Endless Summer

Good grief do I hate coming back here after time on Saba. I suspect Eliza is as equally dismayed as I am.







We first visited French St. Martin for a few days with my college friend and former apartment-mate, Marilyn ... or Auntie Mal as she is known. We stayed at a really nice resort in Anse Marcel with a beach that had few waves which was perfect for Eliza. Although on our first day out she decided not to venture near the water Our cabana and the foot bath from the outdoor shower seemed fine by Eliza.











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Day two we took the Eddie Richter approach and took her somewhat unwillingly into the ocean. Ten minutes into and she did not want to leave the water. Can't say I blame her since it was spectacular.









Eliza also enjoyed bagels at breakfast and aside from collecting every one of the sugar packets was remarkably content to sit at the restaurant with us while we ate.







Mal had yet another harrowing plane ride to Saba (she is 0 for 2 on landings) and the pilot finally got the plane down on the second try heading the opposite way down the oh-too-short-runway.



Mal and I took Eliza to the EcoLodge in the rain forest for lunch. We had Heinekins, Eliza had Ting. We walked down about 1000 feet or so on the hand-hewn steps and Eliza hiked it like a champ (although perhaps with a little too much enthusiasm which led to a small tumble from which she quickly pronounced "I'm OK!").











Eliza got to swim in the Cove Bay with her cousins Kaitlyn and Tyler, courtesy of Auntie Joleen.







Always a big hit are Nana Wilda's cats Princess and Smutty.







We got to visit with some good family























And of course, we visited Daddy's grave in our burying ground.

How Ironic

So on the heels of far, far, far too much unnecessary family and work drama, I was so very much looking forward to a relaxing vacation on French St. Martin and then Saba with the biggest concern being whether to grill grouper or lobster. But no ...



Yes! Tropical Storm Ana is joining me on vacation!

And when Ana leaves we have Tropical Storm Bill:

Old? Infirmed?

I think not.







The next time my almost 87 year old mother tells you she is "falling apart" or "can barely get out of the chair" she is full of crap. Crap. The woman repeatedly ran up and down her hallway with 28 pounds of screaming Eliza on her back. My mother can kick your butt.

Long Time No Blog

I have just looked at the calendar and realized it has been almost two weeks since my last post! No really good excuse here. Well, there are excuses that I think are good, but a few people would likely disagree with me.

The past few weeks have been busy, trying to get things ready for vacation and then for Eliza to start preschool. I think I am in denial that Eliza is going to start preschool in a few weeks. Although I did go ahead and get very cute labels for everything Eliza owns, it still seems preschool is light years away. I am also pretty sure Eliza has no clue that her life is about to change in a big way.

One of the difficult things about having your child enrolled in Early Intervention services is that all of these people who come into your child's life, who she sees multiple times a week, will simply disappear. No real good byes, no going away party, just the last therapy session. While the therapists probably fill the time slot with a new child before the last session is even over, Eliza will be left wondering where everyone went. For a child like Eliza, who was not really able to socialize with other children because of the fear of illness, these therapists are her friends, they are the people with whom she plays. And they will just be gone on August 13. I am hoping that since we are going on vacation right after Eliza's last day of therapy and then start school within a week of coming home, that the transition won't be too difficult for Eliza.

Apologies to the facebook friends who have already seen these photos, but here are some of the photos I recently has taken of Eliza.