Homeless in Hispaniola

As you know I am moving house, and husband is sorting it all so I will not be stressed. The plan was for me to move into a hotel the night before the move and then move into the house. All he had to do was move the furniture, cats and dogs. This will be done Dominican style which I must admit I find a little stressful having nothing to do with packing crates, removal vans and wrapping things in newspaper, so just as well to be out of it.

last time we moved

The day I left, Wednesday, all was quiet in the house and he told stepson Alberto not to start moving anything or cleaning anything so that the cats (7 of them) stayed calm, and he and I drove off in convoy to the hotel, with me in front in my jeep and him behind. I could see he was on the phone all the time, which I always tell him not to do when he is driving. Not that he listens to me.

We arrive at the hotel, and he gets out of the car and announces that he was on the phone as there was an emergency. Alberto decided to totally ignore him, and started clearing stuff out. A cupboard had fallen on his head, splitting it open, he screamed, half of the barrio came running as they love a drama, all the cats had done a runner and Alberto was currently in hospital. Hey ho. Another one who doesn't listen. Luckily he ended up not having a fractured skull and only 6 stitches, and returned back to our cat free house.

As you may realise from the title, it is now Friday and I am still at the hotel. It is supposedly five star but is being used as a training hotel so is an interesting and typically Dominican experience.  I had already seen the rooms which are a reasonable size, with a balcony and big window. I checked in and was taken to my room. It was a cupboard, on top of the disco, with no balcony and no window. I think I am the only guest in the hotel. I announced I wanted a decent room, and the porter called the receptionist and told me that she had said that she didn't know I knew what the other rooms were like so had given me the worst. At the same price. There is logic for you. I moved rooms. There is no shampoo, but the reception gave me body lotion and said that was the same. I decided I needed a tot of rum last night, and rang to order it and asked how big a tot was. They said small, so I said send me two then. They arrived with a litre bottle explaining you could have one tot or a bottle but not two tots.
I have no idea when I am leaving here. Should have been yesterday, might be today, but more likely Saturday as there appear to be a few hitches in the move.

One of the cats, Cojo, which means 'cripple', very non PC I know, is missing. He only has three paws so I doubt he has gone far as he can’t hop very fast. The barrio is hunting for him. He has already had a hard life being born pawless, and a couple of years ago fell off the roof and impaled himself on a spike, so I hope he makes the move.

Cojo is the black one with his brothers

The book, What about your saucepans? is selling well I think and is now available on all of the Amazon websites, both as a paperback and a Kindle version, as well as other on line book stores such as Barnes and Noble. It is getting some great reviews which is very rewarding. Thanks so much to those of you who have bought it.
Next time you hear from me I should be in my new house in the mountains. ‘Should’ being the operative word.