November 15, 2012

We still don’t have the internet set up, so I will try to ‘blog’ here to transfer later if I can.

There was a “meeting” of many ladies today and I got reacquainted with them and trying to learn more names.  There is Millie (Mildred) and Sherilan who I already know, and now Doris, “Sista” and Denise.  Denise wants to get together to learn to sew ... Millie says she was given a sewing machine, but don’t know how to thread it, so she will bring it here and we will try to get it set up.  So, on Wednesday, Denise and Millie will come and we will start.

Yesterday, the “Gales Point Sewing Society” girls came by to say hi and give me wonderful hugs.  Since they are all in school, we will gather for the first time on Saturday morning.  They told me there are other girls that are interested, but I said I want to get them only started and then we can add more girls later. 

I showed Sherilan and the other ladies the calendar for Gales Point and they all liked it.   Sherilan doesn’t know that she will be getting on for Christmas as will Nigel’s family and J&M, 

We were invited to the missionary folks place for Thanksgiving, but Myrtle doesn’t want to go, so we will celebrate here with Family ... she fears that I will be made uncomfortable for my spiritual choices and also the one person is very anti-Obama and so, fears that there will be political talk that will be offensive too. 

November 17, 2012

So, yesterday (11/16/12) Zane (as GZ is now called down here), Jason, Steven and I went to Cayo District to Spanish Lookout, the Mennonite community.  There we did some Thanksgiving food shopping for things we couldn’t find in Dangriga.  Zane and I also purchased two Chinese 125 cc motorcycles and Jason and Zane drove them home and Steven and I drove in the truck. 

Today was the first meeting of the Gales Point Sewing Society ( the 4 young women) Aaliyah, Arrihanna, Tyreeka, and Shaniqua (not sure of the spelling of the last two yet ... all came and we started a paper-pieced ornament for their Christmas tree.  With one sewing machine it is slow going, even with four kids.  I would ask that if any of you wish to fund raise for another machine I will find out, the next time we go into Dangriga, how much I spent on the one we have.  I can bring mine next time, and our good friend Kelly says he might get his Grandmother to donate one also.  I we can purchase another one down here that will help this time.  On Wednesday, there are several ladies coming by to start a sewing group for us older ladies and men (I have one guy, Sherilan’s gentleman friend, Bengie) who want to learn to sew.  So getting more machines and a bigger space will be important. 

It is very exciting that more adults want to learn this time ... especially since I will be here for a much longer time this time. 

Jason is in Belize (City) today on a transport and John, the missionary, went with him, so he is going to pick John’s brain about getting our internet up and running and then, hopefully I can cut and paste this part of the blog to there and publish.

After talking things over with Myrtle,  we are probably going to move the several sewing groups to a room @ the community center, just down the road form the house ... it will afford more space and not invade the privacy of Myrtle’s and Jay’s home.  There also is a bathroom there as well.  Hopefully that will help with things with Myrtz.

Zane and Nigel are off “rehydrating” since Jason is not yet back.  Zane seems at loose ends. 

I tried riding my new motorcycle earlier ... with a “peanut gallery” watching and applauding ... lol ... anyway... I did okay I guess for the first time in a long time.  It was way back in the late 60’s that I last drove a bike with a clutch and all ... the only problem I had was with the throttle ... I wasn’t very steady with it ... with my scooter at home, I throttle full out and am only going 30 mph, so this is a whole new experience to get used to.  I will get the hang of it soon. 

Today was a beautiful day, sunny and cool-ish in the AM and then hot in the sun in the afternoon, ... I got very hot and needed to take a break from taking down clothes ... really need to stay hydrated and out of the afternoon sun most of the time ... there was a wonderful breeze, but had to be in the sun mostly to get down the clothes ...

It’s 6:15, dark and 83° ... with a fan on low in the bed room, it is pleasant...as most of you know, I hate being cold, so, as you can imagine I love this!  It cools into the 70’s at night and, again, with a fan it is pleasant to sleep, although Zane thinks it hot.

I have been doctoring several feet with bad cuts ... Sticky stepped on a nail, right through it shoe and it is hot and infected, so need to get him in for a tetanus shot soon ... and Kasey ... one of our great grand daughters, has a cut from a piece of glass on the bottom of her foot ... so, packing that with nooks and crannies salve and making her keep shoes on ...

November 18, 2012

So, cultural differences came into play today.  One of Myrtle and Jason’s granddaughters is continually the target of displeasure as it appears to Zane and me.  It is difficult to remain quiet and allow them as parents to discipline in their own manner, but we do.  I was accused of thinking they were doing wrong by her and that I don’t know how “bad” she is and that if she is given an inch of positive reinforcement, she will take a mile.  I mentioned to one of them this morning the idea of self fulfilling prophesy and how that this child continually hears (for they complain within her earshot) how bad and evil she is and that it is her hormones and that she must be continually punished to “break” her of her bad habits of lying, theft and sexual evil.  (she is 6!).  I must keep  my peace, because, even though the village supposedly “respects their elders” I am apparently not included in that respect with regards to knowledge and whatnot. 

This afternoon and evening we are going to Dangriga, which the locals call Stann Creek, which is the name of the district that Dangriga is in.  There is a national celebration day today for something I will find out later the name of. 

Millie brought her sewing machine by today and Zane got it running for us.  So, we will have two machines to use for the sewing (adult) group at least.

I practiced some more on my motorcycle ... did okay, but still stall it a bit.  time with help with that.  Today is Sunday, so the kids and Jason went to church ... I listened to my spiritual music so as to compensate for the overload of heavy duty pushing of that spiritual practice.  As in the States, there is a real push to push that spiritual agenda on those of us who have a different path.  It is sad, in a way, that people feel the need to push their religion and politics on others rather than looking at the similarities of values and morals and standards that we all tend to live by.  I do miss my spiritual community being available by phone to touch base with, but I will rise above it and preserver, I know

November 19,2012

This is the actual 19^th of November ... last night was the gathering for the celebration.  The celebration is Garyfunna Settlement Day.  It is the day that the settlers of Belize (then to be British Honduras) found the land.  Kind of like our "fourth". 

All four children plus all four of us were inside Jay’s truck plus there were 6 more adults in the bed of the truck to go into Dangriga for the drumming and celebration.  For those of you who have been with me to Dragonfest, the drumming was much like that. ... very good rhythm and much movement and dancing. We stayed till almost 11 and then all the kids slept on the way home ... it was in the low 70’s and chilly in the truck b/c Jay’s driver seat window won’t go up.

So, we went to the beach this evening for a little while ... not your picture perfect Caribbean beach by any means!  It was very garbage polluted which is sad, but it is all the wash-up for out in the ocean and, really no one but locals go there and no one really takes pride in the appearance ... but, the ocean was quiet, some jelly fish and rays ... kids played in the water a bit, I waded ... Myrtle fished and ritual bathed and so did Sherrill ... Sherylan and Zane sat on the beach and watched ... Jay scrounged and ran and waded too.  The one jelly fish we saw had 2 ½ to 3 foot long tentacles!

Zane & Jay are off @ Gentles Breezy Spot to rehydrate ... nice time for them to chat and bond some more.  Doctored Sticky's foot again tonight ... hard to tell if it's okay, b/c it is a deep puncture. 

November 20,2012

Went to Stann Creek today to get Jay's insurance renewed, to try to get the licences for the motorcycles, but couldn't do that ... we need to take the bikes in tomorrow ... should be  interesting for me to ride all the way there and back ... but, I will do it ... I have the sewing group in the afternoon, so must go and come in the AM.

We're getting ready for Thanksgiving (in two days) ... am baking the pies I guess in an outdoor fire hearth oven ... we'll see how that goes ...