Villa Week 21

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sat 15 Aug 2020 23:57
Week Twenty-One at Sleeping Indian
 
 
P8090002  P8090004
 
Sunday the 9th of August. Eggs perfection, a breakfast delight for me. Bear had two events and a very tall chap. We watched a film while I wrote last weeks blog, then we got going, the start of yet another working week.
 
P8090006
 
Bear put a gloss coat on the trellis frame. I changed the bed, laundry and ‘the beginning of the week sort out’.
 
1c  P8090002 - Copy
 
After lunch we had a really good tidy up and took pictures for our next ‘Before’ and ‘After’, both really pleased with the outcome (kitchen white not the pinky glow the lights produced). Roast pork, parsnips, potatoes with red cabbage, mushroom gravy and as Bear had been a good boy – fresh sprouts.......
 
P8100001
 
P8100004
 
Monday the 10th. Six o’clock sunrise.
 
P8100006  P8100007  P8100009
 
Bear put up the trellis frame and soon the first panel was in place, the ‘happy worker’ in action with his super drill – I had to have a go and as Bear held the panel in place I drilled a few holes and added the screws, such fun.  I sanded and first coated front bedroom dresser. As is the norm a late dip, a few more tourists but not many.
 
World
 
Tuesday the 11th. We pottered a little before bimbling up to Sharmone to borrow the car. After nipping to the DHL office to pick up paperwork we headed to the airport and began the process of clearing the box from Kate. The lovely Customs lady had a quick look and ‘overlooked’ a little Pandora bag with a box and card inside. An hour later, all done, I handed the box down to Bear to put in the back of the car – Ooo I need that little bag. There I sat and read my lovely card, in the gift box was the most beautiful world charm for my 60th birthday and to commemorate our circumnavigation from the Millard boys, their families and Team Tinson. To say I was delighted, surprised and deeply moved was an understatement.
Back to it, we went to the hurricane roofing place to see about the car port panels. Less of a round of shops today but a visit to the glass place......... errr as usual Bear came back empty handed. One chap said they were ready, including the round dining table top but another made a fuss about the delivery, until I pointed out that we had been waiting since May and had hired four cars to come and collect...... Coming in the morning at ten. A partial result then, now it’s fingers crossed for them to fit.
 
P8110026  P8110027
 
We have often passed a house with concrete lions sitting on each post, of late very scruffy with peeling paint. Well, what a surprise to see they had been spruced up, in fact I didn’t twig it was the lions house at first and thought I was looking at pom-poms until the penny dropped.
 
39
 
Straightaway I asked Bear to do a three-point turn, pass by and slow down so I could get pictures and feel the full impact - only in the Caribbean. Up closer the lions had a straight line, not the full mane. We could get used to it, but it may take a little time as they are a tad startling. We got back at five, filled three buckets with some of the excess chippings, put them in the back of the car as Sharmone wants to make a little patio area in her garden, will repeat tomorrow. Went for a dip at a quarter to six, chatted to Mel a med student stuck awaiting her stage one exam. Chatted so long it was nearly dark by the time we got out, half seven by the time we got in and showered.
 
P8120002  P8120003
 
Wednesday the 12th.  First thing Bear got on his bike to pop up to see Lady Ronnie to find out a few bits of info and drop in some things we need laminated, the good lady was off with a bad knee, Stacey was out on villa business so he had a nice chat with Lord Ron, while he was gone I emptied the UK box putting the kettle and toaster in place – sadly, no before and after as we are still awaiting the return of three kitchen cupboard doors. Not to worry, so long as they come back in good order and matching the others.
The new set of parrot bedding came out and looks good with the blue set of sheets. The grey set looks nice with the tropical set, in the wash they all went to get rid of the packing creases. Out came the bedroom curtains that we picked up from the shippers, quite pleasant and will do the job as they are blackout.
Soon after Bear came back (we were eagerly awaiting our glass delivery at ten), Bear complained of a sore ankle so I banned from heavy duties. He did take a tumble on the huge camber outside the DHL office and luckily fell against a wall. I can always find sit-down jobs so I had him take the eyelets out of each of the eight curtains that will become two – once sewn – for our bedroom. That done he was asked to put filler in the tops of the drawers that looked a bit ragged post first coat on the front room dresser. I took the opportunity to count the butterflies (now they are all together) to make the swarm at the top of the stairs – 219 boys. Splendid. Bear tried to ring the glass people after lunch, no reply, at four someone answered saying there had been a power cut so tomorrow at ten. Groaning. Sharmone popped down at five for more chippings, I took the opportunity to ask for colour advice and show her some of our changes. We bimbled, well Bear hobbled for a dip at nearly six.
 
P8120001  P8130007
 
Showers, supper in bed and I pinned the curtain tape to one of the curtains to judge the length. Guess who pinned it to the side......I sat and hemmed the edge that Bear had removed the eyelets from and once the tape is in the correct place will be the correct length. Watching me go up and down the stepladder muttering oaths and growling caused huge laughter in the invalid. I got my own back with a Heath Robinson bandage made out of a strip of curtain trimming and a piece of dust sheet to hold a vapour poultice in place on the good mans ankle. Heath Robinson, make that an acquaintance of Robinson Crusoe. Couple of Gotham’s and another day has sped by.
 
dresser  Little dressers
 
Thursday the 13th. I finished the front bedroom dresser, once dry it can park under the two finished bedside units. They sit showing the new curtains and decorative bits. Bear was once again forbidden any standing or heavy jobs that involved ladder work. He spent his time researching ‘stuff’. The gardeners came to cut all the overgrown bushes down our cul-de-sac and we made sure they had plenty of iced water. Within a jiffy things began to look really smart. They kindly took off an errant branch from the front milkwood cactus and genuinely thought our garden “looks sweet”. We played games after lunch and a few more sit-down jobs were done.
 
P8100014  P8100015
 
Our glass arrived at ten to four, the bookcase piece a bit ragged and if you run your finger around the dining table piece it feels like a wiggly line, polished and covered with the table cloth we both looked at each other and said “Island time and quality” and shrugged. Bear once again hobbled for a dip as he finds it eases his aches and pains. The team working on the villas along to our left are making a good job, neat now the plastering is ongoing. They will soon look like the two finished at the end of our road (on the opposite side – the one on the left still to be done). Thirty-three villas in all became vacant some years ago and look very shabby through neglect, when a time-share business went bust. All have been purchased and will be renovated as staff quarters by a well-known (to Antigua) billionaire.
 
P8100011  P8100013
 
Friday the 14th. Bear was allowed light duties this morning and chose to finish the second panel of trellis. Done and looking really neat, well done to my Gwapo. The trellis has lots of duties - a support for the bougainvillea to grow against without the need for them doing damage to the car port, hide the air con units and give privacy to the outside shower.
 
P8150014
 
Next job was to secure the ladies (San Diego, pink and Miss Alice White, guess the colour).
 
P8150011  P8150010
 
Then for a fun job, Bear sat and directed placing the mirror chaps that came in our UK box. A set flying from the curtain to the painting and a group flying from the kitchen larder toward the air con unit. That done we decided to go for a swim. Upstairs getting changed we happened to look out of the window.......... oh my..........
 
P8140008
 
The three dots to the right of the green marker buoy are three youngsters, well actually crazy numpties to be swimming in the main channel with all the dangers – holiday makers on jet skis, the chap on the foil wind surfer who beats through at huge speed, dinghies, boats, fishermen and dive boats, any number could miss them. We counted thirty-three people along the two-mile beach tonight, the biggest number yet.
 
P8100020
 
P8100023
 
So delighted to see the couple who married last week return in their wedding clothes, the photographer pulled up but we had the chance to congratulate them. They were returning to London and this was their last chance for the romantic sunset pictures they had wanted. So pleased for them.
 
P8150016
 
Saturday the 15th. Bear did some sanding and filling before setting out the string to place the drill at the correct angle for the upper staircase grommets, yet another ‘happy worker’ smile. I put out all the dust sheets (old towels and sheets) to completely cover the stairs, out came my extending roller holder and off I went. Riding such an unwieldy object was fun, messy and tiring but soon the first coat was on the upper stair walls. Bear took over with the brush selotaped to the extending rod and he did the ceiling for me. Too overcast and windy to go for a swim, we kept busy until we played. I lost miserably five nil at backgammon. The first two rounds of Mex Train were equally crushing. Showers and a takeaway Indian, two episodes of Gotham and another week has come to an end.
 
 
ALL IN ALL BUSY AND SOME FORWARD MOTION
                     LOTS TO SHOW THIS WEEK