Change is good!

Happy 2011 everybody! By now, I'm guessing most people have recovered from all the craziness-slash-festivities and are moving right along, since the first month of the year is more than half over! Yeesh.

My year has definitely kicked off on a busy note, and this past sixteen days has gone by in a flash. I worked through the year's end, then I began a new role within the same company which has me planning for our upcoming plant turnaround. It has barely started and already I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew! However, it's not the first time I've gotten myself into something that initially feels way beyond me... I'm hoping I'll figure it out.

As well, I made a quick trip to Phoenix to see my family, and while I would have loved to have done some hiking, I didn't quite have enough time and instead got in plenty of quality visiting. Well I think it was quality, anyhow... my parents may beg to differ!! I made them take me to the massive Signal Butte flea market (two days in a row!!), to bookstores, and to organic grocery stores, subsequent to which I bombarded them with a ton of nutritional information.  My Dad sadly isn't in as good of physical health as he honestly could be, and I'm hoping that by making some minor changes he will be able to feel like his old self again. He is however still extremely sharp-witted... and I expect I'll see a comment on this post at some point from him... remember that I do it because I love you Dad!!! Hee hee. I love you too, Mom!!

Look at that face!! This is Larry, my sister's latest foster dog.

Check out the amazing work she does HERE.

The morning I arrived home from Arizona (a nasty, 50-degree-Celsius temperature change!), we got word that the conditions had been removed from the offer to purchase Todd accepted on the place in Canmore... so it is official - the Canmore condo is SOLD!!! My feelings are mixed - I think I'll definitely miss hanging out in the gorgeous Rocky Mountains at will, but on the other hand, it is going to be awesome to not feel obligated to spend all of our free time there. The deal closes on the 31st, so the next fifteen days are going to consist of packing, moving, and trying to cram two households worth of junk into one. D'OH!! Talk about a challenge!!

Sunrise at 35,000 feet

So stay tuned for the all-new adventures of Todd and Cheryle, which hopefully will begin in March with another sailing trip. In the words of Shrek: Change is good, Donkey!

Cheers!

Happy Holidays!

Fun with decorations...

  

Not my tree or decorations however... These were on the tree in the airport in Puerto Plata, and even though 'Christmas' isn't really my thing, I thought it was kind of pretty. Love the non-traditional blues and silvers!

I wish all my family and friends a safe and merry holiday season and a healthy, happy, prosperous New Year!

Cheers everyone!

xxoo
Cheryle

Reality... bites!

After a pilot error induced flight delay, then subsequent adverse weather related flight delays, we arrived back in the land of ice and snow.  **SIGH**  I must say that I prefer the 'other' white stuff (that would be SAND) more and more anymore! But sadly, until I become independently wealthy, living at no fixed address around the Caribbean is not an option.

While it wasn't my most favorite place, the DR wasn't an entire bust. We enjoyed the great weather and hanging out with friends (some old, and many new). Now it's back to work for a few weeks - I'm working both Christmas and New Year's, which doesn't hurt my feelings any - and then I get to head to Phoenix to visit my family.

Here are the last of the random vacation shots.

Until next time...

Skunked!

Well... I think I can officially say it... we've been hosed! For wind mostly, but there have been other things that have made this one of my least favorite holidays. I'm not typically a complainer, so I won't get into it here... but suffice it to say, this is the only place I've been so far that, at the moment, I have no desire to come back to.

Today I think we're going to head over to the swap meet at Kite Beach. Todd may pack up his larger kites and bring them along, in case the wind does pick up. It would be awesome if he did get a ride in - I'm itching to get some kiting photos!

Anyway, in spite of everything, the weather has been hot and the water is warm and fun to play in... so it isn't all bad. It's just not what I had expected.

Cheers!

Things to do when there is no wind...

After a serious rainstorm yesterday morning (which killed ANY hope of wind!), Todd and I took a stroll west along the shoreline as far as we could go. It was about an 8 kilometre adventure (return) and the scenery was gorgeous!

 

 

And the best part was that there were very few peddlers. Honestly, that has been what I have enjoyed the least about this place - you can't go anywhere without being accosted by one after another, after another... Whether you are walking on the street or on the beach, they find you! Some want you to pay to sit on their chairs, and some even want you to pay them for just LOOKING at their stuff. Oy.

Anyhow. Last night, a crew of us had a fantastic seafood feast - we ate at an amazing little beach restaurant recommended to us by some really cool peeps we met from Germany. Then we brought our full bellies back to the hotel and ingested a few too many Long Island Iced Teas. This morning is unbelievably hot and humid, so a swim will probably be in order, but unfortunately it is not looking good for kiting. Boo. But... when all is said and done, it is still much nicer than being in Alberta!

Cheers!

Oh, my aching head!!

Seldom a vacation goes by where Todd doesn't injure himself...

 

This scuff on the head is courtesy of the massive shore break... Todd was trying out his surfboard in the much too shallow water yesterday, and he took a thumping.

Today we got up early and went on a gnarly dive/snorkel tour. The water was super rough (we had to SWIM out to the dive boat because it couldn't get into shore!), so one stop was all our stomachs could take and we opted out of going to the second site. The fish and the coral were very cool however and I'm glad we did it!

 

We're kind of laying low this afternoon... the wind is still negligible but it is very hot... so perhaps we'll get out on the Hobie Cat again? If nothing else, there is always rum!

Cheers!

Wind, where art thou??

Okay... I was a little confused yesterday... we didn't actually GO on the waterfall tour, we were just BOOKING the waterfall tour... damn all this rum!! Hee hee! Turns out we most likely aren't going anyhow, since it is an 'all-day' event (7am-6pm) and about half of it will be spent driving there and back.

Later in the afternoon yesterday, Todd and I took the Hobie Cat out for a spin, then we played in the surf with some boogie boards - what a riot!! I got slammed into the beach several times and was completely covered in sand by the time we were finished; in fact I still have sand in my hair today!

And sadly, it looks like the wind forecast has changed again, for the worse this time. What was supposed to show up by Thursday is now pushed back until Sunday... which will be too late, for us, anyhow. Oh well. What do you do. At least it is sunny and hot here!! And did I mention that there is lots of rum? Yum!!

Maraja's Beach Bar

random stairwell

Cheers!

More fun in the sun...

Hot... but no wind so far today! I did figure out however, that if I sit in the hallway just down from our room, I'm able to scam the internet... so here are a few more pics from the trip...

view from our room

Playa de Sosua

And the bartering begins!

 

rigging up the Zephyr

Todd had the bay to himself!

late afternoon session

beach vendor

Well I guess we are going on a waterfall tour this afternoon, with Pete and Sandy and family. The day is a scorcher so it will be a nice way to spend it!

Cheers!

Good Times!

Today was another smokin' hot day in Cabarete... but there wasn't alot of wind this morning, so we went to Sosua to check it out. The bay and the beach are quite pretty, and we wandered around the little shops for a couple of hours before returning to our hotel to meet the kite repair guy. Did I mention that Todd is a kite-wrecking machine??! Those are his words, by the way. Heh heh. However... the repair job is excellent, and it seems that once again the 13m is in flying condition!

 

The 13m suffered a bit of trauma... AGAIN... D'OH!!!!

This afternoon, the wind did pick up a little, and Todd rode his 17m and the Spleen Door. I think he had a decent time, because he was on the water for nearly three hours!

Right now we are in Maraja's Beach Lounge, which is right next door to where we are staying. It seems to be the only place where we can find an internet connection, and for the mere cost of a Mojito and a Cuba Libre, they give us an access code and we can surf to our hearts' content! It is actually a really nice hangout - the music is groovy and the drinks are extremely good!

Not sure what's up for tomorrow... I am loving the beach and the sun and don't have any complaints. Life is good!! Wish you were here!!

Entertainment!!

One of the pools in the resort.

Kite Beach

It's almost Christmas!?

Ca-razy Cabarete!

Cheers!