WEEK 1

What a beautiful first week of the rest of our lives on Roatán. 

We have been honored to make new friends and to begin learning new ways.

My day starts around 4:00 AM.

Sunrise has been just minutes before 5:30-

Mike and I take the dogs out on the beach for daybreak. Daily they are learning how to interact with the island dogs and we find we can have them off-leash more frequently.

Peace to you and yours. 

One Hundred Thirty Steps

Eighty steps to the sand from our front door.

Fifty steps from the sand to the sea.

Enjoy the tour, courtesy of your guide, Mike!

CLICK HERE

(THIS IS A YOUTUBE LINK- TESTED AND SAFE!)

The Garden Loft
Camp Bay Lodge

AM I IN TROUBLE?

I'm having the hardest time getting started. Picking up where I left off. Running full steam ahead to show you everything about this totally awesome place!

I finally decided that the only way to jump back in is to simply start. So here I am. It is nearly 2:30 CST on Saturday afternoon. I have never written a blog at that time of day. I hope no one got mad and left the room while my brain and body were trying to catch up to each other here.

This morning's sunrise:

This is Day 3 that we awoke to that, right outside our door. Seriously, open the door and take about 100 steps to the sand. This loft was a really good choice for the first six months. 

Gradually new habits and routines will develop. Not having to be anywhere at any time is odd. But early morning is pretty easy. Right now sunrise is at about 5:30. I'm out the door, barefoot and with camera in hand. I found a place down the beach to do some stretches using a large piece of driftwood. Well, it is a petrified tree, I think. Whatever, it works and I feel connected and liberated all at the same time.

For those who don't know (and I'm not writing about this for pity, so please don't), my mom moved on to her new Residence the same day I did. I'm told she died peacefully at home. Her husband was with her. They were married 42 years so I can only imagine all the empty spaces he also has to find a way to cope with.

Our travel and arrival on Roatan were nearly perfect. All of the things I worried about did not come to pass (isn't that always the way?). The aircraft crew was accommodating and attentive to Rocco, Leo, and Gizmo. Leo especially had a blast helping pilot the plane.

Our loft is small but kind of cute. I'll get some shots of it for you another time but the good news is that we all fit. 

We have sifted through the first shipment of belongings and determined the must-haves as well as the what-the-heck-did-we-think-we-needed-THAT-fors. I'm glad we've watched so many episodes of Tiny House. Creating storage is imperative when 3 pets and 2 humans live in 400 square feet.

Yesterday we loaded the dogs into the truck (which, by the way, was 100% the right choice. The truck purchase, I mean.) and drove into "town." Easily a 60-minute drive on roads I can't describe. But there were so many experiences along the way it felt a bit like watching a movie. We won't go to town often but I'll bet every trip is filled with fun and weird things. So it takes us an entire day to go to the mobile phone store (Claro), the furniture store (Lady Lee), the Storage Locker place (Lucky #49 is ours), ACE Hardware (YES!), and one more quick trip to Eldon's (grocery store). Since we had the dogs with us, one of us stayed in the car while the other braved language and currency differences. It was a great trip. Mike is still recovering. His siesta today has been long. Well-deserved.

Aside from today, we've eaten every meal at Camp Bay Lodge's restaurant. Ms. Rachel's cooking cannot be competed with. We've loved every single thing she cooked. I can't cook like that!

This morning one of my friends asked me when I thought it would stop feeling like a vacation. My immediate response was, "when I have to start cooking again." Don't get me wrong, I love to cook, but not on vacation.

So I made breakfast this morning. I love cooking on a gas stove again. We had bacon, eggs, and toast. Um, yeah.

The vegetable guy comes on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Today's haul included a few Roma tomatoes, broccoli, a mango, a pineapple, ginger, two limes, bananas, and dry red beans. We found the English words for each of the items and converted lempiras to dollars. We paid $8.36 for all of this fresh, locally grown produce! We are using the bill as a Spanish lesson for the week. Here, take a look:

Tomatoes, broccoli, onions, garlic, a little EVO, and burrata cheese over some bowtie pasta made our dinner tonight.

We walked the dogs after dinner. That is an adjustment for them and for us. Until we have a place of our own they will have to be on leashes. There is no more doggie door leading to a fenced-in backyard.

Back into swimsuits and into the Sea for a quick cool-down. I had a slice of homemade key lime pie with a cup of black coffee at the cantina, and Mike had coconut pie.

We met a young guy from North Carolina while we were out on the pier. We must have stood out there talking for more than a half-hour. Afterward, I asked Mike why I have to talk so much. It's like I get wound up and refuse to wind down.

And here we are. It is now 8:03 PM and I am ready for bed. I'm hoping to sleep in the morning until at least 4:00. That will mean I've made the conversion to Central Time.

I've lots more to tell you but it will wait. Manana.

Goodbyes

In 24 hours we will land on the beautiful island of Roatán, Honduras to begin a new chapter.

We are scheduled to depart the Boca Raton Airport at 10:00 AM and land at 10:14 AM on Wednesday, April 14, 2021. That's real, not a typo.

So many Goodbyes, but first:

The COVID-19 tests yesterday were fun. An unbelievable amount of tension ran off our shoulders when we were presented with the negative results that will allow our entry to Honduras.

 

Carvana came for the Suburu this morning. Even that occasion held a bit of nostalgia as we said goodbye to that ole red car we depended on for the last nine years.

Mabel and her mom cleaned our home-that-is-no-longer-our-home for the last time this morning. She cried when we said goodbye. If anyone in Boynton/Delray Beach areas is looking for the best housecleaners, private message me.

This afternoon Aunt Jane came for the last visit here to our home-that-is-no-longer-our-home. Lunch was at Agliolio. Jane has always been - and continues to be - our rock. 

Saturday we shared a last meal with the kids and grandbabies. It was so good to be together with them, but very difficult for me to hold my emotions in check. 

Saying goodbye to our family is by far the hardest part of all this. 

I've deeply missed my middle son and his wife since they moved to Colorado. And even though my oldest and youngest sons and their families are here, we don't see each other often, so I didn't think this would be as painful as it has become. My family is also going through a sad time on another level as my mom prepares to leave this earth. 

Roatan is only a 2 1/2 hour flight from Miami. I remind myself that we are not lightyears away from each other. Just as I remind myself my boys all have their own families now and it really is not that big of a deal that I move. The internet is a wonderful thing for keeping us all connected.

So there were many goodbyes to honor today.

Mike wrote a note to our neighborhood on Nextdoor, thanking them for their friendships. We've had some kind responses and well wishes.

So many of our neighbors have been shocked when we tell them our retirement plans and it has been good to chat with them up and down the street.

I'm tired now. For those who know, the fact that I am still awake at 9:00 in the evening is remarkable! I am so curious to see how we all adjust to Central Time (no daylight savings time, for which I am thankful!).

By the time you read this, we will already be on our way or just landing in Roatan. I think the next post will be about Hello's . . . . .

 

 

YESTERDAY'S ADVENTURE, PART 2

Fingers crossed the end of Part 2 

will end as happily as Part 1 did.

Near the end of February, we contracted with a Pet Jet Flight Planning Services company, which would be responsible for flying Mike and me, our two dogs and a cat, one way to Roatan, Honduras. Expensive? Yes. $11,200.00 

The commercial airlines would probably accommodate Leo and Gizmo as carry-on (if you know cats, you understand my trepidation of flying for 3 hours with a cat who screams nonstop during car rides). But Rocco would have to be transported with the cargo. 

1. I don't think I could humanely do that;

2. The airlines have suspended that opportunity due to Covid restrictions. 

To get all of us to Roatan together and safely, we have had no choice but to charter a private flight. We felt very secure with Pet Jet Flight Planning and became friendly with the Ex-Pat pilot's wife through Facebook.

Yesterday was T-5 days to departure. 

At 5:07 PM, I received a Messenger audio call from Patsy with the bad news that her pilot husband has a medical condition that has rendered him grounded. Give that a minute to settle in.

You know that feeling when the bottom falls out? Yep.

Wednesday, we have to be out of this house as the new owner moves in. Where would we go with two dogs- one large and one small, and the cat who hates travel? 

Fortunately, one of the lessons we learn from life experiences that makes me sometimes really enjoy being over 60 is that things generally work out. 

One of my young sons, who has a sage soul, said this to me several months ago. It struck such a deep chord that I carry it close to my heart:

"Ehhh, things just fall into place as they should with that stuff, Mom. Just be sure you let it."

Patsy has contacted several other services she knows of and is keeping us apprised of their availability. And pricing. Which is astronomical now with such short notice. You'll have to private message me for the cost. I'm afraid my computer screen will shatter if I mention it here.

According to my brother, there is always a Silver Lining (we refer to it as the SL). Sometimes you have to look pretty deeply for it. In this case, the SL might very well be obvious:

Maybe.

Sadly, that opportunity also fell through. The company was not willing to transport a Doberman. Back to the drawing board.

It is just coming up on 11:00 AM, Saturday, April 10. We are supposed to arrive in Roatan in exactly 96 hours and have yet to learn how that is going to happen. 

"Ehhh, things just fall into place as they should with that stuff. Just be sure you let it."

4:30 PM- Contract signed with a new company.

The Hawker 800 will get us to Roatan, Honduras on April 14, 2021.

Relief.

Off to dinner now, with our kids and grandbabies, 

to say goodbye.

YESTERDAY'S ADVENTURE, PART 1

All these last-minute tasks! We had two accounts at the credit union. One we wanted to close and the other we needed some information. Such a seemingly mundane item to check off our list. Just goes to show you to always expect the unexpected!

We had a 9AM appt with a banker. Got there, checked in, and sat to wait. The seating happened to be right beside an office with a lady who was animatedly talking on the phone. Mike and I chit-chatted about how piled up her desk was with paperwork, and wondered if we were waiting to see her. Checked our phones. Looked around. Couple of loud sighs.

Pretty soon a worker came to us from the back offices and apologized for our wait, saying that our banker had to go to a doctor's appointment and that someone else would be with us shortly.

Waited some more and finally the lady in the office right beside us called us in. The whole masking thing makes me crazy because I can't hear well enough behind the plexiglass and masks, or read lips or facial expressions, and they can't see mine. Preaching to the choir, I know. Anyway, she was all business and said she needed some information because she was taking over for the banker with who we had scheduled the appointment. 

When we started to explain our situation, her eyes got huge as saucers as we told her we are moving to Honduras . . .and she said, "that's MY country, I'M from Honduras!" 

Then we said, "well, we're going to Roatan." And she nearly fell off her chair: "I'M FROM ROATAN!"

We went on with the discussion learning her family names, etc. Her father was born and raised in St. Helene. Her mother, in Roatan. And our banker, Alfa, was raised on Roatan.

I asked if there was anything we could take over for her, and she put her hand over her heart. Be still, mine. The love and longing she has for this beautiful country we are about to call home!

So think of this and know that the Universe is so much more than we know or can conceive: 

A lady who we did not have an appointment with got stuck with us in her already busy Friday morning. And she was calling us Family by the time we went our separate ways. 

When is it fitting to trust someone?

 

Our experience seems to be that the older we get, 

the less we trust people.

If a year ago you told me that we would buy an old truck in Central America, sight unseen, I would have laughed. I mean, how silly would that be?

Call us crazy because we did just that. 

We have a friend on the island named Shorwen.  On our first trip to Roatan, we rented an SUV from him and were on the receiving end of lots of friendly advice. We learned early that he is a wealth of island knowledge and that his suggestions were right on.

 

You may remember Shorwen from our January trip to Roatan when we suddenly found ourselves without a place to stay in an impending rainstorm.

When we were stranded, we discovered new meanings of the words isolated and vulnerable. As we struggled to figure out what to do,  Shorwen was the only person we could think of to call.

Shorwen rescued us and immediately found us help. It continues to be reassuring when we are well-received by people he connects us with. His reputation is solid.

Now we'd like to think we have become special friends with Shorwen, but I'll bet this extraordinary gentleman treats everyone as kindly as he does us.  He calls Mike 'sir' and me, "ma," and that warms my heart. Both are names of great respect. Any time we have questions about Roatan living, whether it be about property, local tradition, or even yes, a vehicle, Shorwen has been our go-to man.

While Shorwen's business is Anderson Car Wash and Car Rental, he is a jack of many trades like most of the islanders. We keep being amazed at his connections and ability to take something we consider a problem and render it solved.

So when we decided to buy a truck, who did we call?

There are lots of vehicles for rent on Roatan, but not many to buy. Purchasing a truck is best done in Honduras. Shorwen was making a trip to San Pedro Sula and agreed to keep an open eye for us. Thank goodness, because that is not a trip I would ever want to make.

Long story short, Shorwen purchased exactly what we had in mind. She's a 2011 F150 SuperCrew FX4 with 

• 4-Door, 5.5' bed 

• 4-wheel drive

• 5.0L V8

• 6-speed automatic

• Shows 92,000 miles; however, the last known US title (Texas) shows 112,000 miles in 2017. 

• She gets 19-21 mpg  

• With a 36-gallon fuel tank, and the last known gas price of $4.50 per gallon = $162 to fill it or 3,910L.

She is completely bought and paid for, and we will meet her for the first time around 11:00 on the morning of April 14. 

Thanks to  Shorwen for helping us out once again and for teaching us some new lessons in trust.

Now she just needs a name. Any ideas?

 I have a concern. I shared it in a Facebook Roatan Group this afternoon. I hope to get some perspective and good advice.

"In less than two weeks we will (finally) be permanently moved to Roatan, along with our two dogs and a cat. The cat will be fine; the eight-year-old Min-Pin will probably have a short learning curve, but my main concern is about our nearly 4-year old Doberman. Citified big dog moves to the Island! Out on the street he is used to being on a leash and all the other dogs being leashed also (here). 

Rocco has been with us since he was 8 weeks old and is fairly well-trained. He is absolutely the protector of our home and his family. He gets along well with people once he is sure of our acceptance. My concern is mostly about how he will adjust and get along with all the other dogs.

I'd love to hear your experiences and advice!"

Island dogs run loose on Roatan. Just like any time you have a population of dogs in one area, there are nice guys . . . and the not-so-nice guys.
People in Roatan use one of three things for protection:

• A weapon

• A security guard (property caretaker)

• Dog(s)

With Mike's law enforcement career, he is very well versed in what needs to happen to keep us all safe. It will be a laborious process to gain Honduras permission to carry a gun. Since we do not yet own property, we will not have a security guard. We do have Rocco, though. 

In January we were at a friend's home. Their protection was two very large dogs. I'll admit to feeling uncomfortable around one of them. I didn't like the look in his eyes and I hated myself for having momentary flashes of fear when I was around him.

One day our friends were lounging in their hammocks. Mike and I were the only ones on their property. Quite suddenly the large pit bull (appropriately named Rhino) turned on the other dog. If you've ever seen a bloody dogfight, you can picture what I saw. I was pretty shaken up and the only thing I can really remember was our friend trying to pull Rhino off the other dog. He repeatedly punched the dog in the face to get him to stop the attack. In the end, both dogs and our friend had lots and lots of bites. Everywhere.

If you know our Rocco, you know he's not made for that stuff. I'm not sure if he would antagonize another dog and I am quite positive he'd never be able to defend himself against an attacker like Rhino.

Island dogs run loose. They are everywhere.

With Mike's law enforcement career, he is very well versed in what needs to happen to keep us all safe. It will be a laborious process to gain Honduras permission to carry a gun. Since we do not yet own property, we will not have a security guard, but of course, we do have dogs. Companion dogs.

Leo is almost eight years old. He is probably considered an "ankle biter" though he has never bitten anyone. He has quite the bark but would never scare anyone off.

Rocco will be four on July 1. He is certainly the protector of our home here. He takes his cue from us but there have been times he reacts to a person that neither Mike nor I have a problem with.

Jake, the (buyer's) Realtor. The first time Rocco met Jake there was no problem. But the other day when three people entered our home for the house sale closing, Rocco suddenly did not like Jake. It might have been because of the mask but even after Jake removed his mask, Rocco continued to bark at him. Whatever the cause, I trust my dog.

But we need to be absolutely sure we can control the big guy. He has never flown in a plane or been suddenly placed in the kind of situations he will have to learn to encounter. He might feel strange and off-balance at first. That 100 pounds of his must be under our control at all times. We use a Gentle Leader to walk. We tried a lot of different collars and methods and have had the most success with the Gentle Leader. We just purchased a harness for him, thinking the handle might be real helpful. 

And we got an e-collar. Now before you go off on me, take a look at this one. CLICK HERE 

It does not "shock" him. The most it will do is act like a tap on the shoulder that says, "hey look at me." A tool to redirect his focus. 

Rocco, ready to work.

Leo, ready to walk.

Is it fair to expect Rocco to stand up to an aggressive dog? 

I wonder what he will be like a few weeks in, after encountering street dogs?

These are real fears. So I put those questions out to one of my favorite Roatan groups.

I like the following response and I feel better already.

"Our Doberman and two Jack Russells are always loose but in our fenced yard. There are enough dogs that run loose here already and with all sorts of diseases and the dangerous garbage they can get into, better safe than sorry. When we do walk them, it is on a leash."

On-leash it is!

hmmmmm