December 17, 2010- Ebb and Flow...

    

     Only one more day of work before the weekend, and I am exhausted already! This week has dragged by way too slowly for me.  I am ready for a break.  It seems that is about the usual time frame for island fever to start cropping up again.  I’m been here consistently without a trip off since late July now, so we’ve coming up on the 5 month period, and from 6 months on, it will be tough unless I am lucky enough to go off island for a short bit. From the end of October, which begins with my youngest son’s birthday and then Halloween, life speeds up and becomes so chaotic that by the end of December, I’m done for awhile. Why do the holidays always seem to put us into overdrive! There are so many parties, commitments, and traditions to keep going, that it simply wears me out. So many of my fondest memories and most relaxed and truly “tropical paradisy” feelings about living on an island over the last decade come from the summer months.  From scuba diving to relaxing on the beach and hanging out with family and friends, summers on the atoll are my little bit of heaven. One of the biggest reasons for this is the departure of so many people for vacation during this time.  It becomes more of the true “Jimmy Buffet” island lifestyle we all dream of when we are stressed and just want to relax in the sun and sand for awhile because there’s a huge decrease in the number of events, sports, school, work demands, and other commitments, so you can really bask in the advantages of living here.  I know my mom’s favorite time living in a resort beach town in Alabama was when all the tourists and snow birds were out of town.  I understand what she felt totally. It’s so much more peaceful when it’s just the locals enjoying their own bit of sand and surf.  But hey, that’s life. It ebbs and flows, so I will continue to enjoy the flow, knowing the next ebb will come again soon.