from Nancy in Aruba

Nancy has been sending an e-mail from Aruba each day and I finally have time to post them. No one deserves this time in the sun more than Nancy. As most of you know, her cancer returned in May and she spent the summer recovering from a second major surgery...too sick all summer to even get off the couch and then, once the incision fianlly healed, six more months of chemo. So...here are clips from Nancy's much happier, healthier week in Aruba so far:

Sunday, April 12th

Just wanted you all to know we arrived safe and sound--a great flight and we even got in an hour early--in the water by 1:30--it's warm and - tropical--had pizza in an open air restaurant tonight for Easter dinner-hope all is well there-will be in touch Love Nancy

Monday, April 13th

I promise I won't e-mail every day and rub salt in the wound, but,,,,it was in the high 80's today--it's 81 now at almost 11pm-beautiful breeze--we spent from 10-4 on the beach-all that tanning and I still got burned--you just don't realize that even with 30 sunblock the sun is so powerful-we went to the casino the past to nights it's right across the street--Aaron and I aren't big spenders--found the penny and nickel machines and blew about five bucks--Betsy won $107.00 last night-she's very lucky--last year she won $1,000. in nickels! Ate dinner tonight at Iguana Joe's --I had a "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and it was and we are in paradise--see you all soon! Love you!

Tuesday, April 14th

Hi! It actually rained here today-lasted less than 5 minutes-at about 8am-it's about 9:30-we just watched most of American Idol-we missed the first few coming back from dinner-Betsy and Sted decided to walk across to the casino-we were just too tired-doing nothing is exhausting! Today we did the beach 'til about noon then took the bus down to the high rise district and took a submarine tour of the coral reefs and a sunken destroyer from WW2-it was alot of fun-tonight we had dinner with Tom and Shirley Bradbury-this is their last week of three here-tomorrow we're renting a car and zipping around the island-so far it's been a book a day--love it! Nancy

Wednesday, April 15th

Another busy day-we rented a car today and went all over the island taking the "road less traveled"-we started with a breakfast buffet at the Hyatt Regency up in the high rise section of the island-it was huge-we really had to pace ourselves and eat first fresh fruits, then cereal, pastries, and croissants then meat and eggs then pancakes or french toast for those who could squeeze it in! We then followed some tour busses in the car so we wouldn't get lost finding tourist sights--the tour busses hate when people with rental cars do that because they get the tour for free! But we went to California lighthouse, then Alto Vista chapel the oldest little (like the size of my great room) church here on the island-then took back roads to baby beach-which is a little cove like beach where you can walk out practically forever and only be up to your knees--lots of locals and families (hence the name)-after drying in the sun we went in search of a famous little hole in the wall bar called Charlie's for a beer (Balachi the locally made Aruba made beer--oh yeah we passed their bottling plant and stopped in for a cold one too on the way to baby beach). Charlie's by the way is not the bar where Natalie Holloway disappeared from-that was Carlos and Charlies in a different town. (Carlos has since closed). Our Charlie's is in a little town called San Nicholas and was hard to find due to many one way streets and street signs-when they have them in Dutch--and since we don't read Dutch, Sted started up a one way street--thankfully though there were two rasta guys on the corner who waved us down to let us know we were going the wrong way--we thanked them and they asked if we needed some weed while we were there-Bets said no I think we're all set and we drove on to Charlie's--there are licence plates from all over hanging everywhere--we found a Maine one! Then we came home and went to watch the sunset while drinking an island sunset (a frozen rasperry,southern comfort marguerita drink) on the beach then drove downtown for casinos and a vegas style show called Havana--now home to bed--it's 11:30 and still 81 degrees out--I love it here and may come home with a purchase of some time here so I can bring you all here with me next time--miss you all hope everyone is ok Love, Nancy

Alto Vista Chapel, Aruba

Thursday, April 16th

Hi all-today was a quieter day than yesterday--we beach and pooled it from 10am to about 4-then showered and changed and went on a sunset catamaran sail from 5:30-7:30--it was beautiful-they have very impressive sunsets here-then we walked across the street for dinner and ate outside while listening to jazz from another restaurant and watching an adancing lights water show in the center of this out side mall coreographed to Elvis music--it was neat-it's 10:30 and still around 80-we might go try our luck at the slot machines at the casino across the street-Bets and Sted are already there-the week is flying by way too fast--take care-wish everyone was here XXOO Nancy