November 27, 2012
So, today
Zane and Jason took a transport to Belize (City) and Myrtle and
Sherylan went to Stann Creek on the bus ... I stayed home ... the kids were all
in school ... I washed Zane's and my clothes Gales Point style and then weeded
out the rotting grapefruits from the bag and put them on the compost ... Monnie
stopped by with a new bag of oranges which Zane will pay for when they get
back...another young man bought by a sour sap fruit which we will pay for
later. The sour sap fruit is what, when
mixed with sweetened condensed milk make a sour sap "Ideal" ... this
is Zane's and my favorite dessert here in Gales Point ... it is like a cross
between ice cream and frozen yoghurt ... but, amazingly enough Zane likes it!
...
Now,
everyone is back, the bugs are biting so I have stopped sewing on the veranda
and came inside to write this ... all day, after the chores above, I worked on
the BOM's (blocks of the Month) for the two quilts I am making. I also worked on quite a few of the blocks
for Jacobs quilt. I am making him one
that I (Mostly) pre-cut before I came
... so it's going together quite fast.
One if the
new little girls Brieanna came by and wanted to know when she can sew again ...
I told her I needed her and 4 other girls to form a new group of sewers. She was excited about that. I took her picture for the calendar for next
year and got her birthday date and put it on the new calendar that is for this
year. As soon as I get internet, that is
something I will start to put together ... a Gales Point Calendar for 2014.
Zane and
Jay came back with tales ... Fixodent, which cost around 5$ in Wal-Mart is $11
US!!! Brayer’s ice cream is $40 for a
1/2 gallon! Needless to say, I will have
to have Winna send us a care package for the Fixodent soon, 'cause we each only
brought 3 tubes! A ham was astronomical
too...$140 Belize,
making that $70 US!!!
November 29, 2012
So, a cool
and breezy morning after a night of, as the Navajo would call it, female
rain...it is 74° in the house and 60 something degrees outside on the veranda
... unfortunately I can't use the veranda this morning for sewing, 'cause Jay
and Zane confiscated it for their woodworking of the shutters b/c of the
dampness of everything in the side yard.
Yesterday
we 'poled' in a boat over to Sticky's property when we hope to build our
house. We still haven’t decided if it
will be a permanent move or a 'snowbird' one, but at any rate it is unlikely to
happen this visit that it even gets started ... things here are definitely
running on island/pagan time ... very slow and laid back ... which is a bit
frustrating, as Zane and I would both like to see things move a bit
faster.
The area
where Sticky has his land is more secluded from the village and is lovely … a
great view of the whole lagoon, overlooking some nice houses on the other side,
and he has planted many flowers already and has the proposed driveway laid
out. His house will set on the piers that
he has already put there and ours will be forward and a bit over from
there. It is easy to envision the future
plans for small cabanas and palapas for guests on this land without crowding
those of us who are there.
I finished
a grass basket made of the fever grass and other local grasses … it turned out
well and I am happy with the results … J I have, however, run out, almost,
of raffia and tried to order more, however they do not ship to Belize, so I
guess I will try to order, have it sent to Heather and then she can repackage
it and send it on to me stuffed into as small and light a package as possible,
probably along with some Fixodent type stuff!
December 1, 2012
Another
week and my baby girl has her big birthday! … hopefully we will be able to talk
to her on her birthday … we went to Spanish Lookout (the Mennonite community in
Cayo district) yesterday … we got the wood Zane and Jay needed to finish the
doors and shutters to his home, a cell phone that will hopefully reach out of
the village and a bike for Andrea. When
we were here last, we bought bikes for Kasey and Gabral but not for Andrea …
now she has one too and her small one will be handed down to Myrtz Myrtz.
Today is
very sad … an 11 month old baby girl died from the village … they thought it
was chicken pox that she had, but then her hands were swollen like an allergic
reaction to something and she wouldn’t nurse, only cry and cry … they took her
to another hospital in Belize and she passed this morning … the only child of
young parents, mother only 18 …
It’s been
a bit emotional here because of all of us in this small space … Myrtle and I
are having difficulty … different ways of functioning … I think I am helping
and she thinks she is offending me … we all sat down and talked things thru
this morning and hopefully things will be better … there is a possibility of
another place for temporary space … remains to be seen
Raining
again today after a sunny morning … rained most of yesterday … ‘tis the rainy
season here … yah, just was able to get a call thru on the new phone to Heather
to tell her to use the debit card to get $ out for her birthday gift! … good
reception and even on 1 bar she heard us well … still not sure how many minutes
we got on the triple up day for the phone, guess we will see soon.
December 2, 2012
Sunday …
Jay and Myrtz went to church … Zane took a motorcycle ride … I burned some of
the burn pile (unfortunately they burn plastic and Styrofoam here as well as
paper stuff because there is no place to take it … I will look into this more
closely, b/c the fumes alone from the burning were very toxic
Then my
sewing girls (several of them) came and we tried to go to the community center
… it was chaos b/c of the disrespectful and disruptive boys who gathered and
were in and out of Jay’s truck and the building … will need to find a better
spot to hold the classes b/c the boys won’t stay away (teen boys and teen
girls, what can I say) ….
Zane was
quite pleased, he got in touch with his sister, Nancy and her cancer count is down
more, which is very good! … I guess he
surprised her with his call, which is what he wanted to do. He was also able to contact Mark to give
Heather some info for us … so, the phone is definitely working well. Zane was upset with me for telling y’all
about his fine, but I told his that is what a blog is about … all things!
Yah! Got a
hold of Winna tonight! Beltane (my cat)
is still giving her cat, Dante, a hard time … but at least she is out and about
and not in hiding … Winn still hasn’t found a job, so, everyone, put good vibes
out there for her to find something soon!
It was so good to talk to a friend!
I miss many of your that I interact with more frequently … Myrtle has
her social group, but they talk their Creole so fast that I can’t understand
half of what they say … the Americans in the village are all involved with
bring the Christian word to the villagers so, we don’t really have much in
common. I don’t proselytize, so when
they try to talk of Christianity to me or anti Obama, I kinda just excuse
myself and leave … they use bribes to get the women to bible study and that
seems very wrong to me … like, they draw numbers and the one that comes up gets
a gift of their choice for being there … so, I will just be me by example I
guess.
December 3, 2012
Another
rainy day, but it doesn’t feel as confining as it does back east or even in NM
… here there are veranda’s to be on to sew or carpenter or whatever and plus
there is always a nice breeze … today I even had to put on a light shirt b/c the
breeze was almost chilly.
Naomi, the
young woman who did my braids last time, Sticky’s daughter, came by to see me
today … she would like to learn how to sew so she can make curtains for her
home … she just got back in the village, b/c she was in Belize taking care of
her mom … we had heard Sticky’s wife had lost her foot before we got down here,
so that is where she was helping her mom.
Zane and
Jay are kinda going stir crazy b/c of not being able to work outside, but this
morning, early, they did go out and cut a whole load of bamboo from the bamboo
forest to do the partitions in Myrtle and Jay’s house. Loggie, a guy from the village came by and
showed them how to cut the bamboo to flatten it for making the walls … pretty
cool!
December 4, 2012
Another
rainy day off and on … I did wash for Zane and myself today Gales Point style …
will be happy when we get to a place where there is enough power to run the
washer … I don’t mind hanging clothes, I do it in NM, but just feel that things
aren’t getting as clean … also … need to find an old fashioned wringer … my and
Myrtles hands just don’t do a good wringing! … plus, after hanging the rains
came and soaked things even further … one thing I definitely appreciate more
and more about NM … the dry air that dries clothes really fast!
Zane and
Jay were working with the bamboo again today and a guy, Alyice, came by and
with his machete did fast work with the bamboo and with all three working got
the whole pile done that they had here.
He just stepped in and banged it out!
Such is the nature of some of the adults here … others, just stroll by,
look or stand and watch but don’t step in to help.
Was
working with the kids with their homework tonight … will be taking that on from
here on out … really will need to pick brains with my daughter when I get back
… it seems they (the government) are threatening to close down the local school
and ship the kids into Dangriga next year … if they do that, Myrtz and Jay want
to home school, but by US standards, not Belize standards … Gabral has already
been kept back b/c he is behind his grade level and Andrea and Kasey are not in
great shape learning wise … the teachers have many students, have to clean the
toilets and class rooms in the morning before school as well as prepare for
teaching .. Recently they did away with corporal punishment by teachers to
students and apparently kids who were used to being spanked and can’t be now,
are acting out b/c they know that the teachers can’t do anything … most of the
parents don’t back up the teachers so the kids are disruptive and
difficult. I also found out the high
school, if of any quality, is not free.
Sherilan’s son, MJ (Myrtle’s sister and nephew) has to come up with 600 Belize$
per year for MJ to attend a parochial high school and he is a good student and
motivated. However Sherilan is having
difficulty coming up with the money ... so, the kids can still attend, but the
parents don’t get to see the report cards or talk to the teachers or have any
way of knowing how their child is doing unless the pay … there is a public high
school and trade schools, but their quality of education is sub par … several
young men in the village were given full ride scholarships in the past, but
quit b/c of the teacher … it is a sad commentary on the country of Belize that
they aren’t concerned about their future generations!
Today was
the funeral for the little baby here in the village… very sorrowful day … Myrtz
and Jay went to the funeral … apparently Nigel lost a son before, which I wasn’t
aware of, and of course, as some of you know, M&J almost lost Gabe while
living in CO due to encephalitis and meningitis…so it was especially poignant
for them to be there and to in an odd way, count their own blessings … kinda
like there but for the grace of the Goddess/God go they.
Jay and
Zane walked up to Gentles Breezy Spot tonight for their rehydration … the other
day when we were all talking through the rough patch we were experiencing,
myrtle mentioned that Pops (Zane) was not only Pops to Jay but also his best
friend and that none of us wants that to be harmed … since then, Myrtz and I
are more aware of our feelings and working on keeping them in hand
November 27, 2012
So, today
Zane and Jason took a transport to Belize (City) and Myrtle and
Sherylan went to Stann Creek on the bus ... I stayed home ... the kids were all
in school ... I washed Zane's and my clothes Gales Point style and then weeded
out the rotting grapefruits from the bag and put them on the compost ... Monnie
stopped by with a new bag of oranges which Zane will pay for when they get
back...another young man bought by a sour sap fruit which we will pay for
later. The sour sap fruit is what, when
mixed with sweetened condensed milk make a sour sap "Ideal" ... this
is Zane's and my favorite dessert here in Gales Point ... it is like a cross
between ice cream and frozen yoghurt ... but, amazingly enough Zane likes it!
...
Now,
everyone is back, the bugs are biting so I have stopped sewing on the veranda
and came inside to write this ... all day, after the chores above, I worked on
the BOM's (blocks of the Month) for the two quilts I am making. I also worked on quite a few of the blocks
for Jacobs quilt. I am making him one
that I (Mostly) pre-cut before I came
... so it's going together quite fast.
One if the
new little girls Brieanna came by and wanted to know when she can sew again ...
I told her I needed her and 4 other girls to form a new group of sewers. She was excited about that. I took her picture for the calendar for next
year and got her birthday date and put it on the new calendar that is for this
year. As soon as I get internet, that is
something I will start to put together ... a Gales Point Calendar for 2014.
Zane and
Jay came back with tales ... Fixodent, which cost around 5$ in Wal-Mart is $11
US!!! Brayer’s ice cream is $40 for a
1/2 gallon! Needless to say, I will have
to have Winna send us a care package for the Fixodent soon, 'cause we each only
brought 3 tubes! A ham was astronomical
too...$140 Belize,
making that $70 US!!!
November 29, 2012
So, a cool
and breezy morning after a night of, as the Navajo would call it, female
rain...it is 74° in the house and 60 something degrees outside on the veranda
... unfortunately I can't use the veranda this morning for sewing, 'cause Jay
and Zane confiscated it for their woodworking of the shutters b/c of the
dampness of everything in the side yard.
Yesterday
we 'poled' in a boat over to Sticky's property when we hope to build our
house. We still haven’t decided if it
will be a permanent move or a 'snowbird' one, but at any rate it is unlikely to
happen this visit that it even gets started ... things here are definitely
running on island/pagan time ... very slow and laid back ... which is a bit
frustrating, as Zane and I would both like to see things move a bit
faster.
The area
where Sticky has his land is more secluded from the village and is lovely … a
great view of the whole lagoon, overlooking some nice houses on the other side,
and he has planted many flowers already and has the proposed driveway laid
out. His house will set on the piers that
he has already put there and ours will be forward and a bit over from
there. It is easy to envision the future
plans for small cabanas and palapas for guests on this land without crowding
those of us who are there.
I finished
a grass basket made of the fever grass and other local grasses … it turned out
well and I am happy with the results … J I have, however, run out, almost,
of raffia and tried to order more, however they do not ship to Belize, so I
guess I will try to order, have it sent to Heather and then she can repackage
it and send it on to me stuffed into as small and light a package as possible,
probably along with some Fixodent type stuff!
December 1, 2012
Another
week and my baby girl has her big birthday! … hopefully we will be able to talk
to her on her birthday … we went to Spanish Lookout (the Mennonite community in
Cayo district) yesterday … we got the wood Zane and Jay needed to finish the
doors and shutters to his home, a cell phone that will hopefully reach out of
the village and a bike for Andrea. When
we were here last, we bought bikes for Kasey and Gabral but not for Andrea …
now she has one too and her small one will be handed down to Myrtz Myrtz.
Today is
very sad … an 11 month old baby girl died from the village … they thought it
was chicken pox that she had, but then her hands were swollen like an allergic
reaction to something and she wouldn’t nurse, only cry and cry … they took her
to another hospital in Belize and she passed this morning … the only child of
young parents, mother only 18 …
It’s been
a bit emotional here because of all of us in this small space … Myrtle and I
are having difficulty … different ways of functioning … I think I am helping
and she thinks she is offending me … we all sat down and talked things thru
this morning and hopefully things will be better … there is a possibility of
another place for temporary space … remains to be seen
Raining
again today after a sunny morning … rained most of yesterday … ‘tis the rainy
season here … yah, just was able to get a call thru on the new phone to Heather
to tell her to use the debit card to get $ out for her birthday gift! … good
reception and even on 1 bar she heard us well … still not sure how many minutes
we got on the triple up day for the phone, guess we will see soon.
December 2, 2012
Sunday …
Jay and Myrtz went to church … Zane took a motorcycle ride … I burned some of
the burn pile (unfortunately they burn plastic and Styrofoam here as well as
paper stuff because there is no place to take it … I will look into this more
closely, b/c the fumes alone from the burning were very toxic
Then my
sewing girls (several of them) came and we tried to go to the community center
… it was chaos b/c of the disrespectful and disruptive boys who gathered and
were in and out of Jay’s truck and the building … will need to find a better
spot to hold the classes b/c the boys won’t stay away (teen boys and teen
girls, what can I say) ….
Zane was
quite pleased, he got in touch with his sister, Nancy and her cancer count is down
more, which is very good! … I guess he
surprised her with his call, which is what he wanted to do. He was also able to contact Mark to give
Heather some info for us … so, the phone is definitely working well. Zane was upset with me for telling y’all
about his fine, but I told his that is what a blog is about … all things!
Yah! Got a
hold of Winna tonight! Beltane (my cat)
is still giving her cat, Dante, a hard time … but at least she is out and about
and not in hiding … Winn still hasn’t found a job, so, everyone, put good vibes
out there for her to find something soon!
It was so good to talk to a friend!
I miss many of your that I interact with more frequently … Myrtle has
her social group, but they talk their Creole so fast that I can’t understand
half of what they say … the Americans in the village are all involved with
bring the Christian word to the villagers so, we don’t really have much in
common. I don’t proselytize, so when
they try to talk of Christianity to me or anti Obama, I kinda just excuse
myself and leave … they use bribes to get the women to bible study and that
seems very wrong to me … like, they draw numbers and the one that comes up gets
a gift of their choice for being there … so, I will just be me by example I
guess.
December 3, 2012
Another
rainy day, but it doesn’t feel as confining as it does back east or even in NM
… here there are veranda’s to be on to sew or carpenter or whatever and plus
there is always a nice breeze … today I even had to put on a light shirt b/c the
breeze was almost chilly.
Naomi, the
young woman who did my braids last time, Sticky’s daughter, came by to see me
today … she would like to learn how to sew so she can make curtains for her
home … she just got back in the village, b/c she was in Belize taking care of
her mom … we had heard Sticky’s wife had lost her foot before we got down here,
so that is where she was helping her mom.
Zane and
Jay are kinda going stir crazy b/c of not being able to work outside, but this
morning, early, they did go out and cut a whole load of bamboo from the bamboo
forest to do the partitions in Myrtle and Jay’s house. Loggie, a guy from the village came by and
showed them how to cut the bamboo to flatten it for making the walls … pretty
cool!
December 4, 2012
Another
rainy day off and on … I did wash for Zane and myself today Gales Point style …
will be happy when we get to a place where there is enough power to run the
washer … I don’t mind hanging clothes, I do it in NM, but just feel that things
aren’t getting as clean … also … need to find an old fashioned wringer … my and
Myrtles hands just don’t do a good wringing! … plus, after hanging the rains
came and soaked things even further … one thing I definitely appreciate more
and more about NM … the dry air that dries clothes really fast!
Zane and
Jay were working with the bamboo again today and a guy, Alyice, came by and
with his machete did fast work with the bamboo and with all three working got
the whole pile done that they had here.
He just stepped in and banged it out!
Such is the nature of some of the adults here … others, just stroll by,
look or stand and watch but don’t step in to help.
Was
working with the kids with their homework tonight … will be taking that on from
here on out … really will need to pick brains with my daughter when I get back
… it seems they (the government) are threatening to close down the local school
and ship the kids into Dangriga next year … if they do that, Myrtz and Jay want
to home school, but by US standards, not Belize standards … Gabral has already
been kept back b/c he is behind his grade level and Andrea and Kasey are not in
great shape learning wise … the teachers have many students, have to clean the
toilets and class rooms in the morning before school as well as prepare for
teaching .. Recently they did away with corporal punishment by teachers to
students and apparently kids who were used to being spanked and can’t be now,
are acting out b/c they know that the teachers can’t do anything … most of the
parents don’t back up the teachers so the kids are disruptive and
difficult. I also found out the high
school, if of any quality, is not free.
Sherilan’s son, MJ (Myrtle’s sister and nephew) has to come up with 600 Belize$
per year for MJ to attend a parochial high school and he is a good student and
motivated. However Sherilan is having
difficulty coming up with the money ... so, the kids can still attend, but the
parents don’t get to see the report cards or talk to the teachers or have any
way of knowing how their child is doing unless the pay … there is a public high
school and trade schools, but their quality of education is sub par … several
young men in the village were given full ride scholarships in the past, but
quit b/c of the teacher … it is a sad commentary on the country of Belize that
they aren’t concerned about their future generations!
Today was
the funeral for the little baby here in the village… very sorrowful day … Myrtz
and Jay went to the funeral … apparently Nigel lost a son before, which I wasn’t
aware of, and of course, as some of you know, M&J almost lost Gabe while
living in CO due to encephalitis and meningitis…so it was especially poignant
for them to be there and to in an odd way, count their own blessings … kinda
like there but for the grace of the Goddess/God go they.
Jay and
Zane walked up to Gentles Breezy Spot tonight for their rehydration … the other
day when we were all talking through the rough patch we were experiencing,
myrtle mentioned that Pops (Zane) was not only Pops to Jay but also his best
friend and that none of us wants that to be harmed … since then, Myrtz and I
are more aware of our feelings and working on keeping them in hand
November 27, 2012
So, today
Zane and Jason took a transport to Belize (City) and Myrtle and
Sherylan went to Stann Creek on the bus ... I stayed home ... the kids were all
in school ... I washed Zane's and my clothes Gales Point style and then weeded
out the rotting grapefruits from the bag and put them on the compost ... Monnie
stopped by with a new bag of oranges which Zane will pay for when they get
back...another young man bought by a sour sap fruit which we will pay for
later. The sour sap fruit is what, when
mixed with sweetened condensed milk make a sour sap "Ideal" ... this
is Zane's and my favorite dessert here in Gales Point ... it is like a cross
between ice cream and frozen yoghurt ... but, amazingly enough Zane likes it!
...
Now,
everyone is back, the bugs are biting so I have stopped sewing on the veranda
and came inside to write this ... all day, after the chores above, I worked on
the BOM's (blocks of the Month) for the two quilts I am making. I also worked on quite a few of the blocks
for Jacobs quilt. I am making him one
that I (Mostly) pre-cut before I came
... so it's going together quite fast.
One if the
new little girls Brieanna came by and wanted to know when she can sew again ...
I told her I needed her and 4 other girls to form a new group of sewers. She was excited about that. I took her picture for the calendar for next
year and got her birthday date and put it on the new calendar that is for this
year. As soon as I get internet, that is
something I will start to put together ... a Gales Point Calendar for 2014.
Zane and
Jay came back with tales ... Fixodent, which cost around 5$ in Wal-Mart is $11
US!!! Brayer’s ice cream is $40 for a
1/2 gallon! Needless to say, I will have
to have Winna send us a care package for the Fixodent soon, 'cause we each only
brought 3 tubes! A ham was astronomical
too...$140 Belize,
making that $70 US!!!
November 29, 2012
So, a cool
and breezy morning after a night of, as the Navajo would call it, female
rain...it is 74° in the house and 60 something degrees outside on the veranda
... unfortunately I can't use the veranda this morning for sewing, 'cause Jay
and Zane confiscated it for their woodworking of the shutters b/c of the
dampness of everything in the side yard.
Yesterday
we 'poled' in a boat over to Sticky's property when we hope to build our
house. We still haven’t decided if it
will be a permanent move or a 'snowbird' one, but at any rate it is unlikely to
happen this visit that it even gets started ... things here are definitely
running on island/pagan time ... very slow and laid back ... which is a bit
frustrating, as Zane and I would both like to see things move a bit
faster.
The area
where Sticky has his land is more secluded from the village and is lovely … a
great view of the whole lagoon, overlooking some nice houses on the other side,
and he has planted many flowers already and has the proposed driveway laid
out. His house will set on the piers that
he has already put there and ours will be forward and a bit over from
there. It is easy to envision the future
plans for small cabanas and palapas for guests on this land without crowding
those of us who are there.
I finished
a grass basket made of the fever grass and other local grasses … it turned out
well and I am happy with the results … J I have, however, run out, almost,
of raffia and tried to order more, however they do not ship to Belize, so I
guess I will try to order, have it sent to Heather and then she can repackage
it and send it on to me stuffed into as small and light a package as possible,
probably along with some Fixodent type stuff!
December 1, 2012
Another
week and my baby girl has her big birthday! … hopefully we will be able to talk
to her on her birthday … we went to Spanish Lookout (the Mennonite community in
Cayo district) yesterday … we got the wood Zane and Jay needed to finish the
doors and shutters to his home, a cell phone that will hopefully reach out of
the village and a bike for Andrea. When
we were here last, we bought bikes for Kasey and Gabral but not for Andrea …
now she has one too and her small one will be handed down to Myrtz Myrtz.
Today is
very sad … an 11 month old baby girl died from the village … they thought it
was chicken pox that she had, but then her hands were swollen like an allergic
reaction to something and she wouldn’t nurse, only cry and cry … they took her
to another hospital in Belize and she passed this morning … the only child of
young parents, mother only 18 …
It’s been
a bit emotional here because of all of us in this small space … Myrtle and I
are having difficulty … different ways of functioning … I think I am helping
and she thinks she is offending me … we all sat down and talked things thru
this morning and hopefully things will be better … there is a possibility of
another place for temporary space … remains to be seen
Raining
again today after a sunny morning … rained most of yesterday … ‘tis the rainy
season here … yah, just was able to get a call thru on the new phone to Heather
to tell her to use the debit card to get $ out for her birthday gift! … good
reception and even on 1 bar she heard us well … still not sure how many minutes
we got on the triple up day for the phone, guess we will see soon.
December 2, 2012
Sunday …
Jay and Myrtz went to church … Zane took a motorcycle ride … I burned some of
the burn pile (unfortunately they burn plastic and Styrofoam here as well as
paper stuff because there is no place to take it … I will look into this more
closely, b/c the fumes alone from the burning were very toxic
Then my
sewing girls (several of them) came and we tried to go to the community center
… it was chaos b/c of the disrespectful and disruptive boys who gathered and
were in and out of Jay’s truck and the building … will need to find a better
spot to hold the classes b/c the boys won’t stay away (teen boys and teen
girls, what can I say) ….
Zane was
quite pleased, he got in touch with his sister, Nancy and her cancer count is down
more, which is very good! … I guess he
surprised her with his call, which is what he wanted to do. He was also able to contact Mark to give
Heather some info for us … so, the phone is definitely working well. Zane was upset with me for telling y’all
about his fine, but I told his that is what a blog is about … all things!
Yah! Got a
hold of Winna tonight! Beltane (my cat)
is still giving her cat, Dante, a hard time … but at least she is out and about
and not in hiding … Winn still hasn’t found a job, so, everyone, put good vibes
out there for her to find something soon!
It was so good to talk to a friend!
I miss many of your that I interact with more frequently … Myrtle has
her social group, but they talk their Creole so fast that I can’t understand
half of what they say … the Americans in the village are all involved with
bring the Christian word to the villagers so, we don’t really have much in
common. I don’t proselytize, so when
they try to talk of Christianity to me or anti Obama, I kinda just excuse
myself and leave … they use bribes to get the women to bible study and that
seems very wrong to me … like, they draw numbers and the one that comes up gets
a gift of their choice for being there … so, I will just be me by example I
guess.
December 3, 2012
Another
rainy day, but it doesn’t feel as confining as it does back east or even in NM
… here there are veranda’s to be on to sew or carpenter or whatever and plus
there is always a nice breeze … today I even had to put on a light shirt b/c the
breeze was almost chilly.
Naomi, the
young woman who did my braids last time, Sticky’s daughter, came by to see me
today … she would like to learn how to sew so she can make curtains for her
home … she just got back in the village, b/c she was in Belize taking care of
her mom … we had heard Sticky’s wife had lost her foot before we got down here,
so that is where she was helping her mom.
Zane and
Jay are kinda going stir crazy b/c of not being able to work outside, but this
morning, early, they did go out and cut a whole load of bamboo from the bamboo
forest to do the partitions in Myrtle and Jay’s house. Loggie, a guy from the village came by and
showed them how to cut the bamboo to flatten it for making the walls … pretty
cool!
December 4, 2012
Another
rainy day off and on … I did wash for Zane and myself today Gales Point style …
will be happy when we get to a place where there is enough power to run the
washer … I don’t mind hanging clothes, I do it in NM, but just feel that things
aren’t getting as clean … also … need to find an old fashioned wringer … my and
Myrtles hands just don’t do a good wringing! … plus, after hanging the rains
came and soaked things even further … one thing I definitely appreciate more
and more about NM … the dry air that dries clothes really fast!
Zane and
Jay were working with the bamboo again today and a guy, Alyice, came by and
with his machete did fast work with the bamboo and with all three working got
the whole pile done that they had here.
He just stepped in and banged it out!
Such is the nature of some of the adults here … others, just stroll by,
look or stand and watch but don’t step in to help.
Was
working with the kids with their homework tonight … will be taking that on from
here on out … really will need to pick brains with my daughter when I get back
… it seems they (the government) are threatening to close down the local school
and ship the kids into Dangriga next year … if they do that, Myrtz and Jay want
to home school, but by US standards, not Belize standards … Gabral has already
been kept back b/c he is behind his grade level and Andrea and Kasey are not in
great shape learning wise … the teachers have many students, have to clean the
toilets and class rooms in the morning before school as well as prepare for
teaching .. Recently they did away with corporal punishment by teachers to
students and apparently kids who were used to being spanked and can’t be now,
are acting out b/c they know that the teachers can’t do anything … most of the
parents don’t back up the teachers so the kids are disruptive and
difficult. I also found out the high
school, if of any quality, is not free.
Sherilan’s son, MJ (Myrtle’s sister and nephew) has to come up with 600 Belize$
per year for MJ to attend a parochial high school and he is a good student and
motivated. However Sherilan is having
difficulty coming up with the money ... so, the kids can still attend, but the
parents don’t get to see the report cards or talk to the teachers or have any
way of knowing how their child is doing unless the pay … there is a public high
school and trade schools, but their quality of education is sub par … several
young men in the village were given full ride scholarships in the past, but
quit b/c of the teacher … it is a sad commentary on the country of Belize that
they aren’t concerned about their future generations!
Today was
the funeral for the little baby here in the village… very sorrowful day … Myrtz
and Jay went to the funeral … apparently Nigel lost a son before, which I wasn’t
aware of, and of course, as some of you know, M&J almost lost Gabe while
living in CO due to encephalitis and meningitis…so it was especially poignant
for them to be there and to in an odd way, count their own blessings … kinda
like there but for the grace of the Goddess/God go they.
Jay and
Zane walked up to Gentles Breezy Spot tonight for their rehydration … the other
day when we were all talking through the rough patch we were experiencing,
myrtle mentioned that Pops (Zane) was not only Pops to Jay but also his best
friend and that none of us wants that to be harmed … since then, Myrtz and I
are more aware of our feelings and working on keeping them in hand
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