Author: Bill

Today started out like the last couple, except this morning, we had brilliant sunshine and a very calm ocean front for a welcome change, with small gentle waves lapping upon our beach. Something I’m sure both of us are going to miss once we settle in at our next place of residence. A battle that we will each have to deal with in out own way….. but that is another post. After a reasonable night’s slumber, morning stuff and multiple episodes of Dexter, I finally coaxed my big ole tired a$$ off of the couch to head up to the Post office to get ‘prizes’ headed back to the land of plenty….. After a busy hectic start to the new month of the new year, I am running a lot farther behind getting out end of year prizes for my FB Music Trivia winner (Carijuan) and my number # 1 fan award (Vera) into the mail. I corrected that this morning. My Queen opted to ride along with me for this little jaunt uptown….. surprising, but glad to have her company. 20 minutes in the local Post Office and my work there was done….. although I did forget the slip of paper for the personal note I had intended to put in each package…… DAMMIT EMMIT~!  I opted to send the prizes anyway, as it could have easily turned into another week or so if I waited to add the personal note….. I hope you understand if you’re reading this……… Post office stuff [mostly] done….. the PLAN, was to stop by the store for a couple of basic’s….. eggs, milk, OJ and a couple of other things IF the store had them.  We figured since it was early….1:30 ish…. we could stop by Blues for a drink ‘or two’ before the store visit. Silly, silly person…… you don’t stop by Blues for a drink or two….. it’s one or a LOT.  We should know that, but some how managed to forget it….. In all honesty…. I did try to leave somewhere around 4:00 or so…… but great conversation about diving with friends negated that option……… About 30 minutes before closing….. we finally managed to wander out the gate to the truck……… 0’boy-0’boy-0’boy….. ain’t gonna be able to do that living out West…… that will be a mighty long drive in the condition I was in when we left – versus the 4 minute drive we have now….. another challenge to deal with.

Back safely in the condo – I have made up a batch of greasy cheeseburgers and done scarfed down a couple, trying to straighten up a bit to write to you all ( How’m I doin’??)  😉  We are slated to work up at Blues for another big event coming up on Friday…… good times – good stuff~! For now….. couch time and some Dexter until I crawl into bed……..

Good Night Ya’ll + + + + + + + + + ++ + + Thankx for stopping in~!

I was hoping this would turn into a water spout~~

Dave & Jim

Edward – but you can call him Eddy~!

“GGuy  (Jar head Ext ordinaire)

Spirit~~

Another day of mostly clouds……. nothing on the schedule other than a whole lot of Dexter. Exciting life living here on the island. It is part of the harsh reality I don’t think a lot of people understand. Having been doing this now for a couple of years, we still hear so many comments about how lucky we are to be living in the Caribbean. First off – yes~! Yes we are…. we are living in my ideal climate. It rarely gets over 90° and even more rarely ever gets under 70°…… although once you become acclimatized to the island….. 72° can feel down right chilly, but you get where I’m coming from. Where this started though, is – there are lots of days when you’re not diving, or snorkeling, or traveling around looking and doing exotic things. It is pretty much like a life anywhere else, except in a lot prettier [and warmer] environment. Today (yester and probably tomorrow) is one of those days…. just where we are living day to day like everybody else. We have some wonderful stuff coming up and I am sure I’ll be diving again soon to help restock my selection of photo’s…….. but at least for the short term….. we’re just doing a humdrum every day living a life kinda thing like Ya’ll…… only on a tropical island~~~  😉

Good Night Ya’ll & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & Thankx for stopping in~!

The day went almost exactly like I thought it would…..lots of Dexter and dang little else and I’m fairly sure you don’t want to hear about it. So I’m gonna put up some pictures and leave it at that. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Good Night Ya’ll + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Thankx for stopping in~!

Clouds came rolling in over the mountain – looked really cool~!

Up a little earlier than planned to get and be ready for my pre-board meeting dive this morning with CRABBS (our local dive club)  Happily my Queen joined me for some beach time while I went out to play beneath the water. Got there in time to grab a tank of air and mosey on back down to the truck. While putting my gear together, I also noticed there was some fairly vicious waves coming into the shore. Not really what you want to see when you’re prepping for a shore dive. Everybody in today’s group knows that I don’t like shore dives.  I don’t like having to ease into the water (especially when it starts cooling off a little bit)…. having to deal with certain body parts contacting [what feels like] very cool water, as opposed to bailing in off of a boat and getting it over with all at once. I also do not like kicking out (swimming) to the point where you descend. That kick out gets to be even more draining when you are fighting 3′-4′ waves breaking over top of you. After finally getting out to the drop down point, we all had to bob around a little bit to catch our breath….. okay, okay —- I had to wait until I got my wind back~! We finally sank and dropped into a strong current, a huge ocean surge and really crappy visibility….. DAMMIT Emmit~!! We made the most of it though and got in an almost an hour dive before popping up in the middle of a rip current while trying to get back to the beach….. all while ducking surfers who showed up because the waves had gotten even bigger~! It was a tough exhausting swim – but we all finally made it back in. Gear rinsed, we met at the local restaurant for a bite to eat and our meeting. Good food, [albeit having a really crappy server] fairly productive meeting and finally heading back here for the afternoon. No doubt in my mind I got my cardio in for the rest of the month.

Back here, showered, gear hung up and pictures processed….. Really low quality pictures because of low light and nasty visibility (40′) but I managed a few decent pix for you. My Queen made up another buffalo killing portion of spaghetti and I did my part in wiping out most of it. A very full belly, some really sore muscles and a handful drinks – I’m ready to see what my boy Dexter is going to get himself into this next episode…… and I get to sleep in tomorrow as I have absolutely nothing to do~! (Well, actually I do, but I doubt if it gets done  😉

Good Night Ya’ll ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” Thankx for stopping in~!

IMG_0360_HEVC  <—–Video

My dive gear

Rolled out to a cloudy day today….. I guess you could call it the island version of winter. A nice cool breeze (a chilly 74°)  Got caught up on morning stuff before heading out and taking DD 2.0 up for a new front end and hopefully getting a new horn put in as well. Headed up town afterward for some breakfast. As we passed by a friends place, we noticed he was open for breakfast – so instead of what we knew would be a great breakfast, we opted to stop in and try out this place. Great breakfast is not what we got. It wasn’t bad – but definitely not great. He advertises a Shrimp and Grits breakfast….. I may have to go back to try that. I had his biscuits and gravy. He used a cheddar cheese biscuit and a mildly spicy gravy. Again, not bad – but not what I was after. The portion was also much too small for the price, but, that’s how you learn about new places.

The rest of the day was some bill paying and a lot of Dexter – and I ain’t even gonna try to make it sound interesting. I have a board meeting tomorrow with the local dive club and we usually try to do a dive before the meeting. So the plan is to head out to Cane Bay in the morning for a dive and then meet somewhere for a bite to eat and our meeting. I’ll absolutely be taking pictures – but now, more pictures from previous dives.

Good Night Ya’ll ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Thankx for stopping~!

GOPR3485   <——- Video

Up after a MUCH better nights slumber…… don’t know what caused the fitful nights sleep but damn glad to be done with them…….. Didn’t get motivated enough to make me some eggs before lighting out for my dives this morning, so I substituted them with some very crumbly Pop tarts Stephanie left here. Now I know why she left them – but it was sufficient enough to keep my belly from pestering me while me, Shawn and Cynthia went diving. Well, me and Cynthia went diving….. weeny a$$ Marine could only handle 1 dive this morning…… (luv ya Shawn)  😉   Visibility was AWESOME~! First dive was at probably 130+’~! Second dive was almost as good, but kind of went to crap on us as we dropped over the edge. Not a lot of big sea life on either dive – although we did have turtles, eels, sting rays and lobsters~! [oh my~!] Took tons of pictures but only saved 66 out of 161. Not they were what I would consider ‘bad’ pictures, but I think I’m just getting a little pickier about what I save now. And now that we are fixin’ to move into a place we can actually afford….. I may even convince myself to get one of them new hi-fa-lutin’ high dollar camera’s so I can take even better pictures~! Got to hang out after the dives with my island kids and drink a nice cold beer and talk about the dives…… so much more enjoyable when I can do that with folks I know and love……. Got ready to head out and wound up gathering up a young couple ‘stranded’ at the dock, a ride to find their parents……. found them out close to Cane Bay….. happily reunited – I headed back to the condo to my Queen.

Home, geared rinsed and hung up, showered and ready for anything – we decided we would head up to Blues Backyard BBQ to check out some new “entertainment”. I use that word loosely, as after listening to them for a while – the only thing entertaining about them was making fun of how bad they sounded…   jeeez….. I mean bad is bad – but this outfit SUCKED~! Anyhow, my Queen and I each had a damn fine tasty meatball sub sammich….. 2 or 8 drinks before we couldn’t tolerate the ‘music’ any more and headed back here……. Got to head out early tomorrow to drop DD 2.0 off at the garage. May head into town for some Bloody Mary’s and Biscuits and Gravy at Toast diner…… not sure yet….. Still got lots of great pictures for you including another two days worth from today — Sorry for any duplicates……

Good Night Ya’ll # # # # # # # # # # # # # Thankx for stopping in~!

IMG_0344  <—- Video of Jelly fish

Lots and LOTS of Jellyfish Picture just does not do the water clarity justice~!

Worn out from all that SCUBA diving~!  😉  <3

Well the day was quite as down as I suspected – we wound up running out West again and talked to our new landlord. A wonderfully engaging woman, who at 96 years old proved to be an absolute delight to chat with. Mitch mentioned I should probably pay a deposit to ensure we get the place when it is ready. So out we went. We caught her just as she was heading out, but she welcomed us up on the porch to sit and chat for a couple of minutes. We explained we would like to go ahead and pay a deposit. She would not have anything to do with it. She said a handshake and our word was good enough for her to hold the place until it was ready and our word that we would take it when it becomes available. You just don’t find that much any more these days. We left her to attend to her business and we came back to the condo.

I have been ‘paying the price’ for drinking for 6 hours yesterday with dang little chow in my belly – so the rest of the day has been pretty much hanging out on the couch nursing a tender belly. I did managed to get the truck (DD 2.0) finally scheduled in for repairs and a couple of other little odds and ends – but mostly watching the idiot box. We started a new series, recommended by our island Daughter. She said it is a little bit sick and twisted – but I would probably like it. It is – and I do  😉  Name of the series is Dexter. About a blood splatter expert (forensic specialist) working for the Miami PD, only he takes it a little farther. I’ll leave it at that in case you want to check it out. We just finished up season 1 of it before I sat down here.

Making a couple of dives tomorrow and am looking forward to it. Just put a bump charge on my camera so in case I see more fun stuff to share with you all, I will be ready . So for now — I’m going to make me a bite to eat and see if it’ll stay in my stomach…  Some more dive pictures for you~!

Good night Ya’ll < < < < < < < < < < < <  Thankx for stopping in~!

Woooowee……. not sure where this one’s going tonight~~~ Up a little bit early after a better night’s sleep, but still not that “damn I slept good” sleep. Headed out West to check out a potential place to live. We made the 30 minute trek and wound up at Adventures in Diving STX to meet up with Mitch.  A friend and dive shop owner who was to show us the new place. A quick 5 minute drive from their shop and we pulled up to what turned out to be a duplex, with Mitch living in one half and the other the place we were to look at. It took a little back and forth, but we finally got to scope the whole place out. A little bit smaller than where we are now, no where near the view, but about 60% cheaper which equates to a minimum of about $15000 savings a year — so I don’t think we’ll have a lot of trouble adapting. We are about a 5 minute drive from the beach, which hosts some fabulous sunsets and almost always calm waters for swimming and snorkeling. There will definitely be some adapting to be made on our part….. but I think we’re gonna be good with that. The extra money will let us pay off some bills and get to travel (back to the US and abroad) a lot more…. so a little change will be good – albeit a little uncomfortable. We have handled that before though. Moving around to strange environments and adapting….. and in a weird little meatball kind of way – I like it. It’s good to get out of your comfort zone once in a while. Helps keep you young[er] and fresh. Visiting family and friends may ‘suffer’ a skosh – but we’ll figure it out.

When we finally left the west end, we stopped at our favorite haunt (Blues Backyard BBQ) for a drink or two [LOL] to discuss options……….. is there really a need for me to say wat happened ??  Yes – okay – we sat there and got hammered, but holy moly what a good time. We even took time out to go look at a couple of other places to live (that didn’t pan out) but Good Golly Miss Molly what a good time, sitting there with dear friends and enjoying each others company. Thoroughly pickled….. we opted to finally warp it up and head back here. I am doing everything in my power to keep my “act” together long enough to finish this and get it posted. I see tomorrow as a down day…… recouping from tonight and relishing in the fact our future [unknown as it may be] is now laid out for us again for the next year……. mostly~~

More dive pictures for you from me and Stephie’s dives. I plan on getting in a couple of dives Thursday, so I can add to my collection….. until then… I hope this mostly makes sense…… if not, check in tomorrow when it will probably be better….

Good Night Ya’ll * * * * * * * *  * * * * * * * * Thankx for stopping in~!

Again, another miserable night of trying to sleep. Not sure what is causing it, but the novelty has about worn off. Up to more clouds and intermittent rain showers. I had a meeting to go to that my Bride opted not to attend. Getting plans put together for another year with the Fish With A Vet group. Plans laid out and discussed and we’re ready to move forward to support the veterans here on the island.

Back here, I did some follow up paper work and then settled in for some Longmire with my Queen. We actually finished it up. Can’t say that I’m overly sad about it. On to something new now. We watched a movie Angie wanted to watch called Underground 6. It turned out to be not what she thought and every bit as stupid as I was expecting…… guess we’ll have to look at my list of other series to try out.

Swapped several emails with potential job/apartment place out on the West end. They are more interested in hiring me to work than dealing with our apartment hunt. I told them once I find a place to live, I might reach out and see if they still need help. Not looking for work, I’m looking for a place to live dammit~! Besides, that would be a 30 minute commute (1 way) everyday and not sure I want to subject me or my truck to that.

Going out West tomorrow morning to look at a place. I have no idea what it looks like, but it is cheap. Let me say that again…. cheap~! I know that usually doesn’t bode well….. but with the money we could save if we take it – would be mind bending…. we could do a whole lot more traveling~! So depending on what it looks like and has to offer – we may have to suffer through a year or two to help build our finances back up. I’ll let you know. Till then – more dive pictures……

Good Night Ya’ll ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^  ^  ^  ^  ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Thankx for stopping in~!

After a little bit better night’s sleep – we woke up to our once again quiet little condo. While we absolutely loved having our family here…. but there is a lot to be said about peace and quiet as well  😉  We sat and did our morning stuff without interruptions…. we had our coffee and smoke breaks with only the surf, which has picked up once again, for our back ground noise. It’s a hard switch to make once you’ve got used to a quieter more sedentary lifestyle to a full on assault of  other voices and little bodies running around, but one we certainly look forward to. During the course of the day, I worked on some paperwork for the other two organizations I am part of and have meetings for this week. We straightened up around the place, took out trash, swept and in general just kind of put the place back into general order. The rest will have to wait as we got caught up on Longmire a little bit, enjoyed each others company and the serenity.

Starting tomorrow, we go back to our ‘normal’ life here in paradise, which includes looking for a new place to live. Landlord is indicating a price increase that we will not be able to justify, so we are looking for a new place now. We will miss living on the beach and only being 4 minutes away from Blues backyard BBQ – We have looked at a couple of places already out West. Don’t really want to move out there – but we have decided since we are going to have to move – might as well down grade a bit into something not as nice – and actually be able to afford to continue living here on the island. One place we looked at is really nice out there – but they want way too much for it – however – they are in serious need of work done to one of their other units as well as some major landscaping care – and are entertaining bartering for my considerable skills in those areas. It would mean me kind of going back to work (but on an island schedule) and I really wouldn’t mind it, if it will get us a nice place for a lot less money……. more on that as it develops.

So that’s it for tonight. I have tons of pictures from all the diving me and Stephie did – so I’ll use them on here for a while till I start taking some more. For now – a quick blurb on FB and then back to the couch with my Queen for some more Longmire and listening to the surf crash outside our back door.

Good night Ya’ll > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thankx for stopping in~!