Laying It Down

I spent the day helping my neighbour prepare for her birthday (January 1) party which will begin tonight and end on a bright new morning in the New Year.  O' we were busy making chicken pastelles, roasted turkey and chicken along with fish covered with apples (that was a new one for me) and pork and dressed-up rice and cheesy baked potatoes and stir-fried veggies.  Add to that the previously prepared fish and beef pastelles, the cakes - sponge, black and fruity iced birthday cake and... and..  The woman just has too much food but if you're expecting about 60 people you need a lot.  :)).  It was nice giving of myself and knocking back a couple of vodkas and orange juice - just walked to the back yard and picked the oranges, fresh. So as 2010 grows old and I listen to the sound of fireworks going off, I can forget about my horrendus annus, the poor Trinidad and Tobago economy, the killings by gun and by vehicles and all that is bad in the world. As I wait to ring in the new y

Hello, hello, hello, What words of wisdom do you hold in mind and put to use? What words of advice would you pass on to another?  Want to share? Please do! Watching life go by as the taxi sped along the highway.  Actually I was praying to the good God that we get to our destination safely since 'boyfriend' was driving just a bit too fast for me. Anyway, I began to think of the phrases that stick in the mind and how much I've used the advice emanating from said phrases.  I was trying to think of the proverbial 10 phrases but these are what came to mind. 1. Walk with 'vex' money.       Do you remember this one?  It was first indoctrinated in me at age 13 by an older cousin.  I hear that there was even a calyspo with this line in it.  It relates to ensure that you have enough funds to depart a date if things aren't going well.  I've always taken it to mean that I should have some semblance of  financial independence at all times, even if that means tha

O' gosh have your felt the cool early morning breezes?  That cool, light, fresh-smelling breeze coming from the north, that brings a quivering to the nose and stirs up feelings which I cannot solidify into thought, which I cannot grasp but fills me with excitement down to my very toes and brings a big grin to my face because I know that Christmas is almost here! There are pastelles, sorrel and ginger beer and ponche de creme to make.  I need to add just a touch more cherry brandy to the already soaking fruits, soaking since last year, for that luscious black cake.  This year, a small ham and maybe just a turkey breast, reflecting the times.  O' yes, I must make garlic pork, even if it is only 1 pork chop I use.  Got to have fresh seasonings straight from Paramin and yes, the paranging, caroling and partying!  What fun!  Christmas is almost here! This year gifts will be spare but the desire to share is still there - something will happen, the kids in my life will definitely

Hello People, It's the flu season and I've got it.  You know, the achy, headachy, scratchy throat, stuffed nose, squealing ears feeling, that brings you back to babyhood where you want someone to make you hot tea - lime, sugar and a little rum, give you books to read and hug you up.    Mmh, I feel better just thinking about it.  So forgive me but I shan't  write much.  Only to say, " It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"  "I felt the Christmas breeze!  We Trinis know about that.  I'M EXCITED! Later

For what do you have to give thanks?  What are the things that make you say thank-you with full meaning? Today is Thanksgiving Day as celebrated in the U. S. A.  While we here in Trinidad and Tobago do not have such a celebration, some of us do enjoy this time of sharing with loved ones by taking the big bird in the sky to visit with relatives and friends.  It's a great holiday, as far as I am concerned, because it literally makes you take the time out from your general 'bitchin' & and bitin' to consider what do you have that you love; what do you have that you value?  It is in a sense an "I" holiday because you begin to think of yourself.  It is in a sense a "THEM" holiday because you think of yourself in the context of others, so it becomes an "US'"holiday because it is all-inclusive.  This is the time when you see people helping people.  What a wonderful way to celebrate your gratitude! Today, I thank my God for: His Guardia

Heh people, I've started a new role.  My lawyer friend asked if I could hold on for a short while since her Administrative Assistant is on sick leave.  Now your girl has never been in such a position and before starting I was a bit concerned about things like personal space, since I must share office space with 4 other persons.  I also had to keep in mind that I no nothing about the processes involved in running a successful attorney's office, but I was excited about learning, so off I went. Well, it was a week.  It was a week!  It was a week!  The day before, Sunday that is was lousy because I was feeling so depressed.  But God stepped in and saved my life again.  As I turned on the television early that morning, He hit me with Joyce Meyer and her piece on overcoming depression - Psalm 42,43, Phillipians 4: 6-7, Thess 5: 18,19.  Then Roderick Meredith asked "The Purpose of Life" and he quoted Psalm 8: 3-9, Genesis 1:26-27, John 17.  And so it went until I was upl

Heh People, Another day has begun and so has my exercise programme.  I've gained 15 lbs and if you know me you know I cannot afford to gain 1!  So I am walking, beginning slowly or else I'd get turned off.  It's nice to be up and out early, today the sun was not out in all its glory, so it was a pleasant walk but yesterday!  Who send meh to walk at 10:00 a.m.?  That sun was hot and I was exhausted after just 20 minutes of walking so by the time I got home around noon, I was dead on my feet.  I was telling the Lord, if I felt so bad after a morning stroll in the rainy season,  He will have to help me lots, in the coming dry season. Could not find my passport on Monday but sure found lots of things that I did not even know I was missing.  This prompted me to begin to put things in a box for a give-away.  I mean to say, how many shampoos do I really need especially since my hair is above my chin?  Tell me, why do I have all those pairs of new socks and I still keep on wear

Hi people, It seems to me that last week just raced by so much so that I did not even realize that it had ended and I had not posted a thing!  Naughty me!  I'm sorry. I really got busy, plus I only had snippets of things to write about. Next, I've got to apologize to those who have tried to post comments with no luck.  Please continue to try while I continue to fiddle with it.  I did a test today and it worked.  Let me know if it still doesn't work with you.  Thank you peeps, for your suggestions on ways of making the writings more interesting. Last week was a kind of interesting you know.  First we had Tomas wrecking St. Lucia and other islands.  Have you viewed the devastation?  I am beginning to believe that God is a Trini!  I prayed for my roof to stay on and it  did.  Thank-you God.  Then we had the funeral of the sitting Prime Minister of Barbados, David Thompson.  My sympathy goes out to his family and  the people of Barbados. Whenever the Caribbean loses peopl

If I've got it right, Christmas is exactly 60 days away.  And would you believe, some people have already put up their Christmas tree, like the T& T Red Cross for example.  It's a beautifully decorated tree. Sometimes, I think that we are running down the Christmas but with most Trinbagonians seemingly have more of a Carnival mindset, I guess we have to start thinking of and planning for Christmas earlier and earlier. Well I eh even start to think about Divali much less Christmas!  Ah just finish about 2 Divali cards and must get those off to the post office if they are to arrive before November 5.    So ah feel ah had better take in front and say Shubh Divali to all my friends of the Hindu faith because the card will arrive late. LOL! All this thinking of holidays of course brought me to that resolutions thing we do each and every January 1.  Have you thought about those resolutions you made at the start of the year? Making resolutions is a practise in which I never i

Good day and a happy week to all!  Yes, I got out of the rut last week-end!  I did a few things that served to enlighten the spirit and stimulate the mind. I took my 'jump-up' in the rain on Sunday in the privacy of my backyard.  The rain felt clean and brisk on the skin and coming from the north it had a bit of a chill on it which lent to the excitement that this child-like exercise brought.  I also attended the Poetry Day of the Writers Union of Trinidad and Tobago. This was on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at the main library of Nalis  http://www2.nalis.gov.tt/ . There were 3 guest speakers - Dr. Walker, Dr. Rohlehr and Brother Resistance.  Their inspiring talks gave many greater incentive to write.  All speakers used examples of various types of poems through poetry readings, some done by members of the audience, calypsoes and rapso. I missed part of Dr. Walker's talk but I did get her notes on the various angles one could take in analysing  or writing poems.  Dr. G

Well although I do not work,my mind-set is still that of an employed individual, so when Friday arrives, I think yippee!  Then I realize that I really don't have much to do on this week-end or any other week-end.  I am getting stuck in a rut!  Call it age, friends too busy with their children and grandchildren to go on the Friday evening lime, little money, the fact is that I need some stimulation!  So I'm thinking hmm... and a few things come to  mind. 1. Return to the days of youth.  Make love in a car!  Actually this idea was given to me many years ago by a couple in their 70's.  They explained that as a couple with children, they often could not go out so from time to time, they would put the kids to bed and go have fun in their car, which would be parked in their garage! 2.  Take a bus ride to some part of Trinidad or Tobago that I have never seen or have not visited for a while.  The Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) operates a few guided tours to places

How does one define a mentor?  One dictionary meaning states that a mentor is  a   wise   and   trusted   counselor   or   teacher.   Who are your mentors?    Do your mentors exist  only   in the work environment or do you have mentors in all areas of your life?   We probably all have mentors in our daily lives, ordinary people who take that special interest in us, giving us their best; rising above the muck and mire of everyday life to save another.  Nennie was one of my mentors because for many years of my life, she was like the main current in a river, always there but unseen most of the time Nennie came into my life, at a time, now that I look back, when there was great difficulty.  I was a young woman who returned to Trinidad and Tobago with a brand new first degree and really no place to live and no job.  You see the family and home I knew had dissolved; scattered all over the world.  Nennie opened her home and her heart.  I was treated like family.  She welcomed into her home

For the past year, I've been out of work. I commiserate with all who have found themselves in a similar position. I never imagined that I would not be able to find work for 14 months. It's actually horrifying and showed me that a job is indeed one of the anchors of life. Last week, someone sent me a text in which she said that I was a strong person. I was pleased to receive that message and it got me to thinking about the way that others see me and how I see myself. I've never thought of myself as a strong individual but upon reflection I've survived a lot. True there are times when the going gets rough, I feel that it would be better to commit suicide but then the next day or the next hour something or somebody comes along who makes life seem bearable once more. My musing also got me to look at the things that have kept me on solid ground for the past year. In no special order, here they are. OPTIMISM - believing that each day would bring a job, companionshi

Well I am taking my friend Caryl's suggestion and creating a blog. She thought I should put on my crazy recipes or my rants and raves...we shall see. Yes, this is my first time and like the first time... of anything, I'm EXCITED with that funny feeling way down low - HA! HA! And that question? Will I like it? Will they like me? I'll be laying it down but not every day. Join me, won't you?