My view to the right.
My view to the left.
It's a cloudy morning, but they are no bother. They just add decoration to the blue sky. I could honestly could sit here forever. Palms poke out of the vast greenery, whispering to me with their fronds, welcoming the morning. I am the silent witness. The little bird that sits on the top of the house is practicing all of his songs. The waves, adding the refrain. Ohm.
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Nicholas and I went to the settlement for breakfast at Cap'n Jacks. Last year, we stayed at Lantana Cottage (Cap'n Jack and Lana's rental property) and Nicholas enjoyed French toast made with Bahamian bread every single day for two weeks in a row. He couldn't wait to get back and gobbled down the whole serving in record time!
Me: trying to be somewhat aware of calories, I opted for eggs and toast. Later, I found out what makes Bahamian bread so dense and yummy is that it is usually not made with "milk". Since these islands didn't and don't have cattle or goats, milk is scarce and therefore bread is made with powdered, condensed, and/or evaporated milk. All of which have lots of calories. Add to that, the butter that the toast quickly soaks up and a
While Nicholas and I wallowed in our breakfasts and our full bellies, Summer continued to work on the puzzle and finished it! Seriously, I think it took only about two days. I'm glad that she was able to complete it by herself. I think that she took a lot of pride in knowing that she did almost 90% of this puzzle solo. And, I know that she relished in the fact that Nicholas never even set in one single piece.
Next up on the day's "To Do List": Pick up my folks at the Sunshine Park ferry dock. They done reach! Almost 80 and 82 and taking selfies...not too shabby!
Once they got a little reacquainted with the house and unpacked, it was off to On Da Beach for lunch. The waves were particularly whipped up. Summer skipped down to the water's edge and braved the rage. Bo Derek, be damned.
My mermaid princess, lulling the waves into submission.
Nicholas and Shawn had lunch at On Da Beach while Summer and I were on da beach.
Summer, loving her new bracelet and trying to take an arty shot.
Eventually the whole gang came down! We swam and played until it was time to go back to our house to wash up for dinner.
For dinner, Abaco Inn! (Nicholas decided to stay home. His feet were hurting from playing in the surf and he just needed a night with his piggies up.)
Dom! Our waiter and friend from last year. We were so glad to meet up with him again!
Our dining table, facing east with the reflection of the sunset over Summer's shoulder. One of my favorite spots in the universe! Atlantic Ocean to one side and the Sea of Abaco to the other side.
A good time had by all.
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My folks' second day on the island. My dad and I rode bikes to the North End and surveyed all of my favorite secret spots. I brought my coconut cracking tool and we enjoyed some fresh coconut water in the shade near Senator Harkin's lot.
Usually, when we are here, we celebrate my dad's birthday. But, the timing didn't work out with Nicholas' summer school this year. So, we (Shawn, Summer, Nicholas, his friend, Mario, and I) made a birthday dinner for my dad on his actual birthday (in Tampa). And then, sent him pictures of his birthday party that we had without him. We made halupki (aka cabbage rolls).
Birthday dinner in absentia:
Dinner at the dining room table!
Dessert: Creme Brûlée!
Now, back to Abaco. So, here we are...ready to have my dad's birthday, this time, WITH him present. The LVA is our favorite grocery on this stretch of the island and they just about had everything necessary. We're also super lucky that this house is well provisioned with an array of measuring cups and spoons, bowls for mixing, Pyrex pans in several sizes...
The only thing that I thought might be hard to find on this island was cabbage. Luckily, a few days earlier when Summer and I were in the settlement, I asked Vernon if he had any in his store and...Ta Da! Two heads of cabbage. We paid for one and gave us the other free of charge because he thought it looked a little too shabby. Thinking that I was maybe not going to be able to make cabbage rolls, I was delighted to have two fine heads!
(Side note: I was prepared to have "deconstructed" cabbage rolls. Most restaurants have coleslaw on their menu and I knew that I could ask for a bag of slaw if all else failed. But, thanks to Vernon. We were able to do this meal properly.)
While the cabbage was boiling, I rummaged around in the cupboard, looking for salt and pepper. Welp. I found the mother load of pepper...seven containers with actual labels and a random jar with what looked like pepper. Pepper: Check. Salt: Check.
While dinner was being made, I snapped this picture of these modern octogenarians in the wild: My mom on her phone and my dad reading a book on his iPad.
Eventually, dinner was ready. Halupki a la Abaco! (Looks just like the ones I made in Tampa.)
Same as when we were in Tampa, dinner at the dining room table!
Finally, the birthday dinner WITH my dad in attendance.
By the way, there's a funny story that goes along with the shirt that my dad is wearing in the picture below...
When my dad turned 70, he was having trouble with his heart (atrial fibrillation) and was afraid to come since the A-fib wasn't properly diagnosed and managed. But, we (Shawn, Summer, Nicholas, me, and our friends "Ledge", "Bird", and "SeaShoe") came to the Bahamas without him. When the next year rolled around, his 71st, my dad was able to join us. So, the shirt he is wearing in the picture below says, "I am this many." and has pictures of Summer and Nicholas' hands counting out 70 by fives, and one little single pointer finger at the bottom of the shirt for a total of 71. We made that shirt 11 years ago. The kids were six and four then. Here we are, all these years later. My dad is 82 and his heart works just fine. Summer and Nicholas are 17 and 15. And, we're here in our favorite place, celebrating another year.
Homemade brownies for dessert.
Halupki, health, and happiness in Hope Town.
What else is there?
