It’s late afternoon, I have osso bucco braising in the oven, I played soccer for two hours this morning, and I’ve walked up to the studio shed to write in silence. I have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for on this first day of a new year—I am feeling quite happy as I sit down to take a relaxed look at what’s ahead in 2025 and what happened in 2024.
To celebrate Christmas, Erin and I treated the children to a family trip back to St. Croix. It was perfect weather and much fun, and every one of us enjoyed the week on the island. We swam and snorkeled, went on two sailboats (the Denis Sullivan tall ship for a sunset cruise, and the Jolly Mon catamaran for a half-day adventure off the West End), visited the Leatherback brewery and Cruzan Rum distillery, hiked up to Creque Dam, and had our customary final lunch (mahi tacos for everyone, and mojitos for me and Erin) at Rhythms at Rainbow Beach. My dad and Dot were on the island, too, and we all got to spend time with them and with Aaron and Olga, including a delightful Sunday afternoon on Sandy Point where we used our new Shibumi Shade quiet canopy for the first time (using buckets filled with sand so the poles wouldn’t go into the sand directly—protect the turtles).
That was a splendid way to end the year. (I posted photos during the week over on Wan Smol Blog.)
Over on my Now page, I usually update each month to give a summary of the major activities in my life. Throughout 2024, I noted these other travel highlights:
I was fortunate to be able to travel far and wide and to spend time with family and friends in each destination. What’s ahead? I’m planning to attend a conference in New Orleans, there’s an Outer Banks trip with friends, and Erin has a legal education conference in Ireland.
Happy New Year!
© Anton Zuiker