Events and Little Dramas

 This is what I mean when I say 'little events and dramas' make up my day

Early this morning, McDowell sent some men to the farm to do some work. Along with three breadfruit trees, six tania plants, and four coconut plants, I sent some of McDowell's old, torn, and stained pants and T-shirts for the men to change into for working in the field. They came back wearing these. These old clothes were cleaner and in better condition than what they went up with. They were so happy to have 'new' clothes.

This afternoon,  I asked Bull and Roger to pick the oranges on the tree behind the house.  I went to get a box for the oranges and when I got back I was horrified to see Bull swinging his cutlass and climbing all over the compost box,  attacking the orange tree ready to cut it down. Dominicans will cut down anything confident that it will eventually grow back.    He didn't even pick the oranges first\

A couple of weeks ago, during the Portsmouth opening of the Carnival parade, a few revellers jumped over the rail on our veranda and, then later that night I happened to catch a man (known to us) climbing over the high gate at the street.  Time to install bright lights.  We had been putting this expensive task off.   The electrician came and did the installation, around the Bar and on the beach too!  Now, night is brighter than day.    Too much of a good thing in my opinion.  

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Lemons from Destinee

Reflecting

 My life has become very narrow.  The days and weeks slip by.  So odd. I am busy enough.  I only leave the house to go to the shops once or twice a week. My few friends drop in, and I putter around in the garden bothering the plants, cleaning up, cooking and painting.  I am content doing little chores,  rearranging things, and answering emails. I exchange pleasantries with the men at the Bar, chat with the shop and market women and talk to the tourists. Local events, dramas, politics and concerns are always foremost. The vagaries of the sea, wind, and rain are in the background

I fume angrily when they turn up the music to ridiculous volumes on the Square or Evangelical preachers go on and on, loudly, for hours. and swarms of motorcycles thunder past on a Friday night. making this old house quake and ancient termites fall from the ceiling. Dominicans are a boisterous people. 

The backyard is now lush with Vervain, Tanya, hot pepper plants and some bush I can't name, but has a reputation of preventing prostrate troubles if you drink a tea made with its leaves.  I have a huge gooseberry tree, a carambola (star fruit), a pomme citier, (golden apple), Sea Grape, tropical almond,  coconut and banana trees and others too unknown to mention   The broken sour sop tree has put forth leafy branches, and the avocado has new growth.  I am amazed.  I thought, for sure, they were dead.  But no, in this hot, wet, sunny climate, plants don't die.

The dogs are fine and enjoying life.  

I am healthy. slower and stiffer, but no serious aches and pains.  I can still ignore most of it.  I have lost my manual grip so I drop everything. 

I am fussing with the question of going up there this spring.  When? If? Maybe May? for 4 weeks. I miss Anthony, Nick, and Samantha. but the thought of travelling, especially in these troubled times, is less than encouraging.

Sunset viewed from our deck

Some recent artwork

Me

McDowill Magloire

Indian River

MORE OF THE SAME

 I haven't blogged for a long time.  Mostly because there is not much to blog about, but I thought I would say something to start off 2025 

Christmas and New Year 2024 have come and gone. Both were pleasant and quiet here. Tourist season is supposed to be in full swing, but it is slow.  

We have had to change service providers.  With the new one, I get CBC Gem on TV, so I am up to date with Canadian news.  It seems that Justine Trudeau has passed his best-before-date. I just learned a phrase in Patois that I think is apt:  tout cochon ni Sammdi yo. Every pig has its Saturday!  I like Mark Harney as a possible new Liberal leader.  Christy Clarke is likeable but not a leader.  Chrysta Freeland lost me when she had her temper tantrum, however justified it might have been.  

Meanwhile, California is burning, Sudan is starving, the people of the Middle East are killing each other, Russia and Ukraine can't stop, South Korea is in shambles, the Philippines are under threat,  tuberculosis and polio are on the rise, and the devil and his angels walk the earth.  I am staying right here in my little backwater Caribbean island.  We really only have the weather to watch out for, although certainly, the global troubles will impinge, but not as soon, nor as intensely.  Dominica has its own problems.  

Life in Portsmouth for me is very simple.  I am healthy, the plants are growing, and my good friends, Hen, Tracy and Mait drop in often.  Happily, the internet usually works. The ownership of this property has not been resolved and remains a worry.  Food is boring, expensive or not available. and my clothes are rotting.  Dominicans are a noisy people,  loud talk, loud music, loud traffic, and many little daily, public events and life dramas. Otherwise, omnia bene.

I wish I could get the photos off my iPhone onto the laptop to post here.