Sunday Morning

Back on the boat full time now, after wonderful whirlwind romance with a beautiful woman (I just love those Aussies!) We agreed to part company, but stay friends, and as I told her many times, she made a pretty good life, a whole lot better. Was a great experience for me and I enjoyed every minute of it, from early morning walks on the beach with her dog, to dragging my old, tired butt up to dance, as non-stop as I am capable, to quiet evenings alone at her home. She helped me beef up the lines on AF just before the last huricane, as well as returning me to check her the next day, a choice I should have not made, as my responsibility was to be on the boat, but I was greedy for her company.

So, now I am preparing AF for visitors. First, Rosemary, a life long friend and neighbor from back in Rosslyn Farms, now living in Colorado, and then my niece, Denise, and her husband, Erik, are making a long trek to see me here for 3 days. I am excited about both of course. Rosemary has decided to live crazy and risk celebrating her XXth birthday here with me on AF. Will spend a week here, and I am so excited to have an old friend to share a bit of my life here with. Hope she is up to the 'roughing it' life. Denise and Erik are the real nuts, I think. Although the trip will require 7 days of travel, because of the airline they have points with, they will only spend 3 days here visiting. They are up for a real adventure, I am sure. After a day of flying to San Pedro Suela, on the mainland, where they will spend the night. Then depart on a 2 hour bus ride to LaCeiba on the coast and a 2 hour ferry ride to Roatan. Then, I think the same for the return trip.
I hired a lady to clean here so the boat is as fresh as possible for my visitors, and after 2 days of hard work, she has the aft cabin and head and tunnel all clean and the teak oiled and shiny. I have to move some things around now, so she can return and wipe down the salon and galley, and oil the wood. Was interrupted by having to cook for the cruiser's pot luck yesterday and later today, will join the fun with rubber ducky races. Jerry, the dock master loves to organize things for the cruisers and does a great job. Recently, he got one of the local grocery stores to pay for a large van to pick us up and take us shopping for 2 hours, every Saturday morning. Saves the taxi fare, and you can even take your fuel jugs and get them filled next door at the Petro-Sun gas station. He also got the management here at Fantasy Island to devote a room in the hotel just for cruisers to use for a hot shower.

I have hung a hummingbird feeder on the boat and noticed the other night that a bat is stopping to feed on it every night. Flies within 18 inches of my head, for a quick hover and lick at the plastic flower. I will post pictures when I have taken some, but so far have not had the camera ready when the hummers come. They are fearless and come within inches of my head when they are feeding, and yesterday, while cooking, one came down into the salon for a look-see.

Oh, yeah. Forgot to mention one other important thing. 2 weeks ago, I received word from my old friend Shelby's mom, that she was coming to Roatan on a cruise, and asked me so kindly, if she could bring me anything. Shelby and I worked together at Verizon and in fact were at technical school together before that, but in different classes. I have never met his family but are friends on Facebook with all of them. So when the appointed day came, after setting up a meeting place and time at West Bay, the nicest beach area here, I taxied down and, just as I was about to run into the water for a quick dip, bumped into Melanie and her boyfriend, Roger, coming down the beach to meet me. They joined me for lunch and we had a very nice visit. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did. When the time came to snap a few pictures, I found that I had left my memory card in the laptop, so I am waiting for Melanie to email me some pictures to post as she is my first, real visitor from 'home'.

So that is what is going on here in Roatan. Thanksgiving approaches and I am the designated deviled eggs provider - my buddy Skip is making the sweet potatoes - and I have a lot of work to do before my visitors. Pictures will be coming I hope in the next post, when I receive some from Melanie and have the camera when the hummers come to feed.