Good Thursday in Vieques

Bill took yesterday and today (Good Friday) off and after teaching poolside bikini yoga yesterday, I spent the rest of the morning at the Humane Society because I decided (and you don't want to know how, trust me) that Honey has worms. Going to the vet here is nothing like back home, where you easily get an appointment and you're in and out, a few hundred dollars poorer (a fraction of which is reimbursed by ASPCA pet insurance) and you still have time to carpe diem. There is no vet here, you have to go to the Humane Society and the vet is there Tuesday-Thursday, and appointment times mean zilch. If you're a high-strung New Yorker, forget it, don't even consider bringing or adopting a pet here, at least not without first swallowing a handful of valium. Anyway this time since Bill was home I was able to do the HS thing kid-free, a welcome change especially since our last visit 2 days beforehand has resulted in Jackie's vomit episode (she's much better now, just has some fluid in her ears so I'm keeping her off dairy). Turns out Honey has ringworm and tapeworm, and I now have her on 2 types of medication, a 3rd one to come as they didn't have it in stock so I need to order it online. Negrita is apparently fine. It's getting increasingly difficult having these puppies as they're growing and with all that I do, not the least of which is tending to my own darling children, it's an enormous challenge not having a fenced-in yard for the pups to roam in and do their business. And like children, they have a love-hate relationship with each other, so if I'm not refereeing my own children I'm stopping one of the puppies from strangling her sister. I have to get rid of them in the next few days since they can no longer stay in this house, which is pet-free, so I just hope that one of the "maybe's" turns into a "yes, I'll take her!"

We went to Red Beach yesterday afternoon, as did, apparently, half of Vieques. I'd never seen it that crowded! But it's still paradise. Originally the Russians (Alla, Oleg & girls) were going to squeeze into our jeep with us but then they decided against it as the reality of having to pack & be home in time for their Bio Bay tour set in. It's a shame, as we really enjoyed all of them, and they're heading home today. But just then Cordelia, the massage therapist from Spa Chakra (the W spa here), walked by, and in my yoga lesson she had expressed interest in tagging along with us to the beach, so now that the Russians weren't coming she happily agreed to take their place in our car.

There were 2 large yachts moored at Red Beach, an unusual occurrence. As we swam, the kids were asking me about the insides (what's in there? Are there really beds? I don't believe you, there's no room!...). So I told them to swim over and ask if they could take a peek onboard. Willo was incredulous that I would allow that, so I said sure - I'll swim over with you, but YOU have to ask if you can check it out. Now it was my turn to be surprised as he said, OK. So he and I swam out to the yachts, and within 20 seconds he's climbing on board, toweling off (the Admiral, AKA the owner's wife, handed it to him) and getting a full tour, while I stayed in the water chatting with the dads. When he'd satisfied his curiosity, he jumped back in and we thanked them for indulging his curiosity, I urged them to check out the W, and we swam away. But now Jackie wanted to check them out. By then I was happily back on land, having played an enthusiastic game of paddle ball with Bill, now enjoying a Heineken with Cordelia, who by the way is an incredibly cheerful, sweet soul of a girl, here temporarily from Chicago, and I really didn't feel like ingratiating myself again on the yachtsmen. So Bill (much to my surprise, since he's normally more reserved than that) offered to swim out with the kids. Sure enough, Bill had a long chat with Pepe (yacht owner, Caribbean Data company owner) while the kids went on board, and generally made themselves at home. So basically, this whole experience was my homeschooling lesson of the day, which I pointed out afterwards to the kids: 1) if you're shy, timid, or fearful to go after what you want, you don't get it. The worse that can happen when you ask for something is you may be told "no." A small price to pay when the "yes" is so rewarding. 2) If you want to own a yacht some day, you need to work very hard, and doing well in school is a big part of that.

Bill and Willo just got back with a kayak hitched to the roof of the car, so it looks like more adventures await us today. He also just handed me the latest edition of Vieques Events (the official magazine here) with my cover photos, and pointed out an article I'd written, along with photos I'd taken, which I'd totally forgotten I'd submitted. I feel so at home here, like there was never any period of assimilation into life or society here. I suppose that's what it means to be "in your element"? We decided, or rather Bill decided, that we will head home around April 17th, and I won't lie and say I'm jumping for joy. But I won't let the thought of all the packing and discarding of stuff, and all the "keep in touch, I'll miss you, but at least there's Facebook" to come, dampen my last couple of weeks here. I know we'll be back.