waiting in for plumbers

So, we have a leak in the kitchen. It is a most peculiar leak, in that it doesn't leak all the time. Some mornings we find a large puddle, just by the cabinet by the cooker. It varies form a small puddle to one extending all the way to the fridge, kitchen sink and beyond. Investigators hat on, Dave goes in search for the source, where is the leak coming from? Initially, I thought it may be the fridge, but that was not the answer. On looking at the wall behind and beside the leak, some rising damp!!!! The leak is within the wall and seeping out under the floors ARGHHHHHHH.
This kinda took about 2 weeks or more, deciding where the leak was coming from, once we were certain, plumbers were called after informing the landlady. First visit-plumber supposed to come at 11, at 1.30pm, he still hadn't showed. I had taken a day off work at short notice to wait in and so I was not well pleased, I could have gone in to work til one and come back had I known he wasn't coming til 2pm!!!! Quick look, yes, yes, confirms leak coming from behind wall. Can't be fixed straight away.
Plan of action- landlady to be told and office to organise sending someone else out to knock wall down and fix leak, well, chip into the wall.
A week later, no call, no news. Must say I was not holding my breath. Finally, I rang them again and asked what was happening as the puddles appeared to be getting bigger and soaking up towels and leaking when it didn't use to leak. Ahhh, they said, landlady abroad, so we haven't informed her..... OK OK, then , plumbers then said , we thought you were going to inform the landlady yourself, OK OK. Patient, very patient. Anyhow, landlady finally contacted, yes, work to be carried out ASAP. Plumbers can come this afternoon, this was Monday... great I say, again not holding my breath.
No surprises- no plumber arrives. Ring, ring, plumbers on the phone, sorry Mrs Jordan, plumbers caught up in another job, can't make it, shall we make it Weds? ( because I was at work Tues). OK, when? First thing in the morning, 8.30? Great. Still not holding breath.
Weds morning comes- 8.30, 9.30, 10.30, no plumber, just Trisha who called in to get her top that I had altered for her. 11.00- still no one, call to plumber, so sorry, beyond my control, will be after lunch now. OK OK... won't be before 2pm, great, OK, come after 2.15 as got to pick kids from school. No problem, Mrs Jordan. Smile serenely down the phone.
Leave to go to Pricesmart to get food and drinks for the lime we're having on Friday.
In queue to pay, phone goes, Mrs Jordan? Yes? Plumbers, great, we going to be at yours in 10-15 mins, not so great! Ummmm, am not at home. Can we call you back? Of course.

Cutting this now, they never came on Weds, but finally on Thursday, 8.40am- plumbers here, yippeee, hurrahhh, do a cartwheel as was in warrior 2 position anyhow lol.
All fixed by 11.00 but now awaiting plasterers to come repair wall. Friends have had to collect kids from school for me, lucky for friends eh? What would I do without them. Have made many since coming to Trini, and will miss them all when I leave. Some have already left the paradise island for better pastures and this makes island life pretty transient.

Even our kitten Lola, much loved by us all, has gone, can't believe she's gone, but gone she is, 2 weeks now, not a sign of her anywhere in the neighbourhood. Could she have heard us talking about New York? About leaving her for the summer as we were going back to the UK? How quickly we become attached, I miss her walking in between my legs when I am cooking in the kitchen, I miss stroking her soft fur, I miss her cute face, the kids miss her too, hopefully she's OK, she's found a better home ........

Brown eyed girl

Van Morrison singing Brown Eyed Girl was playing on my iPod after the school drop. I was on my way to yoga.....a smiling face flashed in my mind, it was Randall Lewis. He was the Headmaster of M and J's primary school, Round Hill and he died just over a year ago from heart failure, whilst awaiting a heart transplant. It brought so many memories back, of the wonderful times my children had at Round Hill, about how approachable he was, how he always had a big smile he had on his face, about how he knew all the children's names, he was truly a wonderful man. He touched the lives of many and will always be in the hearts of those fortunate enough to have met him.

Jasmine can't listen to this song as Randall used to sing it, he played on a band and had performed this song many a time at school dos and it's also a song on the Round Hill CD of school songs and performances.

Life is short, shorter for some and it does seem like only the good die young. Of course this is not true, Janet, my mum-in-law turned 80 yesterday and she too is the most wonderful person, warm, loving, generous, non- judgemental and ever so patient. So, some of us live long...Dave's dad to saw he's 80th birthday, which was a great celebration, with the family all converging in Centre Parcs. He died shortly after a short bout of cancer which was very sad, but he had a good innings, some would say.

As the song was playing, tears came to my eyes, remembering the good times, and grieving for the lost ones never to be experienced as Randall had passed. They say it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all, and how very true this is. We were very privileged to have met Randall and for him to have influenced our children. His wife Jane said to us after the memorial event the school had for the children that she now understood why they did so much in the few years they had together, living their lives at breakneck speed, trying to squeeze in as much as possible. They had not known that he had problems with his heart then, this was her observation in retrospect.

When I had reached yoga, parked the car, I sent Dave a text saying please don't die on me! I am not afraid of death, we all have to die sometime, it's who's left behind that I worry about. Worrying is not productive though, and so the best thing to do would be to be proactive, have a vague plan as to what would happen if one of us dies and the children are still young. We have a will, so that's a start I guess. No one wants to think about death, though death comes to us all eventually. Here's a link to the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdS262pegkQ&feature=fvsr

On a happier note, on the way back from yoga, the traffic had stopped, there was a lame pigeon in the road, nearly in the middle and cars were trying to miss hitting it as it wasn't getting out of the way, I stopped for the on coming traffic to negotiate the obstruction, one drove round it, the next drove over it, making sure the wheels would miss it. I then drove on and on looking in my rear view mirror, I noticed the first car that passed the bird had stopped and the driver, a man, was getting out, he approached the pigeon and my heart was lifted, to see compassion for another living being, I guess I should have stopped myself, to help, but part of me was thinking, end the poor animal's suffering. In any case, as the man approached the bird, it took flight and flew off, so, I was wrong to want to end it's suffering, it could still fly, and hopefully survive a while longer........ moral? Do not write off what seems like a non starter, because it may just surprise you yet.

Dress to short?

So, today, Wednesday, just had a lovely morning with Dina, a neighbour, it was the first time I have been to her house. She's Ukrainian and is married to Jeremy, an American and has 2 boys, Michael and George. We chatted freely from dieting to marital problems LOL. I like her a lot and think we will become good friends in time to come.

I had to do the shopping next, so came home, swept the floor, played bejewelled, I know, I know, I'm addicted. Well, famville was playing up and I couldn't be bothered with it, so bejewelled it was. We are having friends over for dinner tonight, traditional roast dinner. Shopping had to be got, chicken, veges, chipolatas, bacon, potatoes...... Roast chicken, pigs in blankets, cauliflower cheese, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, and roast potatoes for the meat eaters, and some tilapia in butter, cream for Dave. Debbie loves pork, and so do the kids, so I'm also going to roast some belly pork alongside the chicken. What to have for starters? Probably some bruschetta with tepanade, and tomatoes perhaps. Chocolate for dessert.
Showered and dressed in a short dress, I was ready to leave, was gonna wear this dress but it kept falling of my bust, must have toned up in that area, so had to get changed! Wore one of Dave's favourite dresses of mine, short mock wrap style with ties at the back, black and cream patterned... it came to about 6 inches above my knees. Off I drove to the shops in my kitten healed toe post mules. When I got out to cross the road, as I had parked in the mall car park, traffic stopped for me, strange? Then I got looks, from both men and women, women who took a double take, is that dress too short for Hi-Lo? Men just blatantly staring, ooh, I sure felt like a hussy. Hehehehehe. I took note, straightened my back, walked tall into Hi-Lo and did the shopping, trying to ignore the looks I was continuing to get.

Shopping done, next to the mall, had to get Mitch some construction supplies for his project- building a village. I walked tall, with a purpose, no dilly dallying, got the craft stuff , then off to find the dark chocolate for pudding. Peppercorns, next stop, found the chocs, paid and left. On way back to car, walking the full length of the mall, again looks, this time an older Chinese gent was looking straight at me, I smiled and got a smile back- how lovely, perhaps he thought I was a hooker, but I didn't care hahahaha.

On my way back to the car, I spot a familiar face, Simon who was working in Tobago til recently, and now back in Trinidad. Hugs and kisses exchanged, chatted briefly and off home I trotted.

So, what's the verdict? Dress too short? Hmmmmmmmm.....
(Top picture is of the dress, well, the top half of the dress)