Season’s Greetings From Salt Cay

Seems being in the South District will be more quiet than the North District this Christmas. A really good band is coming in on Christmas Eve it appears and they are doing an all night dance till Christmas morning. So people from all over are coming Christmas Eve to party here all night. We may hear some of the music, but we'll only go down there for a while--certainly not the night.
We're doing a turkey here--15 pound Butterball. I don’t think "free range" exists here.

Unfortunately my little Trader Joe's pine tree didn't make it, despite the loving care it got from me....ungrateful thing. At least the cactus and the little palms are doing well.

Anyway, I'm trying to get to Grand Turk to grocery shop before the holiday and the kids get here next Monday. I suspect I should get the Parmalet milk in the fridge so the teenaged grandchild doesn’t suspect it isn’t straight from the cow.
You will all appreciate that a box (standard, not Costco size) of Lucky Charms from Sarah’s is $8.45. 6 or 7 chicken quarters was $6 for the entire box. Yellow squash is $3.35 a pound and corn on the cob is 60 cents and ear.

The ferry didn’t go out today as we have a bit of a Northeaster’ going here. It is 78F, 61% humidity, here on the 20th of December, with a 7 mph wind, threatening clouds, a bit of sea and threatening rain...just a threat. Haven’t seen a drop yet.

Cockadoodles....

For those of you who missed this bit of information on Radio Free Salt Cay this
spring....

Do you know what a "cockadoodle" is?

Ever wonder what those pencil sized holes in your yard were about?

The answer is: a spider

Take a headlight–you know, like a miner’s light or camping light you wear on your head. Go outside and look at the ground. It is important for the light to be right above your eyes, at eyebrow level. You will notice many, many flourescent dots on the ground. Bend down and take a look and you will see a spider.
Before you panic and run for the house, just remember you’ve been out there walking on them for years and never knew it–so just relax and forget about it...if you can.

According to Lionel Talbot they are called cockadoodles and they are a harmless spider that comes out at night. Rosalie Harriott also told us this spring that they would go out at night to find them as kids.

Dive Reports

Salt Cay Divers is going to South Caicos now when the sea is flat and there are enough folks ready to go. SCD takes the big boat on an all day excursion to dive the walls of South Caicos and there is time to go ashore and do some walking around, have lunch and enjoy the sites of this old island town. The diving is reported to be fantastic.

This diver/reporter will go as soon as I wake up on time on the morning of the trip. These trips are often a last minute decision based upon weather upon rising.

Water temperature is reported at about 80F at depth.

Now, for those of us divers who, shall we say, are getting older...

One of our guest divers on returning from South Caicos suffered an apparent heart attack on board the boat a few miles off Salt Cay. Ollie called in and reported the symptoms to Deb, who then, with Joseph, our resident nurse, gave instructions on what they should do enroute. Like hurry.

Upon arrival Deb and Nurse Joseph administered oxygen, got her stabilized and med-evaced her to Provo where she could be handled for either DCS, heart or stroke. Joseph told this reporter he accompanied her to Provo and stayed over to keep an eye on her. He and Deb thought that was the best place to go, just in case it was DCS as they have a chamber there. Head’s up thinking folks.

The guest is reportedly back in the States and doing well.

The guest had celebrated her birthday the night before (not to excess I understand), about 50 or so, was on Rx’s for various medical issues and been very active on her trip, diving regularly. She may have over stressed herself in the heat and with her activities. The point is, pay attention to yourself and the warning signs when you put yourself at stress whether it’s work or play down here.

Our new nurse, Joseph, is a real asset to this island. Unfortunately we only have him for a month or so as he is a contract nurse. He really pays attention to folks–in fact if he sees a band aid he asks what happened and what you’re doing for it. I suspect the ladies of the island will be going in for very regular blood pressure checks this month.

Joseph wants to make sure there are defib units on island that anyone can use as he indicates his unit is pretty hard to use and you have to know what you’re doing or could cause injury. A "smart" unit (one that walks lay people through the process) at the dock area, in his opinion, would be a real asset to the island as that is where the people are and that is where the boats will come in with problems on board.

I discussed diving and meds with him–I take BP meds–and Joseph indicated that I should not "dive deep"–which I don’t ordinarily do anyway. But, it was good advice and I will heed it. I also know, if something happens to me this month, he’ll know what meds I am on and handle it accordingly.

Christmas Happenings

The Salt Cay Seniors seem to have all the happenings for the holidays.
There will be a dinner and party for the Seniors this Saturday, the 18th at the Salt Shed. Then Windmills will be hosting the Seniors for an event–dress up apparently.

Christmas Eve and Christmas will find a band brought in for dancing at the Salt Shed.

Porter’s Island Thyme Bistro will be having their annual Christmas dinner for guests and residents alike.

Your reporter will be doing her own Christmas dinner at home this year. I’ll be putting a log on the yule fire and brushing the snow off the deck to make way for the patio table. Unfortunately our live pine–a foot tall little thing from Trader Joe’s that we brought is struggling to survive. I just repotted it and hope it handles the transition.

Resident-wise it appears that the McNair’s, and the Doyle’s are in residence for Christmas with things to liven up considerably between then and New Year’s Day.

The Salt Shed is decorated quite brightly with all kinds of lights and ornaments. This is great as the Shed will be hosting a number of fetes over the holidays. Kudos to the new DC, Dottis Arthur, who is a very talented, lively and vivacious woman. No one sits home when there’s an occasion to be had and a party to attend. Dottis is making sure events happen for the Islanders and especially our Seniors.

The Senior party on Saturday night had a great spread of food, gifts for the seniors that Dottis personally shopped for in Provo, and fresh fruit packs for each Senior.

Uncle Sammy played, to the delight of the audience, Jingle Bells, and two other Carols on his old Honer accordion.

The ladies did a number about a "hole in my pan" and had a pan with a hole in it. They stand in two lines and trade lines. Ms. Vida will tell me more about it–the music was too loud that evening to find out the details–but it is something from when they were kids.

Allee sang a Haitian Christmas Carol to earn his supper. The young men of the island sang a carol as well. You had to be there to realize that it was "talent" night so to speak and anyone could be pulled up to perform.

One of the guests pulled Miss Rosalie away from her keyboard to waltz to the delight of the crowd to get the dancing going. The guest (Riant) lasted one dance ashe was rapidly going under the weather, ahem, so to speak. Miss Rosalie wisely did not let him dip her when he attempted this at the end of the dance as she suspected he might not have his normal strength and wits about him.

This reporter got old Uncle Lou up and dancing and he lit up like a Christmas tree once he got up and going. Earl Talbot can certainly cut a rug as well.

Maria has lights on the Mt. Pleasant Guest House dormers and Jonathon wants more lights to brighten things up even more. New windows are going in as well.

Hopefully the DC will be able to get the Christmas Tree up on the stand that is out already. We missed it our last Christmas here and plan to have our picture taken for future Christmas postcards.

Weather Report:

December 14, 2004 at 2:30 pm (EST) finds us at 82F, with 59% humidity and a 10 mph out of the west. There are scattered clouds. Dew point is 66F. There were scattered showers this morning at dawn.

Critter Report:

Mosquitos are not in evidence in the South at this time, with a few hatches noted in the North District, especially near the drying "pond" in front of Nathan’s house.

Sand Fleas have been coming and going, with bug bombs helping considerably indoors. We seem to see these guys only when they open their mouth, prior to biting you. I noted that Sand Flea bite medications are lumped with jelly fish sting meds...that doesn’t really surprise me as these guys really pack a whallop.

You might want to consider bringing something along that line if you are coming down soon.

Flies had not been an issue at all until just the last few days–when the weather turned more hot.

Cockroaches, (sorry) have also been in evidence. Ed says they are Palmettos. I must say, whatever they are, these guys could wear saddles and give kids pony rides if they had a mind to. But, once again, a few well placed bug bombs upon your arrival and they will be, literally, "toes up" on the floor in no time.

Centronella candles have been a big help here in the evenings to assist in combating the fews biters we do have. You might bring some with you just in case.

Mice have been an item all over the island this late fall. This reporter about had a fit when she lifted her computer bag this morning. Marley, my cub reporter, was rooting around my photo bag and computer stuff like something was happening of great importance. Being a dog, and not much of a hunter/killer kitty, he didn’t solve the problem but left it to be handled by Joel. By the way, the mouse in question was only slightly larger than the cockroaches have been. Bring a mouse trap with you or some bait.

And then there are the Cockadoodles.....I knew there was a reason I don’t go barefoot...

We have lots of new calves here by the way. One isn’t much bigger than Marley right now. One mamma cow has twins.

Lastly, Sue reports that Valentine, the almost year old grey donkey has been traveling through the dock and Green Flash area with his mother and grandmother on their daily routines. Both females are obviously "with donkey" and should be dropping new foals (I assume that is what you call a baby donkey) any time. Valentine is all fuzzy and still the friendly little guy he was this spring.

Personal Notes:

Thanks for the email on my little News Raker. It is fun to look around and see what people want to know when you’re not on the island–or as some friends do, live vicariously through us.

As is typical with a computer "blog" you can post a reply to anything that appears on the blog.

I will also try to do some essays, for lack of a better term. And they are copyrighted, as I do intend to do something with them someday, with pictures.
Most likely, the first will be on The Faces Of Salt Cay, a look at the people of Salt Cay and memories of them by this reporter. To follow will be a photo essay on If Windows Could Speak, The History of Salt Cay.

So, my first essay of sorts on The Faces of Salt Cay