01.09.06, the awe & wonder of grasping that i am not here on a short vacation, has begun to be replaced with some of the more routine things one does in one's life. renee & her charming son, zachary were gracious hosts last sunday for a lunch & a laundry bee. i took full advantage of her offer & accessed her washing machine & clothesline. although i washed quite a lot of (mostly running) clothes in the sink for the week, it is tough not to sweat through plenty attire in the antiguan heat.
i learned quite a few things this week. here's a short list.
1. no hard exercise after 7am. in fact, 5:30 am is when antiguans are out on their morning walks. it is simply too hot to enjoy a vigourous run in the tropical sun even at 7am.
2. drinking beverages to stay hydrated is almost a hobby, down here. people are obligated to consume so much to maintain a level of hydration, drinks are in-hand or always close by.
3. if you can catch 'em you can eat 'em. that is the official line when it comes to the wild goats that stay just out of one's reach. some are tagged, but most are wild & they roam freely. the adorable kids are about the size of cats, as they keep close to their mommies.
4. with a relaxed pace comes the expectation that things completed aren't always punctual. a week after the internet installation order, the plan was to arrive tuesday. i received word end-of-day tuesday it would be wednesday. on thursday they started. i hope they return to complete it.
5. realtors are only 1 small avenue to pursue when house hunting. down here, one must be creative with their options.
6. paddy james: auctioneer & realtor is a character i don't recommend. while in front of other clients, he berated me because someone else in the family did not purchase from him. i was stood up, for two meetings. he kept me waiting over 35 minutes while he sat in his home. he attempted to poke fun at me for using foreign words such as LUSH & CACTUS, again: in front of other clients, the first time we met. it was a bit of a dose of reality for me to know that not every antiguan is going to be on my christmas card list.
7. puppies, who wants puppies?. no one fixes their pets. i mean no one. i can't wait for che to arrive so we can go down the road and pick out a couple pups for pets/watch dogs. in the supermarket parking lot, there was puppy love taking place in a full embrace,
work - from my canadian clients - has been steady. while the novelty of driving to the airport for internet access is beginning to wear, i am keeping quite active with the incoming projects that present themselves. i've been so busy that i haven't got my online portfolio ready to present to potential antiguan clients. my first antiguan project is a wine bottle label: RED RUBY. i have a meeting on 04.09.06, with a potentially large account. but, i need to get my office set up & begin hiring. i see no reason i won't have 3-4 employees within 12 months.
02.09.06, i performed some community service work. once the final concrete for the cistern was poured, the cement truck had a bit left over. with nothing going to waste, the truck drove up the road a bit.
and while i shoveled & leveled, the cement was poured into the biggest potholes on the street. the photo of me (below), shows puddles in potholes behind me, before the work. you'd be amazed how deep these holes are & how much concrete is needed to fill 'em up. the neighbours greeted me & the drivers were giving me the thumbs-up. according to the builder, unloading leftover cement into potholes is commonplace.
an hour's hard, hot work - even on a cloudy day - can be tough in the tropics. after the 10k run the night before & working with the concrete, i was done; with a sunburn - too boot.
