Bajans Love Home

For the next few months I’ll be in the country of my birth. We are here to visit with friends, do some financial and routine medical things also to pack and ship our belongings to Barbados. Several people have said “Welcome home!” I correct them by saying you mean “Welcome back.” Before I explain why I did not accept them saying welcome home let me briefly explain my life before retirement.

I worked off-hours all of my career at Meditech. At first it was for childcare reasons as I watched the children while Sandra was at work, then later because I liked it. Since nearly of my neighbors were gone during the day, most weeks I would not see or talk to anyone I knew except at work or at church on Sundays. Even though I go to a large church, I rarely saw friends when I ran errands.

Now, in Barbados let’s take last week as an example. When Sandra and I take our morning walk we see many people that we speak to daily. Being a true Bajan I gave all the regulars nicknames, there’s Stickman, Lady in Red, Pajama Man, Blind Woman, Packman, and The Sanders. The Sanders are an elderly couple that rub wet sand on each other’s back while they sit in the shallow water. Back to my example, as we were walking we saw a woman leaving for work. We chatted with her for a couple of blocks as she was walking to catch the ZR van. We all said “Have a great day!” as she turned left and we turned right to
continue our walk. Back to my example, as we were walking we saw a woman leaving for work, we chatted with her for a couple of blocks as she was walking to catch the bus. We all said “Have a great day!” as she turned left for the bus and we turned right to continue our walk.

After showering, we drove to pick up a paper from George a homeless looking fellow with matted hair and no teeth who sits near the street at the edge of his paper- strewn property selling newspapers. A couple of months ago I chatted with him and found that he used to be a court officer that worked for Jack Dear made famous by Gabby’s song “Jack” (Don’t want me to bathe on my beach) and for Bree St. John.

We then proceeded to our weekly breakfast stop and the lady remembered and said ” Hey you guys are leaving next week aren’t you? Get home safe!” She then asked if we wanted the usual (an egg and cheese cutter, muffin, fish cake and coffee), we laughed and said “Yes!”

Later that evening we went to Uncle George Grill Fish and George the owner said “Man I was just thinking about you,” he said something else that I didn’t quite understand but we both laughed, him at what he said and me because I didn’t understand but it sounded funny. He asked what I was having and his worker said “Grilled swordfish, fish pie, plantains and salad.” as she smiled at me and I laughed again, she was right!

Just using yesterday as an example, you know why I have count down counter app on my phone that says 120 days before I go home! Our plan is to ship our belongings to Barbados at the end of summer. So, until I go back home (Barbados), I will not be doing my weekly blog.

So far I have done 32 blog posts but I have a lot more left to write! Let’s see I have Bajan Yankees, Bajans Are Loud, Bajans Are Slow, Bajans Use Their Heads, Bajan Nicknames, Bajans Giving Directions, Bajan Police, Bajan Monkeys just to name a few.

It’s been 11 days of cold, rainy and dreary weather (except yesterday) with no sun! My allergies are acting up so I am temporarily stuck inside the house longing for the Bajan sunshine and hospitality!

PS Next year I will file a tax extension for my taxes and come back in September instead of April. LOL !