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've just come home to a very clean house, and it could only have happened in Grenada. That's not to say that Jamaicans can't clean....they most certainly can. But the way I got my house cleaned today, could only have happened in the Spice Isle....
A young man's application turned up on my desk. Called him in for an interview to work in the Housekeeping department. During the interview he said how he just loves to clean. 'Bing bing bing' went my brain. All week I was toying with the idea of getting one of the employees to clean for me. I normally do it but I just wanted it done for me for a change.
So I asked the young man what he was doing for the rest of the day. Nothing. Ok, great. I have a house for you to clean. So I borrowed a friend's car, dropped him off and went back to work, leaving him in the house all by himself with my expensive camera and money in full sight.
Checked on him about two hours later and he wasn't done, so I left his money, told him to lock up and left him listening to Tempo while he worked. I'm not the "you are the cleaner, you can't watch my tv or use my bathroom" kind of person. He will call me by my first name and help himself to anything he wishes.
So, as I was telling him in the car when I was taking him to the house, this could only happen in Grenada. Don't know di man from Adam, and next thing he's alone in my house! Lovely Grenada. I'm in love with you. Please don't change!
I've always wanted to go walking on a secluded beach with a honey I fancy on a full moon night. Of course you can do that here because it's pretty safe.
There is no honey around...I'm at home while the moon shines bright. I'm howling. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Do whatever makes you happy. I certainly won't be like those two old ladies she mentions. I remember her very clearly in her singing days....very nice voice. I believe she was in class with brother Patch. You go girl!
Went to a wedding in July, and before then, I had not worn eye shadow or any kind of eye make up in about 18 years!.
At the bridal shower, I won an Estee Lauder compact with two nice colours, and days before, I had bought a cheap L'Oreal one. Emailed the sister - she the expert in make up as she used to model - and asked her how to apply it. I am clueless where those things are concerned.
So when I am doing evening duty now, I try to put on a lil eye shadow. Usually it's only one colour on the lid, but last night I put on three colours. Can't say that it was done very well, but I tried. Here are the results.
Take a look....
(and oh....I would cut it off again in a heartbeat, because as the pictures show, hair does grow back!)
ooops, the picture has disappeared
Had a day off today. Went to the beach. Not many other people were there so I planted myself under a nice seagrape tree and got a nice tan.
Came home, burned a CD, went to the gym, then got a lift to the supermarket. This is where the incident happened. And only in Grenada can this happen. (Certainly not Jamaica)
You've heard me complain that the supermarket I go to does not cater for single people who don't cook often. I always have to haggle with them over wanting just one head of garlic or one onion. I have found a way to keep the garlic. I press them and put in a bottle with olive oil and keep in the fridge. But haven't found a solution for keeping the onions.
Planned to cook curry shrimp. Apart from cooking ackee & saltfish about twice per month, I hardly cook (benefits of working in a hotel). Needed AN onion. One. Not five, which is the smallest bag they have. I looked and saw one bag had burst, so I took out one onion. The cashier ask me how she going to cash it. I say just charge me a fitty cent or so. Now another lady was in front of me in the line and I think she is supermarket staff....a higher up. So she got into the conversation and I was telling her how I always quarrel about this, and that I hate to see the food spoil.
Behind me in the line was an American student of Chinese extract, with lots of boxes of cornstarch, and a large bag of onions. Hear the cashier nuh....."ask her for one of her onions!" I say "I can't do that!" The student looking a bit surprised asked "you only want one onion?" I said yes and explained that I don't cook often (I am sure I am looked upon by Grenadians because the women cook ALOT here. Every day sometimes, because them man don't eat food from fridge!). She asked for clarification on what the cashier had suggested and cashier repeated. "Sure" said the student and proceeded to bus' di bag and give me one onion. I sheepishly say thank you and shake my head.
Before I walked out the supermarket, the boss lady told me when next I come in, to ask for Ms X, and she will arrange 1/2 pound of onions for me. That's the smallest amount they can sell. Oh, Miss boss lady asked me if I can get single onions in the supermarket in Jamaica and I proudly told her yes.
I dug up some old pictures of me recently. It was interesting to see how I had morphed from being a geeky looking child. Well, I don't know if I have quite morphed into 'chic', but certainly there have been some improvements. Take a look. You be the judge.
The one with the 70's afro was taken in about 2nd form, and the other in 6th form. The recent one was taken on 16 August 2007.
Wast just reading the 25th August edition of a newspaper, reporting on the chopping death of the youth. Then it said that the murder of this fella, has pushed the murder rate to FOUR for the year!
FOUR! Population is approximately 100,000. How is our murder performance per capita?
All who read here, post your arguments either in support of, or against, two people entering into a relationship with each other.
The personality learning, tip-toeing, compromise and having to think for two is exasperating and exhausting. Personally, I say just have sex.
Women or men should just have men or women (or women or men!) on demand. You feel to see this one tonight..... you call he. You want to see a different one another night, you call he. And everybody happy to get see you, even if it's just to talk or watch TV.
Lawks, dis sound so crass.
But seriously, why bother to go through all the headache that trying to establish a relationship (especially with somebody from a different culture) inevitably brings?
Let the best argument win!
Oh, I was talking to a friend on Messenger the other day and the conversation turned to men and relationships etc. So he asked what about me, if Grenada don't have no men. I told him yes, but I work 6 days a week, and then I don't go any where on the 7th to meet people. Work and home....home and work.
So he said to me...."you've chosen work over love then?". Can't work be love?
If I asked everybody who reads this blog to put a comment saying "I read", wonder who I would see in the comments section?
Could there be people as far as from Timbuktu or as near as my backyard reading? With the World Wide Web, it just could be the Whole Wide World reading init?
5
Then the question is, if you know who's reading, do you change what you normally blog about.
Probably.
So.....
WHO'S READING?
Was reading this story, and thought how familiar it sounded. If you've been reading this blog for a long time, you would have seen this entry.
It was a similar scenario, in a similar area, while doing a similar thing. And he was also shot in the armpit.
Hurricane Dean's passing has meant that on the day The Niece heads to the cool Malvern hills, I am back in Grenada. The entry of new students had to be put back by one week because the school suffered damage.
Just spoke with her and she sounds upbeat so hopefully she will be ok. The family will be nearby until Saturday.
Meanwhile, I recently spoke with a foreigner who had been to boarding school.
He went in at age 7, and didn't see his parents again until he was 18! He sounded bitter about that, but apparently his parents were working abroad, and it was in the time of World War 2. Transportation across seas was only by boat, so the parents didn't come home, and he couldn't visit. He said all he had for company was his brother.
When he got married and had kids, guess what he did? Enrolled his son in boarding school! But at least they were in the same country and they saw each other often! I told them about The Niece and explained that she will have every third weekend off. What she will do with that (remember I said that after a while, she will tell us she going to stay by some friend!), only time will tell.
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!
Island Spice had a blog entry about texts she received in the middle of the night from a fella.
First of all, I am relatively new to this texting thing. Maybe about 1.5 years. Didn't know how to do it before someone showed me. Can't say that I am a big texter, or indeed, user of a cell phone. I just don't know that many people, am never rushing around to meetings or caught in traffic or anything like that, so it is used only when necessary.
But at the point I read IS's blog entry, I had about 100 incoming texts in my Inbox. Most from one number.
Texting has its uses. Like now, while I am delayed in the airport, I can be texting (except that I did, but it don't seem to be wuking cause ah don't get no answer from both numbers I texted to). I don't like being disturbed from my sleep, so I would also be annoyed as IS was, if a text comes while you are enjoying a few Zzzzs. To prevent that, I put my phone on Silent when I go to bed. Not Vibrate, because that will wake me up.
But I have to say, that it's nice after turning during your sleep, you open your eyes to see the blue lighted envelope flashing.
The trivial texts I can do without, especially if it's not from a bonafide. But I certainly like seeing the envelope, get excited, and get pissed if it's a B-mobile generic message!
Ok.....gone to text. l8tr!
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!
Went to see this play last night, compliments of a friend. Hilarious. There are several vignettes showing the games both men and women play in relationships. The lead actress Camille Davis is EXCELLENT! In the first vignette, she is a prostitute. The patois was to perfection, the stance, the walk, the hair. I highly recommend the play.
I don't get out much, so afterwards I wanted to go on the town. Went driving past The Verandah. Crowded. The Deck. Didn't like the crowd. At the end of Musgrave Avenue, bucked up two real life prostitutes. One was TWICE my size, and in a blouse (conservative enough) and a baggy! No skirt, no shorts, no pants. Now what kind of man would pick up a woman like that to have something so close and personal as sex??? Gotta be real desperate.