CAYMAN ISLANDS, FAVORITE DAY 2 & HOME

I wanted to leave the details of Day 2, May 1st, at the Cayman Islands last, because I do believe it was my FAVORITE day. Although each & every day had something unique & special to talk about, Day 2 was my most memorable.

This is what was listed on our itinerary:
Morning at Leisure
1pm-5pm FatFish Jet Ski Adventure - bring unexpensive sunglasses...wear shorts that can get wet, etc...

The Quiet One & I discussed what we were expecting. We thought it was a long time to jet ski but then again, it would be fun. We were picked up by our tour guide. His name unfortunately escapes me, so for the blog's sake, we shall call him Aqua Man! He stopped to pick up a few other couples who were joining us, and then right in the middle of the gas station was a rooster. I made the Quiet One get out & take a photo...little did I realize they are free to roam on the islands...and for me, it made it kind of cool.

When we arrived to our destinations, we were given snorkel gear. Snorkel gear? Aqua Man explained we were going to jet ski, snorkel & a few other things. Oh, okay. Quiet One & I looked at each other & smiled. Cool. There was a jet ski for each person. Now, I had only jet skied once in my life...and it was in a lake in Florida. No waves. Sweet & calm. I did love it, but my gut told me not to drive it. So I sat behind the Quiet One, trusting him with my life.

"Okay, everybody, we are going to make a right here, and when I give the signal (his arm straight up & down), we're going to open her up!" Open her up?? Open who up? What up? Why? He continued, "Now there are no laws here on speed limit & these babies can go up to 55 mph. From here we're going to Starfish Point, then Stingray City, snorkeling among the coral reefs & lunch..." My ears stopped hearing him after I heard 55 mph. Now I'm all for adventure, but not really when it comes to water, because of the lack of my swimming skills. Mental note; must take swimming lessons real soon. So, there I was, sitting behind the Quiet One & he had the widest smile I've ever seen on him. Apparently, he's an experienced jet skier & while that reassured me, it made me a bit apprehensive because, while the Quiet One is quiet, he LOVES speed! So all of us couples drove around to the right & waited for Aqua Man to arrive and give us the cue. I was calm. Happy. And the Quiet One turned to me & asked, "You ready, baby?" "Yep." Aqua man came around the bend, standing on the jet ski like some daredevil...then he gave the signal. Holy @$#!!!

...And they're off. I was happy, smiling. Everyone once in a while I screamed like a girl & I yelped here & there too. And once the jet ski reaches a certain speed, it begins to jump. Simultaneously, I liked it and I didn't...but I'm on it now, no turning back. Some boat came by...and all I know is SPLAT...I was in the water. It happened all so fast, I don't recall even being in the air. I know I flew, but the time between the jet ski and the water was immediate. I was in the water. Don't know how deep. I just noticed how immediately quiet it is down there. I opened my eyes. Don't know why. And to my left, I saw the color red. it was almost like a smoke of red. I was impressed how clear it was underwater - I had no goggles on. But I could see so clearly. This was the conversation I had with myself:

Self: "Are you alright?"
Me: "Um, what? Am I really in the water?"
Self: "Yes. Now, don't panic. Remember all those tv shows you watched? You already know that panicking will not work. All people who panic, drown or die...so don't panic."
Me: "Okay. I won't panic. I'll wait. Eventually someone will find me...but, Oh, my God, I'm still under water...shouldn't I be up right now?"
Self: "Shhh, relax..."
Me: "Shut up!!! Oh, my God, why aren't I at the top? Where is the top???"

And I slowly felt the sheer panic rise within me...and just before I lost all sense of sensiblities, I got sucked to the top as if God were vacuuming. And then I could have laughed at myself. Duh...I forgot I had a life jacket on. And there I was floating - all alone. I was relexed now...as long as I could breathe, I was okay, even though no one was in sight. And then, like a knight on a white horse, the Quiet one rode the water to me.

"Hon, you ok? All I know is I felt you holding me, and then you weren't. I'm sorry. You ok?"
All I oculd do was nod, before I realized I was just a tad traumatized...feeling helpless was not fun at all. And while some may argue, 'Judy, you had a life jacket - nothing to have worried about...', the truth is I completely forgot about it, so while I was under the water, it was pretty freaking scary. Just me, the water, the silence & God. Didn't here Him but I sure hoped He was with me.

Aqua Man was practically right behind him. Reality hit. And just like that, I felt launched back into my high school days. I became "fat girl" again. I felt out of place, compared to the rest of our group. And the proof was that the other couples wer at least a 1/2 mile away from us. I could tell that the Quiet One wanted to go faster...when I previously told him, if he wanted to go faster, he could. His response to me was 'No, mami, we're together, we stay together.' And instead of being joyful with his response, for the first time I wondered if I held him back...back from having fun, back from going faster. Ugh - I hate when I'm so hard on myself.

Aqua Man asked, "You alright? No worries, it happens all the time. Now you gotta get back on the jet ski." I recalled the time I'd gone to the Bahamas & there was a small crowd that had gathered near the water - they were laughing at a girl, who was jet skiing alone, who'd fallen off & struggled for quite some time to get back on. I recall feeling very sorry for her, and while some laughed, I wondered why no one dove in to help. Well, now I was that girl, except I had help from not one, but two strong men. "Okay, Judy, with one hand you're gonna place it in the middle & push it down. With your weight you're going to bring your knee up onto the platform & then push your other knee." Sounds easy. NOT! First of all, may I just say I carry some cushioning with me, and as a woman I don't have much upper body strength.

I gave it my all. I would not be Fat Girl anymore. First time, nothing...Second time, good effort but no results. Third time, I managed to somehow get my left let up onto the jet ski, fully extended as if I was doing a split. Impressive, yes, but the Quiet One laughed a little and said, "How in the world are you going to get your other leg up?" I laughed too...it was a funny sight. Thank God, I'm not on that reality show yet, you would have all been cracking up. But after the fourth time, I was tired...and don't know how but I suddenly realized both of my knees were bleeding. Was that the "red" I saw in the water?? I didn't want to give up. I was keeping the rest of the group waiting for me. But I was TIRED now. And just as I began to shake my head in defeat, the Quiet One turned backwards on the jet ski, and asserted to me like a drill sergeant: "Judy, look at me. Right here. You WILL do this. You CAN do this, understand?" He held his hands out to me. "Grab my hands." I took hold of his strong hands & began to pull me up - he should have fallen off, but he didn't. And next thing I know Aqua Man had a hand on my butt. Hey, whatever you have to do to get my ass back on this thing, is fine with me. Victory. I'm back on. I was still traumatized, but relieved, but I also felt like, "Mommy? I need my mommy...I just want to go home." But I didn't want to ruin anything, and I told myself to suck it up & be a woman....a braver one, anyway.

We were off again...I decided to stay in the moment & not think about the fear that lingered that I might fall off again. So I looked around. Wow. Nothing but ocean. There was no land to be seen. Don't even know where we were & I wondered how these tour guides know the ocean by heart like that. But it was pretty...and I realized I may never do this again. And I held on to my Quiet One, who checked with me periodically to see if I was alright. We stopped at Starfish Point. The water was shallow *thank you, Lord!). We finally walked in the water, and Aqua Man immediately began to show us gorgeous, huge coral-colored starfish. He explained that they cannot be out of the water, but for a few seconds. He said hold it & put it back in the water so they don't die. We took pictures of them, with them...it was very cool. In the water, starfish feel soft. Out of the water, their outer skin hardens...I was intrigued.

We were back on the jet skis - this time it wasn't difficult to mount them because we were in shallow water. After a few minutes, we stopped in another area. Aqua Man told us to shut off the engines, while he tied each of them together. He pulled out a bag of something - ooh, it was squid. Why does he have squid? "Welcome to Stingray City, everyone!" Hm, initially I thought to myself I had no desire to see stingray. What for? "The rays will come right up to you." And then one, two three rays swooped by my legs. They were so soft, graceful actually. "Do not worry...they are docile & pretty friendly AND they want to be fed. Anyone want to feed them?" Ooh, ooh me - pick me, I thought. I became an instant fan of stingrays. I raised my hand.

"Okay, you're going to make a fist, thumbside up, but keep your thumb inside the rest of your fingers so it is not exposed. Hold the squid gently & they will come get it once they smell it." I was so excited. I LOVE animals...I love feeling a connection with them. I wanted this moment so bad, because I knew that I was blessed to even be in this position. Many people will go their entire lives without a chance like this...and when I'm an old lady, I want lots of cool stories to tell the kiddies, lol. So as grossed out as I was to have to hold a squid, I took it gladly in exchange to feed one. And there it was approaching, quietly, slowly, almost like it was flying. I was as giddy as a child on Christmas. And then it happened.

I had no idea that instead of "biting" they suction their food. It happened so fast it felt like a vacuum. And with my complete surprise, I opened my fist...too early apparently and my right index finger was sucked up with the squid. Now. You tell me. We feed dogs, birds, cats, etc...and they clearly use their mouth & bite onto the food - they don't SUCK it into their mouths. If your finger got sucked into something, isn't it second nature to instantly pull it out?? And that is exactly what I did. I withdrew my finger so quickly, I felt an instant...a sudden...oh, I don't know I never felt it before. All I know is that I looked at my finger as I felt a bit of pain. And it was bleeding. There were 3 distinct slices on my finger & the middle one was a bit deep. When I later googled "stingray teeth", I saw that they are not really teeth but they look like tiny accordian things. Wow...LOL....I can't believe it. Cool!!! Cool!! "Look, sweetheart! Look what the stingray did to me. It bit me." And then I hear Aqua Man add to his speech, "Okay guys, the stingray eat with suction - so if your hand gets sucked into the mouth just wait, don't pull it out." Okay. Now I know. Sure. But I was so excited to have "battle scars" from a stingray, I didn't give a darn. I felt like it was a kiss - a momento...and although the Quiet One laughed at my sillyness & goofy reaction, no one could steal my joy. Oh, I forgot to add that one of the girls in the group, was not very sociable. She was very pretty, perfect body, and she drove the jet ski like she'd been driving it since the day she was born. I wasn't hating, but I did feel like "Is ANYTHING wrong with thic chick?" And then I heard screaming, the type you hear in a horror movie. The girl was FREAKED out by the stingrays...and well, I am sorry, I couldn't help but smile internally - she's not that perfect. Was I a mean girl to think that?

We got back onto the jet skis & Aqua Man took us to another location where we were to snorkel. Wow. What a day! Snorkeling too? I had snorkeled before so I was calm about it. And in an instant, the dark, bulky, black & gray clouds leered over us. It was the only time while on the island I witnessed them. But they were there, stalking our little snorkel adventure. We got our fins and equipment on and Boom! It began to pour! It was an avalanche of rain. The rain was pounding us so hard, it literally hurt. And the waves began to shake & dance in fear...and before I could catch my breath from the sudden change of weather, I had already swallowed water. The waves hit me. "Judy, just put your head in the water, it's calmer there," the Quiet One called out to me. I had no choice. I put my head in the water, and I swore I heard the soundtrack from the Little Mermaid. "Under the Sea...under the Sea..." The sight was impressive! So many beautiful fish...gorgeous hues of yellows, violets, turquoises...and the coral was increidbile. Aqua Man dived deep down & pointed to a small cave...and as we looked closer, we realized it was a Lion Fish...the fish are beautiful...but if you touch the tips of their fins, they are very poisonous...When I finally brought my head back up the storm had passed.

We walked onto Rum Point, where we had lunch. The menus were attached to coconuts & I finally indulged in a MudSlide. I felt I deserved it. We spoke with Aqua Man, who was only 26, but he knew the island better than anyone. After an hour or so, Aqua Man instructed us to get back on the jet skis. I asked him, "So, where to now?" He replied, "We go back to where we started." "How long will that take?" "About 20 minutes." I could have cried, but I put on my warrior of water face & said, "Let's do this." The Quiet One promised me I would be okay....and he actually drove faster this time. I told myself to surrender to it. If I was going to fall off, so be it. And as we jumped through the water, I heard the Quiet One yell, "Yea baby!!!" He was enjoying himself, something I don't always see him do...and I was satisfied. When we returned to the hotel, I was genuinely tired and I was genuinely fulfilled. Now, THAT is what I call an adventure. If I were to recommend anything to you regarding the Cayman Islands, I would definitely tell you to make this part of your activities while you are here. So well worth it. And if I had to go home that day, alhtough only my second day, I would have returned with a satisfied smile on my face!

Day 7, Sunday, May 6th

And speaking of returning home, it was time to go back to reality. We were packed very early the next morning. And we dined for the last time at our little Eats Cafe. The Quiet One & I joked about how much weight we'd probably gained...we felt it was worth it...at least until we once again stepped onto a scale. We were picked up by our driver, Carole, who I tipped & thanked & hugged. She told us if we ever returned to look her up...and I will! At the airport, I HAD to buy some sort of jewelry to mark this trip. Each time I take a trip, I always buy myself something unique to remember it by. I found a silver necklace, with a stingray charm made of a stone only found in the Dominican Republic...Oh, yes, and I stopped by the Tortuga store to purchase rum cakes for all my friends & family.

We landed at JFK just 3 hours later. We went through customs, picked up the car & drove back home. Although I was sad to leave, I was glad to be home too. As I unpacked I heard something fall...it made a clanking sound...and it slipped under my bed. When I picked it up there it was. As silver & pretty as could be - it was that silver spoon I wanted to take home, but was refused by the waitress at Eats Cafe. Ha, ha, ha, ha!! Where did this come from? I looked at the Quiet One. He had a smug-I-have-no-idea look on his face. I know he did it. And while I don't condone stealing - I thought it was romantic that my boyfriend found a way to make sure I had my silly spoon. And no every morning when I have my cafe con leche, I use that spoon & every morning I am reminded of the perfect trip I took...the spring of 2012 at the Cayman Islands....ah, yes, life is good!!

CAYMAN ISLANDS - Days 3-6

I want to tell you about Tuesday, Day 2, but as they say, leave the best for last...so I'll tell you later. Day 3, Wednesday, May 2nd: It proved to be a great time. We were picked up by our tour guide & went on the Cayman Safari. It was cool to be driven around the entire island in a Jeep! Our first stop was the Botanic Park, where we walked the gardens. There I saw the most BEAUTIFUL Birds of Paradise - they were HUGE & so incredibly vivid in colors I didn't even think existed! Our tour guide, Shirley, had phenomenal knowledge of all the plant life, flowers & living animals...and then we enountered the Blue Iguana - indigineous to the Cayman Islands & also an endangered animal. Then it was on to lunch, where a Caymanian 70 year old woman cooked a homemade lunch for us. I lounged on a hammock & tasted a pepper so spicy that everyone laughed at my reaction...truth be told, I could taste the heat from that pepper for almost an hour!! In the evening, we dined at Calypso Grill, where the Quiet One & I had a sweet & romantic time. And for my entree, I ordered Shrimp and Lobster Champagne - Oh, yeah baby!! It tasted even better than it sounds! Actually, I cleaned the entire plate...nope, I am not ashamed!! And for dessert? Aha! Yes, I had Sticky Toffee pudding AGAIN! Dinner was soo good, we wobbled out of there - with no regrets! Day 4, Thursday, May 3rd: First thing in the morning, we prepared for the airport, where a flight had been booked for us to go to Little Cayman, famous for its deep-sea diving & remote beaches. It was about a 40 minute flight in one of those small planes with little propellers on the sides...a bit intimidating for me, but a gorgeous panoramic view! When we landed we were driven to the Southern Cross Club. It is a resort consisting of only 12 ocean view bungalows, including private outdoor showers!! LOL..I'd never seen that before, but it was cool to imagine showering & looking at the beach at the same time. We were introduced to Mike, who gave us snorkeling equipment - who also casually mentioned that we may encounter sharks while we were out there. Que que?? Huh? Our itinerary had read that we were going snorkeling "unaccompanied." Hm, don't know what that means. Well, it means EXACTLY what it said, lol. We were driven to a separate remote beach...and dropped off, being told "...be back to pick you up by noon!" Immediately we could tell this beach was so different - it was SO not commercialized - it felt like a "wild" beach. It was a HOT day for sure. As we walked into the water and looked around, we realized it. We. Were. Alone. No one in sight, except for a diving boat that had just begun to set sail again. When in life can you say you could be alone on a beach with the one you love??? Probably - never. The Quiet One & I decided to begin snorkeling. We were told that about 100-200 yards out there was a buoy & once we reached that mark, there would be a huge drop & from there we would witness the BEST coral reefs & marine life. We couldn't wait. There was so much Coral around...just beautiful. The Quiet One pointed here & there to show me fish and he even picked up a couple of conchs (the BIG sea-shells with the snaily things inside). We got about half way & I noticed the current was a bit stronger compared to Grand Cayman...and I'm not the best swimmer...and I only had a floatee. I know how to doggie-paddle, float & otherwise keep myself straight up in the water...but swim to save my life? Nah. So may fish, coral...colors..it truly was the best I'd ever seen & I've snorkeled a lot. And then...The Quiet One was poking my arm with enthusiasm. What? What? And then I saw it...a barracuda! I remember our tour guide had told us that if she had a choice to swim with a shark or barracuda, she would pick the shark every time. How did we sense this was a differnt type of fish? Every single fish we saw didn't care that we were there. They just swam about their business being fish. But the barracuda saw us...and never took its eyes off of us. In fact, it got a little closer..and is it got closer so did its teeth...ugly fish, that barracuda. Well, that was all I needed. To me I took it as a sign. And although he didn't say it, I believe the Quiet One felt that way too. I'm all for adventure, but I want to be safe. There was no one around & if anything had happened to him, who, how, where do I go to get help?? So the Quiet One & I sat on the beach & made out, er um, I mean, kissed like bandits..and we also forgot to reapply our sunblock. When we returned to Southern Cross Club, we toured the Honeymoon Bungalow (hint hint, lol), swam in the pool, went kyaking & ended the day on hammocks...and then we realized we were sunburnt. In the evening, it was off to dinner at Blue Cilantro. Talk about fancy. For the record, I call fancy things "shi (shee) Shi - Foo Foo. Thank God, we dressed up...it actually felt sensual to be in a dress & heels! This place was seriously shi-shi foo-foo. GORGEOUS! The ambience was inviting, hues & hints of blue all around. (Truth be told, I wanted to steal the plates, lol.) The menu was so exotic - I KNOW we had question marks on our faces..but fake it 'til you make it, right? The manager welcomed us. And the fine dining began...we were served something on these large, white ceramic spoons...on it were these orange circle thingies. The Quiet One looked at me like the kid in the old Life commercial "I'm not gonna try it...you try it. Hey, let Mikey try..." So, I felt it was impolite not to at least taste it. I lifted it & counted to three. The second it hit my upper palate (roof of my mouth), it burst. LOL..It was a surprise..and it was good. The Quiet One followed suit & he had the same expression I did. We laughed & I have to say the food was EXCELLENT! Before we left, we were greeted by Chef Shetty, who's been a chef for 28 years & has worked at the most prestigious restaurants, including the ones in NYC! He was a wonderful & delightful man, whose passion is obviously cooking. The night was so perfect, we walked back to our hotel. It was then I asked the Quiet One: "Hey, babe...aren't you tired?" I slept GREAT every single night at the Westin. Day 5, Friday, May 4th: The Quiet One & I had breakfast at our favorite little spot we discovered called "Eats Cafe." It had a 50's diner feel to it, and each morning the food was so tasty! There was a spoon there...silly, I know, but I was in love with this spoon. I didn't want to steal, so I asked the waitress if I could have it as a momento. The Quiet One told me not to ask: "She's gonna say no, Judy. How much you wanna bet?" I told him, "If I ask, she'll say yes...at least I'm being honest." The waitress' answer? No, I am sorry. AWWW I HATE losing bets! Darn. I love that spoon - it had a cute little design on it, and ironically at home I have a tablespoon with the same design. I just wanted to have the teaspoon. Okay, that's trivial stuff... We went to the Turtle Farm where we learned all about turtles: we learned how they mate, how they lay eggs. We learned that the sex of the turtle is determined by the temperature of the room, not genetics. If it's hot, it's a girl...if it's cold, it's a male...go figure! I held a turtle for the first time...and even met the oldest, meanest turtle there named Lucifer. Need I say more? There was an alligator there appropriately named Smiley. It is a wonderful place & you can even snorkel with turtles there too. They had an aviary, where I saw parrots, and I even held one that pooped the second it got on my hand. Good luck, yes? I saw ibis & more. We ate lunch at the Cracked Conch & drank the best frozen drinks! And then it was off to the Glass Bottom Boat Tour - it's perfect for anyone who wants to see the fish & coral in the water but doesn't want to actually go in the water. Our tour guide was funny, entertaining & he had an Australian accent. I admit - when we returned, I was truly wiped out. I met Ruth Myles of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, and discovered she was a fan. She truly spoiled us & gave us a wonderful gift....Little does she know she gave me a gift of memories that will last me a lifetime. I couldn't help but cry as I was overhwlemed with gratitude, when I thanked her. Before retiring to bed, The Quiet One & I walked around the hotel and discovered a couple having their wedding rehearsal dinner right on the beach! They were even having a bon fire...very sweet & fun. We watched from afar, but it made me wonder if we'll get married. When we got back to the room, we went onto the balcony - it was a full moon & I couldn't help but feel, I was there with the right man. The Quiet One has been a blessing to me: wise, romantic, affectionate, considerate, non-dramatic, loving & faithful. Day 6, Saturday, May 5th: Most of our day was free...so we went onto the beach one more time & saw schools of fish, and families; parents teaching their children how to swim...it was all so sweet. Made me wonder if I've missed out on the "having children" thing...I guess I may never know. What is meant to be, shall be, I guess. The afternoon we went to the Cayman Carnival - Batabano!! It is their annual parade that includes stilt walkers, limbo dancers, masqueraders, floats, costumes. What I loved most was the music. The Caribbean, Cayman music was so lively, so festive, so...sooo...happy!! I loved every second of it! There were soca bands, singers...and lots & lots of food! You can drink coconut milk right out of the coconut, plantains, rice & beans...and even for the exotic & adventurous - a Cayman specialty - turtle! How could I eat turtle when I held one just the day before. I will never know what it tastes like...but I understand it's pretty good. Whew, I need a vacation from the vacation! www.caymanislands.ky

WELCOME TO CAYMAN ISLANDS! Day 1

There's been so much going on in my life, I never got the chance to tell you about our trip to Cayman Islands...Here's a little run down! So, we're back from the GLORIOUS Cayman Islands!! The BEST trip of my life - and I've had some pretty good ones! I've got a deep tan that the cast of Jersey Shore would be absolutely jealous of!! I've got memories to last me a lifetime, I met the kindest people, saw the sweetesst sunsets, the most flavorful cuisine & I really felt like I experienced a true adventure! Now, I've been to the Bahamas before, about 4 times, and I did truly enjoy it. But after being at the Cayman Islands - with the clearest, calmest, bluest waters yoyu will ever see - I can honestly say that I willl definitely be coming back!! Let me give you a rundown if I can... Monday, April 30th: Woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 3:30am! The Quiet One and I drove to JFK where we checked in with Cayman Airways. Check in was swift. I felt like I could press the Staples button that says, "that was easy." Checked our bags in, made our way to the gate and boarded the plane. We were excited like children the morning of Christmas. It was only the second time that the Quiet One had been on a plane, so needless to say, hew was experirencing some mild anxiety. But we were up in the air, and I was served a meal & tried rum punch for the first time. Oh, yea, baby...now we're rolling! We landed just 3 hours later, non-stop, and were immediately picked up by Carole, our driver, who took us to the Westin Casaurina Resort. Instantly I realized we really were out of the country. It was 87 degrees! Thank you! I was feeling a little dyslexic: The steering wheels were on the right, and all the cars were driving on the left of the roads. Their yield signs read "Give Way"...We arrived at the hotel and just took it all in. It was so beautiful - the palm trees, the colors, the blue water...it really was paradise, just like you see on tv. When we reached our room, we were given a welcome package along with our itinerary. I felt like a true star! I read it and showed the Quiet One and we instantly realized how MUCH there is to do here! 5:45pm: We boarded the Spirit of Calypso! It was my first time on a catamaran. It was a Sunset Sail. We sailed the ocean with other couples. There was music, cool breeze, and the open Caribbean Sea. I spoke with a couple who had been to Cayman Islands 13 times! Yep, it's that good! The Quiet One & I sat together holding hands. And he looked at me and said, "We're here, sweetheart! Welcome to the Cayman Islands!" The Captain dropped us off on another part of the island where we did some fine dining at Hemingway's. And there it was the first time I tried conch fritters and for dessert, sticky toffee pudding! Oh! Oh! Yes! Yes! I found a new dessert that I fell in love with! It was so good, I moaned with every bite, lol...it's silly, but true! I didn't think mosquitoes lived in Cayman Island, but I was awarded 18 bites to be reminded. (yes, the mosquitoes have ALWAYS loved my blood) So if you do go there, please remember your repellent. Apparently mosquitoes aren't around all year round - only when I was there, lol. We were off to bed early - we were a bit tired and had a BIG day for Tuesday! Goodnight, Buenas noches, bon nuit, buona note!

CAYMAN ISLANDS...HERE I COME!!!

About two months ago, I received an email from KTU asking me if I'd be interested in going to the Cayman Islands, courtesy of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism...YES! YES! YES!! It's close to the fatherland (my father is Cuban) and I had been there many years ago, but I didn't get to really experience the island because I was only there for a couple of hours (I was on a cruise.) I wanted to go back so badly because I had seen how beautiful the water was...so crystal clear you can see all the way to the bottom of the ocean!! I had one problem...with all the issues with my voice, and all the shows I had to cancel, I didn't feel I could AFFORD the trip. Yes, lots of things are covered in these matters, but you still need to eat, you still want to shop, you need transportation to get around, etc. But thanks to my boss at KTU, Cayman Department of Tourism and God's good grace, arrangements have been made, and here I am...in less than 24 hours, I will be at the Westin Casaurina Resort & Spa at Grand Cayman!!!! (Photo on top) OH, how I can't wait to feel the 86 degree weather...oh, yes, and did I mention, they are letting me bring the Quiet One with me!!! While I'm there, we'll be doing SO many fun things: snorkeling, jet skiing, going on Sunset Sails, Turtle Farm, Cayman Safari...it's going to be AWESOME! Thanks to technology, I will be able to post pictures, add video to facebook, twitter & I'll even be able to call KTU to report about it all during the entire week!!! I feel like a reporter...Yes! With all the stress I've been through, and the worries about my voice, it's just nice to get a break! The Quiet One and I have been running around all week, buying all the little things that come up when you're about to go on vacation...sandals, bathing suits (thankfully the one I used last year is too big on me, lol) and tiny 3oz toiletries lol. There are plans to be made...who will water the plants, cars need to be protected (yes, even in my neighborhood), mail has to be handled...but I have WONDERFUL friends who are plant-sitting, house-sitting, car-sitting and making sure we have a home to come home to, lol. So...please pray for us to have traveling mercies on the plane. (It's a reality we all need to worry about nowadays). Oh, forgot to mentnion we get a hot meal & rum punch on the plane for free!! (Thanks Cayman Airways) things...that is the reality of the world we live in. BUT....I'M GOING TO THE CAYMAN ISLANDS!! And we are going to the Cayman Carnival Batabano...it is their annual parade, festival, dancing...thousands of people!! I'm very happy...and I'm glad I can tell you all about it!! For more info on how you can go to Cayman Islands: www.caymanislands.ky

NOW I AM THE QUIET ONE!

I have been driving myself crazy in silence since February 2nd of this year. It is the silence that has been torturous! It has been a spiritual silence & a forced physical one...and now I need to release the truth, however scary or painful it may be. This shocking & life-altering event has made me ask myself the question I had always hoped I would never have to ask: "If I am not my voice, who am I? If I am not my voice, how can I function? If I am not my voice, will they still care...love me." It began on New Year's Eve, I believe. Just noticed that during my last song on stage, my voice gave out. It did not cause any alarm because when you have a demanding vocal schedule as I've had, from time to time, your voice will betray you. But it was how the new year of 2012 began. In January, I had the month off...a very much needed month off. But whenever I was on the air, it seemed I had laryngitis. Laryngitis is cute when it lasts a day or two. You get all sorts of compliments on how "sexy" your voice is sounding. But it lasted almost three weeks. In the past - 3 times to be exact - I have had nodules on my vocal chords. Nodules are like small calluses on your vocal chords, they are commonly found on those who use their voice more than normally: singers, teachers, lawyers, speakers etc. I really believed that's what was going on - and I had overcome them in the past & with lots of therapy & vocal rest, I've gotten rid of them. But just to be safe, I decided to check it out. This has been the turn of events: FEBRUARY 2nd - Visit to my friend, Gateano Fava, who is also a speecho pathologist. He performed a stroboscopic exam. In English, he put a tube down my nose into my throat that contains a camera...they are able to see your vocal chords best that way. Diagnosis: Vocal polyp on right side. Referred to a laryngologist for futher evaluation and confirmation. Okay, I'm slightly nervous, but open-minded that this is not a big problem. FEBRUARY 3RD - The Quiet One came with me (yes, we're still together & he's still GREAT) Emergency appointment with laryngolgoist, Dr. Ivey, Director of Laryngology at Columbia University Medical Center. Had to be numbed & stroboscope down my nose again. She had me sing on the vowel 'Eee' while it was down my throat...quite hard not to gag. Diagnosis: Vocal polyp on right side with hemorrhage...NO! A polyp is a growth...it can sometimes be cancerous, but in vocal chords, usually benign. Wow, how ironic...exactly what happend to singer, Adele! Dr. Ivey tells me I need to be on vocal rest NOW...meaning no speaking - for a week! No radio work this weekend. NO singing. But I have a show on February 11th?! PANIC - the worst I've ever felt - sets in. She puts me on oral steroids & gives me a list of do's and don'ts for the voice. Don't yell, don't cough, don't whisper, don't talk on the phone, don't sing, don't laugh, don't cry. She tells me she will get me well enough to sing on the 11th, but we have to get the blood vessels to heal quickly. Stunned, I go home and immediately email my manager to inform him of the turn of events. I have the Quiet One talk to people on my behalf...and I feel as if I'm out of body, numb. FEBRUARY 9TH - Hadn't spoken in 6 days. Dr. Ivey takes more video footage of my vocal chords. A little bruising still there, but major swelling has gone down. Polyp is still there. She clears me to perform & tells me not to do anything too demanding, so I remove a song from my repertoire. The doctor also tells me that as soon as I sing, I must go quiet again. No talking to anyone. All I can think of is 'Does she understand that right after the show on the 11th in Chicago, the people EXPECT me to stay & take pics?" I get a few emails from management asking if I can take shows for March. I have no idea how to answer. I have become increasingly impressed with the Quiet One's unfound talent of reading my lips. All I can say is thank God for email, texts and an application on my phone that can say for me whatever I type. I feel horrible, but relieved that I have the green light to sing on the 11th. FEBRUARY 11tTH - The show is in Chicago. The hardest time I've ever had not speaking. You will never notice how much you take speaking for granted until you can't speak. Something as simple as ordering food at a restaurant becomes a chore. My road manager just looks at me...and says, "You sure you can do this today?" No. No. I am not sure. I have no idea what to do. I cannot cancel this show, it's Studio 63 in Chicago - an amazing place that has booked me for MANY years... but I wish I could. Many people are counting on me to sing. I spend the day in my hotel room. I try to nap, but I can't. I drink so much tea that my pee is clear. And then I turn on the tv to discover that Whitney Houston has died. And I can't even cry about that! How does Whitney die? I used her songs to audition back in '85 & '86...Saving All My Love - it's one of the songs that got me discovered. I'm devastated. Can't move. Freaking tragedy, a great loss. Time to get ready. I get to the club, and the owner wants to know why I'm so serious. My road manager simply says I have laryngitits and I'm saving my voice. I walk onto the stage. Holy...it's packed! More people than I've ever seen. I do my best to stop obsessing about how I'm going to sound. My best friend, David M who resides in NY, surprised me by showing up at my show. Some of the fear ebbed - but not enough to take away the urge to cry. I get on stage. God is always with me, I swear, because I was able to do it. I sang the songs, and I was able to hold what I call the money-making notes! Whew. Relief. I'm quiet but I take pics & sign autographs. Thank you, Lord!! FEBRUARY 12TH - I am at the edge of my seat watching Adele. I know that we both had polyps on the vocal chords that hemmoraghed. I know she had to cancel her American tour. I know she was not able to speak for 3 weeks,and no shows for MONTHS! And now, her first time singing in public since her surgery, she's singing on the Grammy's. Talk about pressure. I know I wasn't supposed to cry but I was truly elated for her! She was amazing!! It was as if nothing was ever wrong to begin with! FEBRUARY 16TH - The first of two laser procedures is performed. PDL laser treatment...this procedure was to attempt to close off the blood vessels that had ruptured. There's some throat pain, but nothing I cannot handle. No speaking again for at least 48 hours. Then begin intensive speech therapy immediately thereafter. I was awake for the whole thing. The numbing that has to be done to my nose & throat was the worst part of it honestly. Just not fun. But it wasn't as bad as I had imagined. And I confess, I smelled a strange odor...oh, that's the smell of burning flesh. Yuck. MARCH 12TH - Second laser procedure is done. Same smell. But I am VERY excited because this procedure is going to shrink the polyp or irradicate it altogether. I go home with orders not to speak for 48 hours & return to speech therapy. MARCH 16TH - Speech therapist wants to look at my vocal chords again to see how far we can go with exercises. My nose is numbed again. UGH! I HATE it! And then he and his assistant go quiet. What? What? What is it? He excuses himself. About 10 minutes later he tells me - you have a lot of bleeding on your vocal chords & the right one is stiff...you CANNOT do your radio show this Sunday. For the SECOND time I have to call my boss at KTU and tell him I cannot come in. First time, he was concerned & completely supportive. Second time, he was surprised, concerned & supportive, but I became scared if this keeps up - could I lose my job? MARCH 17TH - Show at Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, NJ. Doctor has cleared me to sing...but I can only sing two songs: No Reason to Cry & Love You Will You Love Me. I get onstage...freaking scared - almost scared stiff. The crowd was so excited that I felt guilty. How can I perform for these people that are expecting perfection? The entire time I sang No Reason to Cry, I couldn't stop obsessing about how I sounded. Am I ok? Is my voice loud enough? What am I going to do when the high notes come? My first attempt...voice cracked. Oh, my God! After the song, I just decided to be honest. I told the crowd about the surgery...and they were so understanding...and I was able to finish the show with a LOT more confidence. So relieved I was able to get that done! PRESENT DAY - After several meetings with the doctor, the speech therapist and a second opinion, surgery is necessary. The polyp is keeping me from singing higher notes that are normally simple for me. The polyp is also allowing air to escape while I sing when it is not supposed to. The polyp can also hemmorhage again and/or become bigger - rendering singing extremely difficult to impossible. I have no choice. Surgery will be taking place on May 30th. No speaking at all for one week. And...NO SINGING for 3 months!! I had to go home, had to break the news to my management, my family, and KTU. To make matters worse, I had to cancel MANY shows. Lots of people begged me not to cancel - many told me to drink tea and it will be alright - they don't understand how serious this is. So I had a show on New Year's Eve, February 11th and I have one more to do on May 23rd before the surgery. This has been exhausting - especially mentally and financially. I finally finally finally broke down. I think I cried for two hours or so. And then I called my mom. I am still that little girl that when she has a boo-boo needs to call my mommy. I am hopeful. I was told by THREE doctors that once I do this, and follow all the orders, I will be "pleasantly surprised" with my voice, and I will be singing better than ever. That's wonderful. But I am also afraid. No singing for three months. Singing is my spiritual breathing for me. What if something God forbid, went wrong? What if I could never sing again? What am I going to do? I don't have a Plan B! Singing has been my one and only vision. But I must do what I must do...either way, if I don't do this at all, I will eventually not sing. But I worry if promoters and booking agents are going to forget about me, or be angry, or think 'She's done.' I worry. If I don't have a voice to sing...who am I if I am not my voice. I have done a LOT of thinking...this polyp is a result of singing in some clubs with horrific sound systems and improperly unfunctioning microphones for the last 25 years...and because there were MANY times I was supposed to turn things down, where I took too much on my plate...and pushed myself. Because I didn't say no when I was supposed to, now I have to say no for three whole months! For one week beginning this Monday, I will be able to put all these worries on hold. KTU is sending me & the Quiet One to the Cayman Islands - it is a job to discover what Cayman Islands are all about & report back to the listeners & record commercials. This "vacation" is a blessing. I apologize. This is the LONGEST blog I have ever written. But I have decided to tell you the TRUTH about what is happening to me. I hope that it will teach others that we are all challenged in life...and that we MUST put ourselves first. We are useless to others if we are not healthy. So please pray for me, and if people ask 'Where has Judy been?' please tell them this story & ask for their prayers too. Believe it or not, this has been harder for me than when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This will be a LONG journey to healing...but I am taking that first step. Looks like I have become the Quiet One...as least for a little while.

Here is a mirrored photo of the polyp. The red bump on left is the polyp that is on my right vocal chord...it's gross, I know, but for educational purposes, I wanted to share.

REALITY? REALLY?

The other day, I received an email from one of my agents informing me that I would be receiving a call from a producer from a VERY popular network (which shall go unnamed until I know it's happening). Why? That's when he told me that these producers have been in communication with him for some time now about putting a reality show depicting the lives of freestyle artists, both professionally & personally, and the relationships with their agents.

Deep down, I had always hoped we, the freestyle artists, could somehow document our stories because I believe you would be shocked & disturbed by what you would see. When we think of recording artists, there are immediate images in our minds: limousines, stylists, the best clothes, jewelry, gowns, concerts, getting the "star" treatment, jet-setting to different countries and finally, money. But those are the MAJOR LABEL RECORDING ARTISTS who are selling so many recordings that they go platinum. Those are the Beyonces, Lady Gagas, Rihannas, Pitbulls & Ushers of the industry. And those artists work VERY hard for their successes...so I am not putting them down. But what about other artists who are simply trying to stay in the light, simply trying to stay in the public eye? That's who I believe, sometimes we are. When I go to schools to speak to kids about making their dreams come true, I almost always get the same questions first, before getting questions that MEAN something: "Do you have a mansion? What kind of car do you drive? Do you have a pool?" Sometimes I just laugh inside, because isn't that what this society teachers us to aspire to? But sometimes, the questions sting a little. They get under my skin because my answer is 'no.' I do not have a mansion, nor do I have a pool - I can't even stretch out my legs in my own bathtub!! I have a car, (which I love) but it's not the Bentley they hope I own.

Truth is that many of us had our shining moments - at some point we were on the verge of going Pop/Top 40. Many of us like George Lamond, Sa-Fire, Lissette Melendez & especially Lisa-Lisa, did make the big leagues but it was short-lived - because of the birth of hip-hop & other "political" issues out of our control. And to this day whenever I see those artists & TKA/K7, I feel like they have been overlooked, shortchanged and denied the recognition that they should truly get & should have gotten. And so, when you go to one of our freestyle concerts, you would think there would be a lot of glamour....sometimes there is, in truth, we do see that from time to time. But what you don't see is the drama. You don't see the arguements that sometimes ensue because a promoter decides to pay us less, or not at all. You don't see the crazy chaos that sometimes occurs backstage just before you go on, or how sick one may feel at a show. You see the facade - the glamorous part - you see the finished product.

I'm not complaining by any means. I have been ABSOLUTELY BLESSED to say I have made my dream to be a singer come true - and it has lasted a quarter of a century, 25 great years. I simply think that we too, like many others, have a great story to tell.

So I spoke to the producers & had a conference call...I discovered that they are interviewing 7 freestyle artists but are only picking 5. (Shhh - it's a secret). I was asked interesting questions like: is there anyone you don't get along with? What kind of problems occur? I am not sure they were interested until I told them something that NO ONE knows about. Truth is that since February, I have been living in a bit of a silent hell - I have not been able to speak about it...I promise you that I will, but only when I know I can. But when I told them, they became very intrigued and asked me to send them some video. So, right from my iphone, I sent them a self-recorded video. They said they loved me on camera & in a few weeks, they'll be in town to finish a pilot...If the pilot is approved, we will have a reality show...and we will finally be able to show you all we do in the name of music, in the name of love for our fans, and in the name of integrity!

They explained to me that people will be in my house recording my every move...hm, then I felt sudden hesitance. Really? I mean I am no Kardashian, know what I mean? I am not in perfect clothing with a great face made up. I'm not living in some fancy penthouse...lol. And I've seen the results that reality shows have on some people. For some it's brought them fame & notoriety - and for others, it's ruined their lives. But when I think about it, it could be a great thing - to show the truth, and to teach the masses more about freestyle music - which, unless you are from NY or urban cities such as Chicago or Miami, many do not even know about the freestyle movement! So, I have prayed about it, and I know that if God thinks it's a great thing for me to do, it will happen and it will be successful. Only time will tell...hmmmm!!!

STAND BY YOUR MAN

So it was December, 2011 - just one week shy of Christmas. Things with the Quiet One were going splendidly well...and then, well, something happened to him...something that had already happened to so many of my friends and what has happend to SO many others. He told me he was laid off. The unemployment club had now included my own boyfriend. I felt devastated FOR him. The Quiet One is a very skilled man, member of a union with years of experience in his craft. When he told me about it, I did what any woman would do: I stood by my man. The Quiet One had done so much for me already - it surely is NO ONE's fault when they are unexpectedly laid off due to budget issues. I knew it would be hard, but it would be harder because it was SO close to the holidays. I was suddenly flown back to December,1999.

From 1999 - 2001, I was a member of the KTU Morning Show. My role on the show was not the major role I had hoped for. Nor did I ever honestly get used to waking up at 4am. But nonetheless, I LOVED being there every morning & I was proud to be there. I was especially proud to be on the air on that tragic day of 9/11. I was humbled & extremely moved by how humanity & love survived...and I was honored to call in & report to KTU while on site at Ground Zero. So it was December 22nd, I believe. We were on the air for four hours, and had just signed off. We, the members of the morning show, made a big deal out of the fact we were going on vacation. "Have a GREAT Christmas everyone! We'll see you next year." We had all hugged one another. We all had smiles on our faces. It would be an entire week of vacation - and we needed it. But we had no idea it would be our last broadcast.

We were literally walking out the door, when our program director (at that time), said, "Hold on...before you go, I need to see you guys." At times I tend to be quite gullible, optimistic & naive...this was one of those times. I thought he was calling us in one by one to give us a Christmas bonus -so there I sat, waiting with a stupid smile on my face - while the others stared at the wall with dread. Out of 6 of us, only 2 would remain. I was shaking when I left the office. I was grateful that I would still have a job at KTU hosting my Freestyle Free For All on Sundays - but I was SO devastated to know that it would be my last day on the morning show. And right before Christmas!!! Suddenly I panicked. I called my mother, hysterical. My mother, of course, took the it-will-be-alright-you-don't-need-that-stress attitude. All I could think of was feeling that I was not "liked" on radio anymore and that I would not be able to do that Christmas shopping I had planned to do that very day. Now that extra money would have to be saved for a many rainy day. But I did indeed survive it all...and I'm still "liked" on KTU...as I will celebrate 15 years of being on the air this summer! But I knew EXACTLY how the Quiet One was feeling.

I assured him over and over again that he would find another job. I told him that God can never give him a better job, unless He cleared him from the one he already had. But I know how men feel. Most men equate their self-worth with what living they make; they feel proud to know they can "take care" of their family, or their woman. They also need to feel that they're filling a purpose - we all need that. So, the Quiet One nodded his head and was very upset that he couldn't buy me the one BIG Christmas gift he'd planned to buy me with the pay check he was supposed to receive. I told him I didn't need a big gift. I told him that HE was my gift...that God had given me EXACTLY what I wanted: a good man who respects me, cherishes who I am, who could care less that I sing, and who would honor me and be loyal. I'd take that any day over any piece of jewelry or a Kindle (lol...he knew I wanted a Kindle badly, lol).

So on Christmas, we took a ride to my visit my mom. And I was so proud of him. He helped set the table. He played with my nieces and later when we all sang my favorite Christmas carol, Carol of the Bells, he sang along as well. He was a GREAT sport! The magical moment came later on. I could not find him at all...and then I saw it. There he was, hands flying around in animated conversation. And who was he with? All 3 brothers & one uncle...they were talking and laughing. I walked into the kitchen where they were to listen in on the convo, when he said to me, "Sorry, honey, it's a guy thing." I laughed & walked out...and I felt proud. He doesn't believe me, but to see my boyfriend hanging out with my brothers and laughing - that was the best gift I could have ever received. After dessert, we took the ride home & cuddled on the sofa watching the Good Elf, or something like that. He apologized for not being able to give that big gift...but told me my gift was in the stocking. He had given me two pairs of the softest, coziest socks and two GORGEOUS pairs of EARRINGS! What was he talkng about? It was a perfect Christmas....I FINALLY am with someone who is REAL...

Fast forward to Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, the Quiet One STILL had not been able to find a job in his field, or even a different job altogether...and he was beginning to panic. I had to keep him calm...if we both panicked, it would make this bump in the road even worse. We kept Valentine's Day VERY simple. The Quiet One gave me a beautiful card, chocolate and he cooked my favorite dinner...I don't know what he calls it, but it's a delicious Italian dish with pasta, chicken, tomatoes and quiet ingredients, lol. He also baked me a lemon cake with a buttercream frosting, my favorite. We watched all our favorite tv shows & cuddled all night long...

Losing a job can be paralyzing, terrifying & can literally shake your foundation. But I am proud of him - he has NEVER quit. He has NEVER given up and he has NOT taken it out on me. That's what I'm most proud of him for. When people are under acute and high stress, it is easy to become quick tempererd and snap at the ones we love. Suddenly, under that type of pressure, it become easy to make the one you love a target and begin arguing about senseless things. But the Quiet One never changed. I love him for that. I am VERY proud of him. The fact is that since the job never came to him, he went to the job. Today, he has begun his own business & last week landed his first client. Last night, he landed a second! He's a good man and I have NO doubt, he will do well...and I love him. I really love him. So ladies if and when your man loses his job, or something truly meaningful to him - although you may want to get angry and panic...don't. Be his rock for a change, believe in him & his abilities, pray and then stand by your man!