Bobby Lee, aka-Piglet, aka-Little Baloon

I don't know where to start. I decided to go to Florida for the month of July and the first week of August. I felt after the long school year that I had, I just needed some down time. I can honestly say, even though I was alone for most of the time other than when our friend Jane joined me for 9 days of fun and sun, and then Phil joined me unexectedly for 1 week of more fun and sun. We finally found someone to watch our house and pups which allowed Phil some time to get away also. Phil thought that it would be easier for the person to only watch 2 dogs rather than 4 and decided to take Happy and Bobby Lee to the vet for the week that he would join me in Florida, leaving Caramel and Piccola at home. Bobby Lee is and never was a problem for anybody, but, 2 dogs are easier to take care of than 3.
We arrived home on Sunday the 9th of August and I went to pick up Bobby Lee and Happy at the vet on Monday, 10th of August where they had been boarded for the week. I was told by the vet that he "had some bad news for me, that Bobby Lee had been stolen from the front of the vet office while they were cleaning the cages". Apparently, the vet attaches the dogs in the sun to spikes in the ground while his staff cleans the cages. Nobody was watching the dogs in the front. I told Phil and the search has begun. We have put flyers on both the Dutch and French sides of the island, a good and dear friend Barbara has contacted her friends on Facebook as well as here on the island to inform them of what happened and they are all searching for Bobby Lee also. Phil has gone on the radio to explain the situation on air, over 100 flyers have been posted publically, newspaper has posted photos and info about Bobby Lee. I've even gone to "gang members" today in French Quarter to ask them for help in finding her. We are offering a reward as well.
I'm not a woos by no means, but, my heart is broken. I've cried unexpectedly during the days and the tears have fallen down my cheeks more than they have in 5 years. I cry myself to sleep hoping that whoever has her or had her hasn't hurt her in any way or if they still have her that they are not abusing her. This is a beautiful island, but, there are people who don't like dogs and dogs have been taken to never be seen again. I try not to think of the worst, but, the thoughts do enter my mind. At times, I am optimistic and other times, I feel as though I have done something terribly wrong to have lost this animal for no reason.
The last time I saw "My Little Piglet" (because when it is hot, she snorts like a pig to breath), was on Monday, the 6th of July. I'm sure that she was already confused that I wasn't around to walk her, feed her play with her and just be there when she lays her head on my arm while I am reading a book.
I am sad, my heart is breaking and I want her back at home where she belongs. I feel as though I too, have abandonned her.
I don't know how people can cope losing something they love so much to people who will never take care of her as we did. Already she has been through so much in her short life of already being abandonned 2 years ago when we found her. Now stolen just for the sake of having a beautiful dog, not caring of what these thieves are doing to the dog or to us emotionally. There are so many dogs & puppies that need homes on this island, why do people continue to steal dogs that are already owned by others?
We hope and wish each day that we get her back safely and as soon as possible. I will never forget this vacation of July 2009 with the memories and loss of My Little Piglet. I am so sorry Bobby Lee. If there is a God, please make sure that the person or persons that have her will find it in their hearts to call us and bring her back to us where she belongs.

Dilemmas, Descisions, Regrets, how to proceed....?

I'm Blogging again in the same week. Wow! This time, I write because of dilemmas, possible regrets, once a descision has been made. We try to make our loved ones happy in the process of giving something up, making concessions, as well as "sometimes" leaving others behind and moving on. The old saying goes, "we can choose our friends, but, we can't choose our families." My family isn't perfect by no means and we have certainly pissed each other off, fought, got angry with each other over the years, but, we always manage to move on, forget and most of the time forgive. My problem is a serious one this time...My sister Millie, (left in the picture) my other sister Kathy, (right in the picture) have this "thing" about Phil. They are not sure of him since I met him and believe me, if people in my family were going to judge people, it would be these two. Kathy, on right, is not trustworthy and she has the ability to smile, make believe, and give the impression she likes you, when deep down judgements are racing through her head about you. NOT very nice qualities in a "human being" if I were to judge. Millie on the other hand, on left, let's you know straight up that she doesn't like you or she will do her best to "inconvience you" to the utmost to her potential. She has certainly inconvienced Phil & myself over the 14 years that Phil & I have been together. We had a home next door to Millie in upstate NY when we realized afterwards that we had made a mistake being so close to family. Interference, trouble, name dropping, fighting, dissagreements, sarcasm, inuendos, verbal harassment, usually addressed to Phil never wanting to accept him in my life no matter my happiness with him. (blinded) So, Phil & I made the descision to go back to St. Martin after the 8 month break. Things were never the same between them anymore. So, Phil & I decided years later to buy homes in Florida, away from everybody, mostly my family and mainly my two sisters. We chose Lee County where neither one of us had ever been, never visited, not knowing a single person in this area. We found a small community outside of Ft. Myers where we wouldn't be bothered. However, thanks to people search, my sister Millie, on left, mangaged to find us, our home address, community etc. Guess What....? She bought a home 1 mile away on the golf course. Well, there goes our "safe haven". The thoughts of anticipation of what she is capable of, is already over-whelming. A repeat of upstate New York is the fear more than anything. Our secret garden has been violated which is not a good feeling. The obsession she has to interfere in our life is unbearable! Crazy? Obsessed? Me? I have no idea. So, a descision has to be made. If I talk with her if she comes around, does that violate my love for Phil & does that leave the door open for possible future harassment when Phil is here? or Will she respect our space when we are here together and avoid the house and our time here? or Do I avoid her, tell her to stay away that I want nothing to do with her anymore? My dilemma is that because she is my sister 62, almost 63, do I keep contact with her, keep her in my life and put my foot down that she HAS NO CHOICE, but to STAY AWAY from both of us? Regrets are and will be what they are in the future and we all have them. I explained the situation with my very dear friend and neighbor, Fran here in Florida. She was walking her dog yesterday morning and our morning routine is to drink our coffee on the street every morning while she walks her dog, Amodeus. She was in tears and told me that she would "give her life to have just 5 minutes back with her mom, brother, sister and husband" who all died within the last 3 years. She told me that I was a fool to give family up to avoid having a problem with Phil. She told me that "he needs to adjust, not deal with my family if he doesn't want to and to let me see my family on my terms."
So, I'm confronted with a situation that needs to be rectified so nobody will be hurt emotionally, keep the peace in my house and life with Phil, and make sure that I don't say in the future, "what if I had done this differently & how should I have handled this problem?" Our families are what they are, but, Phil is my life and I don't want to hurt anybody......What to do, What to do.....? We can choose our friends, but we can't choose our families! I've been dealing with this for years and I'M TIRED of trying to make everybody happy! I'M TIRED, DAMN IT, I'M TIRED!!!!!!!! Any advise to help me to proceed?

July in Florida

Well, here I am again in Florida Blogging. It seems that as time goes on, the only time I have to Blog is in Florida. The last time was April. Am I busy or what...? LOL

I'm here alone this trip working "primarily" on house #2. It was going to be a "joint project", but, Phil's schedule doesn't allow him to get away this time being that his assistant went back to France unexpectedly? I think it was planned for her to work 2 months and earn money for her transportation back to France. But, that's just my idea of what she did to Phil. He's inconvienienced once again due to irresponsible people. I've been here a week already and haven't seen the time pass. In Florida, the state only issues one plate, so I had to decide what to put on the front of the Jaguar that I also refer to as "The Kitty". I put "St. Martin Boys" on the front plate.

Two days ago, I e-mailed Phil after he tried to call me. I told him, "I was outside washing The Kitty". He thought I adopted another cat and was bringing it back to St. Martin to add to our already large collection of family pets. lol lol lol I was hysterical laughing. The he realized I was washing the car. Oh well, it's not easy being me or being with me.....LOL LOL Is Phil lucky or what...? After 14 years of being together, you would think that he'd be use to me.....ha ha ha

So, What has been happening and what has transprired in my life.......? Here we go.......

--I've finished work for another year and on vacation for 5 weeks in Florida.

--A brother I hadn't spoken to in 24 years has re-entered my life.

--A sister that doesn't like Phil (for whatever her reason) other than ignorance has found out where Phil & I bought our house in Florida and bought a house 1 mile away. ugh!

--Phil & I gave up our favorite drink for now....wine.....ugh!

--I bought an Isuzu Amigo in Avon Park, Florida that I'm shipping back to St. Martin at the end of the month.

--Old Friends and Classmates from High School have re-contacted me through Facebook. Even my high school principal has contacted me asking me how my life is....I was impressed.

--My friend Sherry & I are having fun!

Blah Blah Blah

First, my brother George has contacted me through Facebook. We hadn't spoken since my mom died 24 years ago because of words that should never had been spoken as well as other things going on during that terrible time in our lives. As a kid, he was my "big brother" who I loved so much. He was the guy I looked up to, he was the guy who always made sure that I was the first one to ride in all of his new cars, he was the guy who always took me for Carvel Ice Cream to get the cone with sprinkles, he was the guy who always watched out for me when I was in the pool learning how to swim, he was the one who taught me to shoot a bow & arrow into the target, he was the one who taught me how to catch a baseball, "He Was The One....." After my mom died, things were said inappropriately & I silently drifted away from family members, mainly George. The days turned into weeks, the weeks to months and the months to 24 years. We're both stubborn and neither one would budge an inch to make an effort to try to be close again. Well, he made the effort after all of these years and we're catching up on lost time if that is possible. We're learning about each other's lives again and what we've done during the last 1/4 of a century. Time lost, Yes! Time gained now, Maybe! The important thing is that we're speaking again and if all goes well, we should see each other for the first time in August in Florida while I am here.

Second, Since I met Phil, my sister Millie hasn't like Phil from the first day even though she tried to pass it off as she did...yeah right! I think it has to do with the fact that she blames Phil for (in her mind), taking me out of the country. It also has to do with the fact that we live near Phil's sisterin St. Martin and I think she's jealous! Who knows what she thinks? I don't. All I know is that she makes our life difficult when she is around. We moved away from the house we had next door to her upstate NY because it wasn't possible for Phil or myself to go to the house without her tormenting both of us daily. It's sick! We searched Florida where we wouldn't be found and thanks to "People Search" for $19.99 you can find anybody you want to find. Well, she found us here in Florida, and what did she do.....she bought a house 1 mile away. Is that sick or what? We don't understand the obsession as to why she WON'T allow us to live our lives without her being present? So now, the tormenting "might" return. We're both disgusted as to why she followed us here?

Third, Phil & I were eating & drinking too much wine each day. So, for now, the wine is done and the food is less and more healthy.....! This is true for both of us.

Forth, I needed a new car for the island. My Land Cruiser mechanically is perfect, but the salt air has destroyed my trucks body and it's not worth the expense to repair it.

So, I found this Isuzu Amigo in Avon Park, Florida which is about 2 hours from here. I drove it on Saturday and I'm sending it back to St. Martin at the end of the month so it's there when I get home.

Fifth, Facebook has brought so many highschool friends and childhood friends into my life again. I wasn't too impressed with Facebook at the beginning, but, now I am glad that I signed onto it because of getting back in touch with people.

My friend Sherry are in touch "almost" on a daily basis catching up on years also and enjoying each other's stories and funny moments that we shared years ago. We went to school together and ended up working in the same school teaching. We became closer as time went on and were inseparable and was always there to help each other stand up when times were down. It's Great!

I'm here in Florida for 5 weeks, so I'm sure there will be more to Blog about....LOL

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.