Overcast skies this a.m. but no rain. I need to do a rain dance or something to get it to rain and fill up the cisterns. I am tired of hauling in bags of laundry to be done. Three big bags full to go in today. They charge by the pound so this bunch of beach towels is going to cost a bundle. Also need to switch out empties for full 5 gallon water bottles. We thought we had it being delivered like the people downstairs but the empties were never picked up. Island service is not like what we are accustomed to on the Mainland. Actually the locals call it "the States," but after living in Hawaii I am used to calling it the Mainland. From Alaska it was the Lower 48.

There was a young couple on the ferries with us back from Virgin Gorda on Sunday and they ended up taking the same cab as us when we went to pick up our car at the airport where Nicke and Anne left it when they left island. The guy was saying he would never stay on Tortolla again as the people were so rude. He was very unhappy with Sebastians, which is a resort we haven't stayed at so I can't attest for that staff. The staff at Lambert's on Tortolla weren't rude, just not very efficient. We really haven't had any major problems with rudeness on Tortolla except for this last trip at the ferry terminals. We were waiting for our luggage so we could catch the ferry to Virgin Gorda and when I told the guy which bag was ours he made sure it was the LAST one he took off the cart of luggage. His intentional rudeness cost him a tip. On the way back there was some confusion as to which ferry was which as two left about the same time and the guy taking tickets for the first one leaving would not answer any of the people's questions about which tickets were for which ferry. If one of the tourists had gotten on the wrong boat they would not know it until 1/2 way into the trip when they collected tickets and then they would have to pay for another fare and their luggage would be on the other ferry! We continue to be polite and say thank you, etc. but my jaws hurt from gritting my teeth. I want to ask, "Didn't your Mama teach you any manners? Mine sure did!" The people on Virgin Gorda were a quiet group - they weren't in the least bit rude, and were friendly is you initiated conversation with them, but otherwise quiet. I did love that island. No loud vulgar rap music blaring from car stereos or people beeping their horns or shouting at you if you paused for even a second when the light turned green.

After reading some very cool comments about Jack Gantos' The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs on the adbooks listserv, where I mostly lurk because I don't have the time to talk about books online as much as I would like, but I love to read other people's comments, I started reading it last night. Was going to take it to Virgin Gorda with me and I wish I had. It is one weird, delicious creepy read so far. I was hoping I wouldn't dream about the Twins' stuffed mother in the basement! As an adult I would freak finding an old woman stuffed and on a wheeling base that looks like a throw rug, but the girl in the book is as much intrigued as she is scared by it. So she decided taxidermy is going to be her new hobby. She is already practicing in the bathroom on dolls! Then she can do the same thing to her own mom when she dies. Jack has me in his clutches with this one, just like he did with Hole in My Life, which is partially set down here in the USVI. Jack Gantos is a delightfully funny person, both in real life and in the pages of his books!

Okay, time to get the bags of laundry and water bottles out to the car so we can head out for the day. No breeze - it is going to be hot and the mosquitoes plentiful at Montessori today!