Hot water, cart singing, Easter, food poisoning...
Two EPIC good-news snippets this week:
1. We have hot water again! The new heating elements work like a charm, and having steaming-hot water on demand once again is delightful.
2. I saw this post yesterday on Facebook:
The Patty Flipper is a food truck that resides directly across the street from our neighborhood. It "closed for maintenance" right as we moved here in August. It is HANDS DOWN the best burger on the island, and one of the best classic burgers I've had anywhere! It's not gourmet, foo-foo food, it is greasy-spoon deliciousness! I longingly stare at the truck every time I leave, hoping against all odds it will reopen...and now, all indications are YES! We've tried all but one suggestion for "2nd best burger on the island" and they have been, at best, just decent. Not good. Even other restaurant owners who serve burgers have told us The Patty Flipper has the best burger!
Friday, I did a bunch of house-cleaning and cooking - I put my AirPods in and jammed out for hours! It occurred to me that I hardly ever hear "my" music any longer - I don't commute to work in a car for 45-60 minutes twice a day, and I miss my jams. Nathan was working, so I zoned out and was super productive; I'm going to start taking my AirPods with me in the cart when I'm alone - I can sing/embarrass myself all I want, people will only hear me for a moment! It's the little things you don't realize you miss, until you do.
Saturday, we went out to our land, figuring Sunday, Secret Beach would be total chaos with all of the bars throwing parties. It's amazing how quickly the brush is regrowing, despite having NO RAIN for at least 2 months now! Here's a quick video: Secret Beach plant and tree growth - look at all our poisonous trees!
The water was super crystal-clear! We could see all the fish while just standing above the water, no snorkel necessary!
Sunday morning, I did not feel the greatest, so we didn't go crush bottomless mimosas as originally planned; instead, we were sucked into a "Game of Thrones" Marathon - blackout curtains drawn, AC kicking, cats cuddling. I made Mediterranean pizzas for dinner (pesto sauce, feta cheese, kalamata olives, onions, peppers, garlic....) and when we went to bed, Nathan wasn't feeling well, either. It seems we finally contracted a food-borne illness - I didn't throw out EVERY item in our fridge after the last, 4-hour power outage the Monday before Easter - I kept condiments like pesto, and the feta...so we presume one of those was the culprit. Pickled things like olives and peppers, we kept, too. I have a five-pound vat of kalamata olives in there we've barely cracked, I hope they were not the source! It's amazing that we went a month with no hot water and didn't get ill...then, we were taken out by the food we prepared, not something from a restaurant, where it's not unusual for a restroom to be "out" of running water.
Dr. Baptist, the visiting vet, is back today/tomorrow, so this morning, I scheduled an appointment for Selene's dental for tomorrow. I'm sure she is in good hands, but at almost 13, it's always risky for cats to go under anesthesia. I'm sure I won't sleep tonight, partly from worry, and partly because she can't have food after 7 pm tonight - we'll have a chorus of 3 very hangry cats by about 9, I estimate.
Today our Coral Cable internet has been awful; it cuts out about every ten minutes, which is a big problem for a remote worker who relies on the internet for calls. Island life...island frustrations...
Friday, we'll renew our visitor's visas - there is some chatter on Facebook about the monthly rate rising to $300/BZ from $200/BZ, and immigration officers requesting documentation that they previously have not (but have always had the right to). I imagine that is due to the US becoming so "unfriendly" toward non-Americans. I get it - tit for tat. There's nothing on their website yet, so hopefully, nothing comes to fruition on the rate increase. Belize Immigration Visitor's Visa Info