Independence Day
July 15, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

July 10th was Bahamian Independence Day, marking 35 years since the British relinquished their control of these islands. With memories of gaining independence still well within living memory, it is a day of great pride and celebration. We stopped by the islandwide cookout at Monument Beach for a few hours in the afternoon. There was grilling, music, races, and volleyball, but my favorite was watching the flocks of children playing in the sea. They were going crazy and having such a fabulous time. The photos really remind me of a "Where's Waldo?" scene. Happy Independence!

Pupdate
July 9, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

Just to keep everyone updated on their favorite Potcake puppies...

Joba has settled right into life in upstate New York. This picture is from his first boat ride in the 1000 Islands. In true Joba fashion, he was terrified by the new experience, but subsequent boat rides have been much smoother. He is up to 31 pounds and wants to eat everything. Oh, and he just learned how to shake!

At her last vet appointment Miss Kima (aka Savannah) weighed in at a whopping 38 pounds! She is turning out to be quite the big girl, and if she keeps growing at this rate she'll soon dwarf her parents. I think it's all that organic dog food that California puppies get. Annette reports that Kima is finally warming up to the chilly Pacific waters. She also enjoys eating snails, along with chasing (and sometimes catching!) birds.

I just love this action shot of little Graham. His new sister looks like she could be a Potcake herself! Since he has been in Ohio, Graham has put on several much needed pounds and was given a clean bill of health by the vet. He is so popular with everyone he meets, his owner (Sara) might bring back a few more puppies for friends on her next trip to San Sal. The more puppies who get homes, the better!

Snack Time
July 8, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

Normally, I work in the field station snack bar once a week on Wednesday evenings when Vendella has has her night off. But for the past two weeks she has been in Nassau, so Tom and I have been running it nightly. Usually together, but sometimes we take turns. I think I enjoy it more than Tom. For some reason, I always get a thrill out of restocking. I've even got regulars now, like the girls who has a Milky Way every single night and the guy who always orders pepperoni pizza and Goombay Punch.

Technically the snack bar is on the books as "The Reef Club", but no one actually knows it by that name because the only sign reads "Snack Bar". It has a very relaxed, laid back atmosphere. The main wall is adorned with pennants from many of the schools that lead trips here. There is a screened-in porch and rake and scrape is always on. People can play darts or sit and chat.

We serve a variety of tasty treats including candy, cookies, chips, soda, juice, frozen pizza, popcorn, and the ever popular ice cream. The flavors that sell out the fastest are usually vanilla fudge swirl, chocolate, and cookies 'n cream. Least popular are pistachio nut, butter pecan, and rum raisin. Strawberry, coconut, and chocolate chip are generally somewhere in between.

In addition to the food items, we also sell postcards, stamps, and a small selection of toiletries (for people who forget their toothbrush or deodorant). Recently we also added a display of locally made shell crafts. Given the lack of souvenir shops on the island, they've been selling pretty well.

One of the unexpected highlights of the snack bar is the "Free Box". It's where we put all the half-used bottles of sunscreen and bug spray that people leave behind in their rooms. There's usually a good chance of finding laundry detergent, shampoo, and maybe a water bottle in there too. People go nuts for the free stuff. Some even rush to be there first when we open, just to see if we've added anything new to the box. I always like to watch the frenzy.