Valentine’s Eve. A date I’m acutely aware of thanks to Violet’s countdowns for the past two weeks. The girls is a crafting machine, and our boat has been a maker space for all things felt, yarn and paper and paint. The storing of the subsequent crafts is the newest Tetris game of the season, especially since Violet doesn’t want us to see anything yet. (I’m guessing that she’ll forget about 60% of her pieces, and we’ll find them when we go to unpack the boat, crammed under cushions and behind books on the shelves.) I’m anticipating tomorrow to be like a craft fair onboard- swapping homemade goods for one another’s treasures (plus, Mom may have bought some chocolate..).
We’re still in Staniel Cay, and yet every day we’re still finding different things to do. Our friends from Maine have arrived, staying onshore, and together with the Ruach crew we’ve found our favorite beach of the island, one at the north end called Pirate Trap. It has a sliver of snorkeling on the south side, and a giant basin to the north, with breakers from the ocean side beating over it to refresh the ‘pool’. Plus, great shady trees for the parents, and nooks and crannies for the kids to play.
The beach time Family Game has this year morphed into Store & Restaurant, with Violet manning the counter at her bakery while Maeve runs the more formal dining room. Yesterday Lily and a new friend created a taco bar and Italian restaurant (hmm), and Andy and I found ourselves enjoying a lovely meal of spaghetti and meatballs, seaside. If I could push the pause button for these kids and their imaginative play I would in a second. I love that their currency is casuarina seed pods and sea grape leaves, chopped up casuarina needles can be anything from shredded cheese (taco bar) to shaved chocolate (I had a delicious chocolate mousse trifle at Violet’s bakery), and that they all help each other expand upon their possibilities. Lucky kids, lucky parents.
Three kids from a boat that we met in Black Point are now here in Staniel, and the whole family was excited when we saw their boat come in. Two girls, twelve and ten, and their nine year old brother have completely melded into our four, and to spend another beach day with them was a treat. (Lucky kids, lucky parents.)
Today’s school day will end as yesterday’s did, with art class. I taught Lily to knit a few days ago, and she’s taken to it, while Violet has been watercoloring. If it weren’t for the time crunch of St. Valentine’s most enthusiastic elf (Violet), art would come and go as it pleased onboard, fairly often, but this week, it’s mandatory post-school procedure.
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! If you come on down, Violet has something for you.