...it's the little things

I have recently decided to throw my grocery lists out the window.  There is no sense in taking a list to the grocery store when I can't find all the groceries I want.  It only frusterates me when I can't get what I'm looking for.  So now I've decided to plan my meals based on what I can buy and what I have at home, rather than plan a meal and then go to the store, only to find that they are out of jalapenos or celery or BUTTER!  Today I was browsing through the produce section at RAM's(one of the larger grocery stores on the island) when I came across fresh strawberries! I have only come across fresh strawberries here once before and they were so expensive I didn't consider buying them.  But today I worked later at Dr.Stuart's and didn't have lunch and they were just too tempting.

Check out the price.

At 17.49EC(which is 6.50US), I couldn't pass it up.  As I said, the last pint of strawberries I found was very expensive and I believe they were 21.00EC. I thought it was strange at first, that none of the locals here grew berries but as I am learning now it is very difficult to grow any fruit or vegetables here.  Between the wind, the heat, the insects, the birds and the monkeys you are very lucky to see anything here produce.

My watermelon and canteloupe plants are growing and i recently moved them up to our balcony so that I could keep a closer eye on them.  It has paid off! Today I counted 5 watermelon that have started on my vines.  Now if i can just protect them from the wind, the heat, the insects, the birds and the monkeys, then i could be eating my own watermelon in about 6 weeks!

You know you're in Nevis when.....

1. When you're driving, the sheep and goats have the 'right of way'

2. The Post Office will not ship glass

3. A box of cherrios costs more than a bottle of rum

4. Having four functioning door handles and/or windows in your SUV is a luxury

5. It is legal to drink and drive but illegal to drive while using a cell phone

6. You call 911 and no one answers

7. A package mailed from Canada takes two weeks to travel 6000kms to St.Kitts and then takes another two weeks to travel 2kms from St.Kitts to Nevis

8. You never drive through puddles, fearing the size of the pothole underneath

9. You're motto to live by is 'when you get one free, take two'

10. The locals will cut an entire 2 acres of grass with a weed whacker!

SCOOOOOOTER!!!

There are no words..........

Golden Rock Plantation Inn

 We wanted our first day to be very relaxed so we hadn't made any ambitious plans.  After our university tour we had a late lunch at the Golden Rock Plantation, which has a stunning view of the Atlantic side of the island, and then went home.  Here are a few shots of the beautiful scenery and setting surrounding the restaraunt.

Our First Stop

•  Our first stop on the agenda to show off our island was the university.  Kris took us all around campus.  Showing us his classroom he spent his 1st semester in, the classroom he will spend his 2nd semester in and the library.  The campus was completed deserted, I guess none of the students felt like sticking around(no surprise there), execpt for one of the local dogs.   

Spring Break on Nevis!

 Our long awaited visit from Mom and Dad came and went too quickly.  They arrived here on saturday April 16th and landed at the Nevis airport. Their trip through customs went extremely well, considering that you could barely lift their suitcases with everything that they had brought for us.  It was like Christmas morning, coming back to the apartment to open all our goodies.  They included everything from school supplies for Kris, a couple of new outfits for us and all the easter candy we could handle!!!

Yummy!!!

  All of the grocery stores turn their freezers off at night to conserve electricity so buying any meat here is questionable.  This is the only safe protein to eat on the island ................................. just kidding.  I found this little guy in my sink, these geckos are found all over the place here.