21 December

Well I did not have a nap on the beach, but at least I got to say Hi to the fishes in the lagoon as the weather was just beautiful and the water delicious!
I'm back to my regular colour now :)

Today I missed my ride with dad as I wanted to let him go for hard hills if he wanted to, instead of dragging me behind. I met another old friend that I had not seen for years. A very sweet girl who is a vegetarian (there is at least one on the island!). She has a friend looking for a girlfriend and, as one of his criteria is that she be vegetarian, he's finding it a bit hard! She won't even go to the local market so as not to see the chickens being sold there. And she's found Jesus this year and sounds pretty happy.

After that I had lunch with mum's friends from the "aumonerie" (the religious office of the hospital who visit the sick). It was nice but a bit long. They all brought a little something to share and we ended up with a quite a bit of food, including 4 different desserts (one of which was letchis- they are now in full swing and I am eating as much of it as my stomach can hold morning midday and night). They were mostly women of a certain age, easy going, funny and loud.  Quite an interesting bunch of people who spend their free time volunteering to give communion, provide a catholic presence and chat with the patients of the hospital, very often the very sick patients. One of them is a nun, a bit odd really, not fitting the stereoptype of the gentle nun you might have grown up with.  I guess you'd have to be pretty tough and generous to do something like that. Especially since the Saint-Denis hospital is not an agreeable place to be as far as hospitals go. It's ugly, in constant renovation. It's like a patchwork quilt that's never been finished, with a little bit here and another added little bit there 2 years later. It's hot and there is NOWHERE to park nearby. You can come in the hospital perfectly healthy, you'll be guaranteed to come out of it depressed or sick.

Now we are awaiting the arrival of a little cousin of mine who will be spending  a few days here and I will try to finish off the planning of christmas: i will be "allocating" rooms for the night and I have decided that people I don't like will sleep in the most awkward room. I will put my cousin Christophe the pain and his girlfriend outside I think, on the veranda. ..... or near the kitchen so that we wake them up early....


I was feeling a bit "cockroachy" in the afternoon, ie had the blues a bit. I don't know if it's because I missed out on my exercise session or the heat is getting to me. Today's heat was horrendous. I truly felt like throwing every single piece of clothing that has sleeves or goes below the knee at sea (my initial thought was burning them but I was hot just thinking about fire!). No wonder buildings don't get built fast around here!

Dad has spent the whole day finishing off the shed. It had not been emptied and cleaned for a good 10 years and needed new shelves ( some of which have been marked " private space for bike stuff"). My understanding was that the new shelves were made with bits of my old bed (the one my dad built for me whem I was 3). Well, I guess at least it's still around, useful for something. It is the oldest object in the family with my parents wedding plate service, and my umbilical cordon (I know, Yuk! But I can hardly throw it , it's MY umbilical cordon).

You know, I was realising how my extended family can be such a headache at times. A wonderful thing but such a headache too. I have a feeling there are so many micro feuds on the verge of popping that I very rudely shush my parents when they talk on and on about it.
T I have decided all the men on my mother's side are absolutely hopeless. I know it sounds harsh and I have not been in their shoes, but when I look at the women, well, my theory holds truer and truer.

Anyway I keep reminding dad, without my brothers here, he's the minority (I have never been in the majority), so he better listen up to mum and me.....  more fishes tomorrow.... can't wait to start hiking.