Which comes first...the Bean or the boat?

Mmmm...where do I start?
First, thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes that I received electronically this morning when I opened my email and when I checked the replies to my last posting. Inefficiency is so endemic on this island that it spreads to the postal system, so I am still waiting for the delivery of the mailed birthday cards, but thank you in advance.
I had a good birthday. Jon took me out for breakfast at a little restaurant in Dockyard and then we went to a nearby beach for a little bit, where we went for a swim (Uncle Al will be proud, I went in the water although I did see some tiny fish). It was beautiful weather and the sea was gorgeous and quite warm. After that we went for a drink at one of the hotels at another beach and in the evening we went out for a lovely Thai meal at a restaurant in the capital, Hamilton. The food was wonderful and I treated myself to a glass of wine, which tasted all the better for being such a rarity. It's amazing how long I can make a glass last these days!
Last week was the hundredth Newport-Bermuda yacht race, the highlight of the sailing calendar here and an opportunity for obnoxiously expensive people from the States and the island to flash their cash in the form of the boats they sailed over. The yacht club in Hamilton hosted many of the boats and so it was awash with colourful flags being flown by the different vessels and more money than sense. It was pretty amazing seeing some of the sailing boats, many of which must have been worth more than a million dollars and there were some really beautiful ones. In celebration of the centennial, the U.S. Coastguard's sail training vessel, the Eagle, had sailed over. So that was moored opposite the Thai restaurant - a very impressive looking ship, measuring almost 300 feet, about three times bigger than the sloop will be. Princess Anne spent the weekend on the island and apparently made a visit to the Eagle. What a shame that the Foundation wasn't organised enough to know about the visit of the Eagle when it is supposed to be building Bermuda's only sail training vessel and one of a handful in the world.
Yesterday, we did some gardening for the nuns as a kind of rental payment, although I didn't really do that much as my back was hurting quite a lot and I'm now finding it almost impossible to bend over. We started off being quite sparing with the weeds and just picking out those that were obviously not flowers and then we got a bit excited and pulled out everything else that might possibly be a weed, which was apparently the right thing to do because by the time we had finished they had some nice evenly spaced geraniums in the flower beds and not much else. I managed to persuade Jon to take me down to the pub so I could watch the second half of the England game. I think it's funny how I have more interest in football than he does. My commiserations go to the Incredible Halk, as I really though England were very over-rated -- even if Beckham's goal was good -- and Ecuador played extremely well. Next week will be interesting as Bermuda has a very large Portuguese and English population, and the rival flags are apparently already flying.
We spent a lovely afternoon sitting in the garden outside the cottage and then I went for a jalk -- jog/walk, which is the only thing I seem to be managing at the moment -- while Jon went to finish off some work. We had another social event at the home of Malcolm, the executive director of the Foundation, last night when he got a load of educational people together to pick the brains of Jon and Chris about the sail training projects that the Foundation is supposed to be running. I was quite pleasantly surprised as I met a lovely couple called Marion and Rob. He is head of one of the top schools on the island, in fact the one that the Douglas family send their son to. They were very down to earth as only the English can be and Marion gave me loads of great advice about settling in, and Rob, who used to play for Derby County FC in his youth, regaled us with entertaining stories about how he manages to puncture the pretentiousness of some people here in Bermuda.
Although we had a lovely weekend, it was somewhat overshadowed by some rather unfortunate news, that really makes me question if I want to be here, but more than anything upsets me. Jon and Chris met with Alan (the chairman) and Malcolm from the Foundation on Friday to try and finally bash out launch and delivery dates for the sloop. It now appears that the launch date is set for August 13, but for some reason that I can't understand and that I can only put down to the immense inefficiency and the worst possible timing, they have scheduled the delivery for between 15-30 September. Ring any bells.......?
Bean is due on September 25 -- three months yesterday -- and bang in the middle of the bloody delivery. So, there's a 99 percent (or pretty high) probability that Jon won't be there for the birth, which is something that is so important to me. Before anyone tells me I am over-reacting, I know people who go on tours of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan often miss the births of their children, I know some people never even know their parents, I know Freddie Flintoff missed his child's delivery because he was captaining the England side, I know there are single mothers all over the world, but I am disapointed, because yet again it seems like the bastards here have conspired against us. I know I should count my blessings, but unfortunately - much as a conversation with Malcolm tipped Jon over the edge a couple of weeks ago and made him pack his bags and nearly leave the island, - this was the proverbial straw that broke my camel's back. Jon and I had planned for him to be there at the birth and I think that was part of the disappointment because if we hadn't have planned it, it might not have been so bad.
So, we are left with yet another situation of uncertainty from this Devil's Isle, as this place was first, and should still be, known.
As we see it, there are a few options. The July 1 deadline we gave them for having the visa sorted is fast approaching. If nothing appears by this date, we have to make a decision as to whether or not we stay. If we stay, I could come back to England and have the baby there, and Jon will have to fly out to the UK as soon as the boat is delivered, which could technically be around the due date. Then Bean and I could fly back to Bermuda a few weeks later. Or, we could have the baby in Bermuda, but then I risk being by myself at the birth, unless I can persuade someone to come and keep me company.....any offers?
Neither option is great as it means that if we are in the UK, Bean and I won't see Jon for several weeks, but if I stay in Bermuda, I risk being by myself and having a hard few final weeks, as Jon will be in the States from the start of August.
If we don't take the job, we will be able to come back to the UK, but we will have to find something else. There is something in the pipeline, which I don't want to jinx so I won't go into detail. I think more than anything, I am fed up because this is maing me wonder where the hell does this stop?
I believe in being professional, which Jon is being, but he seems to be the only one being so. Grrrrrrrrr. I thought I had experienced incompetence, inefficiency and bureaucracy before, but this is the most spectacular litany of errors that I have ever known and it has squashed all my faith in the project.
It looks like the renovations might be finished in the newt few days, although I am not holding my breath. Luckily the nuns have given us an extension in the cottage and we can stay there until Friday.
The men are supposed to be coming in today to do the floor sanding, so hopefully we can move in here by the end of the week, at around the time that we give them our decision. I discovered the other day that we are not going to have a washing machine in our apartment and may have to share one with the engineer, who is going to be living downstairs....marvellous, but what did I expect?
Oh well, the sun is shining, so that's nice, and we get to do some laundry today, which will mean we don't have to walk around in scabby clothes. Life's little luxuries.......
Oh, and I discovered something that would make my Nanna (Mum's mum) very pleased. There's a M&S here and not only do they sell proper pants and bras, but they also have reasonably priced wine and turkish delights in the food section. Perhaps there is a God!!