CHANGES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

I was looking out from my new view on the verandah two buildings down from the hostel, but in the same Auxillou compound, and noticed the two palm trees out front, bare and naked, roots exposed to the lapping salty waves .

I knew it wouldn't be long before the sea would claim them, I've seen it happen before. One Norther and the tree would be horizontal in the water. The beach out front was filled about 50 feet out in a land reclamation project done back in 2002. That 50 ft is all but gone now with erosion over the years by several tropical storms, beach rake up everyday and other factors.

I had the bright idea to save the trees & beach and reacted by putting up a seawall within 24 hours. I couldn't see the point in cutting through red tape to accomplish what I had set out to do.

I thought about putting some wooden boxes around the trees to save them, then the idea got a little bigger and I figured a little seawall around them both which would help with the erosion, before the biggest idea hit me: paint a nice big sign on the sea wall which can be seen by both water taxi boats whizzing by.

This is where the talent came in at the right time and the hostel is never

short of artists, I love them.

Karen, a guest at the hostel said she had a day off and was willing to touch up my old signs. I gave her free reign to do anything she wanted with the left over paints in the bodega and she did a great job. Thank you Karen.

I can watch movies now, on the big screen over at Paradiso Bar & Rest. Twice a week the latest movies are shown and I don't have to leave the chair on the verandah.

My friend new roomate is here, Christiane and she loves to cook healthy food. God Bless her is all I can say. My sis Diane wastes no time in jumping the balcony from her unit next door to devour some of the goodness.