7AM and the dew is heavy on the boat. Had to close some portholes
(those that slope outward) because dew drops were do-dropping in. A cool
start of the day at 75 F degrees, but the sky looks cloudless
with a bit of Haze.
Looks to be a great day for the solar panels! Near Full Blue Moon is
still up in the West and the Sun will pop out over the mountain (417 ft) in a
bit and things will warm up. Great to have a cup of coffee in the cockpit
and watch.
Minimal winds but that should pick up for some fair sailing later in the
day. Going for a hike later and another swim around the reef at
Waterlemon Cay. Saw two mid size turtles and lots of colorful fish on our
New Years Day swim here at St. John. So nice I'll hang about for a day or
two then probably move to St. James Island's Christmas Cove for a night at
anchor.
I thought my very funny husband had given me a
lovely stuffed iguana for Christmas ----- until it
moved !!!! Well here he is, trying
I guess to pick out his own present under our tree.
It's just to funny to believe.How DID this guy
make his way to our apartment upstairs???
Happy New Year to you !!!
Elissa
Holy Cow! He looks over 6 feet
long! Maybe he's an orphan and wanted to be adopted and home for the
holidays!
Years ago, I was working as a private
chef in a home built on 6 open tiers starting from the kitchen, on down
to the pool, one could descend from kitchen, to dining, to den, to gallery, to
deck, to pool. The view from the kitchen, at the top, was stunning. But
it was quite a workout whenever I had to deliver snacks or drinks to guests
down at the pool.
I was in the kitchen one afternoon,
making baked brie en croute for happy hour, when an inebriated guest
plip-plopped his way up from the pool with yet another empty tray with
six empty drink glasses. He wandered off in search of a bathroom,
mumbling about how life-like the statues were.
I thought to myself, there are no statues
on this property, he must be pretty pickled and seeing things. Afterall, this
crowd had been drinking at the pool ever since their lunch, hours ago,
of mango chicken pineapple boats.
I whipped up a batch of banana daiquiris
and was just finishing up the glasses with orange slices and paper
umbrellas when the same guy came trudging back, to see if the latest libations
were ready for delivery. He again, mentioned the statue looked so
life-like!
I think I muttered an agreement, as I had
no idea what he was talking about, since I had been all over this property and
was sure there were no statues at all.
He began the descent back to the pool,
with the tray of drinks, and I silently prayed he wouldn't drop them. He
reached the gallery area and was headed towards the steps to the deck when he
let out a shrill scream followed by expletives, Dear Miss Mermaid shall NOT
repeat here. 
Then in a high pitched voice he yelled "The statue MOVED!"
I began briskly walking down the various
steps and landings to where he stood, blocking my view, and when I came around
him, to relieve him of the drink tray, which was shaking mightily in his
hands, I saw it! There sat a HUGE live iguana who had taken up
residence in the gallery and was sitting pretty as you please, between a tall
potted palm tree and a wicker arm chair.
I assured him they were harmless, being
vegetarians, and therefore not interested in eating people. His friends
were laughing and yelling something like "Ray! You are drunk
again!"
He answered, "You've got to see
this!"
Finally the crowd ran up to see, and in
their rush, spooked the iguana, who decided to relieve himself and leave a
trail of iguana poop-sickles dropped across the gallery as he made a
hasty exit out the opposite end.
"See?" say Ray, "I TOLD you
the statue was life like! Even his turds look real!" 
