We found a fantastic breakfast place right on the water, our new breakfast place, it was delicious, really good breakfast food. Beside Chicago's pizza, this island is impressing me food wise. There is room for a deep dish pizza pie restaurant, Lou? Where are you buddy?
A few things I have realized.
1) Two year olds are still two in the Caribbean.
2) Husbands still get on nerves on an island.
3) You need time to yourself even when you're surrounded by water.
4) You have to be vulnerable to make friends, even in paradise
5) Life is life everywhere.
All in all this would probably be the most "normal" week I've had since we got here. Saturday I got all my herbs, Sunday I planted them, making this weekend the first that we have really focused on "normal household stuff"... Scarlett and I had our potted herb gardens knocked out in nothing flat, we had breakfast on the deck, smoothies in the pool, and a fantastic laid back weekend.
Monday I was invited to a "girls night out" CAbi party. I had no idea what CAbi was, nor did it matter, wine + women - children - husband = I'm there. Scarlett is VERY 2 lately and I will admit, it is a son-of-a-bitch. My new friend Nicole (the same one that gave me the heads up about the KING OF THE WING contest) invited me to her home, gave me the directions, and I was excited to go.
First, Scarlett had refused earlier to get out of the car when we came home from the grocery... Locked herself in, turned on the lights, wipers, and signals, so I had to run into the house to grab the keys to get her out. Of course, when I did, I was focused on teaching her not to ever pull that stunt again, and didn't even think about turning anything off. The car battery was dead.
Did I mention that I really needed to get away from my beloved family?
After my neighbor gave me a jump, I was off. This was only my second time driving at night, my first time driving to her home, and I will just say it, I am not used to driving on a mountain yet, I may never be, I have been a "flatlander" all my life. Of course, I got lost. I called, and apparently our house is not the only house on this island that gives off the "rape and murder vibe" when you drive to it for the first time. It was very hard to get to. I got there, parked, and headed in. It was nice to see a few faces that I had met already, as well as meet some new people. Everyone was very welcoming and eager to share about their personal experiences and advice about the island. We had some wine, some adult conversation, and shopped too, it was fabulous, and I really appreciated it. At the end of the evening Nicole and her husband invited Jason, Scarlett, and I to dinner on Tuesday at their club, I accepted. Now, this is where things get hilarious.
So, lovely evening, time to go. I hop in my car, actually ready to see Scarlett and Jason again, slam the door, pop it into reverse, hit the gas, and ram their car.
I really know how to make an impression eh? Luckily, and I don't know how, there was absolutely no damage to anyone's car, but it will forever be a hilarious story, and I think it should be recommended as an add on chapter to "How to win friends and influence people".
We ended up going to dinner with them, we had a fantastic time, it is really priceless to meet people that have children too. "Dinner with kids" is not the same as "dinner". It is more like "fly fishing" vs. "regular fishing". It is constant movement and interruption and as long as everyone is doing it, it isn't annoying. But you can't have just one flier, it ruins the fishing for everyone. I love the beach life because it is so kid friendly, they just run around and play, and nobody cares. The air off the ocean was perfect, the club was casual, and the conversation was easy. I love meeting new people, unlike when you have known everyone forever, you have a tendency to look for your similarities, not your differences, and I think that the world needs more of that searching. More common grounds seekers than decerning eyes all around, I think our world would be kinder.
The next morning Jason flew back to Chicago for a business trip, and Scarlett and I headed for the Library story hour. First, I had spotted a Library downtown, a historical building that I was eager to walk in, but after a bit I couldn't re-find it, and I pulled over and asked where it was. Apparently it was closed now and a new one had opened "above Big Kmart". I hadn't noticed anyone walking up with books to Kmart, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't, you would not believe all the action that goes on at "Big Kmart", hell, I could have missed the President showing up, let alone a few bookworms coming and going. So I headed across the island to seek out this alleged library. I walk up to the security guard, point to the top of Kmart and ask how to get there, he looks at me like I am titched in the head, and points up the hill to a BEAUTIFUL newly built Library. Anyone who knows me knows that I avoid Libraries because I hate the thought of other peoples dead skin as well as habits while reading, I don't trust it, nose pickers, butt scratchers, and the rest of the creepies freak me, but in an effort to get this baby aired out, I had to do what I had to do, and I will say, I was impressed. Story hour was awesome, it was clean, the reader was darling and expressive, and you could tell that she really enjoyed what she did. Scarlett played with several new kids, and I met a lot of other moms. From there we went to K'afe, where Scarlett phrased it best "That lady really knows her chicken".
We went to dinner with Scarlett's new friend Arielle and a huge group of children, their Mommas and one Dad at Yacht Haven Grande, and ended the evening with a trip to our favorite yogurt place. I know that this is a lot less about the island life, and more about life in general, but that is as important as any of it, life still happens here, real, regular, everyday life.
No scorpions this week.
