Thursday, December 6th. After a poor night's sleep... like a kid on Christmas Eve... I was at Buffalo Airport 2 ½ hours early for the flight to Philadelphia. Getting through the ticket counter was eased by being a FIRST CLASS (pay attention here, John Kimball!) passenger; security was a breeze... 2 to 3 minutes with no waiting. Changing planes in Philadelphia was another matter... I was selected for a more thorough search (personal and carry-on); this was also easy though and the security guy was personable. The flight was fine with a decent, though scanty, meal of grilled chicken, etc. Interesting that USAIR is saving money by running videotapes of "Friends", "The Cooking Channel", and "The History Channel"! NO MOVIES! ! !<br><br>I felt like some classy guy, being met by Marius (http://www.st-louis-car-rental.com) holding a sign held high with my name on it! Out of the airport and on my way in minutes. Some slight slowdowns driving through Marigot but a good trip to Club Orient. Check-in and into the water in less than 5 minutes! ! ! A short walk down the beach and met Paul and Josephine, very good friends that we met last year. Later was like Old Home Week, catching up with Keith and Carol... BBC's and scallops at Papagayo.<br><br>Friday was early (6:15) coffee with Andy at Baywatch... more catching up. The rest of the day set the pattern for the week... greeting old friends and meeting new (cashews DO have a way). John and Rae, Steve and Maria, Dan (Susan was staying in the shade with sun poisoning), Bruce and Mary (from Toronto), Dug and Patty, others.<br><br>THE PARTY at Peg Leg Pub: Keith (excellent navigator), Carol, and I arrived early to have dinner before the others arrived. Bob and Marge had similar ideas and joined us right after the appetizers. For the next 2 hours, people arrived... what a really cordial and interesting group... Bob counted around 35 all told, better than half the paying folks there! Neil was quite pleased! Impressions: Ray Mann and his camera (we will be seeing those pictures next week); "Mother Carol" keeping notes and threatening those who might have been tempted to be naughty; SUSAN'S BIRTHDAY... she looks MUCH younger than her x2 years!; SugarRae... NAUGHTY SUGARRAE!; Bobcat's adept bantering... intellectually challenging; realizing that Dave was THE DAVE who got us started with the photo album site (see http://communities.msn.com/sxmphotos); that 3 rows of joined-together tables could make so much noise; meeting Sean the maitre d' (?) and Neil Rooney the owner of Peg Leg Pub; the incredible number (17) of beautiful, sexy, sensuous, intelligent women who managed to drag their spouses out for an evening; the kindness of strangers. The party rates an "8". All in all... a good evening.<br><br>Saturday started with coffee again with Andy... then more beach time. Keith, Carol, Steve (?) and I dined at Le Piccolo... asparagras cake with salmon and dill sauce, chicken won-ton soup, stuffed mushrooms, Caesar salad, sea bass, and chicken/beef en brochette. All VERY GOOD! We returned to Papagayo just in time to catch some excellent, and I mean EXCELLENT, karaoke! At first I thought it was just your above average club singer. Then I paid closer attention and became even more impressed. I was floored to discover that it was DAVE MCKEE (see above, photo album guy)! Tis truly amazing the talents that exist in our group.<br><br>Sunday: my daily notes are really getting thin now... all they say is "beach". Could it be that sand gravity has taken hold? I was running out of cashews by now... those voracious beach people!<br><br>Monday: beach.<br><br>Tuesday: beach AND... Ta-Da... dinner at Le Petit Auberge in Marigot with Ray and Vlasta, Bob and Marge, Alan and Sherrie. QUITE good food and excellent company. Thanks, truly, folks for including me in your evening.<br><br>Wednesday: beach. I wore the TTOL t-shirt for the second time at the Papagayo Wine and Cheese party in the evening... met yet another really nice couple (Norm and Sharon Baxter? I am sure that I have those names wrong; musta been the cheese). Also a couple from Bristol, England and some other folks.<br><br>Thursday: some beach then the long (sad) ride home. All the planes were delayed/late... and I am sure that John and Rae missed their connection to Portland.<br><br>Two final thoughts... the beach comes and goes... almost daily. Several weeks ago there was a thread asking what we liked most about St. Martin. The responses included the scenery, the food, the accommodations, and the people. Well, let me tell you folks... it is ONLY... ONLY... THE PEOPLE! The truly terrific people that I have met through this bulletin board.<br><br>~-~-~-~-~-~<br>The [color:d2691e]cashew</font color=d2691e> can is empty, sigh.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Administrator on 12/17/01 01:24 PM.</EM></FONT></P>