May...40 Degrees...and Forget Gardening

 

Okay...maybe not this bad...but still pretty bad...

 

It is May...and it's still 30's and 40's at night.

Barely cracking 50's in the daytime.

I'm freezing and putting pinto beans on to soak tonight...but only because I don't have chili making ingredients, right now.

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired of this cold.

 

 I have beautiful flower seeds...mostly in pinks...sitting waiting...and waiting...and waiting...and waiting...

Tux has basically given up the outside.

"I have indoor plumbing, Mom"

and rarely goes out unless Ginny comes over...or I sit/garden/read outside.

Right now, heat and comfort food seems the most important.

Stacked three quilts and a throw on the bed.

With the addition of my 22 pound furry cat it keeps one almost toasty.

This, too, shall pass.

Love,

Carla

...send heat... 

 

Virtual Jamacia: Portland~ Waterfalls and Beaches

We're back to our Virtual Jamaica adventure...

Today, we will be exploring what Portland is known for...its beautiful beaches and waterfalls!

And they're everywhere!

All through the rain forest from subtle dripping to magnificent cascades the sound of falling water.

Tour

https://youtu.be/_G-_wMxr3Ww?si=il5oS5m-j62vhsDA 

 

Then, there are the beaches!

 https://youtu.be/YGqj6jvWwpY?si=Uik0KD3fMHMB5WBY

 

Concluding our stay in Portland...with some fun in the water...sand and sun.

Next week, we will check out St. Thomas!

 

Virtual Jamaica: Portland~ Nonsuch Caves and Athenry Gardens

Back to Virtual Jamaica...

Today we explore Athenry Gardens and Nonsuch Caves.

https://youtu.be/LKzeQS0wOmg?si=mrYyBeUw_lNsi7F-

Once a beautiful coconut plantation...now spectacular gardens...lush rain forests and caves.

...the caves were a nice surprise...I never realized how much Jamaica had down under...it is literally riddled with a labyrinth of honey-colored limestone beneath your feet...

The gardens are lovely.
 

Dotted with flowers and waterfalls.

 

And the opening which will lead you to the 9 caves below...

 

Embedded in its walls, the shells...fossils of life from thousands of years back when the cave was forming.

Lanterns lighting the way...and the quiet chittering of the omnipresent bats, which we have come to expect.

The cool dampness contrasting with the humidity of the outside world.

Catching a brief glimpse of ocean and sunshine as we near an inlet.

All too soon, our under-the-earth tour is over and we stand blinking into the hot tropical sun filtering through the canopy.

I'm thinking a fossil in this yellow-tan limestone is a must as a souvenir of Nonsuch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And found one!!!

 

Sister's Day...Loss...and Cinderella-ing

s

Yeah...no amount of bippity-boppity-boo is going to clean up this mess, today...

More about that in a minute.

 

Saturday was our Sister's Day.

A little bittersweet this time,as Tina lost Chad at the end of the week to Cystic Fibrosis.

He had been fighting for a long time...and it wasn't unexpected...but it still hurts like hell.

Harder for her, considering they were married 45 years and she has never ever lived alone before.

A Sister's Day to just hug and talk....and cry a bit...and vent...and plan.

Tina is a survivor.

She will get through this...and we will all be with her...until she does.

Their daughter, her niece and her father, SIL and his father, her grand daughter, friends and assorted family (including me & mine) reaching out.

She knows she is loved.

Took Sunday, and just recovered.

Which brings us to Cinderella.

There is trash to be gathered, laundry to be done, dishes to be washed, cat-box to clean, e-mails to be answered and business to be attended to...don't even get me started about dusting, a bathroom and kitchen that needs cleaned!

It's a mess.

And no helpful woodland creatures or fairy godmother in sight.

By the end of the day, however, order will be restored...and tomorrow we'll get back to Virtual Jamaica!

John is feeling and eating better...has in-home PT...gaining some weight back...and doing better!

 

 

 

 

 

I Have Achieved 66-ness!!!

Don't blink...

It's a slippery slope to 70.

 

Started the morning with Birthday Wishes from the boys...and strawberry-cheese danishes.

 ...I've realized that my hours of operation have changed in my old age...we are only open from 9AM-9PM with a short window closed from 2-4PM reserved for a nap/errands daily....

Getting things organized for Sister's Day, tomorrow.

Planning a deep bubble bath...a T-Bone steak dinner and a good movie, later.

No parts have fallen off...John is slowly improving and life is good!

Love,

Carla 

 

April Update

Here we are...18 months in....

Are we exhausted yet???

...it feels like its own LONG WALK...

 

To be fair...some of the players have started to fall off.

Not nearly enough.

In a month we have seen:

 

It's not a WAR...okay...it IS a WAR...it is done..we won...well, it will be done soon...can you help us...fine...we don't need your help...the strait that was open is now blockaded...we have now blockaded their blockade...

WTF????

...Tweeting the end of civilization...

 

On EASTER!!!

...picking a fight with The Pope...depicting himself as Jesus through AI...

 

And it just goes on and on and on.

STILL we preserve and resist.

33 months to go.

Less, if we can impeach and remove him after the election.

My HAPPY THOUGHT!

 

 

Virtual Jamaica: Portland~ Frenchman's Cove

 

Back to our Virtual Adventure...

 

Frenchman's Cove is 45 acres of paradise that used to be available only to the very wealthy.

In the 1970's when plantations were sold and broken up...it became available to everyone...for a price.

Today, it is about 1800 Jamaican dollars for the day.

Before anyone hyperventilates, that translates to $11.40 USD.

Tour

https://youtu.be/anAoCJv5_bg?si=efiFlTVJEYinwq4L

There are resort hotels, restaurants and villas on the property...rope swings...and, the crown jewel, a perfect lagoon and beach to relax.

 Beach Tour

https://youtu.be/ippoFOD0K00?si=O-ywTGMaOYk-FlrI

 So, come with us...and bask the day away!