Caribbean Halloween

Halloween and trick o' treating is not exceptionally popular on St Croix. Yes, some festivities exist: a few costume parties, and trick o' treating at Sunny Isles shopping center/K-mart. This year the few events scheduled to take place last weekend were postponed due to Tropical Storm Noel. I've heard grumbling about Halloween and some locals adamantly opposed to the holiday. I'm not sure exactly why because St Croix heralds a ghost tradition: the jumby.
Jumbies (pronounced Joombie) are spirits. On some islands they can be good as well as evil spirits. Jumbies are found in the traditional scary place, the cemetery, but also in trees. Some island trees, especially those on the west end, certainly look dark and spooky. The lack of property development yields a lack of artificial light and with our position closer to the equator than the continental US, the dark comes much more quickly and year round. By 7 p.m. night arrives. High trade winds on a inky black night create a howl combined with insects and rain frogs make for eerie sounds. Jumbies dont' seem so far fetched.
I have a couple of obligatory bags of candy, though I doubt I receive any trick o' treaters. I may leave a mini candy bar or two for any wayward Jumbies.

TD Sixteen

The last photograph I posted of the "bad cloud" actually was a bad cloud, the precursor to what has become Tropical Depression 16. For the past two days, we've experience torrential rains, higher than average winds and eerily cool temperatures. As of this morning the winds have subsided but the skies remain grey, the winds up and the temps down.
I receive email alerts from the National Hurricane Center and learned via email that this odd weather was a storm in formation. Since passing St Croix, the now dubbed TD 16 is forecast to dump up to 15 inches of rain over parts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. It is a very odd feeling to have experienced the birth of potential hurricane and had no idea what was happening. All I can say is, get set Atlantic Florida. The hurricane center projects TD 16 crossing over the land mass of Cuba to the east, up north through the Bahamas, the straight for you.

Elation! Great guests

A quick note in praise of my most recent guests. I am relatively new to the bed and breakfast business. I love to travel and stay in b&bs, guest houses, zimmers rather than a traditional hotel. I like to experience the local culture rather than sequester myself in a 5 star resort. I had hoped for guests of that share the same philosophy and am grateful to have received this week's patrons.

I'm continuing to learn and trying not to beat myself up for forgetting things like refilling the sugar bowl. Both guests, the great ones and the problematic ones, have taught me lessons. This business adventure is a work in progress and probably always will be.

An unusual two-day rain has descended on St Croix, but my spirits are hardly dampened. I welcome next week and new guests and improving my game.

At HaypennyRest.com all is dry and cozy.

Bad Cloud Coming

A snap shot of this afternoon's weather. Had we viewed a scene like this outside our window in South Georgia someone would have remarked, "there's a bad cloud coming up."
As ominous as this cloud appears, the weather here is quite calm, slightly breezy, slightly cooler than usual. Perhaps not perfect tourist weather, but a relaxing change for a local. Then again, I'm indoors not on the beach or heaven forbid in a small fishing vessel.
Light and clouds can be deceptive here. One can see rain miles before it arrives. Certain areas of the island tend to glow at sunrise and sunset. I am astounded at the number of rainbows I see here. I started this morning off with a large double rainbow off to the west behind our pool. St Croix is not a flat sandy strip, but slightly mountainous. I guess the reflective qualities of the ocean and the angles of the mountains yield these startling vistas. I can't explain the physics, I merely revel in the views. Golden clouds or dark ones, both demand one stop and take notice, if not a photograph to share as I did.

Beautiful views at HaypennyRest.com

Bush Men

As I stated a couple of posts ago, I'm enduring home renovations. In addition to the dust, mess and drain on my personal time, I've discovered another unforeseen issue. No it's not hidden costs or faulty work, it's contractors and subcontractors who refuse to use indoor plumbing. That's right, they'd rather pee in the bush.

The first workman I spied walking 20 feet across the road to relieve himself in the undeveloped lot between my neighbor and myself, I dismissed as slightly odd. I was just glad my neighbor was not at home at the time. However, more workman from other firms continued his trek. The countertop installers spoke with me about their preference for the "bush" the local term for woods/vegetation. I was not interviewing them, mind you, they just waxed philosophic when asking me to show them the bathroom. They said they'd prefer to use the bush rather than the toilet. One man said he liked it better because urinating in the wild is "more free and breezy." Well the trade winds have picked up, so I guess a break to relieve one's self and cool one's business after a hot day of work is refreshing.

This isn't the first time I've encountered this preference. I once had a college biology professor who informed the class that he situated potted plants and a large ficus tree in his toilet to mimic the outdoors. That was in Georgia. Since I last lived in Washington, DC one had few opportunities for "bush breaks" and it would be a ticketed offense, besides.

Oh well, the repairs are nearly done and for the remaining few days, I'll simply avert my eyes.

At HaypennyRest.com our plumbing works just fine.

A.M. no Water

My cistern transfer valves. The booger on the left gave us all the trouble this morning.

Guests arrived yesterday and they are everything one could hope for in guests: pleasant, personable, here to explore St Croix. I thanked my lucky stars. These same stars must be slightly out of line because we all arose this morning to discover air not water in the plumbing pipes.

I raced downstairs to transfer the cistern settings. We have a double tank cistern: when one tank goes low, transfer to the other tank. We have plenty of water right now thanks to ample rain and a back up water delivery made last month. I entered the pump room expecting to solve this problem in 30 seconds and my guests would never be inconvenienced. But my lucky stars had other ideas.

Immobile valves. The cistern valve, that looks something like a garden hose faucet, refused to budge. I begged, I pleaded, I employed a wrench and WD-40. Nothing. Frantic, I called for my husband who was attempting to dress for work. He plodded downstairs, requested larger wrenches, strained and cursed. Nothing.

I phoned our plumber at 6:30 a.m. who answered, arrived an hour later, employed a very big wrench, loosened the valve and only departed once all the pipes were tested. A big relief that arrived only after our guests had departed for an early morning scuba dive at Salt River. I can only hope they showered last night. I can only hope they are forgiving.

I'm offering them a discount on today, but this doesn't make up for the inconvenience or make me any less embarrassed. Word to those seeking to operate a bed and breakfast: be prepared, be meticulous, be obsessive about the details or you may wake up with your stars out of line.

Blessing of the Pets

*Gus and Chuck's certificates. Note Saint Francis is petting a 'possum.

This past weekend sandwiched between veterinary visits, SEC football and kitchen renovation prep, our best received a special blessing in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Holy Cross Catholic Church in historic downtown Christiansted, St Croix USVI hosted the blessing in part as a fund raising event for their school, St Mary's.
In the church courtyard under tents animals a variety of animals awaited their blessing. In addition to dogs, cats (in carriers), I notice hamsters, turtles and a donkey.
The deacon gave a brief biography of Saint Francis of Assisi then lead a special prayer for the pets. We then processed to the outdoor altar on the church steps where the deacon sprinkled holy water on the pets. My cat and dog were blessed together. Both behaved well, however my dog, not a typical drooler, due to the hot day approached the deacon with a full muzzle of slobber. He got blessed anyway.
I don't know what the official party line is on pet blessing. I'm sure many people find it frivolous. In my humble opinion, though, if the tenets of Christianity are to refrain from judging others and to love unconditionally--our pets are more forgiving and forgetting than we are. They abide each day by the golden rule. Surely they warrant one day of blessing.

Enjoy a beautiful day at HaypennyRest.com

Island Remodeled

Until now I refrained from discussing the darker side of St Croix. After the past two weeks (and the thought of the week upcoming) I can no longer remain mum about St Croix's scary secret: heinous kitchen and baths.

Hurricane Hugo is the historical benchmark for modern day St Croix. Islanders refer to events as either before or after Hugo. The hurricane ravaged St Croix in 1989 resulting in widespread damage. I must then infer that some manufacturer of white, press-board, pre-fab kitchens flooded the Virgin Islands market with their wares, because the vast majority of homes I've toured, viewed or visited feature these '80s babies.

Forget the cosmetic (a difficult task for the current HGTV generation) and focus on the functional. We live in a humid maritime climate. If sea air demolishes electronics in a scant few years (and yes, it does) how did anyone think press board would stand the test of time. Poseidon snickers at every dilapidated vanity, dysfunctional door and rotting unit.

I am enduring a kitchen remodel. Yes, I welcome the finished result. However, like all cosmetic improvements we undertake be it exercising on the treadmill, submitting to foil highlighting, or suffering any sort of depilatory procedure--the end result is worth it, the during part just sucks.

Permanent Move Visit

Permanent Move Visit--familiar phrase? Not to me, not until I moved to the US Virgin Islands, that is. And now that I am very familiar with this concept, I highly recommend it for anyone dreaming of an escape to the Caribbean for any lengthy duration.
A permanent move visit (PMV) is a relocation test run. Families stay perhaps a couple of weeks, perhaps a month to sample living on island. Vacation rentals, like Haypenny Rest, are ideal for this type of visit. Rather than the tourist atmosphere of a hotel, by staying a private home PMVers gain the residential perspective. Home stays offer kitchens and thus the option of cooking and food shopping.
PMVers learn that St Croix, St Thomas and St John grocery prices are an estimated 25 percent higher than stateside. PMVers discover life in the left lane and the necessity of a car. Other than within the towns of Christiansted and Fredericksted, St Croix is not pedestrian friendly, St Thomas even less so, in my humble opinion. Hills and traffic inhibit scooter or moped transport on these islands as well. Unfortunately, a car is a must.
Too many souls relocate to the Caribbean without researching the quality of life beyond the picture postcard palm trees and blue seas. The two examples I named merely scratch the surface of adaptations that must be made. For anyone fantasizing about life in the Virgin Islands, a PMV is a smart move.

Want to try a PMV? Contact HaypennyRest.

Lost in Translation

I've learned a few lessons in this endeavor to start and succeed as a bed and breakfast owner and I'm only just into the high season here in St Croix, Virgin Islands. I'll summarize my experience thus far this week, a minor break from my lyric posts in ode to the natural beauty of the Caribbean.

I'll start with the most important less learned thus far: miscommunication. Miscommunication affects my business far more than I would have anticipated. Miscommunication necessitated a change in room reservation policy. No longer will I allow a friend or family member to book a reservation for someone else. Gift certificates yes, but actual reservations, no. See the location mom or your best man thinks is great may not be the guest's cup of tea. No matter that I tell mom or your best man that my b&b is ocean view not water front (a significant detail most definitely reflected in our lower price) when guest arrives and finds stepping out of the door and into the ocean not an option, well, complaining to me is much easier than complaining to mama.

I learned that miscommunication arises with more frequency and tenacity that I would have ever imagined. Maybe vacation encourages this trait. Vacation is supposed to be special and wonderful--an opportunity to escape your daily grind. We need it to be perfect--an unachievable goal.

What is achievable here is beautiful scenery, unique culture, tranquil ocean breezes and if you can stop yourself from analyzing it to much, what could be more perfect?

Relax at Haypenny Rest.