Something to Make You Smile

For anyone who can appreciate the struggles of writing.  Enjoy!

-Kurt

Who Needs a Ring Anyway?

What a week it has been.  It was the first time I spent Christmas somewhere other than New Jersey.  I have to admit, it didn’t feel much like the holidays, but it was still a great week.  Casey and I had a great time and got to spend more time with each other than expected.  We also had some beach time at Castaway Cay and Maho (Airport) Beach in St. Maarten.  I took a catamaran sail in St. Thomas and snorkeled along the beautiful, crystal clear shores of St. John. 

Speaking of St. Maarten, I have an interesting story.  I am somewhat of an aviation enthusiast.  So, we made our way through the winding hills of St. Maarten and found ourselves sitting on Maho Beach watching the planes roar past us, kicking up the sand, and sending naïve tourists into the water because they stood too close behind the passenger jets as they revved up their engines for takeoff.  Casey and I were making small talk as people normally do.  Oh yes, you may not know, but airport beach is located at the very end of the SXM airport on the island.  (If you don’t know what SXM is, it is the airport code for the airport at St. Maarten.)  It is a great place to grab a bucket of Carib, go for a swim, catch some sun, and watch planes land and take off literally thirty to sixty feet above your head.  Really a cool experience, if you ever get the chance.  But as the story goes, I was commenting to Casey how much my wedding ring has gotten so banged up and scratched over the past year, and that maybe I should have gotten platinum instead of white gold.  She just kind of listened, and was happy that it was getting some wear and tear since I was actually wearing it. 

As the day went on, I was enjoying my spot on the soft sand, drinking beers, and watching the planes.  But, it does get hot, as the sun rises higher in the sky, so I thought a swim might be in order.  We were with a bunch of people, and they seemed to be enjoying the refreshing dip, so it made sense to join them.  It took no time to adjust to the warm, Caribbean water.  The beach is a relatively short distance to the water, and once you get in the water, there is a shallow drop off.  So you find yourself submerged and treading water rather quickly.  But, I didn’t mind.  Buoyancy has never been a problem for me and it felt good to get my muscles moving. 

After about half an hour in the water, we decided to go back onto the sand to get some pictures of an Air France A340 that was scheduled to land within minutes.  That would be a magnificent plane to observe coming in for a landing.  We pulled ourselves out of the water and I looked at my hand, then to the sandy floor, then my hand, and finally to Casey.  “I lost my ring.”

She smirked.  “No seriously, I lost my wedding ring.  It is at the bottom of the ocean.”

Yep.  I had done it.  My wedding ring slipped right off my hand as I was treading water and I never even knew it.  I don’t know when, I don’t know where, but it was gone.  Casey was not upset.  It was an accident.  We tried to look for it a little bit, but it was no use.  The constant movement of the water and the vast range in the area in which I was swimming made finding it an impossible task. 

Was it insured you ask?  Nope.  It would have been better to lose her diamond.  That is insured.  I will admit, it did upset me, and although symbolic, I guess it is still a material object.  Casey bought me a temporary from a Buddhist store on St. Thomas with writing on it that means inner peace (or something like that).  It is a good substitute in the interim and was a nice gift to receive from her.  So, a trip to the jewelers for a new ring is in the near future.  I guess someone up there heard me talking about white gold and platinum and decided to give me the opportunity to upgrade.  Lol

So, I have contributed to the sunken treasure loot of the Caribbean.  I just hope that some savvy and astute shellfish or crustacean, residing at the bottom of that ocean, sees it fit to use that piece of white gold as a new decorative feature for their home.  Surely, with something so brilliant and shiny, they would be the talk of their reef.

All in all, it was still a great week.  I saw some of the most beautiful waters and beaches I have ever seen.  To stand on a boat and look thirty to fifty feet down in the water, and be able to see the soft, sandy, grassy ocean bed that lies beneath is a pretty awesome sight.  And Casey and I had a great time too.  It was nice to be together for Christmas.  Below, I have uploaded some pics of the places I visited.  Pictures will never do the islands justice, but they are beautiful nonetheless. 

Until next time, Happy Blogging, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

-Kurt