Cheese & Wine

Routine - it's completely changed now - it's strange how quickly you can adapt and I was thinking today that there is nothing the same about life here now as to life before in Europe. Today is the first time ever I have been at home alone so I'm thinking I should do a little recap of the last few weeks.

1. The second drive from the bottom of the plot. Well, our original builder had dug it one day without actually telling us he was doing it but convinced us we needed a drive up from the bottom to the top of our plot. We then ordered tarish (sand & stone) which was meant to be dumped along the length of the drive but it was just dumped at the bottom. Then we had to find a company with a small digger to distribute it along the drive. They came and said it was impossible and it needed to be reshaped and more tarish. At more cost, (yeah, I know they can see us coming), they reshaped and brought more tarish and laid the tarish along the length of the drive. We then decided to try and drive up it in our car - halfway up we skidded back down along the edge of the mountain - a little bit dicey. The only way this drive will work is full concrete - expensive and there's too much concrete already. The next day we had torrential rain and half the tarish was washed away giving true meaning to 'money down the drain'. During this whole process several people told us 'we thought it would never work', as they do. Plan B is to remove the tarish at the top and replace it at the entrance of the drive (to make parking for 3 cars) and then build natural (whatever that means...) steps up. The death defying corner bit will now be turned into the vegetable plot. Let's hope the carrots grow straight.

2. The pool - work is due to start on the decking and plumbing on 1st December - hopefully 2008. The local plumber will now fit the inonisation system and Toolman Tim (previous pool builder he says) will complete the pool part. Hopefully these 3 musketeers will sort it out.

The week ended on a high note. We were invited to Dominica's Beaujolais Nouveau 2008 arrival at the Papillote Wilderness Retreat. Andy said I should really drink it being the point of the evening but luckily ice cold white was on hand too. The food was fantastic - really great - wish the plates had been bigger. Cheese too - wow, real cheese so there you go, you can get everything in Dominica - you just need a little bit of faith and patience.........should be this blog's title.....

Andy's Angels....

Really? Yes, wheelie....

Fond Cole Sanitary Landfill Site Office

ME: I was told I might be able to buy a wheelie bin here?

OFFICE: Wheelie bin?

ME: Yeah...

OFFICE: Err, not sure if we have the wheels.

ME: Ok, can I just buy a bin then, for rubbish?

OFFICE: For trash?

ME: Yes please, a wheelie bin?

OFFICE: It's not a wheelie bin if we don't have wheels. Elivs, we got any wheels left?

ME: Ok, no worries, plse can I just buy a bin then?

OFFICE: You want a bin?

ME: Yeah, a wheelie bin.

OFFICE: A bin, no wheels left. Elivs, we got any wheels?
Elvis: Maybe, round the back...

ME: Ok, great, I'll just have those.

OFFICE: Do you want this one? (Semi used one outside office)

ME: Do you possibly have a new one? (Pedantic, I know, but starting off with a clean one wld be nice)

OFFICE: They're expensive.

ME: How much?

OFFICE: Expensive.

ME: Well, how much are wheelie bins then?

OFFICE: I'll see if I can get you some wheels for it - so, 300 dollars.

ME: Wow, that's a lot, I would really like a new one then, with wheels plse.

OFFICE: You want wheels? A wheelie bin then?
Ok, there's a new one round the back, you can just take that.

ME: Great thanks. (Pay cheque)

OFFICE: By the way Mam, we call them "poo bells"

What no suit & tie?

Perception - funny old thing. People like you to fit in a mould and if you don't they often either ridicule or speculate.

One of our passions is property and the excitement and anticipation on the possible return on an investment. A lot of time was spent discussing the pros and cons of building Sisserou Lodge as an investment as opposed to investing the money elsewhere.

Since its completion, Andy has spent a lot of time on the marketing of it. Adverts were placed - that's relatively easy; the time consuming hard work is the visits to local hotels (for referrals), tour operators, restaurant owners, the tourist board etc etc. This is then followed up with phone calls, emails etc. It's a continual and ongoing process.

Anyway, it has taken time and a lot of effort but Andy has pulled it off and from Saturday we have a 12 week booking in the Guest House which immediately represents a 10% return on our investment.

Go on, think out of the box for a change....

Off the Beaten Trail with Woody Lawrence

An amazing and unforgettable day's touring on the East coast.
Will I ever find all those breathtaking beaches again?
I do hope so.

Lie back and enjoy the ride

So, I have a week's holiday. Yipee. Am so excited. Well 3 nights of no sleep as the International (how posh we are) Creole Festival is on and as I've been boasting we do get a bird's eye view. We also get an amplified sound up here too coupled with fireworks at the end of each night - 5am or so.

Anyway, tomorrow I am going on an organised tourist type tour - in a real car - I hope - to the other side of the island - read that as practically going to Cornwall from London. A big trip. In fact, a packing list is definitely required with must have tourist items to ensure I fit in.

Did I mention I'm doing this trip solo as my husband is on a jolly to Antigua to watch some ball game where the winners get a US$1M bucks. Why don't the winners just share? Beats me. Anyway, I will post some pics of the unexplored island after my big adventure. Rum punch is provided too so better snap away early on. In the meantime, here's me by the river just before Ollie decided to drown himself. Yeah, he's still with us. He went white water rafting solo I guess you could say as Andy valiantly scrambled after him, broke his toe and cracked his shin. Ollie meanwhle resurfaced half way down the river asking if he could do it again. He loves it here he really does.

ps Scarf is due to urgent hi-lite requirement and not some new fashion statement...

Slowly slowly catchy pooly, possibly...