I am cracking up over the ice chest and now I want one for our trip!! What a hoot!! I can just envision an ice chest filled with goodies, a ciggy in one hand, a drink in the other and snorkeling all at the same time. Ain't life grand!!! 🙂

I am nice as heck to the truly mentally ill, but most of my patients these days are drug-addicts, and they don't care much for me. I am pretty hard-nosed with them. Most of our clients are what we call 'frequent-flyers', those that get discharged, go off their medications, and come back over and over again. Boy, could I tell ya some hair-raising stories! As an example, and I will be try to be brief, we had a patient back when Bush was first elected president. I noted he had a Secret Service file in his chart, meaning he had obviously made a serious enough threat to our president that he got the SS's attention. To properly assess him, I walked up to him and asked him why he was here. Gee, he seemed so normal, other than looking like a lumberjack! He said that he was here because the cops stopped him on the way to see the president. When I questioned further, I found out that he had been weaving back and forth on the interstate, trying to run some people off the highway. When they went to search his car, they found ROADKILL on the floorboards, in the seats, and stuffed in the trunk. That got my attention! He said that the cops puked all over his car. It seems he was upset that " Little children would be traumatized by seeing roadkill because no one had the DECENCY to stop after hitting them and burying them. So, I picked them up to prevent that from happening!" When I asked him why he was going to see the president, he said it was because he wanted his help in stopping Armeggedon(sp?) and that he was going to ask some angels to "step over the line a little" and help him stop the end of the world. He was running people off the road because he could tell some were demons. I had to run back to my office before I burst out laughing at this sicko! Then, just thinking about someone that insane made him scary to me. Sorry if I upset anyone reading this story, but that just demonstrates some of the people we deal with in mental hospitals. You have to have a twisted sense of humor to deal with it.

Well, thanks for all the tips about the carry-on situation. Not being able to carry my tote bag and a carry-on really craps on my Post Toasties! I will bring an extra checked bag that will be mainly empty, so I can bring lots of stuff back home.

Sharon

Sharon,

I was flying USAir today and happened to pick up their "Attache" shopping magazine from the seat back in front of me. I opened the magazine in the middle and what did I see? A full page about a REMOTE CONTROL floating ice chest thingy for drinks. You just push a button on this little key pad that you keep with you and the floating drink cart will float to wherever you are!!! You can then snorkel off and "call the cart" when you are ready for more drinks!

I had to chuckle in my seat. The man next to me asked me if I had spotted something in the magazine that I couldn't live without....so I had to tell him about this forum and you! He just gave me a blank stare, which made me laugh harder.

2 days of laughter at ground level and 30,000 feet in the air - all from your request about the snorkeling ice chest!!! 🙂

I just googled it - here it is! http://nextpowerusa.stores.yahoo.net/remote-controlled-drink-float-br--great-pool-fun-.html

OMG, Bluwater! How hilarious and ironic! I will check out the link! STX Realtor, thanks for the info about your floating ice-chest...it makes me feel mucho bettero about posing the original comment! Us southerners are inventive out of need. We NEED drinks,food, cigarettes,etc. within reach, no matter where we are! If I get too attached to STJ and refuse to go home, then I think I will open a cooler-tube shop in Cruz Bay!

You know, I am blonde, but I think our string of messages is all disorganized. We have made such a mess of ourselves! Forgive us, Great Oz!

How is the weather now? I hope everyone is okay and didn't get any damage from the storm. Hope ya don't get a mosquito 'bloom' from all the rain.

Well, have to finish packing tomorrow(today actually) before going to work then try and get some sleep before taking off at 10:05 AM Saturday on American. Wow! I am so excited! This old country girl doesn't get to go to town much, so you can just imagine how I will feel once I arrive in paradise! Hope to see some of ya there! Cannot thank everyone enough for all of your help and laughter!

Sharon

Sharon - From one Southern girl to another, have a wonderful trip to STJ...I'm envious as all get out....and I look forward to hearing from you upon your return. Have a safe and awesome trip!! Don't forget the cooler!!!

p.s. I know your job is hard...kudo's for you doing it!!!

After reading your script about the man in the hospital i would be toting this cooler with me wherever i go HA HA
I know you will have the time of your life and dont worry the weather will be fine
We actually bought one of those Off lanterns and took it down with us
It came in very handy when we were playing Texas Holdum on our balcony (Yes we took the poker chips with us)
Cant wait for your trip report when you get back

Have a GREAT trip Sharon....you need it!!!

OK, I tried to sit this one out but...

Bluwater
All they need now is a GPS control so it can track Sharon anywhere she floats and be at her beck and call!

Sharon
Unfortunately, my wife deals with your adult clients at the elementary school level. The frustration she and you deal with on a daily basis is beyond my comprehension and I completely understand the need to disassociate oneself through laughter, drink or both. If your 'floatie' becomes any more sophisticated, you can always refer to it as your personal charter. 🙂

That description of the hill near Cinnamon is dead on perfect. That was the hill, on our first trip to STJ, with the crew in the Jeep, where I muttered to myself Holy CRAP What have I gotten us into?

I'll likely make the gang go out driving with me in as little as 16 days. I can't wait!!!

But, where is Jacob's ladder? I've got t otake it this summer in the Jeep.

Hello Pipanale,

Sorry, Andrea had posted where it was early on in this discussion but I accidentally deleted the message just a couple minutes ago while trying to rename some subject lines in this thread to make it more organized. 😉 I posted her message below.

This thread is really a hoot like others have written. Bluwater - I was rolling when I saw your comments about the remote controlled floating cooler! 😀 Thanks for the laughs. Sharon have a great trip, can't wait to read your trip report!

--Islander

Here is what Andrea had written:

Posted by: Andrea
Date: July 25, 2006 12:19PM
It doesn't look like anyone's answered the question about Jacob's Ladder yet, so here goes...Jacob's Ladder is an extremely steep hill that you will encounter if you drive past the Marketplace in the direction of the Westin resort. My little Suzuki needs a "running start" to get up that hill, and if it's been raining, I don't even attempt to climb it without my 4WD on. And to top it all off, there is an intersection at the very top of the hill. I feel sorry for people coming from that road trying to turn on to Jacob's Ladder...I've done it before, and that's definitely a look both ways and then floor it and hold your breath and hope no one hits you type of intersection.

Ya are so dang nice! Though I should be asleep right now I am on my computer because I am so wired about going in the morning!!! I figure I can drink a bloody on the plane and then snooze for the 5 1/2 hours it will take to go to San Juan. I am a cheap drunk. Mad at myself because I forgot to get some nicotine gum or a patch for the plane! I bought the book, "The Devil Wears Prada" because it looked like a fun read. I have printed out all of ya's tips and recommendations, plus maps and menus. I would be so lost without all the information ya have kindly given me. I forgot to buy a rope for my ice-chest tube, but I bet I can find one on STJ! Well, this will be the last you hear from me until I get back, unless I decide to pay for internet access while I am there, which I doubt I will have time for. Thanks again for all the information, support, and laughter!! Woo-hoo, here comes paradise!!!

Big Hugs,
Sharon

Jeez
I fly AA all the time out of Washington DC to the Virgin Islands & never had a problem with 1 carry on plus my purse. Never been asked to check one when on plane or counter. Maybe they thought the purse was too big & looked like a carry on?? It just burn me when others not you but other that abuse the policy & they are also sitting in rear of plane & use the overhead for their carry on leaving none for the person who is sitting in the seat below. That happen to me several times & no place top put my carry on & I ask FA why? She looked & asked who carry on was the one she is looking at. The persons said it was theirs but they were sitting in back . FA said please come & put it back with them not in front of plane. The person said I could bring mine back there & FA said no that she has right to put her carry on where she was sitting or close to it. Either come up & remove it or she(FA) would take it down & put it as check. They came up very quickly. Funny thing it happen in First Class as well. This is my two cents worth I am sticking with it.

Last time, we drove from town to the Westin and I don't recall any major hills. Of course, I may have just lost the ability to be amazed by hills by then. I swear, I'm looking for it in 2 weeks.

I think it had something to do with checking in at MIA
My purse is actually small so that was not the issue
We hadnt planned on checking in any bags but the agent made us anyway
on the way home i pack my purse so we could carryon a box with liquor and one other carryon