As Culebra Turns

Victorinox Midnight Manager

For your entertainment, or I hope, anyway, is a link to a strange page called EDC, standing for Everyday Carry. No matter what culture you come from, everyone carries items about with them on a daily basis. Maybe in your pockets or maybe in some sort of bag, a backpack, a purse, a satchel. I know sometimes I'll see a tourist's very interesting looking carryall and think, what is IN that thing? This site shows you, in a very meticulous sort of way. And it made me want to get this Swiss Army knife. Ever since TSA took away my great little set, I've just carried a knife - NOT through the airport - and this one has an LED light on it! Of course, that would burn out and then it would just have a piece of plastic on it....

What does that have to do with Culebra, you might wonder? Hey, we're all humans here. Except for (yes, it's Segue Time!!) that bird that is driving a few of us sky crazy. Here is the latest update, and a very exciting one it is. Unless this doesn't excite you, in which case, move along quietly.

Chris Goldmark - our resident pro fly fisherman guide - and I were talking about the bird at the bar the other night, going through lists of what we knew it was not, but still not positive about the Golden aspect. The next morning he sent me an email saying he had taken a man fishing from Maine Fish and Game who was very familiar with Goldens and Bald and Peregrines, having banded many in his home state. Chris said I should email him the photos and see what he thought.

In the afternoon, he went fishing with Chris again and not only did he have the photos, HE SAW THE BIRD!! This is what Chris wrote next, a group letter to what is becoming a small tribe of wonderers.

Jim Amaral from Fish and Game in Maine fished with me today. He has tagged Balds, Goldens and Peregrines and seen plenty of Red Tails. He saw the bird today flying over town and said it was definitely an eagle but after seeing MJ's photos said not a Bald or Golden. He thinks we are looking in the wrong direction. He says there are several types of Eagles in South America and this might be one of those. He sent MJ's photos to a friend he says would know what type. Hopefully soon we can get an ID.


The mystery deepens. I'll keep you informed. It takes a village. A really BIG village!

The other night was Lewis' (gr8ful dude) birthday, which his wife Debbie had arranged to have celebrated at Dinghy Dock, since she would not arrive until the next day. Lewis is all about the Grateful Dead and tie-dye, Peri made an appropriate cake. I think we pulled off a good surprise for him, despite business trying to get in the way!

Lori showed up after a day of hiking and sun (where's your sunscreen, girl!!) So good to have her here for a little while. She's leaving today, but she'll be back.

And finally Lewis showed up too. It didn't take long to get the birthday beers.

Peri was commissioned to make a cake - it was perfect!

It's hard to tell there is glitter here and there, but it's there. I saw it. Really.

And it was delicious too.

Molly sang her famous version of the Happy Birthday song, channeling Marilyn

It wasn't only Lewis' birthday, it was also Mark the Painter's. There were quite a few people there when I got there and more were coming in when we were leaving, but since I don't see Juan out at night much, this photo is the one that gets the space.

One of many of my favorites of Mark's work. He also does the caricatures.

Have a totality of tiny times Thursday. Do something temperately tempestuous.