Culebra style birthdays and Yom Kippur too

One of the times I love best on Culebra is when a friend has a birthday. The people you see five times a day going hither and yon with a hello and sometimes a quick kiss and hug are around to really talk with, catching up on what is going on beside getting the mail, buying the veggies, heading to work.

Last night was Teresa's party, held at Susie's. We got there to find the photographer Zach Stovall, from Caribbean Travel & Life magazine taking photos of a dish of Susie's. Hopefully it will make the cut and make the magazine; good on ya, Susie! The sun was setting, the moon was up. Chuck pointed out beautiful sky happenings. Teresa was serenaded with the birthday song on each person's arrival, which means we sang it a lot! And with increasingly off key, un-harmonious vigor!

Travel plans for world flung trips were shared, hurricane Hugo (20 years ago this month and ravaging for Culebra among many places) was re-visited, appetizers were eaten, crowned with a fabulous cake from Susie that was icing on the plate licking good.

Birthday beauty

Down the canal at sunset

Not quite Moon Over Miami but we'd rather be here

"I was looking back to see if you were looking back to see
If I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me"
(Jim Ed Brown lyrics)

Don't ask, don't tell

Like what?

Thanks, Susie! Does she get the boat too?

Cake cutting 101: Daunting but not impossible (bug spray not included)

Yes, slim trim beautiful girls love their cake and eat it too!

It doesn't get much better than a soaker hose birthday present!

Happy Birthday, dear Teresa, happy birthday to you!

Teresa happens to share her birthday with the start of Yom Kippur, a time of fasting and atonement (the only Jewish holiday where food isn't front and center). It seems a bit unfitting, as she happens to be one of those people who I can't imagine having any need to make atonement with a higher deity or human, either one. Unlike my own excitable self, who could use o Yom Kippur a few times a year. It's a good day to take stock of the state of one's being - who have I ticked off and should make it right with? Of course, being the unobservant sort that I am, there are a few who never get on the list of atoned, so I am doomed to carry them around in my unrepentant life backpack another year. It doesn't keep me up at night. Much. I can't really say Happy Yom Kippur, but how about, *happier when it's over* ? Ah well, a bit of a fast after that all that cake icing couldn't hurt.