Off the ground before the sun rose
Carribean bound, no chance to doze

St. Thomas was the first stop, Flowers waiting on the table
William, Brenda, Solomon, Cecelia and don’t forget Flavil.

Right off the bat they climbed over 99 steps.
“Sorry We’re Closed” posted most places they crept.

Jan. 5th, William Lee and Brenda celebrated
18 years of marriage, not counting the 3 that they dated.

They took the ferry to St. John to stay
Up the mountain to the Stonehouse, looking over Coral Bay.

Beaches to explore, the views were just fab
Along the way Solomon met Sammy the Crab

Everywhere they looked were pirates and boats
Around every corner were donkeys, cows and goats.

Around the pool or under the waves
They had great fun humming “I Got You Babe”

They wrote a note and put it in a bottle
Threw it from the ship when it was going full throttle.

Back to St. Thomas for the last two stays.
Bluebeards castle for William’s 69th birthday.

The very last night was spent at the Old Stone Farm house.
An elegant evening it was quite as a mouse.

What memories we had just the five in the crew
William, Brenda, Solomon, Cecelia and don’t forget, Flavil too.




St. Thomas and St. John and the lesser saints,
William Lee, Brenda, Solomon, Cecelia and Flavil.
Poem by Flavil Van Dyke:

The wheels lifted up, and away we did fly…
To the sun and the sand and God’s beautiful sky.
The plane’s cabin was filled with peanuts and glee,
Ol’ Delta was takin’ us… to Charlotte Amalie.
Up the hill the cab raced to the great Frenchman’s Reef,
And, quickly they served us the shrimp and the beef.

A panorama of views were sights to behold.
Nothing like Tennessee, a-shivering in cold.
Lush horticulture abounded, in a variety of green,
and the biggest iguanas we’d ever seen!
As we walked on the beach, sand squished in our toes,
worries just vanished, along with our woes.

Solomon sea-captained us t’wards Black Beard’s castle.
None of us dreaming we’d soon face a hassle.
Thirty-thousand steps, and we were on site,
But we couldn’t get in, if we waited all night.
We hoisted the Little Man high up in the air,
and he snapped photos with a confident flair.
William’s camera was clickin’ – great scenes he was pickin’ -
horizons, ‘n trees, and a one-legged chicken!
At the Green House we rested, wearied and hot,
and discovered the Bushwacker right on the spot.
It was a most happy day, I tell you Mon,
as we readied to sail to the island, St. John.

The car that they brought us seated sixteen,
with open sides, and a bright lime green.
Our excellent driver, didn’t buy that shtick.
She knew in a minute, that car’d never click.
With new wheels we ascended, dodging donkeys and goats,
To the Stonehouse we came with great views of the boats.

The jewelers were waiting with discounts galore;
They waded out to meet us right at the shore.
At bays called Cinnamon, Solomon and Trunk,
we filled the car with all kinds of junk.
We covered the island, and got a good feel,
hitting the spots from the Westin to Caneel.

Our menus dazzled; our drinks were most fitting,
with Bushwackers sampled at every sitting.
Skinny Legs, Lucy’s, and a Chateau Bordeaux,
plus a home-cooked feast by the candles’ glow.
No yesteryear’s nachos, nor zinfandel here
Only Brenda’s coladas and we whooped a cheer.

Then “Sammy” appeared from where we don’t know,
a hermit of a crab, who moved rather slow.
Soon Solomon released him with a fond farewell,
so he could go shopping for a brand new shell.
So, here we were, ruins all around;
It was time for us all to head westbound.

What a treat it all was from day number one,
as we soaked up more than simply the sun.
William Lee, Brenda, and Solomon, too.
and with Flavil and Cecelia, the time just flew.
Two grand Birthday dinners for William Lee,
and packing our memories, we flew north o’er the sea.



Flavil Van Dyke's 2008 Caribbean Achievement Awards

Best “Bushwacker” drink Skinny Legs (1st of 43 contestants)
Best wristwatch William Lee Golden (after only 11 adjustments)
Most mosquito bites Solomon Golden (2,038)
Most mosquitoes & metal things zapped Solomon Golden (including the ceiling light)
Nicest crab Sammy Golden
Best driving Brenda (Keep left & watch those goats!!)
Most Wine “Dead Pirate” bottles 29 and counting (a new world record)
Most new words learned Solomon Golden (Did you say, “horticulture?”)
Made the most money (tie) William Lee & Flavil (call Brinks!)
Best music (tie) Brenda’s “I’ve Got You, Babe”
Solomon’s vocals in airport taxi
Best theme music for St. Johns “Uh-huh, uh-huh… Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!”
Most painful experience T.G. (Eating mush & delighting the tooth fairy)
Best creativity Brenda & Cecelia in kitchen
Best Service Frenchman’s Reef Room Service (Can’t help…)
Most places visited that were CLOSED 36, with 5 OUT-TO-LUNCH
Most hours sleeping Flavil Van Dyke (up at the crack of noon)
Most ZZ Top sightings (5) William Lee
Most Santa Clause sightings (6) William Lee
Most Congressman sightings (1) Flavil Van Dyke
Best traveler Solomon Golden, the Pirate in 3-A
Most outfits unused Brenda Golden (“Why did I bring this parka?)
Biggest medical issues (tie) William Lee & his jam-packed ear
Cecelia’s shin-bruising fall from taxi
Best beach Trunk Bay, St. Johns’
Most sought-after beach Solomon’s Bay, St. John’s
Nicest room Goldens’ - in Morningstar
Best meal Old Country Farmhouse with chef’s treats
Biggest surprise Chateau Bordeaux
“I think I’ll have sweetbreads… They’re what?’)
Nicest Birthday celebration William Lee (Spread 24/7 over four days)
Most interesting closed venue Seven Arches Museum & the dog welcome
Best video moments “Mixing Paint” with comments from Brenda
“Weekend at Bernies”
Best new information You must be 6 to eat nutmeg
Best wine White Zinfandel (selected twice; Nobody died.)
Most things in hand bag Cecelia Van Dyke (St. John’s Mary Poppins)
Best pina colada Brenda & her Magical Pineapple sauce
Most authentic pirate Solomon Golden (“Aw right, matey…”)
Best deal (tie) Large water bottle at Coco Joes & Silver Oak)
Best coffee Frenchman’s Reef restaurants
Most accurate time William Lee Golden (during St. John visit)
Greatest challenge (tie) Climbing 3,610 steps in an hour - Not gagging on the nachos
Best line “…oh yeah, that was my husband…”
Best photo of a one-legged chicken William Lee (and then he put his leg down…)
Most surprising moment 40 goats on the Stone House front porch
Nicest coincidence Meeting Richard and Donna Sterban at airport
Most racing wins in the pool Solomon Golden (& a silver & a bronze)
Note: Special thanks this year to the William Lee & Flavil Q. from the wine industry.

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