Unpacking

Yesterday it rained the entire day. Rain here is torrential - drizzle is not in the Caribbean vocabulary. The girls entertained themselves splashing in the puddles in their swimsuits but then joined me as I unpacked our 8 cases. Such a nice feeling knowing where everything is now, and our room feeling more like home with our LCM calendar hanging from the ceiling, button pictures of the girls on the cupboard doors, Aunty Julie's mobile hanging over Baby JoJo's cot.

Right now I see very little of Bertie, as he goes here and there chatting to people and doing his little jobs. In fact, my constant companions are the girls and their cousins Delphine and Jessica, here for the month on holiday. Everywhere I go, these little shadows follow me. They enjoyed playing with various toys and books while I tidied, with the occasional intervention required. Their favourite activity is holding Baby JoJo or playing with him. Fortunately he has a lot of patience! So no strolling hand in hand along the beach I'm afraid! And as for babysitting, the girls are still too shy to be left with anyone but us. In fact, the best at being babysat is Baby JoJo! Yesterday he was whisked off to the shop by my two nephews Steeven and Bryan. I am tempted to see it as a way of impressing the girls as much as anything else! Today Tatie Pierrette took him off to work for a while. Speaking of whom, CassCass just can't manage her name and calls her Tatie Pooit!! Her daughter Emilie is the girls' favourite person right now and they keep seeking her out, though as a teenager, her getting up time is much later than theirs!

A couple of evenings back, we went to the next door stadium (where Pierrette works) and the girls ran around after some balls on the basketball pitch. We took them back again last night for another run around and met some Mormons on the way. They pass our house daily and are very conspicuous in their suits and badges! They began by asking if they could do anything for me (in french) so I asked if they were American - they were very surprised to encounter a Londoner in Guadeloupe!

With all this rain it is so much cooler. Lovely! But that and the lack of car means we haven't made it to the beach yet. I am looking forward to taking the girls soon.