Updates...it's been so long!

Well it sure has been a long time since I last updated anyone about our life in GiTMO.  Everyday I come across stories and events that I want to write about and to share with the family.  Then the days come and go and eventually there are so many things I want to share that I end up sharing nothing at all.  Who ever thought that in a place that is so small and so limited one could be so busy, particularly during the holidays.

There are several holiday parties being planned, a few kid's birthdays on the same day, same time, different place; the Spouses Club Cocktail party, Boat Parade, Float parade, tour of homes, and the unchanging gatherings that come up on a daily basis for one reason or another... are you tired yet?

One thing I have to say about living here is that there is no reason for anyone to be bored or lonely.  Here we have to schedule time to be alone. Turn off the phones and the computer and literally, disconnect from human contact.  But most of you know, that's just not me so busy is good.  A little stress which puts me into action so that's a good thing.

Thanksgiving day was very nice.  While we missed the cold weather we were accustomed to in the North East there was not a lack for families, food, and experiencing a nice day away from those we love.  Having this local family is so important and I hope the people that are just arriving embrace this new family.  We spent the afternoon with the GiTMO Latino Families.  They had a Turkey and a Pig roasting over a fire Pitt in the back yard, teens playing games, kids playing in a bounce house, ladies dancing, guys laughing (at the ladies) and really great conversation with wonderful people.  We all miss our families but it really helps to be able to spend it with many other families also on the same boat.

Soon after we began planning to decorate and participate in the parade of floats.  Not exactly the Macy's Day Parade but definitely a lot of fun and a lot less people.  Our float was really great, the Seabees did a great job decorating it, however, at the last minute we discovered a faulty generator and our lights and music were not working.  We became the "greenest" float that day with lights from the fire truck behind us and our voices singing holiday music for about 1.5 miles.  The fun thing about this parade is that everyone knows everyone so it was cool to see people you know waving you by as we passed them on the road.  They waved, we threw candy, fun times.  At the end Santa and Mrs. Clause were available for the children to visit and get their gifts from Santa and of course pictures.  All in all, it was two hours of fun the kids will always remember.

Now we are planning the department party on Friday night, Santa will be there as well with more gifts for the kids, the spouses club cocktail party at the Admiral's house and from there we will be able to see the parade of boats (pictures to come soon.)  Finally, Sunday we have the Tour of Homes, of which I am a part.  This is a lot like a progressive dinner, except there's no dinner, just appetizers and drinks.  I have a feeling by the end of the night the people touring the homes will be well fed and partially intoxicated.  I don't have to travel, I just have to clean my house, decorate with what I have and welcome guests who come in increments of 10.  I am making a Sangria, Mulled Cider, BBQ Meatballs with mini rolls and a Spinach dip served in a bread bowl.   My house is as decked as it's ever going to be...I'm ready!

December 14th is the day we look forward to the most.  We are traveling to the states to visit family and friends.  I can't wait to see everyone, especially my son Josh.  He turns 20 today and I miss him so much.  I miss making his favorite stack of pancakes with lots of butter, syrup and a candle on his birthday.  We will celebrate next week with a trip to the Mall.  Me, King of Prussia Mall, and four kids~~~ Yikes!  I better take my B12.  We will be home before Christmas, if all goes well.

Whew!!  This doesn't even include the Diving I've done and plan to do before the trip, the kayaking with my morning class, Michael's fishing trips, Emily awesome grades this quarter, Nate's soccer and tennis fun, and Jonathan's.... well everything about him!

Oh almost forgot, you know we have a dog, Honey.  She's awesome.  Best dog ever.  Well, we also have 2 kittens...so darn cute.  Had to rescue them from the needle.  The were born stray and generally they are put down after a while if no one adopts them.  They are very playful and at times very annoying as heck but so darn cute and cuddly.

OK that's all I can give for now.... I'm tired, have to teach Spinning tomorrow could use a little time to just sit and do nothing.  Good Night!!

Terie

Blue Monday - Fall Season is upon us...sort of

This past weekend reminded me how much I miss a little cold air during this time of year.  It seems impossible to get in the spirit of the season when you are walking around in tanks, shorts and flip-flops, using mosquito repellent, and going kayaking early in the morning.  

Right around the beginning of October we would begin to use the old crock pot several times a week making the transition from outdoor grilling to soups and stews.  The kids come home with crafts and activities related to the Fall season.  We begin raking, raking, raking, taking a pictures in the piles of leaves and raking some more.  By the way, that's quite the workout, embrace it!  My other favorite is visiting local the farmers market to pick up the best of the season.  Mmmmmm, nothing beats eating exactly what the season offers, nothing more, nothing less. 

Then there's the pumpkin patch, haunted trails, the corn maize, and costume selections.  We love carving pumpkin and lighting up the jack-o-lanterns.  This is our first year living in Guantanamo Bay and it's just not the same.  We carved one pumpkin and forgot to light it up, went on a hay ride wearing shorts and t-shirts, picked pumpkin from a field where they were strategically placed, and went to a local party where we could all be outdoors sweating instead of freezing.  It's very different.

I do appreciate the efforts our Morale, Welfare, and Recreation department put forth to give the kids a piece of what they miss from the states.  To me that matters more then what I miss.  I can always make my indoors a little cooler and turn on the crock pot, bake a pie or two and for just a little while make believe it's cold outside.  It was a fun weekend for everyone, busy, but fun!!  Enjoy the blues and please, visit Sally at Smiling Sally to see all the beautiful blues shared by others around the world!!

Happy Fall...

~~ Terie

Around town in GTMO Bay

Guantanamo Bay has never been as green as it is now, albeit, with huge mosquitoes flying in your face. Hello bug repellant!!!

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to take my camera for a little ride around town.  These are but a few snapshots of things I see between my house and the Child Development Center.  Enjoy the tour - this was a 4 mile ride round trip... next time I'll take you on a tour of downtown and all the beaches.

Good morning sunrise...a glowing cloud in the morning

the windmills

sunrise at the fitness center where I cause the pain that people love :-)

residential homes

residential duplexes

a little water from the bay, beyond that are more homes

Marine Hill Fire Department

Green GTMO...haven't seen this in a while

Apartments 

Granadillo Pointe, residential

The dog park

a bus stop (free rides everywhere)

town homes

Hospital 

Marine Hill, where they train and live

I can't get over the vibrant green, this is Sherman Avenue

Residential neighborhood

single family homes

We're home!!

Visit Susan at A Souther Daydreamer to see other great outdoors!

The last two months.... whew!

It has been a busy, busy two months.  Crazy busy with the kids going back to school, the beginning of sports, work, and of course, all the social activities that we MUST attend :-)

Dad has been off-island twice and the most fun part about that is that when we drop him off we just stay put have a fun beach day; when we pick him up we look for sea glass and try to spot pretty fish in the bay.  The Ferry brings everyone back from the airport and on the off chance that we get there early, we sometimes ride the Ferry to the Leeward side and wait at the terminal.

Emily (#6) started the year off really well.  She was selected, along with another boy, to become a student liaison or mentor to new incoming students.  They were taken to San Antonio, TX for one week of leadership training, shopping, fun, and homework... that was exciting.  Actually, despite the fact that they had a lot of homework to do on the road, they are now all caught up and doing well.  The training went well and she is really excited to share it with her school.  Emily raised her AP grades from a C to a B! YES!!!!!  Emily is still taking Tennis lessons and is now playing Volleyball with the High School team.  They recently had their first win and it was quite the battle.

Nate is doing really well in 3rd grade.  Her teacher is strict, but fair.  She really puts all the responsibility of getting work done and proper behavior on the students.  She is getting all her work done on time because she knows that no homework means no soccer or skateboard and she can't have that.  This is my very physical, athletic child. She is the one in blue about to bend it like Beckham or at least attempt to kick the ball.

Jonathan is doing well.  He spends a lot of time either at the pool, with friends in play groups or with me.  He is so darn cute and sweet. We are now practicing letters, numbers, shapes and colors.  His favorite line when he's getting yelled at is "I just want to be happy!! Kiss me, give me a hug!!"

As for me, well, I had to bid farewell to two truly great friends.  The amazing thing about living on base and more so in a community such as this one is that you form bonds that are so tight and so profound in a very short period of time.  Isabel is an amazing woman, huge heart, welcomed us with open arms and from day one we spent a lot of time together.  Amy, beautiful person and like Isabel, she too opened her house and arms to us.  We talked daily about everything.  These girls were my partners when I finally decided to become Scuba certified and we did it together.  It was quite the challenge.

I am still teaching 7 classes a week, all in high demand.  I love to spend time planning my classes and preparing for the next day.  I've started running again... speaking of which, we're running a 5K tomorrow and next week we have a 2 mile fun run with the dogs. That should be interesting.  Honey is going to love that.

Josh is doing fine, super busy with school, work, performances.  He was selected to join the Westminster Choir.  That was extremely exciting.  There are only 40 voices in the choir (I think) and I imagine they have very strict guidelines and a rigid selection process.  I am so proud of him.  I can't wait to hear him sing, he really needs to send me a CD soon.

Tomorrow is the Navy Ball and we are planning to begin our festivities around 4 pm.  I will return soon after to show our pictures and share the fun.  This is our date night, we get to dress up and be grown ups... well, ok, we'll call it that ;-)

Have a great weekend everyone.

Until next time!

Terie

Waiting for Daddy

"Waiting for Daddy"

Ferry Landing, named because this is where the ferry lands when people travel on and off the island. The ferry takes travelers from the Windward side to the Leeward side of the island, where the air terminal is located. It is a really fun place to bring the kids to receive dad and any other friendly face that might be coming home. It's also where many tears are shed when some of our closest friends leave.

On this particular day the kids were here to welcome dad home after being gone only a week. The water is clear in shades of blue and green. Looking into it reminds me of looking into a salt water fish tank, with a variety of colorful fish, coral, rocks and seaglass. As the ferry approaches the kids run over to the dock to wave at the newcomers and returning residents. Then they spot daddy waving back at them.

This is definitely better then any airport I have ever been in. We are very blessed to have the opportunity to experience life in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Daddy's home, again!! Yay!

Pushing Fitness in GTMO

One of many inlets off the GTMO Bay

I push fitness, not necessarily vocally, but I guess with my actions. I can't help it!  I feel like I spend a lot of time in my fitness world and in the process I am pushing this lifestyle on to everyone around me.  Not that this is a bad thing and I really hope no one is ever insulted or offended by my level of energy.  I really don't care what your fitness level is, if you're not doing something active I'll probably come up with at least 3 things you can do outside of being in my class every day, to get your body in motion.  It's what I do and it's what everyone should do, not to be the elusive size zero, but to be in better health and feel good about yourself.

See Cuba across the bay and Hospital Cay

The problem here is that everybody knows just about everybody.  The ones that come to my class on a regular basis then see me at the NEX (Navy Exchange and Commissary) and either cover up their grocery cart or make it a point to show me what they're buying. It's quite funny sometimes.  Honestly people, I don't care what's in your cart, although if you feel you need to sneak it past me then you probably should just put it back and make a healthier choice (if you know what I mean).  However, I really don't go looking at people's carts and I definitely don't count calories for you.  That's your job.  My job is to motivate, teach, challenge, and help each person reach their potentials, reach their goals.  So please, carry that junk food with pride to the register because you'll be in my class tomorrow or the next day and I will make sure you burn that and then some!!

Another inlet on the way to Marina Point

Outside of "pushing fitness" by attending my classes (all seven), I tend to influence other activities, because that's just not enough for me apparently.  Kayaking, for example.  The other day I mentioned going Kayaking as a workout and really did not expect to get more than 2 or 3 people on board.  Boy was I ever wrong.  I'm expecting quite a few people at the Marina tomorrow.  So we're headed on a one hour expedition along the Bay shorelines during which time we'll learn how to maneuver this boat, spend a fun morning with friends, and get a workout, because believe me, you will get a workout.  If you get too hot, jump in the water to cool off, it's that simple.

It's hard not to be active here in GTMO.  Many people walk the steep and rugged hills, others bike around the base, and many participate in group organized sports and individual sports activities offered everyday. If you haven't already done so, start a new habit called "taking care of me!"  While you're at it, clear your mind of "can't" and fill that space with "will!"

See you around!

~Terie

Photos by Lori Parker from A Mirror with Memory

Back in the Bay

"Home: Honey, a Blue Crab, the back yard view and new garden plants."

On our summer vacation, 

we went to the beaches,

played by the pool,

not much difference you see,

but the company was cool.

Vacation time is over,

we are back in the bay,

it's good to be home

through we still have to play.

School is not in session,

what will we do?

Go back to the beach,

the park and the pool.

We are starting to plan

our vacation next year,

we're thinking the mountains,

a fire-pitt and some beer.

But now, we must first

live life day by day,

life really is special

in Guantanamo Bay.

OK I'm no poet.  I typed the first few lines and thought "hmmm that sounds like the beginning of a poem." So there  you have it, my weak attempt after only 5 hours of sleep and a very long, hard, busy week.

We are definitely back and we all hit the ground running.  Working, studying, reading, planning "parties" and other events.

Our trip home was uneventful.  It was so sad to leave everyone again.  The difference this time is that when we leave our family in the states, we join our family in GTMO.

Our time in VA Beach was great.  I have to admit that sometimes I missed not knowing someone when I walked into a store or a restaurant.  When we checked in at the airport in Jacksonville, it was like being back in GTMO again.  We knew everyone, everyone knew us.  We immediately became relaxed about where the kids were because it's likely someone knows them and we all keep an eye on each other.  It was like being with family.

On the flight to GTMO, once again, we were surrounded by many of the people we work and play with and that was a really sweet reminder of the place we now call home and a comforting feeling.  I did not want to leave my family, my son, the accessibility of stores, open air markets, etc. But after being in the company of our GTMO family leaving wasn't quite so bad or so sad.

Michael took a few days off to finish another one of his jewelry boxes, Emily took one day off then went back to work at the Coffee & Ice cream shop, I went back to work the very next day--no sense in postponing my workouts. Nate and Jonathan spent a few days visiting friends, sleepovers, beach and pool fun times.  Now they are back in a routine with Jonathan attending play dates and pre-school a couple of days a week and Nate attending a camp program called D.E.F.Y (Drug Education For Youth) in which the kids learn about more than just avoiding drugs.  It's pretty neat, she's there all day, they provide food, fun, entertainment and best of all, it's free.

Now we're all working full force.  I am subbing for another instructor which leaves me teaching 11 classes in one week.  Thankfully he's coming back next Wednesday so he can take his classes back.  The good thing about all these classes is that they are all different and I get to burn off my vacation weight gain.

Honey is doing great but I must retrain some things she had just learned, however, our sitter did a great job with her.

Another little surprise was my yard.  Our land people must have come across some goodies which they put in my yard.  It looks so pretty. We have more work to do but for now I have garden areas, some pretty plants and manicured lawn.

Yes, life in Guantanamo Bay is pretty special.  So glad to have the opportunity to explore and enjoy this little patch of heaven :-)

Until next time!
Terie

Pictures coming soon! I promise!