On island time!

Yes, I'm late, about two days late, even though I have tried unsuccessfully to make this a three-week blog (thanks to all of your emails and it's been great to get them!!!). There is also a puppy adorably burrowing herself into my keyboard and trying to do everything possible to keep me from typing anything every time I try.  Sometimes being here feels like being anywhere else, just with perfect weather. Some days I go to work and I go to the store and do the everyday stuff I used to do before I moved here and I forget where I am.

But then I go inside the grocery store and I can't find half the stuff I wanted to get and I remember that I'm in St. Croix. And then I go outside and my car is literally 50 shades of Dirty and I remember exactly where I am. Ironically, my car is also 50 shades of grey because it happens to be a grey colored car and extremely dirty right now. And then when I can't just go to a drive-thru car wash, I remember that I live on this amazing island where things are far from perfect but where I can't imagine not being because unlike some people, I do have a choice and I choose to be here.

Life has gotten busier on the island. Apparently I love to work. I started out taking it easy with no job and bumming it on weekdays on the beach, and then working about 10-20 hours a week, and now I come in early and I leave late and put in actual stateside timed work weeks. I don't really mind that much though because my job allows me to stay here and I love it here. I also found that I love to clean. I have lived in many different apartments in my life and I have never loved cleaning any of them. I did, however, love having other people clean my apartments for me. In the past, I have also always lived alone and in a way, wherever I lived never really felt like home but it does now,  and I love keeping our home clean.

Our floors are stone tiled and I really like having clean floors. Back in Chicago, I would never dream of not having carpet because it was really cold but here carpet is not a good idea with lots of bug-like creatures trying to cohabitate with you and a puppy who hasn't yet learned to wipe her paws before entering. I never understood why my mom never wanted to have anyone clean our house but now I kind of get it. We'll see how long it lasts though because the more time I spend cleaning, the less blog posts so I'm guessing my newfound enthusiasm for floor mopping may wear off.

The last few months, the weather has also changed a lot here. I used to spend everyday in the summertime and in the fall here being drenched in sweat and I haven't sweated outside in months!!! It's an amazing feeling once you know the difference and here, everyone knows the difference! It's still beautiful, I'm still having a great time and it's starting to feel more and more like home every single day.

Restaurant Review:

Toast

Toast is one of my new favorite breakfast and lunch places. It's very quaint and cute inside, and we spent the morning eating and playing tourist after coming here. The food choices, while not many, are different than many other breakfast places on St. Croix. With choices of grits and arepas, you get a different breakfast experience than just eggs and bacon (and I love both!). The waffle fry nachos are also amazing and the whole meal is topped off with iced coffee which makes for a perfect morning in St. Croix any day.

Toast is located behind Purple Papaya among all the tourist shops. So, after lunch, it's always fun to explore even if you've lived here for a long while or if you're just visiting for the very first time. This place is also a stone's throw away from the boardwalk so it's convenient regardless of where you start off.