Snow!

They predicted it and around four o'clock it arrived.  Snow.  Ugh.  At least it's only sticking to the grass, not the pavement, and it won't stick around for long since it's supposed to get up into the high 40s and maybe the low 50s this week.  It better because I still need to swap the lawnmower for the snowblower.

The squirrel remembered the suet pellet feeder and came back.  I wish I could hang by my feet from something and have my spine realign.  Wouldn't that feel good?  I also fantasize about having someone pick me up by the shoulders, shake me like a rug, and click all my vertebra back into place.

I watched 60 Minutes this evening to see the interviews of the candidates and knitted on the Warm Harvest Beanie.  There're only three more rounds left to be knitted.  I'll get to those tomorrow.  Then what will I knit?  Probably another preemie hat.

25 October--Barbara Malcolm, The Seaview.

Chapter 3

I turned slowly to see an island man with chestnut brown skin and deep chocolate eyes.  He was about thirty-five years old, I guessed, and he had a pirate’s smile on his face.  I recognized him from our past trips to Anguilla but it was evident he didn't remember me.  And why should he?  He was Julius, the gigolo of Sandy Ground who made it his business to entertain lonely tourist women and I had always been here with Jim.  I didn't fit into his customer model then but I bet I would now.

“I know, I heard.  What do you think of her chances of making a go of it?”

He chuckled and shook his head.  “Not very good, I am afraid.  Anguilla is not an island that attracts middle-class tourists.  Most of the resorts are for the rich and there just is not enough class in Sandy Ground for rich people.”  He stuck out his hand.  “I am Julius.  I live here and if I can be of service…”  He swept me with an appraising look.  “You are staying at Sydans?”

“How did you know?”

A smug look twisted his lips into a knowing smile and he tapped the side of his nose with a finger.  “I have my ways.  One of my cousins is a policeman at the station right here,” he jerked his head toward the new cement and stucco building down the beach behind him, “and he tells me when beautiful women come to stay all alone in this neighborhood.”

I crossed my arms across my chest and looked hard into his eyes.  “Why would that be?  Are you a thief or a confidence man?”

He burst out laughing and I saw the secret of his success shining on his face.  “No, ma’am, I am not a thief or a con man, I am in the business of making sure that ladies like you have a good time on our island.”

I dropped my fists to my hips.  “Well, Julius, I appreciate the offer but you would be unable to tend to any other customers for a very long time if you began tending to me.”

He cocked an eyebrow at me.  “And why is that, may I ask?”

I could feel a huge grin spreading across my face.  “Because I am Rose Lambert, the foolish American woman who bought the Seaview two days ago.”  I held out my hand to him.

The smile slid off Julius’ face like melting candle wax.  “Oh, Mrs., I am so sorry, I did not mean to say that you are foolish, that you should not have bought the Seaview.  It is just that…”

I interrupted.  “I know.  It has been so long since anyone took care of it that you all have gotten used to thinking of the Seaview as ‘that wreck down the beach’ but I have always loved it and want to see if I can’t make it live again.”

I turned to him and grasped his arm just above his elbow and turned him to look at the hotel with me.  “Just imagine it with fresh paint, white for the building and each set of shutters a different color:  salmon, turquoise, lilac, sea green, and butter yellow.  There will be rocking chairs all along the front porch with small tables in between with just enough room for a couple of drinks or a pitcher of iced tea or lemonade.  On the second floor gallery will be more chairs, sturdier ones because they are out in the weather more, for watching the sunset or reading of an morning.”  I warmed to my subject.  “There will be airy white drapes in each window to blow in the trade winds and tables for two or four in the lobby which will also serve as a sitting room.  I want to stock the shelves above the sideboard with paperbacks and handmade pottery.  I want to paint four stripes around the wainscoting and up the stairs.  Once you are upstairs in the hall the color stripes will break off at the doors, each room with be a different color, as will the shared bathrooms, one for two rooms.  Can you imagine it?”

I realized that I had gotten lost in my imagination and Julius was looking at me as if I had just stepped down from a spaceship.

“I do see, Mrs. Rose, I see that you are in love with your dream and I will do what I can to help you.”  He patted my hand and pried my fingers from his arm.  I was ashamed to see the marks I had left on his skin in my enthusiasm to share my vision.  He backed away waving and said he would keep his eyes on me to make sure I was doing all right.  I went back to Sydans, showered and changed into a clean sundress.  I decided that I deserved a night out so I slid my feet into sandals and walked out into the golden evening light.

 

Today's toss was a computer paper box of books.  I took a look at my bookshelves and realized that I'm probably not going to read many of them again.  Some of them I'm keeping because they mean something to me or I can't get them on audiobook so they get to stay... for now.

I took out one of the books and started reading it this morning.  In fact, I spent most of the day reading my book.  I did go to the grocery during the football game because I figured there'd be fewer people there then but mostly I sat and read my book today.  Relaxing.

--Barbara