End to the Week!

This morning we started with a nice hearty breakfast that included this "berry delicious" berry bowls...

I love it when it's summer and berries are on sale, so I am making the best out of it and eating lots of them.

Oh boy, am I glad it's Friday, dunno why but this past week felt very long and exhausting, like if every day was a Monday, perhaps it's because last weekend I only had a day off (Sunday) plus we had that whole Ernesto Storm deal around which just add up to the stress of the season.

Well, we were very lucky and blessed that Ernest stayed away, unfortunately it seems that Ernesto was a "natural born leader" and now everybody wants to "follow the leader, leader, leader" [as in the song], so we are definitely not out of the woods yet, but only really starting the Hurricane Season.

Tropical Depression 7 has formed in the Atlantic and it seems to have about the same path as Ernesto did but just a bit norther... meaning coming towards us :(

According to the computer models, if it becomes a storm, it would be around here by Tuesday or Wednesday, let's hope not.

So, what are your planes this coming weekend?

Do you have some fun and exciting plans, perhaps some "kat-a-oke" time?

Maybe enjoy the Moon and the Meteor Showers coming up tomorrow and Sunday night (up until the 23rd)?

I myself hope to enjoy the "shower" and also get some crochet projects done...

I am seriously hoping that we also get some rain, because believe or not we only got about 2 inches from Ernesto and then after that, we've been complete dry...

So, other than that I hope I get to really rest and enjoy the weekend, wishing the same for you...


Have a great weekend and don't forget to take it easy and "smell the roses"!!!

what's in a Jar?

My husband says I have this obsession with keeping empty glass jars, well I do.

The reason for my obsession comes from the fact that I actually love jars, specially the mason ones that appear to be kinda vintage looking. Also they are great as containers, the glass is much better than any plastic topper ware, specially if you want to reheat food in the microwave (which I only do at work, as I don't actually own a microwave).

But  really, the main reason comes from the fact that I feel it's a shame to throw them out, specially since we don't even have glass recycling on the island.

So, yes my obsession exists and now even more that I am an avid member of the Pinterest community and I just can't help but notice all the many DIY project with mason jars, like the following ones...

(photos source: Pinterest)

I have to say the I have tried to make outdoor laps out of them, but since I mainly have different size jars (instead of all the same) it didn't quite work well.

Well, yesterday while doing the dishes, I noticed my husband just finished one of those HUGE spaghetti sauce jar from CostUless shopping (one of those "super size" grocery store) and since the jar is so huge I cannot make myself throw it so I came up with a fab idea... Salad in a Jar!!!

Of course I made the salad yesterday evening and left it inside the fridge overnight, genius me decided to share this on my blog today and now when I take a photo it doesn't come out well... But here it is.

What I love the most about the jar is that it's big enough to even hold the dressing (in my case, Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Balsamic Vinegar)....

Genius idea, eh? Also if you ever open a can of anything (ex: olives) and have any left, it's probably better to keep them in the fridge in a glass jar than just the can itself... Your welcome!

Can't wait to have my Salad in a Jar for lunch... Have a great day!!!

C is for Courage, Commitment & Chacon

In case you are wondering why I haven't posted anything about the Olympics?

Well, in fact I haven't been watching them at all!!! We don't really have cable tv in our house and the only two local channels are not very good reception either, so I just don't bother with TV much at all...

The other day while at the bank waiting for my turn at the teller, I happened to catch a kayak race which was pretty cool.

But although I haven't really been watching the events, I do follow some of the news about it and specially those about my fellow Costarican's representing my country.

And that's why today I would like to dedicate my post to courage and commitment in the form of triathlon athlete Leonardo Chacon, a 28 year of Costarican that was prepares (as many others) to give it all on his sport at the 2012 London Olympics, but failed to do it.

But the thing is that commitment and effort doesn't necessary get you there, you always have to remember that there are other factors that could affect your performance and that is why a winner is not necessary the number one spot on the race.

As many of you know, in triathlon there are 3 sports in one; swimming, biking and running which for the 2012 olympics were 0.93 miles of swim, 24.8 miles of bike and 6.2 miles of running.

Now off the Leonardo's story... 

He started his swimming and came out #17 just about 28 seconds behind the #1. Then he got into his bike expecting to get some advantage (as the bike is his -according to him- strongest sport), and that's when Canadian Whitfield (who has won Gold in Sydney and Silver in Pekin's games) fell off his bike, taking Chacon along with him.

Leonardo fell of the bike, his helmet broke hitting and cutting him in the shoulder, the bike's chain came loose and the handle broke as well...

But Leonardo did not gave up, bleeding from his back and hip, he got back in his bike and gave it all he could. But by the time he finished the bike (he was in #33) but then he still needed to run. While running, the pain and soreness caught up with him, making him loose stamina and places in the final run.

Leonardo Chacon, bruises and all, finished the race!

Leonardo finish, despite it all in #48 of 55, striking for the best.

And that's exactly why I dedicate today's post to him, because to me, he is already is in the book of best, as so are all those athletes that work hard for their dream to compete among the greatest and represent their country.

So, yeah, while lots of countries and athletes have many medals, others (like Leo) just have to be happy to have what it takes to never give up and live life with courage and commitment.

Congrats Leonardo, you made me and many Costarican's very proud!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Gifts

And it finally rained, howling wind and all included in the package, the best part was that, it was overnight which made our sleeping time even more enjoyable.

Ernesto is still out there and perhaps turning into an actual hurricane today, so although I am thankful that we got the best out of it, there are still people being affected by it, so let's keep them in our prayers, because today is them but it could totally be us tomorrow, thanks!

The rain was so nice that this morning my hubby slept in a bit longer than me, so I got to feed the cats myself, well what a nice surprise of them to leave me a dead mouse by the driver's door of my car, yay for kitty cats and their gifts of love!

I feel very loved and special to say the least... specially when I had to find something to grab the mouse with and get rid of it...

In unrelated news, I think I am finally seeing some improvement on my back.

The chiropractor has officially discharged me until next month, last week I had two massages done and my gym [and soon to be yoga] instructor gave me some fabulous stretches for hip openers in order to release the pressure on my lower back.

I have to say after the first set of stretches I could already feel the difference!

This is the pose (which is also great with people with sciatica pain).

source

This pose is probably the best hip opener in yoga. It opens the deep muscles of the hip and the hip flexors. 

Start in Downward Dog. Lift your right leg up and sweep it through to your mat, folding it and placing it on the mat. Keep your right foot flexed to protect the knee. Your left leg is straight behind you with the toes pointed. Keep your hips square and level, with the left hipbone pressing toward your right foot. Inhale and press your hands into the mat, getting as much length in the spine as possible.

I am totally stoked and cannot wait to be able to start yoga class again.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!!!

Monkeying Around

The weekend came and went, without much to report other than the fact that I wasn't the only one "monkeying around" as Tropical Storm Ernesto threaten to deliver and so far, it's been nothing but dry times.

According to the "Hazard Management of the Cayman Island", the storm should pass us around 300 and some miles away this afternoon... Hope to get some rain out of it (although I doubt it), our yard and trees really need it!

Me on the other hand got some progress done on the Amigurumi Monkey, finished both arms and attached them, now I am working on the rest of the body.

Amigurumi Monkey

Isn't he cool?

A few days ago I mentioned that my husband was working on the continuation of the driveway for our cars, well it's finish and it looks really good, so in case we do get some rain, my car should be a bit protected.

Some of you commented last week about the status of our cats in case of a storm... Well a few weeks ago I mentioned here that I had plans to buy a cat cage for those purpose, well I did.

So yes, we are now prepare to put the cats inside in a cage in case of a store, but the only detail is that they are still feral (although we've made some amazing progress with most and now they act more like pets) so I am not sure if they'll be willing to go in there peaceful... hopefully we won't have to act upon it.

Hope everybody had a nice weekend, thanks to all the keep us in their thoughts and prayers, now please pray for some rain, our island needs it!

Have a great Monday!

weather wise...

Considering it's Friday, I have to say that I'm not particularly excited about the weekend coming up, first because I have to work tomorrow Saturday (although it's only 9 to 3pm) and second because just out of the blue weather doesn't seem to be cooperating as this is the outlook for the next coming days...

Tropical storm Ernesto is officially in the near future and perhaps by the time it comes closer to us it would be a Category 1 hurricane.

So yes, perhaps Ernesto will be only rain and wind, we are fully prepare at home with our shutters and generator, but it's still a stressful time until we know for sure what is going to happen... Hopefully it's nothing to worry about!

Have a great weekend :)

my point of view

Although this is a personal web blog in which I mainly talk about my "very interesting" life and random thoughts, today I am stepping away from my regular "programming" to write a bit about the social/political happenings on the little islands that I reside in ... because believe it or not, it's not all about me all the time, LOL!

So yes, it is summer here and getting pretty hot, but not only weather wise, as life here on the island from the "political arena" is getting heated up as well.

As I mentioned the other day about participating on a peaceful protest, that didn't quite happened that day because of the cancellation from the government side.

You might ask, what was the reason for the protest?Well, no other that the latest announcement by the government of their new plan to start taxing expatriates on they payroll (10%), but only those that have a work permit on the island, plus the elimination of expats pension benefit.

Although this isn't a tax but a "community enhancement fee" as the Leader of Government said last night on a public meeting, well, to me, "no matter how you dress up your dog, it's still a dog", right?

So, it looks like the plan is a go, because the current government cannot find another way to make enough revenue and have the UK accept their 2012-2013 budget... Go figure, another government in debt, never saw that coming, LOL!

Now, we have to remember that these islands are and have always been a tax haven, this being the main reason why so many companies and people come to get established here and the same way they came, they can leave, right? So, is this the beginning of the end for the non tax benefits these islands have enjoyed for so long, I personally don't know...

What is this going to mean to the overall economy and future of the these islands. I just hope for the sake of both local Caymanians as well as Expatriats that live here, that the government makes good use of all the money they say this new fees will generate, but again, this is a government we are talking about, right... so you never know!

And that folks is a very broad description of what is happening here and now, from my point of view but with no political, financial or law background whatsoever... So, if you feel like you want to read and find out more about this issue, please feel free to visit and read our local newspaper, news website and local tv news channel found here, here and here.

Have a great Thursday!

New Month

Well hello August, so good to see you again!

Like I mentioned a few days ago, weather is getting pretty hot around these parts of the world, seems very hot and it doesn't rain, so what's up with that?

Unfortunately today we woke up to no breeze and hoping this is not what August is going to be like. Last year I had my Mom visiting and it was so hot during the night that we ended up using the A/C most of the nights to be able to sleep without sweating like a pig!

At this point like a said, no rain but already something (weather wise) forming in the Atlantic, here's the latest update on the NOAA website.

Hoping this "little cluster" of weather stays away and does not become a Tropical Cyclone (aka Hurricane)... Although I really would like some rain to tone down the heat just a bit.

So, anything special you are looking forward this new month of August? Not on my end, other than annual inventory at the gallery and perhaps finishing the Amigurumi Monkey... will keep up posted!

Happy Wednesday & August!!!

Tasty Tuesday!

Lately I've been on a seefood diet, meaning, "I see food I eat it"!

But at least I try to only focus on good, healthy food... most times!

As most of you know, breakfast is a vital part of our day. When I was high school I was so lazy that I would try to sleep until the very last minute, skipping breakfast most days, perhaps this might be the reason I am over my healthy weight and still dealing with it... But not any more.

Lately I try to eat my protein (eggs and sometimes only egg whites), Ezekiel bread and berries (oh, and in case you noticed the bacon, well that too but not very often).

photo by sunshine

I wasn't really a very big fan of fruit for a long time, specially during my "Atkins Phase", but now I am over that and taking advantage of the fact that it is summer so berries are fairly cheap and plenty.

photo by sunshine

For lunch I've been hooked on vegetables, salads and every now and then fish. Just the other day I had  delicious Flying Fish with vegetables lunch, yummy!

photo by sunshine

For dinner we usually Chicken, sometimes Pasta (which I love but I am conscious it is very starchy), fish and salad/veggies too!

And then, there's the occasion treat, yesterday I had a delicious "psychedelic sorbet" at TCBY, yummy!!!

photo by sunshine

Now, the seefood diet is not complete without lots of water, lately to make it even better and easier to drink I add a cinnamon stick to my water bottle and drink the water with it as cinnamon is great for your digestion and your metabolism.

How about you, what's your diet? Any special tips to keep your weight down but still enjoy what you love?

Have a great Tuesday!

Double Sunday

Today is my 3rd day off, I am at home enjoying a 3 day weekend mainly because I will be working from Tues to Sat this coming week as my boss is going away next weekend.

These past two days were a combination of relaxing and catching up on ongoing project and a new one, also on Saturday we went to a BBQ that I baked a cake for and everybody loved it, we had a good time!

The ongoing project I have right now, is the amigurumi Monkey I am making for Julian, my Godson, so far I have the head, face, muzzle, one arm done and I am doing the rest of the body as we speak...

Still long to go but I can start to see some progress now.

Also during the weekend I took on a brand new project, I saw it a while ago (probably on Pinterest) but can't remember where and I figure it was something right up my alley, I made a tool caddy for our garden tools... Here is my invention!

Isn't it cool?!?!?

The best part of this project is that, it's so easy and you can make it in an hour...

All you need is a beer (Smirnoff Ice in my case) six pack caddy, some Mod Podge (with a brush to spread it), scissors and whatever paper you want to wrap it with... that's it!

My plans for the day are basically no plans other than, there is a peaceful protest going on this evening.

The reason of the protest you might ask? The government trying to impose payroll taxes on the "expats" living on the islands but not on the natives, and as we are part of that group and so is most of our friends, we have decided to go and show our support, will tell you more about it later... wish us luck!

Happy Monday everybody!!!!

getting hot in here...

It's starting to be that time of the year when the weather gets hot, very hot.

Feels so hot that yesterday when I tried to get some Ice Cream from the Ice Cream Truck, I failed, LOL!

But it's also that time of the year when the Ponciana Trees are blooming and the colors are fantastic. I love seeing them around the island and I specially love that one of the two trees on our back yard is blooming for the first time.

Ponciana Tree close to our house- Not ours!

Closer look

Aren't those trees absolutely beautiful and to vibrant color, I love to see them all around the island.

Those photos were taken with my new Nikon 1 camera (of course) and so are the following ones as well...

My husband is making a new driveway for the house

"Little One" giving me the "stink-eye" cause I am disturbing her while drinking water!

Goldie day dreaming!

Cool morning sky

See why we named him "Long Tail a.k.a LT"?

I heart Al!

Hope everybody has a nice weekend. Anybody looking forward to the Olympics? Well, I am not so much, but those that are into it, hope they enjoy the opening ceremony and all...

Have a good one!

Powerless Wednesday

This day started pretty crazy...

Wake up and went for a 1/2 hour walk with my hubby, but before we left he asked me if left the coffee brewing, I said no but that I will make it as soon as we got back (of course not realizing I jinxed it)... By the time we got back to the house the power was off.

No worries, we have a gas grill so we were able to make some coffee as well as breakfast.

Got a nice cold shower, left to work but as always I pick up a fellow coworker who's husband works at the power company, well as soon as she got in the car, she informed that the power was off on the ENTIRE island!!! Crazy, uh?

Well, to make the long story very short, power didn't return until almost 1 o'clock, but finally now we are back to business!

In unrelated news... In case you ever wonder how I keep the garlic in my kitchen?

Perhaps you've imagine that I have a special little handmade basket to keep them? Well, I am glad you mention it because as of yesterday, I do!

For a while I just kept the garlic in a little star bowl that I have but lately I feel a little basket would be fab, so yesterday I found an easy, fast pattern and in less than 2 hours, I made my own little basket.

Here is my master piece.

Pretty nice, eh? I just love it when I can just find a nice, easy and fast pattern that I can start and finish in one sitting.

Have a great day!!!

"back" into it...

It's been about 4 weeks since I went to the gym last, this because of physical reasons more than a personal choice.

It all started right after I gave my bathroom that very well deserved "makeover" (which you can read about, here) it needed. The overall paint job was good, what wasn't was the big effort I made plus the fact that the stool I use wasn't tall enough for me to reach the corners so I ended up stretching myself too much, putting a big strain in my lower back triggering the bulge disc I've had for a few years, ouch!

Now, I've been going to the Chiropractor since this all happened but of course no gym for me, I have to very conscious and careful because if I don't take care of myself, the bulge disk can become a herniated one and that would require surgery.My problem is in between L5 and S1 which is right at the lowest part of the lower back, possibly affecting my legs as well.

As of last week the "Chiro" gave me the OK to walk in the mornings, so yesterday was my first day doing a brisk 1/2 hour walk, afterwards I even managed to convince my hubby to come along with me from now on.

Well, today I fail on my attempt to get up and do it. The thing is that being that I haven't been able to exercise for a while my energy level is quite low, specially in the mornings when the alarm goes of at 6am.

So my question is; How do I find the energy to walk up and go for a walk? I guess do in it will eventually get me the energy needed, right?

If I managed to get my hubby really into it, perhaps he can also push me to be more dedicated and have discipline... But if he doesn't come along with me I would love to take our dogs, unfortunately our neighborhood has plenty dogs around which makes makes me nervous taking them along in case they get on a fight...

So, yeah I have to work on getting my exercise "mojo" back, specially because according to the Chiro he might be giving me the green flag to go back to the gym next week... looking forward to that!

What is your exercise routine? How do you find the drive and discipline to workout? Pleeease share....

Have a great Tuesday!

new hat and more...

Monday is here and it seems like the weekend was just not long enough...

Saturday was a fun day as we went to a Big Brothers & Big Sisters activity at the Ritz Carlton. They had food, games and activities like face paint.

My husband came along and I think we both had a great time, I did see Yanique very briefly but didn't get to talk to her much.

"Littles" playing

face paint time, for kids

faint paint time, for adults (my first time!)

my hubby playing the froggy fun game

I took a lot more pictures at the event but it's been really difficult to upload them as blogger keeps rotating my photos, dunno why it does that sometimes but it's very annoying. Does this happens to you as well?

In unrelated news, while I was doing my 30 day photo challenge I completed a couple of crochet projects, one was "Dr. Who" the owl that I made for my Mom and that she loves, the other project was a hat a made for myself...

The thing with the hat project is that when I first started (in the wine color yarn) I thought I had two big balls of the same color, but once I realized the first yarn was almost over, I went nuts looking for the second ball and never did find, so at the last minute had to improvise and add an extra color to be able to finish it...

I think I came out quite good, what do you think?

Front View

Side View

Back View

Of course this is not meant to be a hat for the cold weather, but more like an accessory one. It was a very easy pattern and I am already considering making another, perhaps next giveaway? I have to think about it a bit more...

Yesterday was a very lazy day, I did get to start a new Amigurumi project from a book that I've had for a long time but I've never make anything out of it, I am start to work on a Monkey for Julian my Godson... So far I have only half a arm done...

This is the book I am talking about and the Monkey is the blue and green one on the left, although Julian's is not going to be those colors but more the traditional brown and tan color for the Monkey but the clothing might be colorful... Will continue to share my progress as I go.

Hope everybody has a great week!!!