Thursday, May 29, 2008

The eve of my trip to Canada and dyslexia

Just got off the phone with Fernando. We were comparing our dive plans and he is insistent that we can't do the profile that we were aiming to do because our deco time would exceed the 15min limit of our course - I think he's crazy as I spent hours on this and its absolutely fine. After debating the point for 10 mins I realized that I had written '9' instead of '19' at one crucial point in a page long calculation. So... if I don't come back after this weekend my gravestone should read 'she only made one tiny error in her calculations' - the story of my life. I will be spending some time on our 6 hour car journey tomorrow learning how to use Jeff's computer!!!!
P.S. Parents - this type of diving is safe as houses

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Sat pm,pm.. Cat's leaving:(

Went out for dinner to Anthony Davids with Cat, her Mom, Mom's husband and Azeen. Cat is leaving to work in Berlin next week. We promised to visit and talk on the phone, but its a real end of an era. Cat is the one who I always hang out with at weekends. Cat's awesome, cleaver, super nice and helpful, a very good soul and another kindred spirit. Typically we'll drink wine and eat a huge bowl of edamame and order sushi (sometimes a good singsong - a theme with me), talking about life...

Saturday at Dutch pm.....

After everyone left I went and spent some time with the dive shop I might be doing some work with this summer. They seemed really nice. Funny, they actually use video as a training tool for advanced open water (NAUI). Turns out the Owner may be able to put me under the shop's insurance which would be great! I have 5 AOW students lined up and potentially 8 rescue divers. They also have tech instructors and a shop full of exciting gear and a great compressor. The tech guy said he might take me out on scooters this summer which would be really good fun:) So I left the quarry feeling very pleased with life...

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Saturday at Dutch

Had a lovely day today, diving at Dutch Springs with Jose, Stephany, Fernando, Willie and Lennie. Stephany did her first dive since her Open Water Check out dives and besides being the only one freezing her ass off in a wet suit, did very well. My back was great. I think diving did it the world of good (despite carrying doubles and a stage bottle). Jerry came too as did Fernando's lovely wife Catherine and their very cute and incredibly well behaved baby - Fernando Jr.
Willie was relaxing in the sun before the dive....
We were practicing valve drills (still can't reach my stupid valves well -hoping Jeff's tanks will be easier), moving stage bottles around and shooting lift bags for our advanced nitrox check out dives in Canada with Charlie next weekend. I wanted to see what my trim looked like. The water was 46 F/8 C. Which is a little chilly. Actually my dry suit kept me nice and warm but I'd left my hyperstretch hood at home and the hood I was wearing left my forehead exposed - ice cream headache! Jose(3), Fernando(2) and I (1) diving....

Friday, May 23, 2008

Yes I am officially an old lady....

Today was very exciting. I am able to bend down and put my shoes on! BUT wait it gets better, the Chiropractor gave me a portable version of his little machine that sends electricity through your muscles.

Lovely day today - summer has arrived and we have a 3 day weekend. Scuba Diving tomorrow, beach Sunday (80 degrees forecast for Sunday). I feel a 3 hour session in Bob's hot tub may be in order:), perhaps with a glass or Strawberry Daiquiri.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Good Developments Work Wise

I am meeting with the Owner of a local store on Saturday to talk about teaching some classes for them this summer. This shop is really nice, well stocked and the people seem great. I've know them for a year or two, so fingers crossed. I'd like to work for some different people to see how it goes.

I have also been offered some part time instructing work by a dive shop in Cozumel for a soon as I arrive which is excellent!! Part time work may not cut it $$$ wise but who knows it may be better to have a few part time jobs than one full time one. Either way its a nice offer.

Also I have my first discussion with the Mexican friend who is helping me get my FM3 visa on Thursday.

A nice set of positive developments.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Chiropractors are magical people...

If you ever saw Jacob's Ladder you will remember that Tim Robin's chiropractor turned out to be his Angel. Well I think chiropractors are amazing. This is the first time in 8 days that my back has started to feel better and lovely doctor Rotundo is going to try and get me one of those little machines that put electric waves through your back muscles and get it covered by my medical insurance.

For those of you who are afraid of chiropractors - this is nonsense. There are very few things more lovely than having the little electricity machine and heat pads on your back for 10 mins. Having your spine cracked around is similarly pleasant and not painful at all. I almost skipped home today. I'm getting three more treatments this week and hope to be cured by the weekend. Dr. R tells me its just a muscle problem all of my disks are in the right place.

http://www.hudsonfamilychiro.com/

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Gabi Krocova & new hubby Jirka


I met my friend Gabi back when I was a cocktail waitress in the Purple Moose Saloon (a rock bar in Ocean City Maryland). She's from the Czech Republic. We were good friends that summer - must have been 1998. Since, I've visited Gabi in Prague and she's been to NYC three times. Gabi now works for Deloitte & Touche (obviously Gabi is a little more gifted in the brains department than me). Anyway she's been on an 18 month placement in San Jose - I know I should have visited. She married Jirka (you pronounce the 'J' like a 'Y' in Czech - just like Spanish). Jirka is a big guy, he likes mountain biking and seems pretty cool. They were on a 6 week road trip around the US before heading back to the CR. I like friend's like Gabi - doesn't matter how often we see each other, its always the same as ever - just like two peas in a pod:) Gabby endorsed my Mexico plans and her husband seems to think it was a great idea too. Gabi thinks she might feel like doing the same after a few more years at Deloitte. We had a good night of beers and chatting. I would like to go to Prague some time soonish. I definitely hope they come to see me in Mex!

Craw fish Broil....


On Saturday I went to a Craw fish broil at Tom and Michelle Henessey's house in Fairfield Connecticut. It was good fun. I took a friend of mine Aaron who kindly drove. I have injured my back pretty badly which is no fun and Aaron kindly agreed to drive. It took 2 1/2 hours to get there so i was very pleased to have company. In return I sang lots of songs to Aaron (he was too shy to say but I think he was very taken with my angelic tones).

So craw fish? Well its an effort to eat these little puppies. We were blessed with an expert from New Orleans, who instructed us in craw fish disassembly. First pull off the little guys head (oh and by the way if he has a straight tail discard the poor critter died before he had the chance to be broiled alive). Then squeeze the tail until you hear some cracking and then bit the body with your teeth and pull it out. A lot of work for a little bit of meat.

Lovely to see Tom and Michele and we've made plans to go out to dinner in the city soon. Also met lots of people I'd known through Michele years ago. Of course I'd forgotten all of their names - they all seemed to know everything about me. Sometimes I curse my terrible memory.

Dinner Allie, Hans and Jeff

After a sorrowful farewell 10 days ago, who should turn up in Hoboken for dinner, but Allie and Hans. It was just like old times; me, Jeff, Allie and Hans all went out for dinner at the Brass Rail. Problem is when you don't see people all of the time, there is just too much to talk about and not enough time to do it in. We managed to fit quite a lot in, although I still feel Jeff deprived.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

An unexpected goodbye

On Monday I stopped working for Hoboken Dive Center. I have to say its been an unsettling week. Frankly I'm not sure what I did when I wasn't teaching scuba or being tired from teaching scuba. I'm definitely going to miss teaching, but hopefully that will start again in the fall.

It has just struck me that I've really been filling my time crazily with teaching - so that really my life for the last two years has consisted of very little else. This is not quite as bad as it sounds because I have quite a lot of good friends who I hang out with when diving - so I've not been THAT much of a social recluse.

Why I wondered?? I know that I am no longer interested in going out drinking, TV is a terrible waste of life force (unless its Bones, Angel of Buffy - which can only be described as spiritually uplifting). Not to belabor the point but my romantic adventures have thus far not met with the greatest success. I wonder if filling my life with diving has been somewhat of an escape mechanism. I thought I'd really done a good job of learning more about myself and enjoying being me. I think I am much more together than I was but throwing myself into diving has been a bit of a crutch which I think I need to be able to do without.

Its going to do me good to rest in the moment - without chasing my tail. I ended up taking the week off the gym this week too because I hurt my back this weekend and I've been at a little bit of a loose end. So having identified I that I need to feel relaxed in the now - I feel frantic urges to start to fill my time with plans - break my bike out, read more and pour myself into my Spanish studies, spending some time at the beach, schedule some diving with friends at Dutch Springs over the next month...

Let it be known that I feel unsettled, but I'm going to try very hard to relax into a little less of a structured lifestyle...

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Cat's House

And a last night at Cat's house is over. She's off on an adventure to Germany and me Mexico. Her prediction was that in 5 years I'd have two babies and she might have one. Lets see. I'll check back in 2013.

Good Sushi, good chats, nice view (Statue of Liberty), and good smells (we all know Cat's apartment smells great).

End of an era...

Oh yes and as a side I am quite jealous now because Cat shared with me that Gina would hug her... I'm sure Gina and I would have been hugging very soon i've our paths had not had to part!

Goodbye...

The goodbyes are starting. The first has been to my cleaner Gina. Gina is wonderful. She cleaned for Catherine for years and then when Cat stayed with me between apartments she had her in to clean my place (I don't have a clue why Cat thought this was necessary). Anyway from that point on I was hooked. Not only is Gina an awesome cleaner but she's also incredibly honest and kind of heart. I have to say having a cleaner is the closest thing I get to being mothered. Gina changes my bed for me and leaves me little notes telling me what cleaning products I need and they always end in something motherly like 'God Bless'. Also she finds earrings I thought I'd lost and puts them in nice little neat piles. Still she was on the list of things that had to go if I'm to make my Mexico saving target (along with Cable).

This was her goodbye note: "Hey Ann [OK so she doesn't know my name - I know she still loves me] how are you doing? Just want to say I wish you good luck with your new place and new life, thank you for having me here. I will miss you take care god bless".

I know I'm affection deprived BUT I will miss Gina, and her lovely apartment cleaning skills. Tonight I am going for dinner to Cat's house. Again possibly for the last time and definitely for the last time with just me and Cat ordering Sushi, drinking wine and hanging out pondering life, gossiping etc...