Privacy, revisited

So, you may remember long ago when I first addressed the issue of privacy.  The same issues still stand.  That is why I continue to refer to the infant as Bean, instead of some more reasonable name.  I must also confess, although this is more of a blaming than a confession, that it is part of why  I took such a long hiatus from posting on this blog.  I was doing so well, catching up on cataloging our adventures, when I reached the visit of my parental units, namely my mom and her husband, my step-dad.  I always just call him by his first name, but with the issues of privacy set up as they are, that just couldn't be done.  I don't really like the term "step-dad."  It always sounds kind of cold and I have come to really love him.  Plus, it takes a long time to write, as does "my mom's husband."  While I pondered what to do, I lost steam and just never bothered coming back, until now.  And now I live with my mom and this man who is as yet un-named.  That is, until Wonderman comes and rescues me and takes me back to Dominica.  Not that I'm miserable, I just really miss him.  A lot.  Anyway, just so you know the code, I've decided to call him by a different Christian name.  I'm good at making names up, pulling them out of thin air.  So we'll call him Bill any time he is referenced here.  As in, "I am currently staying with my mom and Bill."  See, it works.  That's all.  Just wanted to reiterate the privacy issue and then explain myself.  The end.

Forever? I want it NOW

So, our little family has not been together for a while.  Wonderman was here when Bean was born, but then had to leave us to return to school.  He flew out just three days after Bean arrived.  This is our first family portrait:

(Yes.  I took a tiny newborn to the airport, a cesspool of germs and disease.  It was our last chance to spend any time, quality or not, with her daddy, whom we both adore.  Don't judge me.  She is fine.)

This is what she looks like now:

She has grown and changed so much already.  Her daddy has been gone for TOO LONG.  I can't wait for him to see her, and vice versa.  Skype, while a miracle sent from heaven, can only do so much.  However, he will be home in one week and I am so excited I am having a hard time breathing.  I try not to think too much about it, since constant breathlessness could make that week seem really long, but still.  It's tough.  Eeeeeee (this sound is accompanied by my biggest smile - which you know shows every tooth I've ever dreamed of having - and some general bouncing/dancing)!

Behind

I've never been a stellar blogger, that's now a given, but much has changed since that last post.  I'm not nearly so hot, nor so roundy.  A lot took place in between now and then.  Not only am I surrounded by snow and ice (I've been in Utah since September), but . . . . .

 

I went and had myself a baby.  Bean is here, and she's a delight.  I'd promise that there will be more frequent posts in the future, but you and I both know that I hate to lie.  We'll play it by ear, eh?

And I thought I was hot before. . . . .

Somehow carrying around my own private space heater makes things even warmer.  Some days I'm not sure I'll make it, but so far so good.

Number One Beach

In the not-too-distant past, I had my first visit to Number One Beach.  Let's just say, it earns it's title.


It is this great expanse of white sand, which really you don't see that often in Dominica.  Our beaches are usually small, rocky expanses of black sand.  Off to one side, there is a calm little river, feeding into the ocean, so there is placid fresh water to play in if the waves of the Atlantic get a little too rough.  This makes it perfect for little people, but since I didn't bring one with me, I just enjoyed it for myself.

Since most of my views of big water are Caribbean in nature, I really enjoyed getting a glimpse, and a taste, of the Atlantic.  The waves are a little more boisterous, but gorgeous and so fun to play in.

The great mountains in the background also added to the overall effect:

Since I went with a bunch of other people's children I got the joy of seeing tiny footprints in the sand and thinking they were absolutely adorable.

For some reason, I also got to enjoy my own legs sparkling as though I were a Disney sea princess or something. 

The swirling water set off my pedicure quite nicely, I thought.

I did get one of my worst island sunburns yet at this beach, but I mostly didn't mind.

Syndicate Nature Trail

Ok, so this is the same trip, same day, and the same deal applies.  If the belated nature of the post offends you - STOP READING RIGHT NOW!!!!  (That just reminded me of one of my favorite books growing up - "The Monster at the End of this Book."  Did you ever read it?  It's sooooo good.  Partly because it features Grover, who is always a favorite.  Partly because it's just plain good.  There was much childish giggling that accompanied every reading of it.  You should find a copy and read it.  The end of my ginorm parenthetical insert - a personal specialty).

After seeing the super cool waterfall that we couldn't get close to because it apparently is a direct water source (lame, right?  I just want to go swimming.  Who cares about clean water?), we went to the Syndicate Nature Trail that has some informational displays and stuff at the trail head.  This one was definitely my favorite:

We also got to see some super tall trees with awesome Tarzan vines hanging down from them:

And, of course, Wonderman had to test the viability of said vines:

I was not quite so bold:

Still, we both enjoyed seeing all kinds of nature-y things on said nature trail:

It was a super fun and informative day.  All the adventuring wore Wonderman right out.

Conclusion:  Exploring nature feeds the soul.

Syndicate Falls

Um, can we still be friends if I post now (which is, like, seventy million years after the fact) about stuff that happened during Christmas Break?  If your answer is "No," please stop reading and pretend this never happened.  I'm sort of trying to catch up a little and face my own apparent aversion to writing (who would've ever thought this possible?).

So, Wonderman and I went on a school-sponsored trip to Syndicate Falls.  It was really cool.  He helped small children cross rivers:

We saw some awesome jungle and a big waterfall:

I also made a new friend.  I told Wonderman that night that she was probably going to be my new best friend.  The black fingernail polish, love of mountains, and dreams of Alaska seemed to guarantee it.

We also got to hike through a valley that wasn't just jungle.  There were more shades of green in one place than I think I even knew existed:

Plus, we ended the hike with one of our guides cutting some fresh sugar cane for us.  Can you tell what a sweet tooth Wonderman has?  He looks thrilled with it, doesn't he?  It was kind of strange, but definitely sweet.  It was like chewing straw that had been soaked in sugar water.  Yummy, right?

Conclusion:  Wonderful and beautiful things are even more wonderful and beautiful when I'm with wonderful and beautiful people.

Discreet

Without further ado, or any inappropriate yet blurry photos of my baby's junk, the latest news on the home front is this: Baby Bean is a girl!  Now the adventures in naming begin. 

Rule #10

Today I got an email from BabyCenter.com.  It was about exercise during pregnancy.  I felt a lot better when I read rule #10: Don't get overheated.  This was my favorite line:  "On hot and/or humid days, skip your workout."  Sweet.  I'm covered.  Exercise is for chumps anyway, right?

Adventure of The Year Award goes to . . . .

Wonderman and I are starting down a whole new road.  Things will really change when Baby Bean arrives sometime in mid-October.

And, as I've been trying to be as secretive as possible, it has taken my normal (inexplicable) reluctance to blog to a whole new level.  You know, if you can't say anything about being pregnant, don't say anything at all.  That's what Mom always said, right?  I'll see if I can rectify that situation.

It's Official!

Today as I was coming home in a hurry, I jumped on a transport.  As I got off in front of my house, came around to the side, set my water bottle down at my feet, swished my backpack to my front so I could get my wallet out, fished around until I found said wallet, and then finally pulled out the three coins I needed, the driver said to me:

"Ah, you have become Dominicanized."  I wrinkled my brow and said,

"What do you mean?"  He smiled and replied,

"You know what I mean."  In confusion I handed him the coins and began to turn away. 

"If you had been at home, you would have already had the money ready."  I laughed and laughed, because it's true.  Guess I really am starting to fit in here.

Toucari and Douglas Bays

I went snorkeling the other day.  

That's a short statement, which may lead you to believe that it was a simple endeavor.  It was not.  You may or may not know that, despite my usual attitude of bravado and pomposity, I am a bit of a Nervous Nelly, especially when it comes to putting my face in water (maybe it's connected to all those times I almost drowned).  I signed up to go on a trip with people I didn't know, planning to try something I was pretty scared to do.  That is what I am going to blame my grumpiness that morning on (now see, this preposition at the end of the sentence feels really awkward, but I feel incapable of finding any other way to say it).

When we got to Toucari Bay, it was really pretty (is it bad that I already feel like I'm running out of ways to describe the exquisite views here?  I took some pictures, because I don't know the thousand words to convey my awe.).

Then I apprehensively put on my snorkel mask and practiced breathing through a tube.  Easy, breezy.  Then I put my face in the water to test the seal of my mask.  Let's be honest, I didn't breathe, but didn't think about it.  However, I could see all kinds of incredible things.  The water was clear enough that I had had some serious doubts about the benefit of putting my face six inches under water so I could see things better.  I could see JUST FINE from up above.  Except that I couldn't.  It was wildly better underneath.  So I dove forward and started swimming.

What happened next happened every time I started swimming in the water with my eyes open.  I started to hyperventilate a little because my brain told me I was going to drown.  With the awesome amplification that water provides, I could hear my labored breathing quite clearly and was glad I was on my own so I didn't have to be doubly mortified at my own ridiculousness.  I was able to calm my breathing down to a slow, steady rhythm just by mentally telling myself that it needed to happen.  Turns out I learned some important skills from dealing with my claustrophobia and all those MRIs and radiation.  Who would've ever thought it would help me snorkel?  Well, help me it did.

My new friend, Gabe (also new to snorkeling), put it succinctly:  "Wow.  These are fish I've only ever seen before in aquariums!"  That was exactly it.  Pretty incredible.  I'm going to have to go again.  And again.  And then probably again.  And someday buy an underwater camera so I can take pictures of all the cool stuff Dominica has to offer.  Looking under the sea offers twice the fun.

Douglas Bay was also incredibly beautiful and similarly fun to snorkel in.

 

These are the mountains/hills whose other side I look at every day.  It's all about perspective.

 

New friends from my snorkeling adventure. 

Gratuitous shot of the butterfly/moth who seemed to think my flip-flop was a flower.

I'm going to need to sail around this island before I leave.  Doesn't this look fun?

Conclusion:  Sometimes it's worth a little grumpiness if that is what it takes to get me to try new things.

Roseau with Wonderman

During the break, Wonderman and I took a little trip to Roseau.  It was super fun just wandering around the capital, looking at stuff.  We found a street with my name, so of course we had to take a picture: 

But we couldn't see the sign in the picture, so it turned out to simply be a gratuitous picture of me (always a nice addition, right?).  Then we took one of the sign, just to prove the point.

 What?  That's not my name, you say?  Oh yeah?  Ask my mom.  Then we'll see who's right.

We also went to the Dominica museum,

which did have one of the funniest signs I've ever seen (so much for objectivity):

 Funny that Columbus Day isn't a national holiday here.

When we went to IGA, I fully enjoyed Wonderman's bewilderment and amazement at all the amazing things for sale there.  I also realized that for some reason, the Captain Crunch box is really funny in French:

It's funny to say in French too.  Try it, it will make you giggle.

We ended the day watching a cruise ship literally sail off into the sunset.

Conclusion:  Lovely days are even lovelier when spent with Wonderman.

Inheritance

This is a combination of silly looks (please disregard the hair; it can't be helped). 

The camera at my chest is genius I got from my father.  As I was hiking and trying to decide if it was worth the risk to keep my camera in my hand because there was so much amazing stuff to picture, but I was sliding around in the mud and crossing rivers with super slidey rocks, I started telling Wonderman about my dad.  Dad has a camera case connected to his climbing harness so that he can take pictures with one hand without letting go of the rope.  I told Wonderman that was what I needed.  Then I realized I could create a make-shift version.  It will hopefully be less silly when I get my itsy-bitsy camera that will make for easier access.  Still, I have to give props to Pops.  It made the whole thing so much smoother and safer.

Conclusion:  Learning from someone else's experience can be invaluable.  Thanks, Dad.

Syndicate Falls

Ross has free trips to cool places in the weeks before a new semester.  We've gotten to be a part of a few good ones (that's how we got to Red Rock).  It definitely was a mass hike to Syndicate Falls, which is never my favorite, but it turns out, it was worth it. 

Here is Wonderman helping a small child cross a river:

Here is how we do vacay photos (we actually had a number of others taken by very helpful and nice people, but they're all out of focus, or we have lame expressions, or the reflectors on my backpack caught the flash and totally over-took the picture, or something).  Still, it's us and Syndicate Falls:

This is a tree next to the side of the falls that is growing horizontally from the side of the cliff.  It was pretty crazy.

This is a family here that we really like:

This is my new friend, K.  She wears black nail polish, loves mountains, and wants to live in Alaska when she grows up (ok, technically she is a grown-up, much more so than me since she has two kids, which automatically qualifies her as a grown-up, but still.  Alaska).

These are the plants along the trail that totally look like something plastic I would buy at Michael's, were there a Michael's nearby and had I a reason to buy green plants.  The point is, they were so perfect, they didn't seem real.

This is my attempt at capturing the sweeping vistas from the hike.  It's a little bit hard to convey, since it's all green, but still it was incredible. 

We ended the hike with fresh sugar cane.  It was strange, but sweet.  I think that I had enough to be good forever.  No need to suck on fibrous sweetness again.

It was a good hike.