:)

Feel like I should say something in here. Will be leaving in 2 days. Am very excited. Am also sad.

My writing has not been happening, but I think it's not because I'm not inspired. Now I have a whole crapload of material, haha. But it's simply that I don't want to. It's not even that I don't want to, not really. It's that I won't. And I think that's purposeful. That is, I think there's a reason why I'm not writing and that when I start, it will be exactly what I'm meant to be writing. And with the right passion. And less confusion.

I might start writing in a notebook instead of my laptop to get past my block. Sometimes that works because it gives me permission to write absolute crap for awhile. *grins*

Yikes, I've lost about 7 pounds since this thing happened in Tobago! (Which was actually okay because I'd put on about that much since last summer).

Going back for awhile...

Hi,

I'm going to be going back to the States for awhile on Friday. I had been planning on going in August, but I have decided to go back a little earlier and stay a little longer.

I basically need to clear my head. The trauma from the robbery incident has really affected my head space way more than I ever thought it would and I just need to be away, away, away from the scene, etc.

I am of mixed feelings. I'm not sure how long I'll stay away but I know I will miss a lot of things about being here, especially my friends! I'm actually kind of emotionally numb right now, so I'm not really sure how I'm feeling. ha. I'm hoping that a change of scene will calm down my psychotic muse, too. I ought to have plenty of time and space to write!

yum

Mmm...Hi Lo deli lunches for the win! Yum!


*lots of immature giggling* (*is 12*)

haha cryptic

I'm sorry but I've learned from the master (*waves to Hayley*) and I'm going to be cryptic.

Do you know how weird it is to wake up after a long, long nap?

The world is a strange, strange place.

waves

Had some tummy troubles today so I'm meek and quiet and because of only 4 hours of sleep last night, I'm intensely out to lunch, too.

Ugh, don't mention lunch. :D

Good morning!

I woke up this morning with an amazing amount of energy considering I've felt dead tired for the past week. This could be interesting...

So...I have these three sweet pepper plants that I'm growing inside little coffee containers on the patio. Don't die of shock, everyone, but...

They're still alive.

Stardust love

I have a sleeping Stardust on my shoulder. She's been hanging out on my shoulder just sleeping away the way birds do when they tuck their heads under their wings and look really cute.

Hey, look, I've posted a few days in a row!

hiya

I'm a writer and yet can't seem to write anything interesting in here! I've been thinking a lot about going for the jugular. Especially since the robbery, There's this heightened sense of no longer really wanting to be shy about talking about whatever I want to talk about.

I think I've shocked quite a few people about what actually happened during the robbery. I think I accidentally gave the impression that it was a situation in which maybe we left our stuff at home and someone broke in while we were gone and took it. That in fact is not true. The bandit came in with a weapon while we were sleeping. Again, will probably write it out later...not now. Today am enjoying a nice, lazy Saturday!

Well, I think the rainy season is starting to encroach. The last few days have been rainy on and off after a LOOOOONG stretch of very dry.

Maybe I'll try to post more pictures. This was taken in Trinidad on the way to Chaguaramas...

yep

Stay tuned...I AM going to write more in this thing...

My mind is a blissful blank right now, but I do and must say that I finally slept through the night last night for the first time since the robbery. In fact it was a GOOD sleep. So I feel actually rather human today.

Random observation: My neighbors are picking all the mangoes off the tree!

new phone

Holy crap, I've made 70 posts so far! Go me!

I got a new cell phone today. It's a cute little thing, no frills or bells or whistles, so way cheaper than the last one. Hopefully it will serve well...

Well, I was going to share some pics from Tobago, but the add image function doesn't seem to be working for me. Ah well! Later then!

feeling better today

I'm a dork -- switched out my picture.

A few people have asked to hear the story about the robbery and I will actually get to that in time. Right now it still makes me a little shaky to go through it in detail. And honestly I probably won't put all the details here in a public forum. All the same, Mitra was good enough to compile a list of tips for travelers to Tobago but I think this list could apply to anyone traveling anywhere. I hope this list could help keep people aware and safe. These are general tips, by the way, not necessarily details in our situation.

1. If possible, travel with a group, with both men and women

2. Don't wear loud jewelry or expensive clothes

3. When you reach the guest house/hotel, go through with the manager and check all the doors and windows, asking if they are burglar-proof

4. Check how secluded the place is, i.e. are there other people in the area, and if it is air conditioned or right on the ocean, would it be possible for a neighbor to hear loud or suspicious noises or screams

5. Keep a phone and valuables in a hidden place, so a robber would not find them

6. If a man is trying to rape you, look him in the eye, remain calm, and reason with him that you are a human being and that you have a family, and that he is probably just in a tough place where he needs money, but he can just leave without harming anyone

7. Be careful, and if you see anything suspicious (a man on the beach looking at guest houses, for example) report it immediately! Better safe than sorry.

Tobago

Back from Tobago! Will post pics eventually. One bad thing happened in that we were robbed and I am now cell-phone-less. That is all I have to say about that.

But Tobago itself was gorgeous and I can't recommend the beaches there enough! Translucent turquoise waters, refreshing water, good food, very nice indeed!

Here I am at Pigeon Point. I have many more pics but I'll wait. I need to send Mitra the pics that I took first! :-)

yays

Yays:

1. Had delightful sushi and wine with Hayley and her spawnlet on Sunday night. And bought some books beforehand at the mall. Bookstores = love, sushi = love, liming = love! :)))

2. Going to TOBAGO on Thursday with the lovely Mitra (who alas is leaving us to return to Michigan in about a week)!!!! I'm so excited! I've been meaning to get to Tobago to do like research and stuff (in the form of lazing on the beach and swimming and possibly seeing leatherback turtles nesting)

Nays:

1. Expecting my monthly friend on the day we leave for Tobago

Jungle walking...

Yesterday, I accompanied Elspeth and a group of her acquaintances and friends to walk up the mountain from Santa Cruz and help plant a special tree for a special purpose. Hey, the good news is that I'm not sore today like I was sure I would be after all the huffing and puffing and using of muscles I haven't used in a long time going up those practically sheer uphill trails. Those expensive hiking boots I bought in Scotland seven years ago served me very well. :-) While I kept an eye out for poisonous snakes and big, hairy spiders, I saw neither, whew!

I could only take one pic as we were walking because there was that issue of making sure one foot was going in front of the other without tripping...


Pretty scene we were rewarded with!


Some people swimming in the spring...


Planting of the tree...


Back at the lodge of our lovely hosts. They are creating an eco-land out of the 250 acres they have. This is their lovely porch...I could have sat there for hours, listening to the birds and wildlife...


This is Charlie, their macaw. He refused to talk to us.


At the end, the four of us separated from the rest of the group. We got ice-cream (mmm...coffee and nutella flavored ice-cream!) and realized that ice-cream was the answer to happiness. Then we went to Lady Young Lookout and had some corn soup and watched the beginning of the sunset over Port of Spain. If you look carefully you can see the distant shadow of Venezuela!

Where's Stardust?

Now if this isn't the most precious thing in the world, I just don't know what is...




I just made brownies. Life is good.