DIARY ENTRY 23

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Wed, 7 May 2008 10:23 am


May 6, 2008—Lived by an American-Bajan in Ocean City, St. Philip

My routine is predictable. But I suppose routines are predictable. We wished our houseguests a fond farewell yesterday which means it’s back to life-as-usual here in St. Philip.

5am: The dogs are grooming my husband hoping he will tire of having his hair washed by tongues and get up and let them go outside. Thankfully he gets up, and I have once again escaped the duty of letting the dogs out.

5:30am: I am in the kitchen, putting water in the kettle, grinding coffee beans, zapping oatmeal, feeding the dogs, filling water bowls, giving the dogs their treats for bringing in the morning Nation and pouring coffee for the husband (who misses all this excitement conducting his own morning routine of shaving, showering and *cough*). When the dogs and the husband have been tended to, I grab my coffee, turn on the fan and saddle up on the sofa to enjoy my few minutes watching either a random movie for 30 minutes, or Pearson and Belle. I tune in to see Pearson’s shirt and tie. What a dresser! I wonder if I would have the guts to introduce myself to Pearson if I ran into him in person?

6:30am: The husband is on his way into “town” and the dogs are looking under the gate for a visit from the neighbor’s dog and I have abandoned the sofa (and Pearson) and am in front of my computer. After the gossip pages are read, the New York newspaper’s homepages scanned and the Sudoku puzzle is completed, I begin my work writing. I have newsletters to finish this week for my employer. Between writing about higher education funding woes I manage do some internet shopping, anticipating my trip stateside.

9am: I wanted to get out of the neighborhood today. I should have gone to Desmond’s 9am spin class but my knee was the size of a grapefruit rather than the size of an orange. I hate getting old!

12 noon: I haven’t gotten much done on my newsletters, but have purchased 12 shirts, 3 pairs of pants, 4 pairs of shoes, 3 pairs of shorts and 2 dresses. The rains here in St. Philip have turned to glorious skies, so I have ventured out to our deck to smell the sea air and marvel at the beauty here. Five years and counting and I am still awestruck at the beauty of the sea. I hope I never take this for granted.

2pm: I need to work on my newsletters. Judge Mathis is coming on and I have to layout two newsletters before 4pm! I can do it! I also have to think about dinner. My Waitrose cottage cheese at lunch tasted a bit wonky, I think I should have paid attention to the expiration date.

3pm: How much time can I waste by not working on my newsletters? I caught up with a friend from the states. I have take advantage of my VOIP phone when it’s working because it doesn’t work that often—Life in the tropics where technology (and Cable & Wireless) have many, many issues.

5pm: Got my Oprah watching in while chopping onions and garlic. Husband is home cleaning out his mess of a car, which gets serviced tomorrow, so I will be without car for two days. Guess that is my excuse tomorrow and Thursday to skip a step and Pilates class. I am attempting to make spaghetti for dinner. I have lost my will and desire to cook. How did my mother do it without ever complaining? I complain every time I enter the kitchen. She cooked for four, and I cook for two. I am a spoiled brat and hope she isn’t embarrassed sitting up there on her cloud looking down at me. I wish I could cook the Bajan and Indian dishes my husband grew up on. I haven’t the heart to even try, because I don’t handle failure well. If I time this right, I can watch Judge Judy before we sit down to dinner.

7pm: Husband is watching the Channel 8 news and I am ensconced in the bedroom watching Judge Judy, yes again. I have trouble watching the local news here because that side camera they use for a wide shot looks like there is Vaseline smeared all over the lens. I do wonder if it is the same camera that they use in Parliament when they tape the goings on between the government officials. Seriously, can someone in charge not see that there is a problem with the clarity of that camera? I get an extra kick with Pearson is anchoring the news. I will step away from Judge Judy for Pearson.

8:30pm: We are both showered and in bed watching Sweet Home Alabama, but husband is complaining because I have made him watch it before. So he goes to sleep, I turn up the volume so I can hear the TV over the lawnmower lying next to me, but soon my eyelids have had enough for the day and I sadly (or gladly) turn off Reese and McDreamy, and the TV, and call it a day—one dog in happily dreaming in his crate the other in her place spooning with the husband’s legs.

All is quiet here in our little place on the rock.

This St. Philip girl, who works from home, never did make it outside her house today. Maybe tomorrow, but somehow I doubt it.