoy! What has happened to change my mind, you are wondering...because changed my mind I have! There are several reasons, I think, but only ONE that counts.

In the last couple of months two of my friends have lost their husbands, I knew them well and liked them very much. Their wives are just struggling to make sense of being alone and starting over. For what they tell me, it's not easy; they remind me that I should be grateful for what I have, enjoy what life offers me. They point out that things can change in a second, situations present themselves that we cannot control. It is not as if I didn't know this...I just have been too busy seeing the small things, the things that bother me and make my life complicated. Instead, they tell me, I should open my eyes to the bigger picture. To what I have that is so precious and I should take care of. Frankie bought the ticket, and rented a car. Then he got me ask a friend if I could stay with her. He is always there, trying hard to help, he is one wonderful reason to see the bigger picture!

So today, I am getting the house in order, packing and getting ready for this trip. Never mind that the realtor is coming again with a stream of potential buyers for this apartment. If she sells it, I might have to go through the packing again, looking for a place we would like, unpack once we get there, hoping it will be in the area of the city we so enjoy. So stressful, isn't it? Well, they tell me that is only in my mind. I should see the good side of this, try really hard, so I am. I am focusing on fact that I had a wonderful time in this place, the views are amazing, the building is beautiful and it is safe on the island. My family has loved it when they visited. What else can I ask for, as my friends would tell me. So...life is good!

Comments and Other Strange Things

2012-01-18T13:30:00.003-04:00

I have been writing this blog, on and off, for a few years. It was an idea after I published my book....more like a recommendation from the publishers. It gave me an outlet for my nostalgia, my missing the island where I had lived for so long, the people, the beach, the sunsets. It was also a way to put my work out there, so I went for it.

After a few months, I was hooked...in a small way I now know, since I needed to be constant, right? No use having a blog if you don't keep up and you abandon it for weeks at a time. I digress, as I have been known to do, but you get the point. Still, I kept hoping people would flock to my blog, make it a huge success and my book would sell in the thousands ...or hundreds? Never mind that, it was necessary to keep up, make it interesting and attract people with similar interests or that wanted to see themselves in the places I wrote about....I do not think I got the memo on that. I just plowed along and things just moved very slowly.

In the last few months, though, there has been a tiny ray of interest! I have some followers and people are leaving comments. Some by dear friends that read this blog regularly, some by people that genuinely have some interest in what I write or have bought my book. Then there is a group of comments that are just in a category by themselves: the advertising kind and the ridiculous kind. Those you expect, I have been told. Now I have learned of a new kind: the religious zealots.

On my last post, someone anonymously posted a really strange comment about television programs, the Bible and other things. It really blew my mind. How do these people find blogs like mine? or do they just go down the list of all blogs on the internet? A daunting task, if I ever heard of one! I firmly believe in Freedom of Expression, after all, I am exercising mine! Now, what I do not understand is using this freedom, to put out hate there or to judge people.

So in the interest of my sanity and my (few) followers and readers I exercised another right. The right we have all learned from out dealing with social media, especially Facebook: delete, ignore, remove and unsubscribe. Felt great!!!

Things close to our hearts....

2012-01-16T23:04:00.003-04:00

Just something short.....when I was in Curaçcao, went to see Marja. She is battling a very aggressive type of breast cancer. I have wanted to see her since I was there in March; somehow I missed her at that time, haven't been back. So I was not going to miss her this time.

Found her at her home, looking thin, short salt-and-pepper hair, cheerful as always, positive as I have never seen her, ready to talk about what is coming and not a tear in sight! I am so proud to be her friend. Marja has always have this sunny disposition. She can see the good in everyone and everything, she is never judgmental, never critical, never hurtful. She is generally happy and cheerful, ready to make your day brighter with her attitude. You just can't help loving Marja!

She'll be 70 on the 27th and s celebrating, as she has celebrated other birthday: 40, 50, 60.....This time her daughter is giving a cocktail party at her home on the Friday night. I am expecting to get my passport in time to fly back. This is a celebration I would not want to miss.

New Year......

2012-01-16T00:46:00.004-04:00

Cannot believe I have been away for a month and change! Oh, well, it's the way it works. The Holidays came and went. Camille and Tim came to spend time with us, it was wonderful! Then I was surprised with a trip to Curaçao...YES, Frankie and I spent a week on the island. Batteries charged and head clear. Needed that, and I got to spend more time with Camille.

Christmas was hectic, but great. Time to see family and sharing time with my children. Everyone came to the house for Christmas Day dinner: my sisters, my niece and nephew, significant others. After Christmas Eve with around 80 relatives on Frankie's side, my small family group was blissful! Good company, good times, gift exchange, fabulous view from our balcony, pictures and fun, couldn't have asked for anything better. Perfect!

On Boxing Day (to celebrate the Brit part of the group), a trip to the Upper Keys...not a great success because we didn't get to the beach, but definitely a good time with our children, Tim and Veronica.....By the way, if you need a good relaxing day, just head down and stop somewhere for good food and drinks, watch the sunset and head back. You do not have to make it to Key West!!! I will do that this year, though.

The days were warm and lazy, most of them spent by the pool, drinks and dinner with friends, Camille's birthday and more drinks. It was just right. Then, early flight to the island and the beach! Of course, welcoming the New Year at Tony and Valerie's, it was just like old times. The fireworks, the smoke and the noise, all welcoming the New Year, felt familiar and comfortable. The beach was relaxing and cleansing, need to get back more often. Saw almost everyone. Loved it.

A beach wedding at sunset, with superb dinner and dancing was an added bonus. Totally enjoyed the ceremony in the late afternoon, under white umbrellas and straw hats! Too soon we headed back and got into the routine of Miami. Hoping this year will bring Health, Wealth and Happiness in huge quantities. Started too good to be otherwise. So to all of you, hang in there.....ignore the ghastly Mayan predictions and concentrate on all the good things you want for this year. Just picture them, and they will come true!!! HAPPY 2012!!!!

Holidays, Friends, Memories.....

2011-12-09T11:06:00.003-04:00

It's that time of the year again. I love it, but it brings so many memories. I do not know if to absolutely let go and enjoy every minute or just reminisce. Those can be inclusive, I do know, but somehow they are not in my mind. What to do!

My family loves Christmas and I have made it very special throughout the years. I keep traditions, I cook, I wrap presents, I decorate...I am exhausted, but everyone enjoys. I think I do too, but memories get in the way. Is this necessary? and shouldn't memories be good? No clue. For me, they can be sad, they can bring tear to my eyes, they can be beautiful. All at the same time, which I want to believe is absolutely normal. Do I want to be normal?

I tend to dwell on my past lives...oh well. Friends and the celebrations we share. The fact that some are not longer with us or are not well and will probably not make it to the next Christmas. Photos come to me of all that I am missing at this point. I get an attack of what some call: FOMO. Fear of Missing Out, missing the reunions with old friends, being there for the ones that are ill, not sharing their joys. Simple joys like a bridge morning in a lovely shady garden, lunch with others to exchange our news......just missing.

Memories...It's been 9 years since we had our big farewell celebration in Curaçao. We were in the middle of moving, but we stopped long enough to make everything just the same as always, keeping to our traditions and our celebrations. It was bitter sweet, but we had a wonderful time. Five years ago, we went back, but of course, the Holidays were not as before. Still we had such a great time! Should repeat soon....

Back to this year, Camille is coming home and bringing her boyfriend Tim. We are all so looking forward to that. It will be wonderful! Since moving to London 8 years ago, she cannot always make it at this time of the year. We travel there: London is fabulous during the Holidays. We meet someplace: a Christmas cruise is so much fun... but all this means we have not had a real celebration the way we used. Is that important? I am sure it is not, right? So this year, we are just going to enjoy every minute we spend together and continue to make new traditions! Memories will probably make us pause, friends will be missed, but we will be together and that is all that matters!

Are older women not interesting.....really?

2011-11-14T13:04:00.002-04:00

Back to my ranting ways. Have been reading a lot lately about the lives and doings of older women. Since I totally qualify for this one, I am enjoying myself...most of the time. Unfortunately, there is a very mistaken notion out there that we are not interesting, somehow our days are over. A man's opinion, I am sure! Who else could be so wrong?

Let's put it this way....we have arrived to a stage in life when we know ourselves well enough not to be afraid of being who we are....sounds like the lyrics of a sing, right? Well, they could be. Women of a certain age are awesome. No kidding here, we have wit, insight and flair. We know what we want and how to get it and we are not interested in appearing to be what we are not. From writers to bloggers, from professional to volunteers, from artists to housewives, from outgoing to shy, this is a group that is growing and demanding respect.

That is why, I cannot stay quiet. Too much attention is lavished on the young things that make the covers of magazines, star in reality shows and have nothing to contribute....but gossip! The fact that men are mostly in charge of these endeavours tells a story. Men have no idea, really, of what is going on. We have the financial power, we have more money to spend than the popular 18 to 35 demographic group. Surprised? You shouldn't be. We can spend more freely and do. We go on vacations, we go to concerts and the theater, we entertain and spend more when we go out to dinner, lunch or drinks, than that popular group. Men have not caught up with this fact. Yet, they assume (dangerous word) we are not interesting.

So for the fabulous women in this age group: let's write more about ourselves. Let's do more for each other and let's demand the respect we have earned and deserve! Let's display attitude, the right kind, of course.

It's that time again: clean out, shred, donate

2011-11-01T14:11:00.004-04:00

It's almost the end of 2011. It's the time to get rid of stuff, donate, make room....probably for more stuff, right? Well, not so quick this time. I am seriously thinking: retirement. Moving on, starting afresh, getting to live a laid-back lifestyle. I am even surprising myself. Done this several times just to find, a few years down the road, that I have collected just as much as I gave away. Not this time, this time I have to move my stuff to another country. It feels great!!!

It started with the idea that the apartment we are living in is for sale. Yes, we are two of the very few people who didn't buy a place in Miami. So far, we have not regretted it. Still, the owners want to sell; they live in Europe, things there are not as great either, they never come this way, the investment has lost it's attraction. All valid reasons, so the place went on the market. If it is sold to another investor, a long shot, there will be no problem... we'll stay another year; if not, we have to leave by March 1st.

As soon as I heard, I started my campaign. Going through closets and drawers, boxes in our storage space and in our spare bedroom/office. Oh, my...the things I have found, the things I have discovered I can live without! Can't deny that I have found things I would have kept a few years back, but not now. Things I didn't even remember I had that brought a tear to my eye or a mile to my face or a why did I keep this? comment; but those were just a few drawbacks, mostly, I enjoyed seeing them again and felt no guilt in putting them aside to be given away.

Found letters, Christmas notes from friends that were a joy to reread. Old club newsletters that made me smile and brought happy memories. Even plane tickets (yes, those pieces of paper we needed to board a plane) that made me wonder where did all those travel agents go? are they still in business? maybe in small towns or small countries, haven't seen one in years in the States. Wedding invitations, thank you notes (do people still write them, or am I the only one?) and birth announcements. This was just the paper part, the one that could be shredded. Bags and bags of paper, the people in my building most think I work for some intelligence agency...!

I found knick-knacks (another old-fashioned term) that I had bought on a whim. Collections of everything from small English cottages, to tea strainers to silver miniatures were looked at with a clinical eye and are now much diminished. Since I only kept the very best, the ones that bring happy memories and the ones that are useful, they are more valuable.

My books took a while since I still love to hold the book and turn the pages, but I did clean up those too. Gave away some and exchanged others for books I want to keep and didn't have already. Worked beautifully. The closets were interesting. Clothes, shoes, handbags, belts...how many things that I have kept for sentimental reasons alone. There was no way I was going to wear most of those things again, never! So everything was looked over and the stuffed bags I gave away were testimony of my resolve. Besides, since these articles we would always need, replacing them with classic and stylish things is something to look forward to.

It's been a liberating, if very exhausting, work. I have my husband involved...sometimes I need a little push. All in all it's progressing nicely. I know my friend Prati will appreciate this latest round of de-cluttering. Downsize your life, Upgrade your living sounds better than ever.

Trips and plans and decisions to make

2011-10-11T23:47:00.003-04:00

Back home! It's becoming a given, back and forth, back and forth. I get a bit tired, but there is no choice. Besides, there are things that are changing. This time Panamá was very interesting. Frankie came along and we had time to meet some friends, got to see places that we might consider, went out to dinner and for drinks. It was fun!

Retiring is not in the cards yet, cannot just pick up and leave, but planning has always been something I enjoy....So, now that I am home...planning is afoot! I plan to work on this move with diligence. Panamá might not be the place, but it is a contender. Much to consider, though: most important is the weather. It seems to disagree with me and health is so important. Then there is the traffic in the city: chaotic is an understatement. It will only get worse with the construction of the metro. When it's finished, it is still not sure that people will take to it.

We would have to consider also the fact that it is not easy to just slip back into old friendships. Making new friends is a possibility, there are enough expats living in the country. People that will have a lot in common with us....or so we hope. As I said, this is a planning stage, investigating and looking into new ideas. This is going to be fun...and we should not forget that Curaçao is not far from my mind....who knows? All can be in the realm of possibilities......

Friends, moves and things....

2011-09-15T00:25:00.003-04:00

Once again, we went out with friends that came to visit from Curaçao. It's becoming infrequent, sort of once in a while. Still, I enjoy it so much, every time. Reminds me of old times, good times. Am I getting old?...not older...just old? I'm sure....

There is so much to miss besides great friends: easy conversation, shared memories, being oneself. We talked about children, vacations, health (ours and other friends'). It is never long enough, the night went by very quickly. There was also the inevitable talk about plans for the future. Even if we don't know exactly where are we going to end up or when are we getting there. We always touch on that, this time was no exception, but it was more serious.

There was, this time, something new: the fact that some of our friends are actually considering leaving Curacao! Never thought that would happen, but it has. Others have decided to live between two places, spending only part of the year on the island. Never thought that would happen either. It makes Frankie and I think better of our move to Miami.

High of the season...

2011-08-29T16:29:00.003-04:00

This is the high of the hurricane season. There is no mistaking this: it is so stormy in Miami. Dark clouds, heavy with rain, downpours, thunder and lightning, winds. You can see it from my balcony, downtown is cover in mist and rain is falling. Cannot see the port of Miami, much less Miami Beach. The waters of the bay are gray and sprinkled with white caps. Nothing and nobody is out there, who would want to! It's eerie, it gives you chills. Miami Summer weather at it's best.....or should I say worst?? who knows.

Irene came and went along the East coast, with much less force than expected...more rain too! There was no mass destruction, buildings collapsing, weathermen been blown away by gusts of wind...some people actually think this was a bad thing. It should have been everything they told us it was going to be. Really? who are these people? and will they heed the message next time? Never the less, there are more than 4 million people without power, flooding is extensive from North Carolina to Vermont. Billions of dollars will be needed to put things right. Where are we getting that money? Natural disasters do not help the economy!

Miami had a mostly nice weekend, have time for a few hours of sunbathing by the pool. Today, a different story: unpredictable. Do not want to be here when moving and getting out of the way of a storm would prove impossible. Let's move somewhere safe, soon!

Irene and other nuisances

2011-08-25T10:33:00.003-04:00

It's still August, I should have known. A few days ago, a system formed off the coast of West Africa. It started moving towards the Caribbean across the Atlantic at a regular pace. Meteorologists started following it with growing interest. Not long after that, it became Tropical Storm Irene. It entered the Caribbean with high winds and big in size, it hit Puerto Rico and moved on the the Northern coast of Hispañola. Haiti was spared and that was a great news. Torrential rains and winds left people without power and caused flooding. The warm waters gave it strength and it became a hurricane. Shades of Andrew....

In Miami, we held our collective breath and started preparing for the worst. It seemed South Florida was in Irene's path...the cone of uncertainty as it is called. Wonderful, I thought, this is just what we need. Projections said it might come on the early hours of Thursday. Someone was watching out for South Florida, or it's someone else's turn, or we are just lucky one more time. Slowly, the monster storm bared right away from the coast.

It is a Category 3 storm (Category 5 is the highest) at the moment and is over the Bahamas. First time since 1866 that all the islands on the chain will be hit. Cannot even fathom what that means, but this storm is not finished. Far from it, it's pointing to the Mid-Atlantic coast from North Carolina to New England. The Northeast has not seen something like this in decades. More than 55 million people will be affected. What? It's mind-boggling.

After the earthquake everyone was shaken. Did I mentioned that? well, there was one on Tuesday. At around 2 p.m. an earthquake measuring 5.8 and centered in Virginia hit the East Coast from Georgia to Canada. Buildings were evacuated, schools closed, national monuments were damaged. Now they have to content with Irene. My grandmother used to say that things come in threes What's next?

The end of Summer, time for another holiday

2011-08-17T16:05:00.003-04:00

It is a couple of weeks to Labor Day, that so American Holiday that marks the end of Summer. In Miami, it has been a long season, dragging along in heat and humidity. The weatherman tells us that it has broken a record set in 1952: 38 days of 90º plus and no relief in sight. Getting out has become an ordeal of sorts. Thunderstorms every afternoon, but thankfully, we have seen no hurricanes in the Atlantic this year........so far. We are already in the letter "H".

When one moves to Miami, this is not what one expects. Beaches, nightlife, celebrities, mild Winters and great shopping are things one expects. This is, after all, a transit place, more touristy than permanent. There are advantages to that, I am sure.

Summer is always a time when I wish I was somewhere else. In recent years, I have been traveling to Panama a lot. Some of those trips are in the Summer, not that is better there. Still, I love the fact that I can get out of any storm that might come this way! August is usually the worst month for hurricanes: Camille, David, Hugo, Andrew, Katrina....to name a few. They have all come in August and left deep scars everywhere. So, yes, I am more than grateful than we have had none so far.

Soon school will start in this part of the country. Children will go back to routines and parents will go back to traffic jams. Everyone will start talking about the end of Summer, as if this is a fact. No, it will still be hot and humid and hurricane season continues until December first. It will not cool off for a while. In my book, that just means the unofficial Summer will be with us.
Definitely need another holiday!

Britain on Edge....

2011-08-10T10:19:00.004-04:00

My daughter Camille lives in London and I have always loved the city. For reasons unknown to anyone, including me, I have this affinity with anything British. Go figure! So the situation there is very important to me. How could this happened? why did this turned so violent and spread so fast? I am flabbergasted, but still cannot find any answers.

Since Saturday night, London and other cities in Britain have been racked by riots, looting and utter chaos. Regardless of the reasons that caused this, this is not the way to go. There is no excuse in my book that would justify these behaviors...NONE. There have been so many that have tried to explain: it has to be the cuts in social services, the frustration of the young people, the lack of education, high unemployment and other things. Sorry, still NO excuse. There is nothing to be said about young people that can go around doing these kinds of things: "because we want to show the police and the rich we can do what we want, when we want", as two young girls told a BBC reporter. All the valid reasons that might justify a protest, are nullified by this behavior.

Sunday night things started to get really bad. Police, in insufficient numbers patrol the streets and were no match for the mobs. It was an unpredictable and scary thing. These young people just appeared in a neighborhood, looted, set buildings on fire and chased the police away with bats, rocks and pieces of broken glass. Anyone trying to calm them got beaten up and the vocabulary.....just horrific. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see these scenes on television. Never mind all that, I was scared for Camille. The unpredictability of the situation was utmost on my mind. All I could do was to tell her to stay indoors and away from places that could be targeted...but who knew when and where?

Monday dawned in a city showing signs of devastation, but the worst was yet to come. Monday night, as soon as people were coming out of work, mobs of young people rampaged through several neighborhoods, looting and burning and yelling and drinking and totally out of control. I stayed in contact with Camille via Skype, as I watched in horror what was going on. Some places, I recognized, I had been there just last month. Other were vaguely familiar, all looked scary by the light of buildings on fire. People asking for the police, where were they? who was in charge? who was going to protect the citizens? Questions without answers....the night was long and frightening.

It was then that politicians, who had been on holiday, started to come back. Showing up in devastated neighborhoods, they were received with heckles. Now, this was to be expected. Everyone needs a vacation and everyone is entitled to have a rest, but at the first signs of unrest everyone should have been back...EVERYONE! The fact that they weren't, was not looked upon favorably. Measures were taken, meetings were conducted, everyone made a public appearance and a public statement. About 16,000 police officers were to be deployed the next day. Still, all is not well, things have just calmed down a bit...there is so much going on.

Since then, disturbances have spread across the country. Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham have all suffered riots, looting and destruction. Still, I have not found what can justify this , still I have to see something that excuses this behavior. This is just absolutely and purely a chance to loot, to release steam, to show "we can" and it has to be dealt with. Later, when things cool down, solutions should be found, people need to sit down and see that behavior like this only hurts them and their own communities. I do hope this can be done because if not, this will happen again...SOON!

Learning Dutch.....finally!

2011-08-02T12:28:00.004-04:00

Twenty years in Curacao never inspired me to learned this language. When I first arrived, the children went to the International School and the need to learn was minimal. After all, I could help with homework in English, the expat community that sent their children there was English speaking, I was too busy, I spoke Papiamentu: you pick. I had all the excuses!

As time passed, I was able to understand most everything. Try playing bridge with a group of Dutch speaking ladies for 20 years! Very little escaped me, but actually talking to them in Dutch was not attempted. Why? Fear of not getting it right? maybe embarrassment about been made fun off? who knows now. Opportunities missed, for sure. No point in trying to fix that now!

When I moved to Miami, back to English all the time and no plans to move to Curaçao or Holland...Dutch was not needed and was put out of my mind. Well, times change, we change. I carry a Dutch passport as I have said before. Every time I need to renew it, the application handed to me is in Dutch. I answer in English and I think at the Consulate they mind to a point. After all, in Holland you need to prove that you are proficient in the language before they issue you a passport. So, I decided, one day....I have to learn Dutch.

Rosetta Stone, Transparent language posts on my Facebook page, friends that offer suggestions all help me. I am grateful for everything. It is not easy: pronunciation, grammar, de and het, verbs, vocabulary. Never mind: Ik wil Nederlands leren!!!!

Pros and Cons of living in Europe

2011-08-01T12:18:00.006-04:00

I know I have said time and again that living in Europe is out of the question. First of all: the climate is not to my liking, most of the time. Then there is the small problem of speaking another language....like if we were to move to Holland! Then there is the indisputable fact that foreigners are not as welcome in Europe as they used to be: sad but undeniable. So, why am I talking about here?...Well, my recent trip opened my eyes to some very positive things.

While in London, I had a really bad allergy attack. Reminded me of the asthma attacks I have been having in Panama when I visit lately. Shortness of breath, palpitations, tiredness, circles under my eyes, the works. Had nothing strong enough, so Camille made an appointment to see a NHS doctor close to her house. Listen to this: got in quickly, no long waits. The receptionist only wanted to know where was I staying and for how long, my nationality. The doctor saw me fifteen minutes later. She was young and efficient, thorough, sympathetic and friendly. Asked questions about treatment I had received earlier for these symptoms. Prescribed some medications and told me to be careful, London has a lot of pollution, it had been hot and everything was in bloom.

Felt reassured, went out to ask how much was the consultation: nothing! Well, that lifted my spirits right there! On to the chemist (drugstore) to fill prescriptions. Got all I needed, at NO charge. This time my age (which we are not even going to mention!!!!) was enough to get everything for FREE..yes, you read right....FREE. These medications were for two months and I am still on them. How is that for health care? In the States this could have cost a good amount in deductibles and co-payments. Never mind the wait at the doctor's office and the hassle at the drugstore! On the downside, people would debate the fact that there is a long wait for surgery, to see a specialist or to get treatment for different illnesses, still I loved the service and the FREE medications. Something to keep in mind....

Then there was Holland. Thelma lives in Soest, a beautiful area in the middle of Holland with easy and reliable transportation to the rest of the country. The bus stop is about fifty meters from her building! There are lovely paths for bicycles and for walking, a supermarket across the road. There is a large international community around Hilversum, which is the center of the Dutch television and film industry. This small city has restaurants, good shops, drugstores and supermarkets, a large train station, an international school...everything! It was my first visit to this area and really liked it.

Health care there is amazing because it is good and works. Waiting for treatment or doctors visits is not an issue and I heard only satisfied comments. One complaint, though, was cost. Because the Dutch system is basically private, with government parameters to control cost and to ensure everyone is covered, private patients can pay a good amount for health insurance. On the other hand, everyone is covered and the poor get all their care for free. Something to keep in mind as well....

When are we going to retire? who knows, where are we going to retire? even more of an enigma. Only sure thing: we cannot disregard anything at this point in time. The States is not a shinning example of financial haven or health care paradise right now. Panamá is politically stable at the moment, but things are always changing in Latin America. In both cases, something to keep in mind....

P.D. With the Debt Ceiling mess here in the US, the thread of cuts to Social Security and Medicare, something has come to mind. Taxes are very high in Europe, but the benefits are better than here....something to keep in mind too!

Summer comes to Holland!

2011-07-26T11:53:00.005-04:00

Yes, I think I can take credit, at least Thelma thinks so....Summer was late in arriving this year, but as soon as I got to Holland, the weather turned. We had beautifully sunny days, some cool, but mostly fairly warm. We went everywhere we wanted and had only a couple of showers wandering in. Loved it!

I have carried a Dutch passport since the 1970s when I got married. It has been a nice relationship and I want to keep it that way. The Netherlands is a country of open-minded people that, yes, can be a little too liberal sometimes, but is fair and caring in many ways. Not everyone sees it that way, but experience has taught me that you can trust the Dutch, most of the time, to do the right thing. That is not to say I don't despair sometimes because I cannot see their point. Some can be downright stubborn, tight with money, judgemental and rude. On the other hand, I have met people like that everywhere. So, despite my ethnic and cultural background, I am very proud to be Dutch. Intent to be for the rest of my life...if possible!

Back to my recent trip. I had planned this reunion with Thelma for years. She was in Curaçao when I arrived in the early 1980s, left a few months later, came back twice and finally left 15 years ago. We have kept in touch all through those years: from the Salomon Islands to Jakarta, from Malaysia to The Netherlands. She always found a way to contact me...even in the middle of the night with 14 hours difference in time! So, I just knew we had to meet again.

Tried a couple of years ago, but the winter storms that hit Europe kept me in the UK where I was spending Christmas with Camille. Trips to Panama to see my mother were priority, so it got postponed again and again. Until this year: I was going...period! What a great decision it was.

I know Holland, visited several times, so this was not a touristy trip. Most important was to see Thelma, spend time together, reminisce. The weather had been awful she kept telling me, we might have to spend all our time inside. Who cares, I said.....but I brought Summer! It's great to think that, believe me. It sort of a boost to your ego....Mercedes brought the good weather!

Lunch with friends in a sunny garden or a Chinese restaurant, tapas under the bright night sky and delicious dinners at home (Thelma is a fabulous cook) added to the pleasure of my visit. We took walks in small, quaint cities steep in history, visited Amsterdam and the Hague, with side trips to look into the Summer sales for Thelma's retail therapy.

A week past so quickly. We talked ourselves hoarse and still haven't caught up with our lives. Another visit is needed soon. Hopefully, Thelma will come to Miami or we'll meet in Curacao. That would be the best. In the meantime, emails, Skype and...finally....Facebook. I spent an afternoon getting that set-up. It was about time, you don't spill your life on your Facebook wall, but it's a great way to keep up with things. Her daughters approved.

When the day came, I got ready, had breakfast, then Thelma insisted on a light lunch. We took the bus to the train station and I boarded the train for Schiphol. Thelma stayed there at the station waving good bye. Felt sad, but concentrated on the next days with Camille. Enjoy what you have, move forward, it's best. Hard to do, but best......

At the airport, I had a conversation with an attendant at the KLM counter. My Dutch passport always brings on a puzzled look, rapid Dutch questions and a surprised look when they see I can understand and answer their queries. This time, I could say, truthfully, that I am learning to speak the language and will be able to speak it next time....I hope!!! Schiphol was busy and interesting, had a couple of hours to browse about and have a drink. As soon as my plane took off, the skies opened, apparently, and it's still raining. Summer left with me!

My English share of Summer

2011-07-22T11:05:00.002-04:00

A long time ago, I read this book about life in India under British Rule. The author had been born and raised there, this was her autobiography of sorts. At the beginning she quotes this short poem, author unknown, that talks about "my share of Summer". Loved the book, the story and kept the phrase. It comes so handy now...

My first week in London had everything: warm sunny days, a couple of rainy and cooler days and all the fun that this city can offer. Bridesmaids was a hilarious as we expected, with more than a hint of truth in the story. The theater lived up to expectations: reclining chairs, drinks and munchies, mostly ladies and a few brave guys. Loved it!

Then we went to visit Tim's mother....well, the day was cooler and we knew rain was coming, but never expected so much! No wonder the train ride to Wendover, in Buckinghamshire went through some of the greenest landscapes I have ever seen. Thatched-roofed cottages, tranquil sheep, gardens everywhere. Rained non stop and got cooler as the day progressed. Had lunch at a pub, went to an antique shop, had tea at Anne's home. She has a cozy cottage, with a beautiful garden. Going back, Camille and I had a grey ride and arrived home in the dark. I thought we have had our "share of Summer" by then. How wrong can one be?

The rest of the week was lovely and gave us time to just enjoy the city, dinner with some friends, drinks with others, some shopping for good measure. We had afternoon tea, inspired by London's fashion Week, it was so unique. Some pampering at Jo Malone and then it was the weekend again. A picnic in the park on Saturday started with sunny skies and warm temperatures, ended with a cooling breeze, dropping temperatures and great memories. A couple friends of Camille organize this picnic every year, first weekend in July in Hyde Park. There is a music festival at this time, so it is a festive atmosphere, really enjoyed it. Took for ever to get home since there were so many people coming out of the concert! Sunday was lovely again, sunny and warm and perfect for a brunch outdoors.

Soon it was Monday, fourth of July, so Camille and I had lunch at the Brown. Then dinner at the pub near the flat and it was Tuesday. Time had gone so fast! It was time to go and see Thelma. A reunion so many years in the making, we didn't dare talk about it too much, just in case it didn't happen!

Back from holiday recount: London first.....

2011-07-21T16:09:00.004-04:00

Indeed I made it! The three weeks I spent in Europe were fabulous. First of all, the weather cooperated. It rained for weeks before I arrived in London, same in Holland. Camille and Thelma kept me informed of the nasty developments, but as soon as I arrived, the sun came out!

All was packed and I was as ready as I can be when flying. For days before that, I got things organized at home, did as much as I could before I left. Was exhausted when I boarded the plane with my usual nervousness. Fortunately, I got a great seat where I like to sit, had the seat next to me empty. Had dinner. I had ordered an Asian vegetarian meal, better than expected. Settled to watch "Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows: Part I"....didn't even finished it! Slept most of the way. Great flight across the Atlantic for a change.

Arriving in London, got through Immigration quickly: thanks to my Dutch passport; the taxi driver Camille had sent was there waiting and in no time I was at her place. So wonderful to see her! It was a bit cool and after a long shower, we just went off to explore the neighborhood. I never sleep right away when I travel to Europe. Ran errands and met Tim for dinner a famous pub off Regents Street. Just the thing! Went home and slept like a baby until late the next morning: no sign of jet lag....

London always offers something new when I visit. I just love this city. This time, it was Camille's new neighborhood South of the river. It is full of quaint shops, little restaurants and galleries, quiet streets and parks. It is not really a part of London I would consider, but have to admit it has its charms. You take the National Rail train to get to Victoria Station, and from there....anywhere! Camille was working, so I went to the supermarket and the bank before going home to cook dinner. It felt just right.

One more day of exploring and I met Camille after work. Tim joined us for excellent sushi at a restaurant just off Berkeley Square. It rained cats and dogs. I was not very happy: had the Summer gone? Oh, well, what to do. At least it was night time and we went home with great plans for the next day. Saturday dawned cool, sunny and beautiful. We left the flat to go to Kingston, small town with big shopping malls right on the Thames, close to Hampton Court.

It was a fabulous idea. After completing some errands, we settled for a lovely lunch overlooking the river, watching people go by, enjoying the sun and the water. The food was food, the company even better. Stayed out until late at night....with the sun still bright. Exhausted, but happy, we got back. Camille and I had plans for Sunday, since Tim was working.

Off to Portobello Road, we went. One of my favorite parts of the city, this is a place I go back over and over. It's better on Saturday, but this Sunday was perfect. It was hot, sunny and the place was full. After a light lunch in a secluded terrace, we walked up and down, watching, looking, shopping and enjoying the atmosphere. As I knew, there have been changes. The Council is determined to make the place over, not always with the blessings of the residents. Still, big developers are pushing their way through and the area will suffer. Looking at it, I remembered sadly what happened to Covent Garden a few years back. Before we left, we purchased tickets to watch "Bridesmaids" at the Electric Theater.....it was to be an experience.

All is Ready......

2011-06-17T00:40:00.004-04:00

I am leaving in about five days...yes, my plans came to fruition and I am getting my trip ready. Now, that is a challenge indeed. When I lived in Curaçao, traveling was a given. Everyone I knew did took at least one trip a year. Those were the days.

You gave instructions to someone at a travel agency. The best way to get to where you where going was found, tickets booked. No sitting for hours trying to do this on your computer. There was no such thing as booking online......How civilized! Then you picked up your tickets, went home and started to get your things ready. Packing would be the harder thing you would do! Wonderful!

Instructions were given to the housekeeper....yes....back to that. It is a way of life in many countries to this day, you know. The house would be taken care of, if you had pets, they were taken care of...and if you were traveling alone, you didn't have to worry. Everything just went on as if you were there. Loved it! And when you got home, you slipped into your routine as if you had never left. Who wouldn't like that?

Nowadays, I have to plan everything, go to the supermarket, leave everything tidy. It's exhausting. When I finally get on the plane, I definitely need that vacation. It really makes you think: do I want to travel alone?...maybe not. We'll see how it goes this time. One thing is for sure, once I arrive in London, I am planning to enjoy every moment, same in Holland. This will be a trip to remember.

On Chasing Ghosts or Becoming one

2011-06-10T00:36:00.004-04:00

Chasing Ghosts: It is not my phrase, read it today on a blog I have been following for years: Nomadic Matt. A young man from Boston who has traveled around the world documenting his adventures. He said he has made friends everywhere, shared experiences with so many during the years he has traveled the world...but doesn't want to go back to those places. Or relive these experiences. Going back, he says would be like chasing ghosts. I understand this; you cannot go back, no matter how hard you try.

When you moved around, leave your own country and choose to be a citizen of the world, you keep the friends that are truly friends. The ones that you can share your secrets with, the ones you have fun with, the ones you can cry with. They are always there and you miss them. When you meet them, you pick up the thread of your lives with easy. You remember the others that are glad to see you when you visit and whose company you can enjoy when you see them, but do not miss....not really.

Then it is the matter you know so well: out of sight, out of mind. You become the one friend people miss and look up, if you are lucky. Or the one people remember at times, the one they are glad to see only occasionally. You have no control on this, it is just what it is. The only thing that is certain is that you become a ghost. How much truth there is in this.....

So if you are chasing ghosts or just remembering good times, it is all part of this life you have chosen. Enjoy everything when it happens, then keep the memories, share them, treasure them. They enrich your life like nothing else.

Plans, Plans....never easy

2011-06-03T17:09:00.005-04:00

All is finally decided, I think. Will be spending about 14 days in London and then on to Holland to spend another week with Thelma. It was not easy deciding on dates, times and schedules. Everyone has plans and plans are not always easy to alter. Why? I have no clue, but it's that way. I had wanted to travel in May...it was not possible since I went to Panama in April. Camille has plans for the rest of the Summer, Thelma as well. A trip to Panama is an absolute possibility later on in the year. Anything can happen with my mother, who knows what else. There is just a window...Book that flight and think later...I have told myself. Europe, here I come! Will change plans later.....

Traveling alone is never easy for me...I am afraid of flying. No amount of traveling, reasoning, talking or advise have made any difference. As soon as I buy that ticket, I am in a panic....really! Never mind deciding what to pack, actual packing process, things I would take for Camille, medications, who knows. I am not even going there, but I m going.

Plans have been made, plans can be altered later. Now on to plan what I would do there. That should be inspiration enough: places to visit, friends to see. London is taken care of. So much I enjoy in this city, but there is the English countryside. Train rides and peaceful weekends of walks and pubs in quaint villages. I am looking forward to a different trip this time.

It's been years since I was in Holland last. Going on Euro Star, the ride from London, the Chunnel, through France and Belgium into Holland, it's so beautiful. I do love Amsterdam: cosmopolitan and busy, canals and good food. Shopping! Gezellig....Friends I haven't seen in ages, more walks and long conversations, catching up. Plans, yes, plans are the thing and making them is half the fun!

Summer is here!!!!

2011-05-25T15:30:00.004-04:00

Yes, it's not officially Summer yet, but we know it has arrived. Children are getting off school soon, friends that are teachers have begun counting days on their Facebook pages and everyone is talking about vacations. I remember those days in Curaçao! Children couldn't wait, expat friends started getting tickets for their trips home, the ones that were not traveling were planning vacation activities for the children....memories, but do not get me wrong. I have no desire to have school age children. Do not have the energy. Besides, I don't have the savvy either...children these days know too much and are allowed too much saying in plans and things.....NEEEE!

I do, though, miss the planning of vacations, the looking forward to being away from home for a while and visiting other parts, going to see friends and family in distant lands. I miss the staying behind on the island and going to the beach every day with friends and their children. I miss the closeness that came from that. I miss the fact that all activities ceased: from school activities to club meetings to bridge playing. The whole place went into suspended animation.

I remember the Summer parties, more like get togethers. I remember the simple pleasures of finding fresh fruits and veggies not found during the rest of the year, the fact that it stayed bright and sunny well into the night, just like back home, but better! It was indeed a magical time. I don't think everyone saw it that way...but I did and I miss it.

Summer is here in Miami. The days are so bright your eyes hurt and so humid you can hardly go out without looking for an air conditioned place to duck into. Even my usually straight hair get frizzy...yuck! I go out into my balcony and see the swimming pools around our building: full of people enjoying the warm weather, splashing around until it gets dark in the evening. Looks like fun...or not! They must be tourists.....people from Miami cannot live without their ACs.....like the term airco better though!

Having no children in school, planning a vacation this time of the year lost its charm a long time ago. I do not enjoy going anymore to places full of screaming children and the beaches in the area have not really made me want to sit by the water and enjoy the sun with a Tropical drink in my hand.....the swimming pool in our building is enough, but I do miss those days!!! So what to do? Plan a trip!!!

This weekend, that is exactly what I'll do. Plan a trip, not back to Panama. It's been too many times in the last few years and for the wrong reason. No, this time I want to see Camille in London, to visit Thelma in Holland...to see Europe in the Summer after years of traveling only during the cooler months. It's going to be an adventure, one I am looking forward too!

Move On....Dare!

2011-05-23T16:35:00.004-04:00

Once you have decided that reinventing is the way to go....move on with the idea. There is no point on coming to a conclusion and then...just letting the ball drop. Absolutely not the thing to do. You need to step up and make your plan come to fruition. To do that, you need to dare, not easy I do know. Most of us were not brought up by parents that actually preached this. Think back....were you ever told that you needed to take risks? needed to just go ahead and act upon your ideas? I, for one, do not remember hearing this.

Yes, my mother was very positive and always said that we could do anything, we should dream and make those dreams come true, but there was not real encouragement on acting on them! A contradiction, indeed. My maternal grandmother used to say that if one doesn't jump in the river, how does one know one can't swim!!!! A statement way ahead of her times, but was not a daring soul herself. So much for reinventing; not quite sure my mother listened to these wise words either, even though she was forced into decisions that changed her life.

Now, here is another crossroad and most of us are really trying to do what we feel is right for ourselves....well, some of us at least are trying to. Hand twisting, coming up with excuses, going back and forth over how we should do this. Nothing coming out of this heart wrenching exercise...so frustrating! Dare, that is the only way. It is not a matter of trust vs control, it's not a matter of trusting others: it is daring to trust yourself. You know yourself, you know what you want and you should trust yourself to achieve it. Julia Cameron, teacher, filmmaker, poet, artist, journalist, playwright and composer has said: "Leap and the net will appear". Can't think of a more appropriate quote.

Reinventing....not Changing!

2011-05-12T10:56:00.000-04:00

Technically it is still Spring...at least somewhere it is! Time for renewal and rebirth. In Miami, Summer has hit with a vengeance: hot and humid already...but never mind that. Back to the real purpose of Spring: reinventing. This seems to be a theme for a lot of people these days. Everyone has a different reason, but the result is the same: when in doubt: reinvent!

Research conducted in the USA has discovered that we are limited by our imagination. We have the idea of what happened at anytime in our lives and we rarely look to see if it really happened that way. What to do? It's human nature, it seems. We are set in our ways and hate taking risks. Our decisions were taken because they were safe, whatever that means. We craved acceptance, so being different and taking risks, were not really the thing to do. Did you really chose your career or your lifestyle based on your passion? Did you really saw the purpose of your life when you started? Some of us did, of course, but they were the minority, trust me. Most of us just chose what was acceptable and practical because we didn't know ourselves well when we decided.

Then we hit 50, the big 5-0, and suddenly we realized we are going to live another 25-30 years, maybe more! We have another life ahead of us, we think of our choices and pause. Maybe they were not exactly what we should have done, maybe we played it safe, maybe there is a new opportunity to do it right: reinvent. Perfect, go for it, we say......not so fast, we suddenly realize. What do I really want at this time and is this reinventing worth it?

Doubts creep into our minds: I can't do that, I'm too old to try this, what would people think, how will my family react, it's too risky...have I covered every excuse? maybe you have some others just as important sounding or as logical, you think. Well, we are all wrong! To reinvent ourselves, all we need is the desire to do so. We know each other well now, we have confidence and passion, we know our purpose, we can do this. We are not going to change ourselves, reinventing is not changing, we are going to live as we truly are. Not as the world sees us, as our friends and family see us, but as we really are inside. Go for it: reinvent yourself!

Reflexions on Mother's Day......

2011-05-09T12:05:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was Mother's day. Celebrated in most countries in the world, this is a day to spend with mothers making sure they feel appreciated and we are grateful for all they have done and do for us. Stores and business go out of their way to promote this day, adverts everywhere point out to the best presents we should buy and the best places we can take Mom for brunch or dinner or something. It sounds beautiful and make a lot of us feel guilty and we go out of our ways to get presents, eat too much and spend time around our mothers fuzzing...really. It becomes overwhelming....I have a bit of a problem with all this celebration.

I subscribe to the premise that every day is Mother's Day. It is everyday that we should show our love and appreciation, it is everyday that we should be there when they need us and it is everyday we should behave in the matter they have taught us. That is the way to honor them properly....but what do I know. After all, am I not a mother? In the opinion of many children these days, we do not know much. Period.

Anyway, I did go out for a lovely brunch with my husband and son. Nothing too much and very appropriate. There was an older lady in the company of her daughter and granddaughter, now that is a thing I would have loved! My mother and I and my daughter. I missed them, especially Camille so far away in London. She did call, but that hardly takes the place of a hug, a touch, her presence. Everyday is Mother's Day, so everyday, I wish she was nearer.......

We got back home and I had a lazy Sunday which suited me just fine. On Mother's Day, the last thing I want is work on anything! I did check my Facebook messages and sent some to friends. Went for a long walk in the late afternoon, time to reflect and to enjoy what is out there. Would have loved some company, but as soon as I left our building realized this walk was my present to myself......loved it!

School Reunions, Timeless Rituals, Acceptance....

2011-04-29T18:08:00.008-04:00

Just got back from another visit to my mother. Since she had her stroke, I have been to Panama more times that I care to remember. It is not use trying to get out of these visits, they need to happen...period. This last one, thought was different. Something really touched me, made me realized, really, that things are coming to an end.

I have told myself for months now that my mother cannot last forever and that she must be tired. Her quality of life has diminished, but her mind is still clear and sharp...at times. It must not be easy to accept, yet she has kept going. Why? I often wondered. This last trip, planned to coincide with Holy Week, was going to be relaxed. There is always people in town for this celebration. They come from the city to spent these Holy Days traditionally. Participating in church rituals, visiting family. Something about spending Easter Week in a small town....it's so comforting.

Plans are made, but we cannot guarantee that they will work out the way we want. I planned to see my high school friends. Some I have not seen since our graduation and I don't want to tell you how long ago that was! Let me tell you, I went to an all girls school since kindergarten and my graduating class was small....so friendships were very easily made. Mostly the ones that stayed in Panama have kept in touch, get together when they can. So that was the first thing and it was fabulous! Took pictures and talked all night, getting to know each other again...lovely.

Plans for a repeat performance were not to be. The very next day, my sister Laura and I had to rush to our mother. Like the saying goes: if it not one thing, it's your mother! We arrived and things got scary in no time...thankfully, she pulled through again. The rest of the time there was just that: time. Getting her comfortable and getting medication, going to the supermarket and sitting with her, surviving the heat and the humidity, having a drink at sundown on the back porch, going for a car ride when we needed some space.

Then came the part that attracts me: the religious rituals from my childhood, the processions walking along the narrow streets, the people that always come home for these events, the prayers, the family, the images of saints I remember so clearly in their floats surrounded by flowers and the pageantry of these timeless rituals . It has a sense of community that one cannot find just anywhere, a bond that ties us all in a sort of spiritual peace. Love it!

Laura and I went visiting while we waited for the events to start, afterwards, we sat in a small restaurant overlooking the park, taking in the beauty of this small colonial town, in the middle of nowhere! An amazing experience, every time, but this time even more. When the day was over, back home to our reality. It was in this last week, that I just came to accept that things are ending. Life will continue and I will be the eldest in our family....talking about realizing your own mortality. It came absolutely clear and without drama and it came with an absolute peace: this is acceptance.

Time to Reinvent Oneself!

2011-04-03T21:45:00.002-04:00

It is April, the month of rebirth, of changes. Spring is here and Nature is renewing itself. It is time to look at ourselves. This is an absolute truth: there comes a time in anyone's life when one has to change, adapt, reinvent oneself. I have been toying with this idea lately and I have done this before....time to do it again! I have to say it is never easy or happens smoothly. It is not something one decides one day and happens the next. If it was like that, it would not be worth trying!

So we have to take time and choose carefully where we want to start. Start with simple things., I say. Change the way we eat. This is something we can do without too much fuss. Go for fresher stuff, cook lighter meals, better yet, make more salads, eat more fruits. That doesn't require too much thinking to begin with. We tend to make a big deal of preparing food, wouldn't we enjoy spending less time in the kitchen? I know I would!!!! At this stage in my life, it seems so much easier...of course, I have no small children!!! Still, isn't it just the thing?....less cooking time! Sounds heavenly.

Another simple thing: a bit of exercise. Notice I said a bit only. Lets not go crazy and join a gym...after all I would be the last to recommend this: I do not sweat on purpose! Just a walk a couple of days a week, play music and dance to it with abandon. Move to something more elaborate later. Nothing that will make you cringe, but will make you fitter....sounds perfect!

Finally, for now: clean your closets, your drawers, your kitchen cabinets. There must be things you don't wear, are hopelessly out of fashion or too big or small, shoes you cannot walk in anymore......and there must be people that would look wonderful in any of them. Donate! Books you don't read, magazines that you wonder why you kept. Do you still have toys that your children discarted years ago? Either call them and ask if they want these things or simply give them away. Hold on only to things that are beautiful, useful or valuable......everything else can go. It feels great to do this...trust me!

In time, we will move on to bigger things to change; we will achieve this change and we will be a different person....or the person we were meant to be!

Of Friendships and Memories....

2011-03-29T11:42:00.005-04:00

Back to my trip...I know, you think I dwell on this too much! Maybe that's true, but...it's my blog!
A couple of days before our trip, I received very upsetting news. One of our dear friends, a long time member of our bridge group has been diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. After Nicoline made a complete recovery, is in remission and looks better than ever, we have all taken a deep breath and dare to hope. After Hilde's passing and then Marja Brandt' s, we were shaken, but now all was well again, surely. Isn't it a rule that you shouldn't talk too soon?

In this case, I believe it is true. Marja T is really the heart of our group. She is always there, smiling, positive and brave when nobody else is. Life is something to be enjoyed, she believes, and she does. This came as a real blow. How can this be happening again? We are such a small group, only about a dozen of us still play...after more than twenty years. We are very close and keep in touch frequently. We have been there for each other through divorces, death, illnesses...you name it. We have celebrated weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, birth of grandchildren. This is hard.

So when I visited, I made sure I stayed for Wednesday morning bridge. It was at Vicki's this time and we were getting together for lunch. Did I tell you that it always feel as if I never left? I just walk into the place, everyone's happy to see me. Same this time, only Marja was not there...it was all we can talk about: why? Vicki and had seen each other before Wednesday and talked about it....at the wedding! Declared that, really, why? and couldn't this have happened to someone we DON'T like? I know, that is not nice and for sure not charitable...but that is how we felt. The girls did too when we talked! Unfair, like life.

We didn't spend the whole time dwelling on this, our morning was full of laughter as well...remembering good times. We play for fun, most of the time, but also want to keep learning. Bridge, I have maintained for years, is a mental sport. One needs to exercise one's brain: this is the most enjoyable way I know! There is always something new to learn and someone to point it out. We also paused a couple of times to comment on the fact that when we started....all those years ago....there was an older ladies group. They looked upon us with indulgence, pointed out our mistakes and smiled, even celebrated their birthdays with us... Patricia's mother was amongst them. It was such a lovely interaction. Not this time, there are no younger ladies playing bridge...they have other interests. Is bridge not a social grace anymore? How sad....so we are now the older ladies and there is nobody to share this with.............

Two Trips, a Medical Emergency and a Wedding!!!..Part II

2011-03-23T13:57:00.005-04:00

A week after I returned, Camille came home!! She arrived with Tim on the 8th, late afternoon. We had a fabulous dinner right on Brickell Key: Cafe Sambal at the Madarin Oriental Hotel.....superb. Early night and early morning to fly to Curaçao. Camille's best friend was getting married that weekend. So-so flight, but I sat next to Frank and he held my hand when the plane moved.....how times change: I used to hold his when he was little.

Arriving in Curaçao, always a welcome experience, we were met by Alex and Lily! Alex looks great, motherhood agrees with her; Lily is perfectly adorable and so cute. We socialized there at a small bar, while our car was delivered to the airport...talking about service. Then to our favorite Chinese restaurant on the island for delicious and familiar food. Tim was loving this already.

That night we met with old friends, had drinks, sat in the cool terrace of the absolutely fabulous Hyatt Hotel.....Camille went to the Bachelorette party for Vanessa, came back late. Early Thursday we went to the synagogue for a lovely service to bless the groom...never seen that before, but liked it. Afterwards, pictures, breakfast, more friends to meet and laughter. This was going to be a happy weekend. Back to the hotel, to the beach...well, the youngsters did. Frankie and I had to go shopping...I know, why? Well, sort of a last-minute wardrobe change......mine. Once back at the hotel we went swimming and then got ready for the coolest civil wedding ever.

We departed at 5 o'clock sharp from the hotel pier in the Insulinde, a Dutch schooner. The afternoon was lovely, clear skies, calm seas, gorgeous views. Sailed to Fuik Baai where the ceremony was performed. The lady judge spoke so eloquently and with such passion, Vanessa did a small dance when she said I do and they were both glowing with happiness. Food and drinks and great company, perfect Curaçao sunset and on our way back: fireworks!!!!

Friday was a strange day. Frankie worked and I went shopping. The young people went to the rehearsal and then to lunch, walked through Punda and we all got back in time for a swim. Dinner was schedule at an old plantation house that is a restaurant. Delicious Curaçao food, music and more friends! We danced the conga and got teary eyed listening to the father of the bride give a toast to the bride and groom. Vanessa's grandmother was our host and she was great...at her age she still dressed beautiful, is perfectly groomed and coiffed and witty.

Saturday dawned clear and breeze and sunny. After a hearty breakfast, we went to the beach. Nothing like salt water to make me feel good. We stayed there until it was time to celebrate Lily's First Birthday! Alex had planned it at the Hyatt because we were all there and it's a lovely venue. She arrived promptly at 11 o'clock with Lily, toys, play mat, a small cake for Lily to smash, bottles of soap bubbles, hats...the works. We had a wonderful time, the cakes were delicious, Lily smashed hers and the grown ups' too, Camille took pictures, Tim entertained the little ones and the babies were just adorable. Camille and I left early since she had to get ready for the big event.

A stylist had been engaged to get the wedding party ready. Camille and Gulshan got together ready first and look beautiful. Everyone went to their rooms and got ready to be taken to Snoa for the ceremony. We met at the veranda and pictures were taken and the bride look beautiful and everyone admired each other's outfit........OOOHHs and AAHHHs all round. Once finished, everyone on the buses and off we went.

Snoa was beautiful as always and there were a lot of people.....the soft candlelight made everything look great. So many friends to greet! The ceremony started late, but was very nice and David broke his cup smashing it against the silver tray, as it is the Sephardic custom. Camille look absolutely gorgeous too! Once finished, we got out into the yard to greet more friends and get ready to go back to the hotel. Met Monique and her family...Mateo, the new family member, is so cute. It was very nice part of this weekend.

At the hotel, everything was ready, the ballroom looked wonderful and all was ready for the wedding party to arrive. We took our seats and waited. Then there they were as husband and wife: Vanessa and David. A first dance, much kissing, more dancing with parents and family....and the party started. The music was fabulous, everyone danced, never mind if you had a partner or not. Curaçao music, excellent food and a brass band. Drinks and champagne all night and so many friends to see and enjoy. It was absolutely wonderful! Went to bed at almost 4 o'clock in the morning!!! The youngsters...even later!

Sunday was another day of celebration.....a big Brunch before most of us traveled back to our lives. Since the time had changed in the States and the clocks just changed time....we woke up so early!!!! Had something to eat and drink before the brunch...then it rained! Still, all went without a hitch and everyone enjoyed it. Goodbyes and farewells and back to the beach. A bit cloudy, but so nice to just sit and relax, take a dip in the sea, talk and relax, have a drink and relax....perfect!

We ended the weekend of celebrations with an Indonesian dinner at a restaurant with a fabulous view. Kathy joined us and it was like old times. The food was good, the company even better. It was truly a weekend to remember. Monday dawned rainy and windy. Frank left in the afternoon and Camille and Tim moved the another hotel to have a real vacation.....we drove to Banda Abao and had a late lunch with them at Jaanchi's...excellent seafood prepared Curaçao style. Perfect ending to this family weekend.......

Two Trips, a Medical Emergency and a Wedding!!!..Part I

2011-03-23T11:49:00.005-04:00

It's been a while and this has become a habit...need to change that...SOON!!! Anyways, it has been interesting, so there is lots to tell. Since January, I have not stop, one thing after another and an asthma attack too!......but let's not rush into this.

On February 8th, my mother was rushed to the hospital with severe oxygen deprivation and very congested lungs. She is 87 and had a stroke a few years back, so needless to say it was very scary. I kept in touch with my cousin, who was there with her. It is difficult to care for parents when one lives so far away....my mother lives in Panama, remember? Finally at around 4 o'clock in the morning, she was stable enough....I went to bed.

The next day we talked to her doctor and he advised us to travel there, just in case....another scary thought. Rush to get tickets, organized everything at home, pack...I was exhausted by the time my sisters and I got to MIA to fly to Panama. Hate to fly, even if I do it often. My seat was at the back of the plane...not good...but my sister Laura kept me company.

Arrived in Panama to iffy weather and decided to wait until the next day to drive the three hours to where my mother lives.....the joys of getting old!!!! Never mind, had a lovely time with our cousin Damaso, who makes us laugh and feeds us well. His apartment is an oasis in our travels back and forth from caring for our mother......so grateful!

Drove out of a peaceful and traffic-free Panama City...it was Saturday!....and made the best of the drive, stopping for a light lunch and laughing about good old times. Arrived at the clinic in the early afternoon. My mother was much better, but breathing with difficulty and getting oxygen. Her private nurse was with her, so was our cousin Alina. What would we do without her!

We drove back and forth between the clinic and my mother's home...about a 30 minute ride each way....everyday until she went home. Got her room ready, oxygen tanks and all and took her home on Thursday. Visitors, whom she had had plenty in the clinic, were not so welcome. She just didn't want to see anyone, and truthfully...why should she? Things got into a routine and my sisters and I just settled for a long run......almost three weeks.

She got better everyday, but on our second Sunday there...I woke up in the early morning and could hardly breath....oh, great, I thought, here we go again. I went to the doctor and my suspicious were confirmed: I was having an asthma attack. Back to cortisone medication for a week, coughing everyday, out of breath...just great. Only good thing: I saw the doctor early Monday morning, it only cost me $7!!!! Got my prescription right away and by 10 a.m. I was taking my medication......this place is really amazing. I wasn't even in the city, just a small town three hours away. Need to consider this when we retire...I tell you! There are housekeepers too, and people who come to your house to iron your clothes! Love it!!!!!

We had a good time, while there: ate well and enjoyed a glass of wine here and there, solved crossword puzzles in Spanish....need the practice....went to the beach for long walks, kept our mother company and the house running smoothly. A successful trip, but worrisome too. Our mother is old, we have to accept that things are just not going to end well one of these days. In the meantime, let's enjoy what we can.

Returned to the city on a Monday afternoon and went out with our cousin for drinks and excellent food. A good night sleep and Ana and I were on our way home. Laura stayed to hold the fort for a few more weeks....and Carnaval was coming! She is always there for the good times...I am always there for the worse rainy days.....why is that? Never mind.

Condo Living II

2011-01-26T13:35:00.003-04:00

Since I posted about this...so much has happened. For starters, I was sure things could be worked out, after all, we are civil people...we can compromise. Yes, well, condo living is like politics...and we know how that is working out these days!

Days came and went and nothing could be done to solve the problem of the noise upstairs. The family came for a month.....and they stayed about that time. All the while, dragging, dropping, slamming and making a racket at all hours. Visits from security, management and even a letter to the manager (with the hope it would be delivered to the Board) made no difference. Finally, when we were just about had it.....silence! They were gone! just as mysteriously as they came...thank you!

Now, this experience has taught me something: condo living is not for me, at least not here in Miami. People from all over the world live here, more from Latin America than other places, but still. There are young professionals, singles and couples; there are retirees, older professionals, couples with children. The whole gamut of humanity. On the surface...all seems so great.

I am not so sure these days. Once you own an apartment here, you are supposed to adhere to rules. You agree to get along and not to cause trouble. There are also the unwritten rules of civilized behavior and the rules of polite society.: like greeting each other in elevators and common areas. Unfortunately, people have to believe in these rules to follow them. I have found that most people, really do not care. We have found out, as well and the hard way, that when you own or lease an apartment, you can lend it to friends and family for as long as you like. Since the visitors do not live here , they can ignore the rules! And believe me, they do! This is upsetting.

My husband and I like to travel, we have no small children and condo living provides a wonderful way of spending our time in Miami....close your door, you're gone. No hurricane preparations, no yard to keep, no pool service to deal with, valet parking, someone to help with your packages and groceries when you need it......all absolute pluses. Also important: no commute for my husband! Oh, for those so inclined: a fabulous gym...and the fact that Brickell Key is a real oasis in the middle of the city. Close to everything and at the same time, secluded. We really love these things.

In many occassions we have been told to buy....and we have considered it. On the other hand, when you rent you can chose where you want to live and move on when you are tired of a place. When you own, you are stuck. So I don't think buying is in our cards, besides...do we want to retire here? NEEEEE!!! Can't see myself fighting traffic when I become older; as it is, driving is already nerve-wrecking. Can't see myself putting up with absolutely ghastly children whose parents cannot control them or with adults that are only interested in their own comfort.

Besides there is also the fact that construction and remodeling goes on at all times during the year...and because no matter what is done, you cannot completely soundproof a building....the noise level can be unbearable sometimes. Like this week, when as soon as the people upstairs left: somewhere in the building, someone started making improvements in their unit. All perfectly reasonable and within their right...but so absolutely annoying!!

So, NO, condo living has amazing advantages and for the time being it is a great alternative to us, but in the long run....can't imagine doing this for the rest of my life!!!

Miami Street Food Court

2011-01-14T11:52:00.004-04:00

Our first time and I think, we got the hang of it. Got to see how it works, sampled some things, skipped others, had a good time. My sisters and son came along. The night was more than cool, but not unreasonably cold. There were lots of people and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Everyone very casually dressed, jeans, sweatshirts, comfortable shoes. Young couples with children having a night out, a real treat I'm sure. Young people in groups joking and sampling everything. Older folks enjoying the opportunity of a something different to do on a weekday. This is s splendid idea!

The routine appeared to be well established: you walk around, see what is offered at that particular spot, that particular night. Then you just order what appeals to you and move on. If something is very good, you repeat! Last night we tried the Cuban frita, tacos, a grilled cheese sandwich and a crackling duck sandwich. There was espresso and soft drinks and, of course, dessert.

The tacos were sampled first at Latin Burger and Taco...excellent and tasted so authentic. The best of the night. My son and husband tried the frita at El Mago de Las Fritas/Burger Beast...tasty, but greasy and too big to just sample. The crackling duck sandwich from Dim Ssäm à gogo was different, spicy and sweet at the same time. I enjoyed it even though one of my sisters complained of the bread. Then we had the grilled cheese at Ms. Cheezious.....made the old-fashioned way, toasted and buttery, it was very good. Espressos were on target and the small cupcakes from Sugar Rush just right to end the evening.

Despite the unusual coolness, we had a very pleasant experience. I would like to go again because I found there were too many burger and grill places. More variety would be great and I hear there are many of these food trucks out there. Overall, what was offered was delicious as a whole and the atmosphere added to the enjoyment. I would recommend these events; they give the city a new face.

2011: New Year, New Attitude.....

2011-01-13T18:15:00.004-04:00

2011 is here. It arrived in a very slow way while Frankie and I were celebrating with his family. It was a nice evening, subdued and cool, and not at all as what we had been used to. I know, it's been ages and our latest New Year's Eves have been a bit like this one. Nothing full of excitement or fun as we had back on the island. At the same time, this time it was a welcome change.....Camille didn't come home for the Holidays and Frank has gone to London to visit. So it was only the two of us. Subdued was just what we needed.

We picked up Frankie's aunt (she was my father-in-law's cousin....) and drove in the very light traffic to his uncle's home......long drive, as much as I'll say. The house was decorated and lit with Christmas decorations, everything was ready, drinks were offered as soon as we greeted everyone. It was a nice group of older and younger people, excellent food and the necessary drinks. Good conversation and genuine good will. Of course we could have used some lively music, some dance and definitely some incense! Overall, it was a pleasant evening.....

Once that was taken care of, we drove back. The next morning, it was a new year, but things looked the same, what to do? No beach day, the pool is not substitute and the day was not warm enough anyway! Ah, when will I get used to this? and do I have the time? or would we move before this happens? who knows? This getting used to Miami has not been an easy or fast process. Not what I expected, but also I have not helped it along. Time for a new attitude?....maybe. There is not point agreeing, better take things one at a time!

Letting go of the past is very difficult. It involves letting go of things that meant so much for so long. What we accepted as a given, suddenly is no more...not easy. Or maybe it's my age, not as young as I want to be. Should remember that I am still full of energy to start again, and probably will soon! Haven't I always wanted to be considered an expat? Well, this is what expats do: they adjust!!! Bloom where you're planted, sort of thing.

Seems 2011 would be the year I finally get down to it: let's see Miami as another stop in my life of moving from here to there. Enjoy what this city has to offer and do not think of it as a permanent stop, just another step. That is the way, the only way, to make the best of a life that will continue to be lived here and there!!!!

Tonight Frankie and I will explore something new: the Miami Street Food Court. The Miami Street Food Court is the spot where all the Street Food Trucks gather . This is the new rave in the area. Absolutely amazing food, sold out of especially customized trucks. They gather around the city, at different days every week. Reviews are glowing...will let you know all about it!!!!

Time to start getting ready....

2010-12-30T13:25:00.002-04:00

Every year, while we lived in Curacao, I followed the island's tradition and cleaned the house top to bottom. Oh, well, who am I kidding? The housekeeper did that, but I directed her.......back to my point. Homes need a thorough cleaning to welcome the New Year. It is an absolute MUST! So as soon as Boxing Day was over with, we started.

Furniture was moved to really clean underneath, cushions were aired and covers washed, blinds and verticals were dusted or wiped, floors were vacuumed and then mopped, cabinets and cupboards were emptied and cleaned, things were thrown away. Then the garden was tackled, with the help of the gardener ......of course!! Trees and bushes were pruned, lawn was mowed, the roof was checked for dead leaves from our big trees. Everything was hauled away to the dump. All this was nothing in comparison to what others did. Some people painted their homes or tackled bigger repair jobs, anew roof, or a new fence, others washed the walls inside and out with power hoses. The whole island gets into this.

At our home, on the very last two days of the year, sheets and towels were washed, mattresses aired and kitchen scrubbed. It was exhausting...even if I was only supervising! It was also very important to do this right. The New Year had to be welcomed in a spotless home. You are not going to believe this, but I am missing that flurry of activity, the sense of urgency, the sense of accomplishment. Never mind the fact that a clean house means good luck in the New year!

Today I have been gratified to see that the windows of the building are been cleaned!!! There are two men out there...hanging from ropes: very scary! I will not think about it....but it goes well with the cleaning I am giving the apartment on the inside. A lot less to do, but still a big job: more than ever I miss my housekeeper! I still maintain that a good housekeeper is a treasure.

By tomorrow, the place will be ready to welcome 2011 as it should be. Now if I could get my hands on some of the special incense blend from the island and some firecrackers...the Gods of Smoke and Noise will protect this dwelling properly!!! BON ANJA - (HAPPY NEW YEAR) EVERYONE!!!!!

Condo Living....

2010-12-29T18:53:00.002-04:00

I have no clue how condo living would be in Curaçao....no high enough buildings there, so I am speculating! Now, I do now how condo living goes in Miami...not that great these last few days.

Since moving to Miami, almost 8 years ago, we have lived in condos. A splendid idea: no garden to tend, no lawn to mow, no preparations for hurricanes,......the list is endless. So much nicer! Of course, this also comes with getting along with one's neighbors, putting up with annoying ones and knowing when do one's rights end and the neighbors start...not always easy.

In our first building, we were isolated, sort to speak because our apartment was on the corner. Most times I had no idea what was going on anywhere on our floor, above or below. There were the usual moving days, the renovations here and there, but it was rather quiet. The problems there were of another nature: management, foreclosures.... Anyway, it got bad enough that we needed to move.

In March, we moved to the building next door. We are now much higher on the thirty first floor with absolutely magnificent views of the city skyline; as opposed amazing views of Biscayne Bay. Management is helpful, reliable and efficient. Neighbors have been polite, pleasant, friendly.....until these past few days.

The apartment above us has been a source of the noise at all hours of the day for days. Furniture is dragged, doors slammed, things thrown. Last night, it was midnight and they were moving things around. Repetitive complains have made no difference. Here I am sitting at my computer trying to get my messages and...YES...furniture is being dragged I am becoming rather miffed.

Today I left for the day. Spent my time walking up and down the mall...something I do not enjoy! Visited my sister and then came home, thinking that all will be over. After all, I was told the people upstairs had bought a new apartment and were moving!!! It was on my way in that I learned that they are just visitors: absolutely inconsiderate ones as it is. The apartment has been lent to a family with three children! What kind of children are these? and what kind of parents? Can't wait for them to leave!

Christmas celebrations.....

2010-12-22T03:45:00.002-04:00

Yes, it's time to celebrate. As magical as this season is, celebrating here on Miami is a challenge for me. I keep thinking back to Curacao where the celebrations start early: late November with the arrival of Sinterklaas. The sight of the old saint in his bishop robes is so much fun! His trusted helpers with their black faces are a sure sign that the Holidays are at hand. Then there are the early Christmas parties, and yes...they are still called that back there: not much of Happy Holidays, Winter Break and other ways of calling the Season. It's old-fashioned. I like that!

Visiting friends, having a drink or two....a ponche crema (an island version of eggnog, but much better!) for sure, delivering presents and going to the beach are favorite activities. There are parties to end all parties and cozy get-togethers with friends and family. Preparations for the New Year's are on their way early since everyone has to make plans for the celebrations after the tiro (an actual canon shot that heralds in the new year!). Fireworks need to be purchased and kept ready to usher in the New Year with smoke and noise. This assures good luck for the rest of the year.

All this makes the Season just perfect and I miss that. The last few years, since moving to Miami, really, we have traveled during this time. There has been no time (or we have strive not to dwell on that) to miss the known rituals of celebration. This year staying put is making it hard. Aside from our building's party, that was full of life and entertaining.....not much activity in the party department. Lots to do in the city, but with a sense of detachment, sort of impersonal...not very warm. We adjust to everything and enjoy what is offered, but I like traditions this time of the year.

So, what to do? Adopt the traditions offered here? after all that is what I did when I went to live on the island! Or better yet, start new traditions...... It's about time!!! I'll let you know.....

It's been ages...!!!!

2010-12-10T00:35:00.002-04:00

I am sorry for being absent for so long. It's not that I forgot this blog, it is almost always there....in the back of my mind. I know I should be posting, but I let deadlines, family matters and other things get in the way. No excuse, I hear you! So here I am again. Trying to keep this up....

The last month was very hectic, but so nice. Camille made an unexpected visit to Miami. Having vacation days she needed to take before the end of the year......she decided on a Tuesday and was here by Halloween. it was wonderful! we had a ball just laying by the pool, going out to dinner, visiting family. We even made time to go to Marco Island on Florida's West coast. Just a couple of days, but so nice. What a way to spend some time. Walks by the beach, sunsets to die for, good food and company, everyone should go to Old Naples, trust me.

As soon as she left, it was time to go to Panama...again. Taking care of an older parent long distance is not easy. Still, my sisters and I managed to have fun while we replaced nurses, ran errands and visited family. We laughed until we cried at old jokes and new situations. The only drawback: it rained every day! It was humid and the mosquitoes were out in full force. Never mind the gnats....there was water everywhere, it got dark early and we ate too much. We should do it again soon!

Back in Miami, I started with my Christmas preparations, got decorations and started buying presents. Camille is not coming for the Holidays and we are not traveling. That is a first in a long time; so Miami it is and we'll make the best of it! Today we went to our building's Christmas Party. It had a Brazilian theme and it was fun. The food was excellent, the drinks abundant and the company interesting....more about the celebrations in my next post!

My friends visit Miami.....

2010-10-29T10:20:00.003-04:00

The last two weeks have been very nice: friends from Curaçao have come visiting. I truly enjoyed that! First came Mary...she is a lot of fun. Never a dull moment, interesting insights in the goings on of the island: tidbits of Life in the Tropics. She was here with her husband and made time to meet me for lunch. We met in Barnes & Noble in Coral Gables, sort of middle ground between her hotel and my house. Worked a treat! Parked there and walked to a raw bar restaurant on Miracle Mile. It was lunch hour rush, but we got great service since Mary had been visiting frequently during this trip! Food was good, drinks and conversation even better. We walked back and bought some little things and said goodbye, until next time she is in Miami. When I go to Curaçao next time she has moved on to Aruba....what to do. Looking forward to her visits!

This week, Elssy came calling. She is a dear friend from year and years. Getting together with her gave me the opportunity to see Mary (different one!) who also lives in Miami and used to live in Curacao...I know, this is a pattern. This Mary and I try to get together regularly, but not always succeed. She travels, I travel, she lives on Key Biscayne, I lived on Brickell Key....Miami is just too complicated. Believe me....is like planning a military operation. Anyway, I met them at Dadeland Mall, accompanied them while they shopped....had lunch. Caught up with the latest island "redo"...couldn't have been better!

I have made new friends since moving here...and I am not one for making new friends; but they can open your eyes to new things. These friendships can also be uncomplicated.....a definite plus, who doesn't like mindless fun? You are bound to try new things too, and why not? Still, old friends, the ones that know you, the ones that can read you and know where are you coming from, can give advise because they know all the circumstances, the ones you can be yourself with at all times....those are priceless!!! So here is to those friends...may they keep coming to visit!!!!

Saturdays....

2010-10-23T15:59:00.002-04:00

When we lived in Curacao, Saturdays were not my favorite. After the hectic week, the grocery shopping, the committee meetings, the office, and not that I didn't do fun things: Wednesday bridge, Thursday Happy Hour, Friday at the movies....Frankie went to the office in the morning, came home, had lunch....later, went to play tennis at the club. I usually went together with my friend Kathy for breakfast, wandered around shopping or visiting, came home for lunch....went walking with friends in the late afternoon.

If there was a wedding, a birthday party, dinner with friends, it was a good Saturday. We plowed along, waited. There was the certainty of friends always there, the week was busy and engaging, Sundays were relaxing and there was the beach. Still Saturday was not completely fulfilling. Once the decision was made to move to Miami, I was looking forward to a change in Saturdays......well...NEEE!

When we first moved, we went to the movies every weekend, had drinks at some nice spot, walked around the island after dinner. Not much difference from Curaçao, but Frankie said all would changed once we settled in our new home. I was skeptical, and I was right! As in every place you live, you have to do your own thing, there is no guaranty anyone will look you up.....not even family.

Nowadays, Miami's Saturdays have become a routine: tennis in the morning, brunch, errands or, better yet, in good weather (not all the time!) sitting by the pool. Church, dinner, television..ugh! Do not get me wrong: there are tons of things to do here, it is just you wander sometimes who to do them with. Sharing is not part of this city's culture, I guess. Seems I forgot the Golden Rule: bloom where you are planted!!!. Definitely needed a reminder and should start planning ahead for Saturdays.

Rain and Rebirth.....

2010-10-15T10:55:00.004-04:00

During the months and days coming up to Curaçao independence day....it rained cats, dogs and chihuahuas. For those of you that know the island, this is rare indeed. The island is more like a desert with a beach; shrubs and bush, some tall trees and nothing of the luxuriant flora seen in other islands in the Caribbean. Everything that looks out of place, probably has been imported: like mango, palm and other fruit trees. Even the famous laraha (orange) used to make the famous Curaçao liqueur, was brought by the Spanish hoping to cultivate the sweet Valencia orange in the sunny island...well, they were disappointed. The fruit turned sour and can only be used to cook or to make the liqueur!

So when there is a really wet rainy season, or it last too long or both....everyone senses something is amiss. This year it has been raining for months, and not the kind of rain that usually pounds the island and dries as fast as it takes the sun to come out. No, this years it has been relentless and heavy, sometimes with awesome displays of thunder and lighting. That is so uncommon, people started to think that there was a reason the heavens were opening up in such a way.....The suspicious mind of islanders, who are always attuned with nature because their lives are so intertwined with it, immediately told them. It gets that way on the islands, you learned to feel the place, catch its vibes and understand the coming and goings. It is an experience, I tell you!

Anyway, it rained and rained and rained......there was flooding and the soil was saturated and the heat got unbearable, the mosquitoes and other flying pest came out in droves. I was there twice this Summer and couldn't believe it....it was as if a wet blanket was wrapped around this piece of Paradise! A few times during the years I lived there, we had the odd long and wet rainy season, but this was really too much. The political climate was also not too cut and dry. There were elections and negotiations to form a coalition government and things were said and done and tempers flared...it was something else to watch and all the while it rained!

Finally, everything came to a point islanders understood: 10-101-10 was coming. All these displays of nature and people's behavior were just like a big lying-in......Curaçao as an independent country was about to be born and these were the pains of labor! The rain subsided and the rebirth has taken place. That difficult part over, this new country can take a deep breath and begin its new life. It is time for the people, like loving parents, to nurture and help and cajole and guide their new country into the force it can become in the Caribbean area.

Pais Korsow!!!!!

2010-10-10T12:11:00.003-04:00

Today is a historic day for that beautiful island.....it has become the newest country in the world. The Netherlands Antilles has ceased to exist. This concept was created in 1954 when the six remaining islands under the Dutch colonial rule became an independent partner within the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Aruba, Boanire, Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eutatius (known as Statia) and Saba. They became known as: The Netherlands Antilles. This association lasted until 1986 when Aruba negotiated for a place of its own within the Kingdom. The remaining five islands stayed together.

In a world of economic ups and downs and with little natural resources, The Netherlands Antilles found strength in numbers. At the same time, the differences in economic circumstances, size, mentality, language (Curaçao and Bonaire speak Papiamentu as their everyday language, St. Maarten, Statia and Saba speak English) and the fact that they are scattered in the vast Caribbean Sea made for an uneasy union. It's been one long period of disagreements, small frictions and a need for a solution. Finally it has come to this: Bonaire, Statia and Saba are now part of the Kingdom with no independent government. St. Maarten and Curacao are becoming countries in their own right, independent but still within the Kingdom.

At the stroke of midnight on 10-10-10 it was Curaçao's turn. Crown Prince Wilhelm Alexander and his wife Princess Maxima were in attendance as were political figures, consuls, important persons from the island. There was celebration and canon fired, fireworks and, I am sure, a bit of sadness. It is the end of an era. Most people I know have lived under this structure all their lives. A new era has started and the people of the island are full of hope and energy. They are prepared to do a lot to make this work. I have no doubt that they will. As a friend pointed out: a lot of people call their countries motherland, but no other people call themselves children of their country when expressing their nationality. Curaçaoans call themselves: Yu di Korsow, (child of Curaçao) My congratulations to all...masha, masha PABIEN!!!!!

Walking in Miami...

2010-09-30T15:16:00.006-04:00

All of you know how I brag about my walks in Curaçao.....I am sure you think me too partial. Well, my husband and I have started to talk early in the morning......and I mean EARLY!!! He goes to work before 8:00 a.m. so we are up and about around Brickell Key around 6:15!!! For the ones of you that know me longer, you know that is difficult. For the ones that do not: I am NOT a morning person. NEVER have been. The idea of having more energy, getting things done better in the morning is absolutely lost on me. I think you have to be organized, no matter at what time you get up.....but that is a conversation for another time!!!

Back to my point, I tend to wander. Walking in the early morning, right. Surprisingly, I am coping rather well! We get out of our building and take a left towards the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The lights are still on, the buildings on Brickell Avenue, dark. There is still some coolness and a bit of breeze. All to be expected, what is amazing is the amount of people already running or walking along the water. Who would have known? With all the talk about obesity and unhealthy habits we hear about constantly!!!! Who are these people and wheat what time do they start?

Anyway, they hurry past us with their iPods or not. Some just look up and ignore the passersby, other offer a wan smile, the majority just passes you by....only a handful would say good morning! Really....Brickell Key is a small island, I mean really small. It is true there are several high rise buildings so the population could be in the thousands, but people are bound to run into each other sometime: in lobbies, in the parking lots, in the small convenient store, in elevators......and even if you didn't:... COMMON COURTESY, MANNERS....

That would never be the case back on the island. People would pass you and say excuse me, greet you with a bon tardi (good afternoon) or bon dia (good morning), there will be jokes shared and comments....no, don't tell me it is the same. The fact is there we walked with friends, we made our walks a social thing, we walked for health, but also for fun! Here, we walk, making sure we do something healthy everyday, trying to keep years at bay....but not because it's fun, it's just walking. How sad......I miss my walks along Caracasbaai, never mind the over development.....

Weekend....

2010-09-17T16:10:00.003-04:00

The fact that is Friday is enticing to many. It used to be to me too.....but now I live in Miami. I know, many would give a lot to live here, but ...it is overrated! There are places to go, restaurants to explore, theater, galleries, movies. There is the beach, the river, the bay, the sunsets, yes, there are all those things. Unfortunately, there is also the crazy traffic, the rush, the fast pace going nowhere, the lack of warmth, the indifference, the keeping up with th eJoneses. You can choose from so many things to do, that most of us end doing nothing on weekends! Same old thing: out to dinner, movies, walks, galleries....and back home. Not very exciting since there are few people to share the excitement with....

In many big cities this is true, so I don't think anyone is surprised, are you? Of course not! Somehow it is not for me....I yearn for the place where I have true friends, people to share happy things with. Was in Curaçao again, at the end of August. Just for four days, quick trip. Went out every night, played bridge, had long conversations, saw friends I haven't seen in years....and different ones from last time. Is it the fact that life is more laid-back there? is it the fact that you need to make your own fun there and that gives you initiative? I have no clue...but it is more fun for sure!

Since coming back, I have been so busy...work, deadlines, the house. No time to really sit down and miss anything. My sisters were both here, lots to talk about, to plan, to laugh about. Now they are traveling, so back to boring weekends. It will pass, I'm sure, but for this weekend: NEEE..

From a View to a Future

2010-08-14T11:51:00.002-04:00

This new image I just posted says so much....just a few years ago, I used to walk in this area every afternoon! It was wild and beautiful and so calm. People came at the end of the day to unwind, to walk to see the sunset, to socialize, really. I did tell you once that on this small island, everything counts as a social event!!

My friends and I made this our private "spa"!! As soon as we left our cars, started up the small uphill path....everything such ebbed away and we were at peace. Once on top, we could turn and be treated to one of the most beautiful sights on the island....Caracasbaai! There was always some yacht, some enormous oil tanker, some small fishing boats gently swaying in the bay. There would be some adventurous people swimming in the small beach and there would be the incredible waters, the amazing blues and the endless sky. The sunset would tint everything in different colors: golds one day, purples another, reds most of the time. I was so happy to just stand there and look.

A friend just sent me this recent picture....and isn't it a picture perfect shot? The place now is so developed, so full of life and movement. There are so many signs of progress, of a future. The quiet bay is now a bustling place. There are houses everywhere, built by people looking for the perfect place, the highest ground, the best view. The could not have chosen anything better. At the same time, I hope they keep in mind the beauty of the place: the waters, the sky. the small beach, the unobstructed view of the sunset. This is still absolutely beautiful and I hope it is kept that way. Can't wait to go, park my car and walk up the highest point, look down and see this span of paradise. Thank you, Alan!!!

Wearing Oranje......

2010-07-31T11:39:00.003-04:00

Back from Paradise! Yes, the trip was wonderful and almost everything I expected. Went to the beach, watched the sunsets, went to new restaurants and to old favorites, had drinks on Thursdays, played bridge on Wednesdays, cuddled the new baby, visited my oldest friend (she is 91!), had lunch, dinner, breakfast with friends, talked and talked and listened to all the redo (gossip) !!! It was fabulous.....as I expected. One BUT, though. I had to see the dentist and that part is never pleasant. Still, he is very good and things were alright, now I need to go back at some point to finish the treatment. Couldn't be better!

You must be wondering why the tittle of this post. Well, the Dutch have descended on the island as I never expected. There is a veritable invasion....retirees, young couples with children, young single professionals, tourists, investors. Construction sites are everywhere, new hotels, restaurants, businesses. Dutch is heard everywhere and you can see signs of this continuing in the near future. It is the future.....

In many ways, with the new deal the island is getting from the Kingdom, is to be expected. As of October 10, 2010, Curaçao will enter into a new partnership with Holland. Not a minute too soon according to some, absolutely not the thing to do according to others. Either way, it is inevitable since the people has spoken in two referendums and it is a fait-accompli. As in every time a major change comes along, there are divisions, but in general, I think people are pleased with this change. It will work out well for the island in general. The world is evolving into a village, countries are intertwined. The state of the global economy is in shambles, unity in the face of collapse is the order of the day. Smaller nations cannot survive easily and need all the help they can get, so let's be positive about this change.

The influx of Dutch citizens have brought money and prosperity. The fact that tourism has become a vital part of the economy (it was not always the case) has changed the atmosphere of the island. It used to be more laid-back and relaxed, more sleepy-town than tourist haven, more familiar and friendly than hectic and......friendly! That is the part that has not changed much. You still feel like everyone knows you and everyone is truly interested in your answer when they ask: kon ta ku bo? (how are you?). And really mean it when they wish you Bon Siman (good week!) every Monday.

Another thing that never lets me down: the sheer beauty of this small piece of rock laying like a jewel in the Caribbean's Windward Islands. It has been raining, so the approach by plane offers a green mantle covering most of the island. Christoffelberg is lush and beautiful, resplendent in the sun. The rough North Coast is full of life with high waves and necklaces of foam, the South Coast is ringed with small coves and bays of the most amazing shades of blue. The city and small towns are alive with cars and homes and roads. This beauty can't never disappoint! So even if the island is wearing Oranje......this is still Paradise!!!! and I can understand why the Dutch are flocking to it....

The World Cup and other exciting things....

2010-07-12T00:59:00.003-04:00

After a month of excitement, the World Cup is over. It ended today in a sad note for us: Dutch by birth or by choice. The team played so well, didn't loose a game, scored when it was needed and even ousted the ever-favorite of the world: Brazil! It gave us hope of having the Cup travel back to the Netherlands.....wishful thinking! FIFA, to begin with, had other plans...I am sure.

Let's see, Brazil, the world's favorite, and Spain, the European champions were put on a collision course....they were to be the final teams standing. The Dutch sort of derailed this......Oh, no!! Not well received, I'm sure, but accepted. Today, Spain faced up against them and...won. Don't like to sound like a complainer, but really...the referee was a total nincompoop. He gave yellow cards up and down, mostly to the Dutch, he ignored things, failed to give corners...what to do? I don't want to think about it today. One thing is sure, this was the third time the Dutch went to the finals, losing every time.. Things come in three, maybe the obstacle is gone....who knows.

On Tuesday, I am going to Curaçao...so looking forward to this trip. I will visit, go to the beach, enjoy my friends, hear the latest gossip, have a ball. Everything has been planned and friends have been informed. Know who, when and why. Definitely, time to relax, recharge my batteries and get back to Miami refreshed!!!! The World Cup will be a distant event by then, other things would have taken its place.....can't wait!

July: the Real Summer Month

2010-07-01T15:23:00.002-04:00

Have you noticed that? I don't know what it is, but July says Summer like no other month. I remember when we lived in Curaçao and this was the month everyone that could......went on holiday!!! Curaçaoans are great travelers...and because they live on an island, they have to! Anyway, back to July.... people take vacations at this time of the year, schools are out and life on the island comes to a standstill. Never saw anything like it!

In Miami, July is a very hot month. The days are humid and somnolent, slow and oppressive. IYou have to do things in the morning before the heat of the day really hits. In Curaçao is hot too, but dry. A different kind of Summer altogether. Still, July is the month that says Summer out loud on the island.

It starts on a similar note: there, July 2nd is Flag Day (Dia di Bandera) which means this weekend is one big celebration. With Holland playing Brazil on Friday.......everyone is on a party mood! Here is 4th of July Weekend, celebrations will abound and people will take the time to see friends and family, enjoy the outdoors and the fireworks.

In both places, the rest of the month there will be beach days, picnics, bar-b-cues, long days melting into nights. Everyone that stayed home, didn't go on holiday, would make the best of this time. This when people get inventive and where things are different. In Miami, it seems that staying indoors most of the time is a must. Trips to the movies and the malls would be expected. There will be Summer Camps and Day Camps. That not withstanding, life in the big city stays basically the same: no allowances made because is Summer.

In Curaçao, everything seems to come to an end. There is a sense of suspended animation, when everything just stops. I don't mean children's activities...I mean everything!!! Clubs suspend meetings, nobody plays bridge, certain businesses close and others have Summer hours, people leave work earlier, going out for a drink becomes a must, it is absolutely wonderful!!! I miss that.....but I am trying to enjoy this too.

The view from our balcony is great, the afternoons and early evenings are not too hot up here, so you can sit outside. There are trips to the library and books to read, lazy days by the pool and delicious fruits to eat. Yes, you can definitely enjoy this too.

Summer....

2010-06-17T11:29:00.002-04:00

Summer is here! You can tell, even in Miami. School is out, earlier than other places, clouds gather and usually rains in the afternoons, humidity hits the highest levels (sometimes it's the same as the actual temperature), every television station keeps us updated on the latest tropical disturbance. Oh, and we know practically all the storm names....so, yes, Summer is here.

These things combined to make us weary....this is not to say that I am not enjoying the season. Summer has a charm all its own. The longer days invite us to sit outside and listen to the sounds of nature.....birds, insects (the ones that don't bite you!!!), lizards and rodents, if you have a garden. Plants bloom in a riot of colors, you can stay out late into the night. Because our apartment is high above the city and the bay, we can watch the cars go by, the boats glide in the blue water, the sailboats (few!!!) and the cruise ships....the lights of the high risers, the red and orange reflected everywhere at sunset.....it's beautiful.

I know you don't believe me...I have been negative about my new city that is hard to accept I now love it. No, I didn't say that, I still have my qualms with Miami. It doesn't hold the magic that our Dushi Korsow has, it doesn't have the peaceful sunsets, the warm embrace of the evening, the perfume of the gardens, the incredible shades of blue of the ocean, the lay-back lifestyle, the friendly people...... you get my point. What it does have is moments of brilliance, days that are so clear and bright that hurt your eyes, the hustle and bustle that turns into a quiet evening, the busy bay and the river delta so close I think I can touch them.....it has its moments!

Summer is here, time to enjoy outdoor living.....alright, we do that all year long here, but somehow, this time of the year it really feels like we should be outside. There is a mood in the air that only Summer can offer and even in Florida, we recognize it!!! On the other hand, it can be that I am so much more positive these days........LOL!!!!!

65 Days.......

2010-06-11T17:15:00.002-04:00

Now, isn't it amazing? 65 days.....on my gossip and negativity diet! Can't tell you all is fine, or that I have been good every day...Neeee! It's a series of ups and downs, some days better than others, some easy, so hard. One can't never expect to achieve things easily, how would that make you feel? Alright, don't answer that one! Some of you will say it is so much better when we make a resolution and we can achieve it without too much work....But then it wouldn't be the same, would it? We have to work for what we really want, if it comes easy, we don't appreciate it.

Anyway, it's been 65 days. It all started as a lark, I suppose. Some kind of challenge, something I picked up from a wonderful lady on Vibrant Nation. I didn't know how it would work or IF it would work. I still don't know that! Still, the every day challenge to remind myself to look at the positive side of things, make an effort to stop paying attention to gossip and lend a deaf ear to negative comments, has brought some other benefits.....

I now see good things even before I notice the bad ones; I have stopped, most days, listening to gossip and passing it along...and I have really think that what is the use of just complaining about the negatives in our daily life?....we have to change that with our attitude, or offer constructive ways to deal with what bothers us.... Never thought that day would come!

So, yes, this is a good thing. It has not become a way of life yet, but it really makes me feel better. So now I am looking forward to sitting with friends, reveling in their company and reminiscing, relaxing, enjoying. This is going to be a great Summer!!!!

These are the times.....

2010-06-04T18:55:00.002-04:00

These are the times when I do miss the island, my friends, my former life. After coming back from New Orleans, I came down with a horrible head cold. I have been miserable and alone. Frankie had to travel to Curaçao on business....so I am not doing well. Then Camille is traveling back to London via Newark...and the weather is awful! They just arrived and she called to say the plane moved and shook and it was very unpleasant. Not a good thing for me to know: I am also terrified of flying. I am grateful she has Tim. He is steady and reliable and seems to know how to calm her down. I am also grateful they will not travel again tonight, they will rest and take a flight tomorrow morning, when the weather would be better!!!!

In this not so favorable atmosphere, I received an email from back home. Just a couple of lines to let me know that one of my friends, a dear friend, passed away. It was so sudden and so sad.
I last heard from Marja on my birthday. She was happy and full of plans, leaving for Holland to see her grandchildren, twin boys, that were turning two years old! She was always cheerful always with a smile on her face or joke to tell. She remembered birthdays and important dates in our lives, she came to bridge full of joy and was always pleasant to play with.....I have missed her since I moved. What is happening? have the circle of life caught up with us? Is our group beginning to just .....go? I can't think of that....not now, not yet.

Just this past week in New Orleans, I spent time with Vicki and Nadja. Took pictures to share with our bridge friends back home. It was a happy reunion in the middle of such happy celebrations. It was warm and expected and felt good. Can't believe Marja will not see these pictures, she will not be back on Wednesdays, I will miss her when I go visit in July.

It is at times like this that I miss everyone, the fact that I could drive and visit, get to spend time consoling and reminiscing, go out and have a drink, sit with someone that will understand without explanations....It is now imperative for me to go, it is so important for me to go. Plans that were just forming, nothing concrete yet, have become central. I have to get over this cold, get my deadlines in order and plan seriously! I will miss Marja and I have to see all the others! Then, I will plan a trip to Europe..to visit Camille, see Thelma, to enjoy time with loved ones!!! That sounds like the perfect plan!!!

...and then, there are Weddings

2010-05-20T16:04:00.005-04:00

In about a week, Frankie and I will be flying to New Orleans for a wedding. I don't like flying, but will not miss trip. You know how it is, can't stay behind just because we have to fly! Especially these days, when so many of our loved ones live far away. Anyway, focus....we are talking wedding here. The bride is the youngest daughter of two of our dearest friends. Nicole was born and raised in Curaçao and while studying at Tulane met and fell in love with Ryan, All American boy. The stuff of romance novels, of romantic movies...so we are going there to celebrate their union. Valerie (bride's mother) is originally from New Orleans, Ryan's parents have never travel far, it was just natural to celebrate there. What luck for all of us attending!

Tony and Valerie are having several events and we are so looking forward to them. Also looking seeing friends from the island, hearing about their families, catching up. It's going to be wonderful! As I have said countless times, islanders really know how to celebrate; and be it in Curaçao or in New Orleans, I am sure we are going to have a great time. There will be dancing, laughter, great food and drinks. We will have long conversations after dinner, walk along the lively streets of the French Quarter and there will even be time to relax. It is Memorial Day weekend as well, so we can have an extended holiday.

Camille and Tim are coming over from London. Tim's first encounter with island culture; everyone anticipating how that would go. Frankie and I are also looking forward to spending time with our lovely daughter, we see her so seldom; and getting to know this tall and quiet Brit who has come into her life. So we are excited about this holiday. After the move, the organizing, the settling-in in our new apartment, this is a very deserved time to enjoy ourselves. We are going to recharge batteries, Curaçao style, even if are not on the island!!!

On Birthdays and Celebrations...

2010-05-13T10:28:00.002-04:00

Are you beginning to see a pattern here?....well, you wouldn't be wrong. It's just that back in Curaçao, celebrations are important, and there is always something to celebrate! Really, can't think why this doesn't happen everywhere. It makes for such a fun way of life. Does it have something to do with life in a small place or is it just idiosyncrasy? Or maybe is just the fact that there people have a more engaging way of life? Or is it that there people are happier? Which ever it is, it's a lot nicer, trust me!

This week was a friend's birthday. Milan is so much fun, full of life and engaged with the world around her. Much more than most of my friends, I tell you. Every time I think of her, I can see and hear her laughing. Isn't that a nice picture? Anyway, yesterday was her birthday. For days, her husband Alan, who is Frankie's cousin, announced to the world, through Facebook, this coming event. It was a countdown of sorts and so nice.

I am sure the day went wonderfully, she was surrounded by her family and dear friends, enjoying life as she always does. This is her biggest strength. I remember she loves birthdays. When her children were growing up, they had the most fabulous birthday parties. All with a central theme, everything coordinate to the last detail and so much fun. One year there were watermelons everywhere, a soda fountain, flowers....you name it, she did it. Still have pictures somewhere! She should have gone into business with those ideas, but then, maybe that would have ruined the whole thing.

Last year, I happened to be in Curaçao for her birthday, so I went to her home. She was on the phone, laughing with well wishers, entertaining someone sitting in her welcoming porch, waiving goodbye to passersby....and enjoying every minute. There was coffee, tea and cool drinks, there were pastechis, croket and bolo (meat turnovers, croquettes and cake). Once I sat down, I was served something delicious, she thanked me for dropping by, made sure I was comfortable, all the while making everything look so easy.

This was not an anja será birthday (birthdays ending in 5 or 0), so I am looking forward to that celebration...and if I am around, I will attend for sure: it's going to be great!.

Memories triggered by recipes..

2010-05-07T15:55:00.003-04:00

Absolutely, I agree, food is one of the most potent memory triggers. Don't you remember with amazing clarity the dishes you grew up with? don't you sometimes can actually taste them? and when you are far from home, don't you miss the smells and tastes of you mother's kitchen? I knew it!!! So does my daughter Camille.

She has been living in London for almost seven years. I can hardly believe it. It was just suppose to be for the duration of her studies, fourteen months and she'd be back in Boston close to us that had just moved to Miami.....but there is a lot of her mother in her! I adore London! Anyway, she fell in love with that fabulous city, finished her Masters, made friends, got a job and flat...and stayed. I don't think she herself knew for how long, it just felt right at the moment and things moved on from there.

All these years later, with more experience, a job she loves, a new relationship and a truly open mind....she is still there! I am sometimes jealous, she went for what she wanted, even when it has not been always easy. Anyway, I could move there myself, but with age comes caution....
I digress, as always. We are meeting in New Orleans in three weeks to attend a wedding. Camille is also looking forward to a visit with some friends that studied with her in London. It sounds like we are in for a treat!!!!

Today, she asked for some things she wants me to bring her. There is always something she wants from the States..... but she also asked for a notebook with recipes!!! Let's face it, she dabbles in cooking, but is not very interested. She likes entertaining, but is not going to spend the day preparing anything, no matter who is coming. Takes after me in that department too!

She wants the recipes for things she misses, dishes I used to make at home in Curaçao. I took out my recipe books....yes, I have a few. I looked through them, saw the recipes she wants, read others, sat imagining the way it was back then, when I thought we were going to live there forever and my house will always be home for my family. It made me so sad.

There is the book the American Women's Club gave me when I left, copies of which I signed for so many members that left before me. Saw all the messages written by my friends...not a good idea on a Friday afternoon. There are also the recipes that I don't make anymore. They are suddenly important again: Camille wants them!!! I have changed my way of cooking, new recipes, easier dishes, after all is only the two of us......but I remember.

I am going to make this a work of art. I'll include recipes, anecdotes, pictures, advise. I will make it so that she will laugh and enjoy every one of the recipes.....even if she doesn't really become a great cook. After all, London has great restaurants!!! Still, cooking makes for a great way to share memories and food binds us with our past. I am going to enjoy this!!!

Koniginnedag and other celebrations

2010-05-03T09:51:00.002-04:00

Koniginnedag is Queen Beatrix's Birthday. Not her real one, but the one as queen. She ascended to the throne on April 30th, 1980 on her mother's , Queen Juliana's, 71st birthday. Every year The Netherlands and Dutch subjects around the world celebrate with gusto. This year's Queen's Birthday came and Dutch subjects around South Florida gathered at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach. Our Consul General, Lucita Moenir-Alam, decided to have the annual party at a larger medium since it was her last. She is being transferred to Trinidad-Tobago as the ambassador of the Kingdom. An honor indeed and one richly deserved. I have known her since she was working at the Foreign Office in Curacao. I was working for the Business Journal, a small newspaper on the island, writing a series of articles on successful women. I interviewed her and was very impressed......positively sure she'll go far. She has.....

I digress, as always. The whole point of this is the celebration....and it was a very nice one. There was good food from Holland, exotic drinks from the islands and good company. There was a mixture of Dutch, Antillians, friends of the Netherlands, diplomats and the group to which I belonged: Dutch passport carrying citizens that are proud to be included in the Kingdom. Yes, yes, I do hear you! Kingdom? you'll say. What is this? in this time and age?. Trust me, it makes you proud to have received the honor to be Dutch. Aren't you proud of your country? what if you became an American citizen? are you proud of that?....see? On to other things, then!

Celebrations this time of the year are plentiful for me. There is Easter close by, then my birthday, then Queen's Day and then Mother's Day. Somehow they all come together in the Spring and really make for a wonderful few weeks of cheers. I look forward to each one of them. All would have been celebrated in a bigger fashion if I was still living in Curaçao, but thankfully, I can still celebrate all of them here!! Well, most of them....I can't celebrate Labor Day on May 1st; for that I would have to get back to the island. This year the celebrations took four days!!!

Don't kid yourself, public celebrations are as important as private ones, especially in Curaçao. I have to say that there are few places on Earth were you can have equal time to both. Take this past weekend: a grand flea market in the center of town, an International Food Fair at a tennis club, vendors and street fun all over the city, days off for schools and government offices, private ones as well, fireworks and private celebrations at the beach or at people's homes. This weekend rivals Carnival! When it comes to celebrating, this place has no equal. I do miss that and hope one day to celebrate there...in the meantime: on with the party!!!

New decade, new attitude.

2010-04-27T09:48:00.002-04:00

There, it's in black and white...if not in paper. Attitude is everything, I believe. Not in the way most people take this: sort of challenging, edgy, in your face...NO, I mean positive attitude! That is my goal in this new decade I have just started.

Since I decided to go on this gossip and negativity fast, this have moved fast. I feel energized. You have to put an effort, of course, but the rewards are great. Relaxation will come as well....or not since I am a worrier by nature. BUT this is so worth trying!

My big birthday came and went. I was surprised how many people remembered, how many others actually paid attention to the Facebook reminder and posted something, how many called, emailed and showed they care. It was a realization, since I usually think the worse first... called me skeptic. This year, and maybe because of my positive attitude, things went differently!!! One more reason to continue with the fast.

I have stayed away from gossip, most of the time. I have reigned in my desire to have an opinion on everyone I get in touch with, or give a report on people I meet. I have decided that time could be better used in pointing out the fun I had, the good news that person shared. Not easy sometimes, I tell you. Most people want to talk about....well, other people! Stirring the conversation away from that is a challenge at times. One doesn't want to offend anyone. So trying has been, well, trying.

Then there is negativity. You know that not everyone has the ability to be positive and sometimes your encounters are a bit drab. Tell me bout it, I have been a recurrent pessimist. You know exactly what I mean: there is not a silver lining in your dark cloud and you tend to see the bad first. In the real world, sometimes you need to console and to reassure, or simply you cannot avoid bad news. This is different from just complaining and dragging everyone down with you. Again, not easy, but I have managed with some success.......so far!

So here's to changing attitudes, to starting a new decade with a new outlook, to have something better to do with your time and to enjoy life to its fullest!!!

Birthday Week!

2010-04-19T13:51:00.004-04:00

A week you'd say...I can hear it now. There she goes again, unpredictable. You might be right, but why not? My birthday is on Friday....I'll be older than I would like to admit, but feel better than I thought I would at this time....so I'm celebrating!!! Not with a big party, that involves work and little enjoyment, not with any of the rituals we tend to have on these occasions, NEEE! I plan to do things for me, because I like them, because I enjoy them, because I feel like it!!! A bit of selfishness is in order, I think.

Women tend to try to hard on themselves, trying to be everything to everyone in their lives.....it's an ingrained mechanism we don't know how to shake off. Well, I am trying to be positive, remember? trying to "dish the bitching".... This includes being nice to myself. Someone said, I believe it was Dr. Christiane Northrup, "Women are here to serve, but they are NOT the main course"!!! Couldn't have said it better myself. So, I would go on with my home routine this week, but :

I will laugh more often
Keep up my negativity and gossip fast
Move to the music whenever I hear it
Start my day with a moment of gratitude
Go walking as meditation
Keep in touch with friends
Pamper myself

Have to remember that I cannot control the lives of my loved ones, consequently, I have to accept that there is more than one way to live a life! That will bring some serenity to my days, I hope, because it means I shall have the freedom to live my own as I please.....What a great birthday this will be!!!

Moving On......

2010-04-14T23:59:00.003-04:00

Yes, this positivity thing is catchy. I have received responses from family and friends, no idea yet how is it going for them. For me, it's keeping me focused and that in itself is a great thing!

This week I have been in touch with friends from Curaçao. Called Laurita first. She is 91 and very active. One of the local newspapers ran a story about her last week. After 60 plus years living on the island, she is a celebrity of sorts and she is so sharp and with it! Told her that since I am planning a trip sometime in July, I want to hear everything that is going on: from political news, to celebrations, to the real estate market to the power outages. Sort of an scout mission. Haven't been there for about a year, a lot can happen even in our small island.

Read some of my friends' Facebook pages, to see what is new in their lives. Emailed others and asked about their plans, making sure they will be there when I come. Simple straight forward queries, it was so much easier and felt great. Moving on, don't need details of things I cannot change or information that is not useful......

Anyway, I am being positive and keeping away from gossip. So if I am missing some of the information in this deal, I really don't care! All I need to know is that the beach is still beautiful, the days are warm enough to spend them outdoors, my friends are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, going out on Thursdays for a drink and there is power at night to sleep in the airco (AC for you in the States!). I want to see as many of my friends as I can, spend time just driving around, eat and drink well, play bridge and walk in Jan Thiel at sunset.

I want to meet the new additions to friends' families, enjoy the laid-back lifestyle and recharge my batteries. It will be just wonderful and it can come soon enough.

A Challenge

2010-04-09T09:38:00.002-04:00

Well, I have gone and done something I thought I was not going to: start something personal on Facebook. Yes, yes, I remember saying to myself: Keep it light, keep it mostly impersonal, share few things. As it happens, things have changed since I read that inspiring post about the fast on gossip and negativity. I went on Facebook and posted it there and then asked my friends to joined me.

Can't take all the credit for the second part, my friend and fellow blogger, Prati, gave me the idea. It was a bit of a challenge and I decided, why not? We all need to take small risks in life, do some things not everyone would approve of, or simply things that sound a bit strange.....what to do? I think my real friends would expect anything from me. Mercedes, they'd say, can be so unpredictable! So there it is: I have embarked in this fast and are doing my darnest to keep it up. Not easy, I tell you.....especially the gossip thing. The negativity has been, so far, less of a challenge, a bit easier to handle. That can change, I know!

I wish I had discovered this years ago, when I was in my negative period back in Curaçao. Before I discovered Life in the Tropics is fabulous, that I was very lucky indeed to have landed there. Youth! what do we know in our 30s or 40s for that matter......it took me so long. Never mind, new page!

So how about it? are you ready to do this? could a bit less negativity make us happier? I am sure. Could a bit less gossip make a difference in our relationships with family and friends? You bet. Could we use those hours we spend in these useless endeavours for something more constructive? absolutely!!! This is sounding better already so I hope you all join me.

Solitude and Gratitude!

2010-04-05T17:30:00.002-04:00

A few months ago, I gave into the age thing and joined Vibrant Nation "where smart, successful women 50+ connect with others to make the most out of life every day". It has been such a positive experience so far! Members come from all over the US and Canada.....with a sprinkle of expats. I am sure at some point it would develop into something more encompassing. For now, there are plenty of women sharing everything from how to go gray to how to look younger without surgery, from traveling solo to girls nights out, from divorce to widowhood to relationships with younger men. A veritable spectrum of experience and advise. Great reads at the very least! Enjoyable for sure.

Today I discovered a new thread about how to really get more of what you want, it goes something along these lines: I know many (maybe most) of us have an ingrained habit pattern that focuses us on what we don’t want. Changing this pattern can be challenging. And I've seen with myself and my clients that it’s definitely worth doing! Says the author, Bonnie McFarland. It is inspirational and the comments that followed can take you in all directions. What I like most, is the openness of the discussion and the heartfelt advise. One really made me stop and think: "....it helps to start and end the day (most days) in silence and gratitude. Today I decided to go on a 90 day fast of gossip and negativity". What a concept!!!

I am adopting this! Have no idea how hard it would be, but I am willing to try. It goes splendidly with my new resolve of buying only when replacing...a whole new attitude in life that can only enrich my life. As with this latter mantra, I am sure it will all depend on my behavior, on the way I see things and react to them, on the level of involvement with myself, in the way I meet challenges and work with them. Also goes well, with change is good!

Having fun while being charitable

2010-03-28T23:53:00.003-04:00

Having fun while doing good, that is something we always did back in Curaçao. From the American Women's Club fundraisers, which were famous and well attended. We used to have theme parties (Hooray for Hollywood, Back to the 50s, Mexican Night...) and danced until the wee hours. There were theater presentations and Wine and Cheese Parties. The Lions Carnival party signaled the arrival of the Carnival weekend and still goes on every year. The Rotary Club had dances and International Food Fairs. Of courses, there were dinners, trivia nights or beach parties organized by other service clubs. The whole island did some good while enjoying itself....and still does!

I remember looking forward to all those parties, enjoying every minute of them and knowing that while we dance the night away, dine in style under the stars or answer all those trivia questions, we were helping make our island home a better place. It was a great feeling!...and I have missed that.

Here in Miami, our contributions to charity have been in the way of sending checks to different institutions. Once in a while, we would participate in a walk or something along those lines, nothing much fun, really. Until last night........

We attended a Bollywood Nights event at some one's beautiful home in Coral Gables. The place was done with rugs, flowers, carved screens, tents and a stage floating in the swimming pool. People came in their finest, with Indian saris, glass bangles, embroidered slippers. There were henna artists working their magic on everyone's hands. There was a silent auction and a show that included a girl dubbed: Fire Vixen. There was a female Bengal Tiger called Umba and even two camels!

The food was excellent and there was an open bar. Well, that is what I call a real charity event. Everyone gets to have fun while helping. In this case, all proceeds went to Sunil's Home, an orphanage in India...hence the theme of the party. Finally.....We had such fun, maybe because we did some good while remembering old times. May this be a new beginning!!!!

AWC Tattler

2010-03-25T13:40:00.003-04:00

It's that time of the month again.....I just received the American Women's Club of Curaçao's newsletter: The Tattler. It is always a pleasure to read what are the girls back home up to. The club, as anything active and vibrant, has changed a lot since I moved away. Still, there are things that remain the same: fundraisers, children activities, advise for the newcomers, beach days, out-to-lunch dates, reports on the weather.....I do miss all that!

Among the many hats I wore while I was a member was Tattler editor, so I can understand the challenges of keeping the newsletter interesting and fun. It was printed at the time, so much more work , but more rewarding I say. I'm grateful I am still receiving it, keeping me in touch, giving me a window into the new club, the changes, the challenges, the fun. Wonderful!

Miami, as you all know, has not become home in the sense I was expecting. It is not as bad as I thought even a year ago, but not the same. So, the arrival of The Tattler always brings back memories and an irresistible urge to buy a plane ticket and go visit!

Things to look forward to this time of the year: beach days when you can stay until sunset with not so many mosquitoes, light breeze when you take your afternoon walk, Queen's Birthday flea market in Punda. People take trips abroad and the island feels quiet and deserted, then Easter weekend when almost everything is closed and you need to entertain yourself...not so hard, really. What lovely times we had every year at this time.

We have plans for Easter Sunday with Frankie's family. I am sure it will be relaxed, fun and interesting....but it will not be the same: no beach day, no laying in the sun drinking some delicious concoction involving tropical fruits and liquor, while looking at the amazing blues of the water, no coming home in the afternoon and going for a walk or visiting friends for a drink. Oh, well....things change and I did say change is good. Let's embrace it!

Roller-coaster Weather in Miami, too hot and oppressive in Curaçao

2010-03-22T00:02:00.005-04:00

Miami, what can I tell you...2010 has been a strange year so far. So mild, it has people wondering where has the hot and muggy weather gone. The days have been cool, clear and generally beautiful. It is so nice to walk around Brickell Key, evenings are perfect to wander around the neighborhood, go to our favorite restaurant, just sit on the balcony. Not at all what we expect this time of the year.

While the rest of the country receives more snow than they can handle, or more rain than they want, South Florida has been delightful...and I don't say that lightly. No need to turn the AC on, some days we actually needed a bit of heat! Amazing!!! Of course, being Miami, this was just a freak occurrence. In the last few days, it has been everything: cloudy and muggy and in the 70s, clear and sunny and in the 60s, breeze and cool and hazy, warm and dry and in the 70s: roller-coaster weather for sure. Hope Hurricane Season treats us well this year......but who knows.

In Curaçao, though, things have not been going well, weather wise. Reports say that it is too hot, not a breath of air most days. Muggy and sticky, something rare on the island especially this time of the year. This is Lent, when the cool breeze is omnipresent and it's beach weather, well, more than usual! I wonder how did they manage with the Regattas.

Comparing again, I haven't done this in a while. Still, it needs to be done. My friends are commenting about it, or complaining...It is absolutely not the usual thing: no breeze during Lent? How is that? Should we pay attention to all those that tell us Global Warming is most definitely affecting world weather? should we start paying more attention to our carbon footprint? Or should we just ignore the whole thing and take this year's changes as they come.....what to do? Indeed things are so different this year. We will have to keep an eye on these developments. Roller-coaster weather, maybe not only in Miami, but around the world.

Changing times.....

2010-03-16T21:46:00.004-04:00

Did I tell you that this is the time to change? did I mention that I have become more and more aware the if one doesn't change....one cannot be happy? I have no clue when I came to this realization...it sort of sneaked up to me in the last few weeks. Maybe it was the move to this new apartment, the new view, the fact the the weather is still cool in mid-March, that my friends on the island are not always in touch lately. Or is it the fact that I don't think about it in the same way.

I still love it, I still think I can move back, but somehow I don't expect it to be the same or to have the same life if I ever do. There, I said it. Isn't that something? It has taken me all these years of yearning to be back, all these years of writing about it, dreaming about it......maybe it is a natural progression, don't you think? It is definitely NOT that I have started to love Miami....NEEEE! I am relatively sure that that is not in my stars. I have a new appreciation for the city, I recognize that it has its charms and its glories, I have to accept that this life has not been as I expected, but it hasn't been bad either. That's a weight off my shoulders!

So change is GOOD. The view from my balcony is so different, but in a way, just as beautiful. The layout of the apartment is so different, but it's convenient and flows easily. The marble floors give the place a warmth...even when they are so cool to the touch. The black marble kitchen counter tops gleam in the fluorescent light, the big sliding doors open to the sky...we are that high! Changing places has opened a whole new world for me.....

I did such cleaning since I moved. Several boxes are piled around the apartment full of things I really don't need anymore or would like to replace. There is a sense of expectation about this: buying to replace... Another change that I am relishing. This is definitely a good thing. Then there is the age thing. I am having a big birthday this year and thoughts of mortality, of realizing there are more years behind than in front of me...bring change into a new plane. YES, change is fabulous and I am enjoying it!!!

Never ending task......

2010-03-10T23:22:00.006-04:00

Yes, that is how I feel about this unpacking business. I mostly like to work on my own because I know how I want things......but this is ridiculous. It's been a week since I started unpacking. Everyday I do more than I think I would, I throw out boxes and papers, I pack what I'm giving away and I still have not finished. Do you think, maybe, things are multiplying? Wouldn't that be something.....and wouldn't a bit of help be welcome?!

I have found things I have not seen since they were packed in Curaçao......and then I decide to throw them away! The move then was a bit more chaotic, more traumatic, so that is why I kept so much. For whatever reason, I didn't want to let go of anything last time. Trying to hang on to the good life, the good times, the life that was changing. Nowadays, I am sure of what I really need, what is it that I can keep, what I want to be part of my baggage from now on. It feels great, Prati is absolutely right. Downsizing is liberating.

Now, this never ending process will come to an end sometime, right? and then I would be just organizing what is left, putting paintings in place, moving the end tables, shifting the computer desk, getting more books out or simply rearranging the kitchen cabinets or the linen closet. That is good too, because I will find more things I can do without and next time I move it will be easier. Or I would be moving to another country and there would be expert movers packing everything away, and unpacking at the other end!!

I absolutely miss my housekeeper...she was so helpful back then, seven years ago, during my last move. Nothing escaped her, she was on top of things and helped with everything: from the garage sale to the selection of items to pack, to answering the phone and keeping people at bay when I was exhausted. She is a treasure, I wish she was here...LUUCYYYYYY!!! I would call and she would appear with a cup of tea or an iced cold drink, a smile and a word of encouragement.....Such is Life in the Tropics, I want it back!

What a difference a week makes.......

2010-03-05T12:29:00.003-04:00

Remember that song: "What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours...." Alright, I might be dating myself, but it applies to my life these days. On Monday we got the keys to the new place, from then on everything moved so fast that I had no time to think. I finished packing whatever was left, Frankie contacted the movers and we just move on......

The movers came on time on Wednesday, prepared to move everything in a couple of hours, after all we were only going to the building next door......of course NOT! Murphy's Law took effect: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong". The elevators in both buildings shut down at the same time, it took 2 hours to fixed them and the move was delayed. Then there were the rules of moving on Brickell Key: no big truck in the underground parking, no moving after 5:00 p.m., no this and no that.....what can I say. Most things were just pushed along from building to building. What a way to move in the XXI century. These are the things we put up with to have a peaceful existence in this small oasis in the middle of the city!

Anyway, things progressed at a slow pace, but most things were moved on time. Unfortunately, my family and I had to do several trips to bring what was left behind....not exactly what I wanted to do, but we had to leave the other place! To make things worst, it's been so cold (for Miami, that is) so with being exhausted, walking back and forth and unpacking, I just go sick. This morning I have a cold and have not been myself.

The place is larger and has beautiful marble floors and expansive bathrooms. The balcony is bigger but faces Downtown Miami, a bit of the glorious bay to one side. No morning sun to warm the glass doors and windows, so the chill of the night takes its time to dissipate, but I'll get to see the sunsets...I think....and in Summer it will be much cooler than other places.

Every time I move, I try to get rid of stuff....I have been faithful to that and have a couple of boxes so far ready to be taken away. I also have dozens of boxes still packed, things that would not fit because of the different floor plan or not enough walls for all my paitings...so packing is still been done to put all that in storage!!! I was hoping to bring things up, well, that means I have to get rid of more stuff. Can't wait to have everything in place, put my feet up and relax!!!!!

Packing....

2010-02-27T13:50:00.002-04:00

Yes, we were approved and we get the keys on Monday! What a relief....The only thing that cannot be avoided is packing. Regardless of how I feel about moving, I am doing some of the packing for this move. Why? well, we are moving to the building next door...besides I thought we didn't have so much!!! Think again. It seems that we have accumulated so much in these seven years! and I thought we were being restrained, what was I thinking? Need to stick to my plan: buying only if replacing; getting rid of things that are not useful, beautiful or loved.

True, the packing has not been not so awful (right!) because we are not moving overseas or even across town. Still, not one of my favorite things and now I am beginning to hate it!!! Maybe hating is too harsh a word....or not! Everyday, I wake up, put together some boxes and start filling them up. No, not randomly, just a sort of organized chaos: whatever is close to where I am, goes in the same box! I mark what's inside, seal it as best as I can and move on. The Universe will take care of them and nothing will break.....fingers crossed.

Every couple of hours, I take a break and reward myself (a cup of tea, a visit to Facebook, a chapter on a good book, a phone call, a snack) for a job well done. This is an idea put forth by my daughter Camille's boyfriend. Don't you love it? It really works because you are never too exhausted and have time to look at what you have accomplished and pat yourself in the back. Very important when you are alone in the house and nobody is cheering you on! One more thing: at the end of the day my fingers are so dirty: black ink from newspapers I use to wrap the breakable stuff.......it takes several washings to get it off. On the other hand: I am doing manual labor and can't think.

This weekend I was expecting my husband and son to help. Frankie is here, amazingly enough he is packing too! Frank is absent so far, but hopefully he'll show up at one point. They both can help moving the boxes out of the way so we can move around the house. The heavy lifting will be done by the moving company sometime next week.

Then will come the next chapter in this saga: the unpacking. Mostly to be done by me, I guess. Now, both the men in my life should be aware that they are expected to help without being asked too many times. We'll see how that works!

New Place...

2010-02-23T12:44:00.004-04:00

Yes, we have found a place we like....like mind you, not LOVE! In these hectic times, with so much going on, that will do. We have put an offer, need to apply to the condo association, have to be approved, pay a ransom in fees and, if lucky, we will be moving....sometime. Let me explain all this. Since moving to Miami, we have been in the same place. It was a rental building, very well managed and perfect for our needs. Enter condo conversion!!!!

About four years into our lease, the building was sold to developers. A group of people that were more interested in making money than in getting this place in any semblance of efficiency. That was the way, when the housing market was at its peak and everyone was out to make money. Many actually did. Prices were outrageous, but we out in an offer. After all, we did love the place and I dreaded moving! Bad idea, we realized the place was not going to be managed as we would have liked, so we decided against it. Fortunately, the person that bought the apartment wanted it for investment and we could stay!!! I was so relieved!

Changes were not exactly what we expected, but we had nothing to do with that so we ignored them. Not so good idea.....anything that happened next was a disaster. The overinflated housing market bubble burst and property values plunged. Everyone and its brother (or wife!!!) scrambled for cover. Mortgages went into default and places went into foreclosure. Still, our apartment was alright...we didn't hear anything. Life was good in this corner of Miami and we were enjoying it! We were glad we have not bought a place in the area.

Enter papers of foreclosure for this unit! Where was that coming from? and how long did we have to make up our minds about moving? Retained a lawyer who advised us to wait for more specific news and expect to be moving in a couple of months. Sigh of relief! We went to London for the Holidays, then went to visit my mother in Panamá...ignoring the inevitable!!! Of course we looked at places and started to pack some things. Still, we were hoping for a resolution without too much hassle. Something along the lines of staying in the same building, for example. Definitely on Brickell Key.

Well, we didn't know the market in Miami. Finding a new place in the area we just love proved to be very hard. Some of these owners have not been reading the papers: prices were just insane. The more we looked, the less possible it seemed that we would find what we where looking for. On the other hand, this gave me a more complete idea of life on the island. It's still the best place to reside in Miami!!!

At the same time we were looking, the owner was showing our apartment. Or I was.....very annoying, but necessary. This gave me more incentives to look......but not for finding. I hate moving! We stayed seven years here and I was not going to move in a rush to a place that I might not like. I did not want a place that was a compromise and then have to move in a year. No way, I thought.....when I move, I want to be happy in my new place. And this is only renting, I hate to think what would happen if I was buying!

We looked in our building and looked everywhere, but were running out of time. Then things in our building turned a bit rocky.......I don't want to know details. A move to another building was now the only answer. I was a bit disappointed, because I do like the views here, the building is laid-back and it would be easier to move to just another floor! I know, that was compromise, but I was getting tired.....

This past week, we saw a lot of places. I took notes of everything I like and dislike on every visit. What we liked, we saw again and took more notes. Frankie went as an observer. Moves have always been something he avoids: he'll pay for them, but has no interest in how it's done. I do details......harder and more tiring. This was not going to be different, so why have arguments....go with the flow, Mercedes!!!

Anyway, we saw a place again yesterday. It is the closest we would get to what we want, without buying. We like the floor plan and the fact that is larger than our current place. The kitchen is an issue, but I'm not crazy about cooking, so I'll live with it. The views are alright, but we don't look into the bay directly, we face the city and just a sliver of the port. We face north this time. Some sun in the afternoon might be an issue in the Summer....I'll live with that too because it means I might see the sunsets!!! Absolutely trying to be positive here.....

So a compromise it is and we seem to be happy about it. Now we have to wait to be approved. Let me tell you, applying to the CIA should be a breeze after this. When I said I was not moving alone, I was asked who with: boyfriend or husband? Husband, I assured the lady at the office. Oh, she said, we need your marriage certificate! Really?, I have no clue where it is and can't make it to Boston to get a new one, would my passport do? It's in my married name, yes, but we'd need both, she said. I am still to sit down and answer the questionnaire. This is definitely NOT Life in the Tropics! Will keep you posted.......

Moving.......

2010-02-19T13:46:00.008-04:00

Not long ago, my good friend Prati (in Mumbai!!) moved into a new place. She has vowed to put all her belongings in two suitcases and rebuild her life after separating from her husband. I find that resolution very brave.....She is smart, young and attractive, has a job she loves, a family and a group of friends that are 100% behind her. I have no doubts that she'll succeed. She's blogging about it and I am so proud of her! I know, you are wondering what does this has to do with blogging about the Tropics.....well, as it happens... A LOT!!!

Since moving to Miami, my husband and I have debated about buying a condo here. First, it was the ridiculous prices for what was offered, the fact that we didn't know how long we would stay in the area, our children live far from here and are not fond of living in Miami. Later it was the fact that Frankie knows he could do his job anywhere, so why tie yourself to a place. Then we realized retirement is no longer something light years away: we are not getting any younger!! So we stayed in our beautiful apartment with gorgeous views to Biscayne Bay and hope for the best; after all Miami was booming...... then the bubble just burst!!! Oops, things were no longer sunny in the Sunshine State.

The apartment went to foreclosure and we are looking into moving out of it.......by yesterday!! I am going berserk looking at places, taking notes, looking for spacious dwellings with great views in the secluded and peaceful area we know lived in: Brickell Key. I refuse to move anywhere else!!! Not easy, I tell you. Life in the Tropics was never so hectic....I miss it! Some of my friends are suggesting moving back....I'm considering it, or not.

All the places I have seen are great, ones larger than others, but nothing perfect yet. We need a place with enough room for all my things, the ones I have in use and the ones I still have in storage. When I moved to Miami, I sold, gave away and threw out so much. I thought I was done downsizing. Unfortunately, it seems I still have too much, but this time I have no clue what I would get rid of...and this is where Prati's idea comes into place!

You would tell me that it's not the same. Prati has not yet accumulated anything close to what I have...and you might be right. In 36 years of marriage....you really can accumulate, trust me. Still, that is not the point. I once read the you should have in your home only: what's useful, beautiful or loved. I am able to decide on the first two: useful and beautiful.....but have a hard time trying to get rid of things I love. There are so many! Especially things belonging to my children, maybe because they have been living away from home for so long and have yet to settle in their own homes......if that makes any sense.

So back to Prati's idea. I have decided for now that I can start with baby steps: no more buying unless I am replacing, going through boxes and selecting certain things instead of keeping everything I brought from Curaçao, giving things away to people that will appreciate them and selecting some of them to give to charity. Easier said than done, I'm sure, but I will look to Prati for inspiration and will keep you posted.

Ash Wednesday....

2010-02-17T18:05:00.003-04:00

This morning, as I switching through channels, President Obama appeared talking about another stimulus package (he called last year's: Stimulus # 1) I was ready to switch channels......when the camera focused on VP Bidden. There he was, proudly wearing a small cross of ashes in his forehead. Yes, the VP is Catholic. Reminded me, right away, of all those years when we finished partying at dawn and went directly to church to get our ashes before crashing in bed! I am sure thousands did that this morning too.

Carnaval in Las Tablas is serious business. We all take part and we all have danced the nights away, sang a bit too loud, seen too many fireworks.....and YES, drunk a bit too much. You are only young once, they say, but when it comes to this celebration, age is not important. Since it is not a national holiday, people are back to work, barely (except in small towns where things don't get back to normal until next weekend!). There is a sense of emptiness and the place is strung with red paper from the firecrackers, remnants of material used in the floats, customs, empty bottles. The picking up job is monumental! All will be done in time and in preparation for the second round of festivities: first weekend in Lent!

In Curaçao people are getting back to normal too. Since the festivities did not last until dawn, Momo only takes a couple of hours to burn, many went to work today. Most stores and business are open and life has resumed its rhythm. There is an emptiness there too, but it will soon be filled with preparations for next year's Carnival or another event. The island is never idle when it comes to celebrations.

Here in Miami, we Catholics went to church for mass and to get our ashes. We then went about our business and then home. No sense of emptiness from something we have not had...what a waste! What is the purpose of asking forgiveness, for being told we are ash and to ash we shall return IF we didn't get to celebrate BIG, just one more time before Lent? For everyone else, this was just another Wednesday. There is no real fun here, I tell you.....

Mardi Gras!!!!

2010-02-16T14:32:00.003-04:00

Today is Mardi Gras, literally Fat Tuesday, the last day of revelry before Lent. Exhausted celebrants around the globe, from New Orleans to Venice, from Curaçao to Rio, from Panama to Nice are going to take to the streets one more time. Not here, Miami is not included in these places.......sorry!

Curaçao is preparing for the Night Marcha, that will culminate in the burning of Rei Momo, who has reigned over the festivities since the start of the Tumba Festival a few weeks back! The parade will wind through the streets of the city in the coolness of the night, with thousand of fairy lights attached to floats and customs. A sight to behold! The music will play and the people will dance until Momo is burned.....He will be back again next year to start the celebrations all over again. In the Tropics life is a party, at least some of the time.

Las Tablas, the small city in Panamá where celebrations are famous all over the country, is in one more frenzy of activities. The women will wear the national custom: Pollera. Their heads covered with flowers made of shiny beads and silver thread, gold jewelery adorning their necks and the flowing customs swirling to the rhythm of the music. The dancing will go on and on until everyone is exhausted.....music and fireworks in the background. Just before dawn, in the town plaza, one more barrage of fireworks will light the sky and the thunderous noise will wake up anyone who has retired to sleep......and then it's over. Ash Wednesday is here!

How much fun I have had in both places throughout the years. How much I miss this crazy celebration that ushers the more subdued and religious activities of Lent. That is the whole purpose: have fun till you drop before you give God some of your attention. What a wonderful tradition!

Carnaval Sunday/Grand Marcha

2010-02-15T01:43:00.003-04:00

While we were celebrating Valentine's Day, people in Panama and Curacao where celebrating another day of Canival/Carnaval. In Curaçao, everyone was up early, never mind the late night celebrations. Those who were to participate in the Grand Marcha started getting ready with their customs, make up... The rest got ready to take their places along the parade route.

For several days, people built places from where to watch: some shade, high off the ground so you could see everything, enough room to rest, put drinks and food out.... Some space in front to go down and dance to the music, mingle with the participants and socialize with friends. So much fun! Whole families spend the day doing this. Hats were worn to keep the sun off faces, but still there would be many sunburned faces at the end of the day. I can hear the shouts, the laughter...can close my eyes and be there.

In Las Tablas, third day of celebrations and people are living on adrenaline.....can't stop now! Most everyone got up early: throwing water at each other, dancing in the streets, having a drink, (maybe...even if it's early!) and reveling. The streets are littered with red paper from the fireworks, and there are fireworks as well during the day forming a background of music and crackling that is the sound of Carnaval. In early evening the Queens would be out in their floats, dressed beautifully elaborate customs. Townspeople are hiding in their homes!

I feel elated and exhausted at the same time when I think of this, but truly miss it and wouldn't have minded being there ...in either place, today!

Celebrations continue....

2010-02-13T13:57:00.005-04:00

Not in Miami...with the end of the Super Bowl weekend, things are back to normal. People that celebrated are back to their routines, the ones that didn't...are doing the same! Nothing too much to talk about when it comes to Miami, at least for me. One bright spot, though, the weather has been great. My morning walks are just perfect and relaxing...which I need!

Now, back in the land of fun: last night was the Teener ( a sort of Dutch term for teenagers) Parade in Curaçao. Most of our friends were out celebrating along the route. In Las Tablas, the Queens were crowned, the music played all day and fireworks lighted the sky.

Today, people are out in the streets throwing water at each other and with faces covered with blueing (the one people used to put in clothes to whiting them, remember?). Añil is called back home....I am dating myself! In the late afternoon, everyone will get dressed, go out to the tuna, Panamanian for "dancing parade". After that, more dancing until the wee hours....In Curaçao, people are going about their business, getting ready for tonight big bash in Otrobanda. People will flock to Plaza Brion and party to the sounds of tumba until late. My friends will be there! Drinking, from moderate to heavy, is going on as well. Only New Orleans has anything similar to these celebrations.....should try that once too.

During all this fun, I will be sitting here blogging, then running errands......what a difference!

Carnival....or Carnaval!!!

2010-02-06T13:57:00.003-04:00

It's that time of the year again.....in Curaçao and in Panamá. The island is just full of parties, jump-ups, song and dancing. Carnival is here! The small country with the canal will features parties and street parades in every town and city. In the days before the start of Lent, all anyone can think about is : FUN!!!

In Curaçao, the official song has been picked and is heard all over the island. The Queen has been crowned and the Prince and Pancho are ready....all the groups have their customs, have organized their drinks and food for the duration of the Grand Marcha and people have prepared their trailers from where they will watch and enjoy the festivities. These lined all the proposed route of the parade. Tomorrow the parade for the children or Carnaval di Mucha will take place.....the beginning of ten days of fun!!!

I do miss these things here in Miami, where the big celebration is this weekend's Super Bowl! Don't get me wrong, love American football and would be rooting for the New Orleans Saints! Still, a bit of a let down when my friends back home (both the island and the country!) are gearing up for a week long celebration to culminate with the burning of King Momo on Fat Tuesday or Ash Wednesday, ending the Carnival season that started as soon as the year began.

In Panamá, celebrations will kick into gear this coming Friday with Queens being crowned in every town and city in the country. In Las Tablas, where my mother lives, hoards of people will descent on the town and take over the place for about a week. Local residents either take to the streets and embrace the revelry or just hide in their homes, beach houses or country homes. The roar of the music and the display of amazing fireworks will be a constant background to anything that happens there these days. It is an experience to remember.....

So here it's to Carnival (as in Curaçao) or Carnaval (as in Panamá) may I have the pleasure to experience these celebrations soon!!!

One more thing before the end of the year....

2009-12-30T12:52:00.003-04:00

Have been in London for two weeks now. It has been so cold and dreary most of the time.....it is wonderful to be with Camille, though!!! We have gone out with friends, to the theater, out walking in the rain and snow......Frankie and Frank made it over for Christmas and Camille's birthday. It was a surprise for her and.......she was!!!

I arrived on a cold and snowy day.... fortunately, it started snowing after the plane landed. I was glad for that!! The flight over was pretty smooth, but I couldn't sleep much. AND the plane was full!!! Still, Virgin Atlantic gets my vote for best service to London, I'll fly again with them. Anyway, where was I? Yes, snow. Well, just on cue, that little snow on my day of arrival has turned into the coldest winter so far in 40 years!!! Sleet, freezing rain in the city and snow storms paralyzing the country are the order of the day. One or two amazingly sunny but freezing days in between.....Need I say more?

Next year, I'm back on the island!!! It is really the only way to spend the Season. I only have to look at the Facebook pages of friends that are spending these Holidays back in Curacao. One party after another: drinks here, Tie Night there, some one's birthday, Christmas parties, brass bands, beach days........aahhhh, that is the Life! I want a part of it!!!

Next year at this time, we will be preparing ourselves for the reverie of New Year's Eve celebrations. I can already hear the firecrackers, see the sky light up with color and the music......aaahhh!!! Yes, from now on, Holiday celebrations will be at the beach!!!

December......

2009-12-04T13:07:00.002-04:00

I know, it's December....everyone should be in the Christmas Spirit, but not this year, not in the same way as in other years. Should we be surprised? It's the economy, stupid....has become again the focal point in most people's lives. And with very good reasons: unemployment is at 10% (some places even higher), consumer confidence is non-existent, there are two wars raging.......so what are we to do?

December has always been a favorite month with our family. Celebrations, family reunions, gifts exchanges, Holiday travel.......food and drinks!!! While we lived in Curacao, this was my favorite time, especially after the children came to study in the States. They would come back to the island for Christmas. I would decorate the house, all of it, with fairy lights and holly (artificial of course!!), we would plan get-togethers and visits to friends. I would cook non-stop and made sure there was always food and drinks available. All the youngsters would be home for the Holidays and the island was one big party. Christmas Eve was for family...but ended in a party. Fireworks would light the skies on the 31st to welcome the New Year and we would end New Year's day on the beach

Remembering that is why I am a bit torn this year. My daughter cannot make it to Miami. I am putting my best foot forward and going to London to see her. Sort of like a mini-reunion....husband and son are still undecided about their plans. Right there, it's a big difference in our family's celebrations. The girls in one place, the guys in another. Makes me sad. We try to be together for this Season, every year. We have been successful 99.9% of the time: in 2002 my son and husband got to Curaçao on December 27th and in 2007 my daughter stayed in London for Christmas, I joined her for New Year's.......pretty good record I should say! Not this year.....What to do? Let's make the best of it. Still, it's December! The Season to be Jolly!

Can you go back?

2009-11-20T01:43:00.002-04:00

I think I could, but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll move back. Things change, people move on.....Our time living on the island is past, so my husband tells me. The ties are there, the friendships continue and every time I visit is as if I never left.....but moving back looks less and less probable.

Of course there is not time for decisions yet. Frankie still works and enjoys it. I am still looking for myself...isn't that something? at my age? I feel there is a lot we can do still, so much to see, to enjoy, to live. Miami has things to discover, even is I am not always enthusiastic about this place. Our children have strong ties to the island and I am sure they intend to keep those ties, after all that is home to them. That can be great for me....I will have reasons to go back if they insist on that too!

In the meantime, let's just visit as much as we can, keep our friends close and out memories alive. When the time comes, we'll see. I am not going to say NO to consider going back. Why? Oh, well......other probabilities can present themselves, other places can just become the front runners, but Dushi Korsow will always be my choice! and isn't that amazing?

Discovering new things....

2009-11-13T17:15:00.002-04:00

Learning something new every chance we get, discovering things and actually enjoying it, making sure we keep moving forward and other such things have been on my mind lately..... Just returning from Panama, where I spent 10 days trying to make sense of the task we have there: taking care of our mother by long distance!

It rained every day, in the morning, or at night or in the afternoon. It was the time of celebrating all kinds of patriotic days: Independence Day, Flag Day, Anthem Day...you name it. I discovered that there is a never-ending show of patriotism in my small country. Having become an expat by choice so long ago, these things are not high priority for me...maybe never were. So watching endless parades was not on schedule. For sure, I was looked over as strange by most.

Then there was the fact that people think I should move back because...don't I miss all that? Oh, well. Never thought that would be the reason to move back...good health care, beautiful beaches, cheap household help, small communities, now those are reasons I understand. Who would have known? I absolutely do not understand the people I grew up with.

Friends from high school have been trying to get in touch by calling members of my family I don't even keep in touch with!!! On arriving here in Miami, I got emails and pictures of birthdays and reunions. To my amazement, some of them I hardly recognized! Having been out of touch with most of them for over 40 years, it was to be expected....but I discovered I would have liked to see them and probably will contact some of them next time I go visit my mother.

I feel like a citizen of the world, with little or no attachment to my country of birth, people I knew when I was growing up or things I used to do and like. It was not surprising, but it was a bit sad. There are things I missed that I might have enjoyed, or things that I would have participated in, memories I would have made, friendships to cultivate. They stayed behind in Panama and became a tight group, something we were not when in school. That could be a good thing, it is to them, apparently. I sort of envy them that... On the trade off, I have gained a new me, a person I am more comfortable with. Discovering this has been good.......

The island beckons.....

2009-10-20T20:32:00.004-04:00

It does, I can assure you. There is this irresistible urge at this time of the year to start looking for airline tickets to go to Curaçao. The Holidays are approaching fast and I seem to get the command to book a flight! Amazing! It's been almost seven years since we moved away, why then does this happen?

Throughout the years that my children studied in the States, we always started planning the Holidays trip soon after Parents' Weekend in October. In the years we have been away, there has always been a trip to plan: the children come to Miami or we go to where they are or we go somewhere together. Only one of those trips has been to Dushi Korsow in 2006, but we keep track of the festivities and now with Facebook, we actually see everything as it happens........and we get nostalgic.

So what to do? It's getting more and more difficult to actually get the four of us together at anytime, much less at Christmas time. This year, Frank is close by in Miami, but Camille cannot get days off during the Holidays. Frankie is too busy and cannot take time off to go to the UK with me...so I am planning on my own. Yes, the island I am looking forward to this year is not Curaçao! Don't know how to take that....

Middle Age?? Retirement?? It can't be!!!!

2009-10-17T02:55:00.007-04:00

Today I read something that stayed with me...."This is the cruelty of middle age, I find: just when things have gotten good — really, really, consistently good — I have become aware that they will end"....Judith Warner. Does that make sense? Probably, but it doesn't necessarily mean everything is ending and we should be sad...right? It means we need to plan for what is coming!!!!

It is more important than ever to decide where and when are we going to settle down for the rest of our lives. Can't be frantic about it, or hysterical to the point of letting this define your days, but we do have to think about it.....so we can settle into the pleasant routine, the comforting feeling of just enjoying what we have. Or better yet, starting new things! I always thought that retiring was an alien state, something people that work all their lives look forward to. Never, for an instant, did I include myself in that group! After all, my work has been something intangible, undefined, something I did, but was not really work. You know what I mean...

I have worked during my life, but in chunks, a few years here, a few years there. Nothing like a career or a continued employment in a specific company...I don't know, but you get the picture. So retirement was not included in this non-existing career....how could it be? Most importantly, my family took a lot of my time and raising my children was a career in itself and I loved it....but you don't retire from that! Now suddenly, things I took for granted, things that I did for my family are no longer relevant, my children are independent adults, my work is something more like a hobby to be enjoyed and I feel as I have come to a crossroad.

I know now exactly what is happening: things are really, really good. I have done well, I have accomplished what I had to. I can look back and see the fruits of all the hard work I put in my life with my family, my friends and my career. I can relax and enjoy this new stage in my life........and that is something to look forward to!

Friendships....

2009-10-07T17:32:00.003-04:00

More often than you want to, you can catch yourself thinking about absent friends. People you have met along the way and that, for one reason or another, have stayed in your life and become part of it. When you have moved around, lived in different places or countries, these friendships are so important...they keep you grounded, they remind you of so much, they cannot be replaced.

Today I had a long conversation with Thelma, one of those friends. We haven't seen each other since 1996!!! A lifetime....but we can fall into conversations so easily, laugh out loud, discuss our children and the changes that have come as they have become adults. We talked this time about going back to our countries (she to the Philippines, I to Panama) for visits and how we cannot relate anymore to the friends we left behind or the family we still miss and about the strangeness of everything that once was so familiar.

Our mothers are still living there, needing our help and our support. We need to travel to see them, to solve problems, to keep that link alive. Still, it is becoming more and more difficult and we feel guilty....what to do. We cannot changed the decisions we made and the life we chose, we have been happy with those. We cannot just dismiss so many years...on the other hand, some places have felt more like home than others and we miss those too. The friendships we made and the things we did, the fun we had. It is truly amazing, but I think this is part of growing older in strange places...not even our familiar and favorite ones: like Curaçao!!!

Yes, we did talk about that too because we met there and we shared so many things and our children are friends and.....Oh, well....It is true, that island had something for so many of us. Most of my friends at this time of my life, the ones that mean the most, I met there or at the very least I met because I went to live there!! So, we decided we need to meet soon and then plan a trip together to Dushi Korsow. That instantly lifted our spirits and planning is on its way!!!!

.....in the Tropics!

2009-09-23T11:57:00.002-04:00

Yes, you knew I was going there.....all the talk about civility cannot be completed without mentioning how things work in more gentile surroundings. Let's be clear, there are rude people everywhere. There is no escaping that. Big cities and developed countries do not have an exclusive on that. The difference is........as a whole there are nicer people in other places.

Starting with living in a place where we know each other, we see each other frequently, the chances of running into someone you know in almost every place you visit during the day makes for a more relaxed way of life. You are in your best behavior, you tend to smile at yourself and start small talk with your friends and acquaintances, you feel more like yourself...

Back home in Curaçao, there is an amazing little custom that other places can copy. Any given Monday, when people greet you in person, on the phone, even on emails, first things they say: Bon Dia, Bon Siman! Yes, good morning and good week...that's it. Well, it's a bit hard to get upset after that, wouldn't you say?

Laughter, that is another thing. People in other places tend to have a laugh ready for everything. It could be that living in nicer surroundings make you nicer? Maybe that is simplifying the problem too much.....or maybe not. There are very nice people in cold northern countries and very rude people in balmy, sunny ones. In Curaçao, there is a sense of fun everywhere you go...ask me why??!! The days are sunny, the breeze cools the nights and the beaches take your breath away. So is it the attitude, the beauty of the place or the way life is lived in the Tropics.....

You remember that catchy tune of years ago: Don't worry, be happy!!!! I go to Panama frequently to see my mother. I still cannot get over the fact that people are so nice. From bank tellers, to supermarket cashiers, to taxi drivers to waiters....everyone goes out of their way to help. Oh, and everyone is cheerful! The climate is not the reason there: it can be horribly hot and humid and rain can pour for days at the time. So back to attitude.....right?

Who knows? It is, thought, a fact that has made me believe that these two places are much nicer than the one I find myself in at the moment. Social graces.....in some places that is a way of life. In others it's an effort.......graceful living is unknown. It is time to take a second look at the Tropics!!!

Civility.......

2009-09-20T20:19:00.004-04:00

I have no idea what is happening in the world...civility has gone out the window and very few people seem to mind. Am I being old-fashioned? Am I showing my age..uhmmm? Well, who cares... there is no age in good manners and there is nothing wrong with behaving with civility...I do have some theories, and I'm sure you knew that! The bigger the country, the worse it is. The bigger the influence of television and movies, the worse it is.

It has become a way of life to communicate via mobile phones, emails, social networks such a Facebook. That is all fantastic, it's the future, it's the world moving forward, I get it. Still, we need more human contact. Face to face exchanges have become so rare...why? we are human beings, we need eye contact, we need touch, we need to exchange ideas with spoken words.

What to do...those things seem so unfashionable at the moment. I think is the way we behave in big places. There is no time to get to know each other, no desire to exchange pleasantries, not need to be nice.....we need to get back to basic. Back to when we all knew each other's name, back to when we knew our neighbors....or maybe I am too naive.

Big cities don't lend themselves to warm relationships. All work and no play is a way of life. We commute and get home and need to solve every crisis that has presented itself during the time we were away at work. We need to complete tasks started before we can start new ones. Then we sit to see the 24 hours cable news, comedies, dramas and other so called entertainment. Sitting around the dinner table is a thing of the past, and if it happens...there is little to talk about. We are cranky, upset, tired and have no patience for anyone. No wonder we explode in uncivil behavior.

When we are outside the home, we behave in the same manner. We are impatient and rude and want to get our way quickly before we move on to another thing. How sad! We must remember that civilization comes from civility. How is civilization going to survive is civility is the first casualty of modernization?

We need to get back to simple things, paying attention to what is said to us before we react. We need to make sure our children know how to answer, how to ask for things and how to thank people. Please, the world is beautiful...stop and enjoy it. It will give you time to improve civility.

"Wowed by Curaçao"....

2009-09-05T11:54:00.003-04:00

Once more Baz Dreisinger, from Caribbean Travel and Life magazine has gone to Dushi Korsow.....and has written a most wonderful article!!! This new piece is the continuation, if you will, of another written in March. He has captured with amazing insight the sights and sounds of this unique island.

From the beautiful landscape to the cosmopolitan feel of the nightlife, to the many languages you can hear in the cool winding alleys of the capital city of Willemstad, to the breathtaking beaches and the marvelous sunsets, Baz didn't miss a thing. I have been, for years, trying to get anyone I meet or has not been paying attention to recognize the uniqueness of this island. I talk about it, make my new friends take a second look, write about it every chance I get, wrote a book about my life there AND have this blog!!! Since I moved away, I never miss a chance to visit.....it's "home".

Today my friends' facebook pages are buzzing with comments and the link to the article is being passed around. We are all loving this!

At the time of the first article, I wrote a letter to the magazine complimenting them on it. It was published in May and I got a small gift...a Caribbean music CD that doesn't include ONE piece of Curaçao music!!! Really? I think they could have done better.....Anyway, my subscription ran out and I didn't mind, but now I thinking of getting it again. Any publication that is wise enough to recognize the unique beauty and fabulous people, the culture and the cosmopolitan feel of this paradise deserves a second chance!

P.S.
Book info at the end of the page!!!!! why not?

Treasure Hunt.....

2009-08-21T21:38:00.009-04:00

Today I received an invitation from my friend Andre to be at a Treasure Hunt! Yes, this great promotional treasure hunt will be taking place in Curaçao on Monday....It is part of a campaign to do with Curaçao as a hidden treasure in the Caribbean. There are participants from the USA and Canada and the lucky winner will get half a million dollars! WOW!!

Of course, I cannot participate, contestants were chosen a while ago and are already having fun on the island. I can see how it will be, though. When we first moved to Curaçao, a scavenger hunt or sterrit was one of the best ways to spend a Friday or Saturday night. Someone will organize the route to follow with directions, clues to look for, things to collect, timings.... It was an art and there were a few of our friends that were excellent at it!

Once you got your invite, you'd round up the people you wanted to ride with. Some were better than others and were in demand. The day of the party, we would meet at a designated spot, get our directions and leave as soon as possible. We had a time limit to return to the place where the party was going to be afterwards. Then the race was on...we drove around looking for clues, collecting the items asked for, trying to lose everyone that got too close and just having a great time! Someone will drive, someone else will read the instructions, very important since they were in Dutch!.... and everyone else will collect the items.

Can't believe how easy it was to have a wonderful time on a warm tropical night, driving around the island with our friends, going back and forth to our homes to collect things we couldn't find...yes, we did that too: like license plates, or live roaches!!! Yuck! Still, it was one of our favorite things for a while. Still can close my eyes and see everyone scrambling into their cars, people getting lost on dirt roads, laughing out loud, getting back to the party and reporting on your finds, counting your items, giving each group its points, announcing the winner..... Simpler times, I miss them.

These people have no idea what memories they will bring back! How fantastic the whole experience will be even for the ones that will not win the money.......The beauty of the island will be enough.

Ramblings on Storms and Moves.....

2009-08-15T18:56:00.004-04:00

Yes, finally, we have the first storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season. Never mind that in the Pacific Ocean the storms have been frequent and destructive, the Atlantic/Caribbean has been unusually quite. So, when I saw on the Weather Channel that ANA has been born...I was not happy.

Could I remind everyone of another August storm starting with A ?.....Nobody saw it coming, until hours before hitting Florida, ANDREW was just a storm, a minor hurricane.... nobody here has forgotten that. Outside it is rainy, misty, awful. I cannot see any of the islands on the Bay: Fisher Island, Key Biscayne, Miami Beach. They are all shrouded in mist and everything looks so damp, so sad. It's the time of the year when I wish I lived somewhere else!!!

I am not even thinking Curaçao, where the storms have been coming closer and closer. Think OMAR. The destruction it caused is still been talked about and things are still been repaired. The climate changes are real, I don't care what people tell you. It doesn't take a genius to see the progression of the storms. The way they are becoming deadlier and how they are getting closer to places they never being before. Seriously, I want answers and I want them soon.

In the meantime, I am hoping ANA has plans to dissipate. Let it be a wishy-washy kind of storm, one that can't take the cool waters of the Caribbean...and let those waters be REALLY cool this year!!!

On another note, my daughter moved today in London. Took the whole day, but she's in her new flat!! She sounds really positive about the place. That is something to celebrate...wish I was doing the same thing. After years in our cozy condo....we are bursting at the seams...and, no, I don't want to get rid of more stuff. I have pared down to the minimum. I just have what I like, what brings me good memories and what is practical. I think that is the best rule of thumb.We need more space for visitors and the sooner the better: an extra bedroom will be so welcome!!! So here it is to moving...again....but not in the middle of a storm!

Change is coming, I want to see it....

2009-08-10T13:37:00.003-04:00

Amazing how things can change in a matter of days......I have been just hiding out. Thinking about the future, considering places to move to, giving retirement a thought or two. Now is, never mind! I am making it here for a while and Curaçao is NOT going to be taken off the table. I do like that place too much!

I have heard from friends, family and strangers. Family, even if distant, has no plans to move anywhere. Some friends are moving away, but we do have a core of really good friends, more like family, that are staying too. I have heard from perfect strangers who are planning to move to the island......so my gut feeling is: wait before you make a decision.

The States is bound to change, there is too much going on. Back to more basic living, more responsible living, I think. It would be nice to see how this turns out, sort of, I was there when things changed..... and I don't mean the political change promised last November. I mean the change that will come naturally after the difficult financial times. I don't know, feels like back to the times when we moved to Curaçao, when we didn't know what to expect, everything seemed fresh.....well, sort of. We'll see.

I AM BACK!!!!!!!

2009-08-07T18:09:00.006-04:00

It's been ages...and without setting out to do it, I have just let the writing go. Not what I intended and so easy to fall into that trap. Now, I'm back...with new energy. It feels good. The whole perspective of my writing seems to have shifted. There is no need to compare and try to see the best in the island home I left. That is a given!

What I have now is the serenity to see Miami in a different light. The wisdom, shall we say, to look at this move that took place years ago, as a fact accompli. Well, never thought that was going to happen, which just proves that anything is possible. Making things real, let's not just celebrate the fact that I love Miami...neee! It is more like the slow realization that this is it for a while yet. There are no plans to be moving away in the near future. There are no plans to stay here forever either...so that is a compromise I can live with.

Since I was here last, so much has happened. Trips to Panama have continued in a steady way, stressful as ever and with no end in sight...that would be unthinkable. My mother still needs our attention, but thanfully she is doing so much better....so no trip planned for the rest of the year. Family disagreements and differences of opinion are still there, maybe worse than ever, but I now see that I don't have to put up with any of it......such a relief!

I have been to Curaçao once for a wedding. It was so nice, so easy...like walking into your life all over again. Things have changed, of course. New construction, new faces everywhere, more touristy and less spoiled. A bit of financial crisis, like the rest of the world, but nothing extreme yet. Political problems, differences with Holland, too many political parties...nothing new there. The everyday life has become a bit more hectic, a bit more expensive. In the end, I didn't noticed much because the people I care for and the things I miss continue....yes, some friends have moved away, new places have popped up...but life seems remarkably the same. Or maybe I wasn't paying attention...but I doubt it! The island is still so beautiful, and life is better when there is beauty involved!

In the last few days, I have been up in New England attending another wedding and having some family time with my children. The glorious Northern Summer! The wedding was a reason to see dear friends and the day was at it's best. Then on to Boston, which was alive with people walking everywhere and strolling along the plazas and squares and gardens. The Charles was full of sailboats and the sunsets were just as beautiful. We visited friends and took in the sounds and sights of this most beautiful city.

Yes, a lot of things have happened since I last was here....all of them good in their own way. All of them a reason to love life and accept what I have been given....I will not stay away so long next time, and I will include photos of all places I visit, all things I do along with the ones from Dushi Korsow!

Wanderlust

2009-04-04T00:11:00.002-04:00

Absolutely! That's it. I spent today just doing things about the house, something I don't enjoy and have to concentrate do to. Of course, living in the states, there is little choice, housework is sort of mandatory.....what to do.

So how did I get to wanderlust from housework.....not two things that are connected at all. Well, putting things away after lunch, getting the kitchen organized, realizing that there are things still in boxes, things I never unpacked because I have no space, I began to wonder what am I doing here? isn't it time to move on, go somewhere new?

I could see myself organizing a new home, walking on empty rooms and planning where everything will go, opening boxes and discovering things, it will be as if they were new! It was absolutely real and it made me smile. I can feel it in so many ways: it is time to move. There is always something out there I want to see, a new place I want to call home, the excitement of choosing, arranging. The smell of new, unfamiliar places I will make my own......yes, that is how I went from housework to wanderlust......

Weddings, Reunions and Holidays.....

2009-03-31T15:22:00.002-04:00

This seems to be the season for weddings. I know, is not June yet, but in my part of the world, on the small and beautiful island I so miss.....weddings are all the rave these days!!! This past Saturday there was one, on April 18th there is another one and on May 9th still another one!! All involved family, good friends and people I really care about.....and I am missing hem.

Because we moved to Miami, I am missing all these events. This means missing seeing people I care about, reunions with others I haven't seen in years, holidays by the clear waters of the Caribbean, sunsets that take your breath away and the warm feeling of friendship that is so needed by the human spirit!!

Having missed this first one, I am making plans to attend the other two. A wedding is the best moment to see people at their best, happiness cannot be denied and you can see so many of your favorite people in one happy day or days! Because these are sort of destination weddings, other fun activities will be planned and including rehearsal dinners, beach days, relaxing moments with a drink overlooking the sunset. Life is short, things change in a matter of days, moments that we missed don't come back and I am not willing to accept that.

Shopping for Baby, Walking by the Sea....

2009-03-22T21:52:00.004-04:00

Yes, I'm back...again! after a couple of weeks away visiting my mother. It has become a routine I don't much care for, but it is necessary and in some ways.... welcome. Here I go again, I guess, contradicting myself in one sentence. It is true, though, I loathe the trips, but enjoy my time there....doesn't make any sense, right? Maybe not, but that's reality for you.

This time I had no encounter with most of my mother's family, which was wonderful. The cousins and aunts I saw I can relate to and don't interfere. Another plus was the new addition to the family: one of my cousins' two month old granddaughter! She is a perfectly adorable baby that smiles and giggles and follows you with her eyes as if she knows you. We went shopping for her and delighted in choosing outfits and toys and other things for this bundle of Joy. I think we are all in need of grandkids......don't think our children will agree. Never mind, we loved it!

While there, my sisters and I went walking by the beach every morning...early. Something I only do there, since I am NOT a morning person. Still in Panama I wake up at the crack of dawn and I'm ready to go around 7:30 a.m. Walk for about 45 minutes, breathing the fresh, salty air and hearing the crash of the waves. There are shells to pick, driftwood to admire and other kindred spirits to greet in this early morning exercise. It is so soothing and we would not survive the stress of most days without these walks. What a wonderful way to start the day!!!

Besides, coming and going to the beach gives us time to talk about so many things, enjoying each others' company as we cannot during most of the day. Life is good, we have discovered, even when we need to travel to Panama so frequently we almost live there!

Perfect South Florida weekend.......

2009-03-05T22:31:00.003-04:00

This past weekend was a very good one. Camille came from London for a friend's wedding...well, more than that. Cristina is the daughter of one of our oldest friends. We have been looking forward to this for more than a year. The children are best of friends and haven't seen each other for ages. So this was more like a reunion.

Friday, we had drinks by the beach on a Miami Beach hotel. The boardwalk was inviting, the ocean calm and the sand white. It was not like the beaches we are used to, but the company made up for that! The groom's family and friends came down from Boston and other New England cities....they had a ball. We stayed late and went home content.

Saturday was the big day. We woke up late, had a nice family brunch and went to the pool. Then Camille and I went to the beauty parlor to be pampered....back to the house to get ready. Camille had a date to dance the night away. One of her best friends came as well. The weather was magnificent! Not a cloud in the sky, temperatures in the 70s and a light breeze. Perfect South Florida weather!

The church was lovely and the guests were in such a great mood. The bride looked gorgeous, every detail was just right: from the harp music, to the lighting, to her brother who sang so beautifully it took our breaths away and brought tears to more than a few eyes. I was not expecting anything else.

The reception was at the Bass Museum and it proved to be a perfect venue. The food was so good, the drinks flowed and the music was inviting. The party lasted until the early hours, with everyone dancing! When we went home, it was with a light step and a light heart. What a fabulous party! What a way to start a new life.

On Sunday, we got together again with our friends and their families, the bride and groom and their friends. Beach day...well, in typical South Florida fashion, Sunday was cloudy, breeze and temperatures dipped into the 40s! All to be expected......The day ended up with great Cuban food and great conversation and a drink or two. A completely successful weekend!!

My Mother's Birthday

2009-02-26T17:41:00.004-04:00

Today my mother is eighty-five!! Can't believe it. Just two years ago, she had a massive stroke. My sisters and I thought she was not going to make it. How wrong were we! In the long tradition of the women in her family, she rallied, then endured a year of physical therapy and several setbacks. Now she is thriving. It gives us hope of a long and fruitful life. I remember her mother, her aunts, all lived well into their nineties.

My sisters and I always looked up to her. She was always full of energy, a gracious hostess that welcome everyone to her home. An older sister that took care of keeping her large family together, living until recently in her parents' old house. Of course, she lived far from her daughters, but visited frequently and enjoyed her grandchildren....an example to follow...to a point!

I called to wish her Happy Birthday and she was alert, funny and commenting on the events of the day so far. Everyone has called or visited, she had presents to open and people to converse with. My sisters are there preparing a feast for tomorrow night when everyone she cares for can come to share this time with her. In a way, I wish I was there too, but with my family all together here in Miami, that was not a choice. There will be other times to celebrate and I am sure we can all be there: daughters and grandchildren. We will have a wonderful time!

Gracious Living

2009-02-18T16:48:00.004-04:00

Gracious Living, yes, that is what I am missing. Don't get me wrong...Miami has so much to offer. When it come to things to do, the city has more than its share, and that is not the point. The everyday life here is very hard, always rushing, little time for entertaining, visiting, or relaxing. Distances are appalling, it takes for ever to go anywhere, making daily commute a nightmare for most of the people in the city.

No laid-back lifestyle here, no matter what people tell you on the nightly news...the weather can be gorgeous half of the year and you would still struggle to have some time to enjoy it. For me, it's very simple...there is no gracious living in Miami.

You know what I mean, time to visit and sit with friends enjoying a cup of coffee or tea, time to really have a conversation, go for a leisurely walk at the end of the day or just enjoy the sunset. Today is Wednesday, I know, what's the point here...you'll say. There is one, believe me. Today is Wednesday, back in Curaçao my friends go together to play bridge. Everyone would get there early, one by one they'd arrive, smiling, greeting, sharing. The tables are ready, the spread on the side table, the coffee cups, a cake, a pie, some cookies.

There are the latest news to be shared, the good and not so good news about their lives, the birthdays, the weddings, the births. Nowadays the housekeeper, the high cost of things at the supermarket. It is so civilized! On this particular day, Vicki, one of my best friends is celebrating her birthday. We always do the Wednesday after the real date...how predictable and wonderful! There was cake, I'm sure, and greetings and someone had collected money and bought a gift card for her. Another would have something amusing to say and everyone would clap and things would only get better.

There would be playing and things to munch and drink along the way. When the bridge session is finished, there would be lunch, relaxed and familiar and delicious. Everyone would stay longer than usual, no reason to rush anywhere...this is where everyone is supposed to be. There would be good china, cutlery and glassware, a nice coffee and tea set and some good wine. Laughter and camaraderie and just plain fun...this is gracious living at its best!!! I so miss that!!!

And wonderful!!!!

2009-02-18T12:09:00.002-04:00

Yes, I have up and down days a everyone else. The difference is that I write about them! The last two days have been great! The weather in Miami has cooperated: sunny cool and free of humidity. I opened the windows and doors of my apartment and let the breeze in. It was so wonderful! Never mind the people that think I am out of my mind....

Yes, there are a few of those. Just take the opening your home to the natural breeze. Here, just because the AC unit is part of the appliances......you have to keep it on!!! except, of course, when it is too cold!!! then the heater kicks in....whatever. Nature is not considered in the equation...too bad.

Anyway, the day is gorgeous again. Biscayne Bay sparkles in the sun and the cool breeze makes small whitecaps. The buildings look actually beautiful and not so much as concrete blocks. The port is bustling and small boats crisscross the bay. I can see small children in their prams peacefully sleeping in the warm sun. Their caretakers...could we say nannies???....socializing in the park that is the center of Brickell Key.......so peaceful.

How can I not be happy today!!! I am thankful for this......

Life is Complicated.....

2009-02-12T16:30:00.003-04:00

What a discovery, you would say...I don't blame you. It is just that some days that is more relevant than others. Today is one of those days. I am in mist of getting my annual check-up. Not fun, I can tell you....but then I am sure you know that. This is the time, when my imagination runs wild and I think I am...who knows??!!

Never mind that, there must be a way of learning to be positive. If there is, I would like whoever has the secret to please SHARE!!! I am a worrier by nature and a pessimist by inclination...so I would be grateful for an insight into the world of positive thinking and care-free living. No that I haven't tried, I have and keep trying...but it doesn't last long....

The day is beautiful. After more than a week of low temperatures and strong breezes, Miami is back to the 80s, sunny, low humidity and gorgeous. It almost makes me glad to live here.....alright, it makes me glad I'm here at this time. Consequently, I should be happy....enjoying this great weather....NEEE!!!! My mind is on the test I am having tomorrow, how is it going to go, what are they going to find and all the aches and pains I am feeling at the moment. Really!!!

My doctor told me the other day that I want to get old without having any aches and pains. Something I understood him to mean is impossible. Aches and pains remind us that we are alive, I guess he meant. Maybe that's it, you have to be your own teacher when it comes to being positive. One idea I can put into practice.......

Sailboats on Biscayne Bay.......

2009-01-25T22:36:00.004-04:00

Differently from other bays, coves, ports, beaches and the like, Biscayne Bay doesn't seem to attract sailboats.....I have no clue why. While living and traveling in the Caribbean, while visiting Panama's coastal towns and in any other place by the sea...I have been soothed by the sight of sails out against the blue sea. Very seldom do I see them on Biscayne Bay. There are sailboats alright, but with their sails rolled up and using their motors.......

In the late afternoon on weekdays, there is a type of Asian junk with a large red sail that takes tourists on a tour of the Bay. Coming back, with the sun setting, it presents a glorious view. That is about it, most of the time. On the other hand, there are motor boats and Skidoos galore. Why is that? What is it with people and speed? The waters of the Bay can be so blue and calm, reflecting the light and the planes that fly low ready to land at MIA. A small white sail would look breathtaking.....or maybe it's only me.

Well, this week, when the weather has been at its best, cool and sunny , with a slight breeze......I saw one sailboat! Alone on the water and listing with the breeze, the sail fluttering, it looked beautiful! I went out into our balcony just to follow it until it disappeared towards Key Biscayne.
It brought back so many memories and it made me smile. What a simple pleasure....to look outside and lose oneself in the sight of a small sailboat cutting the waves on Biscayne Bay!!!

2009 looks like a good year...

2009-01-15T01:04:00.004-04:00

Alright, the year is only a couple of weeks old...how much information could I get out of that? You'll be surprised! The weather is finally cooling and it's the best time to live in Miami. It has taken a while this year......we had 80 degree weather for too long....

So, I have started to walk in the late afternoon. It is such a nice way of unwinding at the end of the day. My new iPodsuffle is loaded with walking music: some Latin beat (merengue, salsa, cumbia), ABBA, Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, The Doors, The Eagles, Elton John, Santana...trust me, it keeps me moving and sometimes makes me want to dance! This will help keep me fit.

My freelance work is picking up and some of my pieces have appeared in travel magazines and you can find them in Google.....not bad! This is also so much fun, keeps me involved and takes me to such interesting places around the city. Who would have known? This will help keep my mind fit!

At home, I have been organizing papers.....sort of a early Spring cleaning. Throwing things away, has to be one of the best therapies..EVER!!! Doing this I have discovered so many things: Christmas letters from friends, years worth of these; invitations to weddings, baptisms, bar mitzvahs and showers, baby and bridal; letters from friends with good news and not so good news; thank you notes and sympathy notes; boxes of journals, I have kept for years...in longhand!!! It's been like going over parts of my life, all over again. This will help keep my heart fit.

I have also started to organized my kitchen, living and dinning rooms. Now I am SURE I don't need to buy anything new for my house...well, maybe for the kitchen. Appliances can always be replaced, knives, pots and pans, too. BUT no cutlery or china, maybe some wine glasses..NO knick-knacks or vases or silver of any kind. This will keep my wallet fit!

Finally, I have discovered that the ONLY things I will keep buying on a regular basis are: books, clothes and shoes......and handbags!!! Why not? I do want to look good at all times and my mind needs the constant infusion of knowledge and entertainment. One thing I plan to do, though, is try more vintage places, look for things that have a history and still look good. This will include pieces of jewellery that are not expensive, but look good. Yes, this is going to be a good year!!!

New Year's Celebrations....

2008-12-31T17:47:00.006-04:00

Yes, we are at the end of 2008. It has been a stressful year in more than one way, but my family and I have been healthy and things are working well in the job department...so no way I am going to complain....BUT I will certainly complain about the celebrations. This is not the way I would have been spending my afternoon have we'd been in Curaçao!!! Sitting in front of the computer, after a day of shopping with my daughter???....NEEEE!!

Since noon, my family and I would have been after the pagaras, Chinese firecracker rolls that are the staple of the celebrations on the island. They can be as long or short as you can afford and come in wooden crates. Once you decide what you want, you unroll it in front of your house of business. All your friends and family will be there enjoying drinks and food and lively music. At an appointed time, the pagara will be lit. Everyone gets as close to it as possible...the smoke and noise are supposed to chase the demons away and bring in the New Year. It's so noisy and reassuring at the same time.

This is repeated around the island at private homes and business until around 8:00 p.m. Everyone gets home to rest for a while and get ready for the REAL celebrations! You first go to family or friends' and have more to drink and eat. At 12 o'clock the government will fire a cannon in Fort Amsterdam, and the whole island erupts in noise and smoke! Literally, every home has its private fireworks show and everyone runs outside to receive the New Year outdoors.

The display goes on for a couple of hours. Then, there is THE party to go to. Tickets have been on sale for months and everyone attends....well, all the young and fun and able people. There is still the older generation that doesn't participate, but they stay at their parties and continue to celebrate until daybreak......no kidding! It's so much fun and we absolutely miss that. So, resolution for 2009, let's go back next year!!!

Back on Land!!!!!

2008-12-30T10:43:00.006-04:00

Yes, I'm back on land...still wobbling a bit, though. The cruise was wonderful, we had family time and we enjoy the food, drinks, shows, islands visited...We started on Sunday the 21st. The embarking procedure took a while, but was fairly organized. My husband and I carry Dutch passport and the agent checking us in had to show them to the captain...never had that before! He even commented on our children's US passports...Ah, you have US ones!!!

Once on board, we went for lunch, had a drink and waited for our cabins. Afterwards got our luggage and went exploring the ship. Up we went to the upper deck to see the ship leave Miami and the glorious sunset behind us. It was a bit windy, but lovely. It turned dark almost immediately and we went inside to get changed for the evening. We had dinner, went to one of the bars for a drink. There was such nice music, we wandered around and went to bed relatively early. We were expecting a good day on Monday....and we did!

It was sunny and warm and breezy, perfect weather for lounging around the pools and having a couple of drinks. So we had breakfast and sat in the sun....after looking everywhere for chairs!!
After a light lunch and a more hours in the sun, the wind picked up and it was time to get ready for dinner in the main restaurant......delicious! On to the show with a a 1970s theme and then a bit of sing-a-long with dancing to the same beat. We retired early, Frank and Camille went to do their own thing and our first full day on the cruise was over.

On the third day, we arrived in George Town, Grand Cayman. A pretty little town , but with too much traffic and souvenir shops. We decided on a day at the beach...it turned out to be only a couple of hours in a crowded beach with a small welcoming drink, and it sprinkled....never mind, the water was fabulous! Nothing like a Caribbean beach for us. On board we had Chinese food and went to the theater to see Second City. Great comedy and talented performers.

On Christmas Eve we disembarked in Cozumel and joined our Eco-tour group. We got our own Jeep and followed the guide. He turned out to be fantastic and the tour was a great idea. The water was rough because of the great wind storm we had the night before, so snorkeling was out of the question for me. My family enjoyed every much, I had a drink! We saw a Mayan hurricane warning system, amazing stuff! A small pyramid with openings on four sides and conch shells inside. The wind would go through the openings and made the shells whistled. Had excellent Mexican food and saw salt water crocodiles, did some shopping and got back exhausted but happy. We had a lovely dinner at the steak house on board and on to the show: a very funny comedian that was booked on the main theater the first night. I'm glad we could catch his routine! There was a White Hot Party for the younger crowd....

Christmas Day was just another day on deck with the sun warming us...and the wind blowing everything out to sea if permitted! Had small bites throughout the day, drinks, and family time. Got dressed and went for Mongolian food...interesting and very healthy. Everything is cooked in broth. We could do this again. That night they had a fabulously wonderful show. Sort of like Cirque de Soleil. Perfect finale. A Chocoholic Buffet had everyone drooling...I had champagne instead!!!

But nothing is perfect. Norwegian Cruise Line did not live up to our expectations, maybe because we are sort of a structured family and freestyle cruising is not for us. Or maybe it was the fact that the ship moved like a leave on a steam, or that we didn't get adjacent cabins, or that the lock on the door to our balcony was broken and the wind whistled and howled one night keeping us awake. Response to complains were not taken up immediately, so things took a while to be fixed. The luggage took forever to appeared the first night and then...it was not ours!

Still, it was a great idea and we should do it again soon.

Anchors Away!!!

2008-12-19T12:58:00.002-04:00

Decorations finished and house sweetly smelling of Christmas....finally a time to put up my feet and enjoy the Ponche Krema......Curaçao's answer to eggnog, but MUCH better! Holiday music in the background and plans for a wonderful Christmas finalized.

Today Camille and Frank arrive from London and there is nothing to do but enjoy their company. On Sunday we are sailing away to the blue Caribbean on a cruise ship. Nothing to look forward to, but sea, ocean breeze and relaxation. Our biggest concern will be where is our next drink coming from and at what time should we have something to eat! It'll be heavenly!

My husband wins top prize for this most brilliant idea.... He is not much for planning in advance, so it was a last minute decision. Fortunately, finding the right cruise proved to be easier than we thought. Our cruise expert friend, Johnny, knew exactly who to contact and where to go this time of the year in the Caribbean. It was a pleasant experience with this company, for sure we'll use them again.

We are sailing on NCL's JEWEL and will be gone for five days! most of them spend at sea which suits us just fine. We'll have time to spend together, hear all about Frank's five months adventures in Europe, Camille's career moves and nobody can call Frankie with business matters. We will have time enough to make memories to be cherish for years to come. This was really inspirational!!!

So off we go into the sunset on Sunday, leaving behind worries and looking forward to a well deserved family vacation!!! Merry Christmas to all and a Healthy, Joyful, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year!!!