This Weeks News--December 12, 2004

Police Band Brings Out Fred Astaire in Poley...

The TCI Police Band arrived by government boat Friday morning to entertain Salt Cay residents at the auditorium. The brass and string (guitar and bass) group gave a rocking, Caribbean flare to all the favorite Christmas Carols.

When I arrived, camera in tow on my bicycle–the band and already begun to play. As I approached the door I was greeted with Miss Rosalie spinning Lolita, one of the school children, in a beautiful West Coast Swing dance. But she wasn’t alone...many other ladies were dancing while the men, well they were still thinking about it.

Shortly though, the music got way too good to pass up. Poley Dickenson was looking like Fred Astaire on the boards as he swiveled those hips and raised his arms in joy. Miss Amy got up and danced a few times as Miss Rosalie wasn’t going to let anyone not dance.

This reporter got tagged by Miss Vida towards the end of the show and I thought I was going to have heat stroke before it ended. Needless to say it was a little warm in the room and I had been bicycling all morning–I was starting to have visions of Patrick in my head and decided to forego any jack hammering when I got home.

The youngsters were a real treat especially as they realized the camera was clicking. Trey and LeMel were a little shy about dancing–then got into the melee shortly. Soon the Police who help the band were dancing with the girls and spinning them around in swing moves.

Charles, our new, temporary nurse, danced with every lady of the island much to their delight.
The new DC is a real firecracker. She and Linda were dancing (Linda can really dance by the way) and then she fired up the Seniors for their party the 18th at the Salt Shed–and their party at Windmills.

Uncle Lou was in attendance–didn’t dance as he’s not feeling or looking really well if you know what I mean. Miss Millie and her husband Willie were there, as well as Mr. Smith and Percy.
And, at the end of the occassion, as is customary, the kitchen was opened and great food was had by all, courtesy of the island ladies.

How Cars Get On Salt Cay

After two weeks of waiting for Allan’s boat, The Bucanneer, to clear dry dock in Provo, finally arrived Saturday morning with our truck on board. The Ford Ranger filled it up pretty well...though Nathan mentioned his garbage truck, a full size Chevy truck with extended cab almost didn’t fit. And the damage to the front end of his truck pretty much confirmed how difficult it was to get it on and off the boat.

Of course we did this project at low tide, but no one seemed to mind.

We arrived early to make our ramp from government 2x8's and 2x10's and some Tradewinds plywood–we didn’t find out until the night before we had to provide a ramp. But, no problem, we knocked that out early.

About 1 pm Shine arrived with the truck. Got his backhoe and away we went–Joel behind the wheel.

The guys get the back of the truck up on the ramp with the backhoe, then Shine moves it around to get the front loader directly behind the truck–then, he starts pulling and lifting and Joel’s job was to keep it straight.

Now at one point the truck is almost off the ramp and the ramp is almost not touching the dock...a fine mess

Now, when the wood starts to pop and crack, that’s when Coral and all the guys start screaming "go, go!" and Shine raises it some more and gives it the final pull. The boat comes back to the dock, the ramp comes back to the dock as well and the truck is at about 45 degrees nose down. There is no going back unless you plan to park the truck radiator down on the boat.
Joel "Parnelli" McNair had sort of a stunned smile on his face when the truck finally came to rest on the ground at the dock. He had no idea just how tilted he was. When asked if he had his seatbelt on he denied needing one–though one picture makes it appear that the driver’s seat is empty. He was sort of like a Mercury astronaut going the wrong way–down, not up. He should have been all over the windshield given the angle of the dangle.

Hats off to Shine and his crew for a job well done.

I filmed the whole thing and the results are posted. As you well know uploading here is not exactly possible with the 28 kbps internet feature here—and my thanks to Marilyn and Mike James for providing me a place to plug in my laptop in their absence. Begger bloggers can’t be choosers.

Word is that DSL is coming–right...Can and String Telephone and Cableless will be telling us that when our cars have satellites and internet access.

Restaurant Reviews and Happenings
Deb’s Coral Reef Café is a great addition to the waterfront. She’s whipping out breakfast, lunch and dinners as well as bar time. This morning she cranked out French Toast for the divers, then pulled on her wetsuit, loaded them up and took them out for 3 dives today. Deb is working on numerous menu items for the season ahead and it should be great.
The Green Flash opened it’s doors and windows today. The big news is that Frances, the hurricane sort of "displaced" the Flash a few feet. This required a little bit of plumbing adaptations to make the building meet the pipes. The Flash moved at least a couple of feet due to the winds.
We had dinner at Island Thyme last night for my birthday. Joel had the Ahi Tuna–great as usual and I had, for the first time, John’s Almond Crusted Snapper–excellent. How does he make all those almonds stick to the fish?
Windmills is on hiatus at the moment. Jim and Sharon are off to Florida for 10 days before the season starts full tilt for them about the 20th.

By the way, Porter's birthday is Monday the 13th. He'll be 54. I know as I beat him to 54 by 3 days. Deb is later this month as well.

Changes/Improvements, Etc.

The DC’s Office has a fresh coat of dark red paint, looking snappy.

Clyde’s Palace is moving along. He has his own cement truck to get his mud made. Word is another barge will be disgorging another load of everything soon from the DR. The boat house is going to 3 floors and he hasn’t started his own home as yet–the fountains and walls are up. This reporter remains confused about this project and the owner’s apparent dreams for future projects on island. Supposed plans are for "staff quarters" to be built in the South District.
Clyde’s cement pile is completely cemented–we’ll see if that remains though word on the street is his plan was for the pile to become rock hard so he could use it for his new dock.

Ok, moving on to less depressing subjects....

Radio Mike–the Governor’s Home is still moving along at the speed of light. No perceptible changes are evident as yet.

The Brown House still looks the same...

Amy and David’s home is coming along and shold soon be done. Cabinets and finish work are in progress...

Candy has a second jack hammer—though I don’t know if this one has a name yet as it apparently has no history to speak of...

And that’s about it for now as that is all I can think of.