The computer story......

So, I move the case, the backpack containing the computer crashes to the floor.

As soon as we get to our house in Island Bay in Bahamia, I grab the backpack, boot up the computer and look with held breath to see what is going to happen. Hmmm , that's interesting, the screen is split in half in kind of a gray colour. It alost looks like two pieces of gray paper put together. Not good. Oh, I so hope it is really sick and not dead!!!

Saturday is New Years Day. Everything is closed.

Sunday, the business store is always closed.

Monday, I'm there at the shop first thing in the morning. "It needs a new screen but we don't do that but I know a guy....It will cost $180 to fix and I need cash down." I give the guy $100. He appears to want more. Sorry. Not going to happen. I get a receipt and notice the store name isn't on it. Hmmmmm......

An hour later the phone rings. My screen isn't ordinary. It is now $200 and will be ready next Wednesday.

Todd is now visiting the following Wed. and sure enough I get a call first thing in the morning telling me that the computer will be available around 4 that afternoon. We run around doing tourist things and about 3:30 we are in the store's general area so we drop in. They can't find my computer anywhere. They can't find the techie. They call the techie. He tells me to go home but that the computer is going to be ready. I explain I don't want to come back into town. He sticks to his guns and tells me to leave. Just about as I am leaving the techie area I notice for the first time this sign that says something like, "To our customers. Only pay cash to the cashiers at the front of the store." Oh my, a little late for that!!!!!

I head down one of the major arteries in Freeport when my cell rings again. He asks where I am. I tell him I am almost at Wendy's so he says fine he will meet me in Wendy's parking lot. Todd loses it with me and I have to remind him #1 of the family heirarchy and #2 You are now in a different world and #3 I would almost walk on glass to get my computer back!!!!!

We are only in Wendy's parking lot a few minutes. Todd is still mumbling to himself. I notice this very nice car drive in and sure enough it is being driven by the techie. I get out. Boot up the computer on the hood of the car. All looks good. I give him another $100. He is getting ready to drive away when I ask my first dumb question,"Can I have a receipt?" Followed by the next dumb question, "Is is guranteeded for any amount of time?" He kind of smirks but not quite, "You have my card. Give me a call." Not bring it back into the shop, no, meet me at Pizza Hut!!!!!

Saturday at Jerrisma's....

On Saturday I drove to the West End and met with this delightful group of women. The idea was that we were going to talk about some craft ideas and then I learnt that they also wanted to learn how to knit. They are starting a craft co-operative and will soon be putting up tents on the main road going through the West End so folks can stop and shop as they are sightseeing around.

 

The shop is in a room at the back of the store beside Jerrisma's house.
 

If you happen to see anything that you would like to buy, just let me know and I will pick it up for you!!! 

Saturday at the West End.....

I was getting pretty hungry after working with the knitters so on the way back to Freeport, I stopped and got some fresh conch salad for our lunch. I'm not sure how many people realize that one minute this conch is living a happy life in its shell and four minutes later you are eating it. In Mexico lime juice is used to cook the fish in civiche and the same goes for the conch salad BUT here you don't wait a couple of hours to eat the conch salad. You eat it right away. I finished Ray's off for my breakfast today. I wasn't sure if it was safe to eat after 48 hours. I talked about calling Jerrisma but hey, what the heck, I'm a brave woman, I just ate it. Hope you hear from me next Monday!!!!!!!!!

 

I always wanted to do a collage of Mexican faces and now I feel the same way about so many pics I have of Bahamians. Isn't this just a gorgeous shot showing these wonderfu l chiseled features? 

 

This fellow is throwing conch shells back into the ocean. You know, the same ones that tourists pay $10 for in Port Lukaya as they get ready to get back on that cruise ship!!!

 

On Thursday, Judy and I went to the Beacon School for Handicapped Children to help make Junkanoo costumes. They weren't quite ready for us to we picked up a brailer and came back to Beacon and then went to Ruby Swiss Restaurant where Judy teaches her blind students brail.

On Friday morning we went to the PACE center to teach knitting to 11 pregnant teens. They are delightful young women and we had a great time. We also dropped in at the orphanage. It was my third visit. I am trying to get an interview so I can start helping there. I'm getting the feeling they don't want any help. I will take a bag of books in this Friday as I have more than a suitcase of them to give away. Maybe I can bribe them with gifts!!!!!

This pic shows Judy and I at our favourite watering hole, Toad in the Bay, in the Williamstown settlement. Locals hang out here and Shelly always takes good care of us. Sands light is usually the pick of the day. Last week I asked for a Bahama Mama and then couldn't drive for an hour!!!! Won't be doing that again!!!



Good Bye to Jubilee Cathedral....

Yesterday morning we headed out to Jubilee Cathedral as usual, never thinking for a moment that it would be our last time to worship there. We were about an hour and a half into the service when the bishop approached the lecturn to give his message. He had a very sad story to tell about a young man who had been murdered the night before in Eight Mile Rock. The young man was someone who he was acquainted with and so was his family. He spoke of the pain of the parents and my heart went out to them.

Then he started to speak about what needed to be done on the island with the young people and the senseless deaths and crimes. His answer, we should blind them. Oh my dear God. Did I just hear that right??? I listened intently as the accent can really lose us at times. No, he continued to speak of how he could do it and he knew others who could do it and the congregation started to agree with him!!!!! Yikes, it felt like I was in Johnstown and at any minute the special freshie would come out and we would all be off to meet our maker!!!!!!!!!!

I whisped to Ray, "Do I have this right???......." "Yup!". If I had of been in a "white" church instead of a "black" church of 5 - 600 people, I would have walked out right then. Some folks were on their feet giving their pastor encouragement. We sat here, hands folded in the lap, counting the minutes.

Next he took a swipe at the Pope's Popemobile and his golden pool and finally started spewing stuff from the Old Testament as to that is how we are to live!!!!

By now, I'm done. I am not smiling. I am not having a good time. I just wanted to stand up and say, "What would Jesus do in this situation?' because as Christians that should always be our response to any situation.

I'm church shopping again. Always a fun activity and definitely not staying for the refreshments after that might include freshie!!!!

If you know of a good place to worship with excellent music and a good message please let me know. Thanks.

The West End and other adventures......

On Saturday we were invited to the West End to have lunch with Jerrisma. She is a great cook. We enjoyed cracked lobster, cracked conch, lobster rice, baracuda (from our catch!!!) with vegetables and a green salad. I have to tell you, the cracked conch was as tender at the cracked lobster. I was very impressed. I thought all conch was as tough as old tires but not so.

Following lunch, we headed out to Old Bahama Bay to show Todd the playground for the rich and famous like John Travolta and Oprah. I don't care who lives there, it is barren and needs trees. Most of the homes are on canals not the ocean. Not my idea of paradise. Deer Lake Road, that is paradise!!!

 

The fisherman above was to give Jerrisma two conchs for some conch salad but he got in late from the ocean. He showed Todd how to kill and gut the conch. They were huge. Very happy fishermen!!! Thanks to Jerrisma for a great afternoon.

Here we are at Paradise Beach, Deadman's Cove for Todd to go snorkeling. Note the camera strapped to his chest. When we got home we sat on the couch and saw everything he saw. That is my idea of snorkeling!!!

So great to have Judy back. We get up to lots of stuff together. Here we are at Toad in the Hole in the Williams Town Settlement right on the ocean enjoying a late afernoon libation. Todd liked going here too. Shelly the waitress really looks after us and calls us all "Baby". The conch fritters are yummy if you are needing a dose of grease. Lots of friendly locals hang out here. Us too!!!

Here is another view of our lanai. I have my second jigsaw puzzle started on the table and this is where we play cards every afternoon. It is a lot hotter this year at this time compared to last year but I guess we had better not complain!!!! Loving the Bahamas!!!!

Deep Sea Fishing - WOW!!!!!!

 

Todd, our only and eldest son, arrived on Monday. He loves to fish and actually belongs to a fishing club so taking him to see the boats in Port Lucaya was a must. He said he had done the research and it was going to be way too expensive to go out fishing on one of these boats but then the Fish Fairy arrived and granted his wish. On Thursday with a forecast of 2-4 foot waves, the three of us boarded the Latitude Adjustment and headed out to sea with our captain Washington.

As we rocked around and tried desperately to stay seated instead of being tossed over board like corks, the captain announced we had got a "bad forecast". It seems that now the waves are 6-8 feet. Yikes, how do I get myself into these situations and how do I get off of this boat!!!!!!!!!!

Here Todd is bringing in one of the big ones we caught. We caught 10 baracuda. The total weight was over 100 pounds. It was not easy to bring them in as they faught like crazy until finally they came to the surface and just quit!!! We had 4 rods going all of the time. Three kind of surface and one deep. "Fish On, Fish On!!!!" was the call that was supposed to send me flying across the boat to the rod and snag the catch. Now, let's think about this. I'm 66, flying anywhere only happens on planes. Huge waves. No life jacket. Sorry. I'm going to sit here like the deck doillie and yell, "Get the rod!!!! Get the rod!!!!!" Todd and Washington would then grab the rod and give it to sitting me who put it in the holder and pulled in the fish. Hmmmm it seems I caught more than anyone else. Wonder why???

Yes, this is Todd acting as captain. Thank goodness he was onboard. When we had been talking to Washington the first time, he had mentioned that he was supposed to have another person onboard to help but he felt we would be fine with just him. Now that proved to be totally incorrect. As he was at the back of the boat taking off fish and baiting new lines and checking lines that hadn't got anything yet, the boat was tossed around like a cork and was moving in circles. Ray tried to help but handn't used a wheel before and ofcourse, I didn't move from my seat!!!! Todd to the rescue!!!

 

Heading back.

Our hold was full. I had my foot on it to keep those teeth down there!!!!

Here's the catch!!!

Captain Washington cleaned and filleted all of the 6 smaller baracuda. If you are coming for a visit, you will get to sample some!!!!

These are the 4 largest baracuda. I got the heads of the two largest and boiled them and then kept the jaws and teeth. Interesting jewelry to come!!!! The captain told us the larger ones might be poisonous and then we heard from another Bahamian that he would have gotten $30-$40 for each of them. Concern for our health or enhanced economy????

Ray with one of the trophy fish!!!

Look at the teeth on that baby!!!!

Changes to our house....

This is the Tonka toy we are driving this year!!!
Great milage!!! 

My lovely brown wooden kitchen became a white kitchen!!!
Hmmmmm!!!!!
 

I know it is dark but it is so bright all of the time, it is really hard to get a good pic including the canal. The canal is so close it feels like it is an extension of the living room. We looked around so much last year at so many different places and came to the conclusion that Island Bay offered more of what we were looking for than any other. It is a great place to stay!!!

Junkanoo 2013!!!!

Finally blog time!!!!

I am beginning to think there is an evil presence in my computer working against my blogging this year!!!! "Out!!!! Be gone!!!!"

 

 

The night before we flew to Freeport, Grand Bahama, we stayed at the Sheraton Airport Hotel. That was after our good neighbour drove us to the bus in Huntsville where we boarded a bus to Barrie where our son Todd picked us up and drove us to the hotel. It is almost like we like to engage as many people in our departure as possible!!!!

 

 

We enjoyed a wonderful meal in the dining room and then the luxury of breakfast in our room the next morning. As we were checking out, I was a little surprised to see that we had racked up $177 in two meals and a couple of icy cold drinks. I took my larger case, now pause, you have to imagine this scene - we have 5 pieces of carry on, two large suitcases and a set of golf clubs - ofcourse we didn't want help with our luggage!!! We're tough. So, again, I take my large case in hand and small case in other hand which are both behind me and forget to hold the backpack situated on the top of the large case. It crashes to the floor and OMG my computer is inside. I can hear it crying, "I'm broke!!! I'm broke!!!!" What happened next with the computer is a whole story unto itself so more about that later. Off we go to the airport in the shuttle bus.

 



 

 

I love Westjet. If you are planning on coming to visit us remember that Westjet flies to Freeport on Mondays and Fridays. Two can fly here for about $1000 if you watch the seat sales.

 

 

As we were watching tv after dinner, we kept hearing this whooshing sound like a rapid transit train. Funny I thought this line wasn't finished but I was convinced I could hear a train. Maybe this is just a carry over from our Oct.-Nov. trip. Ray falls asleep and I decide to look again for the line. Ok, it comes pretty regularly so I will just stand here until the next train passes. We are on the 7th floor of an 8 storey hotel. I notice a light in the sky coming closer and closer at quite the speed and then whoosh right over my head. I ducked!!!! It was so close I could see the passengers and waved to them. I could read the numbers on the plane. OMG we were right on the flight path!!!!! Thank goodness that this ended about 11:00.