I'll be arriving on Bonaire Feb. 15 - do any of you locals need anything I can bring along? I'm sure I'll have room for some things as we no longer bring groceries with us to Bonaire...

Hi Ginny,

Nothing right now for the Richters, considering Linda just got back from NH last night with lots of goodies.

We'll keep the offer in mind as Feb gets closer...

Jake

And, don't forget, Alan and I are arriving next Wed, so I can still bring stuff (other than the already-ordered KKs and Bagels, of course!).

Jake, I just talked to a relative of yours: Judy, who lives in Rochester. She's a friend of a good friend of mine who passed away last week, and Judy's daughter is going to get Jean's computer, which is currently stored in my basement. I've forgotten her last name, but she knows (of) you and Linda. Small world, eh?

Hi Josie,
What a small world. Judy Walter is my father's cousin. Her daughters are Claire and Julie. I haven't seen the girls in a long, long time but I got to catch up with Judy a couple years ago.

Linda

Jake,

Just noticed if I keep to my normal tendencies and don’t update the profile I can stay in my early 40’s for a long time. Maybe we have just discovered Ponce de Leon’s fountain of youth. It’s not in FL but in Bonaire instead. I did update it and the age is correct.

Well hope to see all again sometime in 2003. Dive shop is coming down over Halloween and I’m attempting to decide if I’ll come down with them or find a friend or two and come down earlier. Wife wants to go to visit another island and the kids and I are trying to work on her. But I got a special Christmas gift, a pass for a dive vacation without the family. So if the kids and I win maybe I’ll be in Bonaire twice in 2003. Once with the family and once without, kids are on dad’s side. But October is so long away should I lose. Shop has other trips planned but I can’t think of a trip I can get more dive time in other than on a live aboard.

For all of us up north let’s try to stay warm and dream.

Hi, Linda: I met Claire yesterday, when she picked up a computer which belonged to a friend of mine (and Judy's) who died three weeks ago. Jean had ALS and could no longer move or talk, so it was sad and also a release. Her niece offered the computer to Jean's friends, and Judy was the first one to ask for it, so Claire now has a computer.

Last chance for any Bonaire deliveries. I already have bagels and KKs to get tomorrow, and tomorrow will be the last chance to pick up anything else. We're leaving before dawn on Wed.

See you soon.

I will be going to Bonaire next Tuesday morning, February 4th. So if there is anything you folks need let me know and I will try to find it.

I have an extra piece of luggage, which so far only has some educational material for a Little Bonaire Buddy in it along with some GORP for myself. Plenty of room for other stuff. Sorry Jake, Vermont does not have a KK yet - shucks.

Funny though that piece of luggage is usually filled with stuff on the way home - go figure!

Tom,

Dan may need a new UW temp sensor and probe brought down... He said it would be ready in about a week - don't know if that would make it or not, but...

Jake

PS Some Vermont Extra Sharp White would be great though :-)

If Dan can get it to me by Monday I will gladly bring it down I am not flying through Boston this time but he could send it to me at the shop.

Cabot Extra Sharp White Cheddar it will be:-{)}

Jake, Dan e-mailed me regarding that temp/sensor thingy (love tec-talk). If he can not get it ready in time, I volunteer to stay on Bonaire at the WebCam to provide current temperature readings for all of the BT and WebCam visitors. No matter if it takes all winter.

Provided of course the folks at customs do not think I am taking a job away from a local.

Guess I had better go pack my drysuit and hookah
(and I mean hookah regulator Rusty);-{)}

Jake - the cheese on Bonaire is one of the things we really look forward to! And you want Vermont cheese ... LOL ...

Greetins frum the Reepublik Ahv Vermont,

Thet's Cabot Xtra Shahp Cheddah Jake a wuz reefurrin to Miss Ginny. Award winning mmmmm-mmmmm-guuud eetin:-{)} Jake and I both liika de xtra shahp, while in de kabin I was razed in there wuz always a block of Cabot Huntah Cheddah.

Sinse we started lettin peepull frum other states and kuntries 'njoy the only cheddah we wood a cunsidder putten a nife tue, it hez wun evary nashonal and indernashonal compitishun it wuz enturd intu.

Go to: http://www.vtliving.com/cabotcreamery/

Wonna tahk bout Mapel Sirrup now mam;-{)}ROTFLMBO

Jake, I am sorry, I think I just killed your new spell check.

T

Too funny, Tom! Love the accent...
We especially like the gouda with cumin which we can buy on Bonaire, can't get that locally. Someone on BT referred me to a cheese maker in California for gouda/cumin, and I ordered a sampler pack. But it didn't really compare to the cheese we love on-island.

Ginny,

You are so right. That is good eating!! Will be enjoying it (if it is in stock) next week.

Got Jake's cheese, now I just have to go get a small can of VERMONT Maple Syrup to have on my waffles and french toast while I am on Bonaire;-{)} Like the ad says "Don't Leave Home Without It"!

I keep this up, maybe our new Governor will make me an ambassador of some sort and the state will pay for my trips.

Tom ... as a fellow Vermontah I could not have said it better. But are you willing to job share if we can become cheddar and syrup ambassadors (to dive spots only, of course)??? Oh and don't forget lake Champlain chocolates! I regularly send all three to my daughter in California -- being the good Vermonter that she is she can't eat that orange stuff passed off as cheddar. Anyway, I am envious of you leaving the cold for Bonaire but know that I have only three more weeks til it is my turn. And Lake Champlain will eventually warm up again! Safe journey.

Sue

is vermont the source of those squirrel nut candies as well?

guess those cold, mean, ol' slopes are rather productive...

(or what the hell else is one gonna do all winter but stay in and munch out)

whatever,

Yeah, what is it with that orange stuff?
No New Englander in good standing can actually eat the orange stuff. I told my mom that it changes the texture of the cheese somehow makes it plastic like.

I did reconfirm my stock of maple syrup before venturing north early this month so I wouldn't suffer any shortages. :-)

Susan, It would be an honor to share the job just hope Governor Jim will allow the both of us to go as ambassadors to spread the word to deprived people everywhere. Everywhere between Nukove and Red Slave that is;-{)}.

Bob, It might be. We started to send many of our mistakes to other states for disposal. Then, when we found out that people were actually eating these items we started charging and putting them in cute packages with pictures of cows, trees and other "Vermont" things on them:-{)}

Linda, I would not dare guess the origin of that orange stuff:-(o)My wife and I were trying to figure that out earlier this month when we were in Florida. We came to the conclusion that it must be either very old Velveeta - yuck, or come from cows that eat only orange peels. Either way we shudder when we see that tasteless stuff referred to as Cheddah! Even my dog Boris turns his nose up at that stuff.

Regarding your syrup, and please be honest, is that Vermont Maple Syrup in your pantry, or, is it from the state to the east of us?

On another note, I always laugh when I see people buying that "Vermont Maid" corn syrup stuff at the. I am sure some of them actually think it is "Vermont Made" (chuckle-chuckle-snort-sigh).

Tom

store. (I meant to say) long day - brain is not working tonightduh!

Tom,

Orange cheddar is a Wisconsin conspiracy, I think.

Jake

Jake, I went into a grocery store here in NH and saw that Cabot now makes a harbanero cheddar. Anything you are interested in when we come down?

Thanks for think of me, Corney Ann! I prefer my cheddar pure, however (I have enough other means of introducing capsaicin (the hot part of capsicum such as habaneros) into my diet :-) ).

Jake

About 8 or 9 years ago, Dan and I and two friends went out to the Big E (Eastern States Expo, the "state fair" for all of New England) and toured all the different state buildings tasting the maple syrup from each of the New England State.

Much as I hate to admit it, given that I'm currently living in MA and all, the VT maple syrup tasted the very best of all. Not overly sweet, and wicked good flavor (now there's a New England comment for you -- wicked good!).

Faith