<strong>Day 1. Mike makes dinner for the group.</strong><br/><br/>Mike eventually explored the roof of the house and knew he would be spending a lot of time up here. Along the whole side facing the ocean was a rectangular endless pool. Being an endless pool it could also double as an outdoor Jacuzzi. There was also dining space for four on an intimate stainless steel table and cushioned outdoor chairs. A propane gas grill sat in the corner, and there was a small storage area for cooking supplies or food or drinks or…whatever. The whole roof was tiled in grey flagstones. Finally, there was a telescope sitting in the final corner. But the best and most ingenious feature was that the deck itself had a retractable soft roof that could extend across the entirety of the deck, so it was still a usable space if it was raining, as long as it wasn’t too windy. Mike decided that he was going to make this his base of operations for the evening’s dinner.<br/><br/>He then went down to explore the kitchen, and said hello to the others when they saw them and was gregarious and chummy. If there was one thing he knew, it was how to deal with people in confined spaces for long periods. It was nothing as long as two years, but he had spent 223 contiguous days at sea with the same ten men the entire time one year of his life. He was also used to working in a kitchen, a position he often held on ships since no one ever really wanted to do it, and most merchant vessels don’t crew cooks. He searched all the cabinets and cold cases and found some things to work with, and decided the Swedes made good knives.<br/><br/>After everything was prepared he carted everything up to the roof on a giant bamboo cutting board. When everything was ready to go, he invited everyone up to the roof at their leisure. When they arrived the smells of tropical fruits and grilled fish greeted them, along with an immaculately organized dinner table that could only have been set by a Scandinavian. He had put candles in shot glasses, and a dozen of them floated in the endless pool as the sun began to set. Already finding himself at home, Mike himself was dressed in tropical shorts, a cooking apron, and nothing else. He apologized for not knowing everyone’s dietary habits and concerns, but explained that there were some vegetarian options.<br/><br/>What was served was grilled salmon with mango salsa served over a bed of spinach greens. There were also grilled pineapple rings with the mango salsa, and grilled grape leaves stuffed with rice and green olives that he hoped were Greek. To cool things down there was a cucumber and tomato salad which had been dashed with mozzarella. Papaya juice and white wine were served as the drinks.<br/><br/>Bon Appétit.