Oh the Social Whirl!

Since this wasn't really a planned event but a spin off of yesterday, I can't really say it meant another tick on my fabulously full social calendar, since that would be two, two, two lies in one. But for a quick pick up happy birthday party outside of Dinghy Dock, it t'weren't even close to half good, it was all the way good. Although we do seem to be getting older with unstoppable regularity. 

Customs are important. Balloon John Birthday Crownage accouterment made the day official.

This one even had magic glow balls inside. But we'll never know how that worked out, as on the way home it flew merrily out of the vehicle not popping, chased down by two tiny girls wild with glee. Perfect.

It is not unusual to hear the phrase 'crazy Norte Americanos' said with affection (most of the time). I'm not sure why but I'm beginning to have some ideas on the matter.

There were others here but no photo really worked for that. Climbing onto the roof to get the right shot was not going to happen. Ever. So what you see be what you got.

Ok, I finally get what 'photo bombed' means (is there a reason everything has some cutesy name that takes me months to understand these days or was everything always explained somehow?). 

Wherever there are people gathered together on Culebra, be it in backyards, the beach or homes, there will be good food and drink and usually too much of both. That works.

Mariel, who was not raised by wolves, actually brought Gary a present. Fun and practical, much like the woman herself. Doesn't every lad need a floaty with a drink holder for his pool time? Well played, Mariel!

So many people think all we do around here is party. Lay around in hammocks, eating and drinking, go to the beach, eating and drinking, hang around in town, eating and drinking. Well, it is not true. 

Sometimes it's true

Sometimes we can be quite industrious. 

For example, someone at sometime industriously made this bird house. Now you know what to do with old spark plugs.

Example 2: Walt and Mariel spent a good amount of time in the Master / Grasshopper mode. And I mean that.

After gathering the proper palm fronds (yes, there are good and not good fronds for this), the lesson commenced.

Walt is a very 'let 'em get their hands shredded dirty' instructor

John and Lisa industriously observed

Walt advises the 'knee workplace' approach

And wa la! A three beer bird!

In the meantime, Walt was busy with a monster grasshopper. Oh the subtlety.

My brother called about that time to ask if we'd felt the 5.8 earthquake that occurred off of the Dominican Republic. We didn't feel it but it was felt on the big island, as reported by the ever diligent Suzanne of the Finca, giving a fair shaking and aftershocks. 

Here, we felt and watched as the temperature dropped a bit, the wind picked up and a bank of grey clouds to the north grew darker, a good sign to close a party that was already moving toward its endgame. Rolling with Nature's prompting is a good thing. So are birthdays and friends gathering. Impromptu humans.

It rained an estimated 23 and 1/2 drops

Have a tolerably talented Thursday. Do something territorially untested.