November 30th, 2007
Drew Randall 1980 - 2007
There is a dark side to the islands and it reached out and grabbed us by the throat today. We awoke to the news that Drew, who we loved as a son, had been murdered last night. Drew had been engaged to our daughter Taylor. The two of them set up home in St. Croix but Taylor did not take to island life. Drew did and created a thriving construction business. He loved the island and we always kept in touch with him. Sandy would try and feed him as he remained as thin as a rake and at 6 foot 4, and no matter how much spaghetti she fed him, he never put on weight. Our youngest son Rory, hung out with Drew when he visited the island and it was natural that Brad would when he visited. Drew was clubbing with Brad when he disappeared and was found dead the next day. We still don’t what happened…the shock was terrible to all of us. Drew was an easy going, relaxed young man who had a smile and a grin for everyone. He had been with us for dinner on Wednesday, we had toasted his success. It is a tragedy for all of us, we mourn his passing.
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November 30th, 2007
I woke up this morning after a night of horrendous wind and rain storms. The sight that greeted me was a perfect rainbow. What is hilarious about this shot is that the rainbow ends right at the local CASINO!! I kid you not, the pattern hit the casino dead center! There is gold at the end of the rainbow and it’s a lot of other people’s money!
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November 29th, 2007
Here is an alcove Isabelle painted…..see what I mean?
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November 29th, 2007
Our home in St Croix is not a regular type of house. It is more along the lines of a wide open villa, with lots of air, light and space and it is perched right over the ocean on a Cliffside. It is very different to live in and furnishing it is/was a challenge because the life style is so laid back. Sandy asked a well known local artist (Isabelle Picard) if she would do some murals for us. Isabelle agreed and the result was a series of stunning scenes and alcoves, each one a personal work of art. It makes walking through the house an adventure and as one side is entirely the open sea, an intriguing mix of seascapes. Isabelle lives on St. Croix and her paintings are extraordinary…if you want to get in touch with her she can be reached at www.Ritestx@vipowernet.net she made our home an art gallery in a way…very cool.
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November 28th, 2007
On Saturday we leave for NYC..a quick glance at the weather told me to expect light snow and 32F temperatures…I enjoyed the walk just that much more. You learn to appreciate the good things in life when you know that they are fleeting.
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November 27th, 2007
You have to click onto this photo to get a good idea of the lights. It’s palm trees and Christmas lights, and the only thing that doesn’t go down easy is the eggnog. It’s too thick and warm for this climate. Christmas trees have a problem here as well…but frankly ….who cares? The holiday season in the islands is just about as cool as it gets….
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November 26th, 2007
How can you tell when someone is in residence in St. Croix? Just look at the hurricane shutters. If they are all up and fixed in place the occupant is “off island”. If the hurricane shutters are rolled up and tucked away…the occupants are enjoying life in the slow lane…..The slow left lane, come to think of it.
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November 25th, 2007
It looks a little like the old fence that separated East Germany from West Germany. The only difference being there are no land mines scattered around (at least I hope not!!!)
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November 25th, 2007
Here it is. It used to be owned by HESS oil. It is an enormous facility, with double chain link, barbed wire topped fences with security roads surrounding the entire place. The fences have been up for years, they are not a recent addition. Someone was smart enough years ago to figure out the place might need protecting at some point.
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November 25th, 2007
Most folks think of the Caribbean as this. A wide bay, luscious greenery, and blue waters. St. Croix certainly has lots of wide bays. It also has a HUGE oil refinery. One of the largest, if not THE largest in the western hemisphere.
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