A Typical Day in My Life

 
I like a likkle tea in my cream. I never drink hot coffee or tea in the states but in Jamaica it is a daily morning ritual. Tea, be it bush tea or boxed tea, hot chocolate, or coffee, condensed milk/sweet cream and brown sugar is a must for me, sadly, but delicious. Unfourtunatly I have a sweet tooth, and I never drink any of these without my sweet cream.  
 
My daily routine after taking care of the hygiene part begins with a hot cup of tea on my veranda, and right now I'm reading my friend Sprat"s  (JW Fraser)  book  Caregiver Or Taker, so each day I go out armed with my tea and book, and relax and chill, conversations with my yard mates as well as the neighbor in the next yard who has a new born niece Miss Jasmine and 3 feisty dogs Cindi the mother, and not a very good one, Tommie who was the first born of a litter of 8 unfortunately he and Likkle Man are the only 2 who survived.
 
 Now Tommie was always the most aggressive of the group, whenever I heard a rumble of barks from the group he was always the loudest and the first one to take a chance on new things. Likkle man was always the one who when I looked outside my kitchen window would be laying, chilling and relaxing. As I said Tommie stayed in trouble, he was the first to learn to jump over any makeshift fence that was put up  to keep the group safe and out of trouble, he was also the first to begin destroying his owners garden, if it was in his way he knocked it down, so now Tommie is on lock down 24/7, as a result this has stunted his growth and I fear the damage being done to his system, so we make sure that he is the first to get food when we take it out to them. I thought the nature of the beast was not to bite the hand that feeds them, not Tommie when we come to the fence, he gives us a what took you so long bark, like hurry with my food.
 
Getting back to my morning,  we hang out for a while till time for the yard mates and neighbor  to get ready and leave for work. I make breakfast and lunch for my folks, once they are off to work, it's my time, in honesty most days I come on line first, check emails and respond to face book shouts,make phone calls, write in my blog for a while and then log on to the message boards  to check to see whaagwaan.
 
 
Noon, I get my chores done, one which I hate is washing in that damn red bucket by hand, uuuuuuuughh I hate it, hang laundry and then, to the no longer charming sweeping, making beds, dishes and dusting and such. By now its time to get dinner started,  I've taken something out of the freezer and at this point I get the meat seasoned, the vegis cut up and washed and everything prepped and ready for cooking. Some days if I am a little tired of my own cooking I request that my folks do the cooking after they get off work(unfair I know) but their food tastes better than mine still, but I'm getting there.  
 
 
Folks home, shower, dinner a short walk, just sort of chilling for the rest of the evening on mi veranda, either back online to the message boards or my blog, little TV, shower, bed.
I have to add, as boring as this might be to others after working all my life, I am still in the mode of being a veranda, couch potato and loving it..
 
 
Now the flip side of this is Sundays and days when there is a plan to go on an outing, something I try to do at least twice a month, a trip to Belmont/Blue field Beach, or Black River, Pelican Bar, Roaring River, Lil Ochi or wherever the dart hits, take off and go. Eat, stop, swim/float just chill out time.
I love going up to Blue fields Beach, I like the layout and vibe of it, there are a few cook shops as well as jerk pork and chicken barrels, with snacks and drinks. There is always a group of big men and young playing dominoes who will invite you to a game if you ask nicely. The first time I went up I felt an ease being around these multi generation families and I like to go as often as I can.  This is a very relaxing spot and Sunday is family day, and the beach is usually quite lively. As I said several generations, Grans, parents,young folks and babies, it's great fun just interacting with other folks on their day out. Never take out my camera, because it would be rude and intrusive, though I have seen many photo ops. They remind me so much of my Family during our gatherings together and makes me smile with  bittersweet thoughts flowing through my head. Memories.....
 
 
Some weekends we go up to the family yard in the country and that's a whole nother vibe and another set of stuff. Driving is probably the best way because it gives us a chance to see and enjoy so much, but talk about stressful. (see the post on the 12 hour drive ) But I have to get used to it, because driving is power, or learning how to get around in the route taxis and local buses which is a whole nother experience. But a really cheap mode of transportation. Picture this a 12 passenger van traveling with 20/22 people  at break neck speed down a pot holed, pock marked road. Oh, most folks are also carrying bags of groceries or luggage, this makes for a very exciting, crowded, hot, journey. Cost Negril/Kingston  2000 JMD/$25.00 US. Private charter $150/200 one way or round trip.
 
 
I always envisioned myself going to the beach daily, back packing around the country, just setting out going wherever as the mood hits. Now this I still want to  do, but the beach is more of a when the mood hits type of thing. Still so much to do, and Lord willing lots of time, so I do what suits me when it hits. From Sea to shining Sea. Negril to St. Elisabeth to Clarendon to Kingston to Port Antonio to St. Mary to Ochi to Trewlawney to St Ann to Mobay to Lucea back to Negril. So much Beauty, History, People, Culture, Music, Food, it will take a lifetime to explore it all. I'm up for it. 

Tommie

Looking out from my veranda

Just out chilling

Beautiful Flowers See how my Garden grows.

On the road to wherever my heart desires