Today - or more properly tonight - is Noche de San Juan, the Night of Saint John the Baptist. Originally a religious "holiday" now it is one of the premier party-at-the-beach days/nights.

The premise is that at midnight you throw yourself backwards into the ocean three times - or is it seven times? Or 12? Depends on who you talk to and how drunk you/they are. The dunking in the ocean is a symbolic re-baptism, ironic since baptism itself a symbolic act. Anyway, this dunking is supposed to somehow honor St. John the Baptist and bring good luck for the coming year. 

But since the dunking doesn't take place until midnight, there are all those hours to fill. What to do, what to do? Partying on the beach waiting for the clock to strike 12 seems like a great idea. And after the dunking? Might as well keep partying!

So thousands of people will spend this evening - and much of the day leading to evening - partying hardy on the beach. Many of them will pitch tents and camp (illegally but unmolested) for the night.

All that is fine and wouldn't bother me at all if the thousands of people took all their trash home with them. Unfortunately, in past years many of them have chosen to leave piles of trash on the beach. And many many people spend days following this holiday picking up garbage on most of Puerto Rico's beautiful beaches. Hopefully this year, people will choose to enjoy themselves, but show their gratitude to Mother Nature and this planet as well by taking their trash with them and disposing of it properly when they leave.

Today is the seventh day of my 61st year. Elaine got to ride both her horses today. I mostly worked to on the on-going house projects and to get ready to open Ola Lola's.

Not day 4

This is not Day 4 of my 61st year. This photo was taken on my birthday but the work goes back to the week before. "They" (whoever "they" are) took the old dome off one of  the radar towers at the end of the airport. For a while the radar antenna was exposed. Then "they" put a new dome on. during the construction process it looked like a cracked egg. It was like watching a film of the radar antenna hatching in reverse. I usually carry a camera with me but for some reason this week I didn't so I don't have pictures until near the end of the reconstruction.

Day 4 of my 61st year was mostly uneventful. On Day 5 of my 61st year, I spent the day building new saddle racks in Elaine's new tack room and cleaning up.

Day 3

The kind of morning I call "platinum grey." It was a mixed bag on our walk on the beach this morning. The dogs were good and had a great run. I enjoy my morning walk until I slipped on something on a rock at the ocean's edge. I went down hard and landed on the camera that took this picture. RIP little Canon. Now looking for a replacement.

On a better note, even though business was slow tonight, Guest Chef Chris Fulcher rocked it with Japanese noodles and seafood. Simply fabulous. Sorry if you missed it. You should be sorry you missed it too. Tonight was Chris's last night as Guest Chef. Next Monday night Danny Rivera, formerly of Nomadas, brings "Mexican Monday" to Ola Lola's.

p.s. NOTE!!!! By popular demand, Chris WILL BE BACK at Ola Lola's on Sunday, July 1st! This is your chance friends. This is your chance! Don't miss it!

Day 2

Day 2 of my 62nd year. All that was left of my birthday cake which I ate for breakfast.

My cake was an apple charlotka (a Russian recipe) made for me by Tami, our guest chef last night. It was FABULOUS! Thank you, Tami and Elaine!

Happy birthday - to ME!

Yep, today I started my 62nd year. And we started it in style!

We used to have a tradition in our family that on your birthday you gave a gift to someone else. The practiced reinforced the "better to give than to receive" idea with the kids.

This year I gave Elaine an adventure gift for my birthday. With the help of Scott from VerdeAzul we went stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP) on the Guajataca River. It was amazingwonderfulawesomecrazyfunbeautiful. And I guess we're hooked. Elaine is already talking to Scott about buying a couple of SUPs. I truly did not see this coming. So our little birthday adventure is turning into and yet another expensive (at least initially) outdoor activity. But then this is why we moved here, right? We loved it.

It's really good exercise as well. It looks like it's mostly arms but it's great for the core and legs. If we get out at all regularly, it should help us both in our other activities - horseback-riding for Elaine and diving for me.

I didn't take any pictures this time but Scott did. As soon as I get them from him, I'll post them.

Sad day in Wisconsin

I can't believe Scott Walker is still governor in Wisconsin.

If things had worked out differently - i.e., if I had been offered a job in Madison or Milwaukee - we might not be here in Puerto Rico right now.

Now more than ever and for more reasons than ever, I'm glad we're here. Things are screwed up here but not that screwed up!

WWKW

I think this happened last year too: World Wide KAP Week has come and gone and I did not take a single KAP photo. I was sick part of the week (lame excuse!).

The biggest problem was no wind. We live in a place where the wind blows 25-30 knots a good part of the time. For the last two weeks - nada. It has been hot (unseasonably, August/September kind of hot), muggy and very very still.

So my list of KAP projects remains, becalmed by the early summer doldrums.

Swimmin' critters

We took Chocolate, Amber and Jazz swimming at Shacks yesterday. We - and they - love it!