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Consumers are using their mobile devices for everything these days and grocery shopping is no exception. Over 59% of consumers are creating grocery shopping lists on their mobile device and using it in-store, leading to grocery chains like Kroger, to refresh their mobile app to cater to these trends.
A leading high-end grocer, Lunds & Byerlys have also been using their native mobile app built by GPShopper to engage customers. They found that in 2015, 85% of weekly visits are returning visitors. What's more impressive is that the app receives over 14 minutes of engagement per user per month. That means Lunds & Byerlys is able to truly engage their consumers to build loyalty and repeat business. So how are they doing this?
Currently, 69% of grocery shoppers use mobile to save and access coupons in-store. Lunds & Byerlys paid attention to this and started to publish their weekly deals to their mobile app offering huge savings every Thursday. This has trained their customers to visit the app to check for these offers, causing traffic to spike on Thursdays. Checking the Lunds & Byerlys app has now become part of their customers weekly routine and allows Lunds & Byerlys to connect with them directly.
Additionally, since customers are able to create shopping lists in the app 20% of all monthly visits come while shoppers are using their device in-store. By making mobile center to the customer experience and engaging with customers routinely with tools and resources that are most relevant to them, Lunds & Byerlys has been able to stand out among other grocers in their surrounding region and make their store, the store of choice.
Find out how the right mobile strategy can improve your grocer business. Contact us today.


text: $4495 For a Brand New Cal Spa Hot Tub-7 Ft. Plus, 4 CalSpa Hot Tub Models under $4000!! LaCosta Pool and Spa has the best hot tub, swim spa, and outdoor patio furniture deals in San Diego County.We offer a complete selection of the finest patio furniture- from luxury designed to popular priced contemporary models. San Marcos and San Diego. VISIT: LaCostaPoolandSpa.com, or call us at 760-591-7665.

subset: commoncrawl


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Well, it seems that the laziness of summer is keeping me from posting very often. Or, um, ever.
I had a great quilty day on Saturday though, that I want to post about.
My sister invited me to attend an Interfaith Quilting Bee hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kingwood, TX. I think this was the event's 9th year and I was impressed by the attendance and the different groups they donate quilts too.
My sister made two baby quilts and I made one lap size/ small twin sized quilt. We sat and tied them, talked and enjoyed seeing all the other quilts on display and being donated.
I left feeling very inspired to share my talent with others. I felt very inspired after Hurricane Ike last year to make donation quilts but didn't really get busy and follow through with that commitment. I started one quilt that has now been sitting half finished in a drawer for atleast 6 months.
However, at this event a few of the groups recieving the quilts spoke about what good the quilts do and how they are used. One of the speakers was from a Pro-Life Pregnancy Center and another from a County Child Protective Services Center. Hearing first hand how donated quilts bless those in need fired me up again to get busy.
Here is a horribly fuzzy picture of me and my sister and our donation quilts.
The quilt I made wasn't my usual style or really even my taste but I felt good about using up what I had for a good cause.
My intent here isn't to brag but really rather to share my inspiration. Over 350 quilts were donated on Saturday. That's amazing isn't it?! I'm excited to have stumbled upon this opportunity to help others in my own community.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
6 comments:
- Jeff, Elizabeth, Caleb and Jake said...
That is a good cause. I've heard that Primary Children's Hospital gives quilts to each child as well. I should make some for them.
- July 20, 2009 at 1:03 AM
- Nedra said...
What a great idea to have an inter-faith event. I'll have to remember that one.
- July 20, 2009 at 7:12 AM
- Laura said...
Good work! It is amazing how much good can be done when people gather for a good cause.
- July 20, 2009 at 10:19 AM
- Nanette Merrill and daughters said...
Aw good for you girls! So super sweet.
- July 22, 2009 at 6:17 PM
- Tara said...
It was so fun having you there at the bee!! I'm excited to make even more for next year!!
- July 31, 2009 at 8:21 AM
What a great idea...
its awesome...
We do your Marketing for best sales
- August 17, 2009 at 7:28 AM
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College of Humanities and Social Sciences
We are looking for just the right person to join our team.
· Are you passionate about tamariki children and their educational success?
· Are you an experienced early years facilitator or educator?
· Do you relish supporting kaiako teachers and tamariki to enable them to achieve great outcomes in early education?
Tatai Angitu offers high-quality dynamic professional learning, development and support designed to respond to the needs of the education sector. We support professional learning through actively linking knowledge with opportunities and need to support kaiako, whanau family and ultimately tamariki. We do this through large government-funded contracts, short courses, bespoke solutions for early learning services, kura, schools and communities. We work in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas, particularly in the Pacific.
Do you thrive in complex environments, are you able to juggle various tasks at one time, balance a range of functions and look after critical details whilst maintaining an eye on the 'big picture'?
We are looking for someone with a particular strength in the area of early years education, specifically in leadership using cultural frameworks, Maori and/ or Pasifika cultural intelligence and local curriculum. A strong knowledge and application of Te Whariki, planning and assessment, as well as an in-depth understanding of internal evaluation leading to change is essential. This role involves working across a variety of early learning settings, including Maori medium and Pasifika contexts, as well as the possibility of utilising these skills across other Tatai Angitu projects.
The position requires travel across a variety of geographical locations with regular travel to Palmerston North for team development days and meetings.
The role is a 24 month, full-time (37.5 hours per week) fixed-term position.
Don't miss this exciting opportunity to develop your own skills and be part of a team of highly motivated, professional facilitators dedicated to improving educational outcomes for tamariki and whanau through strengthening teacher knowledge and practice.
Interested? Apply now!
It is intended that interviews will be conducted 2-3 April 2019.
For further information or a confidential discussion please contact Ms Keri Cheetham, Early Childhood Education Leader at firstname.lastname@example.com
Applications close: 28 March 2019
Reference number: CHSS_IE_096_02/19
For further information and to apply online, visit: http://masseyunicareers.nga.net.nz


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Good Hope FM breakfast host Dan Corder gets to know CapeNature and the Clanwilliam Cedar Tree
The new host of Good Hope's FM breakfast show, Dan Corder sat down with CapeNature's Conservation Manager Rika du Plessis at Algeria in Cederberg recently to unpack the significant history of the endemic Clanwilliam cedar tree (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis).
du Plessis explains more about the 16th Annual Clanwilliam cedar tree planting ceremony initiative in partnership with Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve.
At the event held on 19 May 2018, 380 trees were planted in the rural village of Heuningvlei. Around 200 conservationists, school children and families from all over the Western Cape, joined this unique conservation initiative aimed at preserving the endangered Clanwilliam cedar tree. Although not all have survived, since inception about 3300 trees have been planted – 1800 trees in the wilderness and a further 1500 trees in the groves at Heuningvlei.
The ceremony also included the planting of 240 cedar seeds by the children in attendance, that will be nurtured in the Bushmans Kloof nursery and transplanted safely back into the Wilderness, in the future.
And then the rain came down and soaked into the drought-hardened ground of Heuningvlei. The cedar tree seeds and plantings were blessed with 15mm of rainfall as nature gave us the assurance that these young trees might just make it through the year and the years to come.
Until next year, sweet Clanwilliam cedar tree.


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There's something you should know about me…I absolutely love jewelry! And necklaces in particular are my favorite. It's so nice having a collection of thin, dainty necklaces that look good with just about everything and don't overpower your outfit.
Recently, Sixth Borough Boutique sent me some necklaces. They are all so pretty and I've been wearing them nonstop, especially the adorable sideways initial.
Shop: Gold Initial Necklace
These necklaces go with everything! The simple black stone on the first necklace looks fabulous with black, gray, red, and lots of other colors. The initial necklace is such a unique piece! I've been wearing it so much that it's giving my Mark and Graham monogram a run for its money! But of course, no necklace is more special to me than my treasured monogram. Finally, the simple blue stone is such a great piece for spring and summer. Below, I paired it with a summery white dress from Lilly Pulitzer.
If you're looking to start your jewelry collection, or if you're just a jewelry hoarder who wants more, definitely check out Sixth Borough Boutique!
Thank you to Sixth Borough Boutique for sponsoring this post. As usual, all opinions featured here are my own.


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Newfield High School Drama - Dinner with a Side of Death: A Murder Mystery Dinner
We are excited to announce that this year's Tri-M/Thespian Honor Society's Murder Mystery Dinner, Dinner with a Side of Death, has been extended into a full length Fall Drama Production written by our Thespian Officers lead by President Thomas Shockley. Performances are Friday and Saturday evening November 2 & 3 at 6:30 PM and include a buffet-style dinner. Tickets are $15 and include the dinner. Please RSVP to Dr. Goldstein by October 24, 2018 if you would like to be included in the dinner count. email@example.com
Middle Country Central School District
8 43rd Street
Centereach, NY 11720


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By Matthew Burton
In a recent post on this blog, Chris Kirkland highlights the problematic nature of the concept of sovereignty in relation to the Brexit debate and the forthcoming referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union. On the one hand, Brexit campaigners argue that the UK has already lost its sovereignty to the European Union. A legally precise argument in this vein would point to the EU doctrines of supremacy and direct effect, which allow nationals of Member States of the EU to enforce EU law within the courts of the Member States, and requires EU law to take priority whenever it conflicts with a principle of domestic law. On the other hand, as the referendum demonstrates, the Westminster Parliament is free to legislate to withdraw from the EU whenever it wishes, and from a legal perspective at least, could do so without the need for any kind of referendum or national vote.


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Telling Her Own Story
Girls are center stage on this panel with Tracey Baptiste (Rise of the Jumbies), Meg Medina (Burn Baby Burn), and Renée Watson (Piecing Me Together) as they discuss how their writing explores the complexities of girlhood and why it's important for them to create bold, brave girls. Moderated by Dhonielle Clayton (Tiny Pretty Things). Talk will be followed by a book signing.
Location: Brooklyn Law School Student Lounge


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Dancing On Ice's ever critical judge Jason Gardiner today hit out at viewers of the show following Vanilla Ice's exit from the competition. Gardiner warned the show's audience that putting good skaters in the skate off would only lead to a "lacklustre, mediocre, less-than-average final".
Jason's comments come after Sunday's results show saw top skaters Laura Hamilton and Vanilla Ice in the bottom two, despite contestants including Denise Welch and Johnson Beharry scoring just 14.5 points each. Laura was saved by the judging panel, who were shocked either of the pair were in the bottom following high scoring performances earlier in the night.
Jason told The Sun: "It's soul destroying. It does a real disservice to the competition.
"It really angers me that people like Denise and Johnson are getting through on sympathy votes or popularity when we're losing someone who really should not have left. It's a crying shame he did. He's so much better than those two."
He added: "If viewers want a lacklustre, mediocre, less-than-average final, they should keep voting for Johnson and Denise."
Chatting about Sunday's skate off, Jason explained he felt Laura was in the bottom two simply for not being as famous as the other contestants. He continued: "If we lost her we'd end up with a clear front-runner, Sam (Attwater). I don't want that - I want them neck-and-neck all the way to the final. It will be thrilling."
MORE: Revealed: This weekend's shocking secret Dancing On Ice 2011 twist!


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Prevas´ services have long been an invaluable part of customers´ development processes in industrial IT and embedded systems. Now we take this cooperation one step further by offering cooperation already at the business development level through a new business area called Management Consulting.
"Our goal is to help companies expand and grow, to be a strategic partner right from the start of business development," says Mats Lundberg, CEO at Prevas.
"The new business area, Management Consulting, will complement our existing two business areas very well. The launch will ensure that Prevas will be able to take on larger assignments and be a key player in the development of new processes and methods," continues Mats Lundberg.
By operating pro-actively and finding solutions already in the development phase, cooperation between the customer and Prevas becomes more efficient.
"We are committed to helping customers facing a major change, e.g. when decisions are to be taken about new investments or new technologies or processes are to be investigated. In cooperation with the customer, Prevas´ consultant then ensures optimal suppleness, efficiency and profitability right from the start," says Per Melin, manager of the new business area.
Management Consulting addresses both Prevas´ existing customers and new ones. The business area manager involved, Per Melin, comes from Advanze CG and has lots of experience in establishing similar operations.
"We continue to build on our proud basic values of satisfied customers and delivery precision. We hope to grow organically but are also open to acquisitions if the match is right," continues Mats Lundberg.
"The added value of Management Consulting is that both our customers and ourselves will get deeper understanding of what efficient systems are able to do with their brilliant ideas. We will be able to give concrete advice on configuration, choice of system and system usage. And if we are involved from the beginning, we will also be able to ensure that the processes are controlled efficiently from day one. In this way, we will enhance our customers´ competence in the IT field in the longer term and, that way, achieve even better, that is: more productive, cooperation with them," says Mats Lundberg.
For more information:
Mats Lundberg, President and CEO Prevas
E-mail: email@example.com, Tel: +46 8-726 40 02, Cell: +46 733-37 75 40
Per Melin, Business Area Manager Prevas AB
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com, Tel: +46 709-85 22 22
Mats Åström, deputy CEO and CFO Prevas
E-mail: email@example.com, Tel: +46 21-360 19 34, Cell: +46 70-191 31 65
About Prevas
With cutting edge expertise in embedded systems and industrial IT, Prevas contributes by providing innovations that create growth. Prevas was founded in 1985 and is the main supplier and development partner to leading companies in industries such as life science, telecommunications, vehicle, defense, energy and engineering. Offices are located in Sweden ,Denmark ,Norway , theUnited Arab Emiratesand India. The company has just over 550 employees. Prevas has been listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm since 1998.
Med spisskompetanse innen
innbygde systemer og
industriell IT bidrar Prevas
med innovative løsninger
som skaper vekst.
Siste nytt


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A Cape Coral girl is recuperating at her home after surgery to replace her femur with one made of titanium.
Angeline Thompson, 5, was released from HealthPark Medical Center Thursday after being in the hospital since Aug. 3.
In April, Angeline was taken to Pediatric Orthopedics of Southwest Florida with what appeared to be a possible fracture in her left femur. A biopsy showed that Angeline had Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
During a four-hour surgery on Aug. 3, her cancerous femur was removed and replaced with one made of titanium.
"It was only the sixth time this procedure has been performed in the United States and approximately the 53rd time it has been performed worldwide," said Karen Krieger, Lee Memorial Health System spokeswoman.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Doug Letson, an orthopedic oncological surgeon who specializes in Ewing's sarcoma at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.
"We want to keep the kids close to home and Dr. Letson came down from Tampa to help us do that," said Dr. Brett Shannon, a surgeon with Pediatric Orthopedics of Southwest Florida. "Dr. Letson has made several visits to our medical center so that kids and teenagers can get the medical care they need and stay near their families."
As Angeline grows, the femur can be extended in minutes in a doctor's office to keep pace with her other leg. The femur is lengthened with a machine that emits electromagnetic waves and can be expanded at a rate of 1 millimeter every four minutes.
Angeline is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer which will continue until April 2008. She is the daughter of Jason and Kim Thompson.


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A Little Photo Taking in the WoodsbySteve1613©
Steve was out one day snapping pictures in the woods behind his house one day. He'd signed up for a photography class at the local community college and his professor had told the class to take nature pictures as this week's assignment. Steve knew there were a pair of pileated woodpeckers in these woods and thought they'd make an excellent subject for his assignment. He'd just gotten a particularly good picture of one when he noticed a young girl walking down the path toward him. She looked to be about 17 or 18 and had long blonde hair. She was dressed in white shorts and a pink top. She looked scrumptious, a wet dream with long legs and cute little tits that poked out of her top. Steve started taking pictures of this vision of loveliness without even stopping to think how it might look to others. He just had to capture her freshness.
Suddenly, he realized that she was looking right at him. He paused in his picture taking for a moment until he realized that she did not look upset. Instead, she smiled and started posing for him. She turned slightly and cocked one leg. Then she turned away from him and looked at him over her shoulder.
He couldn't believe his good fortune. He walked closer to her and said "Hi. I hope you don't mind. You are just so lovely that I couldn't resist taking your picture."
She giggled a little and said "Not at all. I always wanted to be a model. How do you want me to pose?"
He started to tell her different poses he wanted her to assume. He really had no idea what he was doing, he just knew he had to take advantage of her willingness. So, he just had her pose in ways that made her look her best to him. At first, he kept the poses very G-rated but gradually got bolder. When he asked her to pull her top tighter around her tits she readily did so. So, he got even bolder and asked her to raise her top so he could photograph her tummy. She did so in such a manner that it looked as though she was taking it off.
Realizing that any further pictures could be considered pornographic (at least he hoped so), he stopped and put a new chip in his camera. He figured that if someone came by, he'd just swap out the chip with the one with the nice pictures on it. While he was doing that, she asked "Do you want me to take it off?"
His cock had been hard before she said that but hearing that made it practically throb. "If you don't mind, that would be lovely."
She looked around and said "Maybe we should move away from the trail. There is a nice little open patch over that way."
They chatted on their way to the open patch. He learned her name was Eve and that she had just turned 18. He told her about his photography class and why he was out in the woods that day.
Glancing around, he realized that they were out of sight of the trail when she said "Here looks like a good place." She started to whip her top off when he said "No, do it slowly."
She smiled and started to slowly lift her top. He gasped when he saw her bra covered tits. By that time, her top was covering her face so he didn't see her smile at his gasp. Then she had it off. "Do you really like them? I think they are too small"
"Oh, they are just right. I bet they are delicious." He turned red when he realized what he'd said.
But she just smiled and said "I don't know, no one has ever tasted them."
He didn't know what to say to that, so just raised his camera and starting snapping away. Once again, she started posing. This went on for a few minutes before he boldly asked "How about you unsnap your shorts and make it look like you are going to take them off."
She looked a little hesitant when he said that. "You aren't going to put these pictures on line, are you."
"Definitely not! These are for my one enjoyment."
"Ok, but you have to promise. I don't want the boys at school seeing these."
"I promise."
With that she reached down and unbuttoned her shorts. Then she went further and started to unzip them. She went slowly, knowing he wanted to capture every detail.
When she had the zipper down, she asked "Do you want me to take them off."
Steve could not believe his luck. He just nodded vigorously because he couldn't get his mouth to work.
He snapped away as her shorts fluttered to the ground. He kept taking pictures as she stepped out of them, the scooped them up to put them with her top. Her panties were very tight, obviously from before a recent growth spurt as they had figures from Frozen.
She blushed when she realized the design on her panties. "Oh, I forgot I had this pair on. All my good ones are in the wash, so I had to wear them. I hope you don't mind."
"Mind? No. If anything, they make you even more adorable."
She started doing most of the poses she'd done before but then she did one that shocked him. She slowly turned away from him and bent at the waist, reaching down to touch her toes. Her little camel toe was framed by Otto's outline. This was a picture that he knew he would beat off to for years to come.
She looked back at him from around her leg and, looking at his cock straining at his pants, said "I see you like this pose."
"Oh god, yes."
She stood back up and smiled at him. She was clearly intrigued with the idea that she had gotten a grown man so excited. "Now what?"
"How about if you turned away from me and unfastened your bra so it looks like you are topless?"
She turned around and reached back to unfasten her bra. He thought she'd just hold her bra so they covered her tits, instead she dropped it on top of her shorts.
She started to turn towards him as he was snapping away. She had her hands over her tits and she was blushing. Her blush extended down her chest almost to her tits. Then she slowly dropped her hands.
He was presented with two of the loveliest little tits, capped with tiny pink nipples just barely darker than the flesh surrounding them. Her aureoles were barely bigger than her nipples.
"Oh, my word. You are simply amazing."
She dipped her head upon hearing that and smiled almost shyly at him. She was a picture of innocence and naughtiness all wrapped into one, standing there in just her tight Frozen panties. Her nipples were stiff and pointed, betraying how turned on she was. She stood there for a moment before starting to prance around, stopping every few feet to pose for him.
Steve put his camera on video mode and said "Honey, just keep moving around for a few minutes. I'm going to video you." He got about 5 minutes of her moving suggestively around before saying "Eve, can I have a taste."
She looked confused for a minute and then smiled "Sure."
Steve walked up to her and cupped her breasts with his hands. After spending a few minutes caressing them, he bent down and took a nipple in his mouth.
"Oh. That feels good, different, but good. I've wondered what it would feel like."
Steve suckled on one and then the other for a couple of minutes.
"Honey, you taste divine."
He got another big smile for that comment.
"Now, back to pictures. How about we get one of you looking like you're going to take your panties off?"
She looked at him, blushed again and said "Okay." She looked straight at him and hooked her fingers in her panties on each side, then slowly started pushing them down. Just when he thought she was going to go all the way, she stopped.
"Remember, you promised to keep these pictures to yourself."
"Oh, I remember. I will be the only person to ever see these. I promise."
With that, she pushed a final time and her panties fluttered to the ground. She stepped out of them and put them on top of her pile of clothes.
She had the most delicate little pussy with no pubic hair to cover it. She was clearly turned on because he could see her pussy lips glisten in the afternoon light.
Once again, she started to pose for him. Then, she did it. She turned away and bent over to touch her toes. Her pussy was so inviting. He walked over to her and dropped to his knees, snapping away the whole time. He was not normally into pussy eating but he knew he had to taste this one. He put his camera down, stuck his tongue out and licked her pussy in one long lick.
She gasped and said "Oh, what are you doing? That felt great!"
"I'm tasting you. You are so sweet. Do you mind if I do it some more?"
"Oh, mister, you can do that all day but let me lean against that tree. Otherwise I might fall down."
They moved a few feet so she could brace herself against a tree and he started again. He kept it up for a few minutes until she let out a long "Uhhhhh" and started to collapse. He grabbed her thighs and kept her from falling to her knees. They remained like that for a few minutes before she straightened back up. He got up too.
"I've never felt something like that before. Was that an orgasm?"
"It sure was, darling."
"Thank you, mister! That was awesome."
"It was my pleasure. You really do taste sweet."
She stood there for a minute, looking down and digging her toe in to the ground. She was obviously thinking of something.
"Uh, I've been naughty. You know what my dad does when I'm naughty?"
"He spanks me. Do you want to spank me? Not a lot and not hard but..."
"Sure. How many times?
"Uh, 10?"
There was a log off to the side of them. Steve took her hand and led her over to it. He sat down and pulled her over his lap. He spent a moment caressing her sweet little bottom before raising his hand and bringing down. Wap!
"Was that too hard?"
"You can do it harder, please."
He proceeded to spank her 9 more times, alternating cheeks, before stopping to once again caress her bottom which was now a nice red color. He then picked up his camera and took a few shots of her bottom before helping her to stand. She had a glazed look on her face and he realized that she'd orgasmed while being spanked.
"You enjoyed that, didn't you? I know I did."
"Yeah. My dad stopped spanking me because he knows I enjoy it."
She looked down at his crotch and said "That must be painful. Would you like me to suck it for you? I've never done it before and probably won't be any good but I'd like to try. I've always wanted to but I've never wanted to suck a guy at school. They'd tell everyone and all the guys would be after me to suck them off."
A few minutes ago, Steve would not have believed his day could get any better. Was he ever wrong! This delicate morsel of femininity was going to give him a blow job! "I'd like nothing better. Can I take pictures?"
"Sure. They won't be any naughtier than the rest of the pictures you've taken of me."
"Uh, do you have something I can kneel on?"
"Sure, here, use my jacket."
She dropped his jacket on the forest floor and then got down on her knees.
She unzipped his pants while he opened the button. There was no way his steel hard cock was going to come out of his fly. Then she pulled down his underwear and was hit in the face by his cock. "Eek. What's this stuff on my face?"
"That's pre-cum. It's meant to help a man's cock slide into a woman's pussy."
She wiped some of it off her face with her finger and then stuck her finger in her mouth. "That tastes ok. Some of the girls at school said it tasted yucky."
"Well, that is just the pre-cum. Cum will taste stronger and be thicker."
"I can't wait to taste it."
She grabbed his cock and started licking the head all over. Next, she licked from the base all the way to the tip and then popped the head in her mouth. She was a natural cock sucker, swirling her tongue around the head as she sucked. She started bobbing her head, taking more and more of his cock into her mouth.
Steve just looked down in amazement at her performance before suddenly remembering to take pictures. She must have realized he was taking pictures because she looked up. It was at that point that he got a picture that was priceless. Her big blue eyes were framed by her long blonde hair and his cock was framed by her pink lips. It was so erotic that he could not hold off any longer. He started to cum. He'd meant to warn her but he came so suddenly that he didn't have a chance to.
But it didn't seem to faze her. He could see her throat working as she swallowed some of his cum. Finally, he stopped cumming. She waited until his cock was no longer spurting and sat back on her heels. Then she looked up at him and opened her mouth, letting him see a pool of his cum on her tongue. He snapped a picture before she closed her mouth and swallowed the rest, then opened her mouth to show it was empty. After looking at him for a minute, she leaned forward and started cleaning his cock with her tongue. Once she was done, she stood up and handed him his jacket.
"I've got to get going. Mom will be expecting me home soon. This was fun. Thanks!"
He could not believe she'd just thanked him. "Honey, this was probably the best day of my life. You are an amazing young lady."
She got dressed and started to leave, turning to say "Remember, you promised to keep the pictures private. Bye."
Steve pulled up his pants and checked his camera. He quickly scanned through some of the pictures just to prove to himself that it had really happened. He could not wait to see them on his computer. As he walked away, he wondered if he would ever see her again. He hoped so.
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As the weather turns colder, many of us will be layering up in an attempt to keep warm but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a gorgeous sunkissed glow this autumn! All of those layers mean that often the only part of our body that is exposed is our face. Autumn's harsh elements threaten to …
Tag: Rich Face
Face up to the cold with Rich Face Tinted Tan Lotion!
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3 years ago
3 years ago
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If I recall him correctly, the absurdly prolix philosopher Hegel posited that history proceeds by a dynamic undulation of thesis, antithesis, and then synthesis: One extreme arises, then an equal and opposite extreme crops up, when next a mediating compromise comes to be. And it all then repeats.
Some simply speak of history being a pendulum swing, from one outrageous excess to its opposite, and then back and forth. There are cycles. There are seasons. Others who talk of hills and valleys suggest that when we find ourselves in a deep valley, we should prepare for our ascent up the next hill.
We are now in a deep valley. So it's a time to prepare and plan and look forward with that most threatened and resilient of human qualities, hope. But hope, in its fullness, isn't a passive fantasy or a refusal to be realistic; it's an active goad to real action. So in this season, in this cycle, in this antithesis and far end of the pendulum swing, have hope. And begin to think of how you will help us all to climb the next hill, where we may be able to see a new sunrise on its way.


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Bravura Scoring Brass: a complete collection of orchestral brass ensembles, soloists, and aleatoric FX recorded with stunning depth in a large scoring studio. Featuring three mic positions, extensive articulations, and incredibly powerful scripting, BSB is an ideal tool for film, TV & game scoring.
With great care Impact Soundworks set out to record gorgeous, "human" performances and to craft instantly gratifying yet deeply customizable instruments. Not only is Bravura both agile and meticulously sampled, it also includes an extensive number of articulations and a versatile, scoring STUDIO sound. Bravura therefore provides the modern media/classical composer a complete suite of scoring brass instruments that can easily blend with other orchestral sample libraries.
In an effort to make Bravura Scoring Brass an easy-to-use and immediately inspirational instrument right out of the box, we designed the interface with all major controls visible at once.
Volume, pan/width, 3-band EQ and individual outputs for all 3 mic positions
Convolution reverb and 11 custom IR's with wet, tone, pre-delay and size controls
Ability to unload articulations to preserve RAM as well as adjust their volumes
Access deep articulation controls to add accents, tighten staccatos, adjust legato speed, etc.
Customizable keyswitches
MIDI CC assignable dynamics and vibrato sliders
Velocity curve, transpose and coarse/fine tuning controls
Apply simulated muting to all articulations
Ability to switch between 3 types of short notes via keyswitching or velocity
Control short note dynamics via velocity or modwheel
Round robin modes and release samples
Stack mode script doubles or triples ensemble size
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Sunday, May 31, 2009
Oh NO! A Leak in the Dinghy!
Yesterday, she sent laundry to two different places – Martin the "boat boy" (or we prefer to call them yacht services) took two loads (picked up at 9 and back by 3) and she brought two to a woman on shore. It's always funny to see your t-shirts and underwear hanging on someone's clothesline. This is a pretty inexpensive place to get laundry done – though there are no do-it-yourself Laundromats.
So we are trapped on board with no dinghy – so its boat projects day. Michael's already repaired the cockpit table; installed an expansion tank for the water maker; cleaned the water maker filters; repaired (?!?) the dinghy; cleaned his sextant that had a battery explode in it; and, reloaded the V-berth. Barbara's been captioning pictures on the web site (we have internet here); cooking and doing some cleaning. Maybe we'll both cool off with a nice swim after this.
Last night we went on the tour with Martin up the Indian River. Another couple from aboard Sweet Caroline joined us. It was a great trip. Martin has to row up the river (against a three-knot current) because it's pretty shallow and no motors are allowed as it's part of the National Park. It was quite beautiful – especially in the late afternoon light. We saw these magnificent roots of the Blood Wood tree – they are flat and look like sculptures. There were lots of birds singing, crabs scurrying and fish in the river. The trees and ferns were all large and lush. Martin shared a lot of knowledge about Dominica's history and was well versed in the flora and fauna. This island depends on a lot of holistic remedies – different plants for different ailments.
After a way up the river we got out and hiked along a trail – where we saw beautiful and exotic flowers, lots of varieties of bananas and plantains, pineapples and other spices like bay leaves. He collected a coconut and "macheteed" it open – and still has all ten fingers! He also made Barbara and Carol (from Sweet Caroline) a palm frond bird. Barbara got a parrot and Carol got a hummingbird. We swam in the fresh water river (always a treat after so much salt water) and ate coconut and headed back in a typical afternoon downpour. Martin ended the trip with an exotic bouquet for each of the women. (Gee all this stuff and no vase on board!!)
It was a great trip that we both enjoyed tremendously. At night (Saturday night after all), there was late music on shore. Only this music wasn't very melodic – Michael actually thinks it was karaoke (which should be outlawed).
Tomorrow (Monday) is another island holiday – they sure do celebrate on the island a lot. It's Whit Monday (Pentecost Monday). Everything will be closed. We haven't decided if we're staying or moving on. A lot depends on getting the dinghy in the water and seeing if she floats. It also depends on collecting the laundry from shore. And of course the weather!
We're flexible.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Dominica - The Last Leeward Island
We arrived here on Friday around noon. We left Pointe a' Pitre on Thursday after a very busy morning. Wednesday was a holiday so everything was closed making our Thursday a bit hectic. We did grocery shopping (you know the drill, dinghy, walk, shop, walk, dinghy); Michael did the check-out of Guadeloupe and got 15 gallons of diesel. After everything got back to the boat, fueled, groceries put away and dinghy on deck - we left for "The Saints" to take off some time on the trip to Dominica. We sailed all the way from Pointe a Pitre to Islet Cabrit - no joy fishing. Anchored for the night and enjoyed being the only boat in that beautiful anchorage. The next morning (Friday) we got up bright and early and took off for Dominica. We again sailed most of the way - motoring the last few miles to make some water and charge the batteries. We anchored near the Purple Turtle Restaurant.
This is the first place where there are "boat boys". These are small business owners - who provide yacht help. On some islands they can be problems, but the ones on Dominica are professional, courteous and very helpful. They provide various services from helping you tie up to a mooring to getting you fresh fruit and vegetables. We had a guy named "Martin" on the boat "Providence" recommended to us by another sailboat - so we called for him. There is loyalty amongst boat boys - if you say "Martin's my guy" - the others back off. Martin this morning (Saturday) came by the boat as pre-arranged and picked up some laundry to take in for us and we'll be doing a river tour with him this afternoon - which includes a bit of bird watching - looking for the indigenous parrot.
Last night (Friday) the music at "Big Papa's" restaurant went on until 5 am Saturday morning. It was quite loud with a beat the reverberated through the boat. We also had a lot of rain yesterday - and unfortunately - had windows that weren't dogged down - so after visiting some folks on a boat (Clyde and Gertrude form Holland) - we came back to a flooded galley, a damp clothes locker and a wet basket in the walk-through. Oh well - we'll be better about checking windows in the future. After major clean-up, putting the dinghy and motor on deck (now we have to start doing the dinghy as well as the motor as we get further south) - we went to bed only to be kept up by the big party on shore. It started around 11 pm and went to 5 am! It was a Heineken promotion with two bands. Admission was $20 or $30 VIP. We got the music for free!
Saturday morning, we woke up quite early to get the dinghy back in the water and head to the vegetable market. It was a great vegetable market. There were people selling fruits, vegetables, fish, breads, jams - you name it. The selection was terrific - loads of bananas, pineapples, onions, peppers, watermelons, mammy apples, mangoes - you name it. We stocked up on some fresh items and can't wait to break into that watermelon.
We also stopped at the bank to get the local currency - EC's (Eastern Caribbean dollars) it's about $2.62 EC to $1 US dollar.
The people here are the friendliest we've seen so far on the trip. Everyone says hello and chats with you. Yesterday (Friday) after clearing into customs ($4 US), we stopped by for a cold drink. We ended up sitting at Big Papa's chatting with an interesting group of locals (including Big Daddy who owns the joint) Helen who runs a local dive shop, Marcellus (or Tony) who is the poet bartender / manager of Big Papa's, and Jeffrey one of the boat boys (and in charge of boat security in the area). The stories were funny and we learned a lot. It was a blast.
In 2001 on our cruise this was one of our favorite islands. I think it won't disappoint us this time either. So far it's great. We're looking forward to Martin's river tour this afternoon. Hope we see some parrots.
One story we forgot to share from "The Saints." Anchored there on the Ascension holiday, we were boarded by four Guadeloupe customs agents. Three came on board, one stayed in the dinghy - holding on to our boat with his hand on his weapon. Sounds scarier than it was. They were very polite and sat in the cockpit asking questions and filling out paperwork. They asked us if we had more than $10,000 Euro (we said we wished we did!). They asked about weapons, pets, tobacco, and alcohol. We skirted the alcohol question!! All was good - and it was an interesting experience.
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009
From the Industrial Zone to the Mountains
We started in the marine district near the marina across the channel. We started in the marine office and got a lead to a few places. We walked to "Fred's Marine" and found someone there who spoke borderline English and with our French words written out and the broken part in hand, we were able to find out they couldn't help us but gave us the name and address of a hydraulic shop. It was across the harbor in the "Industrial Zone." We did some more exploring on the marina side - found a good grocery store, a small chandlery (the large one that was supposed to be terrific burned down last month - bummer) and a bank machine for more euros. We picked up a few things and went back to the boat - having walked a few miles in the process.
We then headed over by dinghy to the Industrial Zone and hunted out a place to tie up the dinghy. We found a small dock and luckily there was a worker around (it was lunch hour and everything closes for two hours at lunch time here). He gave us permission to tie to the dock for a few hours and also directions to the street we were looking for. Off we go on foot. Michael loved this part of town!! All sorts of manufacturing, parts and various stuff. We found the street and panicked a bit when the address we had was number 23 Rue de la Chapelle and the first number we see on Rue de la Chapelle is 977! The sounded like one long walk - but the numbers went down quickly so it was a tad long - but not too bad. Of course, they didn't have exactly what we needed - it seems there are THREE standards for sizes, threading etc. One is the American (what our system is - though we thought it was British), one is the British and one is the French. Of course, being a French island, all they carried was the French standard. So Boris, the nice man who spoke a little English, sent us to another place about 2 kilometers away. So we walked more of the zone and found the place and of course they didn't have it either - so we went back to Boris and had a hose built - hoping we could make it work. We walked back to our dinghy - another hike - Barbara grateful none of it was hilly!
On Tuesday, we got up early to hit the hydraulic shop at 7 am before heading out on an island tour. We needed to pick up the hose they were making. Another couple - Byron and Lynn Nelson from the motor yacht Voyager arranged a driver Allain and an all day tour of the island. We left at 9:30 in a van and went through some beautiful countryside seeing lots of interesting trees and plants - including mahogany, breadfruit, almonds, flambeau, cashews, cocoa, mango, camphor, and cinnamon. We hit a waterfall and a few rivers - one with a cool suspension walkway. We got into the rain forest mountains which had some great vistas. We took a tour of a chocolate making shop in Point Noir with some good sampling. We also went through a rum museum (with more sampling). Had a nice lunch on a beautiful beach in a very good restaurant. It was a good tour and nice to get off the boat and off foot and see some more of the countryside. Lynn and Byron were nice people and interesting. We got back to the boat and all was well - it's always a tad nerve-wracking leaving the boat at anchor all day unattended.
It's Wednesday and another holiday in the islands. It's end of slavery day. Michael is attempting to fix the hydraulic hose today (language aboard not so pleasant) and we're hoping he has great success.
Success! At least temporarily. The board is up, no leaks (so far) and the pressure seems to be holding. So we are back to being a shallow draft vessel, which means we can anchor closer to shore and not put out nearly as much chain, which saves us both, especially Barbara on the fore deck with the windlass.
Happy Emancipation Day!
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Monday, May 25, 2009
The Guadeloupe Tour
Our "Tour de la Guadeloupe" also continues. On Saturday, we left Bourg des Saintes and went to a small island Ilet Cabrit and anchored off a pretty little beach. The island has one small house near the beach, a partially finished and abandoned hotel and the remains of Fort Josephine. Michael (whom Barbara is now convinced wants to kill her with climbing hills) decided they should climb to Fort Josephine. It certainly wasn't as high as "Le Chemeau" the day before. We were again rewarded with magnificent views - each one a postcard. The climb wasn't nearly as bad. We also explored the old hotel - where it seems the goats take rooms each night as it was filled with their "smart pills." The island also has these beautiful purple flowered trees - much like giant lilacs and they almost have a lilac smell. We saw a giant iguana - but he was faster than us and we missed the photo op (sorry Nina). We ran into mountain goats and some crazy French people who had done the climb in bikinis and bare feet. There are lots of cactus and sharp rocks on this hike so that was plain crazy!
Upon our return to the boat we watched the participants in the sailboat race sail by towards the town - and got to see some great tacking duels.
On Sunday morning, bright and early, we left "The Saints" and headed north again - towards Pointe a Pitre. We sailed most of the way and it was a very pleasant day. We had to avoid lots of fish traps - and had two lines in the water. No joy on the fishing front - but a really nice sail.
Pointe a Pitre is Guadeloupe's largest city. Remember we mentioned that Guadeloupe is the shape of a lopsided butterfly? This city is on the bottom and in the middle of the "butterfly wings." It has a huge port and is geared to the marine industry. They work on everything from small outboards to the maxi racers in a major race that passes through here "Rhoute de Rhum." So we're hoping they will be equipped to fix a hydraulic hose for our centerboard.
The city is a hodgepodge of old and new and has Creole traditions and style. We're hoping to also get some provisioning, laundry and touring done while here waiting for parts to be completed/ordered.
We're anchored off the Ilet a Cochons. We'll dinghy across to the big marina to start the repair search this morning with English/French dictionary in hand. Though, earlier this morning, we watched as French Special Ops forces went ashore Ilet a Cochons via kayaks in full gear for some type of exercise. (At least we're hoping it's an exercise!!) Fun to watch - they were pretty stealth except for their bright red kayak paddles.
Happy Monday! Less than a month until Frank's visit.
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Saturday, May 23, 2009
Iles des Saintes
The town is really idyllic - with tidy, colorful houses with shutters and beautiful "gingerbread" trim. A church chimes every hour and quarter hour. The streets are narrow and filled with tiny restaurants, t-shirt shops, a few small groceries and a few bakeries. Vendors (mostly older women) on the street sell homemade ice cream out of the old fashioned ice cream churn (Michael enjoyed a rich coconut one) and local "fruit tarts." Fishermen are also in parks cutting up fish with giant machetes and knives and selling it. The town shuts down between noon and 1500 each day - which is amazing as the business now is tourism. Ferries bring visitors in starting around 0900 - and they are pretty non-stop through about 1800. The ferries are fun to watch as they too negotiate between sailboats at anchor.
The islands also offer some good hikes, kayaking and snorkeling. We played mountain goat again - and yesterday (Friday) decided to tackle the highest peak in the island. It nearly killed us. At least we didn't do it in the heat of the day - we actually got an earlier than normal start. We should have been forewarned as the guide book describes this hike as "you have to be fit to make it to the island's most spectacular view up Le Chemeau, by the old Napoleonic lookout tower." I'm not certain we are quite up the guide's standard of "fit" quite yet. We did make it - but it was a very tough climb. It's along a road closed to traffic and is very steep with switchbacks. It is 1000 foot vertical climb (and that didn't sound like so much). Barbara is convinced, that on Friday, she was the oldest person who did the climb. We saw a few people along the way and they were all quite young and "fit". We were rewarded with remarkable views of the island group - like being in an airplane. The bummer was that the lookout tower top level was locked - so after all that -we were locked out of the most magnificent view.
On the way down, we ran into a group of mountain goats - real ones. A few of the billy goats got into a fight which was interesting to watch as they butted heads. We hit the first grocery as we made it down and bought the largest bottle of water, found some shade in a park, sat down and re-hydrated. We were exhausted with legs like jelly. Michael went to get some baguettes and croissants (we earned them!) and on his return he panicked as an ambulance was right near the park where he left Barbara sitting. He was sure something bad happened to Barbara - but was happy to see her still sitting on the bench. We made it back to the dinghy and the boat - and spent the rest of the day recovering.
The climb was made that much harder by the fact we entertained the night before and much adult beverage was consumed. Thanks to Joe and Kathy Mansir - we opened your gifted wine and enjoyed it immensely. Also, because one bottle wasn't enough, Tom and Hyla Griesdorn - we popped the cork on a lovely bottle from you. Thanks. The wine was shared - we had invited over the folks from "Serene" and "Rapscallion II." We had been on Mel and Joni's boat "Serene" the night before for sundowners. They are from Miami. On Thursday night on Astarte, we enjoyed sundowners and a potluck with the group. Dennis and Trudy from Rapscallion had some fishing luck and brought wahoo and we threw in some mahi we had thawed. It was a good feast with great conversation and a chance to meet new folks who are also heading south.
Thursday was a holiday on the island - Ascension - so almost everything was closed down even though the ferries were delivering lots of people. We did boat projects and cleaning.
Today (Saturday) we'll probably move to another anchorage near one of the other islands for a different view. We've enjoyed watching the ferries, the yachts coming and going, the anchor drills and the Hobie cat classes that go out every afternoon. The Hobies fly through the water and are colorful and fun to watch as they maneuver through boats and race each other.
Sunday (tomorrow) we'll sail back to the main island of Guadeloupe to Point a Pitre to get the hydraulic centerboard line fixed.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Flexibility - In More Ways Than One
The cruising lifestyle requires flexibility. Your body must be flexible to move with the boat; to climb on and off the boat and dinghy; to hike over narrow paths and as we found out on Monday to climb up river rocks. You also must be flexible with your plans because of weather, repairs, how fast or slow the boat is going or how rolly an anchorage could be or what the "holding" of an anchorage is. We found that out yesterday as well and we "went with the flow"
On Monday, we stayed in Deshaies and went ashore to explore this quaint town. We also needed to clear in. We tried to figure out where to leave a dinghy – and the options looked like tying to the bridge over the Deshaies River or tying against the rocks on the side of the river. Because it had really rained hard the night before (we filled up two huge rain collectors – the Michael-made gutters really work), the river was flowing pretty strongly. Barbara stayed with the dinghy holding it off the rocks and Michael would go to the customs office to clear us in and see if he could find a dinghy place on a beach or elsewhere. He came back with the answer to the dinghy question – but customs was closed. The guide books all say clearing in is a matter of finding someone in the office. We retied the dinghy and roamed through town. Lots of restaurants – everything seemed to be named "Chez (fill in a very French name here)." So French! We found a few nice little vegetable stands, fisherman were selling mahi from their trucks on the street (but we caught our own!) and there was a few patisseries (so Michael had to test their pain de chocolat.)
Michael had success with customs later and then we went on the hike along the river. Well actually it was more IN the river than along the river. It was a very exciting, slippery, athletic adventure. One that required physical flexibility climbing over big rocks, roots and through mini-currents.
A giant toad was located – one seen on the way up and one on the way down. A photo is below and we'd love someone to identify it for us. It really was fearless. Barbara almost grabbed it climbing along the rocks and it didn't move. When "poked" it gets on its back legs and puffs up – but doesn't move.
Exhausted and invigorated from the adventure, we got back to the boat.
On Tuesday, we decided to head south to Basse Terre. Basse Terre is the capital and our plan was to anchor there for the night then head around the corner to Point a Pitre to get the hydraulic hose/system fixed to get the center board up. Now we'd have to treat ourselves like a deep draft vessel. We headed out, sailed for awhile until the wind started coming from the south. Flexibility was the theme of the day. We stopped at an anchorage, Anse a la Barque" thinking we'd stay there for the night as it was more protected than Basse Terre and there was a big swell. After getting in there – it was very deep and not much protection from the swell and a bit crowded with fishing boats on moorings. So we decided to continue to Basse Terre. As we headed south, the wind really picked up as did the seas, so we decided Basse Terre would be a really bad place to stay (there is absolutely no protection there). So we went back to Anse a la Barque. We tried anchoring there - FOUR times. The holding was terrible – we couldn't get the anchor to hold. So, being flexible, we determined it was going to be a rocking night wherever – so we might as well have better holding in Basse Terre. So back we went. We started to look at the guide book seeing if there was anyplace else on the other side of the island closer to Point a Pitre.,,and we saw Ile de Sants was only 12 more miles from Basse Terre. So we chose to continue south to "The Saints." This was on our plan – so we thought we'd do it now and then head to Point a Pitre for repairs.
The Saints are always listed on top ten charts of islands to go to. We missed them in 2001 so it was a definite must stop this time. There are several anchorages in the area – near the town or around other little uninhabited islands. We went by one – but it was crowded so we headed towards town. We tried anchoring here FOUR times as well. The holding was not great – and again, we're in deep water. We finally got "stuck" in 40 feet of water – and we're settled – though will probably move on Wednesday as we're quite a way out.
It was a comfortable night – but a day of changing our plans multiple times. Flexibility.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Islands That Kiss the Clouds
We left Gustavia and headed back to the Colombier Park (free mooring) and another hike. This time it seemed to take us straight uphill. We saw and heard a blue macaw - not native to the area - so it must have either escaped or been set free. It has a loud squawk. Michael tried to get it to talk - starting first in English and then switching to French - figuring we're on a French island. The bird simply squawked.
On Saturday, we left about 0830 in nice weather, put the main and headsail up with reefs and started sailing soon after we were clear of the mooring ball. Astarte loves to sail. We headed between Statia (St. Eustatius) and St. Kitts (St. Christopher) on a nice beam reach. This group of islands, Saba, Statia, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Guadeloupe are quite different in their topography. They are volcanic mountains (some still active like Montserrat) and their high elevation is lost in the clouds (thus the title of this entry). We never saw the top of the islands as we cruised past. They are quite lush and green and have many rivers and waterfalls. Many are agricultural and we saw cows and rich vegetation.
As we headed towards the cut between St. Kitts and Statia - the yell "fish on" went out. Michael instinctively went for the gear shift to slow the boat down - but we were sailing. So we headed into the wind a bit, let out the main and brought in a nice mahi. Not a huge one - but a four meal (8 serving) mahi. We're getting better at landing these - gaffing and tail looping it on board, Michael cleaned it and the line went back in. No further joy - but we were grateful for some free protein in the fridge!
We sailed through the night - passing Montserrat at night - and it may have had a dust plume - as there was a strong sulfur smell as we went by and a "squall" like disturbance on the radar. We did hit several squalls through the night - washing the decks and "freshening" the wind to mid-twenties. But we sailed! This was the first passage that we didn't turn the motor on the entire time and we pretty much had two tacks.
As daybreak came, we were near Deshaies (pronounced Day-hay) on the tip of Guadeloupe. Guadeloupe is a French island - and on our 2001 cruise - we never stopped here - so it was on our list this year. One of the toughest things to do is pick where to stop and what to skip. You can't see it all so choices have to be made. We thought of making the stop at St. Kitts - but the anchorage isn't great and there were storms predicted. Antigua and Barbuda are supposed to be gorgeous - but would require more easting and frankly, we're tired of crashing into seas and motoring. So we picked Guadeloupe as our "new" island to explore.
Guadeloupe is actually two islands, shaped like a lopsided butterfly. A river separates the two "wings." Whoever named the islands either was terribly confused or had a great wit. "Basse Terre" (low land) is actually the larger and most mountainous of the two. "Grande Terre" (large land) is smaller, flatter island. Grande Terre is the older island so perhaps the mountains eroded through time and the younger, more recently active Basse Terre may someday look like Grande Terre.
Agriculture (sugar cane), rum and tourism are the island's industries. The native Carib Indians called this island "Karukera" - Island of Pretty Waters. And with all the rivers, waterfalls and coastline - it's easy to see why. The island boasts the tallest waterfalls in the eastern Caribbean - hopefully we'll get to see them.
Deshaies is a picture postcard town. Nestled in the hills, with mist covered lush mountains surrounding it - it's a working fishing village It has good holding and we're anchored near the side of a hill - covered with trees, some rocks and lots of croaking frogs and birds. It's been a rainy, misty day all day long and as I'm writing this - a good rain shower is outside. We're collecting rain and should have two full containers by morning. There are about 20 boats in the anchorage. The Deshaies River comes into the bay and tomorrow - weather permitting we'll hike along the river to some waterfalls and perhaps stop at the Botanical Gardens which are supposed to be quite spectacular. We first have to find the gendarmes to clear into the country.
We also have a small mechanical issue. The centerboard on the boat is hydraulic and it seems to have a hose that's sprung a leak. When Michael put the board down for sailing, he thought he noticed something not feeling quite right. We anchored in deep enough water to have an issue - and when he checked it - sure enough - hydraulic fluid had leaked. So the board is stuck down and we'll have to find a mechanic to come to bleed the system as Michael doesn't have the spares (can you believe that???)or the experience to the job. More boat units!! (Remember the definition of cruising is fixing your boat in exotic locations).
Turtles identified: the turtles we saw in St. Bart's are "Green Turtles." We stopped at the National Park office in Gustavia and got some great information.
Another country - more miles under the keel and best of all, we are sailing again.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Hiking St. Bart's Hills
Wednesday, anchored back in Anse de Columbier, we took another long hike along the trail to Flammands. Once in the town we continued walking in search of a pay phone. It's interesting; the era of cell phones has made finding pay phones more difficult. We had no luck - but found some helpful people. In the search for phones we walked quite a way and up one big hill past the homes of the rich and perhaps, famous. There were some beautiful, architectural homes and resorts.
On Thursday (today), we decided that the weather had settled a bit and we might be able to leave on Friday, so we sailed back to Gustavia. We had hoped the roll would have settled and we anchor here and actually explore the city a bit more, find a phone and check out. As we entered the harbor, we passed a mega yacht (complete with helicopter on the back deck). We anchored, dinghied into town and walked. And walked. Up hills to what we thought was the fort (it was the gendarmes (police station); along the waterfront, up another hill to the lighthouse. We had lunch in a little café to get out of the rain. Town is mostly shops and shoppers. We decided to listen to weather again in the morning - because when we were on one of the many hills today -we looked out at the big water and it was very, very rough. All white caps and big seas - so we thought we may want to wait one more day. We'll most likely check out in the morning and head back to Colombier.
St. Bart's is where the rich and famous supposedly hang out. Barbara thought she spotted Gwenyth Paltrow on the beach - but it is an unconfirmed sighting. But one thing we did notice is that the rich and famous have "people" who do everything for them. When we were moored in Colombier, we watched a very large "tender" (the boat's dinghy) drop the boat owners off at the beach. At lunch they (their "people") returned with a large picnic hamper and shopping bag; and then later in the afternoon, returned yet again to pick up the folks. We decided the day at the beach probably cost at least 20 gallons of gas for the multi-engined dinghy! (And gas here is .98 Euro a liter - so about $4 a gallon). That doesn't include the cost of the "crew" and lunch (which was probably not bologna sandwiches!) Today, on the yacht with the helicopter, the tender came back to the boat with about six people on board. They all off-loaded and left the "people" take care of their shopping bags etc. We decided we need "people." But we probably first have to be rich and famous to be able to afford them. But it's been fun to watch and joke about it.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Gustavia - Mega-yachts and Mega-rolley
As you enter the well-marked harbor of Gustavia, there are boats anchored on both sides leaving the large channel clear in the middle towards the commercial docks and splitting off to the right towards downtown. A pretty beach is on the port side and as we entered a group of small sailboats were out for a class…with many tipping over in the heavy wind. Hearty souls going out in that kind of wind in little boats! The anchorages on each side were very packed -many boats at anchor - some with two anchors out and some on moorings (private and municipal). We tried to find a spot closer to town on the starboard side of the channel - and tried one spot dropping our anchor - but with the breeze and heavy seas, we didn't feel comfortable as we were quite close to another boat and couldn't put out enough rode. So we pulled up the anchor and went to the port side of the port to see if there was anything there. We found a spot but quite far from town and it was very roll-ey. Boats were rocking and pitching with waves coming from all directions. We dropped the anchor and learned another lesson - as we let out more chain, we got to the rope sooner than we expected. So we let out all our chain and a fair amount of string (rope). We were sitting in 30 feet of water, it was really windy and we had seas, so that was a good thing.
We loaded the dinghy and headed to shore (unfortunately forgot the camera). We went by the mooring field close to town (looked like a boat parking lot with the boats neatly lined up very close together), the docks (actual sea walls) with the huge vessels tied stern to the sea wall and bow on a mooring ball. There was one very large, sleek navy blue sailboat on the wall. Its British flag was larger than our entire boat! It's a very busy, packed harbor - but the conditions were not very smooth on this day.
We went to Capitainerie to check in. All the guide books say that this place has "casual" check-in and that's putting it mildly. We filled out the paperwork. They never even looked at the passports or boat papers or our clearing out papers from St. Martins. They asked how many nights we would stay in Gustavia and we said none - that we would head back to Colombier. The cost - zero! We loved that. If you stay in the harbor you have to pay a fee for each night. Of course, we got no paperwork back saying we checked in - so things are quite lax.
We roamed around the town a bit. Gustavia, originally called Carenage, was re-named after the King of Sweden Gustav III, The tiny streets are filled with clothing stores, boutiques, jewelry stores, perfumeries etc. All catering to well moneyed folk. A few bars and restaurants were around. We found a boulangerie and picked up some chocolate croissants and salads for lunch (we'd take them back to the boat.) We headed back and got on board Astarte, pulled up the miles of anchor rode and chain and sailed out of Gustavia. We have to come back to clear out, and may stay a night if the weather calms.
We got back to Colombier and re-tied to a mooring - this time closer to shore. This anchorage filled up last night - mostly catamarans - seven cats and four monohulls. It was quite entertaining watching the boats come in and pick up the moorings. One charter boat would toss the line down on the mooring, trying to lasso it - a new technique that had a large failure rate!
It was a very windy and rainy night - we had to keep getting up to close hatches and re-open them. This tropical wave has made it quite humid - so the boat is warm. Today (Wednesday), we'll take another hike on shore.
WoW - waiting on weather!
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Monday, May 11, 2009
Stories from St. Barthelemy
We loaded the dinghy, headed to shore and started to climb up the rocks and found a trail. It wove through carved out rock and was a well maintained trail with steps carved in the rocks. It overlooked beautiful windward water crashing on the rocks below. Ahead we could see charming red and green roofed cottages. Butterflies and some interesting cactus (including the Turk's Head - famous in Turks and Caicos) were along the path. Several people were walking in the opposite direction - heading to the beach in Anse de Colombier. At the end of the path was the little town of Flamandes. We strolled through a bit of it - to a small store where Michael bought a "ting" for one euro. (Ting is a popular drink around here - kind of a grapefruit flavored soda). We then turned around and walked back happy to find the boat and dinghy still in place.
The bay where we're anchored has many resident large turtles (still to be identified). Large and small they pop to the top to take some breathes before they dive back down. Michael was determined to get a good photo of one (for you Nina and Kathryn). But they tormented him all afternoon. If he saw one close to the boat, he didn't have the camera handy. When he saw them far away - he was ready - but they were too far. When he went to get a photo - they dove. It was like they knew they could drive him insane. You could almost hear the turtle laughs!! Finally, after many attempts, one came close enough and he was ready. (Photos to follow on web page when we get internet access.)
You can tell people who have been cruising long and those that are chartering for a few weeks. One way is the dinghy ride. You usually have to talk louder because of the outboard engine and the wind. Cruisers know how the voice carries. Charter boaters don't. It's always fun to listen in on the conversations in the dinghies as boaters go by. Michael was working on the deck re-tying some diesel jugs and a boat filled with "charter boaters" goes by and we can easily overhear them talking. "He must be getting ready to be Santa" they say and all chuckle. It seems Michael's beard is getting bushier and whiter as we continue the cruise. He proceeded to go below and put his whisker clippers on charge and later trimmed up the Santa beard. First he had to figure out how to do it on the boat where we don't have any mirrors that have sinks under them. He sat on a small stool in the aft cabin in front of a large mirror with a dishpan in his lap to catch the trimmings! It was quite a site (picture to follow).
Tomorrow we'll check in Gustavia. Looks like we'll be here for the rest of the week waiting for a weather window to head south. Not a bad place to be stuck.at least in this lovely little bay.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day From St. Bart's
We left the lagoon on St. Martin's at the 0815 bridge opening. It was a long line of boats ready to depart - so we all did the boat dance waiting for the bridge to open - going in circles and avoiding shoals and each other. We sailed for awhile around the island and then, as is the custom it seems, the wind came right on the nose, the seas built and we had another lumpy, slow crossing. Squalls kept popping up. But it was a short distance. We first checked out a little island off the main island - Isle Fourchue, but it was pretty crowded and we didn't see any mooring balls for our size boat. So we went another few miles and came into a nice bay "Anse de Colombier." Picked up a free yellow mooring ball (and got cheered by a French boat anchored nearby with about 16 people on board - as we got it on the first try!) We are officially in the marine park - much of the island is. Our greeting committee was a giant turtle. He keeps showing himself and we keep trying to get his picture. There are a few sea turtles in here of varying sizes.
A beautiful sunset ended our evening and the boats pretty much cleared out of the harbor. There are just seven left. The landscape is very hilly and rocky. We'll probably take a hike tomorrow. This country isn't too concerned about check-ins. They say you can make a few stops before you officially check in at Gustavia.
St. Barthelemy's is one of the "renaissance islands" (along with Anguilla and St. Martins.) Through time it's been traded and sold between the French and Swiss. It is now French. The Spanish also fought for it in the 1600's.
It prospered under the French in the 1600's and was a pirate's paradise with all the bays and coves. The most famous pirate was a Captain Montbars. (Even back them this was the place for the rich and famous!) He was a Frenchman who was horrified with what the Spanish had done to the native population and decided to avenge them - doing well while he did good. He took on an all indigenous crew (who were probably pretty ticked off at the Spanish - so they were fearless). He terrorized the Spanish and became known as "Montbars the Exterminator." He ended up taken in a hurricane (so the story goes) and perhaps his treasure sunk with him.
We never made it to St. Bart's on our last cruise - so this is all new to us and we'll probably spend a few days here in various places. It's supposed to be a charming island and who knows what rich and famous person we might see. We also will be waiting for a weather window to make the long day run down to St. Kitts and Nevis.
Warm wishes to all the mother's reading this and a special hug to ours - Genevieve and Trish!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
What DO You Do All Day????
Our day started with a boat named "Best Friends" trying to be our new best friends. They had drug their anchor through the windy night and were just about hitting our boat. So there they were directly in front of us. This was a "charter with captain boat." If you ever plan to do that - be careful! The captain you get may be incompetent - like this guy. Without moving, he was simply going to drop another anchor. Barbara had a little chat explaining that they were too close, and nobody else had two anchors out, and they were right over our anchor and we would most likely be leaving sometimes that day. So he ignored her and motored the boat a little way away (with the first anchor still down) and dropped a second anchor. Over the course of the day, they managed to move one or another of their anchors and still managed to stay close enough that we could pass snacks (not that we wanted to!) At one point (after we had been gone off the boat for some time), the captain told Michael that he grabbed on a chain that's down there. That was most likely our anchor chain and we noticed that our snubber (the line with hook thing that gives the anchor chain some stretch) had been moved. So Michael had to get in the water and dive the anchor to make sure we were still hooked. As the day progressed, "Best Friends" kept dragging - closer and closer. Finally about 1500 they pulled both anchors and left. Thank goodness. After spending 45 minutes looking for a spot to re-anchor they went into the marina. And even then, didn't seem to have a good handle on how to do that!
We did some provisioning yesterday - the freezer was getting bare (no fresh fish caught) and we wanted to take advantage of the French cheeses. So back to "what do you do all day?" We got the outboard on the dinghy (this is a daily ritual - putting it on in the morning and taking it off at night); the dinghy unlocked from the boat (just like you'd lock your car at night) and got all our canvas bags and backpacks together to go to shore. Our grocery list was made; French-English dictionary in hand and off we went. Tied the boat to the dinghy dock and walked first to the fresh veggie market to check what was available and the prices. Then we hiked a few miles to the "Match" grocery store. Along the way we stopped at a few banks to get a cash advance as we didn't have enough Euros or dollars (they take both at the store - but the exchange rate isn't very good). We had no luck, so hoped the grocery would take a credit card.
We arrived at the store (after three stops at hardware stores looking for a new lock for the dinghy chain). This takes awhile as our French isn't that great. Luckily for many items - there is a picture on the label. So shopping takes awhile. Plus, we have to convert kilos to pounds so we can understand how much it costs (comparatively to the states). Then we convert Euros (everything is priced in Euros) to dollars. So every item takes a bit of time to decide if it will go in your basket. (Side bar: to use a grocery cart - with wheels/basket you have to pay .50 cents) Michael and I were each armed with a basket. Everything is an adventure and that's why we love this cruising life. So we had all our groceries and then waited in line. And waited. And waited. Two lines were open (one for 5 items or less). The checkout ladies chat with everyone going by and getting the line shortened is not a high priority. So that took awhile. You bag your own groceries, in your own bags (or it's a dollar for one of their heavy plastic bags). We were armed with cooler bags as well as the canvas and we loaded up. Each now armed with two bags and Michael had one heavy backpack - we headed back to the dinghy. Left Michael at the dinghy and Barbara went to the veggie market for some fresh stuff. Now fully loaded we pack the dinghy and head back to the boat. Once on the boat, we have to get rid of all the cardboard packaging and load the fridge. Might as well clean out the fridge before loading, so add a bit more time to the equation. So "what do you do all day?" is taken up by everyday activities.
We also sounded out Simpson Bay later to see how we get into it. We would be anchoring in the lagoon for the rest of our St. Martin visit. There is no "anchorage" fee in here and we'd save $4.50 a day. We decided to go in on the 1730 opening as the roll in Marigot was getting a bit larger. It's not quite as pretty and the water not quite as clear- but there is also no roll and we had several friends in the lagoon. To pass through the bridge, you simply que up on either side of the bridge and wait your turn. It opens at dedicated time (0815 1430 and 1730) and the outgoing vessels go first then the oncoming vessels. There were three vessels coming in and two going out on our opening. It's a tight squeeze through the bridge as its quite narrow so only one vessel at a time. People line up on the bridge and cheer you as you go through. We were newly anchored by 1815. It was a windy, squally night - but no roll.
The weather is keeping us here at least through Saturday or Sunday even though we are only planning to go to St. Bart's which is 15 miles away. But between here and there the seas are big (8-10 feet today) so we'll wait until they settle a bit.
Michael took off this morning on a run to Budget Marine with some fellow boaters and has been looking at some small outboards (used) from a few folks. We missed the big "cruisers" gathering last night as we were moving the boat into the lagoon. It's a buck beer, book trade and info sharing. We're sorry we missed it as we have lots of books to trade!
Oh and a final note on "what do you do all day?" - cruiser's midnight is 2100 (9pm).
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Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Exploring by Dinghy, Foot and Public Transportation
On Monday, we sent some new photos to the web page www.sailastarte.com. You can see them on the photo page. Unfortunately we lost our internet connection before they all got captioned - so you can see the stuff - (including a picture of the goat on the hill, Nina!) and we'll caption at the next opportunity.
We went in search of a new "back-up" outboard. Looking for a small 2 horse/2 stroke engine that's light and will get us to and from docks in an emergency. Because St.Martin is a duty free island - the deals can sometimes be pretty good. Unfortunately - after lots of dinghy stops and hikes to various places - there seems to be a small dinghy shortage on the island. There are two large marine stores and many smaller ones that we checked out. Plus dealers for Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury and some off brands. We also were in search of a large lock to lock up the dinghy. This sent us in other directions - but we proudly found all the stores we were looking for. We went to the Dutch side as well as the French side of the island to search.
Stopped in the lagoon and saw our friends on Inspiration Lady and decided to join them for a trip to the other side of the island via public busses on Tuesday. Headed back to Astarte just in time before the heavy rain started. It was a squally night - Michael stayed up much of it checking the anchor and the other boats anchored nearby.
On Tuesday morning, we met Jackie and Gary from Inspiration Lady (at that chocolate croissant place) then caught a bus to the Dutch side. Its $2 per person each way - not a bad price as it's pretty far. We then roamed along the waterfront. There were no cruise ships in (it's not season according to our new friends Al and Troy who have a beer stand and Rastafarian souvenir shop on the beachfront.) Beers were a buck - so we had to stop - plus they had comfy chairs and they were filled with great information about the island. Michael and Gary also proceeded to hit every store (and there are lots of stores) that sold computers. Gary was looking for one of those small laptops and the prices seemed pretty great. So Michael and Gary would work over the sellers… (Michael's thinking having one on the boat is also a good idea - much lighter to take to shore for internet cafes.) Anyway - they got he price down (along with lots of extras thrown in) - now they just have to decide if one or both of them really want it! But it was fun to have a mission.
We ate lunch at a great small local establishment - food was good, service was fun. Then walked some more and then caught a bus back to Marigot. Saw a lot and enjoyed the day with Gary and Jackie.
We got back in time to get stuck in a pretty heavy rainstorm. But made it back to the boat a little wet and tired - but all is good.
Happy Cinco de Mayo (an excuse to have Mexican food and beer!)
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Exploring by Dinghy, Foot and Public Transportation
On Monday, we sent some new photos to the web page www.sailastarte.com. You can see them on the photo page. Unfortunately we lost our internet connection before they all got captioned - so you can see the stuff - (including a picture of the goat on the hill, Nina!) and we'll caption at the next opportunity.
We went in search of a new "back-up" outboard. Looking for a small 2 horse/2 stroke engine that's light and will get us to and from docks in an emergency. Because St.Martin is a duty free island - the deals can sometimes be pretty good. Unfortunately - after lots of dinghy stops and hikes to various places - there seems to be a small dinghy shortage on the island. There are two large marine stores and many smaller ones that we checked out. Plus dealers for Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury and some off brands. We also were in search of a large lock to lock up the dinghy. This sent us in other directions - but we proudly found all the stores we were looking for. We went to the Dutch side as well as the French side of the island to search.
Stopped in the lagoon and saw our friends on Inspiration Lady and decided to join them for a trip to the other side of the island via public busses on Tuesday. Headed back to Astarte just in time before the heavy rain started. It was a squally night - Michael stayed up much of it checking the anchor and the other boats anchored nearby.
On Tuesday morning, we met Jackie and Gary from Inspiration Lady (at that chocolate croissant place) then caught a bus to the Dutch side. Its $2 per person each way - not a bad price as it's pretty far. We then roamed along the waterfront. There were no cruise ships in (it's not season according to our new friends Al and Troy who have a beer stand and Rastafarian souvenir shop on the beachfront.) Beers were a buck - so we had to stop - plus they had comfy chairs and they were filled with great information about the island. Michael and Gary also proceeded to hit every store (and there are lots of stores) that sold computers. Gary was looking for one of those small laptops and the prices seemed pretty great. So Michael and Gary would work over the sellers. (Michael's thinking having one on the boat is also a good idea - much lighter to take to shore for internet cafes.) Anyway - they got he price down (along with lots of extras thrown in) - now they just have to decide if one or both of them really want it! But it was fun to have a mission.
We ate lunch at a great small local establishment - food was good, service was fun. Then walked some more and then caught a bus back to Marigot. Saw a lot and enjoyed the day with Gary and Jackie.
We got back in time to get stuck in a pretty heavy rainstorm. But made it back to the boat a little wet and tired - but all is good.
Happy Cinco de Mayo (an excuse to have Mexican food and beer!)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Bonjour from St. Martin
This island is half French and half Dutch. There is a charming story about how it was divided - though not based on any known fact. The tale goes that the French and Dutch were so civilized, that instead of fighting for boundaries on the island they settled the land division in an interesting way. Each armed with their favorite beverage -the Frenchman with a bottle of red wine and the Dutchman with a flask of gin started on opposite ends of the island. They would walk towards each other and where they met would be the boundary line. As gin is a stronger beverage than the wine, the Frenchman made it further and therefore the French side is a bit larger. Good story - even if it's not true!
Anyway, back to the tale of Astarte. We left Coral Bay at noon as planned and actually thought (hoped) we were going to sail the whole way. It started out terrific - we were flying with sails up, motor off and pretty much on our planned course. But that didn't last too long. The wind shifted more and more on the nose and we had to tack further and further off the course line - making little headway. So we started the engine back up and motor sailed. The seas also started quite mild and we were feeling pretty lucky as the Anegada is known to be a rough passage. (Remember it's nicknamed the "oh-my-god-ah." ) But then.the calm seas changed. The swells picked up as did the wind chop and it ended up being a rocking and rolling night. Waves coming from varied directions and making headway got very slow. It was also a wet ride with waves splashing over the decks. Astarte is one salty boat again - and after all that nice rain that cleaned everything off. We also had no joy on the fishing front - skunked(except for the very small flying fish we found on deck after we anchored).
We got lots of boat bites from the trip! Barbara ached the entire next day from the movement (and she has one heck of a bruise on her arm from being tossed in the berth - (no not what you're all thinking!)). But we got in - slower than anticipated and we were anchored around 0915 in a crowded Marigot Bay. But it's large - with plenty of room. A large turtle makes his home nearby as we've seen him several times popping up around the boat, but too quick for pictures. This place is also home to some very large, luxury yachts - sail and motor. We're anchored near a 65 footer that has a crew on board with the owners. They are out cleaning the stainless hourly! (we're still waiting for our invite for sundowners!!)
Back to Saturday morning. We cleaned up quickly, got the dinghy and Yoshi off the boat and had to clear into the country. Our yellow flag was flying. Being Saturday, we knew the customs office wasn't going to be open long. We made it in around 1100 and the office closes at noon - so that was good. This ended up being more expensive than we anticipated - as they now charge to anchor in Marigot. Plus there is a clearing in fee - that wasn't there in 2001. Times change and each of these islands are struggling in a tough economy - with tourism down.
The set-up is interesting here with the two countries and various places to anchor. There is a lagoon in the middle - half French and half Dutch. The Dutch side charges, the French side doesn't. There are two bridges (one French, one Dutch) that open to let boats in and out. The Dutch bridge charges and the French doesn't. They open at specific times, so it's fun to watch the boat parades as they come and go at opening time.
This is a duty-free island. So you can get some deals here. The currency is the Euro - though US dollars are also accepted. The exchange rate varies from store to store, restaurant to restaurant. In some of the marine stores you get a discount for US dollars and if you pay in cash. They have two large marine stores here - not that we need much. We are thinking of a small 2 horse outboard as a back-up.
This morning (Sunday) we walked all over - went to the town of Phillipsburg and roamed around. Had lunch at a small local eatery - it was tasty - Michael having curry, Barbara enjoying a Cornish hen. We tried using some phone cards to make calls - hopefully we'll have more success later. We did go by some tasty looking patisseries.we'll have to go back to them later. We found the big supermarket- but it wasn't well stocked being Sunday. We picked up a few items and will do more provisioning later in the week.
We'll head back into town later to make calls or find a patisserie for a treat (one had wireless so maybe we'll bring the computer). We've also heard from "Inspiration Lady," some friends we met in Georgetown and again in Provo who are anchored in the lagoon (free French side). We'll get together with them later to perhaps do an island tour. It is nice to keep reconnecting with ships passing each other through the various islands.
May 3, 2009


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