I have so much to write about my new life that I have 20 blog posts in my head. I really don’t know where to begin.
I am realising that my inability to write or get on line is more to do with the fact that I am on my own with 3 children trying to unpack and find things and find out where to buy the basics …….. than the fact that I have slow dial up internet.
So this is a bit of an incoherent ramble, I promise I will try to organise my writing a little better in future posts. Too much to say and not much time to get it all down.
My husband says I have blossomed in Cuba. He says everything about me is more relaxed and happy and beautiful. Viva Cuba! just for that mega compliment I say ….
A lot of handsome streetwise men arrived to bring our shipment of things last week so we are now fully installed. I never thought a move in could be so much fun. Lots of jokes and banter. Rafa and I were exhausted but happy when we went to bed that night. In our bed, with our sheets and our pillows, our towels, etc etc.
The new nanny failed to be the right one because she did absolutely nothing!!!! In fact she was quite brilliant at doing nothing. I began to feel as though I was working for her as I served her another lunch at the table and I ran around picking up toys, getting the boys to wash hands, Saskia wrapped around me! Plan B Nanny is a little bit bling bling but is turbo charged and a lot more sparky. I gave her a test run by inviting her to come round and clean my disgusting oven. She spent 3 hours up to her knees and elbows in grease removing a one inch crusty layer, all of this with a big smile on her face.
The tiles in my downstairs loo at first glance look quite ordinary and bland but you can spend a long time finding faces and animals in the patterns. It really is trippy and very clever. I certainly have not been near any psychedelic drugs lately, maybe a little bit too much red wine, as I have been partying quite a lot with Rafa. I showed the children one afternoon and they thought it was amazing and even Rafa had to admit he could see a lot of things! It is quite addictive once you start to see things you can´t stop and every day I see something new. I want to find out more about these trippy tiles.
The boys start school on Monday (in French) yippee! Saskia has been enrolled in a local nursery which I went to visit last week. They were a bit low on colours and toys but my main concern was that the directora, a woman, had a beard! I kid you not, no 5 o’clock shadow or a bit of stubble it really was what could only be described as an established beard. I know I should be open minded and not prejudiced etc etc. but a bit scary for me, never mind my 17 month old girl. I was just relieved that neither of the boys, who accompanied me on the visit, made some really inappropriate comment.
Also this week 6 men arrived from the film school to help me sort out everything that needs to be updated in the house …..mosquito screens, checking all electricity points, painting the guest room, tuning the TV, sanding the doors so they shut properly. Mania is the Film School representative in Habana, she is a sassy 48 year old who looks 10 years younger and is helping me out with anything and everything. She arrived to help me order the men around. I was very impressed! Cuban men are famous machistas but watching this woman you would think the opposite. I feel she may turn into a future friend. She also told me that she loves to dance!
Rafa is absolutely loving his role as director of the Film school. I have never seen him so stimulated and full of ideas and confidence. It is as though he was made for the job and vice versa.
We watch the sun go down chatting and chatting about all his ideas and all the characters that work with him. He has a lot to do, but in Cuba you feel as though miracles are possible.