The Island Laudromat

You just won’t believe who Ida met at the laudromat.
Since we don’t own the kind of sailboat that has its own laundry facility, we’ve spent quite a lot of time over the past 15 years, hanging out in laundromats. It’s certainly not something we talk about at cocktail parties, the way one might drop a little morsel about having had dinner at Jean Georges in New York.
Early on a very wet December day in 2005, we arrived at the marina in Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda with our 5 guests from the Yukon. It had been raining buckets non-stop for 2 days, and every single beach towel was wet… nothing would dry. So, while our guests went on a tour of The Baths (a geographical wonder that I’ll deal with in a future blog), Ida packed up 2 huge bags of these towels and headed off to the laundromat. When she walked in, of course every machine was in use. Our schedule was to have us in The North Sound that same afternoon. The laundry matron apologized, explaining that the best she could do was the next day. At that exact moment, someone bumped into Ida from behind with his bag of laundry, saying, “Pardon me m’am… it’s not like I didn’t see you standing there”. He then turns to the laundry matron, holding up his teeny bag of laundry (probably a pair of jeans, a shirt and some undies) and asks when he can pick it up. She replies, “Right after lunch, dahling”.
By this time, Ida realizes that this ‘someone’ is Morgan Freeman… getting much better service than she.
What else could she do? She motioned with her thumb at Morgan, smiled, and said, “I’m with him!” ©

The Good Samaritan Foundation of Haiti

It was an afternoon filled with laughter, fun and frolic (and methinks there may have been just a little rum passed around, too!). There was a raffle, an art auction, a conchshell blowing contest, a sand sculpture contest…even crab races… it just went on… and on… and on… and on...
I’m talking about the ‘Pirates with A Porpoise’ fundraiser for The Good Samaritan Foundation of Haiti (GSFH), held at Myett’s Bar & Restaurant right on the beach in Cane Garden Bay, BVI, just this past weekend. The weather was outstanding and it was so touching to see how everyone just opened up their hearts and their wallets, to give so generously to this wonderful cause.
For those who don’t know about this foundation, it was co-founded by a very talented and very dedicated local musical performer from Michigan, by the name of Michael Beans. Michael (who likes to be known as a ‘musicianary’) has been the driving force behind GSFH relief efforts that have been going to Haiti now for over a decade. One of the most notable being a new school for the kids there. I will not go into depth on the subject, but you will find the website, www.goodsamaritanfoundationofhaiti.com to be very revealing.
Now, back to Myett’s:
One of the real highlights of the afternoon were the sand sculptures. Almost all were very artfully done. Jaco Maree, the minister of the local Church of The Islands in Road Town, took first prize with his Three Porpoises (pictured here), a beautifully graceful work of art.
However, I thought the ‘real’ highlight was when my friend Owen went to purchase his hermit crab for the race. He was somewhat concerned when the little creature did not appear to be moving. I suppose, to make sure that he was alive, he gave him a little poke, and he responded by taking a bite out of Owen’s index finger… yes, the little guy actually drew blood! For being such a fighter, Owen still can’t figure out why he came in next to last. I suppose he’d given most of his energy to that bite!!!