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
I was an HR Manager at a place that was unionized. I hated that part of the job, just because I think unions had to justify their existence and show their members that they were working for them.
Anyway, the JUTC is Jamaica's bus company. Always has problems, that company. Since Bruce Golding took over, he put his man as Chairman. Douglas Chambers.
Accountants are not known for their excellent people skills. Apparently his were VERY bad. There was tension from he took over. Apparently very abrasive and inconsiderate of the plight of workers. THe latest problem was when the Chairman announced that workers would be sent home. Apparently not much dialogue or empathy shown. After the first meeting, some of the workers threatened to shoot him. Maybe he didnt remember he was living in Jamaica, where threats should be taken seriously.
Well today, it was reported that there was a meeting with union reps, there was a break in the meeting, he went outside and was involved in some discussions with some people and the next thing there were gunshots. He was shot 14 times, it was reported.
I always considered that I could have fired a worker (with cause), and that worker could have had 'connections' and I could be in my office working alone late in the evening with the door open, as I did many times, and someone come into my office and pop me off.
Anyway, the moral of this is that people in positions of authority must show empathy when hard decisions have to be taken that affect people at the bottom of the economic ladder. It doesnt make it right, but Mr Chambers' death is hardly surprising.
Left home around 7:10 Wednesday evening to go to the gym. When I reached the road where the stoplight is, I see police siren flashing, yellow caution tape strung across the road, lots of cars around and so on. I had earlier seen a vehicle turning around, so I did the same.
I'm not like many Jamaicans who like to go to the scene of the crime, rather than away from it.
When I came back home late tonight, I heard that a man was in the line of vehicles at the stop light when another started shooting at him from behind. He then lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the car in front of him.
Guns in my neighbourhood! Eeegad. Time to leave Jamaica!
I am writing this entry now at this ungodly hour because yet again, I am tossing and turning and unable to fall asleep. At least tonight, I have the company of the family (who don't know I'm awake). When this happens to me in the Spice Isle, I am alone....and that is some scary sh*t I tell you!
What is the reason?
Have no clue. The symptoms? Rapid heart beat. Gurgling in my upper stomach if there is such a place (I should go on Web MD). Spasms in the muscles of my chest. I know it is not a heart attack because on Sunday I did both an ECG and an EKG. Pocket bruk now!
I have had SEVERAL ECG's. They all come back with a healthy graphical reading of my heart. Sunday was the first EKG. Now that was interesting. Of course, I got to look at the screen while the doctor was taking images of my heart. I could see the walls (very healthy...no thickening). I could see the valve flapping away. Nothing untoward there. I could hear the swish of the blood through the chambers. Everything checked out ok.
There was this extra bit of muscle he mentioned, that was flapping up and hitting against something beginning with an S. But he said that was nothing to worry about. So I'm not.
I just wanna know what di ass is keeping me up all night.......AGAIN!!!!!! The mind is clear as far as I am aware. I wonder if it is muscular? Let's go check out WebMD. That's a kool site for tossers and turners like me.
It's cricket season on The Rock, so of course, me deh ya!
Also taking the opportunity to check up on my health which involves figuring out why the heart races ever so often, even though there is no toy-boy in my life!
Pilates classes is also a must, and it so important to my well being that I will miss a few cricket sesssions in order to get in as many classes in the two weeks that I will be here for. Yesterday I realized that it has been four years and nearly a month since my first Pilates class and how good a journey that has been. Everybody should do Pilates. It's not only for the body, but also relaxes the mind and when you are on The Rock and have to drive on these roads, you definitely need a relaxed mind!
Saturday, we headed out on Highway 2000. (It look like in fareign eeee?)
This was our destination. Mission: To look for The Niece
The school is quite compact, and perched on a hill. I thought it would have been more vast.
We had to hunt for the House mother, who then told us that The Niece was in the cafeteria. She and her friend ran out squealing and hugged the mother and aunty. The cameras captured those too.
We had come outside of visiting hours, so we only had 15 minutes with her before nap time. Well they don't really have to sleep....according to the House mother, they have to be in their dorms and be quiet. Difficult for the Niece.
When it was time to go, there were more squeals, this time, not of delight but "why you have to go?"
But she seems to be adjusting well. They are only allowed one phone call per week, and to come home every third week. We are waiting on the call to tell us that she won't be coming home but rather, will be staying with her new best friend instead!
Promises, promises. This is the first of the many promises that will not materialize.
Anyway, my option #2 was just about right (just switch around di parties...which is what some people obviously did when they voted today). Maybe I can become a political analyst!
We await the recount with baited breath. But kudos to Lisa Hanna! Major victory!
1. PNP and Portia lose the election. She is blamed for the loss due to her outbursts and 'lack of intelligence'. She is replaced as PNP President at the upcoming conference. Dr Peter Phillips is unanimously elected President. PNP wins the elections in 2012 and goes on to win it four more times. Peter Bunting is elected President in 2017 and becomes Prime Minister then.
2. PNP and Portia gain a slim majority. 31 seats to the JLP's 29. Bruce challenges a seat in St James and it is declared a JLP seat, thereby resulting in a tie. What a bangarang! What will the GG do?
3. PNP and Portia lose big time. Only 20 seats to the JLP's 40. Bruce and his labourites are happy. Audley Shaw is put in charge of Local Government, not Finance. The JLP, after being out of power for 18 years, forget how to govern and make a mess of it. All the promises in the manifesto come to nought. No significant investments can be attributed to the JLP's policies. Crime escalates just as much as it did under the PNP. IN the 2012 elections, Peter Phillips' PNP wins 50 seats to the JLP's 10.
Heh heh heh. Let the fun begin! I will be watching from safe Grenada.
I fly in from Grenada, to meet Dean in Jamaica. Today I am flying from Jamaica and have to be dodging Felix. Felix dumped a lot of rain on Grenada I hear. Knocked out electricity etc. But hopefully by the time I get there tonight, the rain would have stopped. Have been taking Panadol Multi Symptoms because I have had flu-like symptoms and I can't afford to go back to Grenada sick!
So I was agonizing over the lack of broadband internet. For several days after the power came back, there were only two lights on the modem. There should be four. Kept calling Cable & Wireless but "all our agents are busy serving other customers" was what I kept getting.
Persevered today again, and finally got through. They had a recording saying there was a problem and they were working with the overseas supplier to rectify it. I asked the dude if we were affected, he said no. Then walked me through everything to make sure everything was hooked up okay.
He asked about the telephone cord from the splitter to the back of the modem....huh? What cord? There is no cord plugged into the back of the modem. So there it was, dangling from the splitter...NOT attached to the modem. So, problem solved. I said to the dude that he must get these silly calls all the time. He said he was just glad that the problem could be solved. I then told him that I was sure that after he put down the phone from me, he was going to relate the story to his colleagues, laughing. I wouldn't blame him!
So I ventured out with the kids today. Two things were needed. A loaf of bread and a padlock for Penny's kennel.
First stop Sovereign. Only bulla there....the man said Purity delivered bread but it went like...well... hot bread! No they don't sell padlocks. Next to Tru Value. Dem lock since 4:30! Then to Monarch's. Didn't have the padlock I wanted. Next to Azan's. Although the door was open, the lady standing beside it said "we're closed m'am."
Next to Super Plus. Dem lock too. Liguanea Lane Pharmacy. No bread. Oh, I forgot to look for the padlock.
Now many years ago, we always used to stop by this little shop on Barbican Road, next to where Burger King is now. I stopped and asked a man to ask the shop lady if she had bread. "Mooomy, di lady want to know if you 'ave bread." Yes Moomy....good! Now....did I have enough money?????
I haven't been to the bank since I got here. So I have no Jamaican cash. I didn't even have US cash because I left it at home. Anyway, I parked over at Orchid Village, took my bright orange purse, crossed the road and went to the shop. How much? J$120 for the loaf (US$2 or thereabouts). I count up the money. No, I am short, by $20. But I remembered leaving some coins in the car so I run back for them. (Jamaican motorists are very mean to pedestrians!).
$30 more dollars in hand, I skipped back to the shop. Oh no, is white bread. We don't do white bread (even though when the Lucky Hardough bread was the only one in Sovereign yesterday, I snapped it up!). She said the whole wheat was not sliced, and worse.....it was $125! "Di whole wheat a likkle dearer miss" piped up the lady in the background. I searched the purse again and thankfully I had the extra coin. Yes!!!! So now tomorrow, I will go to the supermarket first thing.
But when the big guys fail, the little shop is a lifesaver.
Well, after toiling and helping the brother move stuff, I am finally going to bed now. I have company in the room tonight. Di dog!
This is really the calm before the storm. If you had just awakened after a deep sleep which lasted more than a week, you would not know that in about 5 hours, we will start to feel the effects of this hurricane they call Dean.
More anon.....
1. Got collected at airport around 1:15pm. The ride over wasn't too bumpy. The pilot had to fly north of Puerto Rico and Hispanola to avoid the bumps. Usually they fly south of those islands. Did errands like buying fruits and coconut water.
2. Went to the hairdresser. The hairdresser?????????? Yup. I had made an appointment for Monday but who knows what Monday will be like and the tough nigger head needed to be relaxed.
3. Driving around St Andrew today, everybody was walking with shopping bags in their hands, showing some sign of preparedness. But I passed a shack/shop on the side of Barbican Road who hadn't yet started to take down his stuff. I guess he feels he has time. The radio station reported extended opening hours of some supermarkets up to midnight tonight and from 8am tomorrow morning up to 4 hours before Dean is expected. Not sure they should open.
4. When you looked up into the sky earlier this afternoon, it looked like a typical Caribbean weather day. Blue skies, some clouds, not much. By the time I was leaving the hairdresser at 6:20pm, there were just a few dark clouds but nothing to suggest that something so catastrophic is looming less than 500 miles east of us!
5. A friend called me from Grenada tonight. He asked me if I was crazy to have left Grenada to come here, knowing Big Dean was approaching. He wasn't the only one. When I was putting my suitcase in the car at the airport this afternoon, a man walked by me, looked at me and muttered "so why you come here for...yuh nuh see si hurricane ah come?"
They don't understand the concept that for me, it's better to be with my family, knowing what is happening with them, than me being safe far away.
6. Arrived home to a very hot house. Oh, the hurricane shutters are up. Bloody hot. A/C tonight for sure! That is until the lightening knocks out the electricity.
7. As I type, am waiting on a call from the Brother. He who lives at the top of a high hill, was planning to pass the hurricane up there! His sensibilities returned and he is toting his valuables down to an apartment we have nearby, just in case his roof goes and the greedy village people decide to loot. The valuables include the dog, who will be sleeping in our house tonight (while my dog Penny has to sleep outside, boarded up in a kennel!!!!! 'Life is not fair', I hear her barking when she finds out!)
Here is a picture of that dog....
I come back to The Rock to find out that the helper has been off sick for a good while. Perhaps in some households this would have created chaos, but when you have my mother for a mother, this is no biggy.
She turned 67 today, and you wouldn't know it. Still motoring around like a 40 year old spring chicken....
At a little barbeque we had for her up at the brother's house at the top of Jack's Hills (even up there it was too hot today), the story turned to helpers and stories were related by others who were there. Mother said she came home to find one taking a bath in her bathroom, even though the helper had quarters of her own. She said she told her to dress and pack her things immediately and leave, then decided she didn't want any more around her, so for a good while, we didn't have one. Again, no biggy. This was when all three of us were under 10 and she was still playing netball for Jamaica.
Tomorrow, she is cooking stewed peas in other of a friend who is visiting. I asked her why she arranged it for Monday, knowing the helper is off. She said 'no biggy'. She has energy to kill.
As she was taking out the dishes and so on late tonight, I told her she was just like her mother, who used any excuse to entertain. And whenever she would come from foreign to visit us and we were entertaining, she was in the thick of things even when she was well in her 80's. I guess we will expect the same of mummy!
I totally forgot that since recently, Jamaicans require a visa to go to the UK. I called the British High Commission on Monday to explain that I would be leaving the island on Thursday and needed my passport. They told me I could still send in the application.
Applications have to go through DHL or a travel agent. I chose DHL. Quick and easy. That was Monday. It reached the BHC Tuesday. Today is Wednesday. I just called to find out about my passport. The lady says it has been returned to DHL. So I ask if the processing of the visa application will continue and I would hear later whether I got the visa. She said no. It has already been done. Granted!
Wow, I am so impressed. I think when my US visa runs out in 2011, me nah go back to the USA because it's too much hassle for their visa. It's Europe all the way for me from then!
I suppose if you have sex, there is the possibility of pregnancy
This is a story about a guy who chatted me up at the gym the other day.
But ah tired now, so will get back to it sometime over the weekend.
I think the kids who are on the street selling have been to some training courses. One day last week, I encountered two of them in the Lane Plaza where Superplus is.
The first was was Kemar.
Kemar: Good day miss. How are you today?
Yamfoot: Fine thank you.
Kemar: Miss, would you like to buy a dish cloth or wash rag? I'm selling them to help send me to school.
Yamfoot: Lemme see what you have there? ( I don't need anything but I am so impressed by his politeness and well spokenness. I pick out two dish cloths) How much are these?
Kemar: Miss, $80 for one.
Yamfoot: Ok, I will take these two. Oh, but I don't have any Jamaican money on me. Will you take a US$5.00?
Kemar: Yes Miss.
Yamfoot: What's your name?
Kemar: Kemar
Yamfoot: What school do you go to Kemar?
Kemar: Denham Town Primary Miss.
Yamfoot: Oh, you come far. You do well in school?
Kemar: Yes Miss
Yamfoot: How much you usually come in your class?
Kemar: 1st Miss.
Yamfoot: Good. Keep it up. You know that education is what is going to make you not have to sell on the streets right?
Kemar: Yes Miss. Thank you Miss.
Yamfoot: Ok, Merry Christmas.
Kemar: You too Miss.
Later that day, I encountered another one selling shamoys. I really didn't need that and where as I could find use fo the dish cloths, I could not with the shamoys. He then asked me for some small change to buy something to eat. I asked him if he was sure he wouldn't throw it back at me, as I have had done to me before. He looked shocked that anybody would do such a thing, and that I would even suggest that. Anyway, I found what I could and gave him and he said thank you.
I thought they were both so polite. If only their mothers hadn't put them in the circumstances they both find themselves in, who knows what they could become? Well, they still have time to make something of themselves. I almost felt like calling Denham Town school to find out more about Kemar the Grade 5 student. His diction was excellent, and so was his grammar, something unusual for kids who are on the streets.
After over 20 years of activity, I decided today to go without protection. It's a weird feeling. Some people said that there is no other way. That wearing protection takes away the joy. I dunno. I dunno.
What I do know is that after trying once, I had to say "it won't stay in!". The opthalmologist told me gently to try again. Because I have done it before, I guess it was a matter of remembering. Like sex, putting in contact lenses is something you don't really forget how to do.
So I have them in now. After I left the office, I had to walk in the rain. Instinctively, I put my hands to shade my eyes. I don't think that rain drops and contact lenses mix very well, unless rain drops have saline in them.
That will be the worse part. Not having the protection of the hard lenses of my glasses to shield my eyes. Went looking for a pair of shades today. Massi Kingdom! The first one I liked cost $11,000. I asked the guy for the cheapest. He said $5,000. I remember I had bought a pair in Florida, I think it was in 2000, intending from then to get contacts but never did. Lazy. I just pulled them from the drawer, all bent from lack of use.
Right. My eyes are crossing up in front of me. I have to try hard to keep them open. We are going to the "cinemawr" tonight. Contemplating whether I should keep them for that. I dunno.
Courtesy of the Jamaica Observer
Ambassador Peter King found murdered.
They are attacked by heterosexuals and presumably by their own too! Damn. Reminds me of E V Ellington's murder several years ago. Is Rex Nettleford on the list too?
Sometimes, my encounters on The Rock lead me to think that many Jamaicans are nice people. Take today for instance.....
Went to BNS Liguanea. Line was short, unusually so. I was the last person in line and was waiting on somebody to come after me so I could ask them to hold my space because I needed to talk to one of the Customer Service reps. No one was coming in, so said to the young chappie in front of me "please hold my space. If anybody comes, let them know I am in front of them." He acknowledged me.
When I came back, a lady had joined the line after him. So I should have been in front of her. I therefore go to take my rightful place, when lo and behold, chappie gestures to me to come in front of he! Well I was chuffed, really I was. So gracious and generous of him to give up his place for me.
(Mi still a leave out today though!)
Went by a friend to play Mad Bull's favourite game, Kalooki, last night (they allowed me to win since I'm the "foreigner"), and left there after midnight. Home was a short 7 or so minutes away. For the duration of the ride, I drove as quickly as I could and also kept looking in the rear view mirror to ensure that no car was following me. At the moment that I saw a set of lights too close, I turned on my indicator and hoped that the driver would turn the other way, which they did.
I considered driving on Charlemont, but I thought that having to slow down for the sleeping bumps would give a preying criminal opportunity to pounce, so I drove up Widcombe Road instead. This is how I think whenever I drive in Jamaica.
I never have these thoughts in Grenada.
Another note about looking back through the rear view mirror....
You can live your life that way, always looking behind you, in the past, to cry over spilt milk, lament over choices gone bad, or see if your past or your fears are catching up to you.
Or..
You can look forward, at the road ahead, carefully thinking about the different twists and turns you can take to get where you want to go (of course, one must have a destination in mind!), then choose one and enjoy the ride. If it doesn't lead you to where you thought you wanted to go, maybe you didn't really know where you were going and need to re-think that, or maybe it was just the wrong road. Choose another and again, enjoy the ride and don't look back.
Because I train people in Customer Service, I am always noticing what kind of service I get. I was quite pleased today. First in the bank (Scotiabank), the teller was very pleasant and before she closed off, asked if I needed anything else. That's something that can make a big difference to the service encounter, because you might have forgotten to ask for something and that quesiton will jog your memory. She wished me a nice day when I was done.
Then in Azan's, Mr Azan himself was at the parking gate entrance to explain the system to me. You give the attendant J$100, he gives you a ticket, and when you shop in Azan, the cashier will give you back the J$100. Neat. Then inside, as I was browsing, several people came to ask if I needed help. How many times have you gone into a store, only to be ignored? Not today. When the lady rang the credit card slip (a different location from the cashier), when she handed it back to me, she told me which slips of paper to give to the cashier, and then she wished me a nice day.
In both clothing stores...now these are very small, very tightly packed cubicles....attendants came up to ask if I needed help. In the one where I ended up buying the red sandals, I asked for the big size for my yamfeet in a gold sandals. (Size 11). She said "dem done". Later, when I was paying her, she said I could give her my number and I take hers, so that when more Size 11 comes, she could call me.
What service! Don't ya think? And from stores mid town where one might expect them not to be of the same standard as "up town".
I was encouraged by the experiences today. Jamaica not so bad afterall.
The time is slipping away quite quickly. Already a week has gone. I'm not a last minute person, so the day after I arrived, I bought some stuff that my colleagues at work ordered. All Things Jamaican - jerk sauce, festival, run down sauce, escoveitch and so on.
Today, I decided that I would do some shopping for the abode which I am yet to find! But anyway, when I find it, I must have tings....nuh true?
Got up at 8:20, fed and cleaned up after dogs (bwoy they are lucky to have me), left house at 9:30, dropped mother at the cricket office (she's working on World Cup), went to my beloved Pilates class where the instructor talked about the nerves she is feeling for her wedding #2 next month ("a lot has changed since you left Michelle" she said), then did some cardio (treadmill).
Spoke on the phone for a long time to a cricket person, while deciding what my next move would be. Mother wouldn't be finished until 2pm or thereabouts. I had to go to the bank to lodge two cheques I had been walking around with for several days. Do I drive up to Liguanea - up town - or do I drive down to the branch on Slipe Road - down town?
Down town it was. Well, maybe I should call it Midtown, like in Manhattan. Anyway, the bank has parking so that was convenient. Did the transactions then decided to hit the stores on my way back up to closer to where Ma was. First it was Azan Supercentre.
You see, "dem small islands dere" sometimes don't have all the things one requires, at the price that one wants to buy it at. A tad more expensive in the household goods department. So I budgeted J$2,000 to spend on some light items to take back. Rug, shower curtain, laundry bag, shoe holder, mattress cover, 2 glasses, baking tin, metal bowl, collander, 2 small plates, salt & pepper shaker and one or two other things. The bill came up to $2,100. Aren't I good with estimating or what!
Next, it was to two clothes stores in the same plaza where Azan is. I was looking for nothing in particular but anything particular. Found a pair of red sandals (to find a size 11 is really quite a 'feat') for J$1,500. Didn't find the white tank I had in the back of my mind to buy.
Next was The Pegasus to piddle and to say hi to LMT and CCMB. As it turned out, it was also to arrange to do some outstanding work I had to do for them. So going in tomorrow.
Picked up Ma at 3:30-ish, stopped at Super Plus to buy LaSoy Lite milk powder (I am trying not to use cow's milk in my cereal) but they didn't have any. Actually, I haven't been able to find that item lately. Must call LASCO. In Super Plus, bought a cutting board, a closet organizer and two trays, along with several plantains (a staple in our house!) and a pack of chewing gum. All for J$900 and little dollars.
So all in all, it was a good shopping day. Now I just have to find space to fit everything!
...Jamaica wouldn't be able to handle all the people who would want to come here. It is such a vibrant country, featuring a little bit of everything for everyone. If you want to do it all, or nothing at all, Jamaica could be the spot.
Having said that though, it is mind boggling that the rate of crime against tourists is minimal, despite us having the highest per capita murder rate in the world!
I thought about this as I was driving from the Carib Cinema downtown. In my parents' day, they used to have live shows there. My father told of a time when his mother took him to see some act or the other. People would dress up in their finery and dress to the nines.
Anyway, the point that I am making is that this blasted crime is just a darn nuisance resulting in tourists staying away from Kingston mostly and therefore not seeing all of Jamaica, and in me not wanting to live here! Whichever of the PNP candidates seeking to replace PJ Patterson can get rid of crime, they will be like God.
If we have started out the year like this, isn't that an indication that it is going to be another 'annus horriblis' (or however it's spelt)?
'Butch' Stewart is a self made millionaire. Head of the Sandals International group, he is a hotelier par excellence. Naturally I was interested in the series of interviews that Desmond Allen did on him in the Jamaica Observer.
For any of you interested, I have put them all into a word file, and uploaded it here.
What remarkable things one can do with a dream and a vision.
The following murder happened just up the road from where I live.....
MICHELLE Knight, a household helper, was chopped to death Thursday during a robbery at Margaret Drive, Hope Pastures, Kingston 6.
Knight, 28, resided at May Day district in Manchester.
The CCN reported that at about 2:30 pm a white van was seen driving away from the house at Margaret Drive, shortly after two men were seen leaving the premises.
Concerned residents then called the police, who found Knight chopped to death and the house ransacked. The body was removed to the morgue for post-mortem examination.
The Papine Police, who are investigating, said several household items including televisions, a computer and an assortment of liquor were missing from the house.
I went to BNS Liguanea this morning. I had got up, washed up, barely did anything to my hair, threw on a washed out shirt and my jeans (which are slowly disintegrating!). So in short, I really did nothing to me. (As usual I hear you say....so true!)
I am at the teller (the line moved quickly today) and another guy who works over at Customer Service who is very friendly and who I say more than just the "can I have my balance please" to, was walking by the teller and stopped to say hello. So I said hello and he said "how are you?" and I said "fine" and he said "I can see that". But I didn't hear so I said "sorry?" And then in tandem, two of them repeated what the CS guy said.
Dem lie you see!
But you ever wonder what people see when they look at you? Do you see what I see? That would be fun....looking at oneself through the lens of another person. If only it was a matter of switching glasses...if you wear glasses. That would be kewl, init?
You may have read that two priests who were not Jamaican, were shot dead in downtown Kingston, from one single bullet. The theory is that it was a stray bullet. These priests are part of a group called Missionaries of the Poor who do great work for poor Jamaicans as well as people with HIV/AIDS. So who would want to kill them, right?
Well the bullet went through the head of one, into the other. Father Richard HoLung, who, apart from being a priest is also a producer of a musical event called Father HoLung & Friends, has written an article in today's Gleaner talking about the killings and that they forgive the gunman/men.
I guess that's what it means to be a priest. Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do. I wonder how the shooter feels when he hears all of the news surrounding the killing? Probably nothing. He is probably numb with anger, rage and fury, all directed at life and those who participate in it.
Claude from the Blogland went to visit the compound. Here is his story
I tell you....my dreams are real funny. Sometimes they reflect what is happening in real life. I think this one does. It was when I was watching the weather tonight that I remembered what I dreamt last night. It involved a flight, food and the weatherman...
Those of you who live in Jamaica know Evan, right? He's head of the Meteorological service I think and he comes on the TV with local weather. Well, I dreamt that I had a flight on American Airlines. It was due, according to the ticket, to leave Kingston at 12:32.
At around 12:00 noon, I found myself in the dream to be at Evan's house, where a nice soiree was going on. Lots of lovely food; beautiful house set on lovely hilly lawns, great company. I don't wear a watch normally (the battery is dead and it hasn't been one of the priorities in the expense department) and so when I found out the time I said to myself "lawks, ah miss di damn flight". So I quickly found Evan.
Fortunately, the house was not far from the airport. The dream had now moved to Barbados by the way. Yes...mimicking the travelling that I do. So Evan dropped me at the airport in good time. I found it strange that I had no luggage. I mean, if I'm going on American, it's most probably for a flight to Miami. Right? Then of course I would have to have luggage, so I can put all my shopping in! But anyway, I only had hand luggage with me.
Reached to the airport, still very concerned and almost resigned to having to get the flight the next day. I trot up to the counter, only to find out that the flight had been delayed to 2:17pm! Also, apparently I had gone to the airport earlier and checked in my luggage! How di hell I didn't remember that is beyond me.
Well it's a dream, silly! It's ok to forget these things.
But seriously, I've been forgetting one or two things lately. One of them which is still in the recesses of my mind, is the manager for the BWIA airport operations in Kingston, who I know and even asked for by name when I travelled earlier this month. So far, I have got the last name, but the first name still escapes me and I will not ask my sister. I will remember it. I WILL!
****NEWS FLASH*****
I just remember the first name while reading over the blog! The ole brain still has it! No mind that it took me three or so weeks to remember!
The lotto was J$40m for last Wednesday's draw, so I bought a couple numbers. I also bought Cash Pot. There are three Cash Pot games per day. It picks just one number, and you can wager various amounts on each number. So I might pick 22 as the number that will be drawn in a particular game. If I wager $10 on it, I will receive $260.
I bought 22 and some other numbers and played all three draws. 22 won! I had only wagered $20 on each number so only won $520.
The important point is this though. With the Cash Pot and lottery tickets I bought yesterday, I spent $480. It meant that I made back all that I spent.....and then some! Of course I bought the same set of numbers again today, so I didn't get back all of the $520.
Winning.....it feels good.
That was what a fella who was being introduced to me at Galliwasp's house last night said, the moment he set eyes on me. So I'm thinking that maybe he saw my picture in the Gleaner publication Hospitality Jamaica, or maybe he has seen me at cricket.
Anyway, he went inside to get food, came back out very confident of where he knew my face from. "I know where it's from.......the #67 bus".
Shock and horror! I was stumped, really I was. Do you know that I last took a 67 bus in 1985 when I was in Upper Sixth?
We discussed where he would get off and that the 67 bus was a real social gathering. There would be girls from St Hugh's, boys and girls from Wolmers', occasionally some George's boys, and Campion College girls and boys. So at end of school time on a week day, the bus would have pure schoolers. Everybody would be chatting, and you'd say 'hi' to whoever was coming on to the bus because you knew them. Nice lime.
Last night, some of the people there were saying that the fact that he remembered me from OVER 20 YEARS AGO!!!! could either be looked at as a positive thing or not so positive thing. Of course I am choosing the positive thing....that I've kept myself so well and stress free, that I look as young as I did 20 years ago.
I mentioned the other such incident in the Pegasus a couple months ago? Did I? Well, I am walking down the lobby and a girl passes me and says "Hi Michelle", so I say "hi" back, very enthusiastically of course. Then, because I really didn't know who she was, I said "could you remind me of your name please". She told me, but it still did not ring a bell. Unashamed, I asked "remind me from where again....the ole brain not working so well these days". She laughed and said "from St George's Primary".
Sh*t!! I left there in 1977. That is 28 years ago! Then she says to me "you haven't changed one bit Michelle".
Yeah. Still plump. But at least I'm not so overweight that them don't recognize me.
It's freezing tonight. I don't tolerate the cold very well because of the low haeboglobin (dat prolly spell wrong!) and, well, I'm a black woman living in a tropical country.
As you may know, it's been raining here, and this has contributed to the low temperatures. Turbidity struck today and so the water is gone. I'm at pains to understand why after so many years of experience with heavy rain, why the NWC can't develop some piece of equipment to deal with treating waters when the rivers are in spate! There is technology for everything these days!
I'll have to lock up all the windows tonight. Didn't last night and my niece also had the fan on, so I'm feeling a bit flu-y tonight. Even sneezed a few times today. Can't remember the last time I sneezed. Of course I have downed several milligrams of Vitamin C today.
Yesterday and today were mirror images of each other.
Started out sunny and bright, and then by early afternoon the unmistaken rumbles of thunder could be heard.
Of course, before the thunder came lightening...you know, the kind that you see in cartoons. I'm surprised that I didn't hear of any deaths with people being struck by lightening. Except today, I understand that lightening set a house on fire and some kids died.
Anyway, accompanying the lightening was heavy, heavy rain. Water was everywhere on the road. I took some pictures. Nuff people got with yesterday....one courtesy of moi (I was mortified because I have been splashed too and it nuh nice!)
WET KINGSTON
I've just come from feeding the mutts. Look at the time. Normally, they are fed by 10am or so. Sometimes earlier.
Well, I didn't hear any barking as the thunder clapped and the lightning struck ferociously. Maybe, like me, the dogs were too scared to even whimper!
I had to wait until the thunder and lightning finished, plus the rain, before I could go look after them.
Wonder if they thought I had gone out without feeding and cleaning them up? No. They know I would not do such a thing. Me love dogs too much.
St George's College now has g i r l s.
How you wish you were there now! Some of the girls interviewed said they were nervous, because they were coming from an all girls school. One of the boys said "I think it's great. Now the girls can teach us what we don't know about girls!"
Don't worry, Dr Kennedy and the Jesuits will be keeping a close eye on you young people!
(Oh, is just in sixth form)
The new manager of Cable & Wireless and his wife. Why is her hand there?
Well, it's been an eventful two days.
On Wednesday morning, you'll recall that a mouse came into the room and that after it popped out of the toy box I knew not where it went. Well later that night, I found out soon enough!
While preparing to go to sleep, I heard a biting sound which I thought was coming from under a chest-of-drawers. Then I saw the wood shavings which proved that to be wrong. The little mouse nuh was inna di closet, which was by now locked. Since it was locked and it couldn't squeeze under the door, it was trying to bite its way out.
Well, I was not going to have no mouse get away. So I barracaded (that look like it spell wrong) it in. All manner of things was used to block up all along the cupboard door. It went from one end, to the next. There is a light in the closet and the doors have slats so I saw one time it ran up onto one of the shelves. I even saw its tail come out of between the slats one time.
Needless to say, I had a sum total of about one hours sleep on Wednesday night. I couldn't wait for Thursday to come, because the guy who works with us is an expert rodent catcher. That was his first order of business on Thursday morning.
Sure enough, he came up with the goods. Never was I so happy to see a conked out rodent. Of course, I slept like a log last night and got up all bright eyed and bushy tailed....like the mouse's.
Now the only problem is, that was one down. How many more are there? We've set poison, so hopefully if there are more, they will eat it and die.
....TWO BIG BLACK HUNGRY CATS....
I'm a dog person, as you can read from my many entries. I don't particularly like cats because they sneaky and they come and rub up on you and I don't like that.
But what wouldn't I give to have two cats whose belly growling, to catch these mice that have invaded our home!
We don't normally have a vermin problem, so this is a bit unusual for us. The next door neighbour but one's house is empty, and was overgrown with tall, high bushes. He cut them about a month ago, and ever since then, we've noticed mice in the house.
I don't think they're rats, because they're very tiny the ones that we've seen. The glue trap managed to catch a little one. It also caught the two back legs of a larger one who used all its might to get detached from it.
One crawled under the room door this morning while I was sleeping (my niece saw it and told me) and I just finished searching the room for it. Sure enough, out it popped from a toy box.
Where did it go? No one knows. But I'm sure if I had two big black hungry cats, they would be able to find it.
We've called in an exterminator, so hopefully he can substitute for a black hungry cat.
Had a fainting episode to deal with at home today and it carried me back to Primary School (St George's Girls' School on Duke Street near Parliament).
We used to have all the girls gather for devotion in the boiling hot sun and invariably you'd see somebody's head....and then you didn't. The teachers would rush to the girl and put her to lie down on two or three chairs, wipe her down with bay rum or rubbing alcohol and give her smelling salts.
Later on in life I learnt that many kids, and indeed adults, do not eat anything at all before they leave home in the mornings! I know that each person is different, but the science tells me that when you been sleeping, and you get up, you haffi break the fast, and that is why it's called Breakfast.
I learnt that glucose is in the only fuel your brain can use for energy and so once you put something in your mouth that contains carbohydrates, you perk up once it's converted into sugar.
A little sugar and water did the trick today, followed by lots of fruit juice.
But for those people who don't eat breakfast, try have even a cup of tea/coffee/milo tea/horlicks tea/cerasee tea/ etc before oonu leave home nuh? A slice of bread with peanut butter or low fat cheese would be even better.
The excuse people give me is them can't keep down food so early in the morning. Can you imagine waking up from 6am, and the first meal you have is coffee break at 10????????
I'd not say a thing if ah heard oonu brain cussing oonu!
It's pulic knowledge that Jamaica has one of the highest murder rates per capita in the world.
There is an area called Maxfield Park where violence has once again erupted. A 50+ year older shopkeeper and her assistant was murdered on Friday, supposedly because they witnesses a double murder a few days ago.
The problem that police in Jamaica have, is that witnesses are always reluctanct to come forward because they are then targeted. This is a fact, not conjecture. I have said that if I ever saw a crime here, I would leave the island post-haste and not testify. Other people can be noble. Not me.
So here the police is commenting on this fact, and I just thought his quote was priceless...
The killings caused two women, a young girl and a man to hold hands, kneel and pray out loud.
"You make the arrest God. There is too much violence. Too much blood. Help us Jesus," a man prayed aloud at the murder scene yesterday.
"When the violence erupt they only pray but they won't tell the police anything. The only name they call is Jesus," one officer on the scene said.
In Jamaica, there are a new breed of reggae singers including Sizzla, Richie Spice, Fantanmojah, and one called Jah Cure.
I had heard about him but I can't tell you what song he sings but I'm sure it's some that I am familiar with.
Was reading the Sunday Gleaner on Monday night (sunday's news is of such that it does not get stale) and was shocked and horrified to read of how he raped a young woman at gunpoint a couple of years ago.
He is now in jail after being convicted and can you imagine that other entertainers have been offering the young lady money to help get him out of jail?? She says she has difficulty sleeping, difficulty having relationships with men, and these so called friends want her to take back her evidence and beg for the man who humiliated her?
Lowd steuppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppps. He should rot in jail and they should not feed him nor give him water.
I wonder how many people know about this and are still buying his records? How many dont and would be horrified that they are supporting a criminal? I going to look on my music on my computer and see if there are any of his songs and delete them for good.
I was catching up on my reading last night, and saw that the place called Images which I mentioned in the post yesterday, is owned by Raymond Campbell who used to be in charge of First Caribbean (merged CIBC and Barclays Banks) and Rodney Davis, the new CEO of Cable & Wireless Jamaica.
Apparently Davis runs the most successful chain of barber shops in Cananda, so maybe JDid has heard of it. Not sure of the name.
Read about it....
A few things...
1. Driving on the road in Kingston is torture. People are mean and impatient. Shotta M will back me up on that.
2. At the traffic light by South Avenue and Constant Spring Road, a boy knocks on the passenger glass. Normally I would have indicated to him through the closed window that I had nothing. Instead, I rolled down the window and asked if I could him. He said "Miss, beg yuh a money nuh?"
My reply was this. "Sorry, I don't have anything to give you. I'm poor like you. I'm unemployed so don't look at the car I am driving and think that I'm rich, because I'm not." He said ok and walked to the car behind me.
Here's a look at the car I was driving...A Volvo S80.
3. Service is poor in some of our stores. Went into a couple of stores today and no one said "hello, how may I help you?" Only in Spencers Tailoring Establishment did that occur. You'd think that I'd have plenty of work, but people don't want to spend money on people development.
4. Discovered a new hair and nails place in the same plaza that houses the new post office for our area. It's called Images and it's new. Eight hundred dollars for a pedicure, so I'm going to try out the staff there on my yamfeet and see how it goes. The other place I go to is off Red Hills Road which is in Kingston 19. I live in Kingston 6. It too far. Although it's $600 there. We shall see.
5. Saw three policemen on motor cycles driving and looking like they wanted to arrest somebody, so I made sure to drive within the speed limit. The car kinda speeds away very quickly so have to be careful. Then soon after, saw a police car tearing up the road, sirens blaring, horns-a-honking.
I have to confess. I would love to see the police in action shooting gunmen. I like action movies. Heat is my favourite. But so far, no TV crew has managed to capture that. And I not joining the police force to find out.
*******
I spent far too long on the road today. We should never have allowed all those cars into the island. We should be like Bermuda where they have a law allowing only one car per family. Our family would suffer though.
I remember making a point at a tourism forum one time, and mistakenly named tourists as the beneficiary of some suggestion I was making. The Director General of Tourism, who is a family friend, and who was on the panel, said "not just for the tourists, but for Jamaicans first". I think it was something in relation to reducing crime.
Anyway, I just read this article and want to know why the government can't get all the areas in all of Jamaica cleaned up. Why we have to do it especially for the tourists?
We got the news yesterday that a family friend died after he jumped off (presumably his) a boat at Lime Cay yesterday and hit his head. He's in his early 40's I would estimate.
Interestingly enough, I haven't seen him in over 10 years I would think. Then about three weeks ago he called the house wanting Dad's number. So we got talking and he asked me what I was up to. Told him about the training and he said he had some people who were in need of training.
We then got talking about his industry (construction) and I disagreed with him that talking to construction workers rough was the only way to go.
Anyway, another life lost at a young age. Don't have all the details surrounding this passing.
This little island nation just up there in the medal tally at the World Championships.
We just won silver in the 4 x 400 women relay. This was especially pleasing because in the semi finals, we dropped the baton and went from second place to fifth. This was from the 3rd to last leg. The anchor, Loraine Fenton, ran her heart out so we qualified in some fraction of a second faster than the other team.
Now it's the men's turn. Soon come.....
Yeah Jamaica! Bronze. So we have 8 medals I think? More than Great Britain. Yeah Jamaica.
I woke up, lolled around in bed for about an hour, fed the dogs, ate breakfast, watched athletics, went on the computer, played music, ate.....you get the general idea?
Not a damn productive thing I've done all bloody day!
Here are some scenes of what's happening in the Kingston/St Andrew/St Catherine metropolis.
The intersection of Marcus Garvey Drive and a road which I don't remember the name of. This is where you turn off to head on the causeway which is under construction.
Heavy duty equipment
This is the two lane highway as it is now
The road leading up to the bridge which is rusty and old
Now on the way back, these little boys did the dangerous thing of riding on a van back. When I took the picture, the two boys jumped off, ran back to the car and I just drove off. When we reached a little further, they ran up to the window again and asked "miss, why yuh tek wi picture?" Did I expect them to be violent? Yes I did. They weren't. I explained that I was taking it for my own purposes. They asked for money. See, even they know about image rights! I didn't give them any.
In New Kingston, this lot has now been cleared. Wonder if it's going to be office buildings or apartments? Whatever it is, the units will be bloody expensive.
And this is the sun setting. A view from the airport road. Looks peaceful, doesn't it? What a contradiction.
It started off with the feeding of the mutts as usual, and the cleaning up after them. I hope they're grateful. I know Penny is.
Then, after internet and breakfast, it was time to hit the streets. The first stop was the hospital to collect something. And it was during that trip that I had my first pissed off moment for the day. As soon as the light changes to green here, the driver behind starts to blow. Damn impatient bastards, half of whom must have bought their licences.
There were several more such incidents for the day. Mi nah go mek nobaddy stress mi out today though.
After the hospital, it was to New Kingston to interview somebody for an article I am doing on one of these U-19 cricketers. Next was the Pegasus.
During that part of the trip, I got a call to say my sister's flight was going to be delayed from 2:10 until after 4:00pm. The plan, working with the original flight arrival time, was to collect her and then head home and changed for my 5:30pm Pilates class. With this new change, I decided to head back home, change and I reached to the gym by 3:15.
Did 25 mins of cardio (treadmill and bike), then some leg work on the machines, then it was back to the cardio room to complete the 60 minutes of cardio that I had decided to do. Ended up doing 70 minutes. The second stint was elliptical runner, bike and treadmill.
During this time I called the airline twice and eventually the flight was scheduled to land at 5:39pm. Goody. I can do some of the class. So did 15 minutes and then went to the bathroom. When I walked in, a lady was changing for the Pilates class. She said to me "you're losing weight." I said not weight but size. But that wasn't really true, because if you keep looking at my weight slider at the top of the web page, you'll see that I've lost 6 pounds since I came back from Trinidad/Grenada on 19 June.
So things are working and I'm not stressing about food.
Must work harder in August though because I'd like to be down to about 210 by the time I leave for Grenada. Then I'll have 6 weeks or so to get to 203.
So that's how TODAY went. TOMORROW is a public holiday, but of course, the gym is open, so that's where I'll be at some point before 4pm. No class, so I'll do some upper body work.
Bounced in there somewhere around 11am. Supermarket nice and empty. First order of business was to find Miss Grant. After all, I couldn't pack up all dem trolleys only to hear "sorry, we can't accept this cheque".
Clearly they have no hand over system, so even though Ms Kinghorne told me to ask for Miss Grant and "tell her you spoke with me", I would also have expected her to tell Miss Grant "dis lady name Miss Yamfoot will come tomorrow with a cheque". Anyway, Miss Grant said it was Ok for me to shop.
And shop I did. When I filled up the first trolley, I headed to a cashier to make them hold it, where an eager young bag boy rushed to me to take it. "No, no, I still have a lot of shopping to do, so I need another trolley." Off I head to get it, when he said "is OK miss, I'll get it for you." Him spot di rake.
The second one was filled up and I took it to the cashier again. Same thing. Young men rush to get me another empty one. I asked them for a case of cow's milk and he went and got that. So very helpful they were.
When it came to finally cashing the stuff, there was not one, not two, not three, but FOUR persons attending to me. Reminded me of that scene in Pretty Woman where all the sales persons are sucking up to Julia Roberts after Richard Gere tells the store manager that he is going to spend an obscene amount of money.
I filled in the amount on the cheque, went to Miss Grant for her to authorize it and she said "hopefully everything will be ok" and I told her yes.
When Mother comes back, I will give her the bill to double check prices against MegaMart and see which one is more economical. And if Loshusan's turns out to be even or less than MegaMart, I will encourage them to switch.
Man oh man...
My sister is away and she asked me to follow up on some things for her with the Inland Revenue, regarding a motor vehicle title.
Well, if you are to get through on the phone, it's a miracle. Either all the numbers are busy, or they ring without an answer.
Today I called the head office. I told the operator what information I wanted (cost to transfer a vehicle from seller to buyer). I was put to a phone which rang, and rang, and rang, and rang. The call went back to the switchboard so I said "hello, hello". Hear the operator nuh....."that extension is rining without an answer". Like duh.....
So I say "But how can it be ringing without an answer? Aren't there supposed to be people there to serve the public?". Well, without answering, she put me back to the ringing phone!
Each time it came back to the switchboard, I said "hello, hello". Miss Thing promptly put me back to the ringing extension. I think I must have held on for about 3 minutes!
So I called back and used the automated service to connect me to the Human Resources department. Yes. I was going to complain.
The lady who answered the phone said "I was just passing by and picked up the phone because the Senior Personnel Officer was on another call". She proceeded to tell me why I would have got a ringing phone. I told her that that doesn't help me. I then explained the simple information I wanted. She said "hold on".
The next person who picked up the phone said "hello, may I help you?" Lawks man. Mi haffi repeat the whole thing again? I had to. She explained that the phone have call waiting and when the staff answer a phone and have to look up something for a tax payer, they don't hear the call waiting. Again, I explain that that is not my problem.
I told her that the operator could have connected me to maybe a supervisor or manager who could provide that information. Anyway, she said that she would connect me to somebody, and she wouldn't leave me on a ringing phone.
That she did and I was finally able to speak with someone who could give me the information. Do you know how much the seller (my sister) has to pay?
N-O-T-H-I-N-G! Hot up mi nerves fi nutten!
I went to cricket all day today. Because I'm not cashy, I decided to carry stuff with me to munch on. But for breakfast, I had a two-egg omelette.
Well, some time during the afternoon, belly start to rumble. Then I had a half of a cheese sandwich, a pear, an apple and some M&M's. Then the belly started to do a full gallop.
Better head home, I thought. But then I remembered I had to get some slug pellets, so went to Evergro on South Avenue.
While waiting at the cashier's counter while she did something else other than check my two packs of pellets, I had to double over in pain. Looks like this was now going to be an attack, so I asked the sales person if they had a toilet. Yes. Oh goody. "But I think somebody is in it". Bummer.
I visualized having to scrape up stuff off the floor if the person took too long in the bathroom. Thankfully they didn't.
Man that was a belly full.
Just sipped some Peppermint Tea and hopefully that will do the trick and I won't need medicine.
Maybe it was the egg. I tend to have 'belly rumblings' after eating eggs. Maybe I should stop. It certainly couldn't be the cheese sandwich, or the pear, or the apple. Could it be the M&M's?
On my way to the hairdresser this morning, circa 11:15am, I passed a bunch of men (and possibly women but was driving too fast to notice!) sitting around chatting on the side of a road they had just bushed.
You Jamaicans know that road work programme? It's probably a feature in most Caribbean islands. I've seen people doing the same thing in Grenada.
Anyway, I passed them liming at that time. I finished at the hairdresser and would you know they were in the same position? How long it took me at the hairdresser? Probably an hour or so.
But of course, we still behave like slaves some of us. We don't work hard unless someone behind us cracking the whip.
I am a whip cracker myself, but in a nice way. My nickname at work was 'The Iron Lady' after Margaret Thatcher (I found this out long after). I was Night Manager, working on shifts from 11pm to 8:30am. Unlike the other Night Manager who, everytime you called him he sounded as if you had just awakened him from a deep dream, I used to actually patrol the property, check up on the staff, do my check list etc.
I could count on one hand, the amount of times that I fell asleep and I usually would let my GM know. "Wasn't feeling well Sir, so took a room and slept for an hour."
So the employees knew that I was out and about. And I wouldn't just walk around and say "move it". I'd help out, I'd chat to them about what was going on in their life etc. So we had a good thing going.
But my point is, that I feel that if you are being paid to do 8 hours work, then that's what you must do, unless the boss tell you 'tek a break mate'.
But, we probably will never get this lazy slavery mentality out of our system will we.
That's going to be my new postcode (the ## will be replaced by whatever number they assign to the Liguanea post office).
In today's article in the Sunday Business Observer, the new system is explained.
The JM is for Jamaica; the A is for the zone that my parish (St Andrew) falls in, and the AW is for the first and last letters of the parish name (they don't count the 'St'); the number is for the number assigned to the post office where my mail goes. So if Liguanea is post office #10, then my new post code will be JMAAW10
Now in Jamaica, there is mail delivery through much of the island. I was therefore surprised when I went to live in Grenada, because I had to get a post box. That was 1997 and I still have it even though I'm not there permanently.
When I was at university, I had a Trinidadian friend who lived on Eastern Main Road in Tunapuna. So when she was giving me her mailling address, I asked her for the number of the house. She said "you don't need that. Everybody knows us".
Post codes fascinate me. The British ones are the ones I'm very familiar with. And it's great that you can actually descipher (that spell wrong) what street a house is on, just from the post code. So NG2 9JA was Queens Road in Beeston, Nottingham.
I worked at a call centre that handled store credit card applications. The store clerk would call to check if a person's credit was ok, and I had to take the house number and the post code and input it in the computer and the credit report would come up. So my house number was 292, therefore I'd use 292 NG2 9JA and the computer would know that it's Queen's Road. Just fascinating.
So I'll have fun with these Jamaican post codes. First though, I have to get my hands on the numbers assigned to various post offices in the city.
Read this story about two fishermen from the south coast parish of St Elizabeth (aka St Bess).
That parish has a history of fishing, and unlike Ocho Rios, which was once a fishing village, tourism hasn't taken over Treasure Beach (famous fishing village) just yet.
So these American boys ran away, and it took these expert fishermen to find them perched on some rocks.
But I was drawn to the colouring of the men. I was in shock the first (and only) time I went to Treasure Beach in around 1985 or 1986. There were all these people who looked as caucasian as any caucasian in the USA or England. Some had blue eyes, others green, others hazel. Then, when they opened their mouth, there was that unmistakable patois that Jamaica is so well known for (and if you don't speak that abroad, people say "you don't sound Jamaican").
Apparently a set of Germans came and settled in that section of St Elizabeth and the rest, as they say, is history.
Meanwhile, top non-claiming apprentice Paul Francis escaped serious injury when his five-year-old chestnut mare, La Chica Bonita, broke her right fore leg and fell awkwardly near to the inner rails, five lengths from the winning post, while leading the field comfortably as the 2-1 second favourite
The above was taken from the Sunday Observer. On the back page of the newspaper, there is a large picture of the horse falling. The caption of the picture says that the horse had to be euthanaised (probably spelt wrong!).
So I called a friend who is a vet who works out at the racing place (Caymanas) why they have to put down the horse just because it broke a foot. Can't it go in a cast and heal?
Have you ever seen the size of a horse?
Yes, I say. It's huge.
Have you ever seen the size of its foot?
It's tiny?
The horse's foot is about as big as my forearm (he's a skinny dude). When a foot is broken, it places pressure on the other three skinny feet and then the horse gets an infection beginning with L which can kill it. So the decent thing to do is introduce it to a bullet.
Poor horsey. I wonder how many of them are taken from this life in that way?
When you listen to music with earphones, it allows you to hear the words more clearly. When you listen, really listen closely to the lyrics, you will probably see how music can influence behaviour and life.
Everybody knows that Beenie Man is very anti-oral sex, even though the mother of his child, former Dancehall Queen Carlene (who needs to go back to the figure that she had then!) say is not true.....him did 'bow'.
So in his lyrics, the same beliefs are echoed through these words in "King of the Dancehall" from the BAck to Basics album which I bought....
Me stand up and dweet, nuh bow down and taste
and
She fi know di sex limit stop at 68
Then he is anti-gay, so we get these words....
Me nuh batman. After me nuh Robin ('s) guy
The classic though was this. After listening to this song a gazillion times, I finally really listened and understood what 'implement' he was talking about here....
She tell eveybody how she tear up di sheet
"yuh tink a toe nail?" (a guy asks him this question in the song)
A di sitten weh go 'skee skee skee skee skeet'
So listen closely to your favourite song and see what message it's sending out.
PS. IF I NEED TO EXPLAIN THE LYRICS QUOTED ABOVE, YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO BE READING THIS SITE.
IF YOU DIDN'T NEED ANY EXPLANATION THE FIRST TIME YOU HEARD THESE LYRICS, AND YOU ARE UNDER 21, THEN I NEED TO HAVE A WORD WITH YOUR MAMA!
Here's the dog who is so happy to see me whenever I go outside. I hear that when I am not here, she comes in the house looking for me...Aw gee....that's love. Well she knows the hand that feeds her and pats her and tickles her and plays with her..
Anyway, see how pretty she is...
Emily came and left us with just a bit of rain. No fanfare, no devastation. Just a friendly visit.
No power cuts (well not permanent ones). No tree fall down. No having to put shutters up or tarpaulin in the dogs. Just a normal wet weather day.
Now you'd think that with all this rain we wouldn't have water lock off, but this 'turbidity' thing that NWC uses to explain away no water is now lame.
I call the Emergency Control Room this morning. Spoke with a nice sounding fella, who said he didn't have a report that anything was out of the ordinary in our area. I told him all week we had had precious little water, and God bless the tank. He said "well we wouldn't be able to pump any water to that area today you know". But, but, but...
He explained that when the river is in spate, it is very hard to treat. Yeah, so what? How many years oonu been having this problem? "I'm not an engineer so I can't speak on that". He said we would have to be serviced from the 'intake' and that is very low.
I told him that this situation just mek us know seh we eena one turd wurld country!
Then came the typical man line....
"If anything changes, I'll call you. What's your number?"
I gave him. He hasn't called. The one time I would welcome a phone call from a strange man and he ent call. The men are disappointing yet again.
Emily passed by Grenada and there was some damage. I have heard that the north of the island was most severely affected. Some pictures follow...
An elderly lady is trapped in her house....
They lift her to safety...
Trees uprooted....
Water everywhere....
The owner of these pigs must have said "well, if the light don't come back....ah know where dinner is coming from." Squeal!
Bwoy...choices, choices...(Oonu better run!)
This house lost its roof. Obviously they didn't put back on a proper roof after Ivan....
This man (right next doot) obviously did, so he can be smiling...
On Sunday, I woke up to be told by my mother that my brother had called to say that a colleague had seemingly been kidnapped in Montego Bay. They found his car, key still in ignition (I think she said the car was running too), on Gloucester Avenue (a busy avenue). The fellow was no where to be found.
In Jamaica, you hear that news and don't have to wonder if it's possible. It is.
Funnily enough, my heart didn't go flitter-flutter nervously. It was a sign. The fellow was found hearty and well in a nearby hotel. Apparently alcohol had entered the picture, causing him to do whatever he did.
Now, if somebody had got the call like what my mom got in the morning and didn't get the call later saying he had been found, they could be spreading a rumour that dear boy was kidnapped. And I didn't mention that he's a politician, making the story sound all the more plausible.
Btw, I had a huge crush on this fellow in my late teens. He lived in the area and used to come on the bus. Then later he was on Mona Campus same time I was there. I was just attracted to the fact that he could converse so well. I was (and still am to a certain extent) shy and reticent and not very confident of myself or my abilities or looks, so that was attractive to me.
All I ever got from him was a hug. Darn.
Him say him coming at one time, you wait, and wait and wait, and then hear by the way that him coming later.
Same thing with Dennis. Was supposed to reach Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. Now we hear that him not reaching till Thursday afternoon. And if you don't mind sharp, when you wake up in the morning, you will hear that is Thursday night him coming.
I say all storms should be named after females. Afterall, how many female storms caused the havoc that male ones caused? Gilbert, Andrew, Hugo, Ivan, Charlie...all male.
Hmmmmm. This is the kind of thing I am afraid of in Jamaica. One of the busy roads in Kingston was the scene of a gun battle on Tuesday. This is the road where I buy the paper that I use to print my portfolio information. So I coulda been going there or coming from there and meet upon some cops and robbers squaring off in the streets. I would probably be so scared that I woulda sh*t my pants!
On Monday, while coming down from near Maryland (on the way to Irish Town - I think), we passed a police car travelling up the hill, seemingly in hot pursuit of a man on a motorbike. Dunno what that was about.
Anyway, please read this to see the sometimes scary stuff that happens in the land of my birth.
If Dennis is now a Tropical Storm.....how come we on a Hurricane Watch?
As you know, Tropical Storm Dennis (soon to become a hurricane) is heading our way. We needed dog food so this morning on my way to the gym, I stopped in Super Plus. You'll remember how I said that Super Plus was way cheaper than Sovereign, so being cash poor, that's where I normally go.
Well, the lines stretched from here to ohio. I couldn't wait, because my breakfast woulda wear off and I wouldn't have any energy for the gym.
After the gym, I passed by sovereign and noticed that their car park wasn't jam packed. Popped in there to find relatively short lines. Then there was this line over by the magazines which was even shorter. Asked the lady if I could cash a pack of dog food there. She said I would have to find somebody to lift it up for me. I quite proudly said "I can lift it up myself". So I did and got cashed in 10 minutes or so.
I can't imagine what Super Plus looked like at that time, and how long it woulda tek mi! So I had to pay a little more for the dog food (rather Pops will) but time was short and so I did the trade off.
That's the new man in life. He's coming to see me round about Wednesday night or so.
Click here to see what he looks like....
In Jamaica, that is a danger signal....two men and a motorcycle.
Many murders and robberies are committed that way. That bank employee who was shot in the head as he sat in the back of a route taxi was killed in that manner.
This morning, heard about a lady who went to one bank, changed cheques for cash (a lot), drove to another bank, but didn't park in the parking lot, rather parked in the plaza next door. As she opened her door, pillion rider on a motorcycle showed her his 'piece' and told her to hand over the bag.
(Don't ask me why she didn't take more care).
Two Men and a Motorcycle featured in the shooting death of my sister's ex-husband as well.
So in Jamaica, when you see men on bikes, be careful.
Now it struck me that, unless one of the gunmen was in the first bank with the lady and saw her change this large sum of money, they had to get their information via cellphone. And could it have been from the teller?
"Yow, bredren. Mi just change plenty 'bills' fi one meek-looking lady. She inna one blue skirt suit".
I avoid cash transactions like the plague, and I also avoid Two Men and a Motorcycle.
On the morning that I left Jamaica, I heard about the hit on L G Brown, owner of two gas stations, and a lady friend, Sandra Campbell.
Imagine the criminals putting building blocks on top of each other, and putting a ladder precariously perched, on top of those to shoot the two as they were sleeping. You would have heard that the police found a man in Vineyard Town (behind Excelsior High) with a picture of Mr Brown. Clearly a contracted killing.
I knew both names, but the second I knew better. She was a flight attendant, so my sister knew her. She was also the ex-wife of a former Army Major who I worked with on a conference or two. She was the youngest sister of Mrs H, who lives in Grenada with her husband (they are both Jamaicans).
So who would have wanted Mr Brown dead? Was it his wife (if he is indeed married). Did it have something to do with extortionists (remember this is the land of murderers and extortionists)? It clearly was not random. It also was not a burglary because nothing was touched. In fact the gunmen, or rather sharp shooters since it took 3 bullets to do the job, did not even go inside the house.
Quite sad when you think about it. You sleeping peacefully in your bed on the top floor of a hilly home when *bang, bang*...you're dead.
This is the reason I don't mix up myself with nobody in Jamaica. You just never know who is out for who. I don't even like driving anybody else's car. Both my father and sister are in HR where they may have to get involved with firing people. What is to stop some angry fired employee from targetting one of them? Imagine we have to be thinking about these things. Sad.
I can't wait to leave. (and I say that without apology)
Am dying to sleep, but I managed to do two entries today, Father's Day.
Tomorrow I'll tell you some other things about my trip down south (a much nicer place for me to be, IMO)
Today is a holiday here in Jamdown - Labour Day, so like last year, we took off to the Holiday Inn. But unlike last year, this year was not very good. Will be writing an article about their poor attitude towards the customers.
I went out. That's a big thing. I think this was the second time for the year.
Met up with some friends at the Grog Shoppe at Devon House. The group included one who is living in New Zealand, and later, we were joined by one of my friends from UWI Nassau who is now living in Jamaica.
I observed that there were quite a few people there. Haven't been out on the Friday night scene in years. Normally if I go out, it's on a Wednesday because I go to the disco and that's when they play my type of music.
Didn't turn into a pumpkin, as I made it home before midnight.
This police officer to the left in the picture below, is definitely front page material, as he was in today's Gleaner. Mighty fine!
That's what Kingston is. Imagine travelling on a bus and the next thing is you are staring down the wrong end of a gun?
The killings in Kingston, and in fact the rest of the islands continues unabated. They've hired this British police cop to be in charge of crime. I hope he can use his wide vast experience to do something, and that he will train the people under him in investigative techniques.
Read about this soldier's murder and weep for his family.
This is a two for one post.
1. My friend had a baby today (I mean Wednesday). A girl. So far so good. She will be very spoilt as she has 4 brothers to do the spoiling for her. Births are miracles. Pity too many people just have pickney suh!
2. I am going to cricket in the country tomorrow, so will not be in touch as much. (Nice rhyme eh). Away from the concrete and murder jungle that Kingston is. I love the country.
So like I said in the last post, I dere driving merrily along the highway and ting. Next ting I see a short fat cop walk out on the dark road and stop me. Me ent worried, cause is a 110km zone and I was doing about 100.
Wrong.
"Good evening mam. Do you realize this is an 80kmh zone?"
"It is? I thought it was 110"
"So what you're saying is ignorance must excuse you?"
"Yes I know, ignorance is no excuse of the law, but I really didn't see any change of speed limit. I was even going 100 on the 100kmh stretch"
I take out my documents, I give to the man, who was very pleasant and well spoken. He looks down at the passenger seat and says "are you a journalist?".
"Why yes". Good thing I had left my tape recorder that I just finished using to record and interview with a young cricketer, on the seat.
"what media house are you with?"
"I write for a website called CaribbeanCRicket.com. have you ever heard of it?"
"No"
"So you're coming from Chedwin Park?"
"Yes"
"What's the score?"
"I'm not sure what the final score was, but you know Jamaica made 522 right and they bowled Barbados out for 214, so they were 308 runs ahead. Jamaica batted again and declared on 150 something for 8. Barbados lost 2 wickets this evening, not sure for how many runs"
I had the certificate of registration in my hand and told him I would take that back since I didn't suppose he needed it. He said he needed it to write the ticket. I gave it back to him and said ok.
The conversation turned back to the speed limit and me saying I really didn't see the changed sign, and he said he believed me. Therefore I got off with a(nother) warning.
I asked him if he goes on the internet. He said yes. I said make sure and go on the site. He asked if I had a card. I said no but I can write it on a piece of paper. (Gosh this sounds so much like Dr D's episode, only thing I didn't suggest that he shouldn't write the ticket....forgive me doc if that's not quite accurate and it late so mi naw bodda go look up fi yuh post).
Wrote the name of the website on a note paper, along with my name. Then he says "do you have a number so I can phone you and ask me something about cricket?"
Me: "You have internet so you can contact me through the site. Here's the email address".
Lawks, men. Any excuse eh? How oonu stay so? You think is every man I think look nice I tell so? Not at all. Why men stay so?
But anyway, I ent arguing with the nice policeman who let me avoid paying for a ticket. Bless.
I was just reading the last story in this police roundup where gunmen kicked off the door of a house and shot a couple.
One died, the other didn't. So I was wondering if the gunmen read the paper to see if they did their jobs properly. I guess they have informants who will tell them. Maybe the informant even works in the hospital! You just never know.
Oh, I swear at 3am while in bed not able to fall asleep, I heard 3 gun shots in quick succession. Didn't hear any police sirens afterwards though. Wonder what that was?
If you live in Jamaica, turn to the page before the middle page of Hospitality Jamaica. There, in live and living colour is a picture of Miss Yamfoot, beside her article entitled "Should employees be having sex with hotel guests?"
I had no idea that the magazine coordinator was going to use the picture. Then it big you know, with my bald head (at the time the pic was taken in May 2002).
It is a fairly new publication. Started in October 2004, and is published every two weeks. Will have some stuff in the next edition too, that is on 16 March.
(It hasnt been updated on the website yet, so sorry foreign people)
At Sangster's, I had to return an item I bought the other day (when the guy was trying to sell me plenty tings). No hassle, no questions asked. I got back my money on my credit card.
At Juici Beef yesterday, the lady in front of me in the cashier line asked for a vegetable patty. The cashier, Sherine M, said "sorry, the veggie pattie isn't ready yet. Would you like a veggie loaf instead, the whole wheat one?" And the customer said yes. When it was my turn, I said that was excellent that she offered her an alternative. Another person (for eg Rochelle who cashed me today at Juici Beef - yes, I LOVE the soup there) would simply have said "no veggie patty" and finished there. She smiled and said thank you.
At Discount Beauty and Hair Supplies, I walked in, an employee asked if she could help me, I asked her for what I wanted, she knew the product and she took me to where it was. She could easily have pointed.
So I am encouraged. Well actually it means no work for me!
As I was driving to the gym this evening, I saw a car accident. A lady wanted to turn right from Charlemont Avenue on to Barbican Drive. A man wanted to turn from Barbican Road on to Charlemont Avenue. The lady messed up, and so came out while the man was turning. Crunk! Not too too much damage. Both vehicles stopped and I suppose they exchanged telephone numbers and ting. Hopefully there wasn't any cussing.
I was thinking that you can never be too careful. I drive sort of defensively, assuming that all other cars are going to do some dumb-a** thing.
Like when I reached closer to the gym. People did not learn how to use a four-way stop sign obviously. They don't know that you take it in turns according to who reach up to their stop sign first. So I always assume that the dumb mutts are going to just drive behind the car that is in front of them, the one that had reached to the stop sign first.
So said so done this evening. I had to draw brakes.
Then here is the fear part. The man, after he stops and allows me to turn right, as I am turning, he sticks out his hand out of his window. I instinctively draw away from him, thinking that it may be a weapon. There have been known cases in Jamaica where a bad-drive ends up in murder.
You see why I can't stay here now? My heart started to beat fast for nothing.
I and I did a search on the web fi oonu alma mater, cause I and I have a meeting dere on di morrows. I and I come up on it as one of the top five education websites.
And then I am stumped.....the school actually has a website! I am mightily impressed.
I browsed around a bit, and there in the Alumni pages, were the names of Mad Bull and Dr D. See the page here
Lemme see what other high schools in Kingston have a website.
Spotted him watching the show onstage. Went up to him and said "you're going to write about this aren't you", then launched into how long we had to wait etc.
Then I turned away, and turned back to him to say his was the only column in the Sunday Observer that I read. He says "oh, yes? why is that?" I told him that he breaks it up into several little subjects, and maybe I have one of them Attention Deficit diseases but I can't read too much long text, so when I see Desmond Allen's interviews I skip over them.
Today, in his column , he has a short piece entitled "In Jamaica, it's who know (of) you" (scroll down and you will see it) where he described an accident with two men on a motor bike, how the bike men argued with him that it was his fault, how when they realized it was him they said.....well actually, just read it for yourself.
We reached there at about 2:15pm. We left at nearly 4:30. Most of that time was spent in a line. The food line....
We arrived to find throngs of people streaming in and out of Club India on Lady Musgrave Road, opposite the Flea Market. The first step in the process was to join the ticket line. There we waited for a bit, because they had only one person taking money and dishing out tickets.
Then we hear the bad news......
"The curry mutton will be ready in two hours, the chicken in one hour" !!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, we really want this food lemme tell ya, so while all the other people were coming back for refunds "I'm sorry, I can't wait two hours....", that was NEVER on our minds.
Proceeded to the food station. There were ladies,.... 'injun', chinese, negro....rolling out the dough, flipping rotis, rolling out the dough, flipping rotis. Plain roti, dahl roti, aloo roti (potato-filled roti). We asked if we could get. She pointed to the food station next door. No problem.
In the sweltering heat, the line moved a centimetre per half hour. This was exacerbated by the people who decided they weren't to wait, and had skipped. We watched several pans with curry chicken come and finish, and we still hadn't moved much. Eventually we were there.
It took a lot of haggling and shouting at the ladies serving, but eventually we took home...
12 roti skins (1 with dahl, the rest plain)
7 portions of curry chicken (we didn't think it was adequate, but for J$100 each....why complain)
4 portions curry potato
2 portions aloo choka (potato with saltfish and a whole heapa seasonings)
The taste was great....just not enough. In true Yamfoot Family Fashion, we told the organizers how they might improve it for next time. Hope they listen, and as I told one gentleman, don't wait another year to have one!