Greetings from Sint Maarten. Mike and I are spending our last couple of days of our two-week vacation here. Assuming a negative Covid test, we will return home tomorrow. We have had a very relaxing time. We have watched the news of all the devastation in the U. S. The hurricane devastation in Louisiana and the aftermath of that storm up the east coast is tragic, as are the fires in California and surrounding areas. Having lived through Hurricane Irma in Sint Maarten September 6, 2017, we are grateful that this trip has not had any weather disruption. We pray for a quick recovery for those areas dealing with the wrath of Hurricane Ida and the fires. We are very aware of the gift of being able to travel home to a secure dwelling, and do not take our blessings for granted.

While my mind is still in vacation mode, I will minimize the narrative of this post and share some photos of this beautiful island. We have been coming here since 2000 and consider Sint Maarten a second home. We have seen many changes in these twenty-one years. What has not changed, other than to strengthen, is the friendliness of the people. Sint Maarten-St Martin is known as the Friendly Island, and our experience confirms this distinction is well deserved.