09/02/2026
So, as far as the Italians are concerned, there is no “dolce far niente” in any of my days of “retirement.” I’m not complaining; I’m just waiting…because the sweetness of doing nothing is clearly still eluding me! There is a time for everything, and right now, it seems my time is to go where the need is.
This time, we were in Seaton Crescent, Savanna-la-Mar, and let me tell you—it did hot bad! It’s a good thing the sun belongs to God, because the devil was clearly trying to burn the needle off the celestial thermometer. We would have been completely grillalized if the body didn’t have the good sense to produce sweat! Ojay was fighting with a tree for some shade. The tree had absolutely none to give. Probably a New Testament fig tree.
We came prepared—two coolers packed with water and juice, because the sky is just teasing Jamaica with the promise of rain
My eyebrows lifted themselves when we passed the soldiers at their post at the entrance of the community, but my heart melted when I watched my book box and table empty out. Yessss!
The children were adorable, and the adults were patient, gracious, and hilarious (ok maybe some of the team would tell a different story). Meanwhile, my sister Marleen and Mark, who managed the personal-care kits, shoes, and clothing table, were completely overrun! However, just like the soldiers at the entrance, they kept things moving, kept order, and made sure everyone received what they needed.
And children, of course, are really just little adults with needs in a specific order: candies, snacks, juices, books, and oh, the gift bag! It took my sister, my niece, my library assistant, and my constant Rayaniesh to manage that room. Thankful for those overhead fans!
And I’m still wondering how Miks’ shirt survived the face-painting station. By the number of little hands tugging at it, I was convinced that the shirt would be ankle-length at the end of it
Hopefully, we provided the community with something useful that they needed.
Maybe dolce far niente can wait. - for now, there is sweetness in doing something that matters. Oh you got those pictures you got those
