Welcome to Feather Ridge - our home on Guanaja. Tis the season of good cheer so I want to take the time to honor this special holiday.

As I get older I tend to spend more time remembering people no longer with us to celebrate this blessed time. Grandparents, Mothers, Fathers, Children and Friends who we once spent this wonderful time with. All the happy times, parties, social gatherings, dinners, and most of all the time with our families and relatives when we would all come together and share our love.

I am from Minnesota and Christmas was a time of snow, ice, cold and hot cocoa. Living on an island in the Caribbean puts a new prospective on Christmas and if I didn't have my Christmas decorations to put out every year, why I wouldn't know that December 25th was around the corner! But I get excited about Christmas. The fond memories I have of family gatherings and watching my children on Christmas morning will always be with me. I have sent out my Christmas cards via the Internet, finished making my Christmas presents, decorated the house and will be baking cookies. I wanted to listen to Christmas Carols but our stereo system seems to be on the blitz so the beautiful music of my childhood will be missed this year.

On the island there is limited decoration and, thankfully, limited advertising for this season. I do not miss the part where the stores start loading you up with the "Christmas spirit" around Halloween! I do miss some of the lavish house decorations and hearing Christmas carols in the stores, but most of all I miss being with my family.

We have made many friends on the island and we are all getting together on the 25th for a big Christmas dinner. We exchange gifts but better than that, we are all together to share in the joy of Christmas. So, while my family is "up North" and I cannot be part of their activities, I will remember them and Christmas Past!

Merry Christmas to All!