December 2nd--Last night Buddha, the bulldog, urinates on my nice clean, hung outside to dry, sheets.........just what I wanted to do re-wash sheets and blankets...I should be packing.
At Bradley airport, this morning, I relized my
cell phone is still at home.....
The gentleman sitting next to me, on the flight from Miami to St Thomas, informs us that my favorite 'Deli Grotto' is up for sale and NOW the five o'clock ferry, to St John, arrives at 6:30....four strikes....Here's hoping our luck
will soon change....We grab a quick bite at the Beach Bar...........Crow's Nest here We come !!!!
December 3rd--Joseph the plumber hooks up the shower body. Bob moves the pile of stone (that was dumped in the driveway months ago) to make room for the delivery of windows. We eat dinner at Sweet Plaintains....the steering wheel on the jeep still makes a strange noise......
December 4th--We are off to St Thomas....First things first, We trade in the jeep for another.. then to Altona's plumbing to pick up the water heater, pump and toilets, back on St John We grab food from Deli Grotto for dinner ...
Tonight is the last night We will spend at Crow's Nest..... tomorrow the tent goes up at Bo Atabey!!
Picture below: (left) The view to St John from the Red Hook dock. (right) Here is where we picked up the hot water heater.....The new jeep is filled with plumbing supplies....




December 5th--Bob and I set up the mosquito and no-see-em proof tent.... the aero bed, soy candles, solar shower, flash-light and tiki torch are ALL ready.......bring on the night !!!!
Roy can't find the red screws that came with the red metal roof, yes the red metal roof is still NOT finished.....the boxes have been misplaced....L-O-S-T... the red screws for the red metal roof, cost a whopping $1300.00 some of the screws that were on the roof, I've picked up off the ground WHY are they on the ground??????....
Bob took pictures of the roof ...I refuse to view them. Bo Atabey is trashed, the ceiling, the plastering, the property and the roof...This little bit of reality set in when We were here in October.
Roy had a 'punch' list of things that had to be corrected..........progress on this punch list has failed.....Roy has failed us in the worst way.....Roy betrayed our trust. The one thing that he did do on his 'punch' list (the short beam) he did wrong, again!!!!....
We seem to be cursed again....
Winston from W.A.P.A. promises the poles will be strung today....the linemen are a 'no show'........
Picture below: (left, middle & right) The tent going up in the greatroom....




December 6th-- How was our first night camping?..... not bad....the view of Coral harbour with the few street lights shining, certainly helped along with a flashlight, which by-the-way is our new best friend !!!
Winston says Friday the linemen will start stringing (wiring) the poles.....Pick up sandwiches from Deli Grotto...
We will see Inner Visions perform tonight at Sputniks....seeing them always cheer us up !!!!!
December 7th-- Today, We hung the 'Gooseneck' sign at the Voyages building......
Again, the W.A.P.A. crew are a no-show....this is only suppose to be a two day job....We eat at Pastory Gardens for dinner.
December 8th-- After talking with some locals, there hasn't been much activity at Bo Atabey's job site for quite some time....This is very apparent, the pictures Roy has been sending since March via e-mail, are VERY different than what We now see with our naked eyes.......
What is the Taino's name for 'Scorched Earth'???




December 9th-- We have breakfast at Maho Bay then it is off to work at the 'NEW' Gooseneck for the rest of the day......Have I mentioned Roy's phone(s) have been disconnected so it is very hard for us to get a hold of him.....
December 10th-- Today is laundry day and breakfast at Deli Grotto. Today both Roy and W.A.P.A. are no-shows.
The rain we've been receiving on-and-off has been officially given the name 'Olga' she is a sub-tropical 'hybrid' whatever the hell that is. She managed to send the aluminum ladder that was leaning up against the house flying !!
Olga tried her best to take our tent down and run us off Seagrape Hill...... but We persevered !!
Picture below: (left and middle) Some view from Maho. (right) Picture taken from Bo Atabey.




December 11th-- Graham, a good friend, visits Bo Atabey today. He tries to be kind and NOT look around at the awful (lack of) carpentry skills....but, is Graham ready to take on this disaster !!??
Our windows and doors, are our last stitch of pride, the only investment that hasn't been destroyed, will be arriving tomorrow. We need someone (that We know) qualified to do the installations....
December 12th-- Derick & Lester deliver the windows and doors.......
Bo Atabey is NOT my beautiful house. Bob and I are going through a terrible time. We can't wake up from or snap out of this nightmare....The only thing to do at this point is to finish as much as we can and sell her........




December 13th-- Today We head to Deli Grotto for breakfast....the power is out....but they are open !!
Joseph hooks the cistern pump up and plumbing. We spend some time at Gooseneck. The view from here is absolutely breathtaking...maybe We should pitch the tent here !!! Today there was 'grid-lock' near Gooseneck.. .....a big dump truck tried to vaporize itself between two cars.....
Tonight Inner Visions will be playing at Sputniks...maybe We will go or not....
Picture below: 'Gridlock' Island style ......




December 14th-- Today we met with Graham. Roy is a no-show at Bo Atabey, again....for someone that says he wants to make things right.....Roy is never to be found....
Sandwiches for dinner at Skinny's....I have to watch it here...the misquitoes L-O-V-E my blood !!!!
December 15th-- Today we'll spend more time at Gooseneck. We can see from here, the Voyages building if Bo Atabey gets company. Santa and Ms Clause will be at Aqua Bistro (the Cocoloba complex) today at 4:30 we'll check them out !!!!
Picture below: (left and middle) Santa in the Tropics. (right) Maybe Santa is telling Ms Clause he sees her smoking way too many cigarettes.



December 16th-- Today it's breakfast at Maho...then off to Gooseneck....while sitting on the rocking chair watching the wind blow...I meet Roland...he wants to share his Christmas concoction of Paradise rum, cinnamon sticks, seagrapes & raisins.....all that I can say is, that it looks VERY interesting, until the wind took the bottle and 'mashed' it on the ground.
December 17th-- We start our day at Deli Grotto, do laundry and have an apointment with Amy over at Islandia Real Estate...this really hurts... but it is something that has to be done.
Today Graham secures the anchor bolts to the bucks on the windows and door openings.....this should have been done long before the concrete walls were poured.... Tonight, We go back to Maho Bay and see Inner Visions one last time.....
December 18th--Graham continues to secure the bucks in all the openings. Last year Bob and I took three mesurements per opening and wrote the smallest for Plantation View, the windows are still too tight.....Graham will still have to plane and shave the windows to fit.....I thought I was going to die when I heard this.....My poor house......I hope that he will just be gentle.
We spend our last night on St John at the Beach Bar....I wonder to myself if I will ever return...The air between Bob and I, can be cut with a knife.....To make some sort of joke or to make light of our awful situation, I keep saying to Bob 'This is another fine (nice) mess you've gotten us (me) into'.........
Picture below: A Maho Bay Camp Cat stressed about living the island life !!!!




December 19th-- Today is our last day here....Bob takes down the tent.. We've been living out of the back of the jeep, for the past two weeks....Now, its off to Mongoose Junction for our last breakfast at Deli Grotto, can We PLEASE have two loaves of multi-grain bread and sandwiches to eat in Miami to go please!!!!!
Cyril E. airport is packed....what a zoo being in line....
go in this line.....stay out of that line..... follow these people...don't follow those people....don't take your shoes off here...take your shoes off here....don't put your shoes in the tray.... don't stand up your pocketbook..... lay down your pocketbook.....
HOLY cow !!!!!
I spy Sambvca Romano (our winter drink) at the Miami airport..... what a steal @ $18.00 per bottle !!!!! Here in Connecticut Sambvca Romano cost $30.00 each plus 7% sales tax!!!! Hey, Bob lets get two bottles.....Not so fast....the Lady behind the counter, kindly tells us 'too freakin' bad' it's only duty FREE if you are taking it out of the country.....you're not going out of the country.....put it back!!!!



December 28th-- Last Friday and this Monday Tropical Shipping refused to answer the phone....maybe they were closed because of the Holiday or have caller I.D. and didn't want to talk to Bob.....whatever the case,today the rest of the windows were finally delivered.....
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When you see the next group of pictures....maybe then you can appreciate why the ONLY place to set up our tent was inside the house.



We confirmed with the company that the finish is in fact Kynar 500 (better quality finish)....and that the metal is 24 guage (heavier guage)......so why, you ask does it look the way it does?
This is my beautiful red metal roof up close and personal....




December 31st-- After Ryan's birthday, the first of the year, our intention was to return to St John to stain windows and doors and paint walls......but another curve has been thrown my way...I noticed that the largest of my girls 'Fluffy' some how didn't look very large and fluffy anymore... she has lost a third of her body weight....her blood tests confirm, sure enough she is diabetic....so what does this mean??? I give her insulin twice a day and she will have what is called an 'insulin curve' done this Thursday..........





January 3rd-- I've stressed about Fluffy's situation now for a week. Boarding her at the Vet isn't an option anymore, the staff won't be there weekends (my Fluffy needs insulin every twelve hours) a two month stay would be WAY too long $$$$$$$. I can't take her with us, because her insulin needs to be refrigerated, as of yet Bo Atabey has no electricity, thanks to W.A.P.A.......my only choice then is to stay behind and hang with son Ryan....He can teach me the fine art of playing 'World of Warcraft' game......
Tomorrow, Bob can leave for St John without me......
He can paint, stain and run the store himself.
For some reason Ryan didn't care for the idea of hanging out with Mom.....so here I am, the blind was leading the blind 'Administering Insulin 101'........ He gives Fluffy her insulin like a trooper..... as long as she has food....plus, at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (insulin time) here in New England the lighting is pretty bad.... if anything Ryan can read/see the syringe much better than I......



'B' is for Bob


Bo Atabey
Fourteen




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