Baja St. Martin

What a change in the weather! I think it’s kind of nice. The dog and I took our walk today and it was really comfy where the wind didn’t get me. The spillway water is up, however, so I had to stay in the woods mostly, rather than along the flats.

I had to attend a meeting in another town tonight and as I drove in the rain I was immediately reminded that I desperately need new windshield wipers. Mine worked but the squeaking and screeching was pretty annoying.

I was fortunate to attend a seminar where Darrell Bourque, former Louisiana Poet laureate, spoke – most specifically about his latest book of poems, “Megan’s Guitar and Other Poems from Acadie.” I’ve never been much of a poetry reader, but Mr. Bourque was very interesting to listen to and his poems, at least to me, were more like short stories. I thoroughly enjoyed him and am reading the book.

I just checked the Weather Channel and it said 29 degrees Wednesday night. So now I have to figure out what to move into my greenhouse, what to cover, and then say a prayer it doesn’t really get that cold. I have a schefflera which is two stories tall and I will feel terrible if it freezes. Not to mention my Norfolk pine.

It is cold on the river. The north wind is blowing quite hard, making small whitecaps. Most of the flotons have been pushed south which means they are probably piled up at the bridge. Even the ducks are sheltering someplace rather than in the open neighbor’s yard. (I wonder where they go?)

I’m doing most of my Christmas shopping online this year and it is sometimes frustrating. Twice now I’ve selected an item, filled in all the required information and then was not allowed to continue to Check Out. I did everything over several times, fearing that I might be ordering something half a dozen times, then gave up and called on the phone. Once that was to my benefit because the phone person said I could get a discount. The other time I completed my order verbally with no trouble. The shipping and handling charges are not nice, but I went to a bricks-and-mortar store the other day and it was a madhouse. So I’m willing to pay the shipping fees rather than get bumped into and having to wait in a long, long line to check out.

Thanksgiving at my house will be a quiet affair. I will not be traveling. I’ll be heading to California after Christmas to spend some time with one daughter in her brand-new house. My other daughter will be working before and immediately after Thanksgiving with only the one day free. My granddaughter will be in Orlando working. Another granddaughter also working in Los Angeles.

I sent a box of blood oranges from my tree to my baby sister to be shared with all the family gathering there on Thursday. She was worried the box of oranges might be left outside at her house if she wasn’t home, but just sent me a note saying UPS put them in her garage and they were not frozen. I hadn’t even thought of that possibility! It’s in the 20’s there.

I don’t mind the cold weather but do wish the north wind would not blow quite so hard. My house is on pilings and the floor gets COLD with that air rushing underneath. I once had insulation put under the floor but most of that has been torn off by past storms. I also have lots and lots of windows which I love, but it is hard to keep the back room warm with so much glass. I get a bit phobic in closed places so I can live with the cold in order to have plenty of light.

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