The next decade....what's in store?
Musings of a yamfooted traveller still trying to shake off those last 30 pounds as she treks across the Caribbean
WARNING: Full frontal features on show.
(and they won't stay up for many days)
Should I get contact lenses? I've worn glasses since I was 6. I am now 40. Do the math. I got a pair of contacts when I was about 22 or so....I remember wearing them while I was in Nassau at school, but only one day per 6 months because they never felt comfortable. When I went to work in Grenada, I wore them all of 4 hours at work one night.
When I went back to the opthal-doc in October, she said when I come in December she will have a trial pair for me. But ah dunno....is so much trouble. Is it worth it? (Mad Bull....the "no-face-cut-out-photos" are especially for you" but of course you know they will soon disappear!)
YOU'RE TOO LATE!
I just came on to do a post and realize that this is the 1001th entry. Wow. Three years and three months, 1000 posts.....that's nuff init?
Anyway, what I was going to post is this.
I need to go to England. Running out of Marks & Spencers baggies (the best in my opinion...durable, comfortable, washes well and all that jazz that you need in a baggie) and Boots tights.
I was first introduced to Boots tights while working at the Excelsior Heathrow hotel. The Assistant Housekeeper was telling me to get some 15 denier stockings. I think I was complaining that the ones I had come up from Jamaica with were chaffing my legs......rubbing together, course stocking fabric etc. When she said "tights", I pictured what I refer to as "leggings" (and indeed most Caribbean persons who have never lived in foreign would also call tights leggings) and I am thinking how di ass she expect me to wear leggings to work. Then she explained.
In Britain, tights are the same as panty hoses. Stockings are the real stockings that you need hooks to keep up. Men, are you taking note?
So out I went and bought my first Boots tights in Summer 1992. Don't wear anything else. The supply that I returned to the Caribbean with in May 2003 after I left school is almost done.
So I need to go to England.
I just wrote in the Elan Parle entry that I played piano for 15 years. Just heard that my teacher for 13 of those years, Fay Ennevor Robotham, collapsed at home yesterday and is no longer with us.
I believe I started going to her because my cousin was going to her. We both lived in Mona. There was a piano at home - both my mother and granny used to play. I don't know if I displayed an interest in the piano...I really don't remember that at all, but anyway, the next thing I was walking down Palmoral Avenue, crossing Mona Road and heading down Karachi Avenue to music lessons.
She was a spinster throughout my time as her student. She used to teach, piano, violin and voice. She herself had a lovely voice, I believe a soprano.
I used to hear stories from friends about their teachers rapping them on the knuckles with a ruler when they didn't play something properly. Not my Miss Ennevor. If you hadn't practised sufficiently, she would just gently let you know you had to work harder, and she would insist that you come in on your own time to practise.
During the turbulent Manley years, she went away to Canada. When the new term started and my father dropped me off, the house was locked up. We assumed she had migrated, so I was enrolled at the School of Music. I didn't like it. After two years, I went back to Miss Ennevor. School of Music didn't believe in exams so I had lost two years, after getting a distinction in Grade 1.
She made me do both Grade 4 and 5 in one year. Boy that was taxing, but I succeeded, getting a distinction in Grade 4 and a merit in Grade 5. I was marching towards my diploma. By then, I was in university at Mona and I suppose I lost interest a bit. Plus the antique piano we had at home was on her last legs. No tone, no proper sound so it wasn't exciting to hear the notes.
I then left for Nassau to complete my degree and there endeth my piano lessons. Whenever I see a piano, I sit and try and remember some pieces. My grandmother left her piano to me when she passed away so one day I will get back to it.
I won't have Miss Ennevor to teach me. She had by now married the gentleman who always used to visit when I was still her student. They got married after I left.
Robert (Mr Endicon) became her voice student and he went on to be quite a splendid barritone (or is it bass barritone?). The last time I saw her was in the supermarket on one of my trips home this year. She was looking well. The time before that was at a function at Robert's house when he came home for holidays from England. She was looking well. If I had to guess, I would say she would have been about 75. A good life still. She was a great teacher, very gentle, very in touch with her students, knew what each of their strengths and weaknesses were, and wanted the best for all.
Rest in peace Miss Ennevor.
You should hear me the other day on my way to work shouting "help!.....help!" very loudly.
Here's what happened.
I walk to work as you know. When I reached down the road, I looked into a yard where three dogs were lying down. I've told you already that the dogs in Grenada are pretty docile. You can walk beside them on the road and they don't even look up at you.
Well this dark brown one decided he was going to rush at me. I looked up and he just immediately rushed to the open gate. I saw somewhere that you musn't run. So I didn't. I just stood in the road and shouted "help!......help!". After several shouts, someone in the house next door looked out. It was the secretary from work. She told me not to worry, the dog is not going to bite me. Yeah right. You're talking to a girl who has been once bitten.
So I stood up there with her trying to coax me from her balcony. Eventually, she got the message that I wasn't moving, so she was very kind and came over to me to escort me down the road. She assured me that the dog would not bite me. And you know, since then, the dog don't even as much as look my way!
It's funny how when you know the outcome of a seemingly dangerous situation, you are not afraid. I am not afraid.
I could eat plantain morning, noon and night. I wish it didn't have any calories in it.
The perfect breakfast for me is ackee & saltfish, boiled white soft yam (my mother calls it 'yampie') and fried plantain at just the right stage of ripeness. I don't like it when it is firm. Must be soft and 'sucky-sucky'. Another favourite way to eat it is in a sandwich with cheese and tomato. Yum. My godmother/aunt loves it too so whenever I stay with her in Mandeville, plantain is a staple.
The cooks at work know about my love affair with the plantain so like yesterday when it was featured on the lunch buffet, they called me and said 'Yamfoot, ripe plantain today". Fill up the plate!
What else must I have in my house?
Limes
Honey
Oats
Peanut Butter
Soy milk
Water
An assortment of fruits
Raisins
Sardines
Bread
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
High fibre cereal
Some form of nuts, usually cashew
Lettuce and tomato, as a minimum for vegetables
Veggie mince
And this is basically what my cupboard and fridge has in it usually.
What food MUST you have in your cupboard/fridge?
On Tempo, they still are showing the Dutty Wine video. The song is quite catchy I must confess.
But following the suspected deaths of some females as a result of doing the dance, shouldn't the video be pulled?
Oh, while I am to TV, those of you with access to BBC World, our resort will be featured on a segment on luxury All Inclusives this week. Fastrack is the name of the programme, and I believe it will air at 3:30 Jamaica time TODAY (4:30pm in the Eastern Caribbeah), 5:30am Jamaica time tomorrow (6:30am EC time) and on Wednesday night sometime. Check the BBC site for more info.
But anyway, TEMPO, please pull the video. Or are you relying on people to be responsible and sensible and not do the dance? Well that's not sensible or responsible!
UPDATE: A picture of a well brain.
Read all the stories below......starting from the bottom up, from Day in Port of Spain: 1
MRI Technician: Do you have any metal pins in your body?
Yamfoot: Nope.
MRI Technician: Any bridges in your teeth? Any metal ever got in your eyes?
Yamfoot: Nope.
MRI Technician asks me to fill out a form which includes a question on the symptoms I have been having. I write what they are and then add that I have been having memory loss.
MRI Technician: Short term or Long term?
Yamfoot: Short term.
Technician tells me to take off my jewellry and bra and then lie on the thingy. He gives me ear plugs because the machine makes noise. He advises that if at any time I want him to stop, I should press the button that he places in my hand. I tell him I have anxiety issues.
But I am prepared not to press "stop" because if I do, he would have to start over at the very beginning and there was no way I would let that happen.
The mind is a helluva thing. It's a bit clostraphobic under there. He told me if I was closing my eyes, to do it before he rolled me in. So I listened. Then I thought great thoughts about any and everything. So far, so good. No stop button for me.
He then does the cervical spine scan. Near the end of it, he comes from behind his computer to tell me I have been moving around too much and he has to redo that last segment. He asks me not to swallow. Lawks. How long for? Only 3 minutes. That is do-able. And I succeeded.
Got my film, went to my friends, got up next day, got on the LIAT plane (very on time), got back to Grenada, went to work, conducted the training session and just waiting for when I go back to the Brain Docta to get my results. That's Saturday. Maybe I'll update you. Maybe I won't. But this was certainly an interesting experience for me.
How quickly perspectives can shift......
I start with Miguel Moses just around the corner from Subway on Hart Street. A clerk met me right at the door and offered assistance. Suit fabric was my desire. Saw one I liked. Asked her how much. TT$20.00 per yard (US$1 = TT$6). Nope. I don't spend so much for that kind of fabric, I told her. She asks how much I usually pay. Around TT$16.00. Ok, she says. She can give it to me for this price. She'd better!
Then on to Classy Fabrics, Yufes, Fabric Land, Diamond Tex and Aboud's, along with those other small ones on the same side of Queen Street as Aboud's.
Well, clearly I went at the wrong time. To the front of the store was curtain fabric and upholstering fabric. Had to look hard for the suit/work fabric.
I asked my friends why was this so? Interesting response.....
Carnival is early next year (11 and 12 February) which means that the fetes start early December which means that they need to enjoy the Yuletide season properly. So Christmas activities start early. Usually it's just after EID I am told. They were playing Christmas carols for crying out loud!
But I got what I wanted so I was happy, and more importantly, the prices were good. I tell everybody that I won't buy fabric anywhere but Trinidad. Noway I am paying more than I have to, especially since this MRI cost a pretty penny.
I've got some really good friends, so called one of them on Friday to say please can I stay with you. He was off the island but would be back on Sunday, so presumably yes. Call him Monday. This I did and he was back.
Jumped on my LIAT flight (a few minutes late). Landed, the medical company's driver was there to meet me on time, and I went to their office. Registered, then they dropped me at the corner of Hart and Abercrombie. First goal was to find Cleve's Records in Mall 58 to find more elan parle music. I had bought two in the airport shop when I was coming out, and they told me about Cleve's.
Found them, then bought a top in the second store I went in. In the first store, the store clerk looked like she didn't want to be there at all. Worse, you could only take one item into the change room. The first thing I took in didn't fit, the button on my shirt came off (luckily they had a needle and thread) and so I decided this was just too much hassle. So on to store number 2 it was. Then it was time to hit the cloths stores!........
Brain Docta: How soon can you do an MRI? It's not available in Grenada. You'll have to go to Trinidad.
Yamfoot: Well I am going to Jamaica in December, so I can do it then.
Brain Docta: I'm talking about like next week (this was last week Friday).
Yamfoot: I have a really busy schedule next week you know. This isn't life or death. Why can't I wait. I am really busy next week.
Brain Docta: I need to rule out any cysts or lesions. If you die, the work will still go on you know.
Yamfoot: You know, that is exactly what I tell my colleagues. Ok, I can go on Monday.
Brain Docta: Good. Here is the form for you to take.
So with that, life just took a different turn for me.....and emptied out my pockets! Anyway, I always look on the positive side. I can buy fabric on Frederick and Queen Streets!
I'm tired of reading/seeing interviews with movie stars who are married, who talk about how everything is great. Then you hear they getting divorced.
Reese Whitherspoon was the first. When I was in Barbados last month, I read an interview she gave in Marie Claire. Now she divorcing.
Then, Matt Lauer talk to Brittney Spears for a long time, she so blissful with Kevin Federline. Now I see she file for divorce. Maybe it was because she saw/heard his rapping and figured she couldnt be with somebody who performed so poorly!
So whenever I listen to them interviews, I will say "dey lie....dey damn lie!"
Did you know that? We are 'da bomb'.
World Travel Market is going on in London right now. So far we have won Best Small Hotel in the Caribbean, and Virgin Holiday's Gold Award.
The sky is the limit. We want to be the Best Small Hotel in the World. In time. All in time....and hard work!
I like music....no...that is an understatement. I LOVE music. Having played classical piano for about 15 years, it's a part of me. I see music in everything...in words, in love (when I do find it!), in life, in....oops...am at work so can't say that.
While passing through Antigua earlier this year I picked up an Elan Parle CD in the airport's music store. In my consciousness, I had never heard of that group before. But I must have read about them because I read BWIA's inflight magazine Caribbean Beat all the time and while googling them today, I see there was an article about them in there.
The leader is a guy called MING (Michael Low Chew Tung). Let me tell you. If you want seriously sexy music, with lots of energy, rhythms, instruments, and colours then pick up their Tribal Voices CD from 2000. Maaaaan, I could picture myself with a honey moving with our energy to this music. OK, I'm at work so it will have to stop there.
But I'm on to Elan Parle from now on. Anybody knows where they're performing next? Jeezas, this is some seriously soul stirring music. (I suspect that some of you will listen to it and say "what's she on about?")
Have to go to the gym now to work off this pent up.....ok, I'm at work so gotta stop.
Courtesy of the Jamaica Observer