OK, I have to get something off my chest. It has been bugging me for as long as I have been posting blogs here on Statia. I feel guilty, almost sorry, for having such wonderful things to blog! Really! Ok, so I really want to apologize if these posts seem as if we are rubbing it in that we are living on a tropical island and you are not. That is not my intention. But you have been asking for more posts, and I must comply.

When I read the posts and remember the good times, I cannot believe how many wonderful things we have experienced in such a short period of time. It seems unfair, that my readers, are suffering either in the sweltering sun of Arizona or trudging through grey sloshy snows of Colorado and Utah. It's a crummy deal. But I can't let it get in the way of my fun anymore. I now pledge to go by the Dutch motto: It's all about having fun!

OK, now that it's off my chest, let's move on!

One of the great benefits to having kids of different ages is that you have many different opportunites to meet the parents of all of the friends of your kids. This is what happened here: Meet the Queens!

Our friends from upstate New York have a great place here on the island, and they come out to stay here one week every month. They have two kids, ages 11 and 15, and they often bring friends with them. You can see where this is going.......

Naturally the Queens want to have fun when they get here, you think YOU have sloshy snow. The Queen's son rides a snowmobile to school and sometimes takes a boat to get there to, which he drives (rows?)himself. So, in the Dutch spirit, they plan all sorts of fun things, and we have enjoyed much fun with them. Fun, fun, fun. We just adore them, they are truly sweet and wonderful family. Did I mention fun?

Last month was a birthday and a large group of friends accompanyed the Queens here. A boat ride was scheduled, and we took a visit to Venus Bay.

Getting off the island for the first time in six months! Note the happy, happy grins

Bion, Kai, and Stefan at the helm. Relax, Stefan!
Dag, doue, Statia!

Charles and Guenie naturally find a great sitting place

Kai is feeling a little crabby Great, now everyone is a little crabby! (celebratory hats for the birthday party)

Arrival at Jenkins Bay

Ok, sports fans, I am now going to perform my new trick!


Whoopeee!
WHew! Made it!
See Saba in the background?

flexing for the camera

Ik met het kinderen

Return to Statia
After arriving at the dock, it didn't take long for the for the kids to figure it out a useful purpose for those hanging ropes and the dinghy

Ethannnnnnnnn!
Ed and Bion, a double gainer. Considering the age difference, Ed deserves some respect!

Even Charles took a few swings

Connely is so fly
What the ladies did while the kids played like kids and the men tried to play like kids....we tied up the floaties and "floated" with a cooler of beverages and yapped to our hearts content

A perfect ending to a perfect day

Just another Saturday

The past several weeks our friends Wim and Petra have been inviting us to the "no swimming allowed" beach, Zeelandia. Wim works for an oil company and is frequently gone on business, so when he is in town it is ALL about having a lot of fun. Wim also is the owner of 5 surfboards, and possessor of great karma. Also, his are the only surfboards on the island. So Saturdays when he is around means a great time at the beach.

We pass this wall everytime we go to Zeelandia. It is painted next to a Red Cross building. Now think about it....really think about it.

Ethan has a borrowed skimboard..slicing and dicing up the water!

Charles smells some tasty waves.

drawing a line in the sand....

Guenivere puts a lot of grown ups to shame when she does her thing

A good beating keeps them in line.

These kids were caught surfing in the "no swim" beach, so they are being punished. Behold, their misery!

Ya think?

Does anyone find it odd when your husband wears his 9 year-old daughters purple flipflops to school?
Just askin.