The island

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We caught a 1:30pm flight to Lauderdale with a 5 hour layover.  That meant we were starving and looking up restaurants for the 2 hour advanced check in wait, the flight, taxing and trek to and thru customs where we were unceremoniously spit out in the usual place.  Everything, including restaurant choices, remained the same and we had to check in, get through security (DD22 had her exfoliant and face wash taken by a jovial security guy who loved her Hello Kitty make up bag.  She knew it would happen, bc I'd only booked carry on luggage, no checked bags.

The Island security "team" comprised of 4 unsmiling women and I was the randomly selected pat down person....she missed the no'see'um I must be carrying around, bc I swear I have more bites this morning.

We opted for Mexican food and our waiter was a flamboyant man who spoke with a Gautamalen accent, like the Agadore character from The Bird Cage.  LoVE that movie. The huge hand wrought chandeliers with orange globes always charm me into not caring about having enough space ur cream, hot sauce, jalapenos and pico.  The pork quesadilla was SO good.  Nachos were fully loaded with black beans, chicken, cheese, guac, sour cream and a little tiny bit of pico..... jalapenos were HOT.  I should have had a beer instead of a margarita.  I ran to Starbucks and grabbed a latte and matcha frap before our cinnamon and butterscotch syrup covered churros arrived......we ate every bite.  I'm still full this morning.  Such is every return to the States first meal....always grateful to the point of tears....once I wept over a fresh salad with a double burger on top.  Not much fresh produce on the island.

DD24 picked us up at the airport by 9:30pm ,with the pug, who was low volume crying when removed from  DD24's driver seat. The pug bonds intensely with them that's feeding her.

My sister flying in today, so no rest for the wicked.

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On reflection, this was the first trip where everything felt like an actual home on the island.  Brother and sea captain brought 2 well sealing exterior doors, a double door air fryer and  tons of groceries.  They had the deep fryer going and the weather dropped into what I associate with happy Halloween weather....cool and a tad cold at times.  The guys replaced the doors and I ran to the other island for lock sets early their final morning, so we had handles and deadbolts, yay!!!!!

I didn't clean, paint, fix and detail my way through this experience, though the final day did involve touching up furniture, particularly the dining chair seats, with a half gallon of Kilz. Kitchen drawer packs got a good going over.  Organized drawers while wholly ignoring bookshelves. De pilled sofas and sofa covers, tightened bolt on floppy dining chair leg while ignoring the escaped springs.

Detail cleaned the bathroom, during my last shower, armed with soft scrub and a very stiff brush.  Satisfying to scour gloppy drains and their screens with bleach. 

The housekeeper left her job a couple hours early to sweep, mop and make beds..... hopefully dust.  Current guest arrived yesterday. I think this is her 4th annual stay with a 5th week added on. 

Everyone paid, new keys marked and handed out, old keys collected and in bucket with commercial lock sets....container locked as I skidded to the shuttle bus, couldn't unclip keys from belt loop so that was interesting.

Caretaker has 2 almost grown pitty girls... One apricot colored, the other reminded me of Egg, from shark lab.....white with some speckles.  Those faces remind DD22 of the pug.  The apricot one is feisty where the white one is so well behaved.  They sparked joy for me, as did time on the boat, with the sharks and rays.

I meditated on the beach....the last week. That first week was tough. 

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Current guest experiencing anxiety over WiFi cable disruption between islands.  She had WiFi for a couple days then nothing.

There was a strike if teachers and guest thought it included phone company workers.  It did not.  The repair is underwater and I explained repairs often take time and many parts delivered by boat.

Guest neeeeeds me to care and express compassion......which I do, as I can. I can't do hold her hand through the wait, however.

 Guest asks about housekeeping services, prices, hourly rates?  I can tell she's up to something and sidestep....jobs quoted.... there's no hourly fee, which is true.

Guest admits she's asked housekeeper to clean floors, bathroom and kitchen....the quoted fee of $95 seems high to her.  I'm gob smacked and let her know housekeeper is a valued team member, honest, hard working and, IME, very fair.....basically the entire cottage would be serviced, excluding laundry. I was thanked and that discussion ended.

I'll be thrilled if WiFi repairs can be made without damage to the electric or water cables.

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My guest went quiet, so I checked on her.  The WiFi was back up, them down and up again.  She was happy and reading on the beach, watching boats and the ocean.  It always takes her a while to slow down and acclimate to island time.

She likes it when I check on her. 

The road in front of cottage is being oiled in preparation for paving, she reports.  I believe that's a good thing.  The white clumpy clay material is hard to get off and out of shoe treads.  Will be a smooth and dust free ride, I hope. Now, one breathes in dust kicked up by cars and carts. Always a tiny bit of grit in my teeth when I'm on that road.

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Winter guest has been silent for weeks, I guess. 

She messaged she's not ready to leave the Cottage, apologized for being a PITA over water pressure and wifi, said they've been good last two weeks and her long walks with her dog have helped her find her island stride, emotionally.....commented on the new doors ( thank you Brother for ordering, transporting and installing them!), toilet, inability to go out with sea captain, but booking ahead for next year.

That felt good and right.  I wrote back, answered 10 questions, sans frustration.  Happy her trip smoothed out and she leaves tomorrow, having booked 2 months next year.

I notice regret I didn't get to touch up paint in Master bedroom, but got the ac vent replaced, thank you Brother for bringing new one!  The old one disintegrated down to the wire and was repaired badly with saran wrap. What a lovely mess to put behind me.

I did my best and feel ok about it.

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I just received pics of newly paved roads at the cottage.  They look really good...they look like less grit in my teeth.

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3 guests checked in on the 28th.  I guess they had many hours of struggling to get there ...ended up on a different flight on a different airline.  Not sure why, but it's not a good trip for people who rarely travel, IME. Nothing easy about it, IME.

This guy's a professor at Cornell University, well traveled. They're happy with the cottage, had their exhausted first meal at nearby restaurant.....only one I trust on the island. Open kitchen, no bugs.

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I can very close with past Cottage guests.  Almost perfectly matched, but these last 3....
we're perfectly aligned to enjoy it all.  Even the bumps.

The guy who lined it up, read the book about Hemingway and the island on my bookshelf.  He brought a fly rod, hired a bonefish guide and sent fascinating pictures of his experience....what they caught, what they cooked .... everything, but diving, which was their main reason to visit. 

On the day they arrived, after hours of travel snags, he said he aligned with my favorite saying...."If it's not ok, it's ok.". It was a telling beginning to their 8 day stay. 

These guys focus on the joy.

He left a very short 5 star review, assuming while at the airport.  With his permission, I used some of his pics and added info for future guests.

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