The silence is almost tangible.\u00a0 It\u2019s six am and I\u2019m sitting on the veranda of Avocado Cottage, in the rocking\u00a0 chair, immersing myself in the peace and quiet of this early morning bliss.\u00a0 Occasionally the stillness is violated by the screech of a cockerel from further up the lane but apart from that there\u2019s nothing.\u00a0 Not even the whisperings of a gentle breeze.\u00a0 It\u2019s something I always notice when I get up very early; there\u2019s no breeze, it\u2018s a late riser.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m going to be able to post this as soon as it\u2019s finished as the internet connection is somewhat erratic at the moment.\u00a0 They should be coming to fix it this morning.\u00a0 It\u2019s a slight inconvenience but I haven\u2019t let it spoil things.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been busy, busy, busy since I arrived and consequently the play-script is now finished and submitted although I\u2019m not totally happy with it and I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll be given some re-write instructions.\u00a0 I found it strange turning one of my books into a play.\u00a0 I\u2019ve done it the other way round with much more ease.\u00a0 I think the screenplay will be easier than the stage script.\u00a0 At least that\u2019s what I\u2019m hoping!<\/p>\n
It hasn\u2019t all been about work, though.\u00a0 My mornings have been dedicated to writing \u2013 and it\u2019s very conducive to creativity here.\u00a0 When the IT situation allows I\u2019ll post some photos of my \u2018office\u2019.\u00a0 It\u2019s been great, too, to catch up with people, especially Antiguan writer Joanne Hillhouse, who\u2019s just finished running a creative writing course for young people.\u00a0 Joanne is such an inspiration; her energy is endless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The afternoons have been about getting out and going to the beach and although the weather\u2019s as erratic as my internet connection at the moment, it\u2019s not affected my enjoyment of my trips down to Fryes Beach.\u00a0 I like Fryes because I like the European\/Mediterranean way of having beach bars.\u00a0 While it\u2019s beautiful to see a completely empty, unspoiled beach, I like to be able to buy a drink and some lunch and not have to lug a cool bag with soggy sandwiches.\u00a0 And the food at Denis\u2019s Bar is scrummy.\u00a0 I had the ribs the other evening while watching the sunset \u2013 HEAVENLY!!<\/p>\n
And speaking of heavenly, I also treated myself to a pedicure with Sade in Jolly Harbour.\u00a0 She is the best pedicurist I\u2019ve ever come across.\u00a0 She transformed my feet \u2013 which looked like something that belonged in the farmyard \u2013 into soft little cushions with cute fluorescent pink varnish, taking off about a pound and a half of rough skin in the process!\u00a0 It\u2019s a bit of a shame to see Jolly Harbour so empty, though.\u00a0 More businesses have closed down and there\u2019s an air of abandon about the place.\u00a0 Such a shame that nobody bought the casino; when that was open the whole place was alive at night.<\/p>\n
It was great to sit on the veranda and share a bottle of wine and some supper with my friend and neighbour S last night.\u00a0 I\u2019d debated with myself over going to Shirley Heights, but the ease of sitting here with S won out.\u00a0 We put the world to rights as the sun set and the darkness enveloped us and then the rain started so we went inside.\u00a0 Lovely couple of hours!<\/p>\n
So, today, I will wait patiently for the internet man and then go and pay the security company bill and the house insurance for the coming year (groan!!) and then, it\u2019s beach here I come!\u00a0 Today will be a non-writing day.\u00a0 Tomorrow I start working on Singles In India again!<\/p>\n
But first \u2013 breakfast!!\u00a0 Fresh mango in local natural yoghurt.\u00a0 There is NOTHING like a mango that\u2019s just fallen from the tree \u2013 and here you get a whole bag \u00a0– that\u2019s seven mangoes -for $5 EC (\u00a31.20).\u00a0 At home I pay \u00a32 for something that tastes nothing like a mango!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The silence is almost tangible.\u00a0 It\u2019s six am and I\u2019m sitting on the veranda of Avocado Cottage, in the rocking\u00a0 chair, immersing myself in the peace and quiet of this early morning bliss.\u00a0 Occasionally the stillness is violated by the … Continue reading