Thanksgiving!

Well, I went through some old newsletters and after reading this again, I think it is professional enough (or not) to warrant another printing. See what you think about this?

THANKSGIVING

Wow! Where has this Damn year gone! Said this before, seems like yesterday I was struggling to put “2022” on my checks. Yes, I still use the ole hand written kind. How about you? Well as my favorite pot smokin singer says, “Let’s Get Back Ta The Basics of Life!” But first, 

A little preview of a great day for all of you on the island for Thanksgiving. Skinny Legs is again holdin “Thankspiggin,” their free potluck gathering in Coral Bay. If you’ve never been it’s an awesome day and “Yes” they welcome you tourists and for the day you’ll be an honorary “Coral Bay Pirate.” I’m not much of a cook so I just bring a 5th of Jack Daniels and a case of Heineken for my community potluck contribution. Never been denied admission with that offering in hand. The food is absolutely amazing and if it hasn’t changed much watch the island chef carve a whole roasted pig with a machete.

RACHEL

About now, you’re questioning why I’m showing pictures of a Jeep below. Long story but I’ll condense it just for you, as most of you possess the attention span of a gold fish – 3 seconds!
 
This 1997 twenty-three-year-old Jeep has been my companion, my truck, my boat, while saving my life more times than I can count. Bought in Colorado 1999 for $10,000.00 she is named after a buck tooth, big breasted girlfriend I had in my youth - Rachel. In 2006 Rachel was shipped by transport to Miami with the hauler going enroute for God knows why; through California, Texas, New York, Georgia after five weeks, originally told it would take three days, arriving in Florida; loaded on a container ship that went aground in Puerto Rico and finally arrived St. Thomas three months after start of the journey!
 
Now Rachel is not a normal vehicle, she has always been a working girl. No, you dirty minded men – not that kinda working girl! She has hauled 1,000 pounds of concrete in the back and when the front tires came off the road. No problem, just put 300 pounds on her hood. She’s has carried up to 1,500 pounds of treated lumber in one load, forded flooded roads with water over her engine and coming in the window. Once across, Rachel coughed a few times, shook it off and keep going. Climbed mountain roads straight up and done more things than Jeep Manufacturing ever intended or envisioned she was capable of doing. She has survived countless storms and two major hurricanes.
 
She has never let me down – not once. Rachel has sat here at the villas for months awaiting my return, I put the key and the ole girl roars to life every single time. Oh, I take care of all her mechanical issues promptly but not a single time did she ever fail me.  
 
But now it’s time for Rachel to retire, guess many say the same about me but we Rachel and I refuse all commonsense thinking. We both are battered, now showing our age and a mite slower than we use to me. But that’s “ok,” Mikey, my long time island friend, has offered to take Rachel and restore her to original condition.  

Travel Tips During Winter

Happy Post Valentine’s Day! Hope you and your family enjoyed the day. Did you know the holiday has been around for centuries? But it wasn’t til 1910 when an enterprising eighteen year old high school dropout - JC Hall moved to Kansas City and began selling cards but especially on Valentine’s Day. As you know the rest is history, Hallmark Cards are the most successful card company in America. And in fact, I just sent an email card to my daughter but unfortunately Hallmark no longer sends e-cards.

Burr! You look miserable!

Or Here! Windmill Bar STJ With Just A Few Friends

TRAVEL TIPS

Maybe I’m pissin in the wind but there’s a bunch of you have either forgot about gettin to St. John or just want to waste my time by askin a couple of hundred times. 

1. Yes, the USVI does take dollars and St. John working people absolutely love cash.

2. Based on employment figures on St. John, 60% of the people are unemployed. Well not quite true. You see, based on Number 1 above it’s just they don’t pay taxes. Why do you think most people living in Coral Bay only have nicknames and no full name? Yea – you guessed it! They don’t wanta pay any IRS Tax and a big percentage of them don’t.

3. There really is no crime on St. John but use your head and don’t leave valuables laying on the beach. If someone doesn’t just pick them up the mongoose likely will run off with them.

4. Get your rental car on St. John. If you rent from the big guys at the airport upon arrival expect to spend 30 to 45 minutes in line. Cause courtesy may be number one objective in St. Thomas but that doesn’t extend to car rental companies. Also, bring a picture of your auto insurance card or they may charge you extra for insurance.

5. For best airline ticket prices give martrix.itasoftware.com a try. Here you will see prices of all flights get the code displayed and call the airline you want. Give them the code and they will honor matrix price you found.

6. Taking food with you? That’s great make sure you take snacks and condiments as they are really expensive on the island.

SHAMELESS MARKETING

And you thought I’d forget about marketing. Didn’t you? Hell why do you think I put out this newsletter rag, for the fun of it? So here you go with soft sell of Sopra Mare and Bordo Mare. I just like a chipmunk with full cheeks right now. Every single night is rented to old and new guests pretty much to May. Oh, believe I still have two weeks open at Bordo Mare and one at Sopra Mare. If you want to get your “butt” outta Winter give me an email “ping” mtbgroup1@outlook.com or at my website listed below.

SUMMARY

Been spending my time the last couple of months at my Texas address and now fixin to return to Aspen in a couple of weeks and see lots of snow and friends. Stay warm, stay safe and know I’m just around the corner if you have questions about St. John regardless whether it’s my villas or other places you rent. I’ll do the best I can to give you an honest opinion.