Happy 2016!

It is that time of year again....

I am going to make this easy.  My 2015 resolutions have been re-packaged for 2016. Look closely and you will see the subtle differences.

My 2016 resolutions:

• Do not make as many resolutions that I have no chance of keeping.
• Participate in at least three organized 5k events this year.
• Stay active. Average 12750 steps of activity per day throughout the year and 10 minutes of HIIT workout 3x per week.
• Do not worry about getting 25 NAT lap time down to 45 minutes. 
• Continue to work on socializing more; do not give in to that tendency to sit on the couch with a book rather than accept invites to outings that I would feel better about if I had someone to go with.  
• Organize my spare room, including scanning and archiving bins of photos. Hang the art/pictures/items that are waiting to be hung in my apartment.  ALERT: Total repeat...maybe there is a chance this year.
• Continue to foster healthy friendships while letting go of unhealthy relationships.  
• Stay the course on my get-out-of-debt plan: debt free by my 59th birthday! Celebrate with a me-time vacation in 2017.
• Don't worry...be happy. I still tend to worry too much over things I have no control over. 

Yes, most of these are reworked 2015 resolutions.

But it is ok.  These are good resolutions for this time in my life.

2016 is going to be a good year.  There are moves and weddings and vacations happening in our family.  

Make the best of your 2016!

Back to reality...

I have been home from my Belizean vacation for almost three weeks now.

It seems like an eternity.

Life is so relaxing on a tropical island.

I came back to:

Look at me Grandma Mary

My Beautiful Grandbaby - Yes, he was the deciding factor for my return. (Ok, and I have a job I kind of need.) If I stayed on the island I know my kids would visit often, but I am not sure I could handle not seeing that grandbaby in person at least once or twice a week.  He is so cute. And he loves his grandma.

Training Grounds

The Jingle Bell Run- I registered to walk this run in November; I trained for it in Belize by walking to town and around the island and doing laps in the resort pool. It was tough, I tell you.  But it was worth it.  I walked the 5k in 48:51.  A record for me (if I forget about the flat course  I did last May in 47:13).  This course had the most inclines of any I have walked so far - or at least it seemed that way.  






A Wonderful Christmas with Family - I did not start holiday shopping until I returned to the states; so I power shopped, mostly online, for a few things. I held myself back this year, because I am on a good plan to be debt free in 2016 and did not want to undo that.  Besides, my kids do not need presents from me to know I love them.  I came back from that tropical island to be with them - that should be present enough, right?   I do love Christmas time - not for religious reasons. I love family gatherings and giving and sharing the family love. 

Good Friends - I have a few good friends that I cherish so much and would miss terribly if I decided to stay on that tropical island.  Friends I walk with, play with, dine with, share good times with...


A Madhouse at the Office - Of course there are some reasons I wish I could stay forever on a tropical island.  Corporate America is one of them.  Ugh. I love what I do for a living and the people I do it for.  The authors and teammates that I  release documents for are pretty awesome for the most part.  But the bullshit that falls from above is not  pretty.  Enough said.


Cranky Parents -  Apparently I have done something to piss my parents off to the point of them not wanting to see me for awhile  - even through the holidays.  Hopefully they will get over whatever it is soon.   I apologized for what I thought I did. I know they are older and forgetful, so maybe they forgot that I apologized.  Or, maybe they really do not like who I am. I am who I am. Enough said about that, too!

Life is short - and so am I.

Be happy!

Lessons Learned...in Belize...

I learned a couple of things over the last couple of days....

Some of the Grand Caribe Pool Bar Guys
"Another damn picture for the tourists???"

The Grand Caribe pool bar crew are the best around.  They took good care of all my pool bar needs - and were very understanding of my random loss of mathematical skills.  Resort bar/restaurant prices are listed in $USD. They accept payment in $USD or $BZ. Change is almost always given in $BZ.  Figuring out the $BZ cost, or the $BZ tip - because after a day or two you have lots of $BZ money you got in change that you want to use up  - can be fun. Or not.  Yesterday morning, right before morning happy hour ended, I ordered a $7USD drink to go , handed the bartender  $10 BZ, and walked away thinking I gave an ok tip. Ooops.  He did did not bother to correct me until I finished the drink and was returning the pool bar glassware.  Which may or may not  have been a good plan, because after the drink I lost all currency transfer capabilities.

Lesson #1: I should figure out the amount of tip I want to leave in both currencies (just in case  get surprised in the change department) before I consume the drink(s).

In case you missed it, there were drinks.  I went back to the pool bar for afternoon happy hour - because, why not? I am on vacation on an island and drinks are half price in the hot afternoon sun by the pool.  I had intended to have just one LI because I did not want to feel like I had after two earlier in the week.  I do want to enjoy my evenings.  Well, there were a couple of young girls at the bar waiting for their husband/boyfriend to return from a fishing charter.  We started talking and somehow they convinced me that I should try a panty ripper, because, as they explained, we were in swimsuits so there were no panties to rip, so all was safe.  I had just about finished my LI and happy hour would be over in 4 minutes, so I had to decide quick. With a little encouragement from the pool bar boys, I added a happy hour panty ripper to my tab.  Even tho there were no panties to rip, I felt those two drinks well into the night. 

Lesson #2:  Just because the second drink is not a LI....you know the rest.

This is the drink that started it...

This pretty lil thing can be quite dangerous.

By the way, I had a (one) Belikin with my pool bar lunch today.  It is almost 9:00 PM and I am still awake and feeling good enough to walk out to the dock to look for sting rays and barracudas.  Which brings me to...

Lesson #3:  It may be terribly buggy out at night, but nighttime is fun time and I should have been covering myself in bug spray, taking a couple of preventative benadryl,  and walking out toward the dock in the late evenings to see what is happening out there. (Update: Not a lot going on. I was the only human out there.  I did see a few stingrays jumping around and a barracuda that I hope was sleeping, because, otherwise......)

But let's back up a few hours.   I was determined to visit Caye Caulker this trip. Since today  was my last full day here, it was now or not till next year.  So, I took the early morning Coastal Express to town and the Belize Water Taxi  to Caye Caulker.The taxi goes to Caye Caulker and then on to Belize City.  At the Caye Caulker dock, no one was getting up to get off; so I assumed everyone was waiting for the crew to tell us when to disembark.  And then the taxi started pulling away from the dock. Ooops, I assumed wrong.  I jumped up and made it known that I had missed my stop.     How embarrassing.  They crew mates were kind,  redocked, and helped me ashore.  

View of Caye Caulker from the
Belize Water Taxi Dock

And from the other side of the dock...

And then I walked onto Caye Caulker and realized why no one else got off.  It was too damn early in the morning for anything to be happening on that island. I had hoped to have an early lunch at Lazy Lizards, but there was just not enough happening in the town to keep me there for two hours.  So I did some quick math and figured that the next scheduled ferry back to San Pedro could not possibly be the same ferry (crew)   that got me here.  I could cut this trip short and  save myself having to face that same crew again today. And so I did.  The ferry from Caye Caulker to San Pedro was packed - and everyone disembarked at San Pedro - including yours truly.

Lesson #4:  I should attempt to understand water taxi protocol and island time before I make plans that include each.

Early morning at the Lazy Lizard

And finally, I have tried all week to take a beach selfie - just in case someone back in Ohio wants proof that I really was in Belize the last 10 days.  I am not photogenic. I am happy to be here, really - despite what my face is saying in these pics.  Believe me, these are the best of them..

Happy to be in Belize!

Lesson #5: I do not need smiling pictures of myself to prove to myself (or anyone else) that I had a great time in Belize.

Focus on the sunrise...

I've learned my lessons.

Disclaimer: I started writing this last night, but am finishing  now as I am drinking my coffee on the porch, enjoying the morning sky through a light rain...




Much love, from Belize....

I'm on Island Time...

Yesterday morning I woke up bright and early intending to walk to town for breakfast at Estel's.  A quick look at the weather forecast made me rethink that adventure. I opted for a quick walk along the beach instead.


Breakfast was self-made - eggs and a bagel with coffee - and enjoyed on my patio.

Once the rains cleared a bit, I made my way to the pool bar for my morning dose of Mimosa.

I headed inside when the rains returned,  and actually did a little bit of studying for a Project Management Certification I am hoping to test for in a few months. Studying  seemed a better option than watching the Browns lose.


The skies cleared a bit again  again just in time for lunch at the pool bar at the tail end of happy hour.  I held myself to one Long Island Iced Tea with a Mozzarella Shrimp Sandwich. Even one LI kept me feeling good for a couple hours.

There's a bird in this photo - doing a happy dance.

Not so good that I did not feel the bugs biting on an attempted beach walk.  I actually had to leave the beach path and walk along the road because my dance skills are not enough to make constant smacking at mosquitoes and flies appear graceful.

All in all it was a lazy Sunday.


This morning, I did get up early and walk to town.   I had a shrimp omelet with fruit and fryjacks and, of course, a tall Mimosa, at Estel's Dine By The Sea! It was as awesome as I remembered from my last visit. I sat at a table on the beach and enjoyed looking out over the Sea.

The beach at the North end of town

The view from my table at Estel's

I shopped for an hour in town but still had an hour before the 10:30 water taxi back to Grand Caribe.  So I stopped in and visited with Eduardo at the famous Fido's.  Eduardo made me a Bloody Mary just the way I like it - vodka and V-8 and olives - that's it.  No spice...at all. I am a wimp, but I know what  I like. I took a picture at Fido's, or so I thought.  Apparently the Bloody Mary kicked in and the photo I thought I took was a short video of the steps leading from Fido's to the beach.

Back at Grand Caribe, I spent sometime in the lap pool before the rains returned.  

And then I napped, because that walk to town wore me out today.

I intended to revisit the Truck Stop for dinner, but apparently they take Mondays off. So dinner was a lobster quesadilla and a couple of Belikins from the pool bar.


And that's my story  - from my dining room table in Grand Caribe, Ambergris Caye, Belize, CA.

Happy Hour has that affect on me..in Belize...

Yesterday morning started out with a goal of finding  Marbucks Coffee House, I had seen signs pointing from the beach and from the road but was not quite sure where (in between the road and the beach) it could be.  Yesterday, I decided to quit being wimpy and follow the signs. Apparently, there is a road in between the main road and the beach, which I should have remembered from my last visit. It was the less bumpy road Larry took because the unpaved main road was full of ruts.

Breakfast at Marbucks Coffee House

The adventure was worth it.  I enjoyed a delicious breakfast bagel sandwich with coffee and decided that I now have another beach breakfast option.

View from the Boca Del Rio Bridge

I then took a walk (all the way) into town.  I followed the main road to the Boca Del Rio Bridge. After the bridge, I took a left to the beach and followed the beach to the town square.  






From Grand Caribe to the town square it is about 2 miles  - two hot, sweaty miles.  I walked around the square a bit and then hopped the water taxi back to Grand Caribe's dock.

I might should have stopped at 1 LI...

I did a few laps in the pool and then heard happy hour calling from the pool bar.  And what a happy hour it was.  A lobster quesadilla and two long island ice teas later and I was feeling no pain the rest of the day and into the night.  Who knew happy hour Long Islands could be so strong?  

Stella's in the morning

First thing this morning I headed to Stella's Smile Wine bar. Margo told me about Stella's and their bottomless Sangrias.  It is a fairly new place about a quarter of a mile south of Grand Caribe. In addition to the bottomless Sangria in the evenings, they offer a bottomless Mimosa on weekend mornings.  What better way to get over a Long Island hangover than imbibing in a few mimosas?  Oh, and their crepes are pretty awesome,  too. I enjoyed a lobster crepe because, when in Belizin in lobster season, I try to take advantage.







After breakfast, I took another walk into town.  I did a little shopping before returning  via  water taxi. 

Stella's in the evening...

A few laps in the pool and back to Stella's to try the famous pizza night with bottomless Sangria.  I opted for the white pizza with shrimp topping.  It was sooooo good.  I have enough for lunch tomorrow  - or maybe a late night snack tonight because I am getting hungry thinking about it sitting in the fridge. 

After I asked for a box for my leftovers, the staff moved a chair to their dock so I could continue to enjoy my bottomless Sangrias and a good view of the lagoon.  And, a few Sangrias later, when  I was ready to leave, they poured one for the road. Bottomless really is bottomless at Stella's

On a sad note, I am missing the tree trimming party happening tonight  at my son's place back in Ohio; I do love a tree trimming party when it is not my tree to trim.  But on the flip side, I am in Belize.  


Disclaimer: There may be typos, misspellings, bad grammar in this post- it's the Sangria doing the writing.

Belize me....

I started  writing this while sipping on a Mimosa at the pool bar this morning.  But then breakfast came and got in the way. I could get use to this life.

Yesterday, I started the day with a walk North along the beach.

I thought I might make all the way to the bridge leading to town,but about 3/4th of the way, I realized I should have eaten something before I started out. So, back to the pool bar for breakfast and a not-spicy Bloody Mary that ended up being hot n spicy.  

My Favorite Lap Pool

After breakfast and a few laps in my favorite lap pool, I hitched a ride to town with David, during his lunch break.










I walked around town a bit, visited a couple of gift shops and a few landmarks I remembered from my last visit, and then took the water taxi back to Grand Caribe. I hope to get back into town at least once this visit to dine at Estel's Dine by the Sea and take the ferry to Caye Caulker.


This morning, I woke up feeling under the weather.  My head does not like the Belizean humidity any more  than it likes the Ohio humidity.  So after my morning walk, poolside breakfast, and a few water-walking laps, I gave in and took a couple hour nap. I hate wasting  daylight napping, but the clouds and rain made the guilt a little easier to handle.

I opted for the naturally mild Mimosa this morning!

When I woke up, the clouds were still lingering, outside and in my head.  It was not raining so I took a walk to the truck stop for dinner.  I enjoyed Shrimp Diablo and a Beliken on their deck overlooking the lagoon.









It started to rain a bit on my walk back - just enough to create a beautiful rainbow.





And now my head is hurting again, so I am going to  see what I can do to make it stop.  I want to feel like walking to  Marbucks coffee house in the morning.

A perfect vacation day...

I did not get up early this morning.

I did not go for a morning walk, but instead enjoyed coffee and a toasted  bagel  on my porch.

I did spend a lot of time lounging by the pool - until the dark clouds brought showers early this afternoon.  I took the showers as a sign that I should take a nap - and so I did.

I did manage to get in an afternoon walk along the beach.

 I returned to find this guy welcoming me back to Grand Caribe...

...pointing me to the pool bar where they serve those awesome shrimp and mozzarella sandwiches and  funky monkey umbrella drinks:)

Ah yes, a perfect vacation day!