A Weekend Comparison

So while I was doing this in St. Kitts:

Yet another empty beach. This one powder-white sand - great on the feet; a little painful when whipped into my face by the gusty wind, but still my favorite beach walk.

Michael was doing this in Key West (well, watching it):

I'm pretty sure we couldn't have been any farther apart on the spectrum. Yes, the last few days in Key West have been all about Key West Pride. This weekend included a street fair and parade, and Michael, being a true blogger's husband, dutifully took lots of photos.

Oooh, a dunking booth.



The parade looked like a lot of fun (slideshow).



Michael could have jumped in while just wearing underwear and fit right in

A Hashing We Will Go!

I sooo miss hashing. We discovered this running/hiking group in Antigua, hashed like crazy in Grenada, and then met lots and lots of people while hashing in St. Kitts. The thing is, it seems the Caribbean style of hashing isn't quite the same as the US or some other countries. In the Caribbean, they're more family style. A little raunchy, lots of drinking, but still set with kids and dogs in mind most of the time. I first realized that this wasn't the way it was everywhere when we debated moving to Puerto Rico. The first thing I did was look to see if they had a Hash House Harrier chapter. Yes, but their website was for those over age 18. ?! When we got to Key West, we were pleased to discover they had a hash group too, but then realized that it wasn't for the prudish. I hadn't considered myself in the prude category, but I was still shocked at the really raunchy rugby-type songs, the amount of personal body parts exhibited, and the focus on drinking before, during, and after. Where was the hiking? The views? The hikers of all ages? Everyone was friendly, but it just wasn't the same. This style of hashing is not unique to Key West, but what is Key West specific is that the group is trying to make the best out of the fact that they're on a flat island that's 4 by 2 miles. How to do that? Make it themed every time, dress up, and drink a lot (to be fair, the HHH motto is that it's "a drinking club with a running problem"). I hash for the exercise, the view, the challenge, to experience new places (going to locations I might not have felt safe going to by myself) and to meet a variety of people. Some of this is just not physically possible in Key West, so I don't go (it's not them; it's me). In St. Kitts, which is about 25 by 5 miles, locals are still discovering places on the island they've never been to before (and that's after 20 years of hashes; one every three weeks). And Saturday was no different.

We had a crowd of just under 100 people,

Some Color

Sunrise

Sunset

No more white, "dusty" skies.

***

Versus this in rain-weary Key West:

Yuck!

(Photo from: US National Weather Service Key West Florida)

Silver Skies

We've had some really weird skies since I've been here. The forecast keeps referring to "dust" in the air, and I'm wondering where that's come from. It's not the pink Saharan dust that blows over during hurricane season, settling on our stuff, giving us spectacular sunsets, and protecting us from hurricanes (by drying them out a bit) or the black ash from Montserrat's volcano. It's white, and this morning it looked like the moon was coming up instead of the sun. We have no sunsets at all (well, the sun sets, but you know what I mean).

It does make for some really pretty pictures though (almost like they're black and white).



Betsy's energy level and stamina have really improved in the past week. Here she comes!

We had another lovely walk until we ran into this. No pictures could do justice to how terrifying this dog was, but I was too busy trying not to sh** my pants to take one as it was charging us. The other day when we walked past, the dog barked but was safely tied up. This time he came barreling at us, fangs bared, slobber flying, chest muscles bulging. Holy crap! Betsy and I both backed up into the water and walked sideways away from the thing, and I wondered if Betsy would save me if Cujo got me first or vice versa. He seemed to have a line drawn in the sand and stopped short, but it was still unnerving. We will be turning back before we reach this house from now on.

Having survived that, I then proceeded to have a bad hair day. This is why

Ah, yes.

So Monday turned into a turd of a day. There really weren't any forecasts that got it right (although this was the closest). Seems like we should be better at this by now... Rain came in and looked like it should end "any time" on the radar, but went on and on and on. As a matter of fact, at one point we had lightning zing directly overhead accompanied by thunder that scared the bejesus out of us. I was glad all animals were inside (including me). Some went under the bed; I made sure I wasn't touching anything metal and unplugged the computer. I was quite amazed that we still had electricity afterwards.


During a break in the rain, I managed to get new sunglasses (polarized even!), and then made a run for the grocery store as it started pouring again. I hung out with everyone else until it slowed to a drizzle and then put EC$175 (about $US66) of gas into the SUV. Ouch! My moped takes $3 about every 2 months.

My hair in a permanent ponytail, doing...something.

The plan was to set the hash and get/writeup directions for everyone for Saturday, and no rain, snow, sleet, or hurricane was going to stop us! (I have hashed in two tropical storms, 1 in Grenada and 1 in St. Kitts, both turned into hurricanes after passing over.)

Living the Island Life

Anyone else think it's weird I can't get away from these creatures?

First, I'd like to say that this petsitting gig is going much better than last time (so far). The last time (which would have been my second stint), the main door slammed shut, dislodging something that blocked the locking mechanism. The door would not open, and even taking the lock apart, we couldn't get it to open (and the door hinges were inaccessible). Crap. The good news was that the animals had been outside when it happened. So the dog came to our house, and we shuttled the cat back & forth so she could play in the area she was used to (she usually sleeps in the house all day and prowls around at night). Except that one day she disappeared. She disappeared for 3 painfully long weeks. I was heartbroken. I know people think that it's "normal" for cats to do that, but it really isn't. She's not some feral cat the homeowner throws food at. She has a relationship with her human, her dog buddy, and a routine in a place she feels safe. When she eventually turned up, very disheveled and hungry (I think she got trapped inside a construction container or something), and I got the call, I was over the moon. I immediately ran over and rubbed noses with her (a cute thing she likes to do). I even cried tears of joy. And this is why I was flown all the way from Key West to St. Kitts to petsit. I care. I also don't ever want to be tested like that again.

Sunday morning, I took Betsy out for her shorter walk for the day. As we were coming back up the hill to the house, Flush came running out of the bushes leaping at Betsy and then me. She meowed like the lion she thought she was, and the three of us sprinted back to the house together. I so wished there was a way to capture that on video. The three amigos!

Dusty Bottoms: No, we will not die like dogs! We will fight like lions! Because we are...

Dusty Bottoms, Lucky Day, Ned Nederlander: The Three Amigos!

The rest of the day got rather screwy.

Oh Yeah.

I got my first reminder of things that aggravate me about island living. We had no water for a few hours. This happens to me every single time I stay in this area to pet sit. Every...single...time. Normally I just go to my own apartment and clean up and do what I need to do, but I don't have my own apartment anymore - whaaa. So after a jog with the pooch, I sat in my own stink, knowing I had to meet someone, and willing the water department to get the flow back on. Luckily, right before I had to take off, I tried the faucets and water came out. Wahoo! I took the quickest shower ever and was out the door. I'm glad I didn't have to implement the plan I had been contemplating: bringing Betsy with me and blaming the foul odor on her (sorry Betsy).

My second reminder scurried past my bare feet just outside the front door. The thing was 7 inches long and pretty thick.



I've been walloped three times by these things, none that big, and I'm pretty sure the fourth time would not be a charm either. I got a broom and swept it away (I try not to kill things unless they're on my turf or have bitten/stung me first), but I have to admit I have the heebie jeebies now. Luckily no one was there to see me when the thing grabbed onto the bristles and