Manic Monday

After the big machines drove me off from the
cart, I came home and played in the gardens and baked, as the Treat of the Day from yesterday was FULL of ants. Oh dear. Fed the fish. So that is why god made ziploc baggies. Now I know.



I decided to come back in the late afternoon, after the sun wasn't blazing. I'd bought some battery operated LED lights for when it got dark, but found out they don't light up more than a 2 x 2 inch space around themselves. There was a guy trying to look at Chris's tied lures and it was easier to see by the setting sun. Bless him, he bought two. And a couple of people bought some other stuff, so I guess it's not a bad time to hang out at the cart.


CONTRARY to what my dearest friends thought, who showed up to collect on a bet that I'd not be there that late, well ha ha HA, yes I was! So we had a drink and in come some of the players from the controversial development out toward Zoni. There was a big meeting today, lawyers and players and money oh my! I went to the first one, but skipped this one because, frankly, I'm in enough of a edgy mood, I was afraid I might just do a verbal rat a tat tat, first because that's how I feel about it and second, it would have been lovely to vent on SOMEone just to get my ya ya's out. But karma is a funny thing...there we were at Dinghy Dock, minding our own business, when down the steps come guys in khaki pants and button down shirts, obviously *them*...how could I resist? I didn't.

Making sure they were the men in question, we somehow split off and compared notes afterward. The man I spoke to, who is part of the group of 10 owners (henceforth known as the Group of Ten) answered my question "What have you done for Culebra in the ten years you've owned property here?" with "I've paid taxes." I said, have you helped anyone? Been involved with the children? Anything? No.

They pointed out that they were giving 12 acres to Culebra and thought that would be a good thing. I said, few know that because you wouldn't allow English to be spoken (quibble quibble). I suggested they contact Jim Peterson of the Culebra Calendar and write a piece in English, explaining their side, so that those of us who get along just fine on Culebra with our broken poor Spanish might understand the more technical situation they are wanting to convey. The three men I spoke with said they would consider that. We'll see. My own take is...it is rude to come into a place and refuse to speak in a way that all understand, regardless of the language. Communication is important...unless...it's not?


Yes, too much about that. Because after coming down the steps I looked at the far side of the bar and it was like the young men of America were lined up. These guys are college mates who have come to Culebra 3 times now for a reunion of sorts. They let me take their picture, probably so I would go away. And...I did!


Home to cook chicken and corn on the grill, with a phone call induced blazing inferno (an old boyfriend's birthday call a day late, but hey these things are important - he's still well worth a burned chicken thigh)!. The fire was big: corn cob husks blazing, chicken charring. But the outcome, under the charcoled exteriors, was still excellent chicken and corn. Go figure. It's that sort of night.





A good ending to a strange enough day. A voice just came out of the darkness a few minutes ago saying "MJ, is it too late to visit?" and I realized it was Celestial Chuck, coming by to show me the comet Lulin. Then Greg showed up, in from his sail, and we all binoculored. It was, even with Chuck's magnificant German binoculars that I once saw the rings of Saturn through, a fuzzy white blob. But since I won't be around in 4 million years - it was very cool to see even that. With my own eyes, not on television or the computer...I SAW Lulin.

So, once again on Culebra, the universe has conspired to ease my spirit with craziness and tranquility when I need that so much. Because really, to me anyway in my starry eyed life belief system...Culebra is not simply a place to buy or rent a house in a beautiful place. It is a total life experience that affects you every day in the most marvelous ways, if you let it. And maddening too, but that is family life.

Soothing my spirit. Tranquillo. Well, once the damn sewer is done.