**on-site Trip Report [[ Sat-day night ..... 12/21 ]]

[smith744]

* Whew *

hi, everybody
has been a BUSY past-24-hours+

last nights wake was NICE..!!..
fun & lively, as usual

on the 10-minute walk to the dead-yard, before we reached, a neighbor-lady walked up to me..... smiling & glad to see you back greetings were exchanged.

she-SAY:::>> "... M______ is getting married tomorow ... Sat-day ... 2 o'clock in JohnsonTown @ blah blah..."
mi-SAY:::>> "..WHAT...!!... ---- i've GOT to be there .... WILL be there..."

i've known M_____ from loooooooooooooong time --- WHO-ever she marry-ing MUST be special, 'cause she is *special*.

jumping ahead,
today,
i went to the wedding

:-)

NICE NICE NICE..!!..

more to tell,
but at another time.

back to the wake @ dead-yard::::>>> things were as usual:::: a DJ, stuff for sale, mannish water, loud music, PLENTY of people.

[[ continue in a few minutes ]]

[smith744]

[[ continue-ing ]]

for me,
the highlight of the wake was seeing all the people i've known for many many MANY years ---- we all *grew-up* together:::: me learning them,,,,,and them learning me.

for me,
the fascinating part was how ALL the children have grown & matured. I can NEVER get adjusted to these developments.

oh
oh:::>> last night was a full-moon ---- the roads, with overgrown bushes, trees, etc, made things dark-dark .... BUT the full moon LIT-UP the area ---- you could see your shadow on the grown --- 'twas a loooooooooooooong shadow.

as i patrol-ed the wake area,
seeing who i could see
i saw two likkle boys,
'bout 5.5 feet tall,
'bout 12-13 years old
leaning on a car *bonnet* --- the hood of the car

they looked familiar --- i approached ---- 'twas two pickneys I've known BEFORE they were bred ---- not even in the womb yet. And here they were, bigger, taller, and posing with that all familiar Jamaican-guy lean, and their best game faces, bouncing to the music.

then::>> **BOOM***

THEY-EACH had in their young-hands a chilled bokkle of RedStripe.

:-(

i was speechless

gathered myself, and *remember-ed*:::>>> THIS ain't Kanas, Smith ---- *things* go *differently* down here.

partially, in jest, i asked and teased them about the RedStripe thing::::: they gave me these '..you mad..' expressions.

i'm gonna jump around,
and
skip over a lot of stuff i wanna post ---- got a few videos for you-too .... but as always::>> soon-come

be patient

Pre-Christmas Lucea Things


today,
Lucea-town was jammed-packed with folks.

the WesternUnion line (for receiving) was 'bout 200-people long ALL DAY Loooooooong

boardie-family,
i can't described how things have been around town ---- it's the busiest i've EVER seen it.

today/tonight as i type there's STILL a bunch of folks out there ---- they moving like they ain't gonna go home. Folks chilling, folks selling, folks buying, etc etc etc..---- the Christmas-vibe is in FULL effect.

NOW i unna-stan what folks been telling me all these years about Jamaica at this time of year. I CAN'T WAIT to see Christmas Eve...!!!...

[[ soon come back, with more.. stay tuned ]]

[smith744]

My Mantra for this trip

money-wise & budget-wise, it's ALL about at ALL times:::>> "..What you Want vs. What you NEED.."

more about mi-mantra later

oh
oh:::>> had 1-Heniken at the wake:::>>> Ja$250

I may be repeating myself,
but this trip has so far, after 4-days been absolute-ly beautiful ---- EVERYBODY --- in town and in country AND in Negril ---- have been treating me like FAMILY...... I can't believe ...!!!... mi-'fraid --- all this heavenly treatment CAN'T be real ---- my Dout-ing Thomas tendecies keep popping-up telling me I'm dreaming.

* sigh *

we'll see how things go

but for now, I'm in heaven..!!!...
'tis DEFINITE-ly "..land (and people) we love .... la la la.."

oh
oh
oh:::>> as with most/many folks, i was watching all the Mandela funeral thing-ys last week. As i watched I found myself over & over again say, "..that's how thing go in Jamaica, and the USofA Black communities..."

Well,
last night,
at the wake
up real-close & personal
i saw & felt the same things again::::>>> that African-thing run
d
e
e
p, mi frens ...... real deep

at Mandela's thing dem dance a certain way.... sing a certain way

last night dem doing & sounding EXACT same way.

yep
yep::>> the connection IS there..!!!...


ummmmmmm
MUST closely at this funeral Sunday/tommorow afternoon.

stay tuned

i'm gonna run
go back to mi yard in country

'tis late
gotta catch a taxi
hope i don't have to wait 45 minutes like last night

:-(

ummmmmmmmmmmmm
maybe i should charter a taxi as many on this board advise
lol
lol
lol
I DON'T think so..!!!
NEVER happen.

lataaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

mi gone

:-)

oh
oh
ooooooooh::>> just signed-up for a WiFi thing-y at a local internet place:::>> Ja $300 a MONTH..!!!.

[newfiegirl59]

sounds like you are having a great time . Merry Christmas to you and your friends. I like your writing style keep the reports coming. Oh sorry to say I will not be reporting on my adventures in Jamaican dog walking. My Jamaican step dogs are apperantly on property arrest the owners don't want them to know whats outside of the gates, for their safety.

[smith744]

. Oh sorry to say I will not be reporting on my adventures in Jamaican dog walking. My Jamaican step dogs are apperantly on property arrest the owners don't want them to know whats outside of the gates, for their safety.

lol
lol

the owner's *response* makes PERFECT-Jamaican-sense, to me ..... along wit a few-OTHER reasons, not expressed

nevertheless,
I am SO-SO GLAD you took the time to post-back to my request

thanks a bunch..!!..

:-)

[VVHT]

Bill,

On site reports are definitely making a dreary day bright!

Thanks,

VVHT