Carnival is Here!!!

Ladies and Gents, is CARNIVAL FRIDAY!!! As I speak there is the biggest competition for the Carnival Season currently underway, the International Soca Monarch Competition!!

Tomorrow (Saturday) the kiddies come out to play! It is time for them to don their costumes, hit the streets and have a fantastic time!!

This little cutie is all ready for tomorrow, I captured her earlier tonight at a mall.


Sunday it is another big competition, the Calypso Competition and the King and Queen of Carnival Costume Competition, this is an individual competition and the costumes here are really big and elaborate.

Theeeeennnn, it's Carnival Monday morning......................Jouvert!!!! The adults come out really early like about 3am, and ther revelry starts in the streeet!

From about 10am on Carnival Monday, I come out to play, the Parade of bands, I am playing with Brian Mac Farlane in AFRICA!!!! That is his presentation this year and I cannot wait to hit the streets!!!

I collected my costume earlier today and I will be trying it on tomorrow, I'll update this blog with pics of me in my costume tomorrow, I am totally pooped but I had to post tonight because I am getting withdrawal symtoms from not posting!!

How is everybody!!! I miss you all! I visit as often as I can, I hope I dont leave anyone out!

If you are up at this hour you may be able to catch some of the Soca Monarch competition, it is streaming live here. This is of course at 1214hrs Trini time, I think we are an hour ahead of North America.

I moved to another area of my building, from here I can see when cruise ships come in, and our inter island ferry as well as it comes in from Tobago.

This is a cruise ship that came in today, full of happy tourists, happy to be here for carnival!!



Hubby and I had Dinner at Ruby Tuesday tonight, he loooves their burgers, I was not very hungry I just had the Southern Rolls, they were delicious!!

Another view from my new area of my building

UPDATE!!

So as I mentioned my costume is actually authentic African wear, so there is no glam or glitter, but I like it and I am looking foward to being on the road this year having a great time, oh, because I am not wearing any make up, I edited out my face ha!

Views from my office window

My office is, in a word AWESOME!! it's on the waterfront and the views are fantastic! I wanted to share some with you all today.

I feel so blessed to be employed again, in this economy, yes, we are hit by the worldwide recession too. Did I mention I am getting paid the highest salary I have ever worked for, during the interview I was asked my salary expectations, to an interviewee that is the question that always throw me for a loop! I somehow never expect it, yet it always comes, well this time I asked for what I thought I deserved, I gave two figures that were $3000.00 apart, and I got paid right smack in the middle! I feel quite pleased with myself!

It's back to school for me tomorrow! I am already more than halfway through my 3 year degree program! And believe me it has opened doors for me already! Of course I put it on my resume, and it has helped with closing the deal for me.

Any way, on to the views!

These pics were taken looking out the massive picture windows in my office, and what's even nicer is the lunch room has the best views, and all the tables are placed in a vantage point to enjoy it while having your lunch. None of these pics are from the lunch room however, they are all from my work space.

the ocean view, that round thingy is a beautiful fountain that is still being worked on, I'll be sure to post pics when it is complete.

mountain view, not too clear, sorry, but you get the idea

another view of the ocean and the little boats, this is in the our capital city

a view of the walk and the boats in the ocean

another view of a neighboring building and the ocean again

a street side view! You should see this same street at 4pm! bumper to bumper traffic!

more construction




The ladies bathroom and some diva shots! Dint tell Shelia, I'll try to take better ones next week! lol!!!

Silly me did not take the flash off!

See you guys soon!

Sorry I've been so busy

I'm terribly sorry I was not around today to read posts, but, I GOT A JOB!!!!!! What a wonderful way to start the new year! I 'm happy but sad that I may not be around that much in blogland as I would like to be, but I promise not to fall too far behind, at the moment I am pooped because I started the day with yet another interview, got the offer, and made groceries to buy breakfast items that are quicker than what I have been making for the last year, because now it's back to the hustle and bustle!


So after putting the kids to bed tonight I will be back to read up and catch up, I can do this! I can be a working blogger! Many of you ladies work and keep excellent blogs, I intend to do the same.

See you soon and wish me luck on my first day tomorrow!

Blonds

A blond went back to work after staying at home for 25 years, (although she really does not quite look her age) this is the outcome of her first day on the job.

All you blondes out there, Tootsie, Lisa/Frenchfry and others I mean no offense, but who does not love a blond joke!

Young love

On boxing day last my handsome nephew got married, the header pic is my sister and me at the wedding, I'm so proud of him making this huge step in his young life!

Here he is with his beatiful bride, they met at church and fell in love! They are both studying in the US.

Ah! Young love!!!!!

I wish everyone a great week!

Photo Tag Game!

I've been tagged by first by Chris then by Donna to participate in the photo tag game that is sweeping Blogland! Well as you can see my fourth photo in my fourth file is of our loved Buffy, let me explain, a few months ago I was playing around with a website where you could upload a photo of a mummy and daddy and child and it would determine which parent the child resembled more, I did it with my family but................................. well I decided to take it a step further and use photos of Buffy, Schmecky and Shelia as the child, it was hilarious!!

You can click here to see how that turned out, because I did create a blog post of it. I know you are curious to know who Shelia resembled!

Since Buffy removed her blog I did not say anything of it, but I am using this forum just to say Buffie, I love you and miss you and hope that you return to blogging soon, because apart from Justine, Blogland is missing it's other resident nut. I also miss your videos! You know you are our resident vlogger!

I Need the Tootsie Touch

There are two areas of my yard that I am downright embarrassed about, they are, in a word, ugly, and they have been ugly for far too long. This year I vow to d0 something about it. The worst part is that they are both situated to the front of my home. I love and admire beautiful yards so much but I feel they are not within my reach.

That kind of thinking has to stop today, I am going to get the yard I can be proud of, why not? But of course I would not mind the support of my blogging buddies, you guys are so supportive of everything I do, any ideas will be appreciated. Of course you may not know much about tropical gardening but let me tell you what I envision for the spaces.

For the above space I basically want some green grass, lots and lots of flowers and a bench, there is a lot of shade here, this is where I had my vegetable garden last year, however hubby and I decided that we would do all gardening in the backyard this year and beautify the front yard spaces.

here is another view of the same space,


I want to Tootsify the above space and turn it into this:

Another space of shame is this space pictured below:

Here are two more shots of it, I am laying my embarrassing yard bare, for all to see, so that the only thing can happen is an improvement!

I want this area to become this....................,

I want to use it for a recreation area for the kids, I would love to include a swing set and a splash pool at the far end.

Sigh.................................................., I wish I had Tootsie' talent!

I have to buy some top soil and fill in the spaces, I'm going to buy some grass seeds, it's a cheaper than buying the grass squares itself, and lots and lots of plants, or maybe some seeds too, those that can go directly into the ground. It will be hard work but of course worth it. Wish me luck guys!

My neighbor sent me these, on Saturday, they are called pommerac, they are really sweet and were gone in minutes!

Out of embarassment comes good, and awards

I wanted to tell you about Tobago, I wanted to go there for a weekend, better yet, a week, I wanted to take some fab pics, the kind of pics that would make you want to jump on a plane and fly to Tobago, (with a stopover in Trinidad with a bag of goodies for me, hey, I'm spoilt now, blame Kathy/mama).

You do know that we are a twin island state right? yes we are two islands, one country, so we are Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad is all about the hustle and bustle and Tobago is all calm and serene with amazing beaches, it's two hours away from Trinidad by ferry or 15 mins away by air.

I am speaking about Tobago because many celebrities visit Tobago, recently Queen Latifah spent Christmas on the island, and despite the fact that she had an amazing time, her jewelry was stolen, she lost US 10 000 dollars in jewelry, I personally was very embarrassed by the incident, and it made international headlines and of course was spoken of widely at home.

But Queen Latifah showed her class when she appeared on Jay Leno's show recently, she did not have one negative remark to make about our twin island state. I have to say she impressed me.

Take a look:

I promise to take you guys to Tobago very soon, definitely this year, I did not go there all of last year and Tobago is definitely calling my name.

On to awards, so far for 2009, I have received two awards, this one

from Lynette of Lynette's LAM Blog, is my very first award of 2009, Thank you so much Lynette for thinking of me! I must admit I was not very good at receiving awards towards the end of 2008, between studies and job hunting I just could not receive awards as graciously as I should, for everyone that bestowed awards on me, last year and I did not receive them as I should I apologise and I promise to be better this year.

I also received this award from Donna at Adventures With Tassie, Thanks Donna this award is really cute! The purpose of this award is to give it to someone who is showing gratitude or a good attitude ("if life hands you lemons, make lemonade") within their life or blog.
The rules:
1) put the logo on your blog

2) nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude and/or gratitude.

3) have your 10 pass it along to 10 more!

thank you ladies for these awards! If anyone in blogland would like to own any of these awards, please take one or both with my love!