Christmas In March

It was mailed in Cobourg on the last day of November 2005 and arrived in Punta Gorda on the last day of February 2006 – 3 months for my Christmas parcel to arrive.  But it seems to be in perfect condition, well preserved and untampered with.  It cost $70CA to mail, and at approximately 90 days that works out to less than $.78/day – not too bad!  I’m thrilled it has arrived safely, but don’t want to open it alone, so here it sits waiting for someone to share the excitement with me!

The neighbours’ tree has just produced a bumper crop of purple fruit that look something like big plums.  This provides a great deal of entertainment for the local boys as they throw things to knock the fruit down or climb after them.  I though I might get a picture of one of the boys falling out of the tree, but was quite pleased with the one I got of Jose from my second story veranda.

Heavenly Chimes

It’s 7 in the morning and I'm just pulling on my day-off clothes when the chimes begin – heavenly chimes.  What on earth, or in heaven?!  It sounds like they are right in my room!  There they go again.  Wait, I’ve heard them ring somewhere before, a long time ago…O yes, doorbell chimes.  Someone is ringing my doorbell.  Do I have a doorbell?  Five and a half months here at St. Joseph’s rectory and I never knew I had a doorbell!  It’s been great; I don’t think I’ll tell anyone else I have a doorbell– let it be our secret.

It’s a garbage crew here to pick up the mango branches hacked off our tree by my friend Alex, wielding his machete.  And the grass cutter has turned up too with his noisy gas trimmer.  All by 7:30am.  Five months ago it might have bothered me, now I barely hear it.  

A Caye Visit

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Conch and barracuda!  Now there’s something to add to my diet.  Quite enjoyable really – for a change.  It was nicely prepared by Pat, my host on Caye Caulker, and I shared it with her, Carol and Beverly.  All three are residents of Ottawa, although Pat grew up in
Belize and owns an orange bungalow right on the Caye Caulker beach.  The Caye (pronounced “key”) is a 50 minute boat taxi ride from Belize City, and fortunately the weather was fine, if a little cool.  We walked and talked and
watched the moon rise over the Caribbean Sea.  Only one sad thing, I lost my “Canada” cap overboard on the way back!

Echo did its job admirably on Friday, taking home the choir girls, and on Sunday, picking up and delivering parishioners.  The general consensus is that it’s “a keeper”.

I have been in close touch with a group from Texas who are coming for a week in March.  They sound so excited and have so much planned!  I know I’ll be exhausted when they leave.

LOVE!

A Valentine flower for all my friends.  

This is a card made by one of our parishioners.  I bought it and a number of others for $1.50US each.  The visitors to our Valentine’s Day Fundraiser thought they looked nice, but not to spend good money on.

A Busy Week

Things are moving a little too fast for me now that I’ve got used to the pace of Belize.  On Monday I bussed to Belize City, where I did get to visit with Heather Leslie from Yellowknife, and on Tuesday drove the vehicle back.  (I think I’m going to call it Echo – not very original but better than Vehicle or Van.)  As soon as I called, my friend who made the Christmas Story stage came and took the heavy doors off the garage and converted it into a carport.  On Wednesday I recovered from Monday and Tuesday, on Thursday I was involved in finances and email etc.  On Friday…where did Friday go?  It ended with our first choir practice (three young girls who can sing) and the first errand for Echo, driving them home afterwards.

Today (Saturday) began at 7am when Miss Lois arrived to set up
our little Valentine’s Day Sale.  Moneymakers are especially important as last Sunday we accepted a deficit budget that we need to deal with somehow.  In the afternoon it's off to a field nearby where, I am told, some children will be playing baseball!

Next week looks like a short one
too.  I’ve been invited to visit a friend from long ago who is visiting on Caye Caulker, an island off Belize City.  I think I’ll take my toque – they are forecasting a low of 53F on Tuesday.  Here’s a picture (not mine, just in case I don’t get there).

Happening #3

Good news! Word has arrived that the vehicle for St. Joseph’s is ready to be picked up in Belize City. I’ll be heading there on the Monday morning express bus (with comfortable seats and air conditioning!) and hope to be driving our “new” van back on Tuesday. Of course, there has to be at least one (slight?) complication – I believe the vehicle is longer than our garage. Oh well, we’ll figure out something.

While in the city I hope to catch up with Heather Leslie, a nurse recently arrived from Yellowknife for a few months’ volunteer service in Belize. You can check out her Blog at http://www.heatherinbelize.piczo.com/ While I’m away there will be an event here in PG with a Canadian slant. The Claver College Extension, which offers evening courses, is having the inauguration of their newly equipped kitchen and science lab, and receiving a Risograph. All this has been funded by CIDA, the Canadian International Development Agency. I’m sorry to be missing the glory.

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