Our House Revisited 2007

After blogging for only a few weeks, on the 21 October 2007 I wrote the first blog in the "Our house" series. It was well received which gave me the courage to move on with it. The logo that accompanied that blog was a bone china cup and saucer. Later, for reasons which became obvious I changed the logo to the one you see above.

This was the first one!

Oh Lord – I have to now admit it. I couldn’t understand how my good friend Donna Mae who we all call the “The Trinidad Queen of Blog” has the shakes, doesn’t know which end is up, is snappy and more sarcastic than usual (retort to any throwaway comment: “AND your point is?”) just because her computer ‘is down’. I now understand it all. I woke up at 4.55am today and instead of saying my prayers, I began to compose Friday’s blog!

By 6.15am when husband and daughter had gone on their merry way, the topic I had in mind at 4.55am had changed three times. “Have to get it down’ and before you could say “Jack Flash” I caught myself turning on the computer, sitting down and actually starting to write. Hell no………………


So there I was, with one eye on BBC World, (husband always leaves the television on when he vacates premises and the radio and the air conditioner and anything else that makes a noise), hearing how the English Rugby fans were all trying to pile onto trains at Waterloo Station and how there was a rail strike in France and how, if at all, they were all going to get to Paris to watch the final between their team and South Africa. Who cares? Rugby fanatics I suppose. Then there was the news yet again, of the dreadful bomb blast aimed at the pro West Benazir Bhutto as her convoy travelled through the streets of Karachi That was followed by the news that the Big Crash happened exactly twenty years ago today and the question asked was “is the world any different today?’ You bet your sweet life it is.

Now the events in my house prior to 6.15am paled into insignificance in the light of what the BBC had to say. So I upped, turned off the computer and decided to go and put my face on instead. But one thing did scare me as I thought about what had taken place in our house earlier.

5.10am Me reclining on bed, sipping tea which husband had placed on my bedside.
5.12am A great deal of banging coming from the kitchen followed by daughter screaming out – it was not a question I assure you: "Who was the last person to eat the Guacamole?”. (For breakfast???)

Daughter continuing in very uppity manner “Well whoever it was, don’t you know that you are supposed to replace things in the fridge when you use the last one of anything? Doesn’t anyone know there is another one in the freezer? Nobody refills anything in this house”.

Me calling out: “Scoop some out and defrost it in the microwave"

More banging of cupboards.

Daughter: “I would if it wasn’t frozen rock solid. Oh well, it’s fattening anyway”.

Slamming of fridge door.
Husband/father: “Sorry, my fault – I didn’t know there was another one in the freezer”.
Daughter: “What? You didn’t look? You are supposed to know these things. How long have you lived in this house?”

More banging.

Silence.

Slamming of microwave.

Silence followed by an under-the-breath-comment from daughter followed by snickering from both husband and daughter.

Then it dawned on me.

Me: “Oh my God – you sound just like me!”

“Exactly!” followed by peals of laughter whilst I, in an extremely dignified manner returned to the bedroom to finish my tea!

Our House

Early morning conversation with my husband today. We are talking about someone I have to interact with.

Me:    "I've noticed that he doesn't communicate with me much
         these days".
Him:   "Well he wouldn't".
Me:    "Why on earth not?"
Him:   "Because he has realized how smart you are and that you
         don't take stupidity".
Me:    "Oh, you think that's what it is"
Him:   "Yes".

Husband walks out and three minutes later what he said dawns on me:

Me:   "Just a minute. You just said I was smart".

Husband suddenly goes deaf!

Me: muttering under breath "God, I should have got that on tape"!!!

Early Morning Fight

I am very bad! Against my better judgement, I have just had a fight with a 240 calorie chocolate chip muffin.

It lost!

I ate it!

No Entry!

NO ENTRY American strategist for UNC election campaign blocked at airport Carolyn Kissoon and Nikita Braxton Saturday, April 24th 2010 

A dirty trick of political victimisation that will cause international scandal and disgrace.

That is how UNC Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar described the deportation yesterday of her campaign strategist, United States citizen Bernie Campbell. Campbell was detained at Piarco International Airport on Thursday night, kept in immigration custody overnight, and put on a plane back home yesterday.
Before leaving, Campbell said he was being taken in a security vehicle to a hotel to stay overnight, when the vehicle was stopped by an unmarked car and he was questioned by unknown men.
Campbell, said to be traumatised, was also a member of the campaign team that helped craft the campaign of US President Barack Obama.

The US Embassy has asked Government for an explanation on why Campbell was deported. Government has denied having a hand in the action. (See related stories)
The law allows a foreigner to work in Trinidad without a work permit for up to a month in a 12-month period.
But Persad-Bissessar said yesterday, ’I believe the people of this country are not blind (or) stupid. Whilst it may distract from our campaign to some extent, it will not damage our campaign to the extent that we win. In spite of every dirty trick of the Manning team, we will win.’


She said two days before Campbell’s arrival, two other members of the Obama team flew into Trinidad without incident. They left Trinidad yesterday, with no plans of returning.
Persad-Bissessar said, ’This could have serious repercussions on our good diplomatic relationship with the United States. I condemn it (deportation).’

She said Campbell’s firm did similar political work around the world.

According to a press release from the UNC, Campbell arrived on American Airlines flight 1819 on Thursday, and upon presentation of his travel documents was informed he was ’denied entry on the advisement of the Minister of National Security’.
Persad-Bissessar stated in the release, ’Campbell was given a document which pertained to his denial of entry which he declined to sign. He was left standing in what had become an empty terminal for well over an hour. Eventually he was informed that he would be taken by security to a hotel nearby and then brought to the airport in the morning (yesterday) to be placed on the American Airlines flight scheduled for departure at that time.’

Persad-Bissessar said Campbell left the airport in a security vehicle which was intercepted en route to the hotel by an unmarked car. The security guard and Campbell were questioned by two men, she said. Campbell returned to the airport and was escorted by airport security on board American Airlines flight number 1818.

Persad- Bissessar stated, ’The team said they have never been subjected to any rejection from any of the countries visited before and were surprised by the experience encountered here. My party and I condemn the high-handed, authoritarian display of power perpetrated by the Manning administration upon the legitimate democratic exercise of the party in conducting its election campaign.’
She said the deportation would be ’reported negatively across all diplomatic channels and via international media networks worldwide’.

Persad-Bissessar added: ’While Calder Hart, a citizen of Canada and the former chairman of UDeCOTT, who is the subject of a criminal probe, is allowed to go freely and taken through the VIP channels upon his last entry to the island, the political strategist employed by the United National Congress was denied entry into Trinidad and Tobago.’

I'm Allergic to Shell Fish

Two prawns were swimming around in the sea, one called Keith and the other called Kristian.

The prawns were constantly being harassed and threatened by sharks that inhabited the area. Finally one day Keith said to Kristian, 'I'm fed up with being a prawn; I wish I was a shark, and then I wouldn't have any worries about being eaten.'


A large mysterious cod appeared and said, 'Your wish is granted' Lo and behold, Keith turned into a shark.

Horrified, Kristian immediately swam away, afraid of being eaten by his old mate.


Time passed and Keith found life as a shark boring and lonely. All his old mates simply swam away whenever he came close to them. Keith didn't realize that his new menacing appearance was the cause of his sad plight.


While swimming alone one day he saw the mysterious cod again and he thought perhaps the mysterious fish could change him back into a prawn. He approached the cod and begged to be changed back, and, lo and behold, he found himself turned back into a prawn.


With tears of joy in his tiny little eyes Keith swam back to his friends and bought them all a cocktail..

Looking around the gathering at the reef he realized he couldn't see his old pal.


'Where's Kristian?' he asked.


'He's at home, still distraught that his best friend changed sides to the enemy ans became a shark', came the reply.


Eager to put things right again and end the mutual pain and torture, he set off to Kristian's abode. As he opened the coral gate, memories came flooding back. He banged on the door and shouted, 'It's me, Keith, your old friend, come out and see me again.'


Kristian replied, 'No way man, you'll eat me. You're now a shark, the enemy, and I'll not be tricked into being your dinner.'

Keith cried back 'No, I'm not. That was the old me. I've changed.'.........  

'I've found Cod.

.

I'm a Prawn again Kristian'

The Easter Triduum

  Then Jesus came with them to a small estate, named Gethsemane.

Whatever your faith and beliefs, I'm sending all good wishes to everyone for a very happy Easter whether you celebrate it as a religious festival or just a plain old holiday.

 Blessings

Music and Me

 

Last night, quite by accident (although I don't believe in such things as accidents!) I watched an absolute musical treat in the form of Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra.

I don't watch a great deal of television even less the PBS stations but my husband had been watching

WPBT2 - South Florida Public Television    

and had disappeared!  He tends to do that!!  You know the type - turns on everything that makes a noise and then leaves the room.  The exercise is then repeated in whichever room he goes to.  

So there I was, about to get down to some backlog paperwork when my daughter told me that there was going to be a concert from Dublin.  Thinking it was to do with St Patrick's Day, I showed an interest.  It turned out that the only thing to do with Ireland was that the concert had been recorded in Dublin. I don't know when and I didn't care.  It was an absolute treat to watch and once again I was reminded of how much I miss and am starved of, events such as this. Yes there is theatre, music and a great deal of talent in the Caribbean but my roots are in Europe and every now and again I yearn for a show, a concert, an opera or an operetta.

My father's love of music came from the Irish side of the family and when he found himself in Italy post WW11 on his way to Austria, his love affair with opera began.  When he met my Austrian mother (who couldn't hold a note much to the amusement of the rest of the family!), he embraced the wonderful music that was on offer from long dead and not-so-dead European composers.

I was weaned on Lehar, Puccini, Verdi and Rossini; Viennese waltzes and Oscar and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin. The music was always there and the latest 'records' were forever on the turn table. Great big old 78s. Later there was Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers from whom I heard once again the Irish rebel songs. And as I grew, hearing the likes of Rosemary Clooney, Jo Stafford, Sinatra, Crosby, Martin, Sammy Davis Jnr. to name but a few of the greats, my taste broadened so that eventually Presley made Bill Haley and the Comets look positively tame! Even later my father would come to love the Sandpipers, Demis Roussos, Shirley Bassey and would you believe, Tom Jones?? Oh yes, "Delilah" was a favourite of his too but I drew the line at 'Tie A Yellow Ribbon'.

So last night when I heard Thunder and Lightening Polka, The Merry Widow, Song of the Volga, Gypsy Love, The Blue Danube Waltz,  Song of Olympia, Radetzky March, the Slaves Chorus, The Marino Waltz and an Opera Pot Pourri I was taken back to another time. A time of enchantment. A time of wonder. A time of discovery. A time when I felt safe. A time when my father and I would sing duets from musicals such as Kismet. A time when I would sit through Hollywood musicals totally enthralled by the magic that took me into another world.

Last night Andre Rieu took me back to that world.  The tears flowed as I watched. listened, hummed and sang. The tears of nostalgia flowed as I remembered a time when music and love filled a home and through my tears, I silently gave thanks to my long deceased father for introducing me to music which has brought me so much pleasure through the years.

What would life be without music? "Music goes straight to the heart" said Andre Rieu last night.  I know it's in mine.

 

 

,