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Today is my birthday! Always excited to see the #Twitter greeting.

I’d had initial plans to check into a guest house in Western Grenada Sunday and stay till today, but they quoted more than I thought I should pay. Then a second option came up and I decided not to do that. Yesterday I drove up that side and came back to my flat, all in quick time. Twenty-one x 12 miles enables that.

What should I do on my birthday then? I decided to make no plans, except for the 1 pm physiotherapy appointment. One of the best ways for me to spend a day is not to have a schedule. I value freedom.

After I saw the sun rise, (had no clue from which direction it rises so I had to change how I was sitting 🤓), decided to go back to sleep. Three hours later, I awoke to Facebook and WhatsApp messages as well as missed calls, one from the brother, who happened to call back just as I had opened my eyes.

The gym also called to wish me happy birthday, then called back to say 10% off my next membership fee. How nice.

Breakfast had been made yesterday, cause today was not a day for work. This was me finishing up my coffee with cocoa. Breakfast was ackee with salmon, bammy, fried plantain, bammy and avocado.

Still had no concrete plans when I left for physio. The therapist is trying a different method this week, to see if my ‘tennis elbow’ and foot problems can vanish.

While being treated, I watched videos of my Bruno….fellow Libran.

Chunky by Bruno Mars

Yesterday I had bought a bottle of mustard, only to reach home and discover seh it expire😲. That was the only sure thing after physio. Shout out to the supermarket for doing the no hassle return, and for not hesitating when I asked if there was a washroom I could use 👍🏾👍🏾.

Where shall I drive to now? When I worked at the hotel 1997-2001, there were no cell phones. Therefore, when I was off, I was really off. One of my favourite ways to spend the day off back then was to drive with no plan. Once I reached as far as Diego Piece (where Johnson Beharry is from). Another time, I fell into a drain trying to reverse into someone’s yard, when I discovered the road was a dead end.

On the way to the supermarket, I drove through Tempe and Mt Parnassus. Lots of new houses that side with fabulous views. Spotted an ackee tree too. I have 3 where I live, so no need to stop and ask them for some. Yes, I have done that in the past 🤗😁😊.

Drove up some side roads in Mt Parnassus. Had to reverse in one area since they were patching the roads and there was no where to turn around for about 30 metres. There was a car parked on one side and a sharp drop on the other side of the road. Eegad! Good thing mi can drive.

Went up a steep hill and marvelled at the view. Then it was time to descend. Had to talk myself down from a panic attack. Scary.

After the supermarket, drove through Old Westerhall, along a narrow road which can barely accommodate 2 vehicles. This was the place where, on the brother’s last visit to Grenada, he told me to blow the driver who had stopped in the middle road to talk to someone. As we were not in a hurry, I insisted that I would not, since honking horns is very unGrenadian.

Went from Morne Delice through Mt Gazo to Perdmontemps. Pleased to see that the road has been paved.

What happened next was one of the things which I love love love about Grenada.

Drove to Mardigras, swung up a road I hadn’t been on in a few years, passed a very interesting new house along the way to the top, hailed up the gardener planting grass (I know him from the hotel), reached to the top, took pictures of the view, spoke to the two old ladies who had come out to see why their dawgs were barking, had a chit chat about the views and how cold it must be (it had rained), then turned back around (another dead-end) and descended slowly.

Slowed down by the new house to chat to the gardener. Told him it was my birthday and I was just driving around. He said it looked like I liked the area and that the house next door was for rent and that I should stop. The owner of the new house was in his yard and the gardener told him that I trained him at the hotel. Parked up, came out, chatted with the owner about the views and the house next door. Turns out he used to live there so he showed me the old house. Continued marvelling about the views and then about the design of his new house, which I told him was not typically Grenadian. Then he asked me if I wanted to have a peak inside and up on the roof top. Yesssssss……….!!!!!!

OMG!!!!!!!! He showed me his office. When you see di view!!!!!!!!!! I could turn out brilliant articles writing from that space. No, silly, I could not take pictures of di gentleman’s house. Lawks it did nice. Wooden floors and all. Instinctively took off my shoes before I entered. Here’s the view from one balcony of his previous house, so you get an idea of what I was gushing over.

It was a different perspective for me. You may have read that because I have usually gone from home, to work, to the supermarket, gym and beach, my perceptual image of Grenada is different from someone who goes into other people’s homes often. I can count on 2 hands, the number of houses I have been into, owned by people not connected to the hotel. It was therefore kind of surreal. Wanted to recreate that feeling when I got back home, after stopping to see a friend’s remodelled house.

Jumped straight into my pajamas (like the sister does…..I often tease her for not putting on house clothes after work). Lit candles and ate my low carb dinner outside. I therefore started and ended my day on the patio. After this blog post, I will use my Cartier pen (gift from Sir Royston when I left the hotel in 2013) to write in my journal. A special day deserves a special pen. Twas a birthday well spent, topped off by a call from my aunt/godmother, uncle, sister and one of my besties 👍👌🏼👍🏼🧡💕💜

Happy birthday to meeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!