A Visit to the States

I arrived in Tennessee yesterday for my final stop on my whirlwind tour of the US before heading back to Belize.

I wondered as I was on the plane from Belize to the US if I would get here and be sad, wishing I hadn't moved or realizing how much I missed the US.

Truth? Nope, didn't happen. Yes I miss my friends here and wish I saw them more, and every once in a while I feel like I'd give my left arm for a really good green salad and I LOVED seeing my kids .... but overall, I really don't miss the hustle and bustle of life in the US. I don't watch TV anymore and I kind of like that. I don't drive anymore and have no need for a car (except those few occasions I wish I could drive to Belize City for dinner with Rob Harris and the Island Hoppers folks!!). I like my quiet existence on the little Peninsula of Placencia and the new friends I"ve made there. I really like waking up to the sounds of the ocean and the birds, and deciding which pair of shorts and t-shirt I should wear, and just walking everywhere.

And speaking of ... has anyone else noticed how cold it gets in the US? I stepped out of the airport in Sacramento and it was 60 some degrees and I was freezing!

So, I don't have Tennesse stories or pictures to share ..... yet, but I've had  such a great trip so far.

I started in Roseville, CA where I got to spend time with Cait and her best friend Gregg in their new home (new to them). Two real highlights (besides just hanging with my daughter), got to really spend some much needed time with one of my oldest friends (I mean she's been my friend for a very long time so stop giving me that look Elaine!).

And then there was this:

Cait, Gregg, Cheri and Me on our way to the game!
(Photo by Caitlin Jeffs)

A great place to see a game!!

Such a beautiful park, an absolutely great night in SF (it was about 60 degrees
which was perfect for Giants baseball), we played the Dodgers (BOOOOOOO)
and we won! (YAAAAYYYY)

I had arrived late Sunday night and the game was on Wednesday night. Early Thursday morning we got up to go to Virginia.

The rain that was forecast held off and it was a beautiful day for a wedding.

Such a beautiful couple and a wonderful ceremony.
(Photo by Caitlin Jeffs)

The gorgeous Bride and her handsome Marine husband.
 (Yes I'm biased)

This is Lindsey, my daughter in-law, she really was a stunning bride.
(she is basically stunning anyway)
Such a  beautiful dress too.

My beautiful daughter Cait next to her lovely sister in-law.
Yes, Lindsey is that tall and Cait is ..... petitte.

My sister Lisa made the wedding cake (this is about the 12th wedding she's made the cake for), it was just beautiful and delicious too!

Those are edible butterflies cascading down the side of the  cake.
White cake with chocolate-raspberry ganache filling and buttercream frosting. Yum!

When the Bride and Groom left they were sent off with sparklers instead of rice or bubbles or other stuff which was very cool!

Lindsey's family are lovely, her mom made the food for the wedding reception. Brendan is very lucky, looks like he not only scored with his lovely bride but with her family as well.

Oh, the proverbial icing ont he cake?  I got to spend time with this beautiful mommy,  this adorable little girl and her daddy.

Miss Nora Grace is the most well behaved baby ever.
Wish her big sister Em could have been there too.

I am so glad that this little family is such good friends to both my kids and their babies are really great photo subjects for Cait. And they were great traveling buddies too!

So I'm in Tennessee. Have a few bits of business I have to take care of while here, but mostly I'll be just visiting friends and taking it easy. I am so lucky, some of my friends have planned a get together for me to get to see a lot of them at once.We'll do that on Thursday, can't wait!

But, again, besides the friends I don't get to see or talk to regularly living in Belize, I am also looking forward to getting back there, away from the traffic, noise, crowds and general rush of life here. And when I go back I"ll be moving into the new place, hoping it is better for me than the last. My skin is just now starting to heal some from all the bites etc. So I"ll go back with a bit of a fresh start.

More Changes ... and a Visit .... Home?

It is a very weird thing to be planning a trip back to the U.S. and realize it is only for a short visit. I started to write someone a note and tripped over myself, was my arrival in the U.S. an arrival home or when I leave the U.S. on the first of May to return to Belize departing for home?

There are more changes for me as well.

The bugs won. At least the bugs on the side of the lagoon I'm presently living on. And I finally raised the white flag. So when I return from my U.S.visit I am moving back to the other side of the lagoon, where there is a bit more of an ocean breeze and less of whatever else it is that seems to attract the bugs. My poor body just could not heal, bites upon bites and never getting to just be, always covered in some kind of ointment, cream or poison. But I am feeling better that I am able to do something about it without giving up and returning to the U.S.

And other than that it has been a week of just living.

I currently have roommates, at least two but maybe more:

This one is on my living room wall.

Did you know that Gecko's make noise? They do. They are regular chatterers. I listen to them every night, chirping almost like birds. But I dont' complain because they eat bugs so I'm willing to share my house.

So as you likely remember, every month I have to go to Independence, pay my $50 BZD to get my passport stamped for an additional 30 day stay. The stamp I had expired on April 3. So on the 2nd I got up, got on the Hokey Pokey Water Taxi and headed to Independence. A cab ride to the immigration office to be told they didn't have a book and expected one to be delivered later in the day, that we should return the following day to get our stamps. I think what they really were missing was a receipt book, they need to write a receipt for the payment and then enter the receipt number in their log ... no receipt number, no stamp in your passport. I returned to Placencia for the day.

Thursday morning I got up and did it all over again but this time I got my stamp. I'm good til May 2. Of course I"m leaving here on the 13th to go to the states and returning to Belize on the 1st of May,which will allow me to stay until the 30th of May. Then I'll do it all again.

While waiting for the water taxi to leave for Independence there was this:

It is always nice to have a friend keeping an eye out at the front of your boat,
gotta watch for problems in the water.

Friday was spent doing what I usually do, not much of anything. I learned, however, that while I was heading to Independence to get my passport stamped there were manatees, righ toff the end of the dock at Paradise Resort. Really? Apparently it is manatee mating season so there is a chance that I might get to see some.

What I mostly have done lately is read. And read a lot. I think in the past three weeks I have read eight novels.

It is Saturday now, so I woke up and headed into town. After rowing across, on the road towards town I saw this:

Yep, that is a little fox.

I had heard that there were some little foxes living in the area, had seen a couple scooting behind some bushes but hadn't gotten any pictures. But this one started to trot away but then stopped and looked at me. I was a little surprised, it wasn't really running away. I was happy to get the picture but still surprised it was letting me. (I of course wanted to believe it just could get such a cool vibe from me it didn't feel it needed to run).

But then I realized probably why it was sticking around and watching me so carefully:

Those are little baby foxes.

No wonder the larger fox wasn't running. Protecting his/her young. Probably hoping to keep my attention away from the babies.

So I think I'll go see if I can find me some manatees or something else.