Flashback

I know I have lots of things to write on this blog. A confession session seems to be on the horizon...I wonder how long it's been since I've had a really good verbal purge...via this here newfangled creation, the computer...words flow easily - this is...my therapy of sorts.
But today, I have to write SOMETHING about where I live, considering I'm supposed to be writing about my "adventures housesitting" hehe.

These little stinkybutts are my step brothers. I LOVE them to pieces...and apparently they like me too...phew!

The older one has no reason to like me...I was awful to him when he just came into my life...yes...I know...shame on me, I was like 20-something and he was only 3...and I couldn't stand him around me...the hangups of an only (and adopted) child! Ha!! But I so got over it...and he is so sweet and apparently forgiving.

I think having little twin brothers (E & K) has softened him (M) and he's probably just used to the chaos now...poor thing! And yes, the two on his left are his twin brothers (fraternal obviously!)

Rule #1 at my apartment: Don't have people over. Or loosely translated: No parties!
Well, is it so bad to have my three stinkies over for some sandwiches and juice for my birthday? That's not a party, though K (middle) was the hired entertainment the way he kept us in stitches! (BTW, this little party was in October...coz my boitday is Halloween!)
One of the things that make me happy about my apartment is that the owners do leave us alone quite a bit. I mean, there's times when you wonder how you can live in such close proximity to some people, and how can you not step on people's toes. But it's been pretty good going. They were gone for 9 months last year, so we had the place to ourselves pretty much.
And we let the yard go quite a bit...I mean, we're ashamed to admit that we didn't do a great job reining in the weeds, but we managed to clean it up and fix it nicely.
However - now the owner is back. I am on the hunt once more for my own spot. I have so many ideas...I think this weekend, I want to go around with le camera and take pictures of where I WISH I could set up house! :)
Wouldn't that be nice? Would you like to see that? Yes? Yes? OKAY!!!
Anywhos, I guess to get back on my topic...How many of you had at least one stringent rule set where you rented/rent?

(Edit) - Hahaha...I read this over after posting and realized that I certainly made it sound like I have millions hitting me up for my sporadic posts! hahaha. I am NO Perez or P-Widdy! Oh well, a girl can dream! :)

Retail Therapy

Warning: This post contains some mushy stuff, killer heels, cute purse, and even references to boxing and alcohol. Read at your own risk!

One of the things I love most about my boyfriend is that he is the most understanding and chilled out guy out there. I kid you not. We've been together five years (going on 6 on July 13) and to date, we've had like one argument per year (and I can be a big girl and say it was all MY fault).
After a week feeling like crap, wishing I was dead, or at the very least, wishing that my mom was back with me, he said, Honey, you need to come with me to the city and do some shopping. You will feel better.
......
What did I tell ya? This man is wonderful, amazing, beautiful and smart. hehe...who cares if we have like no money to spend like crazy. What's the point of working your ass off, doing double work, and so much more, and have nothing to show for it??? At least that was the argument I had on file should anyone question my decision to shop like there was no tomorrow!

This flock of birds kept us entertained while we waited on the boat that would take us to Belize City! I took the SP Belize Express for only$30bz round trip, in comparison to flying out at $90-$100. Yea...money saver, that's ME! :) More to shop with I say!

The scene from the dock. My island is gorgeous...I know. :)

This is some scenery I can handle. Cute babies are always on the top of my list! That little girl's smile is too cute too!

Ah...view from the Swing Bridge in Belize City! These fishing boats are a familiar sight for all who arrive via water taxi!

Isn't this view amazing?? I don't see any cruise ships in the horizon. Just a sail boat, a small fishing boat and that bird!

Anywho, he had a meeting in the city while I decided to take the beautiful route on boat. Only a little over an hour later, and I was in the city!

One thing I will say for being in the city. It puts so much in perspective for me. The therapy I got was not from shopping or dining at one of my favorite places. It came from seeing the poverty that is so rampant throughout the city. It spills out to the main drag of the city. It follows you, with a stench that cannot come off until you take off your clothes and take a long shower. Belize City (affectionately called Belize Shitty) is such a cacophonous mix, with the poor, mentally challenged and homeless all over the street, loud honking cars, people with some serious attitude.

It makes me appreciate my island. We might be expanding and growing, but we still have the small town community feel. Our people are nice, friendly, have at least a smile for you. The city is all about elbowing your way past others, no dawdling on the sidewalk, as someone behind you will let you know exactly how she feels. Mostly it’s the women with the snarky attitude! When I get my stuff from the shop and cashiers and bag boys, I always say thank you. My momma raised me right, show common courtesy, right? You would think I had grown another head the way those people stare every time I say thank you, smile or try to be nice. That’s sad. I hope that my beloved San Pedro doesn’t end up with people like that.

But enough about my lessons learned. Check out the loot I scored! (After the jump over the night shot!)

I arrived on the last boat back. I completely missed the 4pm boat (well, in my defense, I thought the boat left at 4:30! Anywho, had to wait till 5:30 for the express back home. The sight of the lights always makes my heart sing. I love my little island! Ain't it purty?

InStyle is my favorite magazine, those heels are killer (and that purse...actually, I already had that but won't it look cute with those shoes? he he he...)

So, thanks honey, for inviting me to go to the city. I enjoyed myself. Even that dude who followed me down the street rapping something about his talent and making weird gestures was ok, coz I knew I was feeling better by the second, appreciating all that I have, and appreciating you for who you are. And I won't tell nobody about your singing in the cab on the way back home, drunk as a skunk. Yes, Antonio Margarito lost to Sugar Shane Mosley, and you had every right to drink your sorrows away. My ears didn't need the extra torture though! ...
...
Strawberry wi-i-ine...lalalalala...hehehe...sorry...couldn't resist!

Garbage and Politics

I haven't seen this newfangled truck being used at all. Politics season is heating up in my beloved little town. I wonder if this is part of the propaganda.
I honestly am neither red nor blue when it comes to politics. I think long and hard about whom I want to vote for, do some research and talk to others about different candidates. Families of the candidates are often their downfall. Small town politics includes lots of backstabbing, mudslinging, corruption, suspicious transactions - and that's sometimes just within the party! UDP (United Democratic Party - Red) and PUP (People's United Party - Blue) are the oldest parties in the country. No independent party can hope to win. EVER.
Anyhow, this truck was brought in under our UDP Town Council. It's new, shiny, and I have never seen it in action. But I could be wrong. I could have been stuck inside the office and not seen it being driven around. Who knows!

It’s good when stuff that’s been bought for oodles of money can be put to use. I don’t care at this point if it is just because the politics is in season, I am just happy to see it in use. Voters aren’t stupid. We know why things are suddenly looking up. We wish it was politics all the time. Poor people would get free grants to fix their homes or get out of bad debts. Things that were originally designated for the people and were kept hidden can be brought out now. The people, for a few weeks out of the season, suddenly have the power.

If a politician offers you $400 cash in hand and asks you to vote, tell them SURE SURE SURE…and when the other politician comes by and does the same, say the same. On voting day, vote for who YOU want to, not for the one has given you more money. Trust me, it’s like the only money you will ever get from a politician. And then you can buy me a drink! I sure as heck have never been given money by any politico. Probably because they get that vibe from me, you know, the one that says, “suckaaaaaaaaa…” to them? Heehee.

I kinda went off tangent, but I do want to show you something also regarding politics. The great US of A just got their first half black/half white president. Ease off on the whole black thing by the way. Barack Obama is half and half. He’s creamy milk chocolate. He’s a cutie! He’s hope. He’s change (take a shot of tequila every time you hear that word from him!). He hopefully will be able to accomplish what he’s set out to do. And what is it that he will do? What did he say he was gonna do? Think real hard. He is in office now. He is awesome and powerful and can make things happen. He is different.

The great B-E-L-I-Z-E also got their first black Prime Minister. Before that we had a half Lebanese one I believe (he kinda screwed us over, so really, do I have to go there?), and before that, it was two other white/non-black dudes. One was even on the road to becoming a priest! (My favorite, George Cadle Price)

But, I’m just saying, there was no huge ripple in the media about Dean Barrow becoming our first black PM. Probably because we are like, totally used to black people. I thought people in the great US of A were too. What is the big deal? Why the big issue on color? Can’t we all get along?

PM Barrow and President Obama - two firsts.
Both campaigned on the platform of change.

I have no sensible or deep conclusion to this post, no clever analogy like "Polictics is like garbage, best thrown in the bin and burned at the dump." I just had to get that out of my system. So, if you read to the end, and wish I'd been more clever. Oops. Sorry. My bad. Tough. I am not miss Clever Clogs this morning. But I got politics out of my system! hee hee...

Everything is coming up roses!

This was what greeted me this morning. The sun was SHINING and I swear I heard a couple of birds singing. It was not me...PROMISE!
This rosebush has THREE buds...this one is opening up...and the other will follow...then a long pause THEN the other will flower. I will have quite a stretch of roses! :) yay...
I was talking to a friend in Portland (yea...I know...crazeeeeeee!!) and he was telling me how he's got lots of roses. I dream of the day when I will actually own my own plot of land with a house. I will have ROSES all over...I like all flowers, but roses hold a special place for me cause my mama liked them! :)
I have tons of clippings now, but I fear that I might have to leave them at the place I am staying at now because how horrid would it be to uproot them? :(
anywho...I told my friend that I am soon gonna be called the Rose Lady...which is markedly better than "dat criayzy cyat lady..." (do I really have to translate?)
And that's only cause we're not allowed to have pets!
When I get a chance to upload, I will show you these pics of FAT CATS I met yesterday at SAGA humane society! They were awesome-o!! WISH they were mine...

UPDATE:

oh...purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Mom

Life is weird. I just got a side job that allows me to write fun stories for a web site. Pays me some money monthly which helps with a huge ass bill I got to pay off. Long story short. Medical care is hideously expensive in Belize. No such thing as affordable insurance, which means that when my dearly beloved mother got really sick, she didn't even want to say anything because she was worried it would cost too much (mothers!).

Miss you lots :(

By the time we took her to the hospital, it was way too late. After spending five days in hospital, she passed away. She was only 47.
I miss her a lot. I keep hearing her voice when I spoke to her as they were taking her in. It's frail. Sad. Lost. Lonely. Scared. REALLY scared. Terrified. Alone.
I am an only child. Adopted. My mother was divorced from my awful adoptive father (who don't speak to me no more...).
During the days in the hospital, while my mother was hooked to tubes and oxygen masks, I talked to the nurses who tended to her day and night. They were completely disillusioned by their work, the pay was crap and they were simply looking at the couple years they were in Belize as a stepping stone to heading off to the US. What pissed them off was the fact that the cost of medical care was outrageous and they kept 'tsking' me, saying, you poor thing. You have to pay the bill ALL BY YOURSELF?!
One nurse had a little daughter, and she even went so far as to say, "I better have another child, just so my baby girl isn't alone in paying bills or taking care of me when I get old!"
Yea. She said that.
I didn't care. I still don't care, I would have done the same thing all over again.
We transferred my mother from that hospital to another one, and they had her in ICU for a few days. What was interesting however, was when I tried to come in, the first thing they did was take me to the office and demand $1,500 Bz ($750 USD), up front, immediately, right now. My boss, coworkers and friends were rallying, knowing that I had a huge bill coming, and the community had already started donating money so I knew I had at least that amount in my bank account. But thankfully, I had gotten in touch with a lovely woman from the Kidney Association, and she wrote out a check for that amount, which then meant that I had gotten my mother one night's stay in ICU and a dialysis treatment. Since the weekend was starting, no-one bothered me, and My mother managed to stay put for two more nights while my poor friends tried to come up with money. My darling hubby-wubby started working on a quick loan just in case and we knew we could hold on for a bit. Come Monday, with no money in hand, I was told my mother would have to be taken out since I couldn't pay the bill.

Yes. As in, evicted from the hospital because I couldn't pay up. But, here's the zinger: I couldn't accompany her, I had to remain in the hospital, kind of like a hostage, until the bill was paid.
Ah...welcome to the life of a Belizean. Anyone who lives here and is from another country generally has no problem like this because they are investors. They are covered by international insurance. It's the real country people who get SCREWED!!

Yes. I am pissed. It's the colonialist mentality. "Sell to the foreigner and screw the little country people, they're happy to work for pennies a week"...though believe me, foreigners actually think that paying someone $175 (Bz) or $200 (Bz) is too much. I had a job with English people who paid me $250 ($125us) a week, even though they reeled in over $1,000 a DAY!! And my rent was $500 a month...so for two weeks, I had to hold on to my check because I had to pay my rent. hmm...So, yea...if you're thinking, "well, what about your savings?" - trust me if I could, I would have. But I didn't, so I didn't!!

So my mother passed away the Monday night. They didn't put her out, but only because of my coworker who called the owner of the hospital and basically put him in his place. They agreed to a payment plan. Which brings me to my current situation. The bill, when it came, was almost $9,000. The first hospital? ha...that was $10,970.50. Yes. Combined, I had a $20,000 bill to pay!
My stepdad hasn't stepped up to the plate as yet, so have been making payments alone.

But this is not really me bellyaching about my bill. It's the principle of the matter I guess. (?)
And the good news. I have a side job. I have started writing for www.Ambergriscaye.com under the title, Tia Chocolate. Yes...there's a story behind that! :) That's another post though!! And that is helping me pay off my 2 year bill...hehehe...I guess I better not get sick during those years!! Oh well...it's Friday. The weekend is coming. I am looking forward to playing a bit in the yard - though the rain won't let up! AAAh...oh well...

My mop makes the perfect accessory amongst my gorgeous plants! My bright yellow and orange flip flops also make the cut! Hee hee.

my lakefront place! haha - this is currently my street!

Welcome!

Early last year, my boyfriend/hubby/love-of-my-life and I moved into this gorgeous, if small apartment. We live in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. It's considered a paradise island, and having lived here for the past 12 years, I can attest to it's charm and beauty.
There are a few problems with this lovely island - such as garbage, crazy development (have serious problems with that), and lots of environmental concerns. The community comes together during these crazy times though, and we take care of each other. And we all know how to have fun...so...let's see how this goes about!
Oh...and yeah, we're taking care of the yard and home when our landlords aren't around...and this is part of our education in home ownership. I am hoping that some time this year, we come across an affordable home, or land, where we can BUILD our home.
Basically, this blog is simply life. On an island. Responsibility. Tourism. Stuff.

I hope you enjoy following this blog - and try to be nice if you comment! :-D