I pledge allegiance...

...a banner week this week in the Cabrelli household! Lisa and Mark flew back to USA to attend Lisa's oath ceremony - she is now officially an American citizen! It was a very cool ceremony with a great speaker who talked a lot about the "melting pot" of the US and preserving foreign traditions and cultures as we move in to citizenship in order to further enrich the Nation. It was all very interesting and even cynical Mark was glad that he came. There were 63 people in the morning ceremony and lots of cameras and hand-shaking. Although after living in the States for 25 years the event was more like paperwork for us... Lisa spent the morning pondering what a momentous and life changing occassion the oath ceremony has been for so many people before her. She was quite moved by the whole thing. They gave each of us a little American flag and we watched a video montage of shots of "American Life" set to the "Proud to be an American" song which of course had Lisa and Mark busting out the flag off and on for the rest of the day for impromptu duets of the afformentioned tune. We also got to see Miranda and the boys, always a joy, and have a quick drink with our ex-neighbours at lovely Ann's house.

This morning was a banner day for Emily as she took off for her week long school trip to Abaco (another island of The Bahamas). She was so excited that she didn't sleep last night and was a ball of anxiety about getting to the airport on time this morning. Tricia and I got lost and picked up a friendly Bahamian who jumped in the car and guided us there (he was headed there for work anyway).

Here is Emily and her friends in the line looking all grown up :-(

Longing...

When leaving the grocery store yesterday with her green bananas, almost but not quite moldy oranges, $8 gallon of milk and conspicuous lack of gluten-free products - Lisa experienced a physical pang for Wegmans (especially the cheese and pate section)that was so strong it stole her breath for a moment. Oh we human beings are such shallow creatures.

Tina Was Here

Lisa's cousin Tina dropped in for a visit and stayed for a too short 10 days. We had an awesome time despite the very un-Bahamian like clouds and temperature on a couple of days - no matter Tina still managed to go home with a tan. We did all the regular stuff, Atlantis, lunch at Green Parrot, visit to Cabbage Beach, drinks at The One and Only Ocean Club, Cable Beach pools, the straw-market, breakfast on the Cricket Club porch, yacht watching, island walks, sea-shell hunting and sunbathing on the patio. We visited the Marley Resort and Tina got her photo taken behind the bar. We also had a very nice cocktail party at Harry's secret garden house (now known as The Haven) and a Water's Edge patio evening with Tricia and John, Trevor and a new friend from New York, Grant. Lisa, Tina and Cindi had a wonderful girl's night over at Bimini Road with a quick stop at Crazy Johnny's. Tina was also here for Emily's birthday so she got to join in the Emily celebration. Our last night together we spent as a family at The Humidor restaurant feasting on fourteen different kinds of meat.

It was a really wonderful visit and Tina's disappearance has left a little empty spot in the house. We are hoping that she will come back very soon and hang in The Bahamas some more. Next visit... Colin is on his way from Aberdeen at the end of April. Look out!

Cindi, Tina and Lisa - Girl's night out.

Emily in her birthday dress and shoes from Sundie looking very grown up.

Tina sunbathing on Cabbage Beach

Cabbage Beach

Sea-shell hunting at the end of the island.

Tina behind the bar at Marley's

Emily is 11!

Emily was very lucky on her birthday this year. Not only did she already have a visit from her Dad and her Grandparents last week, but she also has Lisa's cousin Tina here to bring her prezzies from the UK and join in her birthday celebrations. We are really enjoying Tina's visit and will post more on our adventures later but first we must cover Emily's birthday extravaganza!

The party started at school on Friday when Mark, Lisa and Emily brought Emily's favorite cake to her classroom. The kids sung a rousing version of Happy Birthday with some added bits and then chowed down on cake while Emily took the extra bits to her friends in the other classroom, as well as the other teacher.

Emily had three of her friends to the house this year for a birthday sleep-over. There was no swimming or snorkeling this year as the winter cool has not managed to get the water up above chilly yet. But there was a huge treasure hunt orchestrated by Tina and Lisa with prizes of goody bags filled with (very well selected we must say) goodies by Mark. Lisa just told him "girly things" and he did very well. They dined on brownies and hamburgers and stayed up until Mark went to quiet them some time after midnight.

On Saturday was Emily's birthday and we spent the day at the Cable Beach pools at Emily's birthday request. After we took the kids home Emily got dressed up in one of her new birthday outfits (she was very pleased with both her two new dresses, one from Auntie Pat and one from Sundie with pretty silver shoes), and we went over to Atlantis for dinner at the Marketplace (Emily's pick). After a huge gigantic buffet meal we took Tina through The Dig and Emily showed her all her favorite fishies. We caught a junkanoo parade for some fancy "do" outside of The Dig on the Atlantis grounds and then wandered back through Marina Village to look at the yachts. The plan was to stay for the Marina Village junkanoo but they either weren't doing it or otherwise engaged at the fancy "do". It didn't matter anyway. Emily was far too tired by that point - as is evidenced by the pictures below.

Mark, Emily and Tina at Marina Village

Emily in Atlantis

Getting her Happy Birthday song in Marketplace.


Emily with her choice of desserts.... lots of them!




Emily and Tina in front of the flat fish.

Emily trying to time travel back to being 10.

Beginning to fade.

Faded!