#3 Thanksgiving and the Knitting Club etc.....

 

The week started with rain, heavy down pours. I love rain. At home it is time to do different stuff than on an ordinary sunny day. Like it is ok to read in a comfy chair when it's raining but not ok if the sun is out. And I'm always the person looking for logic!!!

I may not have mentioned but I'm on a no cook kick. This lobster tail is the only thing I've cooked since I got here over two weeks ago. Boiled for 5 minutes. Oh my, thank you Ron, it was so good. I'm eating way more fruit than normal and no where near as many vegetables as I do at home. These  veg are from the take and go at the super market. I've had enough of them now along with rice and peas so not sure what I'll do next.....hmmm.

Thank you everyone who donated wool to this group. We are meeting on Tues. and Thurs. 10-12. This is half the group. I'm sitting on the other side of the table with the other half. I hear there are a group of seniors coming tomorrow. I hope they can all remember three steps in a row. LOL!!! 

When I told the ladies last week that we would be meeting next Tues. at 10 sharp there were loud bursts of laughter as no one is ever on time here. The Bahamian people are very relaxed and laid back EXCEPT when driving where they all drive like they are leaving a crime scene!!! 

This is Jerrisma on the right and Pat on the left. They both live in the West End approximately 45 minutes from here. On Wednesday Jerrisma had business in Freeport and brought Pat to me to be my tour guide for the day. I had a list of 7 things I wanted to do. 

The first place we went was to get water. More on that next time when I can take pics and get some info. I'm not sure I would have found it without Pat. It was a little odd of an experience..... Next we went to the big drug store way across town to get vitamins that I didn't want to bring with me. I had enough believe you me to haul around....

Our third stop was the fish market. I love this place because it isn't a touristy place. The locals shop here and the fish is fresh. Not that I'm a big fish eater. After looking around we decided that Pat would make me some conch salad. I'd had conch soup, fritters and fingers but not salad yet. 

 

Meet Quincy from the West End. He had gone out at dawn and picked up a pile of conchs from the ocean floor. Getting fresh conch was our mission and he knew Pat so it was special treatment time. 

I got right in there so I could have a good look and it was like being in the O. R. as he described all of the steps he was taking. What we didn't bring home would be used by fishermen as bait. 

Look closely at what I'm holding. He took it out of the conch somewhere and insisted I ate it. I'm like, "But what is it? Is it good for me?" and in true Bahamian style he is telling me to give it a chew. I hesitated so he took it out of our second conch and downed it so I did too. Kind of like a long thin gummy bear...

Quincy is holding the actual part of the conch that Pat is going to make into the salad.

As I'm not cooking, the cupboards and fridge are pretty empty so when Pat starts rhyming off all of the other ingredients we need, other than little tomatoes, I don't have any. We stopped at this little stall near the fish market to pick up an onion, limes and I found three intriguing bags of miscellaneous spices. I asked the woman selling the goods if I could take her picture and she said no, not today. It wasn't a good picture day for her. I hope you always ask before you take someone's pic. Especially in another country. I almost got yelled out of the market one day when I took a pic of a truck carrying sugar cane in St .Martin. I had not noticed the Rastafarian standing beside the truck and the local women thought that was what I was taking. 

Our last stop was at the Salvation Army Store. More about that to follow.

Here's Pat's busy hands cutting up the conch. I was sus chef cutting up everything else for her. 

And here is the finished product. It was delicious. Very tender. Conch can have a tendency to be tough but this was lovely and tender. 

For two days the temperature dropped to 22 and I was able to open up my two doors and let the breeze rush through. It was delightful. This is the door exiting my unit. Yes, those are metal bars on the screen door along with the same on all of the windows.

All the locals were bundled up like it was a Canadian winter.....

The door to the pool and a table I occasionally sit at to read when it isn't too humid. 

Jerrisma on the right and Tina on the left. This duo often stops on their way home to the West End after working at Celebration Key for the day. You might want to google that. Interesting. Jerrisma has a shop there and Tina works preparing food. Locals are not allowed there. It is for the cruise ships. Hmmmm.....

Jerrisma also has a shop at Pirates Cove. Another one of those touristy places. Great place for a shop. This is Tamika on of Jerrisma's 7 kids. She is a hair dresser as well as an entrepreneur. Tamika has cut my hair in the past. Her first comment when she saw me was to say that my hair was getting long. I think I saw intent in her eyes of getting this hair braided. The braids I've seen in Nassau and on Grand Bahama Island have been exquisite. If I do have my hair braided, I want something outstanding. I'm still ponder this. I have lots of time to decide.

This fellow was wandering around taking pics of folks to sell them a souvenir. I took his pic so we could trade when he showed me the pic I had seen him take of Jerrisma and myself but I think he must have guessed as he didn't approach me. LOL

 

Sometimes you just see things that are too funny for words...

Have you ever heard a bird fly overhead? Well when I heard this person flying overhead you can just imagine how I reacted!!!

This is Tamika's stall. She does a great business selling coconut drinks with or without rum. She has a great personality and warmth that makes visitors want to buy from her. 

Tamika also used her skills to get me a complimentary lemonade that I sat and sipped and watched the world go buy. It was very peaceful, well except for the blaring music, but watching the waves is like watching a fire burn. The sea was so rough on this day that the cruise ship was cancelled and I got to hang out with Jerrisam for the day. It was a delight.

I got a new car on Saturday. Yay, I have a real car now. I am quite happy with this one. Everything works. Well almost. There is lots of room and I feel safer driving it. 

These are growing right outside my door!!! I've been told that when they are ready I can have them. There are a number of trees bearing the same so I think there will be some for everyone. 

This is one of my Salvation Army finds. I love it. It cost me $6 USD. To get into the store you have to push a button and someone will electronically buzz you in. It is like entering a fine jewelers......lol.

Thanksgiving, American, was Thursday on a knitting day. When I arrived home there was a bag on my dining room table with a Thanksgiving dinner in it. Amazing. It was a gift from Ron's Mom. God bless her. Then....at about 6:30 my none to subtle door bell chimed and there was one of Jerrisma's kids with a huge bag of food. OMG!!! Can you imagine having turkey, sweet potatoes, dressing and LOBSTER for Thanksgiving??? This is Monday and I'm still eating these two amazing meals. How blessed am I???

Just look at what Jerrisma has in her hair. I must get me one one of these!!! 

It was Youth Sunday and they did an amazing job. They sang a special piece that went on and on and the whole church was getting into it. As you can see, here you can sit, stand, raise your hands, not raise your hands. Everyone worships in their own way.

Now, the little person on the right hand side with the black and white dress and microphone was one of the most active and loud singers. I'm thinking she is one spirit filled 15 year old. During lunch Jerrisma tells me that she is a forty something teacher. Now, that is funny!!!

Liturgical dancing. They did a great job. You can hardly see the smallest one. She must have been 5.....or maybe not...

The service ended with a blessing of the youth and kids from the congregation that hadn't been up front. The message was loud given by the assistant pastor. I had a really nice visit with the pastor Agatha Martin and I ask you to pray for a full recovery from the illness she has been suffering with for the last while. 

After church Jerrisma and I headed to Port Lukaya which is just around the corner from where I live and I hadn't been there yet. Looked very much like it had 3 years ago. It is pretty touristy. We chose to eat at Zorba's a regular Greek restaurant.

Baklava made into a pie. That is interesting....

I forgot how to load my pics this morning. You have to load from the most recent to the oldest so ignore this pic pls. thx.

Every year when we are heading away people start asking me if I'm going to blog and I usually say I'm not sure as I'm not. I've been here to GB many times before and don't think there is going to be anything interesting going to happen and then it does....so I blog.

Thank you for reading this. Pls share. God Bless and I'll see you next Monday.

Oh, I think I'm going off to the beach after lunch. I haven't sat on a beach yet. I'm hoping today is going to be the day. I've just been too busy.....lol....