To the month of May:
I'm sorry. I have maligned you in print several times, and verbally many more times than that, and I apologize.
Last year, you were an awful month. It rained for almost your entire stay here in the BVI, and I probably was experiencing more than my fair share of homesickness, so I looked on your soggy, dreary existence as further proof why the BVI was perhaps, not the right place for me. It didn't help that the tick epidemic began in you, and was perpetuated by the moisture you brought.
But this year, you have been a kindler, gentler May. We had a few foggy days, and you still managed to drop 9 inches of rain on us, but overall, it has been much more pleasant. You seem to have shared your attitude with these first few days of June, too. In fact, HB and I can't even remember the last time it rained.
So, I am very sorry if my words here have made you disliked amongst residents and visitors to the BVI. You have shown us that you are not always a bad time, that sometimes you can keep us happy with plenty of sun and only occasional showers. I hope our relationship can continue along this improved path.
Yours Sincerely,
Basset's View of the Islands
Showing posts with label meta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meta. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Patriotism?
First of all, let me apologize for my absence the last couple of days. Work has been inordinately busy -- largely due to a new sale we started that seems to be garnering a lot of attention -- and I haven't had time to eat lunch, much less blog.
In Tortola-related news, there's a sign on the side of Leroy's Barber Shop, across from the Road Town ferry terminal, I've always found a bit intriguing
I'm not entirely sure who is so possessive of the name "Virgin Islands", or why, especially as Virgin Islands was originally used to refer to all the islands that are now part of the USVI and BVI. I suppose it stems from the fact that the official name of the BVI is actually, simply, The Virgin Islands. I'm not sure why this should prohibit other locales from using the name though. It'd be like saying Guinea-Bissau should change to just Guinea because Equatorial Guinea used the name Guinea first.
I hope and believe this is only the invective of one, over-excited individual, rather than the stance of the entire BVI citizenry.
In Tortola-related news, there's a sign on the side of Leroy's Barber Shop, across from the Road Town ferry terminal, I've always found a bit intriguing
I'm not entirely sure who is so possessive of the name "Virgin Islands", or why, especially as Virgin Islands was originally used to refer to all the islands that are now part of the USVI and BVI. I suppose it stems from the fact that the official name of the BVI is actually, simply, The Virgin Islands. I'm not sure why this should prohibit other locales from using the name though. It'd be like saying Guinea-Bissau should change to just Guinea because Equatorial Guinea used the name Guinea first.
I hope and believe this is only the invective of one, over-excited individual, rather than the stance of the entire BVI citizenry.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
March Sadness
Sorry about the lack of post yesterday, guys. I'm dealing with a few different things family-wise that are rough, and I'm having difficulty focusing on writing about the BVI, especially as I've not been in the mood to venture much farther than the porch to find new and exciting subjects for the blog. I'm battling some pretty bad homesickness for the first time since last spring, and while I'm sure it's related to the rough family things, it feels somehow independent of that -- like maybe March is just my time to be homesick in the BVI. I'm going to attribute it to the annual "browning" that takes place this time of year, as trees briefly drop their leaves, or just turn brown from the lack of water. Somehow that seems to be a good reason for being homesick.
At any rate, the best way I've found to counteract the blues is to list some things I'm happy about:
1. March Madness generally. More specifically, KU won last night! Rock Chalk!
2. We bought another vehicle -- an old Range Rover that currently doesn't start without being jumped, but runs beautifully once it's started. I'm happy that HB will have a little bit of a project to work on here, and that we'll have a vehicle we can take on rougher roads.
3. La Dolce Vita. After a year and half, we've found what's always been there -- AMAZING ice cream in the BVI. I should probably do a whole separate post on this. Yes, a separate post. I'll have to go by and pick up some samples to ... photograph ... tonight.
4. The cute neighbor dog. He's a little black and tan short-legged Tortolan island dog, always out and happy and looking so cute when we drive past. Recently, he befriended a white and tan cat and so now he and the cat are always hanging out together in the road.
5. Goats generally. This goat picture I found from November specifically
What are you happy about right now?
At any rate, the best way I've found to counteract the blues is to list some things I'm happy about:
1. March Madness generally. More specifically, KU won last night! Rock Chalk!
2. We bought another vehicle -- an old Range Rover that currently doesn't start without being jumped, but runs beautifully once it's started. I'm happy that HB will have a little bit of a project to work on here, and that we'll have a vehicle we can take on rougher roads.
3. La Dolce Vita. After a year and half, we've found what's always been there -- AMAZING ice cream in the BVI. I should probably do a whole separate post on this. Yes, a separate post. I'll have to go by and pick up some samples to ... photograph ... tonight.
4. The cute neighbor dog. He's a little black and tan short-legged Tortolan island dog, always out and happy and looking so cute when we drive past. Recently, he befriended a white and tan cat and so now he and the cat are always hanging out together in the road.
5. Goats generally. This goat picture I found from November specifically
What are you happy about right now?
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Saturday Morning
Here's why the consistency/existence of my blog posts on Saturdays is questionable: Saturdays are too much fun. Many of you out there probably think that I must be really busy at work on Saturdays, or something, and so often cannot find the time to get a post up. You would be incorrect. Often, I am too distracted by chatting with colleagues and guests and doing the more enjoyable parts of my job to remember to post here. Shocking, I know.
After all, Basset's View of the Islands is, for all intents and purposes, my second job, and if I don't get around to writing here, no one else does. But on Saturday, I often let myself slack off. Especially Saturdays like this Saturday. It's a beautiful day outside today. Sunny and clear, low humidity, and unseasonably warm. It's like, 85 degrees -- unusually high for February. I spent the morning unpacking boxes of housecleaning supplies, an activity in which I take bizarre delight, and I followed my exercise with a healthy hour-long chat with my co-workers. A stroll down to the beach to correct a credit card error took me cleanly in to lunchtime.
Essentially, I spend Saturday doing all the little things I didn't have time to get to during the week. It creates an opportunity for me to clean house, tidy up, before I go away for my two-day weekend. And we all like a clean house.
After all, Basset's View of the Islands is, for all intents and purposes, my second job, and if I don't get around to writing here, no one else does. But on Saturday, I often let myself slack off. Especially Saturdays like this Saturday. It's a beautiful day outside today. Sunny and clear, low humidity, and unseasonably warm. It's like, 85 degrees -- unusually high for February. I spent the morning unpacking boxes of housecleaning supplies, an activity in which I take bizarre delight, and I followed my exercise with a healthy hour-long chat with my co-workers. A stroll down to the beach to correct a credit card error took me cleanly in to lunchtime.
Essentially, I spend Saturday doing all the little things I didn't have time to get to during the week. It creates an opportunity for me to clean house, tidy up, before I go away for my two-day weekend. And we all like a clean house.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Direction
Thank you, readers, for sticking with me the last few weeks while I've taken my time deciding what to do with this blog.
I started Basset's View of the Islands intending to provide information on moving to the British Virgin Islands -- information I had looked desperately for before my move, and couldn't find anywhere. I've had several of you comment and e-mail me saying that this website has been exactly that: assistance in planning a move to the BVI.
But I think Basset's View has grown to more than that. Early on, it became a way to communicate my experiences to my friends and family back home. A way to say "Hi, I'm all right" when phone calls are pretty costly. Somewhere along the way, I got distracted by the idea that all or most of my entries should have photographs, and trying to take enough photos to sustain five entries a week became more of a chore than a joy. I also managed to let an initially broad focus become too narrow, and to think I was somehow straying from the purpose of the blog.
I've realized only recently, that the biggest role this blog plays in my life is as a journal of my time here. HB and I love looking back at the entries, and remembering the horrible time we had with the ticks, or the great dinner we had at Red Rock. The nearly month-long pseudo-break I've taken from Basset's View has made me realize how much I enjoy writing the entries, and how I miss it when I don't do it.
Having taken a moment to step back and re-evaluate my purpose in writing, and to re-consider the reader I'm writing for, I know now that I don't really want to change what I'm doing. I want to continue to document my time in the BVI, and to share my experiences with my friends and family. The only real change I'm going to make is to focus less on photography, and more on getting a post up five times a week.
Daily posts on Basset's View of the Islands will resume on Tuesday, the 25th of January. I'll still be here. Maybe you'll join me.
I started Basset's View of the Islands intending to provide information on moving to the British Virgin Islands -- information I had looked desperately for before my move, and couldn't find anywhere. I've had several of you comment and e-mail me saying that this website has been exactly that: assistance in planning a move to the BVI.
But I think Basset's View has grown to more than that. Early on, it became a way to communicate my experiences to my friends and family back home. A way to say "Hi, I'm all right" when phone calls are pretty costly. Somewhere along the way, I got distracted by the idea that all or most of my entries should have photographs, and trying to take enough photos to sustain five entries a week became more of a chore than a joy. I also managed to let an initially broad focus become too narrow, and to think I was somehow straying from the purpose of the blog.
I've realized only recently, that the biggest role this blog plays in my life is as a journal of my time here. HB and I love looking back at the entries, and remembering the horrible time we had with the ticks, or the great dinner we had at Red Rock. The nearly month-long pseudo-break I've taken from Basset's View has made me realize how much I enjoy writing the entries, and how I miss it when I don't do it.
Having taken a moment to step back and re-evaluate my purpose in writing, and to re-consider the reader I'm writing for, I know now that I don't really want to change what I'm doing. I want to continue to document my time in the BVI, and to share my experiences with my friends and family. The only real change I'm going to make is to focus less on photography, and more on getting a post up five times a week.
Daily posts on Basset's View of the Islands will resume on Tuesday, the 25th of January. I'll still be here. Maybe you'll join me.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Little Lamb
Sometimes driving and taking pictures doesn't mix. I was trying to get a photo of the tiny lamb, but the traffic behind me had other ideas. I thought about cropping and 'shopping, but in the end, I think this provides a pretty nice perspective on Tortola, and on my theoretical "creative process".
Thursday, December 22, 2011
To What End?
Although I certainly have not explored every bit of the BVI, I feel less and less inspired to write here. I have found my BVI niche, and am happy in it, and I believe my readers probably don't want to read about my umpteenth visit to Brewer's Bay Beach, or another Sunday of football watching at Mulligan's. Since routines make me happy, though, I am loathe to break them to explore new things.
Basset's View of the Islands is still important to me as a record of my time and experiences here, and I don't want to stop writing entirely. I'm trying to decide if I want to take it in a new direction -- more of a diary and less of a travelogue -- or just write a bit less frequently. In the end, I still want to be making something that satisfies both of us, you and me, because you're the reason I started in the first place, and you're the reason I'm still writing.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Action Shots
I envy Conchscooter his walks. The BVI in general is not particularly walkable -- few sidewalks, narrow, hilly roads. It is no paradise for strollers.
Nonetheless, I need photos to share here, and inspiration most often comes to me when I'm driving. I see a pretty house, or bird, or sunset. But I believe it is a much more difficult prospect to take photos while driving than while walking.
Most of them come out more or less like this -- roadway, windshield glass glare, blur. I think I was struck by diminishing sun on the pink and white buildings on the hill, but it is obviously the blue building, or perhaps the window itself, that is the accidental subject of this photo.
Sometimes I surprise myself with the usability of the results. This photo could use some cropping -- take out the windshield wiper and the blurry rocks in the foreground. But the pelican, and the ship, and the colors of the clouds -- it kind of works.
Except when it kind of doesn't. A scary angle to the horizon here.
When you hold the camera on the top of the steering wheel, and click away, sometimes your favorite pictures are the ones you didn't even realize you took.
Nonetheless, I need photos to share here, and inspiration most often comes to me when I'm driving. I see a pretty house, or bird, or sunset. But I believe it is a much more difficult prospect to take photos while driving than while walking.
Most of them come out more or less like this -- roadway, windshield glass glare, blur. I think I was struck by diminishing sun on the pink and white buildings on the hill, but it is obviously the blue building, or perhaps the window itself, that is the accidental subject of this photo.
Sometimes I surprise myself with the usability of the results. This photo could use some cropping -- take out the windshield wiper and the blurry rocks in the foreground. But the pelican, and the ship, and the colors of the clouds -- it kind of works.
Except when it kind of doesn't. A scary angle to the horizon here.
When you hold the camera on the top of the steering wheel, and click away, sometimes your favorite pictures are the ones you didn't even realize you took.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Technology
I've made vague reference on this blog in the past to the fact that I work in a hotel here in the BVI. It's true, I do. I try not to post anything particularly specific or sensitive about my work, as I do not want to jeopardize either my employment or my employer with what I post here. Nonetheless, there are days when I just want to use my blog to vent. Today is one of those days.
If you are a business traveler, and the most important aspect of your trip is that you have internet access at your hotel -- stay in a hotel that specifically targets business clientele. Don't tell your secretary that any hotel with internet access will do. A business hotel will have a help desk to get you connected to the internet because you are unable to do so yourself. They will have people trained in technological assistance. A hotel targeted to tourists likely will not.
If you are a business traveler, and the most important aspect of your trip is that you have internet access at your hotel -- own a computer that is fewer than 10 years old. Don't still be running Windows 95 as your OS. Even very technologically savvy people cannot navigate the maze of encryption options Windows 95 throws up. Windows Vista and Windows 7 just ask for the password, and figure out the encryption type on their own.
If you are a business traveler, and the most important aspect of your trip is that you have internet access at your hotel -- know how to change the language settings on your computer. Although I can connect pretty much anything, even a computer running Windows 95, to our wireless network, I can't do it in Swedish. I also can't change the language settings myself, because your computer is IN SWEDISH and I have no idea how to say "Control Panel" in Swedish.
If you are a business traveler, and the most important aspect of your trip is that you have internet access at your hotel -- the Caribbean is your enemy. When the technical help at the hotel fails you, there is no one else to ask. Sure, there are IT guys, but many of them don't make housecalls. And no one in the Caribbean moves at the vital speed you expect.
So, since there are no Swedish-speaking IT guys that will make it here to help you out before tomorrow, allow me to explain to you the concept of limin' ...
If you are a business traveler, and the most important aspect of your trip is that you have internet access at your hotel -- stay in a hotel that specifically targets business clientele. Don't tell your secretary that any hotel with internet access will do. A business hotel will have a help desk to get you connected to the internet because you are unable to do so yourself. They will have people trained in technological assistance. A hotel targeted to tourists likely will not.
If you are a business traveler, and the most important aspect of your trip is that you have internet access at your hotel -- own a computer that is fewer than 10 years old. Don't still be running Windows 95 as your OS. Even very technologically savvy people cannot navigate the maze of encryption options Windows 95 throws up. Windows Vista and Windows 7 just ask for the password, and figure out the encryption type on their own.
If you are a business traveler, and the most important aspect of your trip is that you have internet access at your hotel -- know how to change the language settings on your computer. Although I can connect pretty much anything, even a computer running Windows 95, to our wireless network, I can't do it in Swedish. I also can't change the language settings myself, because your computer is IN SWEDISH and I have no idea how to say "Control Panel" in Swedish.
If you are a business traveler, and the most important aspect of your trip is that you have internet access at your hotel -- the Caribbean is your enemy. When the technical help at the hotel fails you, there is no one else to ask. Sure, there are IT guys, but many of them don't make housecalls. And no one in the Caribbean moves at the vital speed you expect.
So, since there are no Swedish-speaking IT guys that will make it here to help you out before tomorrow, allow me to explain to you the concept of limin' ...
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tags
When I started writing Basset's View of the Islands, I considered tagging my posts to organize them into neat little chunks of information for folks new to this site. Not knowing what the blog would morph into, though, I didn't want to limit my writing by creating a bunch of labels or tags for my posts to fit into. I figured after a few months, I would go back through and make some tags.
A year after my first post, and I still hadn't made or used a single tag. So I made it a goal for my month off from work to get my tags organized. I return to work tomorrow, and I have finally finished the arduous task of tagging nearly 300 posts. You can see the tags over there on the right side of the page, under the popular posts.
Most of the tags are pretty self-explanatory, although "Shorts" refers to brief posts, not clothing, and "lime" is kind of a catch-all for generally pleasing things about the BVI or my time here. For folks that have found their way to this blog and are planning on moving to the BVI, I would particularly recommend the "TortolaHo" tag, along with "Futilities", and "BVIInfo". "BVIInfo" is also a good resource for travelers to the BVI.
Thanks for sticking with me through 55 weeks and 299 posts. I look forward to the next 300.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Hurricane Recovery
It is the nature of my blog that sometimes I forget to post, or am otherwise prevented from posting, as was the case today. I had planned on taking some photos of the hurricane Irene aftermath at work, and posting to the blog from there. Unfortunately, the aftermath proved to be a bit more intense than I had expected, and this circumvented my plans.
The generator at work failed to come on, and so we were without electricity for the first two hours of the day. While the maintenance man worked on repairing the generator, I worked on cleaning the standing water out of one of the rooms that had flooded. By 10:00, everything was in good order except we didn't have any internet, and when I left at 4:00, there was still no internet.
I have chatted with other blog owners who suggest that these problems in being unable to post, or sometimes just being forgetful, can be prevented by writing my posts days in advance and scheduling them. While I do use this function when I know I'll be away, like when I went to LA and Denver last October, for the most part, scheduling kind of takes the fun out of it for me. I like to share what's on my mind about the BVI now; not what I was thinking about three days ago.
Of course, not all my posts are completely spontaneous. I keep a list of things I would like to share, and look for opportunities to photograph those things. But once I have those pictures on the SD Card, it's like a hot potato. I have to get them up here right away to let you know! The downside, of course, to my unwillingness to schedule, though, is that occasionally, I miss a post, or post very late (like today). I hope that doesn't make you less willing to read.
The generator at work failed to come on, and so we were without electricity for the first two hours of the day. While the maintenance man worked on repairing the generator, I worked on cleaning the standing water out of one of the rooms that had flooded. By 10:00, everything was in good order except we didn't have any internet, and when I left at 4:00, there was still no internet.
I have chatted with other blog owners who suggest that these problems in being unable to post, or sometimes just being forgetful, can be prevented by writing my posts days in advance and scheduling them. While I do use this function when I know I'll be away, like when I went to LA and Denver last October, for the most part, scheduling kind of takes the fun out of it for me. I like to share what's on my mind about the BVI now; not what I was thinking about three days ago.
Of course, not all my posts are completely spontaneous. I keep a list of things I would like to share, and look for opportunities to photograph those things. But once I have those pictures on the SD Card, it's like a hot potato. I have to get them up here right away to let you know! The downside, of course, to my unwillingness to schedule, though, is that occasionally, I miss a post, or post very late (like today). I hope that doesn't make you less willing to read.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Sunday Whoops
The day sure got away from me yesterday, and it wasn't until I was falling asleep on the couch last night around 9:00 that I realized I had forgotten to post. A late night on Saturday at the Full Moon Party (yes, HB and I finally attended) combined with my weekend-long battle with the laundry, and the cleaning needed before we move next Sunday made the day disappear.
So if you missed your Sunday BVI creature feature, I apologize. I'll be back later today with another, longer post.
So if you missed your Sunday BVI creature feature, I apologize. I'll be back later today with another, longer post.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Dining Room Lake
Woke up this morning to about 2 inches of water in our hallway and on our dining room floor. Water is leaking at a fairly rapid rate from the bottom of the toilet, where it meets the floor. The water's been off to our apartment for about an hour to try to control the situation, but it keeps leaking. The plumber thinks a pipe under the toilet might have burst
If we get this solved, I'll be on later to post again.
For now, back to sweeping water out of the house.
If we get this solved, I'll be on later to post again.
For now, back to sweeping water out of the house.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Whit Monday
Another month, another set of official BVI holidays that I've never celebrated before. We got a bit of a two-fer this weekend, since it was the Queen's Birthday on Saturday, complete with parade, and today is Whit Monday, the official start to summer, a British equivalent to Memorial Day.
In a bizarre fluke of scheduling I am actually off today, Whit Monday, and since HB has all official holidays off, he is off with me. We are taking advantage of this rare extra day off together to explore Tortola a bit more, and get some pictures and exciting information for this blog. This task is made even more exciting by the fact that, for the first time in about six weeks, it has been sunny all weekend long.
So HB and I are going to head out and enjoy the sunshine some more on this lovely Whit Monday. Hope you all are having a great start to your summer.
In a bizarre fluke of scheduling I am actually off today, Whit Monday, and since HB has all official holidays off, he is off with me. We are taking advantage of this rare extra day off together to explore Tortola a bit more, and get some pictures and exciting information for this blog. This task is made even more exciting by the fact that, for the first time in about six weeks, it has been sunny all weekend long.
So HB and I are going to head out and enjoy the sunshine some more on this lovely Whit Monday. Hope you all are having a great start to your summer.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
The Photo Rule
The last few days have seemed to prove to me that the most interesting things happen when you don't have a camera. As we were getting ready to go to the beach on Friday, I was trying to get the smaller, more beach-safe camera to work, but failing.
After a little while, I figured we were just going to Brewer's Bay, so there wouldn't be a whole lot to take pictures of, and I could do without the camera. We climbed into the car, and HB explicated the photo rule: "you know, if you go without a camera, there will be all sorts of amazing things that happen, but if you go with the camera, it will just be another regular day."
The minute we stepped, camera-less, onto the beach, we noticed the cows grazing on the beachside foliage, something I would love to have a photo of. We were also importuned by a stray dog who picked up a rock from the beach and brought it to us, dropping it at our feet and begging to play fetch.
We tossed the stone around for the dog, who we dubbed Roxie, for easily half an hour, occasionally losing it in the surf. Not only was I impressed by her willingness to carry this heavy stone in her mouth, but I was bemused by the fact that the only rock she would actually fetch was the original one she had picked up -- no other rock would do. But I don't have a single photo to remember this lovely experience.
Today, I am at work, and seeing a remarkable variety of fauna I've never seen on the grounds before: a plethora of tree snails near the laundry, enjoying the rain; a hermit crab making his way down the steps towards the sea. Of course I am without a camera. I left it at home in case HB wanted to use it during outings today with our visitors.
After a little while, I figured we were just going to Brewer's Bay, so there wouldn't be a whole lot to take pictures of, and I could do without the camera. We climbed into the car, and HB explicated the photo rule: "you know, if you go without a camera, there will be all sorts of amazing things that happen, but if you go with the camera, it will just be another regular day."
The minute we stepped, camera-less, onto the beach, we noticed the cows grazing on the beachside foliage, something I would love to have a photo of. We were also importuned by a stray dog who picked up a rock from the beach and brought it to us, dropping it at our feet and begging to play fetch.
We tossed the stone around for the dog, who we dubbed Roxie, for easily half an hour, occasionally losing it in the surf. Not only was I impressed by her willingness to carry this heavy stone in her mouth, but I was bemused by the fact that the only rock she would actually fetch was the original one she had picked up -- no other rock would do. But I don't have a single photo to remember this lovely experience.
Today, I am at work, and seeing a remarkable variety of fauna I've never seen on the grounds before: a plethora of tree snails near the laundry, enjoying the rain; a hermit crab making his way down the steps towards the sea. Of course I am without a camera. I left it at home in case HB wanted to use it during outings today with our visitors.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Go Go Go Stop
It is well into the afternoon and I just now remembered that, oh yeah, I have to write that blog thingy. I have been a bit spacey lately, probably because I'm a bit overwhelmed with everything going on in my life. I was given the compliment(?) of additional duties at work that have been taking me out of the office quite a bit more. I'm still trying to incorporate them into my day, and balance them with the duties I had before.
I've also taken a second job doing bookkeeping on a very limited part time basis, but as it's all internet-based, and we're still occasionally fighting with our home internet, the new job has proved to be more work logistically than I had originally thought.
Along with all this, HB and I are anticipating our first visitors on Thursday. While we are ridiculously excited and enthusiastic, we have also been looking at our house through the eyes of someone unaccustomed to life on Tortola, and realizing we have a lot of work to do. HB is off for Commonwealth Day today, and so thankfully is putting the finishing touches on the house, car and dog. Still, the dogs don't stop shedding and the anoles don't stop leaving droppings in the bathroom, so there will be continual cleanup until our friends arrive.
It's easy for me to get wrapped up in work and busyness and forget about the beautiful place that I live. Despite all the goings-on, HB and I still found time to go the beach yesterday for a late afternoon swim - a wonderful moment of pause after a busy workday.
I've also taken a second job doing bookkeeping on a very limited part time basis, but as it's all internet-based, and we're still occasionally fighting with our home internet, the new job has proved to be more work logistically than I had originally thought.
Along with all this, HB and I are anticipating our first visitors on Thursday. While we are ridiculously excited and enthusiastic, we have also been looking at our house through the eyes of someone unaccustomed to life on Tortola, and realizing we have a lot of work to do. HB is off for Commonwealth Day today, and so thankfully is putting the finishing touches on the house, car and dog. Still, the dogs don't stop shedding and the anoles don't stop leaving droppings in the bathroom, so there will be continual cleanup until our friends arrive.
It's easy for me to get wrapped up in work and busyness and forget about the beautiful place that I live. Despite all the goings-on, HB and I still found time to go the beach yesterday for a late afternoon swim - a wonderful moment of pause after a busy workday.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Schedule Change
My absence the last two days was unplanned, but it was intentional. I have come to realize that the posting schedule I set for myself back when I decided to stop posting on Sundays has just not been working for me. This has been evidenced by my occasional lack of posts on Fridays when HB's been off.
Since my work schedule settled down to Thurs/Fri off, Sunday, being a slow, quiet day at work, has become a great day for me to post. Thursday, on the other hand, is a nightmare day of responsibilities -- laundry, cleaning, banking, grocery shopping and cooking. Also, it seems that any time HB and I have off together in the future will likely be on Fridays, and I really want to spend all Friday enjoying it with him, doing things like
going to the beach
playing with my dogs
photographing farm animals
and watching the sunset.
So in order to accommodate my duties, responsibilities, and desires as a wife, I am going to try changing my posting schedule to Saturday through Wednesday for a while, and see how it fits.
So far, so good
Since my work schedule settled down to Thurs/Fri off, Sunday, being a slow, quiet day at work, has become a great day for me to post. Thursday, on the other hand, is a nightmare day of responsibilities -- laundry, cleaning, banking, grocery shopping and cooking. Also, it seems that any time HB and I have off together in the future will likely be on Fridays, and I really want to spend all Friday enjoying it with him, doing things like
going to the beach
playing with my dogs
photographing farm animals
and watching the sunset.
So in order to accommodate my duties, responsibilities, and desires as a wife, I am going to try changing my posting schedule to Saturday through Wednesday for a while, and see how it fits.
So far, so good
Friday, February 18, 2011
No post.
Please note that since HB has the day off again (for the first time in five weeks) there will not be a full blog post today. Updates tomorrow.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Request for Questions
Often when I sit down to write a post, I wonder how well it will play with you, my readers. I imagine some of you as more photo-oriented, totally skipping any post without pictures, while others are more interested only in the tropical aspects of island living, and couldn't care less about medical certificates or housing costs. I get a basic idea of which are my most-read individual posts based on statistics that Blogger runs for me. Since Blogger doesn't recognized a view of the main page as an individual post view, though, I have little idea of who's skipping the day's post, and who's actually reading.
So what ARE you interested in?
Are there topics I've covered here that you would like to hear more about? What haven't I discussed that you're curious about?
Maybe you want more pictures of Flash and Roscoe sunning themselves on the porch?
Or you want more details about my work at a hotel on a tropical island -- what do I do do all day?
Perhaps all you're here for is photos of tropical beaches and towns, and you just want to see more of the island?
I'd love to hear your questions and requests, and you can leave them by posting a comment below, or e-mailing me at thebvis@gmail.com
So what ARE you interested in?
Are there topics I've covered here that you would like to hear more about? What haven't I discussed that you're curious about?
Maybe you want more pictures of Flash and Roscoe sunning themselves on the porch?
Or you want more details about my work at a hotel on a tropical island -- what do I do do all day?
Perhaps all you're here for is photos of tropical beaches and towns, and you just want to see more of the island?
I'd love to hear your questions and requests, and you can leave them by posting a comment below, or e-mailing me at thebvis@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Thanks
The day is latening and I still don't really have an idea for a post here. I have some more pictures of Main Street that I took last week and meant to have prepared for today, but completely forgot to do it last night, so they'll have to wait until tomorrow.
I suppose I've been mildly distracted by the effusive outpouring I have received from friends, and friends of friends, and family of friends of friends, regarding my appearances on Jeopardy! last night and Friday. So I guess I'll use today's space to thank everyone for watching, and all the encouragement and good wishes. I really appreciate all the kind comments, and enthusiasm. Thank you thank you thank you!
I suppose I've been mildly distracted by the effusive outpouring I have received from friends, and friends of friends, and family of friends of friends, regarding my appearances on Jeopardy! last night and Friday. So I guess I'll use today's space to thank everyone for watching, and all the encouragement and good wishes. I really appreciate all the kind comments, and enthusiasm. Thank you thank you thank you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)