Candi and Michael ~ On The Move

Tales from Grenada and Beyond

Shipping Barrels and Extreme Friendship ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

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Before the pandemic, I traveled back to the US four times a year to visit my disabled sister, Sharon. While I was in the states, I packed barrels to ship home to Grenada.  I filled the barrels with everything and anything from medication to quality olive oil, plant pots, electronics, camera equipment, or clothing.  Items ran the complete gamut – anything we either can’t get in Grenada, is exorbitantly expensive here, or the quality is poor. (It seems many of the inferior goods that Americans won’t buy end up in developing countries.)

Barrels getting ready to be loaded at Compass Shipping

Diane, the beachy beauty, sporting plats created by Nadica.

My wonderful friend, Diane, graciously allows me to send everything to her house about a week or two before I arrive. Then I drive to her home in Connecticut after visiting with my sister on Long Island. Diane and I go on a two-day shopping spree – to Trader Joe’s for $500 worth of nuts, berries, and sauces, home goods stores for sheets, towels, rugs, etc., and anything that I can’t buy from Amazon or other online retailers without seeing the product first.

Diane fills her extra bedroom to the ceiling with boxes (… and her porch, … and her shed). We spend a full day (or two!) unboxing everything to get rid of all the packing material and then repack the empty boxes, so I can drive everything to Brooklyn to ship via a freighter bound for Grenada. After the packing is competed, I grab a hotel room, dinner and then I fly back home from JFK airport early the next morning so there is always pressure for everything to go perfectly.  Fingers crossed, everything has worked well each time.  Back in Grenada, Michael is always shaking his head because he always adds extra time to deal with any potential problems.  This is the smart thing to do, but it would mean one less day to spend with Diane, so I just cross my fingers and run around like a crazy woman.

I organize everything according to how it will pack best in the barrels. All the soft things go together to either pad the barrel’s bottom or cushion delicate items. I group all the big stuff, so it is easy to see and ensure everything will fit in the barrels.  Then there’s all the small stuff – toothbrushes, soaps, batteries, etc. that slip down the sides and fill in small crevices.

I always rent a Chrysler Town and Country van (now called a Pacifica) because all the seats fold down into a flat floor – perfect for transporting a ton of things. I fill the car in sections – oversized heavy items in the back left, soft things in the back right, and then all the smaller items in front. I head off to Brooklyn around 9:00 AM, so I miss the Connecticut commuter traffic, and I arrive right around lunchtime.

My favorite shipper is Compass Shipping. It’s a Grenadian company, and I love hearing the familiar Caribbean accent as I arrive.  And, true to form, everyone is friendly and helpful.

Compass Shipping is located in Brooklyn, NY and ships all over the Caribbean, but mostly to Grenada

Early on, I met Jimmy, the lead forklift operator, and packer. He’s consistently taken great care of me. I pull up with my overloaded car. He takes a glance and immediately decides how many barrels or boxes we’ll need based on the size and shape of the largest items. He’s never been wrong.  Within an hour to an hour and a half, we get everything unpacked – again – and fill the barrels. Jimmy is fast and meticulous, making sure anything liquid is standing upright, tops sealed with tape, secured so it wouldn’t fall over, and cushioned to avoid breakage. Jimmy has the touch – everything packed densely, no movement but not packed too tightly, so everything arrives in one piece, with nothing broken.

Jimmy fills the barrel so it is overstuffed by about 3 inches and then jumps on top to squish everything down and seals it up.

A job well done!

 

(One time when Compass was out of barrels, I went to a competitor, and the packer kept jamming things into the barrel with me repeatedly pleading to be more careful. All our Shout laundry cleaner containers split during shipping and covered the bottom of the barrel with liquid.  It was heartbreaking throwing away hundreds of dollars of food I’d just purchased because it was covered in soap. Not to mention the hours washing everything else. Lesson learned, stick with the pro!)

As with so much this year, COVID changed my travel plans.  I haven’t been back to the US since last February.  I planned to travel in May and then tentatively in September. In a normal year, I’d make one extended trip in November to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with my sister.  Finally, it was apparent that I would not be traveling at all in 2020, but we were out of all our favorite US-based products and needed the everyday items we purchase from time to time.

Try to imagine if you could shop only four times a year.  Michael and I literally begin a new list as soon as the barrels arrive and then wait 4-5 months before getting the next shipment. It’s a lesson in planning and patience. There’s no running to the store to pick up that little item that will make whatever easier or nicer. Oh, I forgot to buy material to cover a cushion?  Guess that will wait until the next season!

When I determined I wasn’t going to get to the US this year, Diane, being the incredible friend she is, offered to 1) allow us to send another ton of boxes to her house, 2) do all the local shopping, like Trader Joes’, by herself, and 3) drive six-plus hours to and from Brooklyn, NY to deliver the goods and help pack barrels.

My wonderful friend, Diane, visiting in Grenada. Note the temporary shark tattoo symbolizing conservation of this important animal.

I call this extreme friendship.  Diane and I have been best friends for a long time.  We both have always said we would do anything for each other, and she passed this test with flying colors.

Diane is talking about moving to Tennessee, so this might be the last time I can impose on her generosity.  Although she said she is still willing to receive boxes at her new home, unpack and repack everything,  rent  a van, pack it to the ceiling, and drive across five states to NY to meet me, I think this is a fantasy – and beyond reasonable – so I will have to figure out an alternative.

Michael and I waited and coordinated our Amazon shopping trip to coincide with Amazon Prime Day to see if we could score some extra savings, but only a few items of the items we needed went on sale. We ordered everything on that day, and as an avalanche of packages arrived at Diane’s house, so did new pending COVID lockdown orders for Connecticut.

The avalanche of packages. This was a single day’s deliveries.

Diane squeaked the trip in on the very last day before the lockdown started. I had my fingers crossed that the trip would be uneventful, and fortunately, it was.  We kept in contact throughout the day, and everything ran smoothly.

Three weeks later, the barrels arrived.  As I unpacked, thrilled with our bounty, I realized how much I missed seeing Diane.  The few days we get to be together to laugh and catch up while we shop, pack, and enjoy each other’s company multiple times each year is the sweetest gift of friendship. I know I’ll figure out some way to get barrels to Grenada, but I don’t know how to replace the laughter, love, and fun I have with Diane.

Hats off to Diane and extreme friendship.

 

Trying to Patch our Virus Free Bubble ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

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After having only 23 active cases of COVID-19 and no deaths, Grenada became COVID free in mid-June.  The Ministry of Health reported the welcome statistics, and all Grenadians sighed with relief.  Protocols remained in place, people followed the protocols, but tensions reduced, and people began cautiously resuming a more typical lifestyle – with stores, restaurants, and businesses slowly reopening.  Of course, the Government still enforced wearing masks, hand sanitizing, and social distancing everywhere, but we saw a glimmer of hope for health and normality.

Grenada became COVID free in June and remained COVID free until mid October.

Grenada remained COVID free during July, August, and September.  People started feeling safer, and we only read about new cases happening elsewhere. Although Grenadians were getting lax about wearing masks at all times, we still donned them when coming close to others plus hand sanitizing when entering any store, restaurant, or business.  It was so pleasant living in the COVID free bubble. People were cautious but felt safe.

Local schools began their fall semester online-only, and St. George’s University campus remained closed for students, conducting classes online.  After a month, the local schools started to partially open with students going to classes on staggered days – 1 to 2 days per week. Now, local schools are back in session for everyone every day.

Finally, the airport opened to UK and European flights and then US flights one month later.  Grenadians have mixed feelings about this.  We rely heavily on tourism for jobs and business revenue, but with the airport opening, we expose the population to imported cases COVID.

Overall, due to robust travel protocols, and a requirement to stay in mandatory quarantine until receiving a negative PCR test, cases are identified while people are in quarantine, and there has been little community spread.   The most significant issue has been people who breached quarantine before their test results came back, and those results were positive.  Breaching quarantine creates a massive problem for the country and unsuspecting individuals who come in close contact with infected individuals.

One person who breached quarantine immediately went to several parties. As a result, 77 people who came into close contact with him needed to quarantine.  A second breach (by a US doctor who definitely should have known better) resulted in 40 additional people being quarantined.  People who breach quarantine are fined $3,000 EC (about $1,100 US), which seems like a paltry amount given the potential community spread, the disruption to businesses and innocent individuals who then have to quarantine for a minimum of 5-7 days.

In both breaches, the virus spread to others in close contact, but in each instance, those people were already in quarantine when they tested positive for the virus, so overall, the virus has been well contained.

We also had a young man who couldn’t wait to see his girlfriend. He broke into her quarantine location, and when he thought he was going to be caught, he jumped out a second-story window and broke his leg.  All for love!

Grenada has been designated as a “Low Risk” country for COVID-19, one of only a handful of countries worldwide. Here in Grenada, with our bubble being burst, people feel less safe and have become more vigilant.

St. George’s University (SGU) announced that their January semester will be held online. They will continue to monitor the situation before announcing if the April term will be held in person. This announcement has an enormous impact on Grenada.  SGU accounts for 25% of the country’s total revenue, and the lack of international Medical and Veterinary students trickles down into everything from buses to restaurants and grocery stores.  Since last spring, we haven’t had full grocery shelves, and some products disappeared completely when the students vacated the island in March.

As of November 20th, we have eleven active cases of COVID-19, 30 cases have been cleared, and we’ve had no deaths.  These are impressive statistics, and everyone should be proud of our response to this deadly virus.  Unfortunately, we’ve lost over 100 Grenadians to COVID living elsewhere – primarily in the US and UK.

All eleven active cases, and the known contacts of people who breached quarantine, are asymptomatic, remain in quarantine, are awaiting testing and medical clearance. Because of the stringent protocols, we’ve stayed mostly safe.  The biggest problem has been people breaking quarantine.  One hundred seventeen people had to quarantine because three reckless individuals could not remain in place for a week.  What a sad and selfish situation.

The Ministry of Health has done a fabulous job protecting Grenadians and keeping everyone informed.  Frontline workers have kept the country running as close to normal as possible and were especially valued during our stringent lockdown earlier this year.  The Grenadian people also need to be commended for following protocols and making an enormous impact on keeping everyone safe.  We may grumble about mask-wearing in our heat and humidity, but people do it because it is the right thing to do to keep everyone safe.

Because of the increased numbers of imported cases reported in the last week, The Ministry of Health has altered our protocols. Travelers need to complete a Pure Grenada Travel Authorization Certificate, including a negative PCR test within 72 hours of flying that must be approved before arriving. (Travelers initially needed a negative PCR test seven days before travel, but so many people have tested positive after arriving in Grenada that the timeline has been tightened.)

 

 

 

 

 

The specifics of each case are detailed below.  When looking at the US and UK’s daily infection rates, it is astonishing that we have had so few new cases since opening our borders.

October 12th – we recorded our first case in 3 months.  A returning national breached quarantine before being released, and because of this, 77 people had to be placed in quarantine to prevent community spread.

NOTE: This person was identified as Case 25 and was listed as the first new case in 3 months, but I could find nothing about Case 24.  This discrepancy may be from an early case where a man illegally fled the island before his test results were processed – he was positive.  He flew from Grenada to Canada and then onto the UK at the beginning of the outbreak before Grenada shut our borders.

October 17th – The Ministry of Health announced Cases 26 and 27.  One person had been in close contact with the man who breached quarantine.  The second case was unrelated. The person also returned to Grenada via airplane, tested positive during quarantine, and remained in quarantine until cleared.

October 24th – Another person returning to Grenada tested positive, Case 28, and went into quarantine.

November 2nd – Case 29, a person returning to Grenada tested positive and quarantined.

November 4th – A new arrival to Grenada became Case 30 and quarantined.  Other passengers on the same flight were closely watched, but no one else contracted the virus.

November 8th – An American doctor and his wife who have a home in Grenada, broke their home quarantine, and visited four restaurants before their tests came back positive and became Case 31 and 32. As a result, another 40 people had to quarantine to prevent community spread and one restaurant had to shut down.

November 14th – The 33rd case was identified.  She was in close contact with the couple who breached their home quarantine and had been quarantined through contact tracing.  All 40 people near Cases 31 and 32 and are in quarantine will be retested shortly.

November 18th – Three new cases announced – Case 34 arrived in Grenada from the USA, was PCR tested, and remains quarantined. Cases 35 and 36 arrived at the Carriacou Marina (a sister island to mainland Grenada) and are quarantining on their yacht with two others.

November 19th – One new case, Case 37, arrived in Grenada from the USA, was PCR tested and remains quarantined.

November 20th – Four new cases announced – Case 38 arrived in Grenada from the USA on November 15th, and has been quarantined since.  Cases 39 and 40 are the two other people who have been quarantined on the yacht off the coast of Carriacou with Cases 35 and 36. Case 41 is the son of Case 33, who was a close contact of Cases 31 and 32.

With continued vigilance and a bit of luck, Grenada will continue to be a low-risk country for COVID-19.  As Grenadians like to say – “For now, we are safe, please God.”

The COVID protocols will have a big impact on our holiday party. Last year we had 65 guests. This year it will be less than 20. Sad, but it is important to be safe.

Reunited ~ And It Feels So Good! ~COVID-19 in Grenada

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The government closed our airport on March 23rd to protect the country from imported cases of COVID-19. Michael, along with lots of other Grenadians who were either visiting or living in the US and wanted to be somewhere safer, had been locked out of the country for months.  People were desperate to come home. When the airport continued to be shuttered to commercial flights with no reopen date, the Grenadian Embassy assisted with a charter flight for Grenadian citizens.

The BIG question for the government: How to bring home Grenadian Nationals AND keep the country safe?

On Friday, June 19th, Michael arrived in Grenada on a jetBlue charter flight. After landing in Grenada and getting a Rapid test at the airport, he immediately was transported to a government-approved quarantine facility.  You can read about dance to get him back in Grenada here (The Corona Tango).

Initially, we thought Michael would be in government quarantine for 2 days. Soon after, the Ministry of Health announced that the government quarantine would last four days because everyone hadn’t been able to get testing before boarding the flight. Then, they decided to keep everyone in mandatory government quarantine for 10 days.

It was confusing and disheartening as the protocols changed almost daily.  Michael was finally home in Grenada, but I could only wave to him from a field behind his apartment balcony.  It was lovely to see him for the first time in 3 months, but as the reality of us reuniting got closer, time seemed to stop. As each potential release day came and went, I got more and more frustrated.

After all the time apart, you’d think a few more days would be ‘nothing’ but the hours stretched into forever.  Finally, when only 2 days remained, I felt like I could finally breathe and started looking forward to our reunion.

I had been living in Grenada, and the island had been COVID free for over a month.  People were wearing masks and social distancing, but there was no actual fear of contracting the virus.  It felt safe, and people resumed most of their daily activities.  I started taking yoga classes three times a week.

This is the Johns Hopkins COVID map for Florida. New cases really started surging in June to thousands per day. (on 7/12, Florida reported a staggering15,300 new cases)

Michael came in from Florida, a state where COVID cases were surging – with thousands of new cases every day.  People were not wearing masks or social distancing.  Florida definitely was not safe.  Michael self-quarantined and isolated for three months in a rental – with nothing familiar except for his computer.  To get to Grenada, he also had to travel from Florida to New York, stay overnight in a hotel, and then fly home. Every step was a potential exposure point for contracting the virus.

The people on the plane were all supposed to be COVID free. At the last minute, the Grenadian government decided that any Grenadian National could board the flight since so many could not get access to testing.  This was an additional exposure risk. Upon arrival, Michael spent 10 days in a stylish, but a minuscule cramped apartment.  He didn’t interact with anyone except for people passing food to him at his doorway once a day.

I picked up Michael at 6:00 PM on Sunday, June 28th.  I was extremely mindful that we were approaching this reunion from two distinct places and perspectives.  I literally got to his hotel at 5:40 on the off chance he might get released early and was ready to jump into his arms.  I also knew that this greeting might overwhelm him, even if it was welcomed somewhere in his mind.  I decided to let Michael take the lead on how he wanted to be greeted.

When I saw Michael walk out of the hotel, my heart swelled, but I stood still and let him come to me.  One sweet kiss and we walked hand in hand to the car.  It was enough.  We were together again, finally.  On the way home, Michael peppered me with questions trying to wrap his head around Grenada’s situation compared to his experience in the US. I did my best to tell him what to expect.

Nadica and Sheila wanted to have a big all-day party on Monday to welcome Michael home.  After talking with Michael, we scaled it back to an afternoon party. Nadica and Sheila spent the morning making the national dish of Grenada, Oil Down and we had a lovely lunch with great conversation.

Nadica has just scooped out all the ingredients of the oil down into separate bowls so she can serve everyone. Sheila is smiling in the background.

Oil Down is a delicious stew of salt fish, chicken, pigtail, yams, callaloo, carrots, and coconut milk boiled down into oil.

Finally, Michael is home. He is sitting on our patio, getting ready to enjoy the oil down that Nadica and Sheila made in his honor. Check out that smile!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of Michael’s friends also wanted to come over and welcome him home. I asked them to call to say Hi and give Michael a week to adjust to his new reality before we began inviting friends into our house.

First, we needed to get home so Michael could relax and see Red Dog.  Michael worried that Red Dog might have forgotten him.  I was sure this wasn’t the case because about a week before Michael came home, I got his car inspected.  As I drove Michael’s car up the driveway, Red Dog raced out of the house and down the driveway.  I opened the car door and he leaped over me to see if Michael was in the passenger seat.  That being empty, he then jumped into the back seat and then the way back in case Michael was hiding somewhere.  I had NO question that Red Dog would be beside himself with joy when Michael arrived.

We pulled in the driveway in my car, and Red Dog raced to see Michael.  He knows he’s not supposed to jump, and you could see his dilemma of wanting to be in Michael’s arms and be a ‘good boy.’  Red Dog resorted to a few jumps and running in circles, unable to contain all his joy and love. Everyone had said they wondered what this reunion would be like, so we videoed this joyous reunion.

We walked the property in the late afternoon light, looking at the flowers, veggies, and finally, the orchids as Michael re-acclimated.  Since the rainy season has started, everything was looking green and lush.  We lost some orchids to disease and water damage when the plastic ripped off the orchid house a few days before Michael got home, but overall, they were in good enough shape.

We then sat on our lovely patio and gazed at each other, marveling that we were together.  Gin and Tonic in hand, Michael could finally breathe in the reality of being home.  We had a quiet, delicious dinner and went to bed early.  Michael was finally in his own bed, and I finally had my man next to me once again.  We both slept better than we had in months, and each day just gets better.

I can see Michael gradually decompressing every day.  On Tuesday, we both went to yoga.  I could see his friends itching to give him hugs but respecting his space and maintaining social distancing. The smiles and greetings warmed my heart and melted Michael’s.  I can see him visibly relax more and more as he settles in. Michael has set up some photo shoots at the house, which is probably the best therapy of all, getting back into his groove.

We’re reunited.  And IT FEELS SO GOOD!

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The Corona Tango ~ One Step Forward, Two Steps Back ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

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Michael and I planned to fly to Florida on March 23rd, 2020, so Michael could receive a necessary medical procedure that was not available in Grenada.  Our trip was expected to last 10 days. By mid-March, we heard that our airport was expected to shut down any day, and borders would close to protect the country from COVID-19, so we changed our plans. Michael flew out on March 20th. I stayed home.

On March 23rd, the last commercial flight left Grenada. Shortly after that, the dance to try and get Michael back to Grenada began.  Michael’s original return date of April 1st came and went with no information on when the borders and airport might reopen.

The Corona Tango began with No steps forward, two steps back.

On March 20th, there were 560 cases of COVID-19 in Florida, with 9 deaths.  I watched the statistics carefully, thankful that we chose Florida for treatment instead of New York, where cases were surging. On April 10th, just 20 days later, the total in Florida was an astounding 17,531 cases.

In early April, I started checking Sarasota’s statistics, specifically because that is where Michael was staying and getting treatment.  Only 2 cases were reported on April 2nd, but that number also surged to 208 by April 10th with 10 deaths in Sarasota.  After that, it became a morbid task to track the numbers and watch them increase in Sarasota and across Florida. By June 17th, there were 82,719 cases in Florida. 803 of those cases were in Sarasota, and a shocking 92 people had died in Sarasota alone.

Michael sheltered in place as much as possible, only venturing out for food, medicine, or doctor’s visits. When Michael went out, almost no one was wearing masks or social distancing.  They weren’t even providing sanitizer at the doctor’s offices, and masks were not a requirement.  This seemed crazy to me, given the statistics that were escalating daily.  In April, the rate of cases in Florida was jumping by about 1,000 a day. By May, an average of 2,000 new cases was reported each day. And now, in June, 4,000 new cases daily are not unusual, and recently, they had close to 8,000 new cases in a single day.

When the airport closed initially, I thought about what was happening around the world plus what it would take to reopen our borders. I came to the chilling conclusion that Michael might not get home before the end of July.  UGH.  Our 45th wedding anniversary is August 9th, and I was praying that we would be together to celebrate.

American Airlines started booking flights from Miami to Grenada in early June in anticipation of the airport reopening.  I booked Michael on a June 9th flight.  We thought it would be best not to fly in on the first flights, and we sprang for a business class seat to give him more room to distance himself from other passengers.  Sadly, the airport did not reopen.

One step forward, two steps back.

The schedule for July flights opened, and I moved Michael to a July 9th flight and crossed my fingers.  Grenada was working diligently to contain the virus and was trying to figure out how to safely reopen the borders.  They were in the tough position of wanting to be sympathetic to citizens desperate to come home and maintaining protocols to keep the nation safe.  Grenadian health officials said they would not open the borders before June 30th but could not commit to a specific date.  They were still developing protocols for the airport, hotels, and businesses as well as making sure there were enough tests, contact tracers, etc. to manage commercial flights.

The Honorable Nickolas Steele, Minister of Health, has done a fantastic job keeping Grenadians safe and informed.

I was listening to the almost daily updates of the protocols that the Ministry of Health was putting in place, checking our number of cases, and speaking with the Grenadian Embassy in the US for information about a repatriation flight for Grenadian citizens.  We signed up for a database that would provide information to people stranded in the US.

Dr. Francis Martin, Chief Medical Officer, interacted with both Michael and me with professionalism and compassion.

I was also signed up to the US Embassy database for Grenada.  I was getting alerts of charter flights coming to Grenada to repatriate Americans back to the US. Unfortunately, these planes were coming in empty. The crew wasn’t even allowed to disembark when they landed.  The plane essentially landed, refueled, passengers boarded, and it took off again. I understood this but was disappointed as I saw flight after flight arrive from the US empty.

Finally, we heard about a repatriation flight scheduled from JFK in New York to Grenada for Tuesday, June 16th.  We both wanted Michael to be home, but we weren’t sure it was the best option for Michael.  He’d have to drive from Sarasota to an airport that had a direct flight to New York to limit his airport exposure. He’d fly to New York, stay overnight in a hotel, and board the flight to Grenada.  Everyone was required to get a PCR test within 4 days of the flight. Michael decided to get the test, and then we would make a final decision as the date got closer.

Getting a COVID PCR test in the Sarasota area was much more complicated than we expected.  Michael went to multiple locations and was repeatedly turned away because of the required timing he needed.  He tried getting a rapid test, but the only way to get that was to go to the hospital while displaying acute symptoms.  People were sympathetic but unyielding in their decision.  Michael had one more place to try, and then he was going to ask friends in other parts of the state to search for a testing site. Fortunately, he was able to get a PCR test at the last location. BUT they couldn’t promise the test results would be ready before the flight left.

One step forward, two steps back?

Her Excellency Yolande Smith, Ambassador of Grenada was a delight to work with. She spoke to Michael and me multiple times as we tried to get Michael home. Thank you, your Excellency!

Then on Friday, June 12th, we were notified that the flight was delayed – with no new departure date.  A conference call with the Embassy was scheduled for Tuesday, June 16th. The Ambassador reviewed the testing requirement to purchase a ticket and announced that the plane would fly on Friday, June 19th. She explained that passengers would be quarantined at their expense upon arriving in Grenada. Both the Ambassadors to the US and Canada strongly encouraged people to take advantage of the repatriation flight. During an interview, the Minister of Health said the airport would be open on July 30th. Was this an error or the real opening date?  I never got a definitive answer – most likely because people just didn’t know.

We decided Michael would take the flight based on this information, not knowing when regular commercial flights would resume, and the fact that Michael had already been gone almost 3 months. If he had waited to take the July 9th flight and it was canceled, I think we both would have had a meltdown. Our biggest concern was Michael’s PCR test would now be older than 4 days. The Embassy notified us that the test would be accepted.  We felt comfortable because everyone on the flight would have a negative PCR test. We uploaded the test results to the Embassy website and began making plans.

One step forward!

The TWA hotel is literally 14 steps from jetBlue baggage claim. This was a shot from November when we both stayed there. Great hotel!

I immediately started making plans based on previous research. I found a mid-afternoon direct flight from Orlando to JFK on jetBlue. I booked Michael into the TWA hotel, which is located at JFK right beside the jetBlue terminal.  And finally, I booked him on the jetBlue flight to Grenada, leaving early the next morning.  Michael was seated in the window seat of the 2nd row to again limit exposure to others traveling. I was pleased with this itinerary.  Michael would have minimal exposure staying confined to one terminal for both the incoming and outgoing flight, and the hotel stay. Because the Orlando flight was mid-afternoon, he wouldn’t need a hotel before his Florida flight. And, there was a later flight available in case of any issues.  Michael worked with the rental car agency to return his car to Orlando instead of Miami. The plan felt solid and realistic.

One step forward!

On Thursday morning, just one day before the flight, potential passengers were frantically contacting the Embassy, saying they couldn’t get either a PCR or rapid test.  The Embassy offered to write a letter to provide the test site, but people were still having issues.  Finally, the testing requirement was dropped – Grenadians were desperate to get home, and there still was no known opening date for commercial flights to arrive.  While I agreed with this thinking, it placed Michael at higher risk.

In addition to blocking all the middle seats, jetBlue boarded the flight from the back to front, so passengers would not pass by each other.  Upon arrival, our airport staff recreated the seating pattern and had passengers deplane and sit in the same configuration in the terminal.  This way, passengers would continue to be close to the same people as on the plane – again to limit exposure.

No step forward, no step back.

Grenadian TV cameras filmed people arriving home.  Michael was the first person off the plane and gave a short interview, thanking the Grenadian Government and saying how happy he was to be home.

Huge step forward!

 

The Government announced that no one could meet the plane. Upon arrival, passengers would pass through a tent that misted them and their carry-on luggage, and then they would sit in their assigned seat while testing was done.  Everyone received a rapid test.  If someone tested positive on the rapid test, they were also given a PCR test.

Now, everyone boarded a bus to be taken to a Government controlled quarantine location.  Passengers had a choice of 3 places.  Initially, the plan was to have people stay in Government quarantine for 2 days and then get a PCR test.  If they tested negative, the person could go home for the remaining 12 days of quarantine.  Anyone living in the house would also have to quarantine.  This was fine with me, and I was approaching it like a second honeymoon.  Then, the Ministry of Health changed the Government quarantine to a minimum of 4 days because now people were entering the country without a negative PCR test.

No step forward, one step back.

Ok, so I’d have to wait two more days to see Michael.  It wasn’t a huge amount of additional time, but both Michael and I were getting frustrated and antsy.  I’d seen Michael’s apartment when I dropped off his “I love you” welcome basket before he arrived.

This “Basket of Love” was the closest I could get to Michael to show him my love and how happy I was that he was home.

If I had been thinking, I would have dressed up a little better for this impromptu picture!

It was a nicely furnished space but tiny and cramped.  If it didn’t have a small balcony, I think quarantine would have been incredibly hard.  I was able to “see” Michael on Monday.  He was on his second-story balcony; Red Dog and I walked in a small field behind the hotel.  We could wave at each other, but I didn’t dare call out to him because if Red Dog recognized him, I thought mayhem would follow.

It made my heart happy to see him in person.  It had been 91 days since I waved goodbye in March.  Three more days, and we’d be together. EXCEPT, a new announcement was made.  The bad news, the government quarantine had been extended to 10 days.  The good news was that after 10 days, the quarantine would be over, and we wouldn’t need to wait the full 14 days to resume our regular lives. We now had to wait another 6 days before we would be together.

It felt like No step forward, SIX steps back.

We were both sad and frustrated.  I know the Government was doing the best they could. They were adjusting based on a changing situation, but it was so upsetting. Michael was supposed to have 3 meals a day delivered to him. The food service was sketchy (they didn’t show up for the first 2 meals), so I took over, making sure he had good nourishing food to keep him in good spirits.  I leaned on our good chef friends – Rain (Rain’s Kitchen) for roti and garlic pork, Nirvanna (Nirvanna’s Pasta Paradise) for lasagna, tortelloni and tagliatelle, and Karen (Patrick’s Homestyle Cooking) for curried goat, gingered pork, and another roti.  I added fresh fruits, lots of salad fixings, and supplemented the welcome basket with more mango ice cream, more homemade bagels, and other delights.

Michael is scheduled to come home on Sunday, June 28th.  We’re still not sure of the time.  Originally, they said after 7 PM, but the hotel workers were concerned they couldn’t get everyone checked out and for them to get home by 9 PM – the national curfew.  We now expect him to be released at 6 PM.

Michael and I discussed paying for an extra night and just having him leave at the earliest possible moment. We’d then go back the next day to pick up luggage and everything else I’d dropped off to make his stay comfortable.  That way, he wouldn’t be jostling with a crowd of about 40 people trying to check out, move their belongings via a single elevator, and the chaos of families reuniting. I picture him running down the stairs and out the door, finally free.

This feels like a huge step forward.

At this point, we are waiting with our fingers crossed and our breath held, that everything will work to plan, and we will come to the end of the Corona Tango, with our arms around each other.

This was a rollercoaster dance that I don’t care to repeat.  Ever!

 

 

Running in Circles, Nowhere to Go ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

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My view from our patio ~ This is what being in lockdown looks like in paradise.

 

Quarantine, Sheltering in Place, Lockdown – no matter what you call it, being stuck at home can be challenging.

Grenada went into total lockdown on March 30th. No one was allowed off their property unless it was a medical emergency or to get food from a local vendor. Gas stations were closed. Both the banks and ATM’s were shuttered. No alcohol was sold anywhere, not even at the local shops, which could be open for a few hours, a couple of days a week.

All supermarkets were closed, and no movement between parishes was allowed.  Everything possible was done to keep people home and not be enticed to break the 24 hour a day curfew. You could not even visit your next-door neighbor. Police were positioned throughout the island and stopped every person.  They gave fines and or arrested anyone who did not have special permission to be on the road.

I’m the first to admit, that excluding the craziness I experienced as our house tried to self-destruct over the last two months (see posts Holding Down the Fort Part 1 and Part 2) sheltering in place at our home in Grenada has been pretty easy.  We have a large house with lots of space.  I’ve got good enough internet to stay connected to the world and can access books, online courses, news, and social media. The weather has been glorious.  Rain would have been helpful for the plants but seeing sunshine daily and overlooking a beautiful bay is easy on my eyes and spirit. I have a swimming pool. I have plenty of food, wine, and a vegetable garden producing tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, celery, eggplant, and onions. So, while it would be nice to get out, it wasn’t a burden for me to stay home.

My sweet boy, wondering why we aren’t doing anything fun.

It was a vastly different experience for Red Dog, our 2-year-old Irish Setter. Red Dog loves activity, and the lockdown affected everything he loves. There were no walks, no car rides, no workers coming in and out, no visitors, and no one walking by the house to bark at.

Nothing happening at all.

(Also see, Sounds of Silence)

I look at his sad face and think about one of my yoga teacher’s favorite saying to get us to experience the present moment. She says, “Nowhere to be, nowhere to go.”  My sullen dog is really feeling that and doesn’t like it, one bit.

Red Dog has been glued to my side since Michael left on March 20th.  Somehow, one of us had escaped, and he wasn’t going to let me sneak away. Red Dog literally followed me from room to room every time I moved.  I tried convincing him if I was just getting a glass of water, that he could stay near my computer for 1 minute and I’d be back. But no, he had to haul himself up each and every time to be sure I wasn’t going somewhere or doing something interesting. Doing anything interesting. And then, doing anything at all?

Red Dog – resigned that NOTHING is happening, ever again.

Finally, Red Dog reluctantly accepted the new normal.  For the first time in a month, he did not even lift his head when I walked by because he had resigned himself that I was not going ANYWHERE.  He looked apathetic and glum – poor pup.

We were not allowed to leave our property, so no walks anywhere at any time.  We were doing some playing in the living room, and I made a big deal of walking up and down the driveway. Woo-Hoo! Red Dog would look at me as if – ‘That’s it?’

I wish that I had thought to buy some meat bones for Red Dog to chew on before this lockdown occurred.  Oh well, my arm will just have to do as a chew toy. He’s trying to be good, but he is bored and frustrated.

Red Dog has worked hard to keep himself occupied.

He runs in circles in our living room and patio dragging a stuffed animal or flipping a rawhide chew.

He dug up our new pineapple plants, trying to get the snake that was living in the garden.  I moved the plants, and he dug them up again.  I finally gave up and planted them in pots.

Red Dog, digging for a snake, uprooted all the freshly planted pineapples.

Second planting. These also got uprooted. I finally just planted the pineapples in pots.

 

 He has caught and killed three iguanas, bringing them into the house because, why not?

(See the post Holding Down the Fort, part 1 for iguana pictures)

Our nocturnal visitor

He is currently obsessing over a Manicou (possum) that has been walking along our backyard fence every night around 7:30. It’s pitch black behind our house so he must smell it.  He’ll leap up from a dead sleep and rush to the back of our patio.  He paces and huffs.  At first, I thought it might be a neighbor’s cat strolling through the yard. Once we got out the flashlight, we saw the Manicou.

Sheila thinks the Manicou is coming onto the property to eat the papayas.  It must have a regular routine because it passes through about the same time every night.  Red Dog has figured out the schedule, and now he paces along the back of the patio every night waiting for the Manicou to arrive.  He’s vigilant but calm until he suddenly explodes with energy, racing back and forth.

Normally, he can go behind our house and could get really close to the Manicou, but I’ve been locking the back gate in the late afternoon.  Manicou have sharp teeth, are fast, and they viciously protect themselves.  I don’t want Red Dog to get hurt, and although I know he is also fast, this is not an altercation that I want to have to break up.

Right before Grenada began opening back up, I needed to go to the doctor.  I got special permission to travel and left Red Dog at home because I didn’t know how long I’d be gone and didn’t want to leave him in the car too long. As I left, he was standing at the gate howling, downright indignant that he couldn’t join me after weeks and weeks of absolutely no activity.  I felt horrible.  When I got back, the shadowing began in earnest. Now I couldn’t even walk from one side of the room to the other without my red shadow. He was NOT going to let me pull a fast one again.

Red Dog looking over the patio railing, trying to see the dogs below so they could bark at each other.

When Grenada opened back up – three days a week during daylight hours, Red Dog was thrilled.  He could bark at cars and people going by, he could go for walks, workmen started showing up, and he got petted and scratched. I even drove him around the neighborhood in the car a few times just so he could put his nose in the air as we whizzed by our local streets. Then Nadica and Sheila showed up, and he was in heaven.  Now he had a bunch of people to follow around, and people were actually doing things!

The only recent massacre has been a dead cow!

The animal massacres have ended, and he is a much happier dog. On the rare occasion when I must go out and can’t take him in the car, he’s not happy, but he’s got company, so he’s okay.

He’s still pretty vigilant.

Although he is not plastered to my side, he positions himself so he can simultaneously see all entrances and exits – the front door, the kitchen (where I keep my keys), the entry to the office, and the patio. There will be NO sneaking out!

Red Dog knows I go to yoga in the morning, and he still tries to sneak out to block the car, but he’s figured out that I’ll be back shortly and mostly just looks despondent when I grab my keys.  He knows there are car rides and walks on the beach in his future.

Finally, he has something to do besides running in circles, with nowhere to go.

 

Holding Down the Fort, Part 2 ~ Rescue and Recovery/Order Restored ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

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[To read Holding Down the Fort, Part 1 ~ Havoc Reigns, click here]

With Michael in the USA and Nadica and Sheila sheltering in place at their homes, Michael set up a WhatsApp chat group for Sheila, Nadica, and us so we could stay in communication. I was trying to post pretty plant pictures so Michael and Sheila would know I was taking care of the plants.  I was also chronicling all the adventures I was having with the house.  Sheila and Nadica were beside themselves.  They were being paid but not working, could see I was overwhelmed trying to do their jobs, take care of all the craziness, all while feeling sick and going back and forth to the doctor.  Busses still were not running, so they had no way to get here to help.

Here are some pictures of our flower gardens that I posted to our group WhatsApp chat

In May the roads were reopened during daylight hours on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Sheila and Nadica proposed that I come and get them on a Monday, they would live here until Friday, and then I’d drive them back home for the weekend. They thought they would work one week on, stay home with their families the next week, and then come back.  I nearly cried with joy at their suggestion. I thought if they could just help me get semi caught up, I could start to manage. So after 6 weeks off, Sheila and Nadica came back to work.

This is what is left of a full case of sanitizing solution, used to clean after the rat infestation.

Grenada’s distilleries had started making sanitizer, and I bought a case on the way to get Sheila. Nadica was able to get a ride.  We all started to dig in.  Sheila couldn’t believe the weeds (even though I’d weeded multiple times) until she remembered she’d been gone for over 5 weeks – a lifetime for tropical garden weeds. I had started sanitizing all the kitchen cabinets and everything in them but still had a long way to go. With Nadica’s energy and help, she got the kitchen back into working condition.

Nadica took everything out of the closets and scrubbed down the shelves.

The rats also completely trashed our cabinets in the outer hallway where we have our clothes washer and bunches of shelves that have cleaning supplies and extra food in plastic containers so that was another major project.

 

 

Every single thing needed to be cleaned and reshelved.

Both women tackled the critical tasks with a vengeance, working from early morning until late afternoon. It was such a relief to seeing things start to get back to normal, and it was a total treat to see them again.

We are such good friends, and it was heartwarming sitting together in the evenings eating and talking.  It was unlikely that any of us had COVID since we all have been sheltering in place for weeks and not going out. Still, we are careful to social distance and continued to wash our hands frequently to stay safe.

Nadica and Sheila are staying in our two-bedroom cottage, so of course, it had to get into the act as well.  The air conditioner in Nadica’s room made a considerable racket the first time she turned it on. She quickly turned it off, and we called our appliance repairman to come. Then, the pipe that fills the cistern broke.  Nadica heard a car drive by at about 5 AM had heard it splash through water.  Since we hadn’t had a drop of rain in months, she got up to investigate, turned off the water inlet, and I called the plumber.

Our elegant cottage septic system. It would never pass inspection in the US! Fortunately, since the cottage is rarely used, when it overflowed only clean water was running out.

Three days later, we saw water running outside the cottage again but initially couldn’t find the source of the leak, and none of the shutoffs solved the problem.  Of course, it was after 5 o’clock at night.  I couldn’t let the water run all night long and was on the phone with the plumber (who was supposed to be eating his dinner) trying to troubleshoot the problem. After checking everything outside, I found the toilet running but couldn’t get the flap to seal.  At least I could turn off the toilet valve until the next morning.  When the plumber arrived for the 4th time in less than 2 weeks, I asked for the volume discount.  He laughed and now he thinks I’m crazy.

You can’t make this stuff up!

Now that Nadica and Sheila have been here for a few weeks, the house is looking great, and things have settled down.  No disasters to report in the past week. Nadica was originally going to stay here while Michael and I were in the US, and she said she was so glad I stayed home.  She is an incredibly competent woman but said she thought she would have run screaming from the house after the first 2 weeks.  This is the first time I have ever seen Nadica flustered.

I’ve got every handyman on speed dial now. All of them were fabulous.  They knew Michael was off-island and did everything they could to prioritize my issues.  One day, I had four workers here trying to get things back on track. Grenada is still a traditional country in a lot of ways, so none of them asked me for money.  They just assumed they would wait and bill Michael when he got back.  I wasn’t having any of that.  I wanted to put money in their hands immediately since they had been out of normal work for weeks and as insurance they’d be back quickly if I needed help again.

Our most recent nightly visitor. All our Grenadian friends say, “Good meat.” Personally, I don’t like the taste of Manicou but Iguana is delicious.

Other than the Manicou (possum) who has been walking through our back yard every night for the past few weeks, which drives Red Dog crazy, and the random lizard, here or there, we’ve had no new issues.  Of course, all that can change in a flash.  We’ve had our first rainstorm, and I’m waiting for the rainy season to arrive in earnest.  Then the annual invasion of the land crabs will start.

Let the games begin!

 

 

Holding Down the Fort, Part 1 ~ Havoc Reigns ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

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As the world experienced the dramatic effects of the COVID-19 virus in March, everyone wondered what it would mean for Grenada.  Our small island nation has limited healthcare options, and most people leave the island for any kind of important medical procedure.  Everyone was worried about what would happen if there was a significant outbreak of COVID on the island, given that our limited medical facilities could easily get overwhelmed.  There is only one major hospital, and it had four ventilators. The Government was aggressive in implementing policies to protect the country, sourced a few more ventilators, and braced for the worst.

Michael had a medical procedure planned for March 28th in Sarasota, Florida. Concerned about the exploding spread of the virus in the US, Michael contacted his doctor to talk about whether or not to reschedule.  The doctor advised him not to delay the procedure.  We expected that the airport could close any day, so Michael left the island for the USA on March 20th.

Initially, I was planning to accompany Michael to the US as our trip was supposed to be only 10 days. As we got closer to our departure date, Michael asked me to stay behind because we expected we might get stranded in the US. He was really concerned about the virus and didn’t want me to be exposed.  He also didn’t want to leave our dog or house for an extended time.  I didn’t like the idea but knew it was the right decision.

Little did we know what an important decision it was.

The airport closed on March 24th, and the entire country went into a limited State of Emergency on Monday, March 25th.  A curfew was in effect from 7PM to 5AM, most businesses were shut down, and busses stopped running.

People were still moving about too much, so on March 30th, Grenada went into deep lockdown.  No one was allowed off their property – at any time – unless it was a medical emergency or to get food from a local vendor. All supermarkets were closed, and no movement between parishes was allowed.

You could not even visit your next-door neighbor.

Police were positioned throughout the island and stopped every car.  They gave fines and or arrested anyone who did not have special permission to be on the road.

What did this mean for me?  I was now responsible for ‘holding down the fort’.

This did not seem like a big deal at first. I didn’t expect much of a challenge maintaining our home.

I knew that Nadica and Sheila would not be able to come to work for some time. I drove to their houses the last day before the lockdown, gave them a few weeks’ pay in advance, and helped them stock up on groceries.  I was now going to be the master of the house, fulfilling Michael’s, Nadica’s, and Sheila’s roles – as well as mine.

Sheila’s and Michael’s jobs were the most critical.  Sheila manages everything outside the house, which includes our vegetable and flower gardens.  They need to be watered every day, and the rainy season had not started as expected.  It was blistering hot with no cloud cover and we hadn’t had any rain for months.

I began watering for 2 hours every day.

Michael was getting serious about growing orchids and had just received 1,000 baby orchids.  I was now responsible for keeping them alive and hopefully thriving.  Orchids are temperamental plants, and I got a crash course in taking care of them based on variety, size, and where they were placed in our orchid houses.  My primary goal was to have everything still be alive when Michael and Sheila returned.

These are SOME of the orchids I’m babysitting.  Michael doesn’t do anything halfway!

Nadica manages everything inside the house.  Rigorous cleaning could take more of a back seat but living mostly outdoors in the tropics means a lot of cleaning and maintenance just to keep even.  I did the minimum and hoped Nadica would forgive me when she returned.

I was still feeling confident when I started to feel sick.  No COVID, thank goodness, but every few days, I’d get this crushing tiredness and would need to sleep most of the day.  I would get up, water plants for an hour, feed the dog breakfast, and then sleep until about 4 PM, water for another hour, feed the dog dinner, eat something, and go to bed.  This would go on for 3-4 days.  I’d feel ok again for a few days, and the pattern would repeat.  I was finally able to go to the doctor. However, after three visits, we still haven’t figured out definitively what is going on.  We think it might be a thyroid issue. But we have not been able to resolve this overwhelming fatigue that continues to relentlessly persist even after tinkering with my medication.

I thought I could soldier on – and then the house began rebelling.

Our water pumps are in a large crawl space under the house.

On March 23rd, we lost water for 2 days. I was freaking out about the plants, particularly the orchids.  I did NOT want to tell Michael I just killed 1,000+ orchids.  I had some bottled water that I used to keep them misted by using an old Shout spray bottle.  The rest of the plants just suffered in the infernal heat. I had to crawl under the house to turn off our pump so it wouldn’t burn out while Michael remotely explained which valves to turn. He did a great job.

Then on March 25th, the electricity went out.  Fortunately, we have a generator, but I was worried that if it ran for too long, we’d run out of fuel. The refrigerator also stopped working. I later figured out that it wasn’t connected to the generator and thankfully, it started right up when we got power back the next day.

 

The filter would not stay on. It would prime and then shut off.

Trying to understand how to open the filter. The secret was pushing in the hidden releases before turning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On April 2nd, the pool pump stopped working.  We have a saline pool, and if the pump doesn’t run for a few days, saline pools fill with algae, turning slimy and sickly green. I took pictures of the pump and control panel so Michael could help troubleshoot the issues.

Next, our shower drain plugged up (an easy fix of boiling water, baking soda, and vinegar). Then, all the overhead lights in the kitchen burned out – all of them – on the same day. I had to drag in the 10-foot ladder into the house to replace them, but I thought, no problem, I can do all this.

The second week in April, we started having electrical issues. I was getting shocked whenever I used the stove unless I had my shoes on. I was semi ok with that (especially since I’d have to obtain a police order to get an electrician to come), so I kept my shoes on. Then I began getting shocked in other places, especially if I tried to do anything with the pool filter, which I was still trying to get working.

Oh, and did I mention that our property was invaded by iguanas?  I’m not sure if I would have known that, but Red Dog, the great hunter he is, brought his trophy catches into the house. Not sure what you know about iguanas, but they play dead. So, I had a large, 3 and a half foot long iguana lying in the living room.  He looked dead, but I wasn’t sure, so I let him lie there for a few hours.  I figured if he was alive, he’d hightail it out of the house.

 Our floor tiles are 8 by 12 inches so this guy is almost 4 feet long including his tail!

A few hours later, he was still there.  I grabbed a five-gallon bucket and a shovel and gingerly picked up the beast and slid him into the bucket.  He was so large his tail was hanging out way of the pail.  I carefully shook it around a bit to get him mostly contained, still not confident he was dead, and put him out by the street – outside the gate so Red Dog couldn’t get at him.  I figured I’d check the next morning. If he was still there, I’d assume he was dead, put him in a garbage bag, and add him to the trash.  I didn’t want to terrorize the garbage men with a huge iguana flopping out of the trash can.

Second iguana. Iguanas have the ability for their tail to break off to avoid capture. I’m sure this was a Red Dog casualty while he was catching him.

I had to repeat this process two more times in the next few days.  Luckily, I repeated the whole process of waiting to move them because one iguana was not dead and must have escaped.  I’m sure I’d have jumped 10 feet if he’d moved when I was scooping him up.

Red Dog also managed to catch and kill at least one bird each day.  He loves to leave them scattered around the house. I needed to be very vigilant walking around because one might be lying right outside my bedroom door as I opened it.  REALLY?

A dove tried to build its nest in our living room ceiling fan. Red Dog barked incessantly for hours, and I think the bird just gave up – too much racket – and left to find a more peaceful place.  I was pleased about that because otherwise, I would have needed to lug in the super tall ladder to try and dislodge the nest from our 16-foot tall ceiling.

I think God is reminding me how much I depend on Michael to manage the house.

Michael’s been a superstar walking me through all kinds of repairs and has gotten to the point of asking, ‘What went wrong today?’ each time he calls.

On April 8th, I started to see rats in the house. I put poison down and about eight rat traps, but the rats somehow avoided the traps and seemed to be multiplying by the minute. They made a stinky home in our dishwasher by ripping all the insulation off, making a nest, and then crapping in it.  When I pulled the dishwasher out, I realized I needed to move it out of the house to clean it and sanitize the space left behind.  Of course, they had eaten through a couple of hoses.  Michael was able to walk me through disconnecting the machine, and I dragged it to the garage.

Another photo for Michael, so he could walk me through turning off the right valves to disconnect the dishwasher.

The rats ate through the water hoses and then ripped out the insulation to make a cozy, stinky nest.

 

I went to the hardware store to get caps to seal the water pipes under the kitchen sink.  Fortunately, the hardware store had opened for the first time – that day.  I closed off the openings, but the rats had gnawed one piece that couldn’t be capped, so I did what every ingenious homeowner does – I sealed it with duct tape, which worked just fine.

I called the police to get an exception to have an electrician and exterminator come out just as the restrictions started to ease. They said workers could travel on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

I frantically started making calls.

Between April 22nd and April 27th every handyman we know arrived. The electrician came and fixed all the shorts in the wiring that was caused by the rats eating through the wires (three trips).  The pool guy came and helped me get the pump working again so the pool wouldn’t turn green (two trips). The plumber came and replaced a few parts (3 trips).  The exterminator came and put down industrial strength poison, and thankfully, I’ve never seen anything work so fast.  The dishwasher repairman came and we decided he would fix the machine and sell it for us because we have not been able to keep varmints from eating through the hoses looking for water (2 trips).

Of course, at least one rat died somewhere under our cabinets, stinking up the kitchen – again.  Red Dog’s great nose was able to isolate the location, and our fantastic contractor came out the next Monday, removed a kickboard, and pulled out a decaying 10-inch rat.  It was longer than our shovel was wide.  YUCK. He also closed a couple of holes the rats had chewed into our cabinets. [No pictures on purpose – too gross!]

All throughout this time, we’d had 25 to 30 mile an hour winds every day.  One day, I walked into our  ‘sheltered’ courtyard to water the orchids only to find our 14-foot palm tree had been blown over – crushing a few houseplants.

 

This 14 foot Palm Tree is encased in a small enclosed courtyard with 12 to 16 foot walls. This didn’t stop the wind from toppling it. (The pot alone is 2.5 feet wide by 2 feet tall and HEAVY!)

This also made hanging out and retrieving clothes off the clothesline a distinct challenge.  One day, I went out to get four king size sheets off the lines.  They had twisted themselves so many times around the lines that they looked like a mummy. It took me 15 minutes to unravel them and get them off – no exaggeration.

I just laughed and thought, ‘Are you kidding me?’

After everything that had happened in the last month, I was afraid to ask, “What else could go wrong?” and prayed the house rebellion was over.

 

Sounds of Silence ~ COVID-19 in Grenada

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No cars passing by.  No buses taking workers to and from job sites.  No construction, all building (and hammering) paused.  No university students strolling with their dogs or rushing to catch the shuttle.  No Yachties walking by as they gather provisions. No boat motors running. No music playing. No sounds of people talking and laughing.  No planes taking off. No dogs barking.

These are the everyday sounds that I haven’t heard since March 24th.  It seems like forever.

On March 25th, the Grenadian Government instituted a limited State of Emergency. All businesses were required to conduct work remotely or shut down.  A curfew was set from 7 pm to 5 am. Because of exceptions for grocers, gas stations, take away food sources, hardware stores, and banks, there were still too many people were congregating.

Therefore, on March 30th, the Government enacted stricter National Disaster Emergency Measures. The primary provision states that other than deemed essential workers, no one would be allowed off their property at any time. This included no taking walks or visiting with neighbors.  The only exceptions were to obtain emergency medical services or to buy emergency food.  Groceries and gas stations were shut down and would only open 1 day per week with limited hours.

The strangest silence is no dogs barking.  Everyone has dogs in Grenada. They are kept as security, stay outside, and many homes have multiple dogs.  Dogs that take their job seriously.  Whenever anyone (or anything) passes by, they bark.  Nothing is moving, so no barking.  It’s eerie.

I water our gardens for two hours every day – one hour in the morning and the other in the late afternoon.  This is usually the busiest time on the street, and there are a lot of sounds of everyday life.

Not now.

The most surprising silence is not hearing any music, talking or laughing. Because people mostly live ‘outside’, I always hear my neighbors talking or laughing.  I can’t hear the words, but I hear the rhythm, the tones.  Of course, people can’t congregate. No friends can come over which is usually a daily occurrence, but somehow the restrictions have somehow quieted everyone down.  It feels like a ghost town.  Occasionally, I’ll see my neighbor on his porch and wave.  We don’t shout greetings.  It is as if we are afraid to break the silence.

What I do notice is birds singing, the wind blowing through the branches of trees and bushes, and tiny creatures rustling through the vegetation as they escape the encroaching water. The stillness is alive with sounds.  It is just so different from what is ‘normal’.

One day, I heard a car.  My head popped up, and my eyes scanned the street. I wondered who was brave enough to venture out, breaking the rules and risking getting a fine.  It was the St. George’s Security Patrol van cruising the area, making sure everything is safe and secure.

And then it started.  The sound I most recognize.  Dogs barking.  Running to their fence lines, barking jubilantly, ferociously, and joyfully.

Finally, something to do.

Our Irish Setter, Red Dog, runs down our driveway to the street to join the party.

I just stood listening.

The patrol van cruised slowly. I could hear each group of dogs begin barking as the vehicle approached, quiet down after it passed, and then the next set of dogs started their part of the chorus.  This continued all the way down the road.  And then all the dogs laid down at their fence lines.  They know the routine.  This road is ultimately a dead end, and the van would need to turn around and come back.

They were ready.

After their second round of announcing the ongoing progress of the van down the road, the dogs began loping back to their favorite shady spot and settled in.

Red Dog, ran to greet me with the joyous, goofy face that only an Irish Setter has. Ecstatic that he had something to do.  Somewhere to go.

Even if it was just to the end of the driveway.

Small Country ~ Big Sadness

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Our gorgeous Grand Anse beach and the beautiful mountains of Grenada

 

Grenada has approximately 110,000 residents, so it’s easy to feel like you know almost everyone.  100,000 sounds like a large number, but when you consider a lot of cities in the US have that many people (or more), it puts things into perspective.

The idea of 6 degrees of separation says that all people are six, or fewer, social connections away from each other.  I think it’s probably 3 degrees of separation here.  It’s a small country, people live in a concentrated area (over 80% of the island is still undeveloped land), and many people are related.

It’s fun to feel so embedded in the community, but it also means that events feel personal.  When someone dies, you might know the person, their family, or at least their close friends.

Grenada has had the shock of four prominent deaths in the past month.

Denis Noel

Denis Noel, relaxing at his magnificent Balthazar Estate in the rainforest.

Denis Noel was an island icon.  Denis studied agriculture in college and worked in the Ministry of Agriculture for 22 years.  He also held a variety of government positions, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Junior Minister of Agriculture, and Junior Minister of Communications and Works.  He might be best known for managing his family’s famous estate, Balthazar, where he developed a pain relief product called NUT-MED, which harnessed the therapeutic powers of nutmeg into a spray and crème.

Located in Grenada’s rainforest, Balthazar Estate is Grenada’s largest commercial grower of cut flowers. In addition to the many varieties of Gingers and Heliconia’s traditionally grown here, he and his staff hybridized exciting new varieties.  Denis was part of the Grenadian team that exhibits at the famed Chelsea Garden Show in London each May.  He was instrumental in providing the bulk of the magnificent flowers, year after year, that helped Grenada win 15 Gold Medals in 21 years of competition.

Michael and I had the privilege to meet Denis and receive a private tour with him just three weeks before his death. In the 2 hours we spent together, walking his fields of flowers, our biggest impression was this was a man of grace and humility.  He clearly loved his ancestral estate. I had phoned him saying that I was writing about Grenada’s participation in Chelsea and asked if we could have a tour.  He graciously invited us to come the next day. I didn’t find out until after we parted that he was retired and no longer did tours.  I’m humbled and grateful that I was able to meet this gentle man and gentleman.

Andre Cherman

Andre Cherman, the friendly owner of Coyaba Beach Resort. Photo credit – Barnacle News

Andre Cherman was a shareholder, Chairman of the Board, and served as Managing Director of Coyaba Beach Resort for the 32 years it’s been in business. Coyaba is a top-rated hotel located right on Grenada’s magnificent Grand Anse Beach.

Through his guidance, this family-owned beach resort established itself as a favorite for both guests and staff. He was also a leader in community outreach, supporting charities, aiding local schools, and sponsoring the New Dimension steel band.

I did not know him personally, but he was a leader in the hotelier industry and the community.

Accolades and condolences have been pouring in from all over the world, citing his warmth, commitment, and graciousness. His family will continue his legacy, but he will be deeply missed.

I’m sorry that I never had the opportunity to meet him.

Lydia Whiteman

The sweet and wonderful Lydia Whiteman

Our good friend, Lydia Whiteman, recently passed away from cancer.  Michael and I met Lydia and her husband, Joslyn, somewhere around 1990 when we were looking for property to purchase in the parish of St. David’s.  Joslyn was the government Minister responsible for St. David’s. Together, as a couple, they continuously traveled throughout the parish to meet with families, listen to their concerns and worked tirelessly to help wherever they could – both professionally and personally.

I was struck that no matter where we went, everyone would come and greet Lydia and Joslyn. In return, Lydia and Joslyn would ask after the person’s children, parents, and neighbors.  The interactions weren’t casual. It wasn’t ‘How is your mom’, but ‘How is Margaret’s arthritis doing this week?  Did the NUT-MED help?  Is there anything else we can do?’  ‘How is your son’s reading going?  I heard from his teacher that he was making good progress.’ ‘Were you able to get your roof repaired?’ They knew every person, understood their struggles, and clearly cared about them.

Lydia was always cooking big pots of food to distribute to whatever community they were visiting. Oil down, Goat Curry, Rice & Peas, etc. Has your government representative (or their spouse!) ever done anything like this for you?

My strongest memory of Lydia is that she always wore her pearl necklace.  It didn’t matter if she dressed up for a fancy event or she dressed casually while walking the streets of one of the villages visiting with families.  This memory, more than anything else, epitomized her strength, grace, and compassion.  My heart is heavy from her death.

Sir Royston Hopkin

Sir Royston Hopkin, the face of Spice Island Beach Resort

Sir Royston Hopkin passed away due to complications from a medical procedure he had a few weeks back.  Sir Royston was the owner and face of Spice Island Beach Resort, one of the leading hotels in the world. He was a recognized champion of the Grenadian people, and he supported a wide variety of individuals, charities, and provided scholarships for needy children.

Sir Royston enjoyed honors and awards from all over the world. Royston became a “Sir” in 2004 when Queen Elizabeth knighted him for his outstanding contributions to the tourism industry in Grenada and the Caribbean. He received three Lifetime Achievement Awards – from the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, the Caribbean Tourism Organization, and the Caribbean Hotel and Resort Investment Summit in Miami. Most of us will never receive even one Lifetime Achievement Award.

Under his leadership, the resort has also consistently won a tremendous number of awards. These include the AAA five Diamond Award, (Spice Island is the only Caribbean owned 5-star hotel to make the cut), and, for the 7th year, the Six Star Diamond Award by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. In 2019, the resort ranked fourth out of 25 luxury Caribbean hotels in the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards.  US News & World Report recognized Spice Island as one of the “Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean”.

Royston was an ambassador for ‘Spice’ as well as Grenada. He was always walking the resort, talking to staff and visitors to be sure the highest quality of service was delivered.  He was always gracious and often invited guests to his home for cocktails.

I was continually impressed with the quality of my interactions with his staff.  They were always friendly, warm, and highly professional.  One time a friend and I stopped by the beach bar for a drink. I had my dog with me, and he was sitting next to me.  A server came over, welcomed us warmly, and complimented my pooch. Then, ever so gently, she asked if we would mind moving to another table that had a one-foot high divider separating the bar from the beach.  She explained that our dog shouldn’t be in the bar area. However, if we sat there with him on the other side of the divider, he would still see us, feel like he was with us, I could easily touch him, and there would be no intrusion for the other guests.  She so skillfully and professionally managed the situation that I remember it years later as unparalleled service.  I know this high level of service emanated from Sir Royston’s vision of a stellar experience.

I had to be told three times that Sir Royston passed away. I was so shocked.  His death is an enormous loss to his family and friends, staff and guests, Grenada and the larger Caribbean.

Life goes on. But for many Grenadians and me, we have lost several prominent individuals that we genuinely cared about, and we are grieving. Separately and together, they demonstrated the warmth, caring, and integrity of the Grenadian people. They were role models, leaders in their fields, and friends to all. Rest in peace, my friends.

 

Walking the Plank ~ to Dinner

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Saturday, January 30th at exactly 8:43 AM the jackhammering began.  We had already planned to be at the beach most of the day to watch the Sailing Festival but the noise and activity was a great impetus to get up and out early.

The start of the jack hammering. Check out the jackahmmer. Can you believe they are walking on top of the rebar? YIKES!

The jack hammering begins bright and early, dropping the rubble into the cistern below. Check out the jack hammer. Can you believe they are walking on top of the rebar? YIKES!

The living room floor is about 8 inches higher than the patio floor so as we move the wall to shorten the living room space, we need to lower the remaining floor to match the patio floor.  The living room floor is tiled and underneath the tile is a water cistern that captures rain off the roof and stores it.  Therefore, we need to jackhammer the tiles free, remove and then replace the “ceiling” of the cistern in order to lay down a new floor.

By removing the floor, we have effectively temporarily cut off access to the second master bedroom, as well as the patio.

By removing the floor, we have effectively temporarily cut off access to the second master bedroom, as well as the patio.

As expected, the jack hammering ends up being an all-day process.  There’s thick tile to cut through, heavy cement holding the tile in place, plus a cement floor underneath (or ceiling above, depending on your perspective)  and lots of rebar.  When I left a short while into the demolition, a medium sized hole had been created.  This cut off the access to the second master bedroom and started to cut off access to the patio from the house.

All this rubble which is filling up the cistern needs to be lifted out, wheel barrowed away and then trucked away.

All the floor rubble completely filled up the cistern. It needs to be manually lifted out and then wheel barrowed away.

Since we spend most of our time on the patio, having no access would seriously cramp our lifestyle.  The workers promised to build us a bridge to provide access to the patio while they work on recreating a new floor.

There is a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done to accommodate this “small change” of moving the living room wall.  We expect it will take 2 to 3 days to remove all the rebar and cement rubble that now resides at the bottom of the cistern.  Then they need to put in new rebar that will reinforce the new floor, build a temporary wooden cistern “ceiling” under the rebar so they have a foundation on which to pour a new floor.  The new cement floor will take 21 days to cure.

In the meantime, we have a “bridge” to the patio that is made out of the large rafters that were saved when the living room ceiling was removed.  And if this doesn’t feel like I am walking the plank to get to the patio, I don’t know what would.  The rafters are pretty solid, but it is a fairly long opening and remember the two floors are at different heights so there is a fair amount of flexing as I walk the plank.  Doable, but you definitely want to be paying attention because each plank flexes independently!

Our "bridge" from the living room to the patio ~ hence the walk the plank feeling.

Our “bridge” from the living room to the patio ~ hence the “walk the plank” feeling.

The wooden frame hasd been designed to made a molding at the top of the roof line to nicely finish off the new wall.

The block wall has been completed to the peak. The cut out is for the louver which will be installed later. A wooden frame has been designed to made a molding at the top of the roof line to nicely finish off the new wall. I can’t wait to see it unveiled.

We’ve made a lot of progress this last week.  Demolition is great because it’s so fast.  Construction on the other hand can look almost the same, day to day, as internal infrastructure is created or shored up before new work is visible.  The front wall has been completed – the ring beam has been poured, with lots of buckets of cement hoisted up to the peak filling in the concrete block, plus a mold has been poured to make the roofline look nicely finished.  The back wall ring beam has also been poured and is curing.

This is the ring beam which will make the house more hurricane proof. It will be completely filled with cement and tied into the other wall's ring beams.

This is the ring beam which will make the house more hurricane proof. It will be completely filled with cement and tied into the other wall’s ring beams.

Here they are starting to build a wooden box around the ring beam that will be the form for the concrete.

Here they are building a wooden box around the ring beam that will be the form to hold the concrete.

Now most of the focus is on building the infrastructure to pour the floor.  This is the critical path since there is a long curing period.  While the floor cures, work will resume on the roof.  And I’m hopeful that we will at least have the wooden ceiling in place by next week.

~ So long to the moonlit living room, hello to shelter.