ENTRANCE TO UVI It's been almost a year since I updated this website, so I guess it's time I do so. That of course assumes that anybody is looking at it. I should probably figure out how to include a hit counter. Better yet, why don't you just email me if you've visited the site?
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One of the reasons I haven't updated the site is that I got a job. I had gotten pretty discouraged about finding work and had started making plans to return to the northland. Gundersen Lutheran didn't want me back, of course, but that was no surprise. Aletha Baumann, chair of the humanities / social science department at UVI convinced me to hang on and teach both sessions of summer school, which I did.
ENTRANCE TO UVI
That put us past my time-line for staying here without employment and we had pretty much depleted our meager savings and the proceeds from selling the house in La Crosse -- which is what really financed this adventure.
This felt a bit like a spiritual crisis, but lo and behold, and nearly a miracle: The Department of Human Services created a position for me! The Assistant Commissioner, Ferrynesia Benjamin, said they would, but we'd already been here long enough to be skeptical of any promises from the government. But indeed, they had created a job that closely matched my resume, and I even had a NOPA (notice of personnel action) authorizing my "temporary" hire on my first day of work. Everyone said that was a miracle in and of itself. So, anyway, I've been getting busier and busier, assessing clients, consulting to staff and doing a little therapy. But you're probably not interested in that.
Before starting work, Jean and I took a 10 day vacation back to Minneapolis to see family and friends. Elizabeth and Liam flew up from Columbus to see us, and we took a side trip back to La Crosse to see friends there.
Liam & his greatgrandpa in the garage
If you know me at all, you know that having a job, I wasted no time to spend some money. We bought a second car, a 2002 Mitsubishi,
and, much more importantly, an inflatable dinghy for Ambivalence.
Our neighbor, Maria, in the dinghy in the pool
With a 4hp Mercury, it will put Jim up on a plane, which only goes to show "once a stinkpotter, always a stinkpotter."
Our other new acquisition was our adoption by a Crucian dog we named OD (for "other dog"). He's still a young pup and chewing things he shouldn't, but he's keeping Edgar a lot more fit and trim -- not that you can tell it from these photos!
We had a quiet Thanksgiving Holiday with our new friends, Dave and Lynn Kent. Lynn volunteers at the Botanical Garden with Jean
and they have a boat the Salt River Marina too. They're living aboard a Freedom 32, refitting her, and getting ready to go cruising -- all things I wouldn't even try to convince Jean to do!
Jean had her first commercial success selling her beaded creations and e-bay antique jewelry at the Botanical Gardens' Christmas fair.
She was surprised that I could be quite the salesman! I also designed and built the elaborate rain / sun shelter shown.
Christmas was a busy time, and we had a full house. Alec brought his new friend, Marcy, down.
Marcy on the Boardwalk
Elizabeth and Liam were here, and Michael came for a slightly shorter visit. We sailed in the lighted boat parade in the Christiansted Harbor but lacked the generator power of the bigger power boats -- some of which towed a second generator in a dinghy!
Afterwards we moved Ambivalence up to the Green Cay Marina to take advantage of the short passage to Buck Island.
Of course Christmas Day was full of presents
but we also went to church, Alec had a bike ride
and we went to the beach
Alec came back for a week's visit in February so we could race in the St. Croix regatta. I put together a crew of novice geezers,
but Alec pulled us through to a second place finish in our class -- something I'm pretty proud of. Read about our
"First Caribbean Regatta" as published in Class Act, the 7.9 class newsletter
Probably our biggest news is that Jean is now officially serving as interim pastor at Lord God of Sabaoth Lutheran Church in Christiansted. The pastor, who was very charismatic, left under something of a cloud after serving for 11 years. Jean is expecting it to be a relatively long-term interim.
That means we'll probably move into the parsonage to save some money. (And it has a beautiful view of the C'sted Harbor and Buck Island beyond; no pool but air conditioning). Life is hard here in paradise.
View of C'sted harbor from parsonage
Jean's sister, Jennifer, visited us again, and we've entertained "friends of friends" visiting the island several times, but in general, we've had fewer visitors this past year so we're planning to visit Minneapolis early in August and hope to see many of you then.
To view earlier content of this website, just hit your "back" key -- it's all there somewhere!
Pinktoe