I'm Back !!!! and Sint Maarten, St. Marten Anguilla and St. Barths

Where did November go? After we returned from Jamaica we had a week at home before going to Homestead/Miami for the final race of the NASCAR season. Our two favorite drivers, Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson were in 1st and 2nd place coming into the final race. We attended the wedding of our friends Katy and Andy on Saturday night and were then joined by our daughter Lissa and her husband Timmy for the race on Sunday. Jimmy won, Jeff came second.

Then it was home for meetings with the Nassau clubs and also with the Abaco club. We even got to attend our own club’s Christmas Party which was a real treat.

Note the name of the plane, the same as our company.

Off to Sint. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Barts and Anguilla. Another whirlwind trip. AG Louis had everything organized for a welcome cocktail party, ferry trips to St. Barts and Anguilla. It was only the week before that I found out that I needed a visa to visit St. Barts and Anguilla.
We laid a wreath for President Odile. A very sad momment.

These usually take about a month, but with Rotary’s pull and some awfully sweet talking by an “unnamed president” I was able to get the visa and make the boat. However, they did have to put the gangway back down to let me on. Louis’s wife Amanda made the made dash down the hill thru the traffic on foot to make the boat. It was well worth it as St. Barts was wonderful and so was Anguilla.

Saint. Martin Sunrise meeting place Breakfast with the Heineken!!




President Meredith and the Banner

Puggy on the way to Anguilla


Anguilla delegation with us at Port
Sandy Ground, looks very much like Eluthera in the Bahamas
Quality Testing and a quick surface shine while I was at it!

We had a wonderful dinner on Wednesday night with the PDG’s, Club Presidents and guests. It was a real treat to have everyone together in an intimate setting. 60 visits done, 8 to go. I can’t believe our year is half over.

Pierre and team giving us our Guavaberry Gift made by PAG Stephen Thompson


Our meeting with Sarah Wescot-Williams, Commissioner St. Maarten

Rotaractor Ronnie Wever on right who looked after us as in a most proffessional way, Thank You Ronnie

Low cost housing project common area where they planted trees, and put in picnic tables etc.

Sint Maarten Mid Isle playground for the school. We learned from those students why we need to be sure we make things strong. They are ROUGH!!!!!

Mid Isle project above and board below
Saint-Martin Nord, President Anike

Speak French properly, kiss twice eye contact ontoasting and a great bunch

Thanks for the Visa help!!!

Anike gives a "never say no award" to the Rotarian that never says no.

The Hospital project

As usual our flight home was eventful. We had to leave early on Friday so we could make a meeting with RID Barry, DGE Rupert, PDG Alister and RLID Diana to discuss the District leadership training. However, good old American Airlines had it their way. We finally arrived in Florida, not even Miami, 4 hours late. Needless to say, We missed the meeting.

We stayed in Miami for the weekend so I could attend the Governors’ Council Meeting on Saturday and I could do some last minute Christmas shopping. Lissa joined us once again for two days. Unfortunately Lissa and Carla spent all day Saturday in South Miami Hospital having tests done for dizziness and nausea she had been experiencing since Wednesday. All’s fine-it is vertigo, but it was a waste of a day’s shopping. Carla and Lissa tried to cram it all into Sunday as I came home to take care of the dogs and unpack.

Carla got back home on Monday night and we are off to Haiti on tomorrow, TS Olga permitting. I will try to keep the Blog more current as we move forward because there should be a little more time. Of the 68 clubs in the District we have visited with 60 with 2 more schedule for Nassau next week and then Cayman and Turks and Caicos in January.

Meghen is now working with the Americas Cup Challenge boats and is sailing to West Palm tomorrow taking the boats over for Drydocking. Not a good choice given the weather but there are no options.

We are busy now planning the District Conference in May and the Zone Institute in October, both at Atlantis. I am the facilities and Arrangements Chair for the Zone Institute.