The next decade....what's in store?
Musings of a yamfooted traveller still trying to shake off those last 20 pounds as she treks across the Caribbean
Barbados Pride fringed by palm trees...
Bequia animals....(I didn't know chickens drank water)
Tobago Cays photos....
this was how the day started the Sunday we went to the Tobago Cays.
The crew of the schooner we went on. The captain, who is in the middle, is born in 1929. Work out his age!
That's our destination up ahead.
The boats sit on the blue blanket that is the Caribbean Sea.
I've never bought fabric softener. It wasn't something I grew up seeing my mother use. I don't like laundry anyway, so even if she did use it, mi wouldnt know.
So the siblings were here doing laundry while they were in Grenada. Brother asked for the fabric softener. I tell he I don't have none. He groan and say how his T-shirts going to be stiff. And I say "yes, that's how I know them to be." My sister went and bought me some and showed me how to use it (I'm just not good at these things).
Just finished a load. It smells nice. That's about it cause I washed towels, hung them out on the line, and when my brother took them off the line for me he said "I've put the towels to stand up over there" referring to their stiffness. According to my sister I didn't put enough in it. Somehow, I don't think I will waste money on fabric softener again. I was going along quite fine without it. Just another expense.
Now if you can give me something to take out static cling from my clothes when I ironing them, then I'm all for that.
Well, a two week family holiday has come to an end. Everybody left this morning so life is back to normal.
Last Saturday, I had a "soiree" at my pokey apartment for them plus some friends - about 18 people in all. On the menu...
1. Curry Shrimp with big arse roti skins!
2. Jerk Chicken with Grenadian spices with Macaroni and Cheese
3. Ackee and Saltfish with Festival
4. Salad
5. Chocolate cake and ice cream
6. Grapes and apples
There were 18 persons there. I tried not to cook too much food because I live alone, plus I don't eat chicken. Well, I told my Mum and Sis that they were making me buy too much chicken and I was right. So I had quite a bit left over. Luckily, the landlady (the one who mopped out my flooded apartment while I was at work) mentioned that she was smelling the Jerk and so I gave her the rest of it.
We used three Festival Mix boxes. A mistake. I have a whole pot full of mixed out mix in the fridge. That can feed a small village.
Then there are the big arse roti skins. We buy from this Indian guy at work, so since I had had them, and they were nice, I ordered 20 skins from him. I asked if he could do mini-rotis. He say "nah, ah charge di same price and yuh go say it too much". So I took the big arse roti skins just so. They were nice and hot when I picked them up. I cut them in half to serve. Most of what I cut up, was eaten. The rest is in the freezer. No problem there.
Had just two servings of shrimp left over, so no problem there. It's the festival mix that I am concerned about. My sister says to freeze it. Not sure how that would work.
Oh, there was also two 5L containers of fruit juices! That hardly budged. People drank Ting and Ginger Beer, Carib Beer, Red Wine and White wine.
Oh, about the wines....I am not a wine drinker at all. My brother said to buy the Hardys Australian Merlot. Delicious. Then I had known about Pinot Grigio (white) so I bought a Vignale. Delicious. Enjoyed that and then felt the effects the next day, even though I only had two glasses. I don't tolerate alcohol too well.
I can't bear throwing away food, so I am about to go eat some of the ice cream and chocolate cake. Didn't have any on saturday night. Have to bus' my arse in the gym from tomorrow. Too tired today after I had a roti skin for lunch with some left over curry shrimp.
I weighed today, and it said 92kg. So I haven't put on too much weight on this two week break. That's not such a bad thing.
Tomorrow we're going to the Tobago Cays. Kami says it's paradise on earth, or heaven on earth...something like that. Here are some pictures of the trip so far...
A room at the Cobblestone Inn where we stayed in St Vincent
The cobblestone is a feature in all rooms. Very rustic.
The next couple of pictures are from Montreal Gardens
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The rugged coastline on the West side coming back into Kingstown. Or it might be south. Not sure...
A caterpillar in the Botanical Gardens in Kingstown
Beautiful Bequia. This is the view from the villa where we are staying in Spring Estate.
These huge lizards come out at night....
And here is me in the brightly coloured swim suit I've wanted to wear for a long time. It's stil a little snug, but we're getting there!
And another Before and After picture. Some progress being made over the last three years. The first picture was November 2003.
Somebody has finally come up with this product. Gotta try it when I next go home. The place in right in my back yard.
That quotation is from Indra K Nooyi who will take over as CEO of PepsiCola on October 1
This was the same attitude I took when I did my Masters in the UK. Plus I was not only foreign, but black and with natural nappy hair and so from day one, I found out what I would have to do to get a distinction, and worked towards it.
Graduating as one of only 14 (along with Safari) out of about 150 was very satisfying, and it brought new respect for me from some of the office staff, most notably the Head of School's secretary. It's amazing what being bright and intelligent can do for you!
I'm currently watching the Miss Teen USA and they have just announced the final 15. I didn't say any black person in that, and there were quite a few from some of the states.
Hmmmm. Don't they know there is supposed to be a token black? But actually, one of the girls look kinda mixed. So maybe that counts?
I going to bed shortly, cause I have a 6:00 am flight tomorrow.
The last time I had a 6am flight was last Friday. I had arranged with a friend to come for me at 5.
I enjoying a good sleep when the phone rings. He says "Yamfoot, I'm outside". I say "what time is it?" He says "5 o'clock".
OH MI GOD!!!!! I seemed to have overslept!
I know I set the alarm on my cell phone for 3:30am and selected "alarm on". When I looked at the phone after he called, it didn't show the alarm symbol on, which means I must have turned it off, rolled over thinking "lemme lie down for a few minutes more....after all, I don't take long to get ready" and just slept on and on and on.
Well not taking no chance tomorrow, so I've set both phones. Not sure if I can get wake up calls here so early. Is only a security guard on duty and I believe the office gets locked up, but ah sure will ask.
I jes can't seem to break down this belly and I am sure it is the difference between a size 12 and a size 14....
I think that Ryan is going to have a few words to say 'bout all dem pictures....but ah jes cyant help mahself......
The restaurant on the beach of the hotel I am staying at....nice food....expensive, but nice.
And here is where I will be spending a LOT of time on Monday....
Birds on Dickenson Bay in Antigua. Will I see them again when I go tomorrow?
The beach at Dickenson Bay. Clear blue waters. Looks nice doesn't it?
Lizards at play in my backyard in Grenada
And the Dr, King of the Dancehall.....looking forward to his concert on Sunday night in Antigua after the Stanford 20/20 finals
Well, LIAT decided ah wasn't going ah place.
The flight was supposed to leave Grenada at 3:25pm. When I went to check in, they said it was not on time. How late? 1.5 hours. I was connecting through Barbados and that other flight was only 1 hour late. You do the math.....I woulda been stranded in Bimshire.
So ah said to di guy, best ah stay home tonight and watch the match pon TV. Grenada vs Guyana. Now if Grenada wins, it will hurt mi heart.
Now Mother always says to think positively. So what have I gained by the flight being late and therefore me not going on it?
1. I don't have to pay the US$106 room rate tonight, or the US$16 taxi fare ride to the hotel from the ground.
2. That kind of negates the extra money I had to pay to change my flight time from tomorrow to today. (Ah had to change it because Mr Stanford decided that both semi finals should be night matches, since the finals on Sunday will be a night match.....mek sense)
3. I'm already packed, so no stress to get ready for my 6:05am flight tomorrow.
4. The evap milk that I put in the freezer so it wouldn't spoil while I am away for the 11 days, hasn't quite frozen yet, so I can have it with the coffee tomorrow morning, while the birds are chirping.
5. I can eat the rest of the icecream in the freezer!
Now when I came back into the house, I had to tell di people dem who move in upstairs for two weeks dat I and I have a early flight tomorrow, and that I hope that they going to bed earlier than they did last night! anyway, that is another story which mi cyant bother to tell.
Antigua, St Vincent and Bequia.
Cricket, and then family vacation. Will be in touch.
I guess is only on this blog I will hear those words since I not getting married!
Anyway, today marks the third anniversary since I started blogging in an office in one of the Aliens' hotels in downtown Port of Spain.....This blog courtesy of Ryan from CaribbeanCricket.com.
What a ride!
I was told the other day that if you want to be able to abstain, you should stay away from foods that trigger desires. Two of those names were cheese and chocolate.
PS. I eat quite a bit of cheese. That theory need re-testing!