31 January 2007

I’m getting used to Jamaica and I should have seen this coming. Things only get done when they absolutely have to be done and never before. The owners of the new house knew I had to be out of my old place on 31 January and it was unsurprising to get a message that that is the day we can move. Of course the house is not quite ready but would be habitable by the end of the day.

Like an Amish barn raising hoards of work men are running through the house, plumbing, wiring, welding. Hoards of other work men unloading the lorry. A veritable hive of activity, so that even I had to take the afternoon off work, though I was simply directing human traffic. Not too much broken in the shipment, just a few picture frames and a chair.

Finally at around 7 we got rid of everybody and sat down to enjoy first night in the new house, and it appears that the rental agreement did not specify light-bulbs, so we consequently got none! We had very few creature comforts with the different voltage here from back home so we had to rely on old fashioned conversation (and alcohol) to entertain ourselves. M&F of Leisure told us repeated how much they helped, though beyond putting away foodstuffs in the kitchen cupboards, I didn’t quite see the fruits of their toils.

It was pleasant sitting on our own furniture in the evening admiring the new surroundings sipping rum and squinting against the one bare light bulb we found among our chattels. Wee Lad decided that the house is not for him as it did not come with a t.v. an stormed off to bed in a huff.