12/12/12

The measure of time observed both curious and unsettling. My responsibilities have taken such a major turn from the entirety of life prior it is hard to gauge my progress. Am I…cruising downstream? Paddling up the river? Adrift at sea altogether? I have gained a new appreciation for domestic duties that in the past were allotted only what could be managed within the 11.2 minutes per week I felt I had time for. Now I am reminded of the women my cousin Sarah spoke of during the time she lived in Italy. She said the women swept their porch stoops and the areas in front of their homes or apartments with a vengeance at least several times a day, sweeping as though it were the most important task in the world. Let’s face it, it t’weren’t really about dirt. But, as Georgia & Ono seem to be ceaselessly shedding small kittens worth of hairballs daily which sail aloft through the house like fairies with any hint of breeze or footfall, I could stand to adopt some of that grave importance for the task. I don’t see it happening but one never knows…

There is much to love about Barbados, even things you aren’t quite sure about when coming from a seemingly cut-throat, whiney, self-centered culture. Customer service here may seem slow, but damn if it isn’t actually alive and thriving! With a warm greeting and what might be considered saintly patience in our culture, people will go waaaaay out of their way for you here. Also finding that my perceptions of what timely communication consists of has had to be adjusted. For instance the car rental man calls to mention he might have found a car lease for us (unsolicited mind you!) and that he would send me an email about it to see if it worked for us. Cut to me, checking the email every 5 minutes after our conversation to see if he sent it. The thing is, he WILL send it, but time exists on a different plane here.