Pa Ni Ayen

Is what you are hearing most everywhere now, as the strike is well into its third week and shows no sign of relenting. Translation: there isn't any! Milk was the latest casualty today, along with various other essentials. Pretty much every shop has been closed this week with a few notable exceptions - who are unsurprisingly sold out! I am getting a feel for what it must have been like in war time Britain living under rationing....

Still, it is always good to learn to make do with less, and today's reading was on godliness with contentment - very timely!

From my understanding of current events, the grevistes are waiting for an agreement on an extra €200 for all who are low paid before they even consider going any further with the other 999 demands they have made. OK, slight exaggeration, they number about 145!

To provide additional support Martinique has joined in the strike too, though it does seem slightly unjust that they will get the same result having striked for 3 weeks less!

On the good side, Bertie queued for petrol for a mere 25 minutes on Saturday so we have been able to go out a bit this week. On Monday we went to Pointe a Pitre and watched the demonstrators march past singing their charming "Guadeloupe is ours so go away" song and yesterday we headed off to the beach at Ste Anne, visiting the girls' cousins Severine and Sylvain who live there too. The weather wasn't very favourable but there is something very special about sitting in the sea with the rain drumming down on you, watching the coconut trees sway in the strong wind!

I have babysat twice this week for a friend whose husband is away in Haiti with JEM - her three children are a lovely trio so a pleasure to look after. And now I am making another court bouillon, following the success of the last, but would you know it, I peeled the wrong bananas!!

One week till Mum and Evie arrive...the countdown is on!