While I do get to relax and do a lot of reading and cooking sometimes takes time, if I want to go anywhere I have to go across the canal (the house is on the Island). Since I have been here it has still been the rainy season and there has been only about one or two days without rain. So, to cross the canal (about 25 feet) in the rowboat that does not have oars but a single paddle I have to first bail the boat: a chore I really don’t like.

Photo credit: Wayne Church III

Last week, though was a busy week. Monday I went across twice – once to do some grocery shopping during a lull in the rain and once I went across on the caretaker’s boat to get some money my landlord had sent so he could pay the internet bill and get that reconnected.

While I don’t mind washing my “smalls” and tshirts, shorts and nightgowns, I really find it difficult to wring out towels and sheets – and get them dry on the laundry lines between downpours and there really is nowhere to hang up large items inside the house. Tuesday, I went across to drop off my laundry at “Tres Laundry Mat”. For $15 BZ – about $8 or $9 CAD, Terese will do a load of laundry – using my scent free laundry soap and no softener – and dry and fold it. Actually, I think the work is done by her daughter (grandaughter?) Shakira. If it is in early, done the same day. Mine, once across in a day is enough for me and I leave it for the next day to pick up.

Wednesday, my trip across was to pick up the rental car I had booked to go to Dandriga for my visa extension. I took advantage of the opportunity to do some grocery shopping at a farther away grocery store that has a better selection than those down this end of town – which are much less expensive but don’t carry some things!

Thursday, of course was my adventure to Dandriga and back – and then the joy of getting home to find the internet was back!

Friday, except for making a fresh pot of yoghurt, I gave myself the day off. Yesterday saw me doing tshirts and nightgowns and hanging them up between downpours and actually getting them dry.

I try each day to do something useful so today I bailed the boat and took the garbage across the canal to the container for the (early) Monday morning pick up. As I got back there was a big crack of thunder and the rain started again ….

The other useful thing I did was to clean the plastic chairs on the front porch that were filthy, grubby and looked awful. Not a perfect job but I cleaned them down with bleach and a scrub brush and put them out in the rain to rinse off!

Having done useful things today, I think I will take leftover kedgeree from the freezer and have it with a Shopska salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions and grated feta cheese) for dinner before a desert of delicious coffee coconut ice cream I found the other day when I had the car and could get it home quickly!

Happy Sunday!