renovations | Snorkeling the ABC Islands

We’re slowing down to the Caribbean speed limit. We are still trying to get internet into our apartment, with no luck. We were told 4 weeks ago it would take 2-3 weeks and we’ve heard nothing. We don’t get any responses from their email help system. sigh It’s very very annoying to have to go over to the golf club to get some wifi. Not sure how much longer I can remain sane without my daily internet dose!

We’ve been snorkeling all over the island. The one fish we’ve really missed is the Queen Triggerfish. It’s a beautiful looking fish, and I really miss seeing it. Going to have to go to Aruba for a weekend to see if they are still over there. Pretty sure it’s not much of a food fish, so maybe the lionfish has decimated the population. Pam reminded me if the program we used to use called Land and Sea picture fix, and it does amazingly quick fixes for our undersea pictures. Here is an example with a turtle out in Westpunt at Playa Grandi.

Our renovations are moving along quite nicely. The outside patio has been re-tiled, and they will be moving the doors on Monday, so that will be great. There will be a little re-tiling inside, and some painting to do as well. The picture here is a couple of days old – I didn’t bring the right camera to get the most current images, but I’ll post one in a couple days. The electrician has moved lights, and switches and installed a ceiling fan, so that work is almost all done as well. We might have the workmen gone by next weekend. That might be too optimistic, but hey, optimism is easy in the sunshine.

Our “stuff” including the car, has been delayed several times, and the new date for delivery is September 10. We’re hoping the renovations will be done by then!

I look at the blog and see that I’ve really neglected it. We’ve been in the process of repairing flood damage and getting a new kitchen installed since November of last year. It just sucks the life out of you having no kitchen – no place to cook, no plumbing, no walls – it’s a bitch doing the dishes in the bathroom sink, believe me!

Dishes and pots and pans and cutlery and appliances are stacked everywhere – in the spare bedroom, the living room, the dining room, the bathroom! – since there are no cabinets, not even walls!

But it’s been worth it in the long run. It’s almost complete now, and we’re really happy with how things turned out. Every contractor we hired, or were hired by the restoration company, were first rate pros. I’ve got some painting and tiling above the back splash to do, and then we’re finished. I’ve already got the back splash done on the left side – we’re leaving the right clear for now, for the electrician to do his work.

If you look at the four pictures of the kitchen, the top two are obviously the before pics, and the bottom ones are roughly the same view with the new cabinets and floors.

Bailey on the other hand, doesn’t seem to care about those kind of things. So long as there is a bowl of food and a toilet is open to drink from, she’s happy!