April in Florida

It's been a long time since I've blogged because my computer was throwing a hissy fit with allowing me to move from screen to screen. For some reason, yesterday, I was experimenting and I was once again able to move around on the computer.
Phil & I vacationed in Florida at the house in April. Yes, finally together in the same place at the same time...Can you imagine?
Before going to Florida, I flew into Albany, NY to pick up a UHaul truck that would move our NY House things to Florida. I picked up the truck the next morning, drove to our previous house which is an hour from Albany in the Catskills, packed & loaded the truck with my sister & her husband, had lunch with them and started out for the 1500 mile trip that lay ahead of me. This was on a Thrusday and Phil would be flying into Ft. Myers at 10pm on Saturday so I knew I had to keep a schedule. I had less than 2 days to get to Ft. Myers. I left at 2pm on Thursday and I made it to Fredericksburg, Virginia on the first night. I thought, on Friday morning at 5:30am when I started out, that I would make Ft. Myers by nightfall. I made it as far as Orlando pulling off the road at 9pm that night. I called Phil in St. Martin and told him that I was checking into a hotel for the night because I had travelled almost 900 miles in 1 day and couldn't go on. He looked on google map and found that I was only 3 hours from Ft. Myers. As I was driving south from NY, Phil would call me along the way on my cell and ask where I was so that he could look on google map and see where I was at that time. It was a nice way to travel knowing that he was following my path on computer. Saturday morning at 10:30am, I pulled up in front of our house with the truck after 1 1/2 days of travelling over 1500 miles. I made it! Phil would arrive at 10pm and I would be able to pick him up with our car at the airport. I unloaded the truck by myself during the day except for the piano, which was impossible to move alone.
We had a wonderful time travelling around seeing the sights and spending time with friends who live in Venice, Florida-Michael & Janet. Michael and Janet have been friends for a very long time. Michael & Janet were customers of ours in our first restaurant in St. Maarten and we've been friends ever since. We had lunch with them on Ft. Myers Beach laughing and joking almost all day.
Phil & I painted rooms in the house, went furniture shopping, went swimming in our pool. We worked on the second house we recently purchased in the city of Ft. Myers. We travelled and hiked throughout the Natural Preserves in our area as well as on the islands of Sanibel & Captiva which is absolutely beautiful. Finally a place in the US where you can hike without a guide and just take your time and be free. We spent our evenings having dinners out and drinking lots of beer & wine and then home to drink some more wine. We were able to talk & catch up on things that we don't have time to do in St. Martin.
I'll be going back to Florida from the 6th of July until the 9th of August to vacation as well as work on the houses. I hope that we can find a house-sitter again to watch the pups and the kittys so that Phil can join me again. The schedule always has to revolve around the pets, because we don't know alot of people willing to take on that kind of responsibility. We've adjusted, but, it's not easy now with both of our work schedules. It's nice to be able to spend some quality time with each other because we don't have that luxury anymore. Before, we spent too much time together and now, we look forward to having time together to have fun and travel. Well, I think the computer is up and running again, so I'll be posting more now....I Hope! Until the next time.

A New Beginning for America

Today, I wll say that I am a Happy American. Why one might ask? Well, I will share my views and opinions as to why I am happy or maybe the word Ecstatic would be more appropriate.

America has a new President named Barack Hussein Obama. Those of you who are Republicans I mean no disrespect to you. Remember, America is a Democracy and I can share my political views if I choose.

America has proven that the color of a person's skin is no longer the criteria for choosing a leader. The people have proven that a man's name is no longer an issue as to who can lead the country into the future. The people of America have a shown and proved to the world that a change was necessary. The respect that Americans once had from the world will now return. The world is witness to the eye opening of the American Citizens; that change was necessary! In order for the people of America to move into the future, as well as people of other countries to proceed through life in a positive way, change was inevitable.

Any American, as well as any person from around the world who listened and listens to Barack Obama, the conclusion would be that the President has a plan that will change the lives of people within America as well as those living outside of America. Finally, we have a person with intelligence, a dream, and a person who is going to include everybody in his plan. When he speaks, he doesn't leave anybody out when speaking of the future. For me, it is a pleasure to listen to him speak and I hang on every word, waiting and wondering what he will say next.

His staff also appears to be following his plan, his goals, and his philosophy on what he wants America to be. He is keeping people informed of what he is doing "almost" on a daily basis.

Phil bought me his latest book called "The Audacity of Hope" and it informs the reader about where he came from, what he had to endure in his political career and where he wants America and it's people to go in the future. It also informs the reader of his trials and errors to get to this point in his life. It's a book about him and who he is as a person.

Through this election as well as the days that led up to his innaugaration, I found myself for the first time in my life getting involved in Politics and staying up to date on a daily basis as to what was happening and transpiring. I have become more involved and will continue to stay aware of issues that affect peoples lives.

I see a positive change coming to America for all of us. A bright future where maybe one day my dream will become a reality. What is the dream I have.....My dream is that I will one day have a CHOICE to live in America with my French partner if I choose to live there again. Right now, I don't have that choice because of the laws preventing my French Born Partner from living in the US. Do I think that it "might happen", might is the key word here; now under President Obama's Presidency? Yes! Maybe one day, WE can live in America if we choose! America, Keep your eyes open into the Future!

The "Back" is out!

Those of you who don't have back problems, hope that you never will. I've had back problems for years due to shovelling snow years ago after a NY snow storm. Since then, if I move the wrong way or lift something using my back instead of using my legs for strength, my back can go out without warning. There are months where I never have problems and one careless move and out it goes, sometimes knocking me right off my feet and onto the ground.

This time I learned the hidden powers and strengths that is contained within the body. The pain through my nerve endings being pinched as well as locked vertebraes that I experienced this time was excruciating. I couldn't sit or stand straight up at times. An attempt to stand or an attempt to move when the nerve endings touched sent electric shocks through my back & spine to the point where I couldn't move forward, back or even make an attempt to go down to the floor and try to get the pressure off of my spine.

I was locked and experienced the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. I could not move at all. Luckily for Phil being close, he was able to come running and prevent me from falling down the stairs of the house, pick me up from the floor very carefully, or even had to guide me slowly to the floor so that I could get the pressure off of my spine. There seemed to be no position that would allow me to be free from the pain.

At night, one wrong move to lie flat on my back or lay sideways would cause the back to go out again even after going to a Vertebraeologists-Back Doctor during the day to attempt to reset my spine and back. I've been going to Jean Francois since arriving on the island after the original back doctor, Gerald left for France. Jean Francois knows how to reset my back. Normally, when I throw my back out, I can walk in in pain and walk out standing up. So far, I have had to go to him 6 times and it's still not over. Today was the first time I heard a pop after days and hours of his attempts to massage and manipulate the back into position.

Today was my 4th day out of work because of my back and the law requires government employees to go to SVB which is one of the government offices for people who are out of work due to illness, accidents, injuries etc. It was confirmed by the government doctor that I definately had a serious back problem and I will need to go back on the 22nd of January to do a followup visit to see my progress back to health. I have to stay out of work until he tells me that it is alright to go back to work. Social Laws as in Europe are very different than those laws in the US.

I am getting better, but, the pain and sometimes quick electric shocks comes and goes now. I have to sit on a hard chair all day long sitting straight up without moving around. This is boring not being able to move around. When Phil is here, he has to get me and bring me everything which I hate. ummmmmmmm No Really, I hate being catered to and waited on. Phil hasn't been getting much rest because my morning schedule for getting up early hasn't changed. When I'm awake, I'm awake and cannot stay in bed. My attempts to get up on my own have been a joke. The morning wake up call for Phil now is: "PHIL, HELP ME, I'M LOCKED AND THE PAIN IS BACK! I'M GOING TO FALL, HELP ME QUIIIIIIIICK, QUIIIIIIICK!" You get the idea. He's not a happy camper since the back is out for almost a week now. Isn't Love wonderful!

Well, the living room has become command central for me now. My laptop is on the coffee table, my novel and glasses are to the left of the computer, tv remotes are on the sofa to my right, phone is near the remotes, bottle of water is on the floor near the chair and my bamboo cane is leaning on the chair next to me for when I try to move. Today I had a good day. I got off the chair 2 times to let the dogs out. YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAA!

Hopefully the days to come will be better. I HOPE!

Shooting Stars & Making Wishes

I'm writing about "shooting stars" or "falling stars" because I see them everyday & every night when I walk the pups on their early morning walks or evening walks on the beach. I usually walk them around 8:30-9:00pm and sometimes as early as 5:00am prior to leaving for work. Obviously our walks are in the darkness. These walks are different than those during the day when I'm home. I don't recall seeing such beautiful falling stars at anytime when I lived in the states. For me, living on St. Maarten, I know that with every walk, for the most part, I will see at least one falling from the sky. Most of the time, I can see up to 4 or 5 during one walk.
Why am I writing about stars one might ask because it is a strange topic to write about some might say. Well, with the New Year almost here, we have a tendency to make New Year's Resolutions; "out with the old and in with the new". Making wishes for dreams to come true.
As children, we're taught that everytime you see a falling star, you have to make a wish & someday your wish will come true.

I guess I make hundreds of wishes during the year because I see so many falling stars during the year. Lucky me? I'm not sure yet! But, I know that I have what I've always wished for during my life. I guess maybe my wishes do come true and have come true over the years or maybe I'm just fortunate.

I've known people to make wishes for money, prosperity & material things that money can buy. People have a tendency to wish for a "good life" and an "easy life". duh duh!

I guess I fell into that when I lived in the states. For me now....I wish for my health, my happiness, my security with Phil as a couple, my life with Phil for the future, and the happiness of our families & friends as well. I don't wish for "the things" that people think will make our lives happier or more money that will buy us a "better life". That is not what wishes are for in my opinion. Wishes for me; are for Dreams, Life, Future Expectations, Anticipations of the unknown, Simplicity, Wishing for Peace, Security and Happiness of a Couple, Good Health, and most of all, Wishing for the Best of our Family & Friends! This New Year 2009, I have so many wishes already. I won't reveal them, but a little advise for all of us. When we wish upon a star, we all need to stay positive when we are down, keep our dreams close, have few expecatations so we are not dissappointed if they don't happen, wish for other people rather than for ourselves and hold our wishes close. I will say that I Always wish for positive things to happen in our lives & I wish for good things to happen to people. I end my Blog today in this way:

Starlight star bright poem

Star Light Star bright,
The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may,
I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

To all who read my Blog & to All those who don't, I wish a Happy and Healthy New Year 2009.

"Le Petit Prince" - A Story about Life.

This time of the year, I become sentimental to things in life that I've encountered, What I've been taught, What I have learned through my life's experiences, the people that have come into my life; one way or another, the way I see the world including the people.

I can't help but think of a wonderful story that I read as a child, which may have been one of my mom's favorite stories as I think was passed onto her from my grandpa also and she passed it onto me so long ago. It was more than a bedtime story; I realize that now. At the time, I didn't analyze the story, but through memories as well as going through life and getting older, I now understand that there was a reason behind the story.

The story, "Le Petit Prince" or "The Little Prince" was written in 1943 by Antoine de Saint-Exupery in a small town on Long Island, New York close to where I grew up called Asharoken in a home that was rented by the author called The Bevin House. The book has been translated into 180 languages and has sold more than 80 million copies.

It's a story about a Little Prince from another planet who meets a pilot who has crashed in the Sahara Desert that has 8 days of water and has to try to fix his plane.

The Little Prince makes several profound and idealistic points about life and human nature. Saint-Exupéry tells of meeting a young prince in the middle of the Sahara. The essence of the book is contained in the famous lines uttered by the fox to the Little Prince: "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (One cannot see well except with the heart, the essential is invisible to the eyes). Other key thematic messages are articulated by the fox, such as: "You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed" and "It is the time you have spent with your rose that makes your rose so important."

The Characters:

The King who can "control" the stars by ordering them to do what they would anyway. He then relates this to human subjects; it is the citizen's duty to obey, but only if the king's demands are reasonable. He orders the Prince to leave as his ambassador.

The Conceited Man who wants to be admired by everyone, but lives alone on his planet. He cannot hear anything that is not a compliment.

The Drunkard/Tippler who drinks to forget that he is ashamed of drinking.

The Businessman who is constantly busy counting the stars he thinks he owns. He wishes to use them to buy more stars. The Prince then goes on to define property. The Prince owns the flower and volcanoes on his planet because he cares for them and they care for him. Because one cannot maintain the stars, he argues, the Businessman cannot own them.

The Lamplighter who lives on an asteroid which rotates once a minute. Long ago, he was charged with the task of lighting the lamp at night and extinguishing it in the morning. At that point, the asteroid revolved at a reasonable rate, and he had time to rest. As time went on, the rotation sped up. Refusing to turn his back on his work, he now lights and extinguishes the lamp once a minute, getting no rest. The Prince actually empathizes with the Lamplighter, who is the only adult to care about something other than himself.

The Geographer who spends all of his time making maps, but never leaves his desk to explore (even his own planet), going on the pretext that it is the job of an explorer to do so. Even if an explorer were to visit the Geographer, the Geographer is very doubting of any explorer's character and would most likely disregard the report. He does not trust things he has not seen with his own eyes, yet will not leave his desk. Out of professional interest, the geographer asks the Prince to describe his asteroid. The Prince describes the volcanoes and the rose. "We don't record flowers", says the geographer, because they are only ephemeral. The Prince is shocked and hurt to learn that his flower will someday be gone. The geographer then recommends that he visit the Earth.

We can learn a lot about life if we read this book carefully & understand the message behind the writer. As adults, we sometimes forget what it was like to see the world through a child's eyes. The beauty, the naivete', the trust in people, the love that we knew so innocently as a child, the aspirations and the inspirations we knew & wanted, the joys of who we are and who we wanted to become as adults.

During this time of the year, I think back to all of the memories I had as a child, the values and teachings of my parents as well as my grandparents. My grandpa mostly because I loved him so much. (my mom's dad) He loved life and people and he always told me to "Believe". He left that open as to what he wanted me to "believe", but, maybe his message was like that of Antoine de Saint-Exupery; "To never forget what it is like to see the world through a child's eyes". He taught me so much as a child. I was even named after him.

I end this Blog Posting today so that we never forget what life is, don't take it for granted and that we remember that we have a limited time on earth and that we need to make the most of it while we are here. I wish everybody a Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays & Remember how Important & Prescious Life is to ALL of us!

Fun with the kids.

Today was a day with the kids on a trip. We went Kayakking in the Simpson Bay Lagoon and then out into the ocean. It was a calm day to be on the water;very little wind, the sea was flat like a lake. It was a great day for the kids. Not all of them showed up today for some strange reason, but, overall, we had a great time. Kyakking was first and then to the beach & then I treated them to lunch at Marc's Place Restaurant. It was my gift for the holidays to them. I'm going to "eventually" buy myself a Kyak so that I can enjoy the water on the weekends when I have time to enjoy the sea. It's quiet & tranquil as well as see the island from the water.

This week was a long week for me due to meetings, preparing for next week parent meetings and the list goes on & on....In any event, today was a nice way to end the week for the kids as well as myself. A few more days & I'll be on vacation for almost 2 weeks. I'm tired, so it'll be well deserved to just sit back & relax & read some books.

Here's a piece of my Daily Paradise...

I just wanted to share a piece of my Daily Paradise with those of you who think that Island Life is "just peachy". Believe it or not, I wouldn't change my life right now for anything. Yesterday, we decided it was time to see what the students carried on them to school. So, the Police were invited in to conduct a search on both boys & girls because most people "assume" that only "the boys" are the problems. Below you will be able to read about what was found & what was taken by the Police to get the things out of the hands of these kids.
Remember, I'm dealing with 14-21 year old students each day and there are 220 students enrolled at my school. The students were not informed that the Police were going to arrive, enter every classroom and search bodies as well as back packs that the kids use to carry their ummmm, books! Weapons were found, (no guns) mostly knives, machetes, double edge knives used for "slicing" in both directions-left & right on the swing up and then down.
Why would the kids carry these weapons you might be asking yourself? Alot of these kids have Societal Pressures that if they aren't fighters, then they become the Victims of the Stronger Ones. We do have gangs on the island and I know that I have Gang Members in class. I've been confronted a few times, challenged, had a student put his chest up to mine and was looking for a reaction. He was suprised to see that I actually put more pressure on his chest with mine and advanced towards him rather than him advance on me. We stared each other in the eyes for about 1 minute, (it felt like and hour & felt it wouldn't end positively) still maintaining the pressure on each other's chest. Eventually, through (I think) Respect that the other one wasn't going to back down, he sat down and kept his respect as I did mine. Had I backed down, eventually I would have had to deal with the other 12 boys in that class at some point in the future. The last thing I could do was to not back back down and lose all of their respect. On the way out, he shook my hand and patted me on the shoulder. Since then, no probem and he started to work on the assignments.
I can honestly say that I have "almost" ALL of those kids Respect in the entire school. There are a few who still want to challenge, but, most of the kids warn the individual that I won't back down from them if they start something.
I am not a bulley by any means and I am certainly not stupid. But, I do know that these kids need somebody to watch out for them, show them that I care by a pat on the back and a Good Morning at the gate and entrance Everyday! These kids now shake my hand, give me a Boop, (which is where the kids touch knuckles to your hand in a closed fist). Some kids will even give me a hug around the shoulders and ask me if I'm doing okay?
I honestly care about these kids and I think, (I hope) they know it through my actions. They know that my door is Always Open for them, to come in and speak to me if they have something to talk about because most of the time, nobody listens at home. They know what is said, stays with me unless it involves something where they could get hurt or somebody else. I've even had kids that I know are in gangs, come in and cried like a baby because someboy at home told him outright that he was "worth nothing in life" the night before.
I Love these kids believe it or not. I'm learning about what these kids have to deal with in their private lives at home and what they have to deal with each day.
Weapons is NOT the answer. We've had discussions about the weapons in school and hopefully they will choose another path, rather than a path of aggression and crime. I can only try my best to let them know they have "other options" in Life!