Author Archives: Elaine Spires

No Way Jose!

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Well, after much macho, Alpha Male posturing and threatening, Irma’s mate Jose stamped his foot, flipped his cape and turned north in plenty of time to miss us head on and to act out the worst of his anger over the Atlantic. Phew! What a blessing! Our small island has had quite enough to deal with.

When I look at the radar picture showing Barbuda in the eye of Hurricane Irma and us just thirty-nine miles to the south my stomach churns and I break out into a cold sweat.

And still she races forward. How many people have had … Read the rest »

Blue Angel and Clary Sage

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During the school holidays when we were children, the Sister and I used to get Our Mum to make us jam sandwiches and we’d take them and a plastic flask filled with water, or if we were really lucky, Tizer, and go into the garden or over the park to have An Adventure. We never really knew what An Adventure was; we’d just knew that’s what the Famous Five and the Secret Seven did so we followed suit.

In sixth form I was the first to put her name down for the school trip to Majorca because I knew it … Read the rest »

The Bitch Is Not For Turning

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It’s 4.15am and I am wide awake.

Today’s the day.  Irma will be passing too close for comfort late this afternoon through the evening and night and into tomorrow.  Already I can hear the wind outside as she starts to make her presence known.  I was awoken by a phone call from my neighbour S who was in the departure lounge at Gatwick North, waiting to board her flight here.  She asked me to check on a couple of things for her.  And, once awake, it’s been impossible to get back to sleep so I’ve spent the last hour online … Read the rest »

Waiting for Irma

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The heat is like none I have ever experienced before anywhere in the world.  Not even in the market in Port Louis, Mauritius when I thought I was actually going to melt.  This is a heat that surrounds and encloses you; makes you feel as if you’re in a tiny cell with walls of heat pressing in on you.  And it’s been like this for several weeks and that apparently, is a sign.

The Fella tells me that the water is hot out on the reef and that’s another sign. And my friend Z’s mum says the signs have all … Read the rest »

Connected Again

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Woo hoo!  Start spreading the news!  Time to celebrate!  I. HAVE. INTERNET.

Yay!   After five months of what I can only describe as piss-taking by APUA my internet provider, on Wednesday I finally decided, “Enough, already!”  I had told myself I couldn’t afford to pay for a contract with another provider – I know, how negative is that????   But when I worked it out, all the coffees I was having in coffee shops with internet – whose own internet sometimes wasn’t working either, so good is the reception island-wide! – plus petrol driving their or to my lovely friend B’s … Read the rest »

Stuck in Paradise

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Hello!   Yes, it’s me.  I know it’s been ages since my last blog post but there are reasons which I hope you’ll understand.

🌈     🌈      🌈     🌈     🌈      🌈     🌈     🌈     🌈

I like to keep my blog writing-related as far as possible – although I know that I frequently wander into the realms of personal life and opinions.  And I’ve done very little writing lately.  That is partly due to the awful internet connection I’ve had over the last few months.  To say the service is abysmal is to be kind.  We had a power cut on 26th July … Read the rest »

Flamboyant Frenzy

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June is possibly my favourite month to be in Antigua – apart from the heat which is a bit heavy and oppressive.  It’s my favourite because June means an abundance of glorious mangos – which I just can’t stop eating! – and a frenzy of wild, splashes of glorious, vivid  red all over the place.  The flamboyants are in bloom!  And I absolutely love them.

Not only are  to be found in the countryside, but in the villages, too, and even in the capital, St John’s.  These extraordinarily beautiful trees adorn the gardens of many town houses, the edges of … Read the rest »

Plot Twist!

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I was hoping – convinced rather – that this post would be full of joy and happiness, telling you how the sale of Avocado Cottage was going through and that shortly I’d be grabbing the cash and moving onto the next stage of my life’s journey.

But it hasn’t worked out like that…

The buyers have disappeared.  Yes, quite literally.  Here’s what happened:  Angele, the buyer, an Antiguan who lives in Canada, said they’d be in Antigua in June to go ahead with the sale.  I asked if she could be sending details so that my solicitor could be getting … Read the rest »

Lunch Date

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I had a rather lovely lunch date today with an interesting, intelligent woman who was very good company. Yes; I took myself out to lunch. Because I’m worth it.

I’ve had a very wobbly couple of weeks. Now, I know compared to people who were mixed up in the Isis suicide bombing in Manchester I have nothing at all to complain about. But, sometimes, as much as you try to stay positive, every little thing irritates and those little things attract more little things and before you know it you’ve got a whole pile – a hillside – of little … Read the rest »

Practising Gratitude in the Dark

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I’m writing this, off-line to be uploaded later, by the light of a hurricane lamp, in my underwear with rivulets of sweat running down my face, arms, neck, back and chest. Forgive the graphic image, especially if you’re having your breakfast or dinner while reading this. As you’ve probably gathered there’s a power cut; it’s the fourth in as many days. Two of them were short, just ten or fifteen minutes, but the one which started late on Tuesday afternoon lasted for four hours and so far this one has been three and a half. I rang the APUA so-called … Read the rest »