Disappearing Act

This is the time of the year that I try and turn limon into limonaide. I EXPLOIT the fact that there is no one here. I REVEL in the idea that I could shoot a cannon from one end of the island to the other and not hit a single soul, except for maybe a sleeping dog laying in the middle of the sandy street. I BEGRUDGE anyone bothering me (well that's kinda true throughout the year though).

September and October are our slowest months for tourism, following close on the heels of May. Every year we say, September is gonna catch you with no money in the bank, so we save and save and PUNISH ourselves throughout the year so that we can GLIDE through these months, and mostly we do, but always there are a few BUMPITY BUMP BUMPS. This year our bumps were the water system and well pumps that went out in late August, and major car repairs at the last minute. Plus, major construction can only happen when we're not busy, but its a catch 22 situation, we noh bizzeee, we noh mek moanee.

So, the past 2 weeks I've taken ADVANTAGE of the fact that things are slow, we've reduced our open hours to 7-11 a.m. and 4-8 p.m. - your prime coffee drinking hours, Supergirl is handling it on her own quite-well-thank-you-very-much get-out-of-my-face-please-mom.

Supergirl: Please go somewhere
Me: Where?
Supergirl: Don't you have a home somewhere?
Me: Yes.
Supergirl: Well go there then.
Me: Why?
Supergirl: Aren't you supposed to be doing something else besides nagging me?
Me: What?
Supergirl: Ummm.... PAINTING? Getting ready for the new season? Filling orders for San Pedro? Doing inventory of backstock? (blah blah blah she went on and on and on)
Me: Oh yeah...

I left the island for a few days and decided to paint in oil, I guess I lost myself in oil paint, the smell of mineral spirits and varnish. A few days turned into a few weeks incommunicado with the exception of the occasional call to/from Supergirl that should have been recorded the first time and then just played back for me every other day.

Me: so what's goin on?
Supergirl: nothing
Me: How's business?
Supergirl: slow
Me: how slow?
Supergirl: very
Me: that slow huh
Supergirl: yea
Me: Do you need any produce? Bigness is going to the city to pick up food for us. He can send it on the boat.
Supergirl: No
Me: Need anything from Brodies?
Supergirl: Nope
Me: Sav-U?
Supergirl: no No NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (click)

Bigness: Who was that?
Me: Supergirl, sez everything's cool

This is the first time that I have painted in oil effortlessly. I had almost given up and given them away but gave it one more try. I'm glad I did.

Bigness finished my verandah office to the point where I could move my stuff into it and out of the bedroom/hallway where I've been stuffed for 2 years. Its so nice. I have screened windows that open and close, doors that shut and lock and a sign that says DO NOT DISTURB.