Simple Moments Strung Together

Six weeks in the Grenadines have passed in a hot minute.  Looking back, it has to be the kiting that made the time go by so fast.  We have been courted by those oversized colorful sails in the sky.  They had Michael at hello, but I played hard to get, until now.  Next week, we will sail away, but the kiting and us, we’re hitched for good.

That said, our commitment to loving the Grenadines extends beyond the kiting.  If I had to put my finger on the reason, I’d press hard on the notion that it feels easy here.

Let me give you an example.  On the tiny and beautiful island of Mayreau, I wanted to read to the children and give away some books.  The schools are closed for covid.  I asked the grocery store clerk if she knew how I could get in touch with the principal.  She said, “You just missed the principal, but Annie, the first-grade teacher, lives across the street.  Stand in the road and yell Annie.  She will come to talk to you.”  Nobody raised an eyebrow when Michael hollered from the hot pavement.  Annie arranged for me and my new friend Moe (svRunaway) to read books to a group of her students at her husband’s restaurant, and her sister, the kindergarten teacher, gathered a group of possibly the cutest five year olds I’ve ever seen on her porch so we could read to them.  Even though life is hard here now, as it is in so many places around the world, organizing the kids was that easy.

We are told there are much fewer boats here than there would be in a normal season, but the ones that are here are the ones we want to be with.  It’s been a comedy routine of comings and goings as one boat says good-bye for good, only to return again the next day.  We went to Tobago Cays to visit the sea turtles and returned saying we couldn’t stay away from the kiting, but the truth is that we couldn’t stay away from the people.  Try to tear three rum drinking, female novelists apart and you will fail!

To be honest, there wasn’t that much rum involved, but there was a healthy portion of sea urchin guts consumed. (Not by me!)  Kiting made these guys hungry and we forgot to bring snacks.  

Some days were special, like the one when we hiked Mt. Frigate, the one when we crossed the suspension bridges to Clifton, the one when Jaunti opened up Happy Island just for us, and the one when we got to kite alongside JT at JTPro.

Some nights were outstanding, like the one when Romeo and Juliet cooked lobsters for seven on sv-Purr, the one when mv-Kamalaya invited us for tacos, and the one when Nikko made pizzas for all as the sun set.

In the end, it’s the simple moments strung together that make the Grenadines so darn sweet.  A quick shop in Ashton for vegees, peanut butter and jelly on the beach in Frigate, a quiet afternoon watching the boys splice rope in Salt Whistle Bay, or a family zoom from Gerty with good connection in Clifton.  These times are the sugar. 

Last remarks:

• Many, many thanks to all the friends and family who are helping to celebrate my 50th Birthday.  I am so grateful that I will be able to experience the world in this way with your gifts! https://gofund.me/016509e1
• Thank you to Annie and her sister on Mayreau, as well as Principal Lorette of the Stephanie Browne Primary School on Union Island for allowing me to spend time with the children of the Grenadines.  Another shout out to Hands Across the Sea https://www.handsacrossthesea.net/ 
• Thank you to Nicholas at Happy Kite for parking in the middle, and making such good pizza!
• Thank you to Michael for taking me sailing.