Monday, December 20, 2021

12.27.21 So good! So good! So good!*


In late February of this year, as we were all beginning to schedule our Covid vaccines - and held out hope that the pandemic would soon be over - a group of us who have been friends since childhood began planning a trip to mark our 40th high school graduation. 

At the time, we couldn't imagine that not only would Covid still be raging, but that we'd be facing a new variant. As the year wore on we planned, and hesitated, but fortune smiled on us and we were able to be together.

A little over 48 hours after returning home from Thanksgiving, I was traveling again.  Arriving at Austin-Bergstrom Airport at 4 am (the first time I'd been in an airport in nearly two years) to spend five days with a group of women who had not all be together at the same time since we were 18 years old.

arriving at Cyril E. King airport in Charlotte-Amalie


Masked, vaccinated, tested and approved by the authorities in the US Virgin Islands, we took off to spend five epic days together in Saint Thomas.

Three of us, who had gone to college as well as high school together, first caught up in Atlanta, and a few hours later we were all in paradise.  The decades between our last visit and this one seemed to vanish. 



Our choice of St. Thomas wasn't random - one of the members of our girl tribe, along with her husband, owns Ciao Bella Charters - and lives on the island half the year. 

A glorious day on Ciao Bella!
She helped us arrange condo rentals, set us up with a great taxi driver, made dinner reservations and planned our itinerary...all we had to do was enjoy! 

Our day on the boat was spectacular - I had never been to the Caribbean before - but everything you hear about it is true! The weather and scenery are beautiful, and the water really is blue!  We snorkled at Honeymoon Beach, ate lunch in Maho and soaked up sun like folks who have been locked inside for two years.

We ate amazing fresh fish for dinner every night, and made a day trip to St. John where we took advantage of incredible duty free shopping...this is where jewelry finally comes back to the blog...

At the St. John Ferry landing
We took the ferry from St. Thomas to St. John, and as always, I was looking for two things - artisan jewelry, and a tea towel - I found both. 

A couple of blocks away from the ferry landing we found Bamboo Studio, a local jewelry company with both a beautiful store, and a studio with large glass windows where you can watch their artisans working at their benches.  Immediately, I knew this was where I would find my jewelry souvenir.

The "Ciao Bellas"

Before we entered the store, my friends asked what was going on in the workshop.  I pointed out the silver wire hanging on the walls, the casting equipment, the benches covered with hand tools and flex shafts hanging nearby.  It was so fun to share my knowledge, and encourage them to choose pieces that were made on St. John by skilled craftspeople.

Most of my friends chose hook bracelets, which are symbolic in the Virgin Islands...but I'm not a bracelet person...and I found two pendant charms that I love, and my crew agreed are "so me".
The smaller pendant has "waves" surrounding a blue diamond, symbolizing the hurricanes Irma and Maria - that struck the Virgin Islands in 2017 - and from which they have largely recovered. The larger pendant says "KEEP LEFT", because although they are US territories, cars drive on the left side of the road (as in England).

Double entendre pendants
from Bamboo Studio
Looking at the two pendants together - it struck me - not only do they represent the Virgin Islands, but my political leanings as well.  I'm always pushing people to keep left and work for a blue wave!

Some people say "you can't go home again" - and I certainly don't want to go back to high school - but I am so glad to be reunited with this incredible group of women.  There are no words sufficient to describe the love and admiration I have for them.  Five days together was a salve to my soul after two very difficult years.

I came home rested and renewed - ready to deal with whatever life has to throw at me - because I know I'll be seeing my friends again sooner rather than later...

...and of course, my new tea towel is my kitchen.

The blog is indeed back - although I'm still not sure what the frequency will be - it feels good to be writing again, and I'm hopeful that 2022 will be a safer, healthier and more productive year for all of us.

Until next time.

*from the chorus of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline". It became the theme of our weekend, and we sang it a lot!
















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