Noisy days

Our colonia is usually pretty quiet, but over the last few days it has been unusually noisy. The family that lives next door is very quiet - we rarely hear anything coming from their direction. But several times now the woman, a quiet-spoken teacher, has been out in front and talking at the top of her lungs to another neighbor. One morning it was at 6:30 am. We were up (we are usually up around 6), sitting on the couch enjoying our morning coffee when she let loose. We just looked at each other because it was such a surprise to hear her speak so loudly.

Our neighbor has one daughter - a sweet polite girl. Next to them live some cousins - a more rambunctious couple of kids. When they first started playing together we rarely heard the girl next door - playing loudly wasn't her style. But now, all the kids are into their game, and they shout and just talk loud, as if everyone around them is deaf. Thankfully they are usually in school, but after school, if the weather is nice, they play. Often their games involve a ball, which invariably finds its way into our front garden. Usually when one or both of us is enjoying an after-dinner siesta. They stand outside the front gate and bellow my name, over and over. Hard to ignore them (although sometimes I do if I'm really into my siesta). Once I got a charge out of hearing them finally give up - "No esta" (she's not there). Oh yes I was...but I just wasn't going to answer the door!

Last evening the guys working at the shop on the other side of the kids' house decided to kick a soccer ball around. They placed rocks in the road as their goal posts, and had a roaring match of soccer going - right in front of our house, where the street lamp gives them light, and the road is flat.

As young men can be inclined to do, they shouted rude comments to each other - comments even I understood and did not appreciate, especially knowing young children live right here. I couldn't wait for Miguel to come home and park the golf cart right in the middle of their playing field. I reported the horking and rude language, noting that I was glad to see them playing and having fun rather than doing something bad, but didn't really like the disgusting part. Nothing we could do of course - they are good guys, just immature and needing to show each other up. They stopped their game shortly after Miguel got home, so that was that.

Someone nearby has been setting off the odd firework. Just enough to unnerve Loco. The other night he was just finishing his meal out on the front terrace when one went off. Loco stuck his paw on the front screen door and pulled it open - something he usually can't do unless he's desperate.

Yesterday afternoon I was upstairs when I heard a firework go off. Loco had been on the front terrace but soon he slunk upstairs and crawled under the bed where nothing can get him. And yup, he opened the front screen door again.

This morning Loco decided to take off, and even though Miguel whistled for him, he didn't come back. So Miguel took off down towards the lagoon looking for him. He'd heard some dogs making a fuss and figured Loco was part of the action. He finally found Loco and all he had to do was raise his arm as if to swat him and Loco shrieked like a girl and took off at full speed back home.

I was in the kitchen when Loco came tearing through and went straight up the stairs, saliva hanging from his mouth. Under the bed, safe from the wrath of Miguel. And yes, he opened the screen door again to let himself in. Amazing what a little fear can do to enable one to accomplish something. You'd think we normally beat the dog or something judging from Loco's fear of us.

So the neighborhood is a little flaky lately - not sure why, maybe the passing hurricane IDA dropped some weird spell over the island. Personally, I look forward to getting back to normal (whatever that is).