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A 9 Hour Tour

 

I should have known that our planned vacation to Costa Rica was destined to be unpredictable as soon as our driver didn’t show up at 5am on the Sunday morning we were to depart for JFK International Airport.  We didn’t know this at the time but apparently the night before that said driver (a friend of a friend) entered 4pm instead of 4am on his smart phone.  What we did know was that we were 85 miles away from Queens, NY and neither of us were in the mood for nor possessed the inclination to take on New York City traffic that early in the morning.  What ultimately pushed us forward was our original idea of flying outside of the country to enjoy a stress-free (and news-free) week in a dream destination.

 

The prospect of vacationing in Costa Rica, or “rich coast,” a relatively small country in Central America was super exciting to me because zip lining, mud bathing and Hot Springs would now be checked off my bucket list and James was thrilled mostly because of his keen fascination with all things nature.

 

A “rich coast” for sure

 

We chose the month of October for our Costa Rican vacation because the hotel resort rates are very attractive during the rainy season so you can get more for your dollar.  Also we figured it would not be as crowded as it is during the so called “dry season” which runs from December to March.   We were at the end of Costa Rica’s ‘Winter’ where it rains off and on in this Southern Pacific Coast between the months of May through November.   On our week there it typically rained every single afternoon between 3pm and 6pm but sometimes we were caught off guard with a quick and hard downpour early in the morning or later in the evening.   The upside was that all this pesky rain created beautiful lush greenery and scenery seemingly out of a postcard once the bright sun came back out.

 

Feeling like we are in the middle of a postcard (smile)

 

We stayed at Secrets Papagayo Resort in Guanacaste on the Southern Pacific coast.  The promotional video reeled us in with the Bungalow Suite King room and picturesque ocean views.

 

A picture of the Bungalow Suite King room

 

What we discovered when we got to our room and immediately pulled back the sheers and stiff curtains to the deck were what could only be described as peek-a-boo views of the ocean.   James promptly got on the phone and worked his magic with the concierge so much so that by the very next day we had been moved from our room in the 300s down to a room in the 100s.  This room was identical to our other room but now we were not only closer to the action but more importantly, looking out we had the expansive view of the ocean that we were drawn to in the promotional video.   If vacation were a man, he was now starting to resemble a tall, strong, muscular creature with long angular arms and crooked fingers, beckoning me to take refuge in the comfort of my new surroundings…

 

Now that’s more like it!

 

We took a guided 2 hour Jet Ski tour on the Pacific Ocean our second day there.  We stopped at 3 different beaches during this tour.  The first beach where we stopped had a dark cave like area where we took turns with the other couple we were on the tour with taking silhouette pictures.

 

a black and white silhouette

 

The second beach featured a cliff that we had to climb up to.  Once there we stood just close enough to capture great photo ops.

 

I refused to look behind me as there was a cliff that dropped right down.

 

The third and last beach featured a woodsy area with white faced monkeys – those sneaky little thieves that steal your sunglasses and hats right off your head – these mischievous monkeys boldly rejected the other couple’s healthy peaches in favor of salty rich Doritos that some kid had dropped (smile).

 

You can’t be mad at him – he likes what he likes (smile)

 

The ride back on our Jet Ski was fast and furious as now we were heading directly into the high winds causing me to cling that much harder to James’s waist.  I couldn’t avoid the cold ocean water spray either as it spit all over my face and bare arms.  Brrrrr, it was cold!

 

Back on the resort I was not at all impressed with the cuisine.  However Market Cafe, which featured a buffet of international cuisine, was surprisingly good.   I’m not a buffet person but their daily breakfasts, lunches and dinners carried a a lot of weight in their food choices.   We both looked forward to eating at Himitsu, a Pan-Asian Fusion place, because we love sushi and Asian food in general.  As it turned out, Himitsu did not disappoint.  Our favorite entree was the pork bellies – we literally ordered them on three separate occasions!

 

Pork Bellies with fresh broccoli and jasmine rice – yummy, yummy, yummy!Date night at Himitsu

 

Portofino,  the fancy Italian restaurant  featured 5 courses as well as a dress code (which meant that men had to wear pants and if they showed up in shorts, they were offered a pair!).  We understood Portofino was known for its wine list but since I gave up wine at the onset of the Pandemic back in 2020,  I sipped on cold bottled water.

 

One of the 5 courses was a pasta course.  I picked linguine with pesto sauce and  James chose lasagna but I ended up eating his lasagne because it was tasty and delish!

 

Speaking of giving up alcohol, my favorite non-alcoholic drink was the Green Monster – it was healthy, refreshing and delish!  One afternoon I drank 4 Green Monsters poolside simply because the waiter kept refilling my glass (smile).

 

This healthy and delish non-alcoholic smoothie was made with almond milk, kale or spinach, frozen banana, almond butter, chia seeds, cinnamon and protein powder!

 

Seaside Grille was the seafood restaurant at the resort – during the day they piled fried seafood on platters and served them poolside and at night they offered fancier entrees where you dined in their cool, air-conditioned interior.

 

Seaside Grille by night – where James had Ribeye steak – I wish I had of ordered the same because my salmon was underwhelming

 

All in all we do love resort life (especially the All-Inclusives) because you don’t have to worry about what you are going to do for the day, your bed is made and room is cleaned every day, there are planned activities posted daily, food is everywhere whether you are looking for something fast or casual, and there are plenty of things to do on and off the resort.  If you come as a couple you have the opportunity to meet and hang out with other like-minded couples.  We met this wonderful couple named Randy and Rachel from Nashville, TN over dinner our second night at the resort.  We were dining at Himitsu – seated outdoors – and since we were sitting so close to them, we could not help but strike up a conversation.  James said it reminded him of a Sienfield episode.  Suffice it to say, we kept bumping into our new vacation friends until they talked us into joining them later on in the week on a 9 hour mega tour.

 

They caught us at the right time too because we were just getting ready to book the remainder of tours for the week with Amstar (since we enjoyed the Jet Ski tour so much) when they told us about this young man who was tucked away unseen on the resort but not too far from the Preferred Members club where we were meeting for drinks.  They took us to him and it turned out that his tours were so cheap because they were Costco tours.  Suffice it to say, we got a 9 hour mega tour (horseback riding, coffee cultural tour, sugar cane cultural tour, mud bath, hot springs, giant water slide, zip lining, bus ride to and from and lunch(!) for just $150 dollars.  We met them and 4 to 5 other couples on the Thursday morning at 745am for an hour and a half bus ride to the our  first leg of the mega tour, horseback riding.

 

Horse back riding was interesting because the horses were so well trained that we really did not have to do anything but hold on to our straps.  They basically took us on a long walk down a muddy dirt road where the horses each comically took turns pooping all over the place and then stepping in each others messes (smile).

 

I felt like we were in an old timey Western (smile)

 

The next tour was the sugar cane cultural tour  where we were offered delish expresso, cornbread, a sugar cane, and goat cheese on small plates.  Here we sat in hard backed chairs and listened to the guide as he gave us the history of the sugar cane.  Afterwards we walked down the hill (where it suddenly started to rain!) and met the star of the day, the oxen.  This oxen (with the help of 2 volunteers – James and Randy) walked around and around in circles to produce fresh sugar water while James and Randy stuck the canes in a tree like opening.  It was delish!

 

James and I posing with the very patient oxen.

 

The next tour was zip lining.  I was feeling a little under the weather that day so the trek up the mountain to the zip line quite literally took my breath away.  Once I was strapped in and felt secure, the rest was a breeze.  We went on 5 different zip lines so I did not have time to think about whether I could do it or not – it was  exhilarating for sure!

 

One of the many adventures on this tour was what became my fav, zip lining – it really was a great adventure – we are pictured here with our vacation friends Randy and Rachel

 

Some people on the tour bus said that this was the best part of the day – lunch!  We were fed healthy portions of authentic Costa Rican cuisine including rice and beans and spicy chicken.  We sat in large room with wooden tables and got in much needed rest while we inhaled our delish hot food.

The last part of the tour involved the big water slide which we skipped because I did not have it in me to walk up another mountain to get there.  Then came the mud bath and hot springs.  I loved the hot springs because the water was extremely hot.  The mud from the bath had to be taken off in a cold outdoor shower so that was not so much fun.  And I slathered the mud on in all the crevices not realizing that I would would need to use cold water to remove it.  Had I known…The hot springs (5 in all) were awesome and felt like heaven on earth with the heat rising from the water.  Each hot spring we entered got a little cooler than the one before so by the 5th one, it was like being in a lukewarm bathtub.  A wonderful and fitting ending to our day.  And a beautiful end to an unpredictable vacay (smile).

 

 

A Quick Dash to Nash

I had a truly memorable Memorial Day weekend this past May of 2023.  The goal was to visit my big sister Casandra who moved to Nashville almost a year ago.  And of course to see her daughter MoNa, her son-in-law Kevia and their rambunctious 6 year old son, Harlem.

 

Memorial Day is not called the “unofficial start to Summer” for nothing.  It seems as if everybody and their grandmother (smile) was driving that weekend on the road, flying in the air, or using some mode of public transportation during this much anticipated prelude to Summer.

 

What usually happens when we now adult Hollis children go to a new place or space to visit family, is we try and incorporate at least one African American cultural activity into the trip.

 

In this case it was easy, almost too easy:  a trip to the National Museum of African American Music or NMAAM as it is referred to.   NMAAM is conveniently located in downtown Nashville so we did not have to travel far as my sister Casandra lives only about 15 to 20 minutes outside the city limits.

 

Parking the car in a garage was pretty steep ($45) and you really have no choice if you drive as there is very little if any available street parking downtown.

 

The ticket prices to the museum (which we ordered online on the NMAAM website the night before) were $24.95 for Adults (me) and $18.75 for Senior Citizens (Casandra).  Just so you are aware, the rest of the ticket prices are as follows:  $18.75 for Students and Teachers with ID, Military and Senior Citizens; $13.50 for Museum Guests aged 7 to 17 and Free for Visitors 6 years of age and under.

 

 

While there, for just $5.00 more you will receive a NMAAM wristband which allows you to  download multiple genres of music (up to 500 songs!) to create your own music playlist as you touch and explore your way throughout the museum.  This music link is sent to your email address a week or so later for you to  download to your Apple or Spotify account.  Very cool!

 

NMAAM wristband

 

Incidentally, NMAAM also offers visitors an annual membership with lots of special perks and education and programs for groups and special outings.

 

The NMAAM brochure tells you it takes 90 minutes to explore the museum (as it features timed admission) but it took me and Casandra 3 hours as there is so much to see and do!  By the way, there is no extra charge if it takes you longer than the 90 minutes (smile).

 

At the entranceway to the National Museum of African American Music

 

The museum is broken up into 6 rooms which each feature a different genre of music and its history.

 

Casandra descending the staircase

 

It is fascinating to discover just how intertwined the music is with the historical happenings of each era.

 

 

The Roots Theater focuses on African American history and its music.

 

Wade in the Water (one of my personal favs) showcases how gospel music and its rich history has more than influenced religious music.  This gallery featured an interactive room where me and Casandra went in, donned the requisite church choir robes and stood in front of the Green Screen so we could sing along with the Gospel Choir.  The ending was sweet as we were both magically inserted into the Gospel Choir (smile).  We saved this download to our NMAAM wrist band so we could view it later on at home.

 

An African American Gospel Choir

 

Crossroads chronicles the time in the Deep South (and after slavery) when work songs and field songs (i.e., the Blues) was prevalent.

 

Lots of ‘photo ops’ throughout the museum

 

A Love Supreme highlights the Jazz era in African American music and culture.

 

Louis Armstrong an African American Trumpeter and pioneer in Jazz music

 

One Nation Under A Groove records the time following World War I with the emergence of Rhythm and Blues…

 

Reminiscent of George Clinton…

 

The Message clearly narrates Hip Hop and Rap music and how it influenced (and continues to influence) pop culture in and around the World…this room featured a interactive DJ booth where we were able to select from one of 3 different rappers and then rap along with them.  Not surprisingly, the line to this interactive feature stayed long (smile).

 

Tupac Shakur, an influential and widely known and recognized African American rapper

 

Rivers of Rhythm featured the touch panels (found on the large glass tables)  throughout the NMAAM theater which allow the user to touch their way into an artist’s songs and biographies.  We downloaded lots of music to our NMAAM wristbands from these touch panels.  Incidentally every half hour or so a concert  played on the interactive walls (that day we jammed to the sounds of Prince, Tina Turner, and James Brown).

 

And just before you leave the museum, you will notice an art gallery featuring the works of very talented community artists.

 

 

There- also is a museum store called Amplify which sells beautiful NMAAM memorabilia at reasonable prices.

 

 

By the way, Casandra and I had the pleasure of bumping into Left Eye Lopez’s little sister Reigndrop who was at the museum that day creating a documentary  about her late sister Left Eye Lopez.  Here she is entertaining the lobby crowd in her own eclectic way.

 

Reigndrop is cool and talented too!

 

Also while in the lobby we could not help but notice the tribute to the legendary Tina Turner – who recently passed – you can’t showcase black music without including Miss Tina…may she Rest in Peace…

 

 

All in all, we had the best time eva and I would highly recommend this museum to anyone visiting the city of Nashville (or Nash as it is called).

 

Fun Fact:  I’ll never forget my big sister Casandra telling me years ago that even if we were not sisters, I would definitely be someone that she would want to be friends with.  I feel the same…

 

My Clean Living Life Part VII

It’s been a minute since I blogged in TVFL about anything – 10 months to be exact – call it the ‘Pandemic Blues’ but I’ve been feeling pretty unmotivated when it comes to writing about my life.

 

 

It could also be because I’ve been having GI issues of late which are more annoying than painful.  Between doctor’s appointments, getting my Vitals checked, eliminating certain foods from my diet, it’s not been a fun start to the New Year…

 

 

One thing’s for sure, the issue is not related to alcohol since I stopped drinking anything but Mocktails at the onset of the Pandemic..

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Mocktail

 

The silver lining is that my GI office is real close to figuring out what’s wrong with me so that they can prescribe the correct course of action.

 

 

And I can try and get back to a more normal way of living which includes a positive mindset and healthier version of clean eating.

 

Grown and Sixty

I turned 60 years old on February 14th 2022.  I was tripping about my “advanced age” (smile) for a minute because it suddenly hit me that I more likely then not have more years behind me then I have in front of me…

However, on the flip side, I consider my age to be a blessing because not everyone lives to the ripe old age of 60.

And to truly celebrate this milestone birthday, as well as our 10th year love anniversary, me and my boo embarked on a much needed and long overdue vacation to Cancun, Mexico.  My travel agent Karen booked our stay at an Adults -Only, All-Inclusive Iberostar resort.  We upgraded to an oceanfront junior suite on the 13th floor which had a spiral staircase on the bottom deck leading up to the top deck which featured a hot tub, an outdoor shower plus a small table and two lounge chairs.   It was so cozy looking especially at night when the warm ocean breezes slid into our room.

 

Our beautiful view from the 13th floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our private hot tub on the top deck complete with an outdoor shower, a small table and two lounge chairs

 

And this is how we spent our days on the beach right outside our Junior Suite:

 

We spent more time in these open beach huts during the daytime which served us well especially after fighting the surf all day.

 

On our 2nd night at the resort, we met, conversed for 5 minutes and subsequently had dinner together at an American Bistro with this couple from Southern Virginia.  They had been married for 40 years and told us over dinner that although they were no longer working for a living, they had not “retired” but rather re-set.  I’m going to use that term when I officially ‘retire'(smile).  Anyway, towards the end of the night, they shared with us that their next vacation stop was at a semi-nude beach in the islands…

 

La Parilla Restaurant (steakhouse) on our 3rd night was where we received a cheesecake after our dinner with Happy 10th Anniversary written on it…this was a big surprise to us although we did recall our lovely waiter asking us if we were celebrating anything special that night…

 

Delish perfectly cooked Salmon with freshly prepared ceaser salad, hot rolls drizzled with olive oil and mixed veggies.

 

A wonderful post-dinner surprise

 

We missed the reservations we made for the Japanese restaurant on our 4th night because we got caught up in downtown Cancun at La Isla Shopping Village.  This village was a super wide open indoor/outdoor market consisting of retail clothing stores, souvenir shops, restaurants, travel excursion booths and much, much more.  We were solicited by a man on the street who worked for one of the travel agencies and he sold us on a speedboat and snorkeling tour that costs $150 (including the snorkeling gear) and left the dock everyday at 9am, 12noon and 3pm.   We agreed it was a good deal and returned the very next day to take advantage of it.

 

The iconic Cancun tour was a blast – glad we made the decision to go

 

Captain James and Lajeune ready for take-off

 

The most memorable dinner of all was on our 5th night – A private dinner for 2 with special menu and upgraded wine (courtesy of Quinn/Panzer Travel Agency at a resort restaurant of our choice).    We chose La Horma, a gourmet restaurant where the wait staff literally treated us like a King and Queen the minute we walked through the doors.  They were quite literally tripping over themselves as they sat us at a table with a view of the ocean.  Plus they anticipated all of our needs, fed us way too much food – James had sushi appetizers with breaded shrimp, crostini bread topped with veggies, meaty beef tacos with ceviche and for his entree: flank steak and sides.   I ordered off the menu – I chose linguini with pesto sauce topped with parmesan cheese which looked as good as it tasted.   I also devoured the hot crusty rolls with olive oil and parmesan cheese.   In recognition of our 10th year love anniversary, I received beautiful roses from our waiter.

 

Linguini with pesto sauce and loads of fresh parmesan cheese
A piping hot delish oversized dinner roll
Olive oil with fresh parmesan cheese
Posing with the roses I received from our waiter to celebrate our 10th year love anniversary

 

I stopped drinking alcohol almost 2 years back when the Pandemic first started so I probably lost money to the resort since for beverages I threw back grapefruit juice, mineral water, beet juice, coffee, expresso, virgin strawberry daiquiris, green juice and bottled waters (smile).

 

Cold fresh bottled waters and a virgin strawberry daiquiri – yum!

 

Our 6th and final day consisted of breakfast outdoors at the resort (now sporting our street clothes) and waiting on the emailed results of our Covid tests which, of course, were negative.

 

Healthy and delish breakfast with fresh beet juice – yum!

 

We caught our airport shuttle the designated 3 hours before our flight and mentally prepared ourselves for the trip back to Connecticut.

 

Goodbye Cancun, until we meet again!

Frog Eyed and Bushy Tailed

I was raised in the small town of Groton, Connecticut (population around 40,000). I graduated from Mary Morrison Elementary School, Robert E. Fitch Jr. High School and Robert E. Fitch Sr. High School.   And, as is the case of most small towns, the “legal age” residents (like myself back then) were usually looking for something fun and/or exciting to do post graduation.

 

I was in luck that year.  It was 1980 and the nightclub scene in Groton and the surrounding towns and cities was lit!   Again this is wayyyyyyy back in the day so Disco music was very popular.   And the dance scene was all the rage.  Saturday Night Fever had already shown at the movies so everyone was looking to out-do John Travolta and his partner on the dance floor (smile).  I personally liked Disco Music because it was fast paced with heavy bass and lots of beats.   Disco dance tunes also seem to go on forever when dancing.

 

 

I so vividly remember this time in my life.  Going to nightclubs at 18 (which, incidentally, was the drinking age back then) and having plenty of options to choose from.  It was a different time, for instance I was able to survive on very little sleep (smile).   So starting the Summer before I left for college, I would ‘club’ 4 or 5 nights a week and still manage to get up in time to work not one, but two jobs – as a full-time Drive-Through-Window Cashier at Wendy’s Hamburgers in Groton and as a part-time Cashier at a small grocery store directly up the street from Wendy’s.

 

I recall on weekdays diligently packing my large overnight bag with my Wendy’s uniform, my grocery store tunic and Levi jeans, and my nightclub gear.  I had a long day ahead of me so preparation was key (smile).  After getting off from the grocery store, I would excuse myself and go to the ladies room in the rear of the store to wash off and get dressed for the evening.  My bff Connie would then pick me up If I was not driving my mother’s blue Mustang (smile).

 

And grabbing food on the go was a cinch as I truly had a cast-iron stomach.  I would inhale Wendy’s French fries dipped in tartar sauce for breakfast and wash it down with a delicious chocolate Fribble.  Lunch would sometimes consist of a Wendy’s Crispy Fried Chicken with Cheese Sandwich and a Dr. Pepper.  Dinner could be a Junior Whopper with cheese and fries courtesy of Burger King.  Healthy eating was not a factor in my life then.   And “clean eating” to me consisted of washing my hands before and after I ate and wiping the corners of my mouth while eating a messy burger (smile).

 

 

Rhana Pippins, located in a shopping center called Lighthouse Square in Groton,  was the premier Disco nightclub as well as ya girl’s personal fav.   There were other nightclubs in town but everybody went to Rhana Pippins on Wednesday nights and I mean everybody!  As it turned out, the ambience was key – it was beautiful inside with gargantuan frogs which served as the motif and doubled as speakers.  Also Wednesday nights was the traditional Ladies Night and word had spread quickly throughout Connecticut about free admission for the ladies, the Chippendale male strippers, the cheap drinks and the hunky men who arrived afterwards…

 

The iconic matches – perfect for getting those 7 digits (smile).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday nights at Rhana’s Pippins were also Fire!  There was a different vibe on Saturday nights though, people came dressed to impress.  Saturday Night Fever had revolutionized the nightclub scene so it wasn’t uncommon to see men dressed in open collared shirts and designer threads.  It also wasn’t uncommon to be entertained with an upscale fashion show and/or other nightclub event.  I found the crowd older and more sophisticated on Saturday nights and therefore preferred the Wednesday night crowd (smile).

 

This hottie (who happens to be my older brother Michael) was def a crowd pleaser (smile)

 

Fun fact:  Rhana Pippins means frogs in Latin.  I often wondered why the dance floor was surrounded by gargantuan frogs that doubled as speakers.  I also uncovered this tidbit:   West Hartford, Connecticut’s own native Suzanne Langlois designed the interior of the nightclub.  Very Cool…

 

 

Anyway on Wednesday nights at Rhana Pippins, me and my BFF Connie, fresh out of high school and feeling ourselves, were quite literally the first females to break out with dressy shorts, nice blouses and low heels.   At first the other females were looking at us like we were crazy for wearing shorts at night (dressy or not!) and then suddenly everybody was doing it (smile).   We also couldn’t forget our sunglasses.  Sunglasses at night.  It made us look cool, dark and mysterious (smile).

 

 

Connie and I were at the age where we didn’t think we were cute, we knew we were cute (LOL!) and we went to Rhana Pippins on Wednesday Nights not because the Chippendale dancers were there but because of the free admission, cheap drinks and hunky men who came in later.

 

 

My drink of choice back then was at first Seagrams 7 & 7 and then Alabama Slammers or better known as a “Southern Slammers.”   By the time I was in my early 20s,  I had graduated to Long Island Iced Teas (you can’t go wrong with 7 different liquors – LOL!).

 

Alabama Slammer

 

As soon as the Chippendale dancers begin to come out on the dance floor me and my BFF Connie quickly headed to the rear of the nightclub close to the large bar, sipping our drinks on the bar stools and watching the comedy parade unfold.  The “30+ something” married women were always one of the largest demographics on Wednesday nights and seemed to also be the most aggressive, waving their dollar bills in the air and gyrating their hips like they just don’t care (smile).   The former was so the Chippendale dancers would come over to give them big kisses and more…

 

Connie and I weren’t paying them any mind, we were doing our own thing,  chit chatting, snapping our fingers to the music and slowly sipping our drinks until the “real men” arrived.   By this time we were thoroughly liquored up and ready to partaaay!!!   We were young and cute and therefore always asked to dance.  Once out on the dance floor we gravitated towards the middle where the huge mirror ball hung with its sparkling multi-colored lights and lost ourselves in the music…

 

Must Be The Music

 

At 2am, Rhana Pippins shut down for the night but Connie and I were not ready to go home.  IHOP in Groton was the place to be after all the nightclubs closed.   And around that time we were famished so we ordered large breakfast food (pancakes and sausage and coffee or eggs, bacon, toast and coffee) and talked throughout the night with our respective dates.

 

 

I would get home just in time to get in 2 hours of sleep before the alarm clock went off then I would shower, dress and start my day all over again.  Frog eyed and Bushy Tailed (smile).

 

P.S.  Rhana Pippins was my number one nightclub choice back then but here are some notable mentions:  The Love Boat, Christopher’s and Atlantis in Misquamicut, Rhode Island just to name a few.   However, they still didn’t compare in my eyes to Rhana Pippins which to me had it all: ambience, music, fashion shows, dance-offs, a variety of specialty drinks and lots of eye candy (smile).

 

And incidentally, Sundays were for Church service and Mondays were our ‘official rest days’ (smile).