Hardly Anything

That was what I did today, hardly anything.  I thought about taking a walk but I couldn't get warm in the house and didn't want to go out to get colder.  I might have gotten warmer from the walking but I was too chilled to chance it so I walked up and down the basement steps a few times for some exercise.

There were two squirrels trying to claim dominance over the suet feeders.  Both of them leaped up, one on the pellets and the other on the cake, but didn't stay long enough for a picture.  Then a Red-bellied Woodpecker came in, landed on the cylinder feeder, but only stayed for a millisecond.  If I hadn't been looking that way I'd have missed him.  I watched for a while but he never came back.  So there are no squirrel or bird pictures to show you today.

It was another gray, dreary day today.  In the afternoon I started January Preemie Hat #2 and finished it before blog-time.  It's going to look great on a little dark haired babe.

12 January--Barbara Malcolm, The Seaview. 

Chapter 35

            Iggy woke me early on Monday morning.  "Time to get back to real life," he said.

            "Just ten more minutes."  I groaned and tugged the sheet over my head. 

            His hand snaked under the cover and stroked my calf.  "Now, sleepy head.  I have coffee brewed and bread ready to toast."

            "Coconut bread?"  I peeked one eye over the sheet. 

            He nodded.  "With fresh mango from my tree alongside."

            I didn't need any more information.  I swung myself up to sit on the edge of the bed and stretched. That's when I smelled coffee.  I looked at the bedside table and saw that Iggy had left a mug of coffee there for me.  "Mr. Solomon," I said under my breath, "I think I love you."

            I padded into the bathroom to brush my teeth and get myself ready for the day.  Back in the bedroom I made the bed, got dressed, and shoved my things into my bag.  On my way to the kitchen I put the bag by the door and followed the enticing aroma of toasting bread into the kitchen.  Iggy stood at the window over the sink looking out at his garden.

            "Good morning," I said.

            He turned to me, smiling.  "Good morning, would you like some juice?"

            I crossed to the refrigerator.  "I'll get it.  Some for you too?"

            He nodded and went to butter the toast that popped up as he reached for it.

            "That's a very well trained toaster."

            He laughed.  "It is a very old toaster.  I know just how long it takes."

            We met at the table and enjoyed our small breakfast in silence.  Iggy cleared the plates, juice glasses, and coffee mugs, quickly washed them, and set them in the drainer to dry.  He turned around, drying his hands on an old plaid dishtowel.  "Ready to see if Calvin has the key?"

            The mention of Calvin's name brought an image of him leering over me in the hot lobby last Friday but I pushed it aside.  "Ready."

            The drive across the island to Sandy Ground took longer than I thought it would.  "Where did all these cars come from?" I asked.

            "Morning rush," he said.  "Most of the locals work in the resorts and live out in neighborhoods like mine so they all travel at the same time each day."

            Up ahead I saw a young woman dressed in what I recognized as resort staff-wear standing alongside the road waving.  Iggy slowed down and stopped just past her.  I looked at him.

            "She needs a ride.  Her car is in for repairs and the resort is on our way."

            She pulled open the back door.  "Thank you, Mr. Solomon."

            "You are welcome, Geneva.  We will get you to work on time.  This is Mrs. Rose Lambert.  She bought the Seaview in Sandy Ground and I am helping her."

            I turned to smile at the young woman.  "Nice to meet you, Geneva."

            "You too."  She smiled into her lap.  We rode in silence for a while then Geneva spoke.  "Mrs. Rose, you need a cleaner for your hotel?  I clean at the resort now but I can do front desk or even cook."

            I turned in my seat as far as the seatbelt let me.  "Right now I'm not sure when we'll open and if I'll need help but I'll be sure to keep you in mind.  Do you have a phone number where I can reach you?"

            She blushed.  "Mr. Solomon, he know where I live, he can tell me."

            "Fair enough."  I turned back to look out the window at the passing landscape, children on their way to school, and more people moving around at one time than I'd seen since I moved to Anguilla.

            We dropped Geneva at the road to one of the priciest resorts on the island, one where I couldn't have afforded to rent a broom closet.  After she got out of the truck I said, "Why didn't we take her all the way?"

            Iggy shook his head.  "No need.  One of the others will be by in a minute and she will arrive on time and as tidy as if she had driven herself."

Today's toss was a 3-ring binder that I'm never going to use.  A knitting friend brought a bunch of them one Friday night and I took a few home and they've been sitting here unused for years.  Out they go, one a day.

I ordered some short-sleeved tees from Land's End today (they were on sale) and pre-ordered my copy of a friend's book that's coming out in a few weeks. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

--Barbara