We're here!

Welcome!! I arrived last Sunday so I have now been here for almost a week. The plane may have landed but I am still at 25,000 feet. I love it and cannot beleive I am here.
deb

Rachel,

I should have told everyone about that one (formula). I traveled to visit St. Thomas in May or early June (I have already forgotten) with a four month old. In a pinch, a little water in the bottle will at least keep them hydrated and 'happy'. I used a thermos to keep the milk warm and we had a better trip. Please tell us how your searching goes and what you find. Are you on island to stay or just to warm up trip?

Teresa

just wanted to let you all know that I am know looking forward to my move alot more!!!! I have been reading this message board for the last 6 weeks as myself and my hubby and 2 small children are moving in 3 weeks. I was apprehensive, which i think is natural, but you guys have certainaly given me alot more comfort with your 'arrival' comments. hope your future's on STT are great... and thanks once again.

Hi Rachel, and welcome! Great post -- I can feel your sense of excitement and wonder -- if you're anything like me and a few other recent transplants, you'll find yourself mumbling "I can't belive this is really me new home" a whole lot as you take things in, expecially the beauty and start to encounter the friendly people who live here.

I TOTALLY get you yelling about your first up close and personal wth a lizard -- I did the same thing to one of my cats when the first one found me. Should you mention your distate about them or ask some of the locals to shut your door quickly so none get in your house, be prepared to have them roll their eyes and tell you that "lizards happen -- get used to it".

They really are very useful clritters to have around given that they eat undesirable insects, so should you find them in your house, please use capture and release instead of killing them.

We have to replace all of our windows, doorwalls, doors and our roof for various reasons including lizard access issues, so we see at least one a day in our house. Good news is that they want to stay away from you and rareely travel on the floor (ours don;t even like to get more than halfway between the ceiling and the floor). There's two bits of bad news re: lizards inside for the squeamish like us: finding lizard poop laying about, especially in the bathtub or shower (ick ick ick!), and their talent to squeeze into tiny, tiny cracks to eccape you. My hubby has become an expert in the lizard capture and relocate method -- he traps them under a tupperware container, sildes a piece of paper between the wall and the lip of the container to trap the lizard inside, then takes the invader outside into the yard and tosses it away from the house. (We've name this practice the Island Fling). Our kitten has also become quite the lizard stalker - tonioght she trapped one that was no bigger than half an inch long, including his tail, under her paw and held him there without hurting him until my hubby was free to do the Fling. Warning, though, I have been told that pets can get sick from eating the lizards but that it's not fatal. Our contractor and local animal shelter friend told us to let the cats eat a liozard catch if they so desire as it is the best way for the cat to learn quickly that eating these furry isand mice is a bad, bad idea.

While I still don't want them on me, I have adapted to having them around and even like the little guys now. Much to my mother's dismay, we've even started naming some of the regulars to our porch: Antonia is the large, handsome one with the extra long tail that is dead on the end and therefore blows like he is eagging it when the breeze hits him just right), and Don and Melanie are a smaller, handsome pair that tend to stay away from Antonio as much as possible. (Yes, I did have too much time on my hands for a while. *chuckle)

Final thought: if you hate the lizards, you're really not going to like the array of bugs that turn up. We made getting a pest control contract n place one of our higher priorities as soon as out belongings arrived.

Plese keep us up to date as you settle in -- I love hearing about how others like us are adapting and see what you all learned.

HipCrip (here since 5-29-04 and loving it)

Hey, Amanda ... heard you were here. How goes the job hunt?
Pamela.,

I had a giant post updating everyone but the hotel computer I was using started on fire. The smell of plastic and electronics burning is wonderful. I'll be back when I've got my own connection. These hotel computers are awful! 🙂