This year.....

My word for 2016 is "Transition".    I am loving this word.  I recently left a career of 32 years when I realized it had turned into a "job".   Now don't get me wrong, jobs are good and jobs are necessary.   People usually talk about jobs as a means to bring in money.  I think if you choose a career and stay in it, you should love it.    Slowly over the past 3 years it went from  being a career  ~ doing something I loved and believed in with every fiber of my being into a job, that I went to every day.  I hated Sunday nights, and hurried through each day on a race to get to Friday.

I still believe that what I was doing was important and necessary.  I still believe it could be something I would commit myself to, but and this is a great big BUT..... change began 3 years ago in the environment.  It first started out slow, then snowballed into an environment that I didn't feel comfortable in.   I noticed my health was being effected.  I wasn't sleeping.  I hated getting up and going into work each day.   That was the biggest issue for me, (aside from my health)  I had spend the past 29-30 years loving going into work....  What I did love and what kept me going and hoping things would change was the people.   I loved the people I was working with, both the people on my team and the customers.....  I just loved them so!!

Now let's step back 40 + years.... I have always had a camera in my hand.  I have always been snapping pictures...  My original major in collage was fine art, with a concentration in Photography.  I went to school in Rochester, NY and was fortunate, thanks to my professor Richard Margolis ~ to do an internship in the darkroom of the George Eastman House!!!!  That was amazing.   It was also 30 years ago and the house and museum have undergone renovations since.     Midway through my Sophomore year of school the Dean called me in and asked my "Why" photography and where I thought I was going in Rochester as a Photographer?  She had good reason, I had another passion where I was excelling.   She had suggested I look more into that and keep photography as a hobby....

I took her advice and graduated with a degree in Special Education.

Zinggggg.... let's fast forward now to today.   I have always been shooting, people, weddings, events, landscapes etc.   This year I am going to transition into taking pictures for "a living".   I am trying to be plan full.   I am trying to take it step by step.  I do think I need to find a happy medium here and not be to plan full leaving space for flexibility and creativity.  Come back here to check and see how this journey is going.

To continue with the "Transition".... I want to transition into a simple life.  I have so much "stuff".  Who needs all these "things" and this much "stuff"?  I don't think I do.  We shall see.  The first step towards the "simple life" I want to take is that of moving to a  "Capsule Wardrobe".   Whew.... let me tell you, this is a process.   I started out by taking everything out of my closet, peppered by making a list of what I think I am going to want and need.  I think I want to limit my capsule wardrobe to 40 items.  I've been reading a lot about capsule wardrobes and I am going to put my own spin on it.  So, 40 items, not counting PJ's ~ (work out clothes don't count either, but let's be honest here, I don't work out! ).   We'll see how this goes.  I think I'm going to like it!

The third part of my "Transition" ... I am going to be 56 years old in 2 weeks folks!  56!  I love my age whatever it is, but let's be honest, if I want to make it to 100, I need to start paying attention to health, nutrition, cardiovascular health etc.   I am going to transition into paying attention to that.  Not sure how, other than by trying to eat better nutritionally and walking more.   This will evolve and the year goes on.   Let the 2016 Journey begin! 

That's my planning so far for the year.  It's Monday night and that means, "The Bachelor" !  So I am going to go and prepare for my night with my sister and "the Bachelor"!!! Yay!!!!

See you soon.....

                                                                                                 Janet

Welcome 2016!

Well today is the first "work day" of the new year, my new career, a new direction.  It's also the season premiere of ....   Drum roll..... "The Bachelor"!!!   Yeah, now you may think I am crazy or silly but I love this day.... and I'll tell you why later....

First, let's talk about the first day of work for me as a Photographer.... I watched 2 on line classes, did some editing and I spoke to my "I.T. Vice President"!   :)  That would be my russian, the Kosti Man!!!!!!!

In my previous post,  I walked away from a career of 37+ years.  Whewwww.  That was big.  It is sad as during the last 2-3 years of my career the situation took a turn for the worst.  It was a perfect storm if you will of things moving in a direction where I did not fit.  A direction that did not align with my integrity, I tried, but I couldn't do it.      After much soul searching and a great deal of support from my Husband <3  Love of my life, I walked away.   That folks was in November.    The next day we left for Florida.   Great big YAY!... fill my days surround by love!  My husband ~ Jay,   my "day husband" ~ Tracy and "my wife" (who also doubles as my I.T. VP) Kosti.....   They all fill rolls, they all love me to no end, they all make me happy and they all treat me like gold.  I am a lucky person to have the three of them love me unconditionally.

Before we get into "The Bachelor" which is an important part of this post.... Let's talk about 2016.

2016 is going to be a great year.     Almost 40 years ago, I thought I wanted to be a photographer.  I began my collage career in a Fine Arts Program for photography.   Even though fate took me in another direction completely,  I never put down my camera.  Today it becomes my focus!

I've made some decisions about this year.  First, it is going to be a great year.  I am going to take every opportunity to enjoy every minute.  I am going to really focus on loving for nothing.  I'm going to build a business.  I know there is more, I am will come back to that later this week.   "The Bachelor" is starting so let's go there!

Way back when when the series started, by sister  ~ Carol,  got caught up in it.  She loved watching it, never missed an episode.  I used to give her some much s&*t for watching it.   It seemed like such a silly premise.... It was also at a time when reality TV was fairly young.  Aside from "MTV's REAL World", you could count the reality shows on one hand.  I think it was just "American Idol" (which Carol loved also),  Survivor and  The Bachelor.  Given she loved the show so much, it was so far out a concept, I thought as the little sister it was my job to pick on her relentlessly.  ...and I did!   Teehee...  She loved it and watched, it was fun.    Shortly after The Bachelor began a spoof on it hit the airways!  "Joe Millionaire".   What a stinking hoot!

It just so happened that the night of the "Joe Millionaire" debut, Carol and I were on a trip together.   That night we were both to tired to go out so we stayed in our hotel room and came upon this show, we decided to watch.   It was hilarious.   We laughed so hard and so much!!!   I have to say, that night is truly one of my very very favorite adult memories that I have with my sister.   We laughed and laughed and laughed..... Okay so what does that have to do with "The Bachelor?   Fast forward a few years and Carol was diagnosed with cancer. During her illness I often found myself next to her watching The Bachelor.  I stopped making fun of her and began to enjoy our time together watching this show that she enjoyed so much.  At times we would reference Joe Millionaire and laugh.  We laughed, we cried, we smiled and we spent time together, her and I sharing the show.     Carol lost her battle with Cancer.  She fought the good fight.  She had a good life, short ~ but good.  She left an incredible mark on the world.  I love her so.

Let's step back in time again... when we started watching The Bachelor back then,  there was no  Reality Steve , we had to watch the season to the end to see who he (or she) chose to see if they chose our favorite.... to experience the insanity each week.   (Today I fast forward via Reality Steve! :))

Carol and I would watch and would make our predictions....  We would laugh, cry and watch the show together.   That's my point.  It's one of my last activities I did with my sister.  As corny as it was and as much ridiculousness as there was, I loved it and I love my memories with Carol from that time....

It's been 9 years since I spent that time with Carol, but every season of The Bachelor,  I look forward to the season opener.  I  prepare for an evening with my sister, even if it is in my mind.  I make myself all comfy.  I make some tea and sit back and watch.  Sometimes I even have a conversation with her about the girls (or guys) and who I like.  It is a silly happy place for me.   Isn't that what life is all about?  Find what makes you smile and do it!   Now, at the end of the night I check out Reality Steve and decide how many episodes Carol and I will watch or will we just watch the reunion, the final rose and after the final rose ceremony....

So folks here we go....I've set the night aside, so looked forward to it, sit here with Carol and watch!!!!  (on a side note, my incredible husband just made banana bread and the house smells so darn good!!!)  I do think Ben is a cutie!  So far a russian, a big rose head, twins and a little pony....
Oh wait, he's calling his Dad.... oh nice new twist!  Cute.....

Okay.  Let me go have some one on one time with Carol and The Bachelor....  my fun, my smile, way to start the new year!  Call me crazy, call me silly!

Go out and do something that makes you smile!   Who cares how silly it seems.  You're the only one who matters when you smile!  Go find your smile!!!!!!!!!!

                {{{{{{{{{HUGS to You ALL}}}}}}}}}   (oh no, the big rose is a dentist? and she's doing an exam?????  oh it's gonna be crazy!)

                                                                                                       Janet
   

T minus 3 days, but who is counting.

T minus three days until I "retire".... hmmm.   Really?

No, T minus three days until the real adventure begins.....  I am leaving the field I have loved and been a part of for 37 years of my life... Why?  long story, let's skip it.   

I will pick up my camera and start on a new adventure..... stay tuned.

To go along with that, my incredible, adorable husband has agreed to get out of Western NY for the winter.... Hallelujah!   

We are heading south to hang with the boys, so you know that will be fun.  We have a 2 week test drive starting on Sunday....  I will blog it, don't you worry!  

I can not wait!   I am posting this quickly, gotta get into the habit of posting.   Jay said I can't sit home and do nothing..... why I ask?  Well hang on, it is about to get adventurous, fun, relaxing, can you say Warm?    Yay!!!!

                                        be back real soon now!

                                                                                                             Janet

I'm Back....

Wow!  Who knew getting a "domain name" would add so much headache and confusion?  Who knew?  Apparently not me.    I think this whole "purchase a domain name" is a money maker for someone, who knows who, but it is.... So now if you search, 'Through the J Cruz Lens" you will end up at my blog.... whew..... that took long enough.  Kind of like the summer of 2015 getting to Western New York.  It took a long time to get here this year, and it stays for a few days and then back into fall.

This week we're in Fall in May.  

Right now it's way early in the morning... I can't sleep.  Didn't know what to do with myself, so I set out to figure out this blog thing with  my "domain name".... I feel very accomplished today since I figured it out.


Tonight I also figured out how to use my new "app" for creating collages with "BlogStomp".  I'm lovin' it!   Look what I did!

Pretty fun isn't it?!  These are my favorites from the 2015 PR trip.... What do you think?

Now, I'll go take a cat nap and head off to work for another day....

Check back soon, since the link is working again, I can promise new blogs in the coming days.....

                                                         The Rose is waiting for me to snuggle for a bit, so toodles!

                                                                                                                  Janet

The 2015 Trip with My Men

It's Morning and The Boys Aren't Home Yet..... it must be Wednesday

March 11, 2015

Jay and I had planned to wake up early Wednesday morning (like 6am) and  head to the Salt Flats to capture some sunrise images.  Can you tell that I am absolutely intrigued by them?  I am! 

We woke up,  got ready, came out of our room and found that the boys weren't home yet.  First issue, we couldn't leave the girls alone in the condo.  Then it hits me, and HITS me!  To get into the condo you need a key.  That's a good thing right?  Yes..... keep in mind there are 5 adults, two tweens and two vehicles.  There is one key to the condo.  If that isn't inconvenient,  let's throw in there that you also need the key to get out of the condo.  Once you are inside, the only way to lock the door is with the key.  

Guess where the keys were....with the boys.   Nice safe condo huh?  Here we are locked in the condo....  what if there was a fire inside, we stuck on the top floor, were stuck.  What if one of us fell down the steps (the broken step) and broke a limb.... couldn't get out to get to the hospital.  Good design.... to say I was upset would be an understatement.    The boys strolled in around 7am.... they spent the night with some locals at Steps Beach.  Sounds like fun for Tracy and Sean.... Kosti not so much!   Headmaster Hendershott cancelled school for the day and headed to bed. 

A little after 7  Jay and I headed out to the Salt Flats to explore.   We were too late to catch the sunrise but did get some really fun images.    It's hard to upload images here on the hotspot.  When I uploaded the images this am to the blog, it used all the available data, so to avoid that, I'm not going to upload any until we get home.

After the Salt Flats, we drove around exploring.  Let me tell you, I love my husband!   Every time I saw a "shot" and asked him to stop or back up so I could jump out and take a picture, he did!  We saw another fun Puerto Rico sign,  (Krazy Fish) and decided to explore and find the Krazy Fish.  Took us down the road to the pescadaria.   On our way back to the condo, we stopped at a local "bakery" to pick up milk and ended up having breakfast there.    We got home and it turned out to be another lazy day. 

Seems like a basic boring day, right?  Always something.  While moving the shower head during hi shower, the whole pipe broke off the wall.   The pipe actually broke in the wall.  GIven the fact there is no one around at this complex, Jay and Kosti decided they would fix it themselves.  Off to the hardware store to buy tools.    Jay and Kosti worked on it for a while, that is until Sean went in to help and within minutes (just short of the boys knocking down the wall) he had it fixed!   Yeah!!!

On to our evening adventure......It just so happens 2 of the 3 bioluminescent bays in the world are in Puerto Rico  (the 3rd is in Austrailia).  One is in Vieques.   Been there done that numerous times, the 2nd ~ here in the Boqueron area!  Before I get to the actual bio bay tour, I realize now that  Mark Martin and his bio bay tours on Vieques have really spoiled us.  We know  that the Vieques Bio Bay is the brightest in the world, but this one is suppose to be great!

Digression ~   We always start the Vieques   Bio Bay tours  with an exciting yellow school bus ride down a dirt road in pitch black.   You arrive at the destination,   get off the bus and walk a wooden plank onto a little party barge boat.  Our guides are always very entertaining.  If you're lucky and get Mark Martin on the tour, he not only explains all the facts of the bio bay, he also knows all the stars and constellations.  To help with sky night sky tour, he has these really cool  laser pointers.   I always thought it was better than a trip to a planetarium!    All that entertainment and the part of the bio bay tour we go for hadn't even begun.  That part of the tour is always a phenomenal.    So with these past bio bay experiences in mind, I had high hopes.  I should have been clued in when I realized that the ticket price in Vieques is like $30 and the ticket price here is $8 ~   You can imagine the difference in the experience.

Jay had called and made our reservations.  He had gotten general directions to our location.  He was told the tour starts at 8pm.  After checking the map, we decided we have to leave by 7 the latest to get there.  We left at 7:15.... (it takes a while to get everyone moving in the same direction).  About 7:40 when we realized we didn't have exact directions and were kind of going in circles around the general area that the boat was to be in, we decided to call for exact directions.  Not bad, we were actually very close!   Got there in 5 minutes.   Time to spare, bought our tickets and got on line all by 7:55. ...and we waited... and waited and waited.   Not sure for what.  Oh yeah the actual tickets say the tour starts at 8:30pm.....  8:40 they let us on the boat.  No crew, no captain, only the guy taking the tickets.... 8:55 the captain and crew show up.   The captain just made his way out of the bar next door.  No biggie....

It was a pretty big party barge.   About 5 times the size of the ones in Vieques.  It is also a "glass bottom boat".   Something different.  The captain turns on the music and off we go.  WAIT, MUSIC..... BLARING loud Latin music.  That wouldn't be so bad except for the fact it was a radio station with not great reception (think crackling)..... LOUD BLARING crackling MUSIC....  Please keep in mind, it was a beautiful star filled warm night.... we are heading out to a bio bay tour  and the music....

We get out to the bay, the deck hands jump in and start splashing around for so you can experience the glow.    It looked pretty neat.  Every once in a while, the captain would come on the loud speaker to share some information.... in Spanish.  That's alright, we are in Puerto Rico, that wasn't the unbelievable part, the unbelievable part was that he didn't turn the radio station down, or off when he spoke.  When the guys boarded the boat from the water, they tossed what they called a "jelly fish" up on deck.   They just happened to throw it where I was standing.  I don't think it was a "jelly fish" but more like a sponge that they use to show folks the dynoflagilates.    That was the tour.  Over.    Back to the dock.  

The stars out there on the dark dark bay were spectacular.  Headmaster Hendershott taught us in class the day before that there are 200,000,000 stars in the Milky Way.  I think we saw them all.  The girls enjoyed it.  I guess if you've never been on the Vieques tour, it would have been ~ maybe  impressive? ~  I don't know.  So like I said earlier, I should have expected it for an $8   ~   45 minute boat ride.  If you ever get the opportunity to come to Puerto Rico, I recommend making the trip to Vieques and taking Mark Martin's Bio Bay tour!

Jay and I decided we would try to make the sunrise on Thursday.  We needed to be up by 5:30 to get to the Salt Flats. 

Thursday  ~  March 12, 2015

Didn't happen.  We woke up at 6:30am.   Sun was already in the sky.  Too late, we'd try again tomorrow.  Today was Sean and the girls last day.  They needed to leave tonight by 6 or 7 to drive around the other side of the Island (through Ponce) to San Juan to catch their red eye flight home.

We were all up and ready early enough to hit the beach.  We made our way to the beach at the state park.   Jay, Tracy and I tumbled upon it last year and really loved it, so we thought we'd try it again.     It was just as beautiful today as it was last year. 

I am very impressed with what we saw.   On our walk down the beach we found an area that was built for wheelchair accessibility.  We talked to the lifeguard about it, because it was "closed".     He explained that it was full of some type of "slime", I thought algae, but Jay said it was something else.  They had to close it down to fix.  They also rent beach wheelchairs.  How stinkin' cool is that?  10 Points Puerto Rico for accessibility!!   We had a great day at the beach. 

Kosti wanted oysters today,  off to Gallaways where there's an oyster shack across the street.  He was in his glory, 4 dozen oysters later.   After our meal we headed home for Sean and the girls to get ready to begin their journey home.

Whew.... up to date!  Two more days here, then the boys leave.  Jay and I are here with Mom until Wednesday.  Let's hope Spring follows us!

                            I am missing my little red Rose, but know she is in great hands.... and loving the time she    

                            is spending with Charles Barkley!

Friday the 13th On the Beautiful Island of Puerto Rico!

 Sean and the girls pulled out last night about 7.  They headed towards Ponce and then to San Juan.  They had a 12:30am flight to JFK, then a 4 hour layover.   Long journey home....

Jay and I did get up this morning at 5am to go chase the sunrise.  I love this man.  No, I mean it, I really really love him.  Everything he does, he does it to make me happy.  In turn I want to make him happy and we end up with one big love fest!  Up and off we were to the salt flats.  We made it there before the sun.  I have so much respect for landscape photographers and might I add, I loved playing with the light and chasing the sun, bending, twisting, moving to get just the right angle.   I is amazing how just one slight move right or left the whole image changes.    I will do a whole post of images when we get home, until then, believe me there are some beautiful ones in there.  

On our way home we stopped to pick up some breakfast, and headed home to the boys.

Everyone had to much sun yesterday, so it was a good day to explore.  We took the boys out to see the Krazy Fish place and then North and a day of turning down roads we have never seen.    We had simple goals for our trip of the day.... find jewelry for Kosti, lunch and explore some new roads.  We stopped in Rincon for lunch at the Harbor View.  It was a cute little surfer hang out.  At laaaaassssssttttttt......  a great salad!  Reader/traveler to PR take note, Rincon Harbor View Restaurant makes a good Cesar salad with chicken.  Lunch was good, off to find jewelry..... Found a little, I mean little jewelry shop in the village.  Kosti did find a bracelet he liked.  I on the other hand found nothing.  I am a jewelry snob, it's hard to please me when it comes to jewelry......

In our exploration with  Kosti navigating we ended up at Tres Brother's Beach.  Unbelievable!   Unbelievable.  Miles and miles of un disturbed, beautiful beach.... Mile and miles......  On our trip home, it started to rain, made it back to the condo and now, in the home stretch. 

This will be my last post until we get home to Rochester.  Tracy and Kosti are heading back tomorrow and Jay and I will be with Mom for a few more days.  Tracy is taking his hot spot, (imagine that) and at Mom's we are off the grid....  Jay has promised we would do some landscape exploring while we're at Mom's. 

It has been a good, but fast time together.  Another yr down.... I'm sure there will be getting home stories for me to add next week, there always is.  For now  ~ we're all going to be together.

                                                                                                       Janet
                                                                                   

....Monday Continues....

I spent a good part of the day thinking would I really, really enjoy a life like this?  Mondays in the sun.  Searching for a beach.  Spending all my time with my husband and my friends.... would I get bored?  Well I decided I would be willing to research it, given I would have an opportunity to go see the Kids and Babies whenever I want.....

Monday evening, after dropping Sean and the girls off home, we ~my men and I (~ Popi Cruz ((the love of my life)) Tracy ((my replacement "brother" ~ family is SOOOO so important to me)) and Kosti ((my best girlfriend))~) headed out in search of a view (for pictures) of the sunset, drinks and dinner ~ in that order.  

Digression ~ Over our years traveling around our world, Puerto Rico for the most part we find ourselves looking for a place to eat that has good salads.  The boys humor me, they could care less about salads, but my system needs them.  It is always an adventure searching for a good salad here.  Whenever I order a salad, whether side or otherwise, I get a chunk of iceberg lettuce, an unripe tomato sometimes topped with a ketchup and mayonnaise mix, sometimes not.

Back to the end of Monday story.....The place we stopped at for drinks and dinner, "Annie's" showed promise.    It was the local/tourist place at the end of the strip of beach we were at on Sunday.  You walked in and there was one of my favorite signs of Puerto Rico..... "no wifi, talk to each other, get drunk... it's 1993".  We chose a table with a great view of the sunset, ordered up some drinks and waited for it to happen!  This is said to be the best local (area) on the Island for sunsets.  If you are there at the right time, it is said you will see the elusive "green flash" before the sun disappears.  Two sangria's, a watermelon and a mango daiquiri later,  I didn't see it....

Dinner was good.   I did order a side salad for $5.95 expecting for that price I might even get a salad.... but no ~  chunk of iceberg lettuce on my plate, with a not yet ripe tomato, no dressing.....  Have not found that all elusive good salad yet on this trip.   Dinner and drinks were pretty good for the most part, although the boys said the drinks were light on alcohol.  I couldn't tell.    And then when we got home, I realized it was 44 steps up to our condo....

Tuesday  ~  March 10, 2015....

Tuesday morning, bright and early.... well perhaps not so early, 9-10am (I guess that's early on an Island in the sun).  Kosti greeted us with Karribean or should I say Kaz Ma Kosti, Kosti's for breakfast..... Delicious!    We had the day all planned out.   Get up, school for an hour and a half, off to the beach.

Professor Hendershott did hold class for an hour and a half, hmmm... perhaps he missed his calling.   Since breakfast was liquid for the adults, we ate the sandwiches from the day before to wash breakfast down.     And then the Kaz M Kosti Kosti's hit us all (well except for the girls) time for a nap.  When we all came to around 3pm it was time to head to the beach.    We decided to head to Rincon and find "Steps Beach".  As we all piled in to the car, with Kosti up front navigating, turns out it was actually Sean who best knew the way around these parts of the Island. (you'd think it was Rush how well he knew it!)  I think it was the police escort from his first night here.

It was 4 pm by the time we got to the beach.  Good time to start a "day" at the beach.  Some good snorkeling on Steps Beach.  Tracy says it is some of the best Elkhorn Coral he has ever seen.      Hmmm, who knew we had our big fish, Kosti and  Kenzie... the little fish.   She got right out there and tried to keep up.  Impossible.  Kosti was off exploring and  as usual.... he touched a sea urchin and need to do some surgery to remove the quills, (or whatever they are called that they have to  discourage others for touching them!)

When it was time to leave, back into the van we piled and headed out.  Tracy spotted a small side road he wanted to explore and off we went.  Of course the road went straight up, I mean straight up the mountain.  At one point, Jay ~ who was driving, couldn't even see the pavement.  Oh my.  I was thankfully in the third row with Kosti.  Poor guy's leg was turning blue from my hanging on.  The exploration took us up one of the one lane twisty turny mountain roads that I love so much.  This time, I was stuck in the third seat and couldn't even get out to walk if I wanted to. 

Once we hit the summit, Kosti spotted a little gift shop, who knew? he wanted to stop at to see if they had his needed sarong.....  They did and then some.

It was getting pretty late and time to start thinking of dinner.  Sean to the rescue!   He really knew his way around Rincon!   Right from the summit, took us to The Lazy Parrot Hotel and Bar.   They had stayed there when they first arrived.  Knew all the staff, were right at home.  Dinner was good.  The chef apparently had made a trip to Italy to learn how to make brick oven pizza.   The guys and little girls loved their pizza!   I decided to try to salad there.  No bad.  So far this trip, The Lazy Parrot has the best salad.   We did have to laugh as I was asking the waitress, (who grew up in Jersey) if it was a real salad, or.... and she finished the sentence, "a wedge of iceberg, with a tomato and catsup and mayo"... no, it's a real salad".     We dropped Tracy and Kosti at a local bar and headed home.  Sean dropped us off and headed back to pick up the boys.    Fast forward to Wednesday!

Given the limited internet access, I am going to take the opportunity to upload some images.   Fair warning, they are random, Not adding captions or locations until I get home.  I have not editing capabilities and they have all been taken with my Canon Elph point and shoot. 

At the salt flats

"Kensie"

The Boys!  <3

Check back tomorrow!  Time to head to the beach.... it's Sean and the girls last day with us, they need beach time!   

                                           Janet

Healthy Eating!

Phase II

So we left you (or I stopped writing) after our first night here....or when we arrived and entered the condo.   It's really not bad,  We have the penthouse, but  now a couple of days in and no people to be seen.  We did find the pool.... it is a very pretty pool.  All to ourselves.  We found one of the benefits of being some of the only residents is that we can stand on our balacony and call to those of us in the pool that it's time to come home.... (the pool is about a 5 minute walk from the condo!)

Sunday started with our traditional mamosia's, and writing of the vacation house rules!  Rules are important.   They include stuff like, singing, dancing and being kind.   We didn't have any tape to hang the rules, but The Russian McGiver used toothpaste to hang them.   Getting ready for the beach will be fun on this trip as we have to motivate 5 adults and 2 tweens to get moving and get out of here.  While waiting for the other half of our our group,  the music was playing the Cupid Shuffle....  You need to see the video.  I can not do it justice to try to use words to describe myself, Kosti and Popi doing the Cupid Shuffle in the kitchen while waiting to head to the beach.   Belly laugh fun!!!!

Off to the beach!  Knowing it's winter here we headed to  what is suppose to be the most beautiful  beach.... (winter usually means beaches are empty).  We wanted to find Bahia Sucia.  (translation ~ Dirty Beach).  The name I think is to discourage folks to from going to it!     When we arrived in the general vacinity, we were instructed  (by the local police) to park about a 20 minute walk from the beach.    Hmmmmm, 20 minutes in the sun and 85 degrees, not happening.    Jay had a little conversation with the officer directing us, he explained that it was Sunday and all the locals were out.  He suggested we come back "tomorrow"  it would be empty and we'd be able to park in the parking lot.

U turn and in search of another beach..... We made it to Playa Combate ...... Pretty,  lots of people... good music.  A bar down the beach a ways for libations.  Nice day in the sun.  On our way back to our car we found a very fruitful (full) tamarind tree.  We love tamarind...... had to stop and pick some. 

We did do some grocery shopping the night before,  one of our little traveling buddies wanted steak real badly.    ~ digression ~  When met up with her, her sister and her dad on saturday, the girls stayed with us as Sean when to pick up Tracy and Kosti at the airport.  They hadn't eaten and wanted breakfast.  We had met them in a McDonald's parking lot.  Great, both Jay and I thought, we'd get McD's.  Nope, she announced she is on a health eating program, and had to eat good healthy foods, not junk food..... okay.

We headed off to find somewhere where we could get a "healthy breakfast".  Found IHop.  The girls had steak and eggs.  Jay and I split and omlette and pancake breakfast.  $50.00 later, the girls were happy with their "healthy breakfasts" of steak and eggs.   (they didn't eat the fruit however that came with it!).  They did eat the whole steak and eggs.....

That night we had steaks for dinner.  (healthy eating at it's finest!)  We thought it would be fun to eat on our top deck, under the stars.  Tracy got eaten alive by mosquitos..... never again is he eating outside! EVER!  We were all tired.... early night for everyone.

Monday morning mamosias!   I love Mondays, Mamosias, 80 degrees, sunshine.....  Sean is a cooking machine, he made breakfast for everyone.    Kosti and I headed off to the pool.  I did some laps (yeah right) and Kosti practiced his diving moves.  Lovely.  Since we have two young students here with lots of school work to do,  Sensei Hendershott called school into session.  An hour and a half of school work under his tutalage, 

Once school was out, it was time start to corral the crew to head off to the beach...... a few hours later we were out the door heading to Bahia Sucia.  I can't wait until you can see the pictures.  On our way to Bahia Sucia we passed through the oldest salt flats in the western hemisphere.  It was neat, kind of surreal.  Kind of funny as well given Tracy's need, affection and obsession with salt.  Around the same local was a very out of the worldly mud area.  We needed to stop and explore.  Walking across this was like walking in mucky quick sand.  Coulda lost a leg.....  I did get some beautiful pictures. 

Down the road there were some pretty pink, yes pink salt corrals.  And then out of now where, Bahia Sucia!  It is just a beautiful little bay area, with warm aqua blue waters..... ahhhh....  Mondays..........

There is a lot more fun to come, but I need to take a nap, so I'll continue later!  

                                                                                                   Janet