A mystery solved

Do you recognize this face? It is the face of a very naughty dog called Sandy. 

Earlier this week I was given a small rum filled fruit cake. I tasted a slice and boy was it yummy and rummy. Later that evening I took a second slice. It was moreish so I went for a third slice. I found the knife on the floor, the foil the cake was wrapped in also on the floor and the cake nowhere to be found. I screamed out in shock and ran to look for the culprit. Now this cake was oozing with rum and loads of minced dried fruits in it. Fruits like raisins, prunes, dates and currants. I know raisins can be fatal to dogs so I hurriedly searched for Sandy. and found him sleeping soundly on the floor next to the bed. I nudged him to make sure he was alive. He barely opened an eye and quickly went back to sleep. He was knocked out! How did I know it was Sandy? He is the tallest dog in the pack, he has been seen with his paws on the kitchen counter looking to see what was nearby that he can reach. He had done this before with some ginger snaps I had left on the counter. 

 On Friday,  I was in the shower when there was a knock on the door, my husband wanted to know how long had I been in there. A bit perplexed, I told him about fifteen minutes. He said that there was toilet paper all over the kitchen floor and it looked like a whole roll. I checked the toilet paper holder and the roll there was intact. I checked the bag where toilet paper was stored and one was missing. Someone who was helping me clean upstairs told me that he heard Sandy barking, when he looked downstairs there was toilet paper all over the kitchen floor so he alerted my husband.

We had some friends visiting earlier in the week. We  sat around the table chatting for a while. When they were getting ready to leave my husband spotted some keys outside on the cobblestones. He asked if someone had dropped their their keys. My friend checked the table where he had laid his car keys and they were not there. He looked where Chuck my husband was pointing to and was shocked to see his keys on the ground. Sandy had disappeared.  The keys were still wet. 
Nothing is safe around Sandy! Many times a day I am running  behind him like a mad woman  shouting at him to drop whatever he is carrying. He will stop at some distance and peep at me from the corners of his eyes and then take off whenever I get closer. The gardener's hats, gloves and shoes are not safe. The mason's and carpenter's tools are not safe. And he is still growing! This morning he had the bright idea to wake up my husband in bed with two thumps on the back with his huge paws. What am I going to do with this dog?

P.S.....I forgot to tell you that Sandy goes into the vegetable field next door and brings home discarded cucumbers and eats them. Lately I have been finding green bitten tomatoes around the garden. Now he has brought home a butternut squash! I am thinking of sending him to the market to shop for me.

Wishing you all Good Tidings of Joy this holiday season!

Homestead update November

The patio painting is almost done, the guttering will be installed as soon as I compare quotes. The old aluminum guttering is still good and I am tempted to reuse it but I am afraid that after 15 years leaks might occur. So I am looking at some seamless gutters. The garden will be the last on the list.

Patio lattice finished painting and waiting to hang the gates.

The walls are done with a coral stone rendering and have blown in some areas so I have to repair them. 

 The ceilings are painted in a pale green.

 I decided to paint the bedroom doors in this blue while the wood partitions are in a pale yellow.

 One of the workers spilled a can of paint, paint was everywhere.

 Bathroom floor tiles, I chose a wood plank tile. I am aiming for a rustic type bathroom.

 For the feature wall, I am trying to choose a tile that will add some rusticity and won't clash with the floor. I like the far right tile. Which would you choose? Tile selection is difficult and exhausting for me.

I don't think I will be upstairs for the Christmas season going by how things are going. I have been repairing walls the last mason ruined and it has been a slow process. This is because the present mason can only work Sundays as he is busy on another job. I don't want to take another chance with another mason. This is how things are done on this island. You have to pay twice to get things done right. Aaaaaggggghhhhhh!  And the dust from cutting the walls is everywhere. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Homestead update

 My windows have finally arrived, after months of looking for someone to make them for me I finally found a firm by the name of Brother's workshop to do them. They were delivered on last Saturday!

Sash window with jalousies

 Of course there was bad weather approaching. Luckily I had some temporary shutters built to keep the rain out on the windward side.

 They are made out of cedar wood and replicate the plantation style shutter windows.  I am quite pleased with Brother's workshop located in Grazettes Industrial park.

 We managed to install two and will finish installing the rest later in the week after the bad weather has passed. After they have been screwed into place the walls will be plastered to seal them in.

Light fixtures are installed

The ceiling fans are up  with one more to be installed whenever it gets here.

 Today we were expecting tropical storm Chantal. She passed the island with only occasional showers and headed up the island chain. My friend in Martinique said that the storm was not very strong and all is well there. I was very happy to hear that.

My window hoods have been repainted and are now awaiting installation.

Baby Sandy has now been accepted by the pack and is now sleeping indoors with them.  The first night he kept such a racket that he pushed the baby gate down and went to sleep under the bed where we are camping downstairs at the moment. He sleeps through the night without a squeak coming from him. All I am thinking about in bed  is how much cleaning I might have to do when I wake up or what will I be stepping in. He has been pretty good so far and I have been taking him out last thing at night and first thing in the morning.  I can't wait until the bedrooms upstairs are completed. That will take another two to three months or so.  Meanwhile during the day I am kept  busy mopping up puddles and scooping up his poop. I have placed newspaper in areas on the floor  and he has been doing it there when he can't make it outside. I am convinced he is a poop and pee pee factory. I might have to get him some diapers LOL! 

House renos update

Old plaster was removed and the beautiful limestone exposed.

I loved the look but unfortunately it couldn't stay like that because of the elements.

A gray cement scratch coat was applied  and afterwards coral stone finish.

Sunburst design on the front patio.

House renos are still continuing at the rustic bajan gardener's homestead. I am exhausted from trying to get quality work from the workmen. Medocrity seems to be the standard and I do have a big problem with that.  
 There was drama after drama trying to get my windows built. I contacted several firms to come and measure to give a quote. After a week I heard nothing so I called many told me that they hadn't even started my quote as yet and told me that when they are finished they will let me know. I told them not to bother, if they cannot give me a quote in a week's time then they have too much business on their plate. One told me that I would have to wait five weeks for the windows while several others never sent in a quote. 

Doing business on this island is pure frustration.  I then found a firm with whom I gave a sizable deposit to and asked for a contract on what they will be doing for me. Well The cheque was cashed the next day  and after a week of begging for a contract I gave up and demanded my money back. The contract came after I demanded my money but I told them that I had lost faith in them and I no longer wanted to do business with them. I finally contacted a firm who no showed on me many years ago but I decided to give them another try since I was running out of firms. They came out the next day measured up and sent me a quote two days later. I went in to pay a deposit. I got a phone call later saying that the quote was wrong and it was more money.  I nearly had a seizure so I went in to see them again and we finally decided on cedar wood windows. I paid the deposit and was told the windows will be ready in three weeks. They have been very helpful and have consulted me on several occasions regarding the finish on the wood I wanted.  So at this time I have no windows upstairs and had to make do some temporary  plywood shutters on the windward side  to stop the rain from coming in. I am keeping my finger crossed.  More photos to come so stay tuned.