Painkillers

My friend, Mimi, came over from Cooper Island last week and we went to White Bay, Jost Van Dyke for some sun, swimming and Painkillers.  It was lovely (even if my sunscreen was only effective for about 10 minutes into the ferry ride...).

 

Sage Mountain

While I still have a reliable internet connection, I figure I might as well post some photos from Sage Mountain. 

Back when I was exercising and feeling fine (before I twisted my ankle and screwed up my back again) I went walking in this National Park here on Tortola. 

It is a lovely place to walk with lots of trails that are well maintained.  There is a rain forest up there which is just stunning.

So, when you visit the BVI, remember that the beach isn't the only cool place to see!  (Not that I'm knocking the beach because the beaches are pretty darn awesome...)

 

The Things That Try Us

When last I posted, things were going well!  Loving my job.  Loving my home.  Internet wasn't so great but things were going well even if I couldn't blog about them.

At the beginning of May, Oreo made it down here by some miracle and by the ingenuity of a friend who went up to Seattle (much love to Lion!!).

Yep, everything was going my way!

Until June...

On June 15th I was heading out the door to work.  It had been rainy and my stairs were wet.  Building codes mean nothing here and I am well aware of that.  I knew the steps would be slippery (since they used indoor wall tile on the stairs).  I took hold of the handrail and promptly fell down the stairs.  At first I thought I had just badly bruised my back and hip.  I had heard enough horror stories about Peeble's Hospital to want to avoid it at all cost but my friends convinced me that ice was not going to make things better and they called an ambulance.  Now I have my own horror stories about the hospital.  Trust me, don't go. 

I spent two days in the emergency room before they decided to admit me.  I couldn't walk.  I couldn't sit up.  I could barely move.  Still, I didn't want to be admitted.  I wanted to go home and wait for the swelling to go down.  They eventually did a CT scan and told me I had broken 4 vertebrae.  Then they did nothing for the next two weeks.  I refused all attempts to stick needles in me.  I didn't trust the hygenic standards at all.  I won't go into too much detail but I wouldn't eat the food, either, after seeing how dirty it was.  So, I lay in bed watching the wall and waiting for visitors.  Thankfully, I had a steady stream of company which really helped a lot!  I don't know how I would have coped if I hadn't had the distractions!!

Anyway, I survived the hospital.  Not sure how but I did.

The ambulance had to take me home since I couldn't walk back up the stairs.  (They wanted to keep me longer but I just couldn't see the logic!)

Armed with back brace and walker I made it home. 

I walked and exercised my heart out and figured I would be just dandy for work when we reopened for the season. 

But then I twisted my ankle and was in excruciating pain for about a week.  That's when I realized that my recovery would take a bit longer than I had thought.

So, now i am thinking the most sensible plan is to move to St. John and get whatever sedentary job (or jobs) I can find. 

That's the update.

I'm house/dog sitting at the moment (in Little Apple Bay) and there's a fantastic wifi connection so I'm making the most of it.

Figured I'd better update.  It had been way too long.

Wish me luck!  I'll update again as soon as I am able!

Hope you are all well!

My commute

Here are some photos from my commute down the hill every day:

This is from the top of my driveway as I start the trek downward.  About a week ago I got to the top of the driveway and there was a flock of sheep grazing on the grassy patches.  They took off running as soon as they saw me.  I think they escaped from the place about halfway up (I always hear sheep when I pass that place).

 

Jost van Dyke in the distance.  I love pausing here to look out over the water.

 

Round the corner from the last photo.  There's the bay.

 

 

Continuing on downward...

 

 

Almost down the hill...

 

 

Down the hill and heading into work.

And then I do it all in reverse at the end of my shift.  

I have learned that open toed shoes are a big no-no on the hill.  At night there are ROUS (rodents of unusual size) that scamper across the road when I shine my flashlight ahead of me.  One night I saw a tarantula crossing the road (it was as big as my hand).  But I am just tickled to bits and loving life (ROUS beside the point)!



Living the dream

 

 

This is the view from my living room.  I can't believe it.  Every day I think I must be in a coma somewhere and just living some fantasy life.

 

 

This is the view from the balcony.  Unbelievable.  I really love my apartment and view... until I have to climb up the hill after work...

 

 

And this is where I work.  Does it get any better than this?  (Coming soon:  A cooler and some more shelves.  Right now I have to unpack and pack up boxes of booze and my beer cooler which I stash in my outside bar.)

I am really enjoying the simplicity.  Am hoping that soon Oreo can join me and we will be a happy island family again!

 

 



RIP, Frank!

He was my companion and friend for 20 years and I will miss him!  We went through a lot together.  He never ceased to amuse me with his antics.  He was always a trooper when I was dealing with stress or heartbreak.  Stuck by me through thick and thin and even though he wasn't thrilled when I would pack him up and move him around he always managed to find his niche.
Thank you, Kevin for making his last months comfortable! 

My New Office

 

Ah, life is fun, isn't it?!

Ah, bureaucracy

I'm still in the process of getting my work permit for the BVI.  People keep apologizing for the red tape but, in my experience, it really hasn't been unusually long or complicated.  I guess all those years working with government and service provider agencies taught me well!!  I almost always have at least one book with me anyway and most times I carry a little Radica solitaire game (if I don't feel like concentrating).  Once I spent a full 8 hours at the Social Security office in Seattle (seeking income verifications for tenants) playing on that solitaire game and hardly even noticed the daylight fading.  So, off I go again to gather what I need (one office to another to anothere to another).  I'd rather be on the beach but remind myself that I'm not on vacation anymore!!  Time to get down to business!!
(I am waiting for my friend to send me pictures of the beach we visited the other day.  It was spectacular!  Place called "Lava Flow."  Again, I left my camera behind because we were only supposed to be running errnads in less than picturesque areas...  I have got to be better about that!!)

Finally!

I have now managed to get all of my paperwork done for my work permit and leave for Tortola tomorrow!!
I will post updates now that there's something to update.  Should be more fun now if not infinitely more relaxing.  St. Thomas has been very good to me but I am growing tired of city life.  The next adventure starts tomorrow!

Quick Update

Sort of "stuck" over on St. Thomas at the moment.  I am in the process of completing my paperwork for my work permit for the BVI.  (My permit has been approved but there are a few things to do before I can go over and begin working.)  Unfortunately I keep running out of money and it seems that there's always something else to do and cost involved.  All in all, it could be worse!!  I'm making slow progress but that's still better than no progress!  I'm excited to start working again and over in Cane Garden Bay!  Very soon all of this stress over getting one more thing and then one more thing will be over and just a memory as I begin my new life on Tortola!  It's very exciting. 
Wish I had more to tell but that's about all for now!

View from the terrace of the apartment on St. Thomas!  This is what I get to wake up to every day!!

One Way Ticket to Paradise?

I got the job!!!  Now I'm just waiting for the work permit...
If you'd told me a month ago I'd be living and working in the Caribbean I just wouldn't have believed it.  In fact, I have to keep pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.  This is just more than I could have hoped for!!!
I miss Oreo and Frank a lot but at some point Oreo will be healed and maybe I can have him brought down here.  He would absolutely love the beach (and sleeping in the sunshine)!!  (Frank is just a little too old to be moving around the world and would be infintely happier staying put.)  That would make this the perfect life!  (I might just explode with joy!)

On St. Thomas

Over on St. Thomas for the time being.  Michelle started work and I tagged along to help look for an apartment, etc. 

I had a telephone interview last night for a job on Tortola.  Fingers crossed!!!  (I think it went well...)

WiFi is really hard to come by over here for some strange reason so posts will likely be few and far between (busines as ususal, eh?).  Oh, and I had the presence of mind to load my pictures onto the laptop before going out so I could put them up but now my security won't let me access them.  I suppose that's good...?  One of these days I'm going to go back and upload all my pictures in the right spots!  No idea when that day will come but ONE DAY!!

Gone Sailing

Sorry for the radio silence.  I had a sudden opportunity to go out on a boat and I took it!
So since last Friday I have been sailing around the neighborhood.  It's been absolutely lovely!  This all began as Anchor Quest 2013.  A friend lost his anchor off Necker Island and diver friend said he could find and retreive it so off we went. 
On Friday we sailed around Jost Van Dyke which provided a look at the island I never had the chance to see before.  What a pretty place!  Saturday we went down to Soper's Hole to pick up a few things.  On Sunday we headed up to Trellis Bay and Scrub Island.  The weather was against us so getting to Necker before dark was just not possible.  Instead we went to Scrub Island and had cocktails at the pool bar.  The diver friend fell off the water slide and broke his clavicle.  (That was effectively the end of Anchor Quest.)  He went home and then to the hospital while we overnighted at Pusser's and then went to The Baths on Virgin Gorda Monday morning.  In the afternoon we headed down to Cooper Island where we picked up a mooring ball  for the night and went to the restaurant for a lovely supper.  The weather was changeable yesterday so our schedule was changeable as well.  We had been thinking of visiting the Willy T. but opted instead to go straight over to Penn's Landing to drop the boat off and then back to Cane Garden Bay to pay respects to the injured member of the party.
All in all I think I prefer being on a boat to being on the beach but I'm not knocking the beach!!!  What a great and unexpected opportunity!!
Must note that I forgot my camera yet again.  There were so many spots just too beautiful for words and I guess I'll just have to visit them all again with my camera.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I quickly want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! 
Made it safely to Tortola in time to ring in 2013.  It is absolutely lovely here and the weather is perfect (as usual!).  I can't think of a better way to start a new year than being on the beach!!
Pictures soon!  (Typically I left my camera back in the apartment so I can't post photos...  but I will remedy that and get them up SOON!).