On Dasher, on Dancer

I leave tomorrow for 41 days of beautiful snowy blissfulness in Utah, Idaho, and Alberta. Jon's joining me a couple of weeks later after his finals then we'll be returning to the island together in January for his final semester here. Many of his classmates will be spending that final term in Atlanta instead, so today was goodbye to a few close friends :( Miss you guys already.

My flight from Statia to St Maarten got cancelled leaving me with no option other than to go a day early and turn my trip into two days of traveling. Now I'll be spending tomorrow night in a hotel at my own expense. Winward Airlines, you very nearly ruined Christmas.

I'll be in Salt Lake City for three days before heading up to my parent's place in Idaho. I'm sure I'll blog once I'm there.

kthxbai!

Day of Birth

I was born in the 40th week after Valentine's Day, 1985. When 14-year-old me figured that math out and approached my mom with my findings, she answered, "Yep, that sounds about right". Corinne then had a mild freak-out along the lines of, "EWWwwwWWwww YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHEN YOU WERE CONCEIVED!!!"

Anyway, the point is this: Yesterday was my birthday! I love birthdays and have never been the type to get all bittersweet about them. It feels great to be 25.

Lianna, Pearl, and I met our friend Justine at the beach to start the day out in style. It was the most gorgeous day EVERRR.

The sand is making a comeback!

Ridiculously expensive drinks at Old Gin House

Jon and I had plans to go to dinner but he kept being vague about where or when. Turns out it was because he'd planned a SURPRISE KARAOKE PARTY for me! I got the best husband - sorry everyone else.

So excited they can't even contain themselves.

Sure would have done something different with my hair if I'd known half the school would be there. Clearly I had no idea about the surprise. At least Jon talked me into wearing something sort of nice.

Tandy and me performing "I Can Show You the World". The woman in the chair on lead vocals is the owner of the restaurant. She's a sweet, sweet lady who dearly loves her moment to shine in karaoke. She brings to mind that scene in The Wedding Singer - "You'd better get back in there...they're starting to turn on George". Someone finally wrested the mic from her.

Photo of the night. Note Tandy, holding a mic but singing into Jon's.

Thanks, everyone who made it happen!! And to everyone who showed up (even the guys that just stood along the wall). Best birthday karaoke party ever.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Statia Day!

Yesterday was Statia Day - the biggest event of the year, celebrated annually to commemorate when Statia became the first country to recognize American independence.

Our festivities began at 11, when I woke up. What better way to celebrate Statia Day than by snorkeling?

Snapped a couple of pictures on the way to the beach, of course:

THE clearest, most beautiful day EVER:

The Quill and the Slave Path from the water (the Slave Path is that trail carved into the side of the cliff):

Second scariest moment since we arrived on Statia (after being charged by a bull) -- We saw a MONSTER barracuda. Longer than Jon. It swam up from behind us and passed RIGHT underneath me. Like within three feet from my tender, delicious entrails. Long story short, yes, I totally panicked.

Darcy and Lianna met us at the beach after our snorkel adventure.

Check out the point on those toes!

Statia Day also marks the end of the Golden Rock Regatta, an island-to-island sailing competition. We watched the ships let out their sails and show off a bit. So beautiful.

Then! That night! A street fair like nothing else! Entertainment! Decorations! FOOD vendors! More 13-year-old mothers than you've ever seen in one place in your ENTIRE LIFE!

Drum lines! This was by far the best part of the night. Competing groups began at opposite ends of the street and met in the middle. Awesome.

Live music! These guys called all the children to the front of the crowd, then proceeded to sing sexually explicit songs complete with actions. I, for one, learned some great new moves.

We caught the midnight fireworks show from our kitchen window.

In other news, I leave here for Utah/Idaho TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY. Cannot wait. Jon flies a couple of week after me, then it's off to Canada for Christmas. So excited!

And she was henceforth known as Messy Jessie

I have precious few childhood pictures of myself. Something about being the youngest of four, and being born long before the invention of digital cameras. And before the internet. And when tubs were green. Oh gosh, my own kids are going to think I'm a dinosaur.

Jon, ftw!

Pearl fell asleep in the backpack on our walk down to the beach the other day.

Lianna and I thought it was HILARIOUS, until she woke up and screamed for an hour. No more trips to the beach when Pearl hasn't had her afternoon nap. Now we know :)

(mean aunt)

Jon won the photo contest!! I take a thousand pictures a day and didn't even place, and he gets first with one of the five pictures he's ever taken here.

We had to go down to the phone company for him to get his prize and have his picture taken. And as it turned out, there WERE actual prizes!! He's now the proud new owner of a Blackberry Curve (anyone in the market for a Blackberry Curve?)

the ones that got away

Ruins by the beach

Scary mastiff at our neighbor's house.

Darcy's birthday

That goat on the road is the biggest goat ever! It's srsly the size of a pony.

Typical Statian stairs-goat

Egrets roosting

Crazy bird! We saw one of these for the first time down at Crook's Castle when we didn't have a camera on us, then a few days later there was one in our YARD. Pretty sure this is a huge discovery.

I think this is a moth, because it's resting with its wings open. Butterflies rest with them closed. I didn't make that up, did I?

Cheesiest, most forced grin ever.

Spouse club! Finally there is a group of us - a far cry from my nine months of isolation.

SLUG. In my HOUSE. SLUG in my house. SLUG. IN. MY HOUSE.

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BLAH! Blogger is driving me crazy. Sorry for the terrible formatting.