Celebration, overeating, preferably refined sugars, relaxation, contemplation and surprises....what am I referring to? Birthdays. Today was mine and I just kept saying, "This is one of the best birthdays ever. I loved the whole day." After spending a week away from Grenada on "vacation" in the Tobago Cays with some other cruising friends and their kids, it was back to the grind. The business items, including emails, mail retrieval, banking, visas, parts and inventory, provisioning....the list is long. It's like doing errands in the US, but with a watery twist. Everyone was thoroughly enjoying the Cays, but my nesting instincts wanted to get back to civilization. In the Cays, the only thing around you are a few little islands, 100 feet long, uninhabited and reefs. That's it. Beauty surrounds you, but definitely no grocery stores. Zen's freezer pushed us back to Grenada. Its contents were 1 loaf of bread, 3/4 lb New Zealand ground beef, some butter, and 2 whole chicken breasts. The stores were not much better with only 1/2 lb of linguine and a few cups of rice. No fresh fruit or salad. You get the picture. I needed IGA to calm my nerves.

Today, I awoke with my husband smiling at me and wishing me a Happy Birthday. Then, Cammi came and hugged me, showing me the hand-made anklet she made for me. Cole, my chef-to-be, was adamant about taking my full breakfast order and making it himself in the galley, which he proudly and successfully achieved. When asked, "What do you want to do today?", everyone who read the first paragraph of this blog knows what I wanted, groceries. Breakfast first, presents next, groceries subsequent, dinner out to finish the day.

Presents came from all over and thousands of miles away. I don't know how you all managed it, but I was giddy like a 10 year old (photo in photo gallery to prove it). Thank YOU to everyone who sent cards, music, videos, beauty products, hats, shirts and emails....I felt the love and well-wishes. At 9:45a, we zoomed across the bay via dinghy and joined about 20 other cruisers going to the big supermarket. Every Friday morning, based on the inbound food shipment schedule to the island, a mini-bus picks up boaters at a nearby marina, charging them about $4 round trip per person to/from Spiceland Mall. Being novices and with kids, our bus mates couldn't have been nicer. Today encapsulates what cruising folks are like: helpful, ready to give seasoned advice, never lacking in humor and utterly approachable. They were all that and more. We stocked up on as many things as we 4 could carry and took our loot on the return bound bus exactly 2 hours later. On the way home, we chatted about global politics, the price of diesel, and a cruising kid gathering scheduled for tomorrow. I love the US, I love Rhode Island with all my heart, but the chemistry and dynamic amongst sailors from all over this blue planet, when they come together, make me and my family, feel like a member of a tight knit community. All in a matter of a round trip bus ride.

My happy feeling continued as I contently washed every fresh item purchased (no bugs allowed on Zen) and pulled off every stitch of cardboard (roaches like to eat the glue). Hours later, it was all stashed, and I breathed a sigh of relief. We could drift out to sea at a moments notice but the crew would have 3 square meals. And speaking of meals, it was time for my birthday dinner. Back in the dinghy to Le Phare Bleu to be picked up by taxi. Everyone had smiles for me and birthday wishes...especially since the kids made me wear the "birthday hat" with a candle sticking straight out of the top. It was such fun and the guests and staff at The Beach House restaurant really ribbed me about it. The food was outrageously good. The security guard and owner of Le Phare Bleu had suggested the locale, they too treat us like old friends, and when we stepped out of the taxi, it felt like we were home. If you recall from a blog entitled "Rescued", Amanda, our boatyard puppy, is living here w/a Swiss family. We even know the dogs. I am going to miss Grenada and its pockets of communities, on land and sea, that have adopted Zen as their own. It's hard to untie the lines and set off for adventure, but new horizons are abound and soon we'll join another group, the Someday Came crew (another cruising family from RI) who will be meeting us in Venezuela.

In the end, another year has gone by, but what a year to come. I am grateful, we all are. Today was a day to reflect, appreciate the small things, and be together as a family, all day, every day.

PS. The photo album "Fall '08" is brand new, take a peek.

COMMENTS:

Erika

Happy Be-lated Birthday Monique! We are so happy to hear that you has a wonderful day and that all is well on Zen. Miss you! Erika and Scott

Paul Giroux

Happy Birthday. I've been logging in at least once a week. Great blogs! I got the wife reading them too and hope to be doing what your doing someday. For now; time to get the boat ready for the winter :(

mary

Happy Birthday! Everyone looks healthy. Mary