I said yes. We haven't settled on a date, but when Alex asked me if I wanted to reformat my hardrive, I hesitated for a moment, looked into his eyes (can't remember what color) and said yes yes yes! I would LOVE to! (Well, maybe the word love is a bit harsh, but I'm sure I said please and thank you without groveling too much). A big thank you to DCVER for encouraging me to do this.
Projects I'm Working On:
I'm writing a song, the lyrics will be sung to the tune of "Strangers in the Night" I'm running into difficulty though, maybe you all can help me to find words to rhyme, soldier, helicopters, DEA, CIA, gun boats, and reflector sunglasses.
Overheard Negotiations:
Me: you give me da ring I give you da ting
Bigness: I give you da ring, you BETTA give me da ting
The date and time are still supersecret, so secret that even I DON'T KNOW. But I'm making progresson my ensemble. I found a pair of white sandles that I bought about 2 years ago and forgot I had, never worn. (I'll skip the part about MCS seeing them on my bedroom floor, taking them like unclaimed freight, and then the scene that ensued in the store when I saw them on her feet and indignantly stripped them off her) I have the fabric for my dress, no pattern though, but I went out and bought a new pair of scissors and so I could actually cut the material without feeling like I was cutting it with a butter knife. An let's not forget abot the 7" white nylon zipper I recently purchased............
Caye Caulker, Belize, its just like any Midwestern town, with palm trees and Spanish accents.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Fish Head Stew
17 paintings and 32 ceramic tiles later... I've come out of the bush, shaved my legs, brushed my hair (attractive!) and am facing this ...
Friggin Computer! (Note to self: its really really bad to pick up and shake your computer. It no likey) I think there's mold growing on the insides of this old tin can I call a puter, from the recent deluge of sky juice that has been appearting almost every day since the beginning of June.
You know, a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.
When I came back to the Caye, the computer wouldn't work AT ALL, then I found the phillips head screwdriver. The gold plated one that Bigness keeps hidden in his secret man spot, so I won't use it as a hammer. I decided... how hard can this be? After all, its not rocket science, or, its not rocket science anymore. I thought, I'll just get the alcohol out and clean all this dust and crap and rust off, and maybe I can kick start this tin can I call a puter.
I learned some things.
1.) Its very important to unplug the black cord from the power supply before sticking your hand into any electric device
2.) You must put the parts back in EXACTLY like they came out
3.) 3 beeps means the ram is in backwards
4.) If you shake it, you WILL break it
5.) Puters don't like it when you bleed on them, they act like it is water and in puter land, water is the same as swimming in a HELL FIRE LAKE
6.) It doesn't matter how many times you call your computer a stupid mutherfoker, it doesn't listen
I am using Windows XP, I have no reason why, the last time it went in for service, that's what it came back with.
YO HOLLA BACK AT ME...
If anyone can tell me why my mouse will not drag and drop... please please please
If anyone can tell me what a checksum error is... please please please
If anyone can tell me why I can't do anything like I did before, please please please
If anyone can tell me why my printer is not printing, although it shows up in the que, says it is ready, but the files never find their way to the print monitor... please please please
If anyone can tell me why when I click on links, they do not appear... please please please
If anyone can tell my why my Windows print wizard isnt working... please please please
If anyone can tell me how to get a FREE Windows Registry software that actually works after the "Free Scan" which is just a trick to get you to buy the product.
If anyone can tell me why when I click on the "add image" button in blogger, it jus ignores me and acts like a snob and won't do what I want it to do.
Bigness: you haven't fixed that thing yet?
Me: I'm not a rocket scientist
Bigness: is that smoke I smell?
Me: are you burning the breadfruit again?
Bigness: oh fok (runs out of the room to put out the flames of passion burning up the stove)
United Nations Baby: Grandma... Grandpa is smoking the house again.
Me: one of these days... this house...
Bigness: (wiping sweat) Gial, Momma's coming and I got a nice baracuda head.
Me: Cho!
Bigness: Tru!
Me: you are going to make my mom suck fish brains and eyeballs? Ugh!
Bigness: no, just the head meat, I save the brains and eyeballs for me.
So I go into the kitchen and turn the fan on to clear the smoke and see the biggest (and ugliest) baracuda head sitting on the kitchen table. I want to get the measuring tape out, this thing has to be at least 18 inches.
Me: what are you going to do with this thing, she's not going to be here for 3 weeks?
Bigness: oh
Me: freezer?
Bigness: Fish Head Stew
BIGNESS'S FISH HEAD STEW
Ingredients, in no special order:
8 cups Chicken bullion or chicken stock, we use Maggi mix here, its an extremely salty instant powder chicken noddle soup that comes in a package 2 fa dollah
4 cups of potatoes chopped into big chunks
2 cups of carrots in big chunks
1 big onion chopped
a couple peices of garlic chopped
large green sweet pepper chopped into big chunks
a handful of fresh cilantro chopped
2 habanero peppers, do not peirce or poke den tings
some black pepper
some season salt, but not too much or it will get too salty
Any other vegetables: coco, chocho, young punkin, yellow squash, butternut squash, all chopped into big chunks
One big ole fish head, fish tail, any other spare fish parts like the spine and bones.
Put everything in a big pot and bile an bile an bile and bile until it looks finished, and then when its done you let it cool a little bit. Break the head apart into chunks, bones and all and ladel soup into bowls. Don't be afraid of serving the bones. Picking them out of the bowl is half the fun. Important: do not let the habanero pepper burst, if you do, its fire in the hole time. Remove the pepper before serving, when its real soft, but not burst. NOH BUST DE PEPPA! You hear me? NOOOOOOOHHHH BUUUUSSSSSS DE PEPPA!
This spicy thick fish stew is best served with cold orange koolaide.
Friggin Computer! (Note to self: its really really bad to pick up and shake your computer. It no likey) I think there's mold growing on the insides of this old tin can I call a puter, from the recent deluge of sky juice that has been appearting almost every day since the beginning of June.
You know, a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.
When I came back to the Caye, the computer wouldn't work AT ALL, then I found the phillips head screwdriver. The gold plated one that Bigness keeps hidden in his secret man spot, so I won't use it as a hammer. I decided... how hard can this be? After all, its not rocket science, or, its not rocket science anymore. I thought, I'll just get the alcohol out and clean all this dust and crap and rust off, and maybe I can kick start this tin can I call a puter.
I learned some things.
1.) Its very important to unplug the black cord from the power supply before sticking your hand into any electric device
2.) You must put the parts back in EXACTLY like they came out
3.) 3 beeps means the ram is in backwards
4.) If you shake it, you WILL break it
5.) Puters don't like it when you bleed on them, they act like it is water and in puter land, water is the same as swimming in a HELL FIRE LAKE
6.) It doesn't matter how many times you call your computer a stupid mutherfoker, it doesn't listen
I am using Windows XP, I have no reason why, the last time it went in for service, that's what it came back with.
YO HOLLA BACK AT ME...
If anyone can tell me why my mouse will not drag and drop... please please please
If anyone can tell me what a checksum error is... please please please
If anyone can tell me why I can't do anything like I did before, please please please
If anyone can tell me why my printer is not printing, although it shows up in the que, says it is ready, but the files never find their way to the print monitor... please please please
If anyone can tell me why when I click on links, they do not appear... please please please
If anyone can tell my why my Windows print wizard isnt working... please please please
If anyone can tell me how to get a FREE Windows Registry software that actually works after the "Free Scan" which is just a trick to get you to buy the product.
If anyone can tell me why when I click on the "add image" button in blogger, it jus ignores me and acts like a snob and won't do what I want it to do.
Bigness: you haven't fixed that thing yet?
Me: I'm not a rocket scientist
Bigness: is that smoke I smell?
Me: are you burning the breadfruit again?
Bigness: oh fok (runs out of the room to put out the flames of passion burning up the stove)
United Nations Baby: Grandma... Grandpa is smoking the house again.
Me: one of these days... this house...
Bigness: (wiping sweat) Gial, Momma's coming and I got a nice baracuda head.
Me: Cho!
Bigness: Tru!
Me: you are going to make my mom suck fish brains and eyeballs? Ugh!
Bigness: no, just the head meat, I save the brains and eyeballs for me.
So I go into the kitchen and turn the fan on to clear the smoke and see the biggest (and ugliest) baracuda head sitting on the kitchen table. I want to get the measuring tape out, this thing has to be at least 18 inches.
Me: what are you going to do with this thing, she's not going to be here for 3 weeks?
Bigness: oh
Me: freezer?
Bigness: Fish Head Stew
BIGNESS'S FISH HEAD STEW
Ingredients, in no special order:
8 cups Chicken bullion or chicken stock, we use Maggi mix here, its an extremely salty instant powder chicken noddle soup that comes in a package 2 fa dollah
4 cups of potatoes chopped into big chunks
2 cups of carrots in big chunks
1 big onion chopped
a couple peices of garlic chopped
large green sweet pepper chopped into big chunks
a handful of fresh cilantro chopped
2 habanero peppers, do not peirce or poke den tings
some black pepper
some season salt, but not too much or it will get too salty
Any other vegetables: coco, chocho, young punkin, yellow squash, butternut squash, all chopped into big chunks
One big ole fish head, fish tail, any other spare fish parts like the spine and bones.
Put everything in a big pot and bile an bile an bile and bile until it looks finished, and then when its done you let it cool a little bit. Break the head apart into chunks, bones and all and ladel soup into bowls. Don't be afraid of serving the bones. Picking them out of the bowl is half the fun. Important: do not let the habanero pepper burst, if you do, its fire in the hole time. Remove the pepper before serving, when its real soft, but not burst. NOH BUST DE PEPPA! You hear me? NOOOOOOOHHHH BUUUUSSSSSS DE PEPPA!
This spicy thick fish stew is best served with cold orange koolaide.
Friday, June 02, 2006
De Real Baboon
As I mentioned in my previous post, on Bigness's birthday we went to the Community Baboon Sanctuary in Bermudan Landing. We don't really have baboons here in Belize, but for some reason they call the big howler monkeys baboons.
The road is paved all the way. Just as we're approaching the bridge before we get to the village, Bigness pointed out 2 big baboons sitting on the right side of the bridge, waiting for us to pass before they crossed. He stopped the truck and we waited for the big monkeys to pass. The male probably weighed 20 lbs. Amazing creatures, and right next to the road in the wild, not behind a fence in the zoo. Beautiful and free with a black shiny long hair coat.
We went to the visitor's center which is plainly marked, to check it out and see where the trails were and found out that you can't just walk into the reserve you have to have a guide. O.K. SO, we paid the entrance fee of $5 each and a guide took us for a walk. I'm glad we had a guide or there would have been so much we would have missed, plus the trails are not right there at the center, theya re across the street and they are NOT MARKED. It would be real easy to get lost. This sweet,older Kriole man walked lightly and spoke quietly. As we entered the trails, he told us about the the flora in the area, cashews, mangos, what the monkeys eat, leaf and bark and stick and ting. The first family we saw was a big male with two wives and 4 children ranging in age from 4 months to 2 years old. At first I couldn't see anything, but only heard them, then as we stood there we could see movement way up in the trees and see leaves filtering down as the monkeys moved closer and closer. In the monkey world, its important for a male to have several wives to the continuation of the species. Bigness liked that idea.
Come Baby, come come come come, the guide said over and over, modulating his voice to a low grunt. The monkeys watched us, circling around. Come Baby, come come come, the little ones moved closer, but not close enough to touch. He opened up a mango and put it on a long stick and teased them closer and closer, until the littlest baby came close enough to feed by hand. Beautiful creatures. He handed me the mango and I held it up as high as I could and the baby monkey ate right out of my hand, curling his little fingers around my fingers.
We left this family and continued down the trail as the guide explained more about the ecosystem of the area. We could hear the roar of the howlers in the jungle all around us, it was an amazing sound. If you go on your own and decide not to hire a guide you will definitely see the monkeys but will miss out on all the rich information that only a local can provide. The jungle walk lasts about 45 minutes.
I am in awe of people that work with animals. We several men here on Caye Caulker that have this relationship with wild things. Ras Creek, Juni Saldivar, and let's not forget about Chocolate Heridia. The animals know them. If you ever go on one of their snorkel tours, they don't take you to the regular stops, but to their secret spots. Giant eagle rays as pets, manatees, sharks. Amazing.
Here's a link to the Belize Zoo website with more information about howler monkeys. http://www.belizezoo.org/zoo/zoo/mammals/how/how1.html
And speaking of sharks, fans singing my praises again:
http://cayecaulker.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001628.html
Caye Princes Writes:
"Lee Vanderwalker of Caribbean Colors Art Gallery has been posting stuff on her blog which are insulting to lots of people on Caye Caulker. We would like to ask her to please not to post any further nonsense on her blog and she is also calumniating people’s characters which is not a good thing at all. So Lee, please grow up and write about yourself only as there are lots of things that people already know about you that you have not written about yourself to share on your blog."
Dear Caye Princess: Sounds like you have a personal problem and in typical small town anywhere fashion, nothing is said to my face, but to the people all around me, friends of friends of friends, but hey, thanks for the plug for my blog, the traffic you have stimulated is amazing. In the words of Bigness: If the crown fits the queen, then she should wear it.
The road is paved all the way. Just as we're approaching the bridge before we get to the village, Bigness pointed out 2 big baboons sitting on the right side of the bridge, waiting for us to pass before they crossed. He stopped the truck and we waited for the big monkeys to pass. The male probably weighed 20 lbs. Amazing creatures, and right next to the road in the wild, not behind a fence in the zoo. Beautiful and free with a black shiny long hair coat.
We went to the visitor's center which is plainly marked, to check it out and see where the trails were and found out that you can't just walk into the reserve you have to have a guide. O.K. SO, we paid the entrance fee of $5 each and a guide took us for a walk. I'm glad we had a guide or there would have been so much we would have missed, plus the trails are not right there at the center, theya re across the street and they are NOT MARKED. It would be real easy to get lost. This sweet,older Kriole man walked lightly and spoke quietly. As we entered the trails, he told us about the the flora in the area, cashews, mangos, what the monkeys eat, leaf and bark and stick and ting. The first family we saw was a big male with two wives and 4 children ranging in age from 4 months to 2 years old. At first I couldn't see anything, but only heard them, then as we stood there we could see movement way up in the trees and see leaves filtering down as the monkeys moved closer and closer. In the monkey world, its important for a male to have several wives to the continuation of the species. Bigness liked that idea.
Come Baby, come come come come, the guide said over and over, modulating his voice to a low grunt. The monkeys watched us, circling around. Come Baby, come come come, the little ones moved closer, but not close enough to touch. He opened up a mango and put it on a long stick and teased them closer and closer, until the littlest baby came close enough to feed by hand. Beautiful creatures. He handed me the mango and I held it up as high as I could and the baby monkey ate right out of my hand, curling his little fingers around my fingers.
We left this family and continued down the trail as the guide explained more about the ecosystem of the area. We could hear the roar of the howlers in the jungle all around us, it was an amazing sound. If you go on your own and decide not to hire a guide you will definitely see the monkeys but will miss out on all the rich information that only a local can provide. The jungle walk lasts about 45 minutes.
I am in awe of people that work with animals. We several men here on Caye Caulker that have this relationship with wild things. Ras Creek, Juni Saldivar, and let's not forget about Chocolate Heridia. The animals know them. If you ever go on one of their snorkel tours, they don't take you to the regular stops, but to their secret spots. Giant eagle rays as pets, manatees, sharks. Amazing.
Here's a link to the Belize Zoo website with more information about howler monkeys. http://www.belizezoo.org/zoo/zoo/mammals/how/how1.html
And speaking of sharks, fans singing my praises again:
http://cayecaulker.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001628.html
Caye Princes Writes:
"Lee Vanderwalker of Caribbean Colors Art Gallery has been posting stuff on her blog which are insulting to lots of people on Caye Caulker. We would like to ask her to please not to post any further nonsense on her blog and she is also calumniating people’s characters which is not a good thing at all. So Lee, please grow up and write about yourself only as there are lots of things that people already know about you that you have not written about yourself to share on your blog."
Dear Caye Princess: Sounds like you have a personal problem and in typical small town anywhere fashion, nothing is said to my face, but to the people all around me, friends of friends of friends, but hey, thanks for the plug for my blog, the traffic you have stimulated is amazing. In the words of Bigness: If the crown fits the queen, then she should wear it.