UP! UP! UP! UP!
Everyone, we hope each of you are finding joy and gratitude where ever you are in our world. Each of us must hope for faith and strength in our ever changing world.
If you are in the Midwest this is a beautiful but hard time as we transition from fall into winter.
It’s getting cold!
Then they smack us with day light savings. All our clocks have fallen back. I don’t know about you but it takes me a long time to gather my habit loving self. An hour change in my already chaotic storm is difficult for me to absorb.
This week I have been in charge of my families two cats, two dogs, and three grand-children while my daughter and son-in-law traveled out of town.
I am so lucky that my daughter and son-in-law have raised self sufficient, responsible children.
I still lost an hour and rose at 6:00 am to make an omlet for number one grandson and ensure that grandson two and my granddaughter had not slept through alarms.
We made it through the week. Enjoying, my Italian Wedding Soup, Crunchy Tacos, Stolen Garlic Chicken Livers, and more. Fun week of fascinating change.
Managing the animals is probably the most difficult.
I have been blessed that my only daughter has endured all the cancer therapies like a soldier. She has completed the brutal enslaught last week.
Our new Jamaican Veranda is coming together!
I don’t have good photos yet. All is in a pile. It’s only been a week. I have begged Marshall to wait to put life away until I get there. Otherwise, it will take me a long time to find things.
He is so happy in our new spot and proud of himself that he found a comfortable location. I am very proud of him. That was huge amounts of work to do by himself.
I have face timed with our landlord, a delightful lady.
I have also met the gardener, a friend, of Marshalls for many years.
Excited the gardener will help me build our raised bed vegetable gardens. I plan to bring many packets of seeds for herbs, vegetables, and flowers. I can’t wait to take advantage of Jamaica’s rotating three month growing seasons.
This yard is full of great plants and trees already. We have two Julie Mango trees, multiple banana plants, a coconut palm, a Breadfruit tree, and a Soursop tree. The landscape is very green. Vibrant with foliage.
The temperature difference is notable. When I searched for temperatures at 1700 feet above sea level our new place was 54°. Treasure Beach was 84°. I am amazed and thrilled at the change in temperature.
We do have to work on finding a water heater. I am intrigued with the concept of “cold plunge”, although a hot shower is a blessing after a long day in the garden.
Our feral cats scattered to the bush when strangers helped Marshall move. After all was quiet when Marshall returned the big gate was locked. He could not find our beloved felines. We take umbrage in the fact they are Jamaican feral survivors of the elements. They will find many neighbors that have fed them many times.
Our hearts are heavy in this week of change.
Rainy Season still stops progress
We are continuing to wait for FedEx to deliver Marshall’s police report. Hard to believe Jamaica’s historically bad Hurricane Season has delayed his only remaining document since May. There are many long lines and hands that touch the documents necessary for an American Visa. Unless, you have lived in a developing nation with long lines and low lying pot-holed roads you cannot understand how easily slow bureaucracies and bad weather negatively impacts progress.
In my life this is one of the most difficult processes I have ever undertaken.
It definitely builds patience, resolve, and faith. All hard to maintain while you are enduring a difficult, important test of life.
Global change
As the world grapples with the results of our American Presidential election enjoy one of my most favorite tunes. You may be like me and take refuge in the lyics and vibrations of time-tested music.
Here’s Sam Cooke with his iconic “Change Gonna Come”.
Blessings from Kansas City soon to be Jamaica.
Happy to hear that things are progressing along nicely, Diana although the picture of the locked gate at the bottom did make me feel a bit sad and nostalgic. Lot of memories there for your readers...
Does it mean Felix won't be coming to the new place?
Hope Marshall gets his visa soon!