We are planning a BBQ for when she arrives and have also decided to invite our lovely friend Keisha who has chauffeured us all over the place at a moment's notice. (We wished we'd thought of inviting her while Jax was still here).
We spend the day quietly by the pool. No walking for me and Henry today. Ruth and Malcolm decide to walk to Hole Town to visit the bank though. Ruth is also doing a bit of a fashion parade for us and has now changed outfits twice this morning.
Because the BBQ shopping was also done by the intrepid adventurers a couple of days ago there's very little that we need them to get while in town.
Mum has finished "The Help" and has started another book - her third since she arrived. This one is called "The Other Hand" and she's racing through it.
Henry and I are just chilling only occasionally getting up for a drink or a snack.
The kids come back from town and don't have any adventure stories to share but can you believe it - they've been to Surfside for drinks and also had fish cakes! The rotten devils didn't bring any back for us!!!!! (another change of outfit for Ruth).
They have bought a few more things for the BBQ though. As Ruth says neither of us know how to make small amounts of food.
Because we've invited Keisha we also decide to also make fried dumplings, more rice and peas and plantains to accompany the snapper, king fish, burgers, hot dogs, veg kebabs, coleslaw, ribs, roasted butternut squash, salad and potato wedges that are already on the menu. We could easily invite all the neighbours and still have too much food. So when Keisha calls to ask if Andy can join us the answer is a resounding yes.
The battle of the rice and peas begins as I get the kids to taste both mine and Jax's (which was in the freezer). If they know what's good for them they'll choose mine because Jax is too far away to whinge at them. (I think it was a draw. After all Jax had been my coach last week and I was just following her instructions!)
The Princess arrives at 5.30 after a call from Keisha to say that had slept on the flight and missed the food so would like something as soon as she arrives. Ruth makes her a sandwich and it's ready for when she gets here.
We get a skype call from Jax who Si says is obsessed with Barbados as it's all she talks about. She's still missing being here and we miss having her. She's also finding it tough to adjust to the cold at home. Jax says that she was born to be here.
The good news is that it looks as if we may have found a great place for our summer vacation so she can properly start to plan her return to the island. She signs off skype asking that Jen calls when she arrives. But in the hubbub we didn't get a chance. We will call tomorrow instead.
I also get a call from Wayne to say that his sister in law, Steph, is in Barbados and we hope to catch up with her before we leave.
We're all in the kitchen cooking up a storm (including mum who's in charge of plantains).
Just as we light the BBQ the heavens open and we plan to shift everything indoors if it persists. It eases off enough for us to stay outside. Some do and some choose to go indoors.
We decide to put the table umbrella up to help keep the rain off and two tiny geckos are startled into flight as we open it. They are only babies and in a panic run straight into the pool. As quick as a flash, and without a minute's consideration for his own safety, Malcolm rushes to the pool, scoops them out and places them safely on the terrace. They scuttle away and we all admire his bravery. What a guy. (Can geckos swim!!??)
Keisha and Andy arrive, bringing a lovely bottle of wine with them. Malcolm and Ruth have worked very hard and the cooking starts. In no time the procession of food begins and, as we predicted, there's more than enough.
Malcolm is head chef and Ruth takes great care of him, making sure he has enough beer for a man battling with the heat of the open flames. (Another outfit change for Ruth).
We manage to break a dish but i think we've done well to only beak one thing since we've been here.
We spend the evening eating and drinking. Ruth makes mango daiquiris and rum punch. After a couple Keisha begins to bob and weave - she's just a light weight and clearly can't take her drink. Unlike me - a master at holding my liquor! The rum punch incident at Surfside last week was more to do with dehydration than anything else. (that's my story anyway).
Andy links up with us on Facebook so that we can all keep in touch. We have a good old laugh, look through photos of our respective families and relive some of the stories from when Jax was here, including the one about Dexter St Jock.
Malcolm is bemused so I find the Eddie Murphy clip on Utube and he's quickly enlightened. He says that if Ruth comes to Barbados on her own Keisha and Andy are under strict orders to take her straight back to the airport!
A few more drinks and we all begin to flag. The Princess has done well to stay up so late and is the first to head to bed. Soon after Keisha and Andy head off too.
The lovely Keisha gives us a couple of DVDs to watch and off they go.
TTFN
Gem xxx
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