Sunday, September 25, 2011

A Special Day


Franschoek, Cape Town 1999
 When Georgie saw this photo, he asked slightly alarmed  "what's the black stuff on dad's head?" That will be hair, George.

It's our wedding anniversary today and amazingly Tyler got the day off, so reason enough in itself to celebrate. Not that we need another party.

Last night we went to the islands answer to Truman Capote's Black & White Ball held in the 60's, although ours was just white it was equally as glamorous.  This island is very good at enjoying itself. On Wednesday evening we had our Grade 3 class parents round for a drink (I'm Class Mom) on the balcony and despite a power failure and a heavy storm, everyone only went home when the wine ran out. On a Wednesday...

The boys are cooking dinner for us tonight, and I can hear much debate and planning going on in the kitchen at the moment (I've just heard James say "I need some stations"). We have provided the roast beef bought in St Thomas (US Virgin Islands) a few weeks back but the rest is up to them. Tidying up is also part of the treat. William is determined to make an apple pie and Jame's wanted to have chilli con carne as a starter, until we explained that beef folllowed by beef was a bit much. Now I think it's nachos. I've also noticed that there's a bottle of Lanson in the fridge, so who's worrying?

It was exactly 2 years to the day that we decided to move back to the BVI, where Tyler was born and grew up. We had a big 10 year anniversary party in our Johannesburg garden (frankly we never thought we'd see the day, so a party was definetly in order) and at 5am sitting in the bedoiun tent, winding down after everyone had left, we thought "what next" and here we are.

Although the move has been a huge test on our relationship and we have our 'moments'  like everyone else - things have been good. The role reversal has been a shock and Tyler's hours as a chef have been gruelling for all. I've ended up doing a lot of single parenting and still struggle, in my post-modern feminist way, with the housework & endless Driving Children Everywhere. However I have a strong sense that we'll survive (despite dinner tonight) and hopefully grow old gracefully together.

Love you T. Thank you for a wonderful life. xxx

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Fun is a Tonic.

Bimbo & 'Hippy Goth'
After a long week of trying to get back into homework and routine, I felt ready to resign as a mother. In fact I did, but since nobody was listening (for a change) I had to remain in the job. So I just sulked in my (air conditioned) bedroom, occasionally coming out to say some very un-PC things to my children, who had a bypassing interest in the fact that I wasn't the happiest mother on the planet. Also didn't help that I was reading Hilary Rodham Clinton’s autobiograghy, which unsurprisingly failed to cheer me up much.

Anyhow all of this was forgotten on Saturday night, as we went to one of the most enjoyable parties in a long time and had a huge amount of fun. It was an Eighties bash as both the husband & wife had recently turned 40 (40+ 40= 80, so any excuse, in other words). What I love about here is that everyone goes to a huge amount of trouble to dress up. It’s kind of the honourable and expected thing to do, way beyond 'singing for your supper'. What also helps is that most of the clothing shops here still stock a huge amount of 80’s type clothes (lacy, neon-y, flashy, animal printy etc) so there was no problem finding anything plus all the accessories (punky belts, wigs, crucifixes) to go with the 80's mash-up.
Ross & Rachel Munro

So we were joined by Wham, Boy George, multiple Madonna’s, Frankie goes to Hollywood, Axl Rose, Kraftwerk (eyeliner, white shirt & tie) Adam Ant, Super Mario, two Rubic cubes, Jane Fonda, Margaret Thatcher and as many 80’s characters as you could imagine. Very, very funny. Everyone danced for hours and we all knew all the words. Quite a bit of air guitar was also noted. Babysitters did really well that night.

It been here, we then had to get up at some ungodly hour on Sunday to go staggering off to mountain bike, but at least this time it wasn’t on another island, just Beef island. Even Rachel (one half of the party throwers) was there, admittedly looking a teensy bit blurry. Platinum Prize for Motherhood, Rach. Don't think I would have managed.

Ross & Rachel are an amazing couple (you can read more about them  here and pledge some money whilst you do so!). Ross was diagnosed 18 months ago with Non- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (as was my cousin Clare). With his family's support and the Royal Marsden Hospital, Ross has successfully fought it, and now he, Rachel and several others are running the Chicago Marathon in 3 weeks time, to raise money for Cancer Research UK and Hands on Volunteers, a local charity which is focused mainly on raising funds for Haiti. A group of teachers from Cedar is running for Haiti (this is their blog & also details for donations) and we are all very proud of them. When you watch the race and see Team BVI, give a big cheer as we will all be doing on our little green dot. Better still, please donate!

Sunday afternoon was spent collapsed in a heap, humming “Karma Cameleon” and letting the children 'get on with their own devices' in other words ignoring them. Not that they noticed.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Tropical Stormers*



Tyler has been up half the night - joined later by James (pictured left) watching the Rugby World Cup and had to leave for work about 10 minutes before the end of the England/Argentinia game (just after the missed penalty) with much grumbling. We are watching ITV live streaming with Francois Pienaar on the commentary panel, so not too shabby. We'll all be up tomorrow for the South African game (power better bloody well not go out) but wont be blowing the  vuvuselas until afterwards, as it will only be 4:30am here when the game starts.

We're under Tropical Storm warning again this weekend (Maria) which is meant to be arriving later today, according to the satellite trackers. Having never been quite so well prepared before (everything's charged up, rummy cards are out, freezer food all made, water by the loos) chances are not too much will happen. It's a beautiful day so far with the odd squall and Tyler will be home at Noon as Scrub will close until the all clear is given - so can't complain really. James is meant to be camping out tonight, which could be heroic. One just sort of sits around, waiting for it to happen. Sometimes it does, sometimes it dosn't. Sometimes it just rains a lot.

It's been a funny week. Having stated our intention last week to conquer the world, most of this week was spent cowering in our (air conditioned) bedroom feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all. Then I watched that heart rendering piece on the Australian X Factor with the Iraqi chap and gave myself a stern talking too. There's now been a flurry of activity in the Dawson household and the dining room table has been colonised by sewing machines, homework, material, laptops and the like and we've had to relocate dining to the balcony table. This may be interesting in a tropical storm.
William had a huge week - having started both piano ("do rockstars actually need to learn to play the piano?") and tennis. He's been itching to do all of this, but I can't help but feel a tiny wrench as our 'baby' (luckily he can't read yet) grows up so quickly.

The island seems to be getting back to it's old self with 3 party invitations sitting on the fridge door - an "80's" 40th, a "all in white" 60th and a champagne baby shower brunch in the next  few weeks. It's a good way to pass September which is the hottest, windiest, buggiest month of the year and which needs turning on its head a bit.  Georgie is 9 at the beginning of October and then there's Halloween - so off we go on our party rollercoaster. Blink and it will be Christmas. 

The factory has now been leased and Tyler is busy looking at ovens and equipment. It's too exciting, but we are anxious to just get up & running. One can only look at foodie blogs for so long.

Speaking of which - the screeching parrot needs to put out on the balcony for some airtime before the storm arrives and my legs are being chomped by mozzies. I also really need a coffee - having been up so early biting my nails (golly England, what happenend?). There is something deeply surreal sitting in the Caribbean - waiting for a storm, whilst watching British TV (the boys are fascinated by the adverts, as we dont have them on BBC) being broadcast live from New Zealand. That something so awsomely global is being played out in such a fiercely regional way, must remain one of the few things that hasn't been conquered or branded or re-packaged by the likes of Wal-mart.  For this (and those gorgeous new rugby shirts they all wear now mmmmm) I love it.  Pray for power though.

* Our rugby team we support in South Africa is called the Western Province Stormers - so pun most intended if not a little obscure

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Happy Boiling Hot Day

It's been so hot over the past few days I think my brain has fizzled out. Whilst the rest of the world has been wishing each other Happy Spring/Fall Day, we've all just been melting and sweating our way through the week. Consequently I've been seriously grumpy and had a major energy dip. The kids went back to school on Wednesday, not a minute too soon.

Anyhow enough moaning, as we certainly have enough to get on with. I feel like we have projects in every direction at the moment.


Could do better, coming up.
Tyler is on-island Tuesday & Wednesday this week, and a big push is needed on the family business. We need to get going and start baking within the next few weeks. We will hopefully have a leased 'factory' for this. I'm busy teaching myself food photograghy as we want to set up something on-line whilst we look for retail premises. Paula is busy conceptualising design ideas for us (love the name and dying to tell everyone - but it's still only reserved and not registered yet) and packaging needs to get printed. We are also preparing a range of Christmas & holiday goodies, which all needs to be ordered, made, wrapped and bottled.



Road Town Kids


Road Town Kids
I've also decided to bring back Road Town Kids, the clothing range I had for two brief seasons in SA, before time and energy forced me to put it on hold. We're having a trunk sale at the end of this month to sell off the last of my small stock and so am making some extra little things like hats, bloomers and tote bags with the leftover gorgeous Kaffee Fasset material. Quitely excited about this, as the clothes do fit in here and I'm feeling all inspired again. 

Looks like we are going to be staying in our house on the Hill of the Barking Dogs, until we get our own place, so we are doing some DIY to build more storage and I need to let wrip in the garden (just not today, please). It still feels a bit like Tortola's equivalent of Lonehill, but it's conveneient and manageable and we "get the breezes"  to make it more bearable.




A Pirate does his scales
The biggest project of all of course remains the boys. William starts tennis, sailing and piano this year, which makes last year look like a dress rehearsal. Speaking of which the older two are preparing for their RCM exams and have also upped their sailing to Wednesdays and Saturdays. James informed me today that now that he is in Grade 5 he needs an art shirt and deodrandt for Monday. Georgie has a very nice, new teacher so I volunteered to be Class Mom.

OK time to get back to just-sitting-on-the-balcony-it's-so-hot. We may have some effects from Hurricane Katia later today and tomorrow, but some wind and rain would be quite nice, actually.  Could do without the enivatable power cut that usually goes with however.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Hurricanes 101

I came across this today, whilst sitting on the balcony sofa trying not to move, it's so hot: The Official Hurricane Centre Guide for the correct pronunciation of 2011's hurricanes, just what everybody needs.

We are now watching  'KAY-tyah' which is meant to go far north of us on Monday, so normal hurricane alerts out but we'll only get some wind and rain.  Not sure what happenend to 'ho-ZAY' - where did that one go?  This time last year we were only on E (Earl pronounced Er-LL?).

Wonder why there arn't just simple names like Fred & Amy?  It's also not very diverse is it? We need a few Amils and Fatimas and Mpho's, dont't we?

Arlene ar-LEEN
Bret bret
Cindy SIN-dee
Don dahn
Emily EH-mih-lee
Franklin FRANK-lin
Gert gert
Harvey HAR-vee
Irene eye-REEN
Jose ho-ZAY
Katia KAH-tyah
Lee lee
Maria muh-REE-uh
Nate nait
Ophelia o-FEEL-ya
Philippe fee-LEEP
Rina REE-nuh
Sean shawn
Tammy TAM-ee
Vince vinss
Whitney WHIT-nee