Tuesday, June 11, 2013

'Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes'




Go ahead, listen to Jimmy while I talk, eventually it will all make sense.

As most of you know, for the past three years, I’ve been living on an island in the Caribbean. The island of St. Croix, Santa Cruz, Isle of the Holy Cross. St. Croix is the largest of the three islands that make up the United States Virgin Islands, a US Territory, but don’t let that fool you they still like to operate like a third world country on many different levels.

Before I get too far and start to sound too critical, let me say this; Island life is not for everybody, as for me I adapted pretty well. I was getting used to endless summer, gorgeous beaches, an extremely high cost of living, and not being out too late at night due to the high rate of crime. BUT, apparently ‘I was born under a wandering star’. I get itchy feet and have just got to get on to the next adventure.

There is a very real disease easily contacted in the Caribbean, it’s called ‘Blue Water Fever’. It’s said that once you live on the Blue Water if you leave you will spend the rest of your life trying to get back. Well, I don’t like to back track, so I figured that if I was going to leave I needed to find me some ‘other’ Blue Water.

On May 28th, I spent sixteen hours up in the air on four different planes trading this ~





For this ~



Crazy, huh? I just had to get me back to the mountains. If you don’t recognize those pictures the first is Cane Bay on the north shore of St.Croix. The second is Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe. Emerald Bay happens to be in California, but I live on the north shore in Nevada.

Like Jimmy says:

It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

So…this is why I’ve been a little distracted lately. I’m trying to get everything back together and my life on track. Jet lag and a change in altitude (going from sea level to about 7,000 feet) have really been kicking my butt. Buying a vehicle, looking for work and just generally finding my way around has taken up a whole lot of time, but I think I’m gonna make it. I sure am loving it here so far.



17 comments:

  1. Have to say I'm pretty envious. You've traded one paradise for another, very different but equally beautiful one it seems.

    How long until those itchy feet strike again though?

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  2. As I understand it, during quiet nights on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, if you listen carefully, you can faintly hear the voice of Frank Sinatra.

    And during quiet nights in South Lake Tahoe, if you listen carefully, you can faintly hear the voices of Louis Prima, Keely Smith, Sam Butera and The Witnesses.

    Please lemme know if that's true.

    And God sure does love you.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  3. So you pulled up roots completely? Whoa! Hey, you couldn't have picked a better spot. I'd trade for a mountain lake.
    Have faith in your new journey.

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  4. Geez moving all over, quite the spots you find indeed. I'd take the new one over the old one, as less crime and such it sounds like.

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  5. May you be very happy in your new home.

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  6. Are you going to change the header photo?

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  7. Wishing you much happiness and the joy of following your heart into the mountains!

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  8. Diego - Ah, that is always the questions. For today, I'm thinking this just may be the last move for me (for more reasons than one), but then you never know for sure. This is the reason I try to live having no regrets and taking nothing for granted.

    STMc - Believe me, I DO know that God loves me. As to the voices in the air, I have not doubt that Sinatra's most mellow notes float in the air up here on the North Shore. It is so beautiful, peaceful and totally relaxed. So far, my impressions of the South Shore are a lot more like the sounds of a driving beat, slide trombones and a killer sax. Fun for awhile, but it sure is nice to come home to the North end of heaven.

    You will be the first to know when I start actually hearing voices.

    Mark - Thanks a bunch.

    Alex - Thank you. After a move like this FAITH is my only safety net.

    Pat - So far so good. Once I can adjust to the altitude and the cooler temperatures, it will be better than perfect here.

    LD - Thank you.

    STMc - Just as soon as I can take a really good one.

    Jaybird - Thank you so much!

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  9. Thief :)

    GOD does love you! I love you, can't wait to see it all

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  10. PS: following your much appreciated comment:) I just left this reply over at mine:

    "@farawayees: Oh, I agree, each comment is appreciated - I just don't think *my* leaving a comment should be considered an honor. (I'm nobody special:)"

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  11. Wow, Barbara! That is a BIG change. I can understand why you left the islands. It's so difficult to live there... My family, having been in the Caribbean over 100 years, is rooted to the rocks in a way you could never be which, in some ways, makes it easier. That said... I don't live there, though my sister does. But I do visit regularly.

    May you thrive in Nevada, and find joy in the mountains, the lake, the view, the springs, summers, falls and winters.

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  12. I bet you wanted to bottle that pine air. It's wonderful, isn't it? I can understand your needing a dose of the mountains, and Emerald Bay is a gorgeous place to visit. I'm glad you treated yourself to the trip.

    xoRobyn

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  13. Yeah, "Thief" is right!
    Stealer of other people's dreams.

    I hope the ghost of Mark Twain burns it down (again).

    [Jus' kiddin'.]

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  14. luckymama - I hadn't even seen it yet, so how could I have stole it. It's that great minds thing again.

    Mark - Everyone and every comment is special in their own way.

    Bish - Thanks so much. I truly enjoyed my time on island, but it was time to move onto the next adventure.

    Robyn - Thanks for the well wishes. No need to bottle that glorious pine air, because I'm here permanently, well, at least as permanent as I'm anywhere.

    STMc - No theivin' goin' on here. Can I help it if we have the same dream.

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  15. Wow, that is very cool! Also probably the only place in Nevada I'd ever want to live. I hate Vegas, but then again my in-laws live there, we visit all the time, and that city lost its charm to me ages ago.

    I think you may have traded Blue Water Fever for Green Mountain Fever. I love always being near the mountains, and as a hiker/trail runner, I can't imagine living in place that didn't have them.

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  16. B & B; funny you should mention Green Mountain Fever. For a time I lived on Green Mountain Resevoir on the border of Summit and Grand County, Colorado. Maybe that's been my problem all along. sure am lovin' it here.

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