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
The derms always tell you not to pick the zits. But tell me how many of you can resist that ripe, bulging, bumpy bump when it is staring right back at you?
So then I squeeze, it bleeds - after shooting out the white oily smelling bit, it forms a scab, you pick off the scab and start the process all over again! Very satisfying. But very scarring.
I have several scar marks on my chin, where bumps seem to have moved to en masse, once I got older. And eating ice cream and cookies for the past couple of days has started a bump party on my chin! Eeegad!
Don't go....there are pics....
....then of course when you get the scar, you gotta get some Ambi with Salicylic Acid to fade the blemishes. The derms will tell you if oonu neva squeeze it inna di fus place, oonu wudnt need di Ambi! But seriously though doc, if you don't squeeze it, what will eventually happen?
And why is it that hair grows back into the skin instead of sprouting out?
Anyway, I took these pics tonight....
Let's shed some more light on the situation....zits with flash!
(Dr D, I am lining up for my licks!)
I've said I'm not buying a house, right? And that still may be the case given my nomadic tendencies. However, came across a website called Smart Draw that allows you a trial to design your own home.
Here is my attempt at designing the house I will never be able to afford....
Would you come and visit me?
I'm watching a repeat of the historic You Tube debate with the Democratic candidates. I missed the whole of it last week.
Every time I look at Obama's lips, I wonder if he smokes. His lips are very dark.
The analysts said that Hilary Clinton was miles away from the other candidates, and that Obama's inexperience showed. I think that Hilary should be President, and Obama her Vice President. Now THAT would be historic!
Everytime I put saltfish to soak, it reminds me of my high school Chemistry teacher, Joan Hollingsworth.
She became famous for the wrong reason when her life was snuffed out by an unknown assailant at the ATM in Premier Plaza. Claude Mills interviewed her husband in 2003, four years after it happened.
Anyway, here is why I remember her....
She taught me from first to fifth form. She was a pincher....she would walk around and inspect our uniforms, and if there were buttons missing, or the pocket was torn, she would administer a pinch. Ouch! Anyway, one day in class, she asked about the concentration of salt in water. Her question was if a solution has x parts of salt to y parts of water, if you halved the mixture and then added more water to each half, would the salt concentration be the same?
I forget what the answer was but when I put the saltfish to soak, I think of the concentration of salt in the water, and then about Mrs Hollingsworth.
I went all through high school without a detention or demerit, and she was the only teacher who ever threatened me with one, when I was talking one day in class, while she was talking. Big mistake. Tears welled up in my eyes, because there was no way I could go home and tell my parents I got a demerit. Anyway, she only threatened.
I started carrying roses from Mummy's garden for her, in an empty jam bottle. She was always very thrilled. One day, she forgot it in the classroom. My next class was with another teacher, and in the same classroom. She walked back into the classroom, picked up her jam bottle and said "my rothe goes every where I go." (She had a list tongue). I will always remember that.
I hope she still has thoughts of my rose with her, wherever she is now.
Here is The Niece in her uniform. Of course, since we're related, she also has a white box on her face!
I hear she likes the pockets....
This is the text of a note I am leaving under my new neighbour's door this morning. He's already gone off to work....
Hello Neighbour,
We keep the gate closed because there are some dogs that roam the area and will come into the yeard. I usually have my door open when I'm here and have had to chase dogs out!
I know it's a bit tedious to get out of the car to open or close the gate, but I would be grateful if you could do this please.
I've spoken to ____ about getting the gate fixed so that it's easier to open and close it.
Thanks,
Yamfoot (from Jamaica)
Now tell me, if you come to live in a place where others are living already, don't you observe what the customs are and then act accordingly? I would, or I would ask questions. For several days now, when I come home, he is already here. He drives. I don't, but I will walk up from my apartment to go and lock the gate. So he sees it locked in the mornings when he is ready to leave before me, and he just drives out and leaves it open!
I had hoped that he would have gotten the hint by noticing that he finds the gate closed every morning, but he hasn't quite got it yet. And he's a doctor. Sheesh!
So if you were he, would you be offended by anything I've written in the note?
Hartley Neita has written an interesting article on being educated more about Britain than Jamaica....and the region.
I can relate to a few things in that article. Although I did CXC history, I cannot remember learning any details about my Caribbean neighbours. During high school history however, I learnt about the French Revolution and other things about European History. I even remember us having to do a skit about something to do with the French Revolution.
I also recall being taught about the Industrial Revolution in Britain.
Am not sure what people now are being taught in history, but I do know that more about the Caribbean has been included. Even in primary school, I see children having to know the capitals of Caribbean islands. We are becoming Caribbeaners!
Oh, although I never had anybody coming up to rub my face, I did have an old English lady ask "can I touch it?" in reference to my hair. She then asked me all sorts of questions about it. Then while I was at school in Nottingham, one of my British classmates was disappointed when I cut my 'fro low. She said she liked to see my hair high....it was so spongy, she said, and proceeded to touch it.
I'm into brown clothes these days....
A night out with the girls...
In an English garden in Nottingham...
More pics...
Pretty in pink....
Life's a beach....
Let's see if you can spot what's different....remember, this picture is the one that keeps disappearing...
I'm still here. Just lots going on at work. Busy Busy.
See you next week. Probably with some pictures too.
When I wake up on Wednesday, I will be on another island. Popping across to ANU on Tuesday. Great timing that I was off work this week making it possible for me to accept the invitation.
I wonder what he's coming with this year? The inaugural tournament was certainly a blast. He's coming with bigger and more exciting things for the next one which will be played in January/February next year. And the launch is on the 4th of July. I wouldn't be surprised if there were fireworks!
For all the confused ones, go and search on this site 'round about July and August 2006 to see what I'm talking about...where I'm going....for what
I was so pleased with my ability to converse in French on my trip to Guadeloupe. (Scroll down and read all the stories since the last time you visited the blog, then come back to this post....Please)
I was even more pleased when at least three French speaking people said "you speak French so well".
One was the two receptionists at the hotel we stayed at. The other was Richard at La Maison du Bois who, after he heard me speak in French, asked me what country I was from. Je suis de la Jamaique mais j'habites en Grenade. He said 'that's not possible. you speak French too well'. Then later, in the shop, I was looking to purchase some things. He called me over to where the cashier was and told me to say something in French. This was after he told her that I speak French well. I asked the price of something and she agreed with Richard.
If only I could spend a longer time in a French speaking place. Gosh. What possibilities. I love the language.
The first two days I wasn't in love with the island. As I told you on Friday, we were going to Basse Terre. Then is when I fell in love.
Lush, green, quiet, mountainous. All the things I require in an island.
We went to a place called La Maison du Bois, where they highlight the different trees found on the island and what they are used for. There is a little museum of sorts, and we had a tour there with Richard, whose English is boss. When mixed with that French accent......oooh la la!
Had lunch, then went to a large shopping mall called Destrelland. Was expecting to find some hot Parisienne clothes, but no luck. Bought two little tops. That was it. My credit card was happy.
When we were leaving, that was another story...
If oonu tink Liat is bad, check Air Caraibes!
The flight was 6:45am. We got to the airport at 5:30, only to find a line with bags only. Their owners were sitting on chairs nearby. No staff nuh reach yet! They finally came close to 6am! Then la femme proceeded to re-arrange the stantions and therefore our bags were now no longer in one line. Not sure why she did that. My two colleagues joined one line, and I joined another.
Mine appeared not to be moving so I went over to their line. One was at the check in counter, and the other was at the head of the line so I went to stand beside her. A Guadeloupe man was behind her and said (en francais) that I must go to the back of the line. So I tell him (en francais) that we are together. He asked which line I was in and wasnt I over there, so how could we be together. He was very hostile and was discussing me with the lady who was behind him. She spoke English as well as French so I explained the situation to her blah blah blah. Then I asked her if she would kindly allow me to go after the (rude) man. I asked him if he was from Guadeloupe. Yes. I asked him if that was how they treat visitors. No answer. Maybe it was because I asked it in English.
Anyway, that over, I go to security. They pull me aside to search my knapsack. The man takes out my two tins of Sardines in Spring Water and says I can't carry them (en francais). I asked why. He showed me a sign (en Francais) and pointed to 'huile' as an item that was 'interdit'. Now I thought it was because of the liquid rule, so I showed him that one tin was 3.75 ozs, but that was not all liquid. Non, vous ne pouvez pas les porter.
So had to go back to the counter, and ask the check in agent for my valise. It already gone. I just plopped the two tins on the counter and ask him if him want some sardines and walked off. I was pissed.
When I went back to security, I told him (en francais) to tell his boss that them must tell people these things before them travel! Then he points to his boss (en francais.....hah hah hah) and I repeat this to him. He tried a little English but I persisted in French. When I finally met up with my colleagues and told them what happened, it dawned on me that the sardines were in 'eau' and not 'huile' and if I weren't so bloody tired, I would have realized it in Security and argued my way (en francais) into being able to take my EC$2.08 x 2 sardines with me!
In St Maarten, had another issue with the line. The Caribbean Airlines flight was very full and the line was moving tres lentement and I was tres faim, so I asked the lady in front of me if she would keep my space, as I was up since 3:30 ce matin and was not feeling well and was going to get something to eat. I excused myself and muttered, I guess to no one in particular, that I was going to drop down. It was around 9:30am. An American couple, Mr L Schlatter and his wife from Indiana, were behind me and I said it loud enough so they could hear.
After I eat my tuna sandwich and come back into the line in my spot, I hear the man comment to the woman 'I don't understand how you can just walk out of the line and come back in like that.' So I told him that I had asked the lady in front of me to hold my space as I was not feeling well and had to get something to eat. Said lady had not seen me return so when I said that, she turned around and validated my story. You skunt. (that's a Guyanese uncomplimentary word). I was going to say to them that not every Jamaican is bad. Damn it.
Read all the documents that the boarding school gave Sis. There are various rules and guidelines on it. Some very reasonable ones like "all students must speak standard English." Nothing wrong with that.
However, there is one that caught our attention. The students are not allowed to speak with the garderners, bus drivers and other auxilliary staff! Back to the plantation we go?
I can understand the rationale for a rule like that, since you never know what can happen these days, however, isn't that creating a kind of elitist mentality in the students? I hope they are allowed to say "good morning."
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!