The country girl and the two coconuts….

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coconutwaterYou  know sometimes the Most High does manifest in all kinds of ways.  And the other day , this country girl felt it for sure. It was in two coconuts she had sit down in the yard for weeks. She bought them off a beach hustler who was trying to beg a small change. She two coconuts in her hand – perhaps for her coconut bakes for the family supper, but I offered to buy them off her and she gladly agreed- eating her cake. .. And since then, they in the yard keeping one another company and waiting to flavour up some breadfruit or rice and peas or something. And wondering when this woman going to do something with them.

Well the day she got two breadfruits, and decided on oil down, they watching to see what she gonna do, because they still wearing their thick, hard, brown skins. You see, they didn’t know that she is a country girl to the bone! That she peeling coconuts since she ten years old, That she could even peel a coconut with a stone!!So they sit down there, watching and waiting, because they know is more than hitting them on a stone this time. And she does like to do that – crack them on the big stone in the yard, drain the sweet water into her hand and guide it to her mouth, wetting up all she clothes.  That is why she can’t live nowhere without  a yard with big stones.

Well she  get out she cutlass – one dull piece a thing! It new, but like the more she file it, the duller it get.  But anyway, she psych up sheself, getting ready to mappou (pound with force) they backside to bits, because is blend she blending them so it didn’t matter if they mash up. She put the first one on the wall, behind the kitchen, aim and make a chop, willing the cutlass to hit well. The cutlass connect, and stick. The coconut shell cling on to it so tight, she could not take it out, so she start to mappou- with the coconut still clinging to the cutlass. One. Two. Three. SPLIT! The coconut shell (outer skin)open up and the coconut come out clean clean. Not a piece ah shell on it!  She settle the second one. Aim. Chop. A little more mappouing, but to her relief and amazement, the next coconut come out clean clean again!!! No knifing required. No messing about, jooking up she fingers to remove them stubborn shells that does glue on tight tight to the coconut. All she had to do was chop up and blend.

And  sometimes that  little traditional thing she have in her does try to force her to grate the coconut eh. The same thing that does make her grate the sweet potatoes when she making pudding, and the tannia, when she making log (porridge), but she does put she foot down when it comes to grating coconuts yes!  She does work them hands too hard to already to inflict more torture by grating coconuts too!  Mm mm. No sah! Blender for they backside!

So yes, this country girl felt that manifestation. Little things.  Small blessings. Give thanks.

Paradise Sundays

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umbrellas We go every Sunday, and have been doing so since the first     experience a few months ago. It’s  the same venue – our favourite  spot, Umbrellas Beach Bar, of  course.  Same Day of the week .  We order the same drinks – a  Guinness and although I try the  daily specials, when feeling adventurous, I have settled on Painkiller as my favourite – I limit myself to one though…watching the pennies. And same band – (well part of Barracuda) and perhaps we know most of the songs in his repertoire by now, but Barry always surprises and pleases his audience with a new addition or perhaps just does an old one in a way… a bit of country, a mix of reggae, flavoured with a dash of Italian opera – brilliant every time!
And some of the faces are the same, some different. But each Sunday turns out differently; different atmosphere; different moods – both band and audience; different weather – lucky if you could fit underneath an umbrella when it starts to rain. Some nights are dancing nights, some not. Some nights spirits soar higher, boosted by one too many rum punch. Special moments of interaction between band and audience, and if you’re lucky, Barry may even perform a request! Other nights people (not persons as is seems the norm to say, especially on radio and TV),people (nothing wrong with using this noun people) just chill, listen and enjoy the music ..the food…the company…the evening. Mostly we meet and chat with the same people. Other times we just sit together…no words necessary. A greeting and a little chat with the manager Wayne is always a welcome gesture.
Last night we were about to leave when we bumped into a bona fide friend. We stayed on. Another drink. A very conscious and stimulating discussion. Another thrilling climax to our Sundays in Paradise. Always worth it. Grenada Nice Oui!