A Paparazzi Story

I love sailing.........on the open seas or nearer to shore.....I love sailing.
A little motion sickness does creep in, but nothing that can't be handled with a few ginger drops.
When I was studying in the US Virgin Islands, I was always on a boat somewhere between the many cays and islets dropping anchor and enjoying many fun-filled days....after my studies of course!!
For my birthday a few years ago, I spent the day with my friends on a boat, sailing the blue waters off the west coast of the island. The boat trip was a birthday gift that I will always treasure.
It was a beautiful sunny Sunday, and my friends for that day included my seashore fishing buddies....
We took lots of food and drinks, and also some bait for the big fish that we intended to catch.
Even though it was early June, and the fishing season had already ended (*), we still felt that we had a chance of finding that elusive 100 pound marlin.
Our captain was an old time seafarer, and he told us that we had nothing to worry about, safety wise, since he knew all the waters around Barbados "like the back of his hand."
We clambered aboard, and settled into enjoying ourselves.  The pristine blue waters off the island lapping at the shore as we sailed along the coast, was a memory I'll never forget.
The fishing lines were set and "blessed" (May this line catch a BIG-ASS fish today) by one of the guys who had already consumed two rum and cokes before boarding.
Now Captain Bob was filled with stories, so the girls and I clambered up to the bridge, where he regaled us with his memoirs that kept us laughing till we cried.  We almost fell off the boat, we were cackling like a bunch of hens.......he was freaking HILARIOUS!!
He told us about his meandering ways, his two girlfriends who knew of each other, and who checked in with each other to find out what they were fixing for him to eat each day, his life of captaining several boats, and his James Bond experiences.
He told us he was hired once to take the family of one of our deceased high officials out to sea to scatter his ashes, and just as the urn was opened to perform the ceremony, the wind suddenly changed course, and blew all the ashes back into the boat almost blinding him.........
The story I liked best was the one he related about a paparazzi tracking down a story in Barbados.
Apparently he was hired to help spy on a celebrity athlete, who was married, but visiting the island with his girlfriend.  They were staying at the exclusive five star Sandy Lane Hotel away from prying eyes, or so they thought.
He recounted that the paparazzi had a BIG BIG BIG camera, and every time the guy would add another lens piece on, and then another and another and another until the camera was as long as ..............and he showed us with his arms spread as far apart as he could get them....."this long."
He said all he kept on hearing was............................................ .......Click.......Click......Click.....Click.......Click......Click......photos galore being taken.  All he could see from the boat were two matchstick figures on the beach, but when he looked into the camera, when invited to do so, he came face to face with the girlfriend in her polka dot bikini!!!   Now that was some camera.....
Captain Bob then had to speed back to port so that the guy could send off his tabloid photos quickly to his editor.  That was before the days of malicious cell phones and ipads.
After a laughter-filled morning, it was time to eat, and we invited the crew to chow down with us.
When lunch was over, we sailed further up the coast and stopped off at Sandy Lane Bay to enjoy a swim with the sea turtles.......some of my friends even swam to shore and played a friendly game of beach cricket.  I stayed on board to keep an eye on everything and continue chatting with Captain Bob, since I don't swim.....a bad experience of almost drowning as a child has never left me.
The sun was dropping lower over the horizon, and it was time to head back to shore.
We checked the lines yet again.....not even a nibble................nothing to show that we went fishing for the day.......not even a sprat.

It was an enjoyable day......a birthday that I will never forget.

"Fancy smancy" Paparazzi cameras

(*) The fishing season runs from December - April.  Many fish like  Wahoo, Dorado, White &Blue Marlin, Sailfish, Yellow & Black fin Tuna, Barracuda among others are available during the season.
Photo is not mine. From themetraders.com website

When I wake up in the morning light....

Opening the door to the outside world this morning, my ears were immediately assaulted by the loud hum of bees.

It was almost deafening, so I decided to take a cautious walk into the garden to see what was going on.
It was early morn, but the bees were already hard at work on the flowers of my MacArthur palms.

MacArthur Palm (Ptychosperma macarthurii) 

Not sure how they sensed me creeping up on them with my camera, but in the blink of an eye, they were flying around and no longer keeping still.......how did they know????
I need a "fancy smancy" camera like that of my friend GB, whereby I can stay from afar and snap photos to my heart's delight without them knowing.
I don't think I captured a photo of a single bee, ...............so close but yet so far.

A collection is a collection.......

I have been collecting Japanese blue and white porcelain for many years.  What the older folk would refer to as "ornaments" and "thingamabobs", are really collectibles for me.
I have come to harsh words with airline officials regarding my trophy pieces when homeward bound after an exotic shopping trip to seek out these treasures.
My friends, whenever stuck for what kind of gift to bestow upon me, always felt safe in adding another piece to my collection.
It all started with one piece.  Years ago, actually many moons ago, I suspect around 1989 or so, a friend of mine gave me the large Japanese fisherman with fish baskets on the second shelf as a thank you for my help on  a project......and that's when the madness began.   Twenty plus years later, I'm still at it.
However, my étagère is now full to capacity and I have implemented  a "cease and desist" policy to myself and my friends.

Then look what shows up in my inbox...a sale flyer......do you see that gorgeous piece in the middle?  Wouldn't that look great with my other pieces?
I HAVE to make room for that beauty.

My oh my, what's a girl to do???

I took a drive out to the store to see if I could get my hands on this beauty, but this is what I found....

A lovely wooden piece with a  dark grey/black painted design.........nothing like what I had anticipated.......it was neither porcelain, nor blue and white............DARN!!!
Disappointment set in, but then I reminded myself that it was probably a good thing, because there was no more space on the étagère to accommodate it anyhow.
The "cease and desist" policy had been adhered to..............at least for now.

The Good snail

Let's take a look outside after the rain has finished caressing the earth, shall we?
Get your crocs on and let's head out to inspect the garden....... glistening from the raindrops that have just fallen.

Here is my Cardboard Palm (Zamia furfuracea). 
Many of my plant buddies know that I love and collect palms.
The cardboard palm is really a cycad, and not really a palm at all, but its growth habit is similar to a palm, hence the name. The leaves are hard like cardboard, and it grows best in moist well-drained soil in either full sun or shade.
It's also very poisonous, so much so, that no antidote for the poison has been found.

Wow.........what is that?????
My Cardboard palm has a visitor.

 Can you see it?  Don't be alarmed, this is a native tree snail (Orthalicus undulatus), one of the good snails.....does no damage at all. Just minds its own business, crawling over and under everything.

Carry on smartly Mr. Snail, and a top of the morning to you!!

Super Centenarian

Recently, I was made aware that we have the second oldest man in the world living right here in Barbados.
Did you know this?  I certainly did not, so I had to investigate. After all, if there is a Fountain of  Youth on this island, I need to know about it.
His name is James Emmanuel Sisnett, and he is currently the world's second oldest verified living man.
He was born on February 22, 1900, which makes him 112 years old.  Wow, 112 years old!!  That is an incredible feat in my book.
He was born the youngest, and the only boy to his parents.
According to Wikipedia, " He is the only living male super centenarian who was verifiably born in 1900."
A super centenarian is defined as someone who has achieved the age of 110 or over.
After leaving school, he was trained as a blacksmith, and later worked at Kendal Sugar Factory making sugar and syrup until his retirement in 1970 as Chief Factory Engineer.
My mind is captivated, I would love to have a chat with Mr. Sisnett......he would be a wealth of  knowledge, having worked in the height of the sugar industry....can you imagine the stories he would have to tell?
From two marriages he produced eleven children, that in itself is an achievement in my opinion.
He is affectionately known as "Uncle Doc".
Mr. Sisnett has been blessed with good health, since he has never been a patient in any hospital at any time.
Good health means a blood pressure like that of a young man (120/70), and according to his granddaughter, he not only possesses the memory of an elephant, and the appetite of a truck driver, but a wicked sense of humour as well.
His super centenarian rank has attracted the California-based research company Acron Cell Biotech Company, who visited Barbados to collect blood samples from all family members, hoping to find answers to his and his siblings long life.
Mr. Sisnett had two sisters who both lived to be over 100 years old, and two other sisters who died at 99 years and 98 years old.

James Emmanuel Sisnett

The oldest Barbadian ever

In the meanwhile, I'll be searching for that Fountain of Youth on the island....it has to be here somewhere.
The record of the oldest living man is held by Japan's Jiroemon  Kimura who is 114 years old.
Photos are not my own. Borrowed from NationNewsBarbados online and WikiWorldBook.com.