We Are Here!

Sorry it has taken a few days to post. We are happy and healthy here in Belize! I will post some photos very soon.

Our apartment is much smaller with two people, a king size bed and 200 lbs of personal belongings we "smuggled" into the country. Our second room is almost finished. It will be my desk/office area and our living room. It's going to be great!

I am up to my eyeballs with catching up on work at the spa, and Phil has completed his "Honey Do List" for our new home. I think he is enjoying semi retirement! He does the cooking and laundry and still finds time to work on his tan. As I write this, he is swimming in the Sea.

Each day we go fro our 3 mile walk at 6 and then he swims for an hour or so. He goes back out swimming a few more times through the day. The water is so nice! The salt make you float so it is so relaxing!

So far, so good!
More soon!

I have a cell phone!

I had my Sprint phone re-coded into a Smart Phone. We will do the same to Phil's phone when he gets her as well. It is one of the 2 main cell phone services here in Belize, and the only one that works in Hopkins, where we live. You prepay for minutes and texting here. It is cheaper to text around here. It cost more money to all a cell phone from a land line than it does to call another land line phone. You can buy mutes almost anywhere. You text in a code and "poof" you have more minutes.

My new number is 001- 501-667-9731.

The owners of Beaches and Dreams have offered to share their PO box with us. They go home to Alaska in a few weeks here. I will update that information soon! YEAH! A PO BOX!! Ahhh... the simple pleasures in life.

I am coming home on Monday and its hard to concentrate on work. We have some major projects going on so I need to stay focused over the next 2 days. But all I can think of is My hubby. And my dogs.... So here is what I am most looking forward to seeing on Tuesday morning! I don't know how our solders wives do it! I miss my husband! I love you Phil!!

We are having a "shing-ding" on Sunday April 20 at the Scandia Community Center. Its a pot luck, and we hope every one can some and see us before we go back to Belize.

Missing you all!

~V

Another Year Older!

On the morning of my birthday I went to Dangriga to go to the bank, get a PO box, get a cell phone, go to the store and the market. My employee, Des, offered to go with me to show me some of the ropes of banking etc. Well.... Another lesson about Belize. You can expect to stand in line at the bank for a hour or more... on any given day! Best to not go on a pay day as well. So needless to say, I got to the bank. I also got to take a quick spin through The Price Is Right grocery store. I had time to drop Des off at a store for her, dash into the market and get my tomatoes and cilantro. I picked up Des and we were back to the spa by 11 for her client. So needless to say I still have no cell phone and no PO box.

After a bit more research on a PO box, we found out that non are available in Dangriga. I get mixed stories of PO boxes in Hopkins a well. So... Here is our address. It is the same as everyone in Hopkins.
Phil and Vicki Cross
C/O Jaguar Reef Lodge (this could help narrow it down)
Hopkins, Stann Creek District
Belize, Central America.
Yes, there is NO POSTAL CODES in Belize! So when UPS and the USPS tell you they can't send it without a postal code... you can tell them that is not true. Also, spell out Central America, or things may go to California.

So, when I returned form Dangriga, I had one more errand to run on the other side of Hopkins at another resort. Our friend of the Spa, Debs, asked if I could bring her to her the Spa for an appointment. I gave her a lift and then she told me that there was a guest I should meet in the Owners Suite. I was confused as I knew no one could have checked in...and Hook, Line and Sinker... I fell for it! There was my staff and our two Guest Services Specialists, Kim and Laurel, with a big surprise birthday lunch for me. It was SO Sweet!! (Thanks too, Pat!)


So let me introduce you to the gang! At the far left is our Cosmetologist, Desiree (Des). Next is Ray, one of our Massage Therapist. Then its Erin, our front desk "specialist" and resident braider. Just below her is Reina and Eunes. They are our other two Massage Therapist. There is always smiles laughter in our Spa. The group is close and they have really welcomed me.

The other woman in our group is Debs our Number One Spa Guest. She is from South Africa and is a GM of a neighboring resort. We all just love her and she keeps us laughing.

A very special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Steve too!! Miss ya! And Buddy the dog too! And Kip! There were two other birthdays just at the resort on Monday too!