It's all over now (posted by Ann)

It all seems so long ago, even though I've just started my second week of work post-vacation.

We had a wonderful time. It was one of the best vacations I've ever had, if not the best one. The diving continued to be wonderful, and the skies cleared. We all got sunburnt, drank beer and margaritas (at least Don and I did), we ate fresh fish, we slept 9 hours a night, and it was all good. By Friday I was ready to buy a bed and breakfast and never come home, but then we got on the plane on Saturday and here I am again.

And now my favorite diving story. We are cruising along, looking at the fish and the coral, and I look up and notice that 4 of 6 divers in my group are all looking behind me and pointing. I turn around, and see Don about 6 feet behind me, and a large shark about 40 feet behind him, headed toward him. Don is oblivious, looking at the coral underneath him. Finally, when the shark is really close, Don looks up and we are all pointing behind him. He whips around, and there the shark is, right on him. Don does the startle reflex - you know, arms come up and out - and the shark veers off and cruises by all of us.

Very cool, and not nearly as scary as it sounds. The shark didn't look like he was hunting, just cruising for something smaller and easier to eat than Don. At least that's the impression he gave just slowly sliding by.

Don and I are talking about where and when the next diving vacation will be. We're eyeing this one, and thinking we might go this summer.

In other news, I had a curtain adventure that ended well, but was a little alarming. I ordered curtains on December 27, and still didn't have them until the week before we went on vacation. I figured that was long enough, and so I called. It seems that there was some confusion, because we went back and forth for a while until they told me they found them and would come out to install. I should have known . . .

So, I have three windows in the bedroom. On one of them, I had a normal curtain. On the other two, the curtain went about 2/3 of the way across the window. Thank goodness they did the measurement and not me! The installer tried to tell me that it was okay, and Don says I looked at him like he had three heads. Not okay. So, they took them away and remade them (really quick!) and I have three functional curtains as I write this. They look great, and they really block the light which was one of the reasons I had them made. Living up here, there are a couple of months in the summer that you don't get 8 hours of darkness. You barely get 6, and I start waking up when the sun is coming up, which is at 4. This summer I have the cure!

Sorry to see your snow. It snowed on me yesterday, and it's been really cold here. I can't quite make myself wear my fur in April, but I could have used it last week. Brrrr! I'm ready for spring, and ready to plant all my spring vegetables. They could probably handle the cold, but I can't. I'm not digging when it's 33 degrees out there.

Now to travel - I actually got to stay in town last week which was great. I'm in Winston Salem, North-by-God-Carolina today, and will be there until Thursday. Next week, no travel (I think it's a miracle, so that means there will be a surprise trip in there). But the week after I'll make up for it with Rotterdam and Spain, gone Sunday night to Friday. Don is in San Jose, California this week and home next week (see my comment about the miracle, we're both home!).

Hope you have a good week, and enjoy your time off later this month. I could sure use an additional two weeks off!