Everything is going perfectly. Flight was ½ hour early and I got to Negril before noon. Road with Clive’s with a Juta driver…LOL…so it go. Dropped my stuff at Ossie’s/Lena’s and searched for Sharon..not here yet…so I took a friend from yard up to check this little private apartment a next friend told me about. It sounded all good but I wanted to see it first to make I felt comfortable with the road, yard and digs. IT”S PERFECT.

M, a driver and myself checked out some other places on the beach to see if cash in hand would work. Nope…so I decide on the apartment. We stop by Hilo and M runs my cart and suggests things that I may need… kinda like a live shopping list.. “bread, milk eggs, rice”

Off to my new home. Landlord is smiling as he didn’t think I was going to come back. He was suspicious as when I left the first time I asked for his number. We are good. I meet the kids in the yard and visit with my landlord and his longtime friend. He asks if I have something for dinner yet.. He said ok I will good you dinner what do you eat? I say everything!

Sharon comes and we/she decides that I am staying with her at her house in Little London. She vex cuz that was the “plan” to stay my first night and then search and find a place ..but true she wasn’t there when I came in and I wanted to get planted asap. It’s reasonable enough here that I didn’t feel bad about going there.

We were going to eat with LL and when he comes with her plate..it is Curried Conch and Lobster over white rice…Sharon not eat conch..I cleaned my plate. SO on the way to Little London we stopped close to town at Corner for some fish. Her SIL and 2 twin grand kids got out and watched the sea from the rocks..beautiful.

Had a great quiet night in Little London…lots of kids that she talks about all summer and people that she chats me about to. It was one young gals birthday and she was still flying high. Bday cake and then I had my second supper of steamed fish and okra. Went to bed early after watching the moon come over the mountain but sleep didn’t come. I didn’t have a notepad or my computer and my mind was full of stuff I wanted to right about or make note of.

Up early and soon the twins were back getting ready for school. What fun.. I got to lotion them up and find them socks. They then did a little dance for me called “the jerk”.. I have video of it but soon come on the download. Hot tea and breakfast in their skivies and then in to the uniforms. Crisp and nice with a 25lb backpack full of school books on their backs. My hostess’ youngest brother and GF came to carry us back to Negril.. Sharon cooked us all breakfast…sardine, tin mackerel with fried dumplings. I noticed I got the lions share..Watched boys mom doing some laundry out back. They say your clothesd don’t get clean in a washer. Soon with everyones help cleaning up we were off to Negril.

Stopped way up past red dragon at my hostess’ piece of land….just land now but the view is going to be spectacular. We stopped in town and picked up some produce…including ackee. We chilled here for a bit and they were off the beach and I was here to settle in some more.

Took a strool to Canoe and had a BM and cubra libra with Georgia…Just really happy to be here.. Found myself a couple of times already with just tears of joy in my eyes. Hopped a cab up to check Moonlight..Met the new pooches..bumpy na like me..but Ezzee was so nice. Louie and Rebel are just their same sweet selves. Zsa Zsa was sleeping in some ones room. Ran over to L AND M and got some more supplies for home. Hopped a taxi back after chatting with chicken Tony for a bit.

Turns out LL is making dinner tonight too,. Seafood gumbo..poison grouper (lionfish cousin), seapuss and lobster, red beans and coconut milk…Llcancook too!!!

I needed something in my stomach ..so my friend Indian ran to chicken and chips and carried back fried chicken and chips..Again I had two dinners..but who is counting anyway? After that I was so tired I was fading fast. Indian left for home with some chicken and chips and went to bed…slept pretty good till about 630 flipped around for a while and fell back..waking at 9 groggy and tired…I think I just need to lay low for a day..maybe head up to the roof top and take some sun.

Oh I had got ackee so it needed to be cleaned..keep in mind I have never cleaned it..when I carry it back it has been picked, cleaned and boiled and froze. So LL and Neighbor instructed me…with no help..I did it.. I had spoke with LL about how I wanted to go back to being a tourist and with I didn’t always see so much. I said this was one time that I wanted to be a tourist and have my ackee cleaned for me. One other time is when I had to chip my own ice…security use to do that for tourist. :o)

I chatted with a friend about how dem say a man don’t love you unless him beat you..I said how messed up that was. He explained that in their culture if you do something wrong and don’t beat you, just tells you to go away….”that really really hurt a women” but like a pickney, they mess up and you scold or beat them..but you still want them around..the worst you can do is just say GO ya na worth my time! Wow!!

How wonderful to hear about your trip....can't wait for more, thank you for posting!

Thanks. I am missing JA food so much. Your story makes me miss the neighborhood children too. Even though they can get on my nerves sometimes when we are there, when we are gone, I miss them.

The last part of your story...I just don't know what to say about that. Reminds me of the "he beats me because he loves me" line.

Thanks Dawn...sounds like it's going great so far...and seems to be no shortage of food going around...lol

Nice of you to take the time...to post! Waiting patiently for more!