Baja St. Martin

For a few days we shivered. A couple of my plants were frostbitten. My tomatoes are no more. All my zinnias are gone. Now it’s close to 80 degrees and I’m opening windows and doors and am about to start digging in my upstairs closet to find some of those cooler clothes I just packed away. What crazy weather!

The Belle River landing is packed every day. Everyone I see is walking about in various types of camouflage clothing. I understand it’s duck and deer season. There are now two young dogs abandoned at the landing. Both appear to be young pit bulls, very friendly, very scared, not yet sick although one had some scratches on its back today. I hope Toby finds them soon and does whatever he does with strays. I’ve already suffered the consequences of bring home abandoned kittens; I’m not about to bring home stray puppies, although I will feed them until someone is able to take care of them.

Dumping unwanted animals is CRUEL! There is an animal shelter in Assumption Parish and they will come if called. On my side of the river it’s a different story, although the deputies in the sub-station have always been considerate when called to get lost animals. Nevertheless, it’s a really horrid thing to just dump off an unwanted animal to slowly starve. Cats become feral, which isn’t good, but they will probably survive. Dogs don’t have a chance.

Two young boys are selling Christmas trees just over the Pierre Part bridge. They are trying to earn money for things for themselves, but their mother tells me they also have to give back to the community so they’re donating two trees to the local school. This is actually a pretty interesting endeavor. The boys – well, their mother did – went to LSU and applied at the college Small Business Development Center for help in developing a small business. They have a notebook of rules and requirements, a business plan, suggestions on site location, et al, what their profit could be, promotion tips, etc. It’s a very thorough business plan and the two are bound to learn a lot about operating a business. They sold a tree when I was there to take their picture and they were jumping up and down with excitement at splitting the money.

Are some of you getting these phone calls where a man with a deep voice says, “Hi, I’m John.” And then he goes on to say you have a free alarm system ready to be delivered .... It’s about this point where I hang up. This same phone scam, and I’m sure that’s what it is, has been calling for months, off and on. Sometimes “John,” sometimes a woman, but always the same plea.

I have signed up for Do Not Call at least twice, for my cell phone and home phone yet the calls continue. I don’t understand how this can be allowed to continue. I do check my caller ID, but these people change their number. I have lots of friends and family in other states, so I’m used to seeing different area codes and occasionally get tricked.

The rest of December will be hectic for me and for many of you. I have meetings to attend (and it seems like everyone tries to get one in before Christmas), a choir to sing in, concerts to attend, errands to run and presents to buy. I’m ashamed to admit that I have not put up one single Christmas decoration yet. I’ve been downsizing since I decided that I was too old to be climbing extension ladders. Now my deck railing looks formidable!

Still, I’m relatively healthy, got plenty to eat, a dry house to live in and family whom I love. So what’s to complain about?

Teche News’ Lower St. Martin correspondent, Linda Cooke, can be e-mailed at lcooke9417@bellsouth.net.