Coconut Water

I grew up in the Midwest, so naturally each summer we would make a mad dash to Florida for our summer vacation. Florida, the meccas of all meccas, all that it seemed people during that time in my life worked for, that week or so of beach, sand, sun. Perfection. These summers at the beach were definitely where my love affair with the water first began. 

I can remember always looking a coconuts, wondering and wanting what was inside. One particular summer we worked for hours trying to break open an old, brown, rotten coconut, we had found on the ground, too stupid to know it was done, over, had nothing to offer us. I think my grandfather eventually went after it with a screw driver or something but I don't recall the outcome. All I know if that if I would have just looked up, we would have seen the treasure hanging above our heads. We had young, green coconuts at our finger tips, we just were too niaeve to know what was inside or to look beyond the awe inspiring palm tree which represented everything tropical to us to see them.  


Moving to the Caribbean has given me a whole new appreciate for the coconut. They utilize the coconut for many things here, not only cooking but in oils and lotions and well, everything. I now find myself not looking at "palm trees" not for their beautiful branches but more to find out if it is of the species that bares coconuts.  Nyah refers to all palm trees as coconut trees. 

Growing up deprived, in the land locked state of Indiana (kidding), all I knew about coconuts was the milky substance people found in coconuts in the movies or the dried stuff sold in the stores but what these young, green little beauties hold is coconut water. A sweet, watery substance found in young coconuts. Let me just say, it is good. The ultimate thirst quencher and I won't act cool, it was definitely a taste I had to acquire an appreciation of. 

George initially introduced me to coconut water and we used to set out each Sunday to find the guys who would go around and load the beds of their trucks with the little beauties then get out their machetes and show their skills, breaking the coconut open with a few swift waks and then selling the water by the gallon. We now see the tennis players on TV drinking coconut water and it makes us laugh. 


Coconut water is so cool now, the latest health craze, as it should be. The health benefits are endless, cholesterol free, fat free, low calorie, super hydrating, rich in potassium and a natural laxative. I find it interesting that in some developing countries coconut water has been used as an intravenous hydrating fluid when saline is not available. 


So why don't we go climb a tree and get the coconuts ourselves? Well, we could, but that is just hard and the trees are really high and we aren't that flexible, so we buy it as fresh as when we can. We did get lucky the other day and our friend gave us a few nuts so George popped the tops with great ease with get this, a steak knife, (no screw driver required) of all things and poured away and we had fresh coconut water to enjoy for the rest week (though I don't think it lasted that long). 

Oh, and please don't think George isn't macho, he does own a machette but he just keeps it at his parent's house. Not much storage here and the thought of a three year old with a machette isn't pretty. Machettes are pretty much a requirement for island living. Everyone has one. 

Here is my brother's holding his machete which he purchased while on island.

Oh, and here is my favorite coconut water coniseurre enjoying the tasty drink as it should be enjoyed, straight from the source. She was almost two years old in this picture and at that time still refereed to the tasty drink as "coconut wata". True Crucian she is.

Life In Town

I sweep our floors everyday. I actually could sweep the floor twice a day and probably would if I were my mother but I just can't bring myself to it. I adore the natural breeze that blows through our house and prefer it to air conditioning but the breeze brings a lot of stuff with it. This makes sweeping the tiles daily a must, especially with a little one constantly moving around on them. 


Elsa has recently takin' a liking to the broom, possibly because she sees it so often. If I happen to be sweeping the floor while she is awake she follows me around and giggles, trying to catch the broom with each sweeping motion it makes.  It makes sweeping a challenge because she is inevitably dirty by the time the house is clean. Today she really got into cleaning the floors and decided instead of following the broom she would just go sit in the dirt piles I had created and kick the dirt around. Looks like I am in need of a new strategy. 


As I was sweeping the floor this afternoon, and attempting to keep Elsa clean, I kept hearing loud singing coming from outside. I kind of ignored it, stranger things have happened on this island. It wasn't until later in the afternoon when the girls and I were out for a walk that I realized it was our "professional" karaoke singer neighbor belting out the tunes. As we were walking he must have been channeling Prince because he was really giving "Purple Rain" all he had.  I had to question George about what actually qualifies him to be called "professional" karaoke singer because he is not good, actually, he's hilarious. I think Nyah was even laughing.  


He is in good company though because we have some real characters living around us. We have a hoarder who just recently was found out after the ambulance had to pay him a visit. Two dumpsters later I think the place might now be livable. We have a moaner, a lady in her late 90's who still drives, a man with breasts, and an old bitty who's only pleasure in life comes from complaining, about everything. Actually, I am sure she has already taken great pleasure in handling the karaoke situation. He lives above her after all.

We had a wonderful walk today along our own private road that is under construction which leads into Christiansted. This walk was my first taste back into exercise after having Elsa. Sometimes our only major adventure out of the house when Elsa was just days old. I would pack the girls in the Cadillac like double stroller and walk up the huge hills, which at the time was difficult but now is just nice. 

I used to look out from the top of the hill on our walks and ask George about a building I thought was a beautiful color. Funny how life works out because the unknown building turned out to be Nyah's school and where she now spends so much of her time.  

Walking with Nyah is always fun. She has started picking little things she sees from the ground or trees and giving to me as gift. "Here Mommy, I picked this for you." Precious. Our walk usually end on the Boardwalk with an ice cream treat. 

This is our neighbor KerryAnn, who Nyah calls by her sisters name, Alani for some odd reason.  Nyah just loves her. When Nyah hears KerryAnn come home she runs to the door and yells "Alani", and invites her into play no matter the time of day or what we are doing.

Last night as we were walking on the board walk we ran into some of Nyah's classmates. As the parents were talking, the kids found some coconuts and were throwing them around. Miss Judy, a regular at a local bar for as long as George can remember, who pushes a stroller around filled with trinkets, peanuts, chicklets, glow-sticks, and other goodies, and drinks Budweiser, saw the kids with the coconuts and quickly broke them open for them on a sharp edge. The kids were so overjoyed to indulge in the tasty treat.

There are so many days I catch myself dreaming of living on our little chunk of paradise on the North Shore and setting the girls free but days like today remind me that I might miss some of the conveniences and characters that comes with living so close to town.


On another note, 
"Purple Rain, Purrrrple Rain"