Merry Christmas 2016
Oh my, Is it already that time of year again? Could it really be? It is!!! It’s the annual Durkin Letter of Mirth, Merriment and Year in Review! Or as most of you like to call it, What idiotic thing did Patrick do this year for our entertainment? Oh…just you wait…
The house is still standing but that’s to be expected. They really knew how to build a solid framework back in the 20’s. Of course they skipped the courses in wall insulation and weatherstripping, but hey, the woodwork is lovely.
Annette was busy as ever in 2016. She’s still renting a room at Bombshell and thanks to a couple of babies (NOT ours) and maternity leaves, she has tripled her workload right at the end of the year. But hey, it’s not like she’s complaining about being tired all the time. Oh, wait…
Due to covering the maternity leaves of the other stylists, Annette had to step away from helping out with the Youth Ministry. There was simply too much on her plate. She has, however, continued working in the production booth, programming and running lights for the Sunday services.
Because we knew Annette’s workload was going to go into overdrive here at the end, we decided a vacation beforehand was necessary for her sanity and my safety (around her). So it was off to Cancun, Mexico for us. The weather was sunny and warm, the water sparkling blue and the sand sugary soft. To prepare for her journey, Annette downloaded several apps to help her learn Spanish. She’s still learning (Rosetta Stone!) but her flash education came in handy during our travels.
A couple of highlights from her vacation she’d like everyone to know about are:
eating in Tulum
releasing turtles
did I mention the sand?
Now, there are certain things you all should know about Tulum (if you don’t already). It has pristine coasts with clear waters and white sand beaches. There are also some of the best preserved coastal Mayan ruins found anywhere. We actually had the pleasure of visiting this site. It is absolutely awesome to see and be near. The views from the cliffs overlooking the Caribbean are breathtaking. Tulum is also one of the few locations that feature Mayan flying pole dancers. In a nutshell, a bunch of dudes climb a tall pole, tie rope around themselves, hang off the top and “fly” as the pole spins. One guy sits atop the pole and thumps a beat on a drum while the flyers slowly spin around the pole, the ropes “slowly” unwind, growing longer and longer until finally they come safely to the ground. It’s terrifying and awesome to watch. Feel free to Google “Tulum flying pole dancers” if you want to see video. Just make sure no children are in the room when you first search in case your typing is off.
Now, I mention these things because if you remember, Annette said Tulum was a highlight. Take a moment to go back up and reread it. That’s right folks, all that wonder and amazement in Tulum and she loved the food! That’s my wife.
To be fair, the food was some of the best Mexican we’ve ever had. The restaurant was a tiny little hole-in-the-wall whose front door was a roll-up garage door. The husband took the orders while his wife was somewhere in the back cooking up a storm. It was unbelievably amazing. There were four of us eating. Friends of ours, Russ and Lisa, met us in Cancun and we were able to hang out for several days together. That’s four big meals with drinks (non alcoholic). The total was just under $10 US. We sat stunned when the bill came.
So this is only partially why Annette loved the food. The other reason was during the entire transaction, from walking up to the restaurant until we left, not a lick of English was ever used by our host. Because Annette had studied the months leading up to Cancun, she was able to lead everyone through the meal because the rest of us were clueless, for the most part. Annette was definitely the designated representative for us and she killed it! She continues her education so she’ll be even more fluent for the next visit.
Turtles…oh my, yes! On one of the last evenings of our stay, the resort was releasing a bunch of baby turtles to the sea. There was a decent group of us gathered that night watching and cheering. Everyone there was able to handle a baby and gently place it near the water. Some went right in while others preferred dry land. In the end and almost an hour later, we got several dozen baby turtles safely into the water. You can’t just place them into the surf; you have to allow them to crawl their way to it. The surf would sometimes push the turtles back into us and we’d all have to freeze where we stood so we didn’t step on them. Lights of any kind were forbidden as they tend to distract the turtles. So imagine looking down in the rolling water rippling around your feet for a tiny turtle that blends both with the sand and the night. It was hilarious and an awesome thing to be a part of.
I’ll leave the sand to your imagination. I’m not sure how to describe it in a way to make anyone understand why Annette loved it so much. But, if you know Annette, then no explanation is really needed.
The last highlight for my wife was her good fortune to spend a lot of quality time with her sister and nephews throughout the year. She adores her nephews and loves hanging with them even though its so obvious they like me more. Hahahaha!!!
Alright. Take a breath, go refill your drink, take a bite of whatever snack you might have, sit back and enjoy…
I am still employed with GroundUP (GUP) Restaurants. I still push a lot of papers, which I love, and spend time in the kitchen cooking and creating. GUP began a catering devision that I helped create and promote heavily. As usual, it was a slow start for a catering business, but with the holidays upon us, we are busier than ever. Plus we’ve already begun booking weddings for next year. My partner in crime, Melissa, had the audacity to not only become pregnant, but then go and have the child right in the middle of December! What poor work ethic! I’m kidding of course. She’s fine, and is the proud mother of a lovely baby girl. I assume she’s lovely as I’ve only seen pictures which is as close as I need to get to a newborn.
Church is wonderful and hectic as ever. My time on the LLB (Lay Leadership Board) ended in December after 3 years. The last year of service, I was the vice chair. I was asked to stay on an extra year to be the chairman, but I didn’t feel I could guarantee the time needed to fully appreciate the position. However, that doesn’t mean I’m done with church. Not only do I still volunteer in the production booth, I’ve gotten back into performing in some of the dramas AND I was asked to be on the Call Committee to find a new pastor for one of our services. Foolishly I said yes, thinking it wouldn’t take too long to find the perfect man for the job. Well, we’ve already called two candidates that eventually turned us down so now I’m in the middle of a third committee gathering going through interviews and the such again…yay!
My folks came into town for a weekend-long visit. It was wonderful to see them. I couldn’t believe how long it had been since we’d been to Tennessee. They told me they had a great time and wished they could have stayed longer to visit the Quilt Museum and the Roller Skating Museum. No, I’m kidding. They never said that. No one has ever said that…ever. But they did have an enjoyable time and I naturally forced them to eat at “my” restaurants. I’m hoping we can get over to Tennessee to see them this year.
I also enjoyed our trip to Cancun. As much as I love cold rainy days, there’s something to be said for being right on the beach with a good breeze blowing and the sound of the waves just a few feet away. I will say the area encompassing Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo (previously visited) has a much more relaxed atmosphere and culture. There is tourism but it isn’t as prevalent as in Cancun. Cancun is definitely 100% tourist driven. However, Cancun has the sugar sand and clear blue waters that Cabo does not. And oh my, did I fall in love with that water!
I was extremely lucky to sign up for the very last day of swimming with whale sharks. There is an area off the coast where whale sharks gather to feast during a certain time of the year. So Russ (who decided to do this with me) and I joined several others for a 30 minute boat ride out to the middle of the ocean, not a speck of land in sight. There were other tour boats around and of course, massive whale sharks, just swimming about eating plankton. So I jumped in with them! These things are huge; even the “juveniles” ranged between 20’ and 25’. Oh, there were much bigger ones as well. You weren’t allowed to touch them, it’s against the law and they take it very seriously.
As big as these sharks are, they move surprisingly fast and it was a workout to keep up with them. Naturally, just as I’d get close, they’d change course and head right towards me, gigantic mouth wide open. it was my responsibility to get out of their way before we collided. Not only were there these behemoths munching on an invisible lunch, but giant manta rays cruised about as well. These guys had about 10’-15’ wing spans and seemed to swim in pairs.
While swimming back to the boat, I noticed a shark swimming in circles below. This wasn’t a whale shark, but a shark-shark. It maybe could have been a Blue because it was long and sleek. It seemed to be chasing its own tail. Now I’ve watched dogs do the same thing and for some dumb reason put the two together and came up with, “Well isn’t that cute”. And thinking cute isn’t anything like “dangerous”, I took a big ol’ breath and dove down to get closer. (Un)fortunately, my dive suit proved to be more buoyant than the strength in my arms and legs so I did nothing more than flail in place. I was left with no choice but to say good-bye to the shark and climb back onto the boat.
Russ and Lisa were finishing their vacation over on Isla Mujeres (Island of Women) so Annette and I took the ferry over with them to enjoy a day on the island. The water there is clear like glass and refreshingly cool. So much so that one tends to forget about the harsh sun beating down upon you. Understand, Russ, Lisa and Annette didn’t forget about the sun. Oh no, they did an excellent job with the sunscreen and shade. Annette even mentioned to me at one point about the remote idea of putting some sunscreen on.
So there I was, the day after our island adventure, laying on my back in the tub which was partially filled with cold water. Outside, Annette was down at the beach, enjoying the sun, sand and drinks. I was enjoying the feeling of pretending I was a superhero whose power was heating up bath water with nothing more than his own blistering skin. Misery folks, that’s all I can say about it. I grew up in Florida, I’ve dealt with sunburn before, I learned nothing in all those years. My last day in Cancun was spent alone in our room looking out at everyone else enjoying themselves by the pool or at the beach. And it was a great view; stretched for miles to the left and right. Of course I still needed to eat and room service didn’t have a great selection. So I would slip on a shirt and make my way to one of the many lovely restaurants where Annette would spend our time laughing at my struggles. These struggles were real people! Don’t think otherwise!
The next morning was our last. So I went down to the beach with Annette to watch the sunrise, a great big ball of evil that I’d realized must be my arch nemesis. Then we had breakfast. The servers at the breakfast restaurant are some of the nicest, warmest most sincere folks you’ll ever come across. We got to know several of them during our stay and Annette made the rounds letting them know we were leaving that day. The biggest guy of the group, Gamaliel, came over and gave me a great big hug and slap on the back. I’m sure he was touched by the tears blurring my vision.
I swam with ocean giants, parasailed with my wife, walked Mayan ruins and dove in ancient cenotes. I’ll take the sunburn for those memories.
2016 is finally over and I’m already looking forward to our next adventure, the Bahamas. And if history has taught me anything, signing up to scuba dive with sharks is an excellent decision. What could possibly go wrong, right?
With prayers of happiness & health for everyone, God bless & see you next year!!!
Finbar, Manny, Annette & Patrick
