Bajan Babes

All of a sudden it's been a month - Santa is on the horizon, and we have realised there is no chimney. Poor project planning all round.

But really, there has been some poor project management, so we are working hard to rectify it now that we are on site and doing it ourselves.

Lots of contractors (mason, carpenter, electrician, plumber, etc) with a lot to do before the big man visits. Not you Paul Tinton, but please do visit soon.

So what have we actually accomplished in the last 2+ weeks? Apart from surviving and keeping Etta alive and happy?

Well we own a car, and it's licensed and insured in our name. Yes, there are still issues with both to be resolved, but nobody is in a big rush to do either.

It's 20 years old, has been off the road for an unspecified amount of time for an unspecified reason, but it's full of character, suits the island, and we like it (as well as some strangers who also make their appreciation known weirdly).

Already broken once, but with the aid of our neighbour (landlord of this magnificent pub in Sandwich) the issue was diagnosed, parts were sourced and it (the clutch) was ultimately fixed by cannabalising Etta's flask and me sucking hot transmission fluid into my mouth repeatedly. Nice.

In addition we got mobile on 2 wheels, with Etta safely ensconced in the back seat, courtesy of Gaga and all the excellent work that she does for charity.

And were it not for the subsequent crash at Oistins due to loose handlebars then maybe we would never have made friends with Pam & Terry, who kindly stepped in to rescue us.

But while there is a lot of work, it isn't all work. We are lucky enough to have some of the best beaches in the world on our doorstep, and the weather with which to enjoy them best.

Etta continues to make amazing advances with language, personality and even toilet training - the lifestyle suits her, even if her and her baby are still inclined to multiple blankets.

It's harder than you might think, but we are getting there and the first guest star is just over the horizon...........