About Us
My husband Ivan was born in Cherokee Sound, Abaco, a darling little
settlement nestled in the
Bahamas.
Due to a career opportunity, Ivan moved to
New York where he lived for 21 years. As for myself, I was born and
raised on Long Island, New York, never wishing to leave. However, in
August 2000, we relocated from Port Washington, New York, to Nassau, Bahamas, just in time for the sweltering
weather. Thank heavens for ceiling fans and air-conditioning. Our dog Annie did not arrive until mid-September, when the pet embargo was
lifted. (Reputable airlines will not fly animals in the the heat.)
Once Annie was on board, our island lifestyle began.
In the beginning, it wasn't as smooth sailing for Ivan as he had
imagined. He forgot that island life is slow and getting someone to do
something can take days, weeks, and even months, if at all. 
Initially, we decided to rent a furnished villa with a pool and a spectacular view of the ocean.
While Ivan had a career to occupy his time, I had to search for things to do. Consequently, I joined two women's organizations, the Corona Women's Society and the American Women's Club, making friends and tennis buddies. Along with the clubs, my hobbies and flying back and forth to New York and other places, I keep myself very busy. I have just enough time left to edit and publish the Tropic of Chatter, the American Women's Club Newsletter. (Some people living on the island refer to it as the "rock," and say that as long as you can get off the "rock," you'll be ok. I practice that theory often.)
In June of 2001, we heard that a family at the Eastern end of the island
owned a Shih Tzu
that had puppies. We took
one look and fell in love. Hence, we
became the proud owners of Shazam Zaar of Czars, or Zaar, as he is usually
called. Now we have both Annie and Zaar running throughout the house
creating havoc.
On October 9th, 2001, I became a grandmother. My son, Keith and his lovely bride, Susan, gave birth to a magnificent baby girl named Kayli Francis. Here's some pictures of my gorgeous granddaughter:
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In the early part of November 2001, hurricane Michelle came howling into Nassau, washing away sea walls and roads, blowing out electricity and tearing down massive trees. Luckily for us, we were unscathed, but went without electricity and television for ten long days and nights.
On November 30th, 2001, we moved into our very own condo, located in Sandyport, which is still on the Western portion of the island. The pale blue condo is surrounded on two sides by water and our boat is docked alongside the yard. It is absolutely heavenly sitting looking out over the water or stargazing at the evening sky.
