So our time in paradise is coming to a detour; yes we have decided, after many long hours of discussion as you might imagine, to put Lucky Bird on the hard and head back to Chicago for seven or so months. We've been sitting in Jolly Harbor Marina, on the hard for a couple of days as we've been preparing our home for the coming summer months. We solved our insurance problem, thank goodness, choosing to use a firm suggested by many cruising couples. So with that stressful decision behind us we were able to make the decision on a place for hauling our home. Once that was firm we could then book flights and the whole thing feel into place. So Saturday we will take a taxi to the airport and leave paradise..... for a while!!

There is a lot waiting for us back in the US so we are looking forward to family, catching up, patching up and taking care of business and taxes.

This will probably be the last posting from the Caribbean so I must indulge myself in my infatiation with the hidden beaches of Antigua. Just picture two people walking alone on a beach of some 300 yards or so, with calm water, crystal clear water of that Caribbean tourquiose and the water temperature so inviting that you want to just stay in letting the sun, the water, the sand blow your mind with pleasure. And yes the beach is very secluded, I mean very secluded.

So we spent four days exploring by dinghy, sugar cane processing wind mills, ruins, beaches, and finally as the piece de resistance we had a very elegant dinner at the Hermitage Beach Hotel, put this place on your places to consider list, very exclusinve and inclusive. It's just three years old and so just there!!

So that's it, after some ten months of writing these messages I'll admit that I'll miss the connection or connectibility this simple blog has provided Alice and me. It's been a real trip trying to find words to convey the splendour, beauty, challenges, people, worries, decisions and thankfulness of the Lucky Bird ventures.... so far!!

So it's time for another rum, some BBC and reflection time. Thanks for being part of us.

Bye