Valentine's Day 2008

Sydney and Steve Stardate: Valentines Day

Valentines Day 2008, we were going to celebrate with a dive. Unfortunately, Arturo said it was no-go today, left word with Louis who told us just as we were headed out with our gear. It looks gorgeous out in the channel, perfect for diving. We don’t know what to make of Arturo, whether he knows it is going to get rough or just has other pressing matters. Oh well, as Scarlet O’Hara said in Gone With The Wind, “After all, tomorrow is another day.”
Sydney and I went for a sunset run last night around our usual route. It was nice seeing the island at that time, far less gringos blasting around in golf carts and scooters. Locals coming home from work, taking it easy. The smells were different, more pungent aromas. In the mornings the smells seem sweeter. We have not idea what we smell, there is something blooming all the time. Hibiscus is my favorites. The marigold seeds Sydney planted 3 weeks ago have shown no signs of life. We agree that next year, should be come for this long, we are bringing marigold and cilantro seeds. Everyone uses cilantro in their cooking but no one grows it, you have to buy it in the store. We have basil growing, about time for some pesto!
We are enjoying our reading, we often read up to four hours a day. It’s fantastic to have so much available time. After diving in the morning it is not uncommon after showering and some lunch, reading on our beds for a couple of hours w/ 30-45 minute siestas (I can’t call it a nap, I’m not four years old!), then to the beach for a couple of hours reading while we work on tans. That, my friends, is some great reading time!
Sydney and I have spent 24/7 together since we arrived January 9. Save for maybe 20 minutes here and there, we have been together. I thought about this before we came down, wondering if not having the away time that work offered might be too much. I am proud to say it has not. We have become closer than ever, able to anticipate behaviors and speech. Kind of scary sometimes when we both have the same thought, like ESPN we joke. Being together has been a fortunate experience; we agree that it is a great way to start a retirement. I thought the honeymoon might wear off, not the case. We’re thick as lobsters in a cave!
I received news from USADA yesterday that I was one of the Doping Control Officers who volunteered and was accepted by the Canadian Olympic Committee to assist with the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 2010. Pretty cool, being a part of something so historical. There will be training and pre-event experience in Canada, it should be one of those ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunities. I am proud of my selection and hope to segway Sydney into a role. We both are anxious to get back into testing, now that we don’t have day jobs to schedule around.
We are looking forward to our friends Susan and Joe Murray arriving on Saturday. We will dive our brains out with them next week, everyday! We hope to go down to a cenote’ at Akumal and dive on Friday or Saturday. This is fresh water in limestone caves that honeycomb this country. Periodically, the ceiling falls in which creates access, most were found by the Mayans centuries ago. Susan and Joe haven’t dove a cenote’ and we want to help them get it in their logs. We may go spend the night in another small town inland. We’ll see!
We hope all of you had a memorable Valentines Day. We thought of all of you, hoping that spring is knocking on the door and ‘Ol Man Winter is headed down the stairs. Adios, mia amigos! Esteben