HERE COMES THE SUN!

I knew the sun was still there!  We in Juneau have not seen the sunshine for weeks.  Instead, we have been seeing a lot of the "liquid sunshine" as Juneau residents like to say.  It is time to mow the lawn and work in the flowerbeds - the question is will the sun stay out long enough to dry things out a bit?  What you can't see from this picture are the dark clouds from the south - blowing our direction!  We need three hours of sunshine to do our yard chores.  The race is on...

Well - it is 1:17 - the sunshine is gone, clouds are here - but so far the rain is holding off.  The yardwork is almost done :)  Thanks for sending "dry weather" thoughts our way!

The Weekend Project...

Packing for a cruise is a daunting task in this day and age of airline baggage charges and fees.  I've been searching the internet for packing lists, and my goodness to pack everything on the lists I have found you truly would need a trunk.  You know, like the old steamer trunks they used when going on the Titanic...  HUGE!

So, I've refined my search for a good way to pack everything I need in ONE BAG that can be carried on the airplane.  I found a website that talks about the PackingLight Packing Method.  They claim you can get an incredible amount of clothing into a 22inch main bag.  A second tote or pack will hold the necessities other than garments (such as toiletries, reading material and assorted odds and ends).  Hmm - looks interesting!  The website does say that cruises make traveling light difficult because of the need for formal attire.  Well, with our little four night cruise, we only need one night worth of formal clothing.  So, this weekend we will test the PACKING LIGHT PACKING METHOD.

This method is based on the "bundle" method.  The bundle method will utilize every inch of your suitcase, and leave your clothing wrinkle free!  Does it sound too good to be true?  Here are the basic rules for the bundle method:

1.  Zipper and button every garment so they hold their shape.

2.  Lay the pants out along the length of the suitcase.  Lay shorts on top.

3.  Lay skirts, dresses & tops out along the width of the bag.

4.  Alternate the direction of the pants and tops as you place each garment in the bag.

There is a step by step guide with written directions and diagrams to follow.  So, if you are going on a trip - you might give this a try.  Here is the website for complete information.  PackingLight Packing Method    Wish me luck!

"ENJOY THE PACKING... IT MEANS YOUR TRIP IS A REALITY!"

Dolphins and People...

During our upcoming trip, one of the excursions we have signed up for is to swim with the dolphins at the Atlantis Resort in Nassau.  I was lucky enough to do this one other time, while in Hawaii at a conference.  Another principal and I decided to splurge on this fabulous experience.  It was so much fun that when our time was up - we didn't want to leave the dolphin pool!  So, Larry and I are going to experience these marvelous creatures again - this time in the Bahamas.

I read an article about dolphins recently.  They are truly amazing creatures!  Do you know how dolphins help people:

*DOLPHIN CALLS ARE GOOD FOR HUMAN FETUSES... according to scientists in Peru, dolphin's ultrasonic emissions benefit unborn children by stimulating brain activity while the fetus is developing.  Dolphins have been trained to swim close to pregnant women and emit their calls.  In Spanish speaking countries, this practice is known as dolphin therapy (delfinoteprepia).

*SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS APPEARS TO BE AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION.  According to research from the U.K., people with mild to moderate depression after encounters with dolphins had lower cortisol levels and higher endorphin levels after their encounters.  This suggests that patients with mild or moderate depression, using drugs or conventional psychotherapy may not be necessary when treatment with animals are used.

*DOLPHINS HAVE BEEN HELPING PEOPLE WITH AUTISM, SPINAL CORD INJURY, RETT SYNDROME, POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, CEREBRAL PALSY, ADHD & MANY OTHER DISABILITIES.  According to the Dolphin Therapy page prepared at Texas Woman's University, dolphin assisted therapy actually dates back to the 1950's and the work of Dr. Lilly who studied the effects of dolphins on individual with disabilities.  Researchers now attribute the diminishing of anxiety and depression, enhanced learning in handicapped children and pain relief to dolphin echolocation.  One program in Miami, Dolphin Human Therapy, has served children from 39 states and 54 countries.  They provide a full-time, individualized dolphin-assisted rehabilitation program for special needs children and adults from all over the country.  This company uses dolphins to motivate disabled kids to work on a variety of skills.  For every task a child masters, he/she gets to pet, stroke or swim with one of five dolphins and a therapist in an enclosed lagoon.  Their research shows that 50% of the children maintain or improve their skills after being in the program, although it is important to return yearly for follow-up.  They see three factors as important to the program's success:  the skill and experience of the staff who are teaching the children with special needs; the parents' motivation and dedication to follow-up; and the dolphins - who are the key motivators!

Dolphins are amazing creatures - and I can't wait to experience their magic again!  I am so excited...

Do we feel lucky??

When you travel to the Caribbean in the summer, you always have to think about hurricane season.  Well, normally our luck isn't always the best... since Larry was lucky enough to win this Bahama Cruise, a thought popped into my head.  Wouldn't it be ironic if once we got to Florida for the cruise a hurricane were to hit and forced us to cancel our vacation?  A friend of mine went to Miami on her honeymoon, and they experienced a hurricane - so I know it can happen!

This led me to look into hurricanes in the Bahamas.  I found that in 137 years, the Bahamas have been touched by either a hurricane or a tropical storm 46 times.  The last time they experienced this weather was in 2007, with a tropical storm.  They are affected on an average of every 2.98 years.  They have direct hurricane hits once every 11.42 years.  The last direct hit was in 2001, so our trip should be safe!

Think good weather thoughts during our Bahama trip in the middle of hurricane season!  I'm hoping for warmth, and sunshine - not gale force winds, flooding, and pouring rain...

MAMMA MIA!!!

This delightful whimsical movie is based on the 17th longest running production in Broadway history - Mamma Mia!  On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the Greek island paradise that they visited 20 years ago.  New York businessman Sam (Pierce Brosnan), London banker Harry (Colin Firth) and globetrotting adventurer Bill (Stellan Skarsgard) appear on this beautiful small island, and the fun begins.  The music of ABBA - Dancing Queen, I Have a Dream, Take a Chance on Me, are woven into this hilarious tale.

I saw this very FUN movie on Sunday.  If you want to go out and laugh, laugh, laugh - this is the movie for you  Definitely, a perfect GIRLS DAY OUT kind of movie...  So, if you are in the mood for escapism and fun, go see MAMMA MIA!  I guarantee you will leave the theatre smiling.

Coco Cay - a private island for the day...

In the middle of the Bahamas' bright blue water lies the secluded island of CocoCay.  With its white-sand beaches and beautiful surroundings, CocoCay is full of adventure and outdoor fun.  This is reserved exclusively for Royal Caribbean guests, this paradise has aquatic facilities, nature trails, and many comfie nooks and crannies to sit back and relax with a refreshing tropical drink.

There are many optional activities for the day, however we have chosen a relaxing one which I like to call "floating".  So, I'll be taking an easy read novel, and getting on my mat.  CocoCay sounds wonderful - a place where my biggest worry will be keeping my novel dry!

If you want more activity than our calming floating day, there are kayaks, snorkeling, diving, parasailing, jet skiing, and the largest aqua park in the Caribbean called Caylana's Castle Cove!  This will be a true beach day to be sure.  

Don't forget the sunscreen...

Will Key West have the key to solve our "not enough time" problem?

Key West is another city we will visit on this cruise.  It sounds as if there are many activities that would be wonderful to experience.  However, since we are on a ship - we stay only one day.  As, our short stay will force us to leave some of the "must do's" from our list.

I have learned a bit about Key West, trying to be ready for our one day in this wonderful city.  Key West is actually closer to Cuba (98 miles away) than it is Miami (129 miles away), which was surprising to learn.  Before the Overseas Highway was built to Key West (1938), it was actually an Overseas Railway.  The Overseas Railway (built in 1912) was destroyed during the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935.

Numerous artists and writers have passed through Key West, but the two most associated with the island are Ernest Hemmingway and Tennessee Williams.  The Hemmingway House is a popular tourist destination, complete with tours.  The six or seven toed polydactyl cats, that still live on the property today, descended from Hemmingway's original pet, "Snowball".

Tennessee Williams became a regular visitor to Key West in 1941, and is said to have written the first draft of A Streetcar Named Desire while staying on the island in 1947 at the La Concha Hotel.  Williams bought a home in Key West in 1949, and listed Key West as his primary residence until his death in the 1980's.  Unlike Hemmingway's home, Williams home is a modest bungalow.

After careful research, here is what I have on our "to do" list...  How can we fit it all in?  We have signed up for a half day snorkel trip already - then we need to fit all this in to the morning, before 12:45?  Oh my... I'm tired already!

Conch Train Tour

Hemmingway House/Museum

Butterfly House Tour

Visit the Southern most point in the US (buoy)

Fort Taylor

Mel Fisher Museum

Mallory Square Show at sunset

Blond Giraffe - have frozen key lime pie on a stick dipped in chocolate

Duval Street Bar Crawl - Sloppy Joes; Hogs Breath Inn; Ricks; Irish Kevins; Margaritaville

Fast Buck Freddy's - explore all of the rooms

Best Key Lime Pie Quest - taste them from Heaven; Kermit's; Key West Keylime Pie Factory (Kermits seems to be most popular)

Restaurants Recommended:

Kelly's (Yes, Kelly McGillis from Top Gun)

Santiagos Bodega (tapas)

El Siboney (Cuban)

Key West fans - please let me know what I am missing from my list!  So much to do... too little time...  If you have been to Key West, please post a comment about your favorite activities to help us prioritize our list...  Wish us luck!

Bahamas... here we come!

So, if I am going to the Bahamas, I guess it is time I learn something about it!  The main tourism website for the area brags that they have the "clearest water in the world", so I am anxious to test their claim (with my limited knowledge of the world's waters...).  Could it be clearer than the water in the British Virgin Islands or the Tobago Cays?  I am anxious to check this claim out for myself!

After learning a bit about the Bahamas, here is a fun little quiz to test your knowledge!  Do the quiz first, then scroll down to the next post to check your answers and "grade" your test.  (Sounds like a teacher doesn't it?)  Good luck!

1.  The Bahamas are made up of 500 islands.  True or False

2.  The Bahamas have the fifth longest barrier reef.  True or False

3.  75% of the world's coral is found in the Bahamas.  True or False

4.  The Bahamas were "THE" place to go during prohibition.  True or False

5.  Pirates frequented the Bahamas in the early 1700's.  True or False

6.  The Bahamas are under French rule.  True or False

7.  If you are an American, you must have a passport to visit the Bahamas.  True or False

8.  May through October constitutes the rainy season in the Bahamas.  True or False

9.  The legal tender is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar.  True or False

10.  U.S. dollars are accepted throughout the islands.  True or False.

So, take your test, and scroll down to grade it.  Have fun!  I know I would not have done well before learning about the Bahamas.  Good luck...

Oh, do you want to do some peaking before you answer the questions?  Click on the word BAHAMAS to find some information...

Answers to the BAHAMA QUIZ... No peaking!!

I hope you had fun trying the quiz for today.  I made this quiz up from the information that I learned about the Bahamas getting ready for our upcoming trip.  Wow - I did not know much at all about this area of our world.   And, I just started researching the area!  Our ship is only in the Bahamas for a couple days - it sounds like you could spend a LONG TIME checking out that area - so much to do, so much to see!

Well, here are the answers to the quiz...  How did you do?

1.  F; it is made up of 700 islands

2.  F;  it has the 3rd longest barrier reef

3.  F;  14.5% of the world's coral is found here

4.  T; it was quite the party spot during prohibition

5.  T;  many famous pirates enjoyed hiding here just waiting for heavy, loaded ships to pass by in the shipping lane

6.  F;  Bahamas are part of the British Commonwealth and gained their independence in 1973

7.  T; Americans must have a passport to visit

8.  T;  The Bahamas average about 7.5 inches of rain a month during the rainy season.

9.  F;  The Bahamian Dollar is the legal tender in the Bahamas.

10.  T;  U.S. dollars are accepted throughout the islands.

I LIVE FOR VACATION...

I found some cute luggage tags at one of our local stores.  One is the title of this post, "I LIVE FOR VACATION"; the other is "GET ME TO THE BEACH!"  Of course, I had to buy them for our upcoming trip to the Bahamas.  How appropriate...

This trip is one that "Lucky" Larry won last year with a Seattle's Best Coffee contest.  His prize included $1500 of Columbia clothing, round trip air to Miami, and this four night cruise on Royal Caribbean Cruiseline to the Bahamas.  He is truly lucky!  The best thing I've ever won was a garden hose - not very exciting to be sure.

So, we leave in a couple weeks for our "free" trip - the last hurrah before I go back to work.  We will visit Miami - starting the trip by staying in South Beach for a night.  Once on the ship, we visit Nassau, Coco Cay (little private Royal Caribbean island), and Key West.  Having never been to Florida before, I know this will be a fun trip!  It will end with two nights in an area called Sunny Isle before we return to Juneau.  Can't wait...  the trip countdown has begun!  Here we go again, looking for SOMEWHERE IN THE SUN!  (It is pouring rain in Juneau today...)  15 days and counting until sunshine and warmth...

Yummy and healthy dinner!

Last night we tried a new recipe off of Kalyn's Kitchen website (see link below).  I didn't have quite all of the ingredients, so modified it a bit.  It was delicious!  So, for all of you who are wanting to eat healthy, or my fellow South Beach dieters, I recommend this recipe to try!  It is now one of our favorites and we WILL be making it again.

Grilled Lime and Chipotle Pork Chops

(makes 8 servings)

Recipe adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

8 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick  (can pound to make them the correct thickness)

Marinade:

1/2 cup mayo (I used light)

1/4 cup lime juice

1 Tbsp dried cilantro

1 Tbsp minced garlic (I used the pre-chopped garlic)

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp ground Chipotle pepper (I used crushed red pepper)

1 tsp. ground cumin (I forgot to add this!)

Trim fat from pork chops.  Arrange pork chops in a large ziploc bag.  Pour in marinade.  Marinate 6 hours or longer.  To cook, spray grill with olive oil spray, preheat to medium high.  Grill pork chops about 8 minutes per side.  Use your instant read thermometer to make sure it is done (but don't let it overcook or they will dry out).  Very tasty!  Serve with salad and veggie.   A nice healthy dinner...  enjoy!

A Sad First...

Yesterday was a sad first for me.  My gas guzzling SUV was telling me it needed a drink, so I went to the gas station as I have done many times in m life.  This was the first time that I have filled my tank since our return from Grenada.  Oh my goodness - the pump shut off at $100 and the tank was "ALMOST" full.  So, paying $100 to almost fill my tank is a first (and unfortunately, won't be the last).

Hopefully these cartoons will make you laugh (instead of cry) next time you visit the pump!

Good luck everyone!  I'm not looking forward to winter when we have to use heating oil to heat our home...

Flowers... "Where flowers bloom, so does hope." Lady Bird Johnson

One of the things I love when vacationing in the Caribbean is the beauty of the flowers.  Their color is so vivid;  they are always bright and cheery.  Who wouldn't be bright and cheery living in paradise!

Juneau is another place of beauty which also has gorgeous flowers that grow wild and are fabulous.  Their season may be very short, but the beauty of Juneau is quite amazing.  Everywhere you look is like a picture postcard with awesome and wonderful sights.

So, here is a photo comparison of flowers... same beauty, different locations!  Temperate rainforest to tropical rainforest...  Which flower belongs to which location?  Can you tell??  

Nutmeg Anyone??

On our Grenada trip, we visited a spice estate and a nutmeg station for the first time.  I have never seen so much nutmeg!  Bags and bags and bags of nutmeg... as you can see from the picture.  It made me wonder about nutmeg - as the only place I've ever seen it growing is in Grenada.

I've learned that nutmeg is primarily grown in Indonesia, as well as some locations in the Caribbean (especially Grenada).  We all know about using nutmeg in cooking, but it is also used for its essential oils, which are placed in a variety of products (Ie: tooth paste and cough syrup).  The nutmeg trade was dominated by the Dutch back in the 17th century.  When the English took temporary control of the Dutch Banda Islands, the Dutch transplanted nutmeg trees to their own holdings elsewhere - notably Zanzibar and Grenada.  So, that is the Reader's Digest version of how Grenada ended up with so much nutmeg!

Go buy some whole nutmeg from the store, and give this delicious dessert a try during the hot months of summer!  I guarantee you will love it...

NUTMEG ICE CREAM - a delicious dessert I experienced in Grenada

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. freshly grated nutmeg - about 1 whole nutmeg

1/8 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

In pan, bring milk and cream just to a boil.  Whisk together eggs, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.  Whisk 1/2 cup of the milk mixture into the egg mixture.  Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until 175 on a candy thermometer.  Transfer the custard to a metal bowl and set it in a larger bowl of ice and cold water.  Stir until the custard has completely cooled.  Freeze the custard in your ice cream machine according to directions.  Enjoy!

Thinking of Chocolate!

Since I posted my favorite healthy brownie recipe today (see at bottom of page - try it, you'll like it), I thought I would post one of my pictures of cocoa on the tree in Grenada!  If I did not know this was chocolate, I would never be able to guess.  Would you? 

Grenada has the most amazing chocolate company - Grenada Chocolate Factory.  They have won awards for their wonderful dark chocolate (from bean to chocolate bar).  You can actually watch a short 8 minute video on You Tube about this tiny company in Grenada that makes THE most delicious chocolate.  It is called Radical Chocolate by Eti Peleg.  So, sit back, grab some dark chocolate to nibble and see how your chocolate bar came to be!