The to-do list that never dies

The Caribbean must be a to-do list lover's worst nightmare.

I, like many neurotic multitasking women I know, keep a running to-do list and take great pleasure in crossing things off as I get them done. But here in Grenada, I find it very difficult to get through my list. Things linger and linger. It is maddening. Here's my list for today and all the reasons why nothing was crossed off.

1) Call the University Club to see if the SOs can use the pool and if we can plan our closing social there

I called three days ago. The appropriate person was not in. Left a message. No one called me back. Called this morning and got directed to a voice mail. Called again and finally got the right person who said the pool was still under construction so it is not ready yet, call back later, like maybe next week.

No she does not know when the pool will be done. Yes, this pool has in fact been under construction since at least last August when I got here. If I want to plan an event I have to speak with a guy name Martin but he's not in, call back tomorrow.

2) Make an appointment at the private hospital to register for delivery and meet with the midwife

I called three days ago and left a message. The midwife did not call me back. I called today. She does not yet know her schedule for March. She's off the next two days. Call back Monday, and she'll know her schedule.

3) Go to the bank and cash a check

I suspected this one wasn't going to get crossed off because banking hours are limited. I stopped by this afternoon just to see if the bank was open. Nope. Effective February 23, they are open 8 to 10:50 a.m. and noon to 2:30 p.m. Are you kidding me? No wonder there is always a line out the door.

4) Get some routine lab work done that my doctor ordered

I can do this at the hospital while I'm there meeting the midwife but it is uncertain when that is happening, so I stopped by the campus clinic to see if I can have it done there. They only do lab work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 to 9 a.m. Right.

5) Pick up a package from the bookstore (just added)

While on campus to visit the clinic and check out bank hours I stopped by the mail room. I had a note in my mailbox saying there is a package waiting for me at the downtown post office. It's that "walk with papers" message again.

I arranged for a courier to pick up the package. It will be at the bookstore at 4:15 tomorrow. The only thing is I have to get there before 5 p.m to pick it up.

So instead of shrinking the list grew, and most items are carrying over to next week. Is it just me, or is it hard to get things done around here?

Big up to Grenadians today

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From Urban Dictionary.com

Big up
1. To give respect or to acknowledge someone
2. An expression of support or encouragement

origins: Jamaica 1980s; "Up" is an English term used to mean elevation. Therefore the term "big up" literally means to elevate highly or to a superlative degree.

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This one goes out to several Grenadians who helped me today. The locals proved themselves to be a kind and generous people when I was needing some assistance.

Of course, it's hard to ignore a desperate, stranded pregnant woman. But still, I felt the love.

It all started this morning when I was on my way to yoga. I noticed my back left tire was low. A little lower than it should be, but maybe nothing serious. Mental note: make C.J. air that up when he is available.

I drove on to yoga and afterward stopped by the grocery store. When I got out at the grocery store I noticed said tire was basically flat. Hmmm, not good. C.J. is teaching a class on campus all day so even if I can get a hold of him, it doesn't make sense for me to drive to campus with a flat tire to get his help.

So, I'm a big girl. I've put air in my tires before. I decided I'd just stop by Texaco, which is much closer than campus, and take care of it myself. I can put some air in the tire, drive it home and then get C.J. to check it out later.

Well I get to Texaco and try to unscrew the cap from the air valve. Yeah right. Not happening. I cannot get the cap off.

So, I bury my pride and decide I'm going to ask for help. I really cannot drive off with a flat tire. In Grenada, attendants pump gas for you (one of my top things I love about living here) so I head over to a male attendant and ask if he can try it.

He is a little hesitant at first but then walks over to check it out. Note here, he walked so slow that I even had to slow down to move at his pace. And I am walking very slowly these days.

Anyway, he tries it and can't get it. He asks if I have any pliers. Of course I don't, and I know this, but we check in the trunk anyway just in case. Now I've caused a little scene and a taxi driver who has just pulled up comes over to try it.

Then a kid on a bike rides up to fill his tires with air and stops to watch. He too asks if I have any pliers. I check inside the store, but no, they don't sell any. Another cab driver tries. Then a man in a yellow shirt appears out of nowhere and tries it.

No luck, no one can get the cap off. The man in the yellow shirt asks if I have a spare. And then he asks again and then he asks again, until I can finally understand what he is saying. He points out that I have a big, fat nail in my tire which is why it is low, and he says he will just put the spare on for me.

Well shoot, I'm not gonna turn that offer down. So out comes my spare and jack, thank goodness I have those things. Of course the jack doesn't have a handle so he actually cranks the car up by hand.

Meanwhile I sit down on the curb. The cashier from inside comes out with a piece of cardboard and hands it to me saying it is too hot to sit on the curb. Bless her heart, how did she know that?

So the guy in the yellow shirt got my spare tire on and then practically walked off before I could even thank him. I guess helping a pregnant woman in distress is just another day in the life.

So big up to all those at Texaco today who helped me get back on the road. Those Grenadians really are nice people.

Happy Birthday, C.J.

Today is C.J.'s birthday. He has an exam tomorrow so we didn't do much to celebrate. We stayed home, and he studied most of the time. Another day in the glamorous life of a med student.

As if studying on your birthday isn't nerdy enough, he asked for a Caribbean bird book and binoculars for his birthday. He likes to sit on the front porch and watch the wildlife.

Last year we went to Big Bend with our friend Stephanie Z. who is a bird fanatic. We made fun of her a lot for her birdwatching obsession. And then she met a guy at the park who was a serious bird watcher and had all these books with check marks by the birds he'd seen. They were instantly bonded by their love for birds.

We thought it was hilarious, but who's laughing now? Stephanie, we owe you an apology. We already identified one bird today - the tropical mockingbird. Similar to what we have at home. Gray on top with a white belly and long tail. And it was fun. I'll admit.

To balance out this nerdy gift I also got him a machete. You can't be a man on this island without one, apparently. Grenadians use the machete (aka cutlass) as the all-purpose tool.

If it can't be done with a machete then forget about. They whack brush and chop wood and cut up coconut and everything else with these big knives. It is very common to see men walking along the side of the road with one in hand.

Not that C.J. does any of those things or has any reason to have one. But if you want to see a grown man get excited like he's 10 years old again, give him an over-sized knife.

Within minutes of opening his gift, C.J. was downstairs with our neighbor Chris whacking a banana tree in the backyard. You can picture it now, can't you?

He whacked until his forearm got sore, which didn't take long since he spends most of his time in a lecture hall. Before coming back to the books, he showed it off to a few other male neighbors who seemed equally impressed. It must be an XY thing, I don't get it.

This afternoon he got a little nap in and then I made tacos for dinner, his favorite. This evening I had all the neighbors over for a quick birthday celebration with cake and ice cream. Here's C.J. pretending he's going to cut his cake with his new toy.

Now he's back to studying. Even though it wasn't the most action packed, at least his birthday was on a Sunday this year so he didn't have to go to class. It rained most of the day so it was a good day to stay inside.

So another year gone by, happy birthday sweetheart! Happy bird watching and brush whacking. I love you.

Virtual tour of our Caribbean pad

My parents got us a really nice video camera for Christmas so we can take lots of videos when the baby comes. I shot a video of our apartment so everyone back home can see our new place.

When I loaded the video to my computer it was huge, about 300MB. This is no low res digital camera. I had to load a special software to even get the video off the camera. This software allows you to edit your videos into little movies. I just wanted to get the file small enough to put it on my blog.

It literally took me hours to figure out how to reduce the file size. The software didn't come with instructions. Then I realized I just had to hit export under the file menu and select the Web-ready option. Right. If I couldn't even figure that out how am I going start my new career as film director and documentarian?

So at long last, a virtual tour of our apartment. Shot about two weeks ago. We just watched it again, and C.J. says it is too long and boring. Ouch. Strike two on my film career. I told him forget it, I'm not redoing it now. I know at least my parents will enjoy it.

Recommended: yoga on the beach

My first house guest in Grenada left this morning. I am happy to report, the visit was a success. I didn't know how a visitor would perceive the island or if they would enjoy being here.

I think Jennifer was unfazed by the third-world aspects, comfortable in our little apartment, surprised by the friendliness of the people here and very fond of the gorgeous beaches.

After all, that's what it is all about. Relaxing on the beach. The day-to-day frustrations of not having available groceries, driving, drying laundry, etc. are irrelevant when you can sit in a lawn chair all day with a good book and gaze at the ocean.

We went to the beach five days in a row, which is a personal record for me. It really made me appreciate living on a Caribbean island. A highlight was the day we went to La Luna, a high-end resort here, and did yoga at a beach side pavilion.

An SO friend of mine teaches this yoga class and had invited us to come check it out Monday morning. I admit, I am not a big fan of yoga. If I'm going to go to the trouble of putting on work out clothes it better be for something that gets my heart rate up.

Yoga hasn't ever seemed strenuous enough, and that whole mind-body thing, I guess I'm not doing it right cause I don't really get it. Well, that was before I did yoga at a beach side pavilion! Let me tell you, that is the way to go.

Seeing the gorgeous blue ocean water and hearing the waves crashing while breathing deeply and listening to a soothing instructor's voice tell you to love yourself really does put you in a serene and meditative state.

Also, since I'm pregnant, yoga is in line with my fitness level right now. Many yoga poses are similar to exercises recommended during pregnancy - exercises that I'm not really motivated to do at night in my living room.

After yoga we had lunch by the water and laid out on the most comfortable beach chairs which were more like couches. Oh yeah, and Cosmo was doing a photo shoot while we were there, if that tells you how nice this place was.

I'm thinking yoga on Mondays is going to be a regular thing from now on. Also, I'm thinking of a few people I know (Karen, Sharon, Erin - wow, their names rhyme) who could really dig this.

View from my spot in yoga class

Zen grounds at La Luna

Beachside at La Luna

JT relaxing after yoga

Grenada in the news

Oddly, Grenada appeared in the news two days in a row:

New York Times
Feb. 7, 2009
In Grenada, Leaving the Past Behind
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/travel/08grenada.html?scp=2&sq=grenada&st=cse


MSN. com
Feb. 8, 2009
Best Romantic Getaways: Waterfront Escapes
http://travel.msn.com//Guides/MSNTravelSlideShow.aspx?cp-documentid=889351&imageindex=7

The NYT article takes a closer look at the island's history and culture while MSN lists the most expensive, secluded tourist spots. Whatever type of vacation you prefer, don't you want to come visit me now??

Beach daze

My friend Jennifer Taylor has been visiting from Texas. She and I worked together at SicolaMartin. I wasn't sure what she would want to do while she was here - drive around the island, go into the capital city, go on a snorkel cruise.

Turns out she is perfectly happy relaxing on the beach every day with a book and a cocktail. Works for me! The weather has been perfect and the beach, as always, is breathtaking.

Here are some great pictures she snapped during our lounging the past two days. She is an art director after all, if you're wondering why I never take pictures that look this good.