Sunday Funday

Mike has been traveling the past couple weeks which has left me by myself a lot.  He got home on Friday night, and (fingers crossed) isn't scheduled for any more trips for a while.  I was all kinds of excited to have him home again, and made big plans for a weekend full of fun and activity.  I was sick of sitting around, and wanted some action!

Saturday we found a dive shop and scheduled our first Puerto Rico dive for Monday.  More on that after the dive.  For now, let's just say we are both totally excited to dive tomorrow.  It's been 6 years since my last dive, and 3 or 4 years for Mike.

Now, for Sunday Funday!

Today, we set off to try our hand at paddle boarding.  We got to the lagoon, and Rafa, the guy who rents the boards, asked us to come back in the afternoon.  We set off to find lunch.  Mike was keeping mum on our destination.  He had heard about this totally authentic, locals only, BBQ joint near the airport.   

We got in line and were promptly told we were in the wrong line (well, we weren't told, we were more escorted to a different line).  I'm still not really sure why we were in the wrong line as people continued to get in the line from which we were removed, but that's neither here nor there.  The food in the display cases looked fantastic, but we had no idea how to order.  I kept seeing whole chickens served up, and the pork was in equally huge proportions.  There was no menu, and I wasn't even really sure what everything was.  What we ended up with was fantastic:

The pork was so tender, and the skin was so chewy and delicious.  We ordered 1/2 a chicken, and I'm not sure that either of us had ever had chicken so delicious.  The yucca with onions was so so good.  We could barely make a dent in the food.  We came home with serious amounts of leftovers.

And did I mention we got all this food for less than $13?!  Yes, please, Bebo's BBQ!  I think we'll be back for more!

Having satisfied our bellies, it was time to head back for some paddle board lessons.

Rafa begins by teaching Mike the basics.

And then he gives a little demonstration.

Now it's Mike's turn.  Just give the board a little push and hop up on your knees.  Slowly pull yourself up, and off you go.

Yea, buddy.  There he goes!  Rafa is following behind just to make sure Mike has his balance.

And now he's on his own.  My man looks good on a paddle board!

Mike took a few turns around the lagoon, but now it's my turn.    

Peek-a-boo.  (This is Mike playing nature photographer.)

I return triumphant!  I took a few laps around the lagoon, and I absolutely loved it!  Rafa says I'm a natural (I was maybe a little bit proud) and suggested I practice some more and register for a regatta.  Mike liked it too, but Rafa didn't suggest a regatta for him.  He had fun, but let's just say that I think women have it a little bit easier when it comes to balance.  

I'm totally digging the experience, and we're thinking of making the investment (holy crap, paddle boards are expensive!) in our own paddle boards.  In any case, I'm definitely thinking of registering for that regatta.

Ah, Sunday Funday, we have loved you!  And now we're ready for some Monday Funday!

By the way, for those wondering, September 2 came and went and our stuff did NOT arrive.  Something about a broken down truck, or movers who wanted to get a jump start on the long weekend, or . . . We are rescheduled for Tuesday the 6th.  I'll keep you updated.

Semper Gumby

The Coast Guard motto is Semper Paratus, or Always Prepared.

The motto for the Coastie wives (as told to me by a fellow wife) is Semper Gumby.  Always Flexible.  I'm starting to learn just how true a motto it is.

Let me give you an example:

Mike was told a few weeks ago that he would get underway on Friday, August 19, and be gone for a week.  About a week later, the trip was called off.

Then, last Monday, the trip was back on.  Mid-week, the trip got pushed back to Sunday, the 21st.  A day later, he was leaving Saturday morning at 11:30.  A few hours after that, it was 12:15.  The changes were coming so fast we could hardly keep up.

I dropped Mike off at 12:15 on Saturday.

About 3 hours later, Mike was knocking on the door.  The Powers That Be had decided that because of the impending storm, the trip should wait.  Mike could, however, be recalled at any moment.

That moment came on Sunday at 6:26 am.

I dropped Mike off at around 7:15 that morning.

He was home by around 3:30, ready to ride out the storm with me.  He was to report back at at 6 am Monday morning in case he was needed for search and rescue after the storm.

At about 7 pm, Mike got recalled again.

I dropped Mike off at around 7:30 Sunday evening.  It was the third time in a day and a half that I had dropped Mike off at work, not knowing when I'd see him again.

Meanwhile, it's Thursday evening and Mike *should* be home tomorrow.

I really hope he'll be back tomorrow, but I'll be Semper Gumby . . . just in case.

Hallelujah!

June 27 - Movers arrive to pack up our household goods in New York City.

July 13 - The Millers arrive in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

August 1 - The Millers move into our new apartment.

August 16 - Initial estimate for arrival of household goods.  Household goods do not arrive.

August 21 - Receive updated estimate for arrival of household goods for August 23.

August 22 - Hurricane Irene.

August 23 - Household goods do not arrive.

August 25 - Receive phone call from delivery company.  Household goods on island.  Delivery scheduled for September 2.

September 2 - . . .

Please, sweet Lord, let our household goods be delivered on September 2!

I love what you've done with the place!

Mike and I moved into our new place on August 1.  For us, that meant packing up our suitcases and what little food we had in our little kitchen at La Concha, and driving around the corner to our new building.  In our apartment, we would wait for our new mattress and box spring to be delivered.  We would also await the cable guy who would install our phone, internet and cable DVR service.  But first we'd have to go buy a new TV.  You see, we shipped our furniture, electronics, kitchen supplies, and most of our clothing from NYC at the end of June, and none of it was expected to arrive until August 16.  Why did we move in to an empty apartment on August 1, then?  We didn't want to lose out on the apartment we loved.

This is our apartment as we moved in.  The mirrored walls were not our favorite feature, but they definitely give the allusion of a much larger apartment, and we're getting used to them.

Our guest room and master are pretty basic, but we were none too thrilled with the scuffed-up blue walls:

Mike has been going off to work every day, so I've been doing some home improving to keep me busy.  My job while he was in Baltimore this week was to paint the master bedroom and the living room.  I didn't love the idea of painting over the wallpaper in the living room, and I couldn't get the paint tub open.  I was bored, and Mike wasn't going to be home for another 3 days.  So, I started tearing down the wallpaper.  I was immediately really glad that I did.  We had a serious mildew problem.

I needed to tell Mike, but I knew he was working so I texted him instead.

L:  Don't be mad at me.

M:  What'd you do?

L:  <Insert picture in text here>

M:  . . .  <Calls Lila>

L:  I couldn't get the paint tub open, and I was bored, and . . . and . . . WE HAVE MILDEW!

M:  Alright, we'll take care of it.  Good thing you took down the wallpaper.

L:  <Sigh of relief>

Umm, yea.  We're gonna need to get this situation taken care of STAT.  Mike is now home to help, and we've started bleaching out the mildew.  

Before ripping down the wallpaper and creating a huge mess, I did get the bedroom painted.  I let Mike pick the colors and he opted for 2 shades of grey.  I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but it's definitely grown on me.   

You know you're jealous of that mirrored wall!   Seriously though, my friend, Tammy, told us that after 5 years of living in an apartment with mirrored walls, she really missed having the full-length mirror.  She's right--it's actually a really nice feature!

And, yes, that is a cardboard box being used as a bedside table for Mike.  It's a work in progress, people!

Speaking of works in progress and cardboard boxes . . . Honey, dinner's ready.  

This is where we sit down to eat when we manage to cook up a meal with our 1 pot and 1 pan.  We call it 'hobo chic.'

While we wait for our household goods to arrive, we're making do with what we've got.  But, man, we miss our stuff!

She's baaa-aack . . . or, Big Sis Comes A-Callin' and Justin Takes a Dive

So I've been out of the blogging loop for a while.  I've been home-improving, and I've been lazing.  I've been doing anything but blogging.  Well, I'm back.  This post should've been written about 10 days ago. Better late than never, I suppose.

My sister, Lillie, came to visit me in Puerto Rico the last weekend in July.  The timing couldn't have worked out better.  My birthday was that Friday, and Mike was going to miss it because he was underway on the US Coast Guard Cutter Reef Shark until Saturday morning.  His trip was last minute, and I was incredibly thankful that Lillie had already planned the trip so I wouldn't end up spending my birthday sola.

Lillie arrived Friday afternoon after a long day of travel.  We immediately headed to the pool for some frosty beverages.  It was a gorgeous day and we sat and caught up while getting a little sun and planning our weekend.  Mike was due to arrive Saturday morning, but there was still the possibility that some sort of emergency would cause the boat to stay out longer than planned.  "We're scheduled for 4 days, but pack for 6," the CO had told him.

Mike arrived on Saturday morning as scheduled.  Yay!  We hadn't seen each other since Monday morning, and we were both ready for our reunion.  Mike got settled and showered, and we headed to Old San Juan to walk around and check out the sights.  Lillie was also hoping to find a birthday present for our dad (we call him Papi).  I won't go into details on our shopping until after Papi's birthday, but we think the trip was a total success!

Saturday night was birthday dinner, compliments of Lulu and Papi.  (Thanks, L & P!)  We ate at BLT Steak in the Ritz Carlton hotel, and had a really nice meal.  After dinner, everyone was super tired, so we called it an early night, headed back to the hotel, and went to bed early.  We had planned a trip to El Yunque rain forest the next morning, and we all wanted to be well rested.

After a few mis-cues with the directions to El Yunque (hey Justin, the Navigator ideally should read the directions), we found our way to El Yunque.  We intended to take a zip-line tour of the forest, but the hotel concierge had neglected to tell us that a) reservations were required; and b) it was $100 per person.  Even though the company could fit us in for that afternoon, we weren't really prepared to drop that kind of cash, so we decided to drive through the rain forest, stopping and checking out the sights along the way.

Our first stop was La Coca Falls.  (Hi Random Guy in my picture!)  We stopped here to eat our Cubanos from Kasalta.  Kasalta Cubanos are told to be the best on the island, and Mike and I have gone at least once a weekend.  Even President Obama made a stop at Kasalta when he was here earlier this year!  Ok, enough about Kasalta, back to El Yunque . . .

We continued to drive up and into the rain forest until we found a nice hiking path that would eventually lead us to La Mina waterfalls.  The intrepid hikers set off.  I'm not sure if you know this about a rain forest, but it's hot.  And it's humid.  And we were sweaty.  That's not to say we weren't having fun; we were just having hot fun.  Lillie and I quickly realized that we were hiking downhill and would have to hike back uphill to get back to our car.  Good times.

You may be wondering about the title of this blog.  Justin was all about finding the waterfalls and diving . . . or so he said.  Thankfully, he realized that he'd be diving to certain death and opted for life.

Hey, Justin!  Look over here, let me get a picture of you!  No?  Ok, I'll take a picture of you taking a picture.

Hi, boys!  Cute pose!

I don't think those vines are gonna hold you up, Tarzan . . .

Back from our hike (I was totally drenched) we decided to head back down the mountain and enjoy the (dry) air conditioning in the car.  By the way, we never did reach La Mina Falls - we were either on the completely wrong path, or stopped just short of reaching the falls.  Note to self for next time: park at the Falls and take your hike from there, rather than set off on an unknown path and hope to reach the Falls.  

On our way down the mountain, we passed this scenic overlook and stopped to take some pictures.  Absolutely gorgeous views - too bad the iPhone camera didn't quite do it justice.

And now for the real fun - we totally had to stop at 2 little tourist shops to take pictures.  It was the absolute highlight of the day!

Ole!

Ummm, what exactly does this have to do with Puerto Rico?  Yea, I'm not sure either.

I can hardly decide which is my favorite.  Lillie and Justin posing as the opposite sex?  Mike and his cleavage?  Or the creepy alien in the corner?

We loved having our first visitor in Puerto Rico, and I was doubly grateful for my sis to be here on my birthday!

Post Script:  Justin took that dive after all!  While trying to allow some ladies to pass during our hike on the narrow and muddy trail, Justin lost his footing and flew forward.  Lucky for him, a tree broke his fall and he didn't go careening into the river.  Not so lucky for his ribs.  (I can't believe I missed the photo-op of Justin curled around that tree, but damn! homeboy moves fast when he's embarrassed!)

Taking the Plunge

I done lost my mind.

Mike arranged for us to go out to Cueva del Indio this weekend with a new buddy of his from work, Justin.  Justin had gone the week before and apparently it was not to be missed.  We were going cliff jumping.  Or, rather, Mike and Justin were going cliff jumping, and Lila was going to watch and take pictures.

We drove about 90 minutes west of San Juan to a tiny village on the water.  We explored the caves before heading to the cliff for jumping.  Unfortunately, the pictures don't do the caves justice, but they were really pretty spectacular.

The caves had all kinds of interesting nooks into which you could pop your head.  There were a ton of places to crawl into and look around.  Each time we looked up, we saw more and more bats, and there was a cool little tidal pool at the bottom of the caves.

Time to head back up top and check out the rest of the scenery.  The cliffs were absolutely breathtaking and created areas where the surf crashed against the walls of the cliffs.  I'm no expert photographer, but I tried to catch some of the beauty of the surf.

The water was so pretty pouring off the rocks.

I couldn't stop taking pictures of the waves crashing.

Walking along the top of the cliffs we saw some really cool water pools in the rocks.

Oh hello, friend.  We shall call you Frank.  

The water is so gorgeous and so incredibly blue!

But I'm glad we're not jumping into that!

And speaking of jumping, here are the boys planning their first jump.  

Here goes Justin!

And now it's Mike's turn . . .

That's my brave hubby.  Me, I was happy taking pictures.  Oh, but that was not to be the case.  I don't know what came over me, but I thought, "maybe I really can do this."  The boys agreed. 

M:  "Look, honey, it's not that far down.  I'll jump with you."

L:  "Ummm, it looks pretty far."

M:  "Ok, let's jump from a little lower."

L:  "Good plan."

L:  "What do I have to do?"

M:  "Just jump out.  Land with your legs straight."

L:  "What if I hurt myself?"

M:  "I'll help you."

L:  "Lulu will kill you if I get hurt."

M:  "I'm not scared 'cause you're not gonna get hurt."

L:  "She's gonna kill you."

L:  "Ok.  On 3.  1, 2, JUMP!"

L:  "I got water up my nose.  And my ears hurt."

M:  "I'm proud of you baby."

L:  "Ok, I did it.  Now get me out of here."

M:  "High 5, baby.  You did it!"

Like I said, I think I done lost my mind!