Gym Reject

In preparing for my holiday in the UK and the winter assault, I upped my antioxidant and vitamin C etc..   At the same time thought it wise to increase my fitness level for the Christmas shopping, (and make way for fish n chips, eggnog, family gatherings and the mere joviality of the season) I took myself off to the gym. 

 

 

My idea was to sign up for a month, work those muscles and do some cardio.  The nearest gym (which was not the best idea) happens to be a rather la di da place, what they call a, “boutique gym”.   I forgot that when they opened a few years ago it was branded as stylish and geared to the well paid professional - and pretentious!    So pray tell why I found myself walking up their stairs on a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon, it had to be a senior moment. 

 

Mister, the I look so good trainer, welcomed me with his best greeting and asked me whether I’m part of any corporate group.  Errr no!  He went into a long spiel about signing up and membership as if it was a given.  He probably thought that I was retarded because I kept interrupting him about the $300 sign up fee.  He was clearly annoyed that I didn't find the ambience and prestige of association impressive, we were back and forth about me handing over $300 "to belong" and then $120 a month for membership.  Hell no…... My friends would laugh me out of the park. 

 

 

His next “twist arm tactic” was well if you sign up for $200 and the monthly fee, you can use the gym off peak hours.  All I wanted was to join for a month, but boyfriend said that is reserved for tourist, oh yeah, this is a holiday destination!

 

 

The gym really is very nice and offers a wide range of services; a weight room, a "cardio theatre" with intimidating looking treadmills, bikes, steppers, rowers, weight room. 

 

On offer is Les Mills Classes; Bodypump, bodyjam, bodyvive, bodybalance, bodystep, bodyattack …. - hour long high-intensity workouts burn through fat and help carve lean muscle. (OMG);  and classes like Zumba, spin, pilates etc.

 

I was trying to process all the technology when suddenly the trainer asked me if I ever tried Surfside, another gym.  Before I could respond properly he added that Surfside would be more suitable for me. Wtf, lol and more lol, for half a second I lost my speech.  Anyway I swallowed hard, thanked him for his time only too happy to escape the madness.  That place is stupidly expensive even if I made the grade.

 

Cute

I pulled these pictures from their Facebook page to prove my point, this gym is for the glam squad. 

Since then I’ve signed up for the Yummy Mummy Fitness zumba group. 

Classes are twice weekly at a local primary school

and the fee is …. wait for it $5 a class. 

Yeah baby fitness and fun. 

Awesome!!!!

Sister Support

I tend to just buy the Sunday papers and rarely watch national news so it was with amusement that I learnt of the kefuffle with the Minister of Finance suggesting that the Leader of the Opposition (who just happens to be a woman) to go …………… lol.

 

The Naughty Boy!

 

 

Yes we know the behavior was akin to a little boy tantrum and more disturbing because this was the second occurrence in recent times that the esteemed Minister had made a deprecating remark towards a woman.  

Not to get caught up in the political venting and posturing, suffice it to say that the Opposition Leader, Mia Mottley called for a parliamentary vote of no-confidence and a public petition  was targeted at the Minister of Finance,  Chris Sinckler wherein thousands of signatures were collected.

 



Mia Mottley

 

I went along to the Rally in Queens Park which was supposed to be non political and I must admit the early speakers kept it cool but by late evening the trash talk and good old Caribbean ‘bacchanal” played out.  Ms Mottley came on stage to thunderous applause, she is such an eloquent speaker! 



Queen's Park, beautiful setting for a Rallly

The rationale behind the motion was to have the Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart remove the Minister of Finance from his portfolio.  

Some dismissed the rally to be a political stunt to gain mileage.    

Whatever it was and I’m not political, but I do support Ms Mottley for taking exception to the Minister of Finance comment  that she, the Leader of the Oppostion Mia Mottley should “strip naked and run down Broad Street in her attempt to get attention”. 

Pleeeaaase Chris, Mia Amor Mottley, Queens’s Counsel, Member of Parliament and Leader of the Opposition gets attention without trying.   

Here is a woman who receives accolades for her oratorical skills, is beloved by her constituents, young old and in between, is at ease with the boys on the block, at home with Heads of Government, comes from a wealthy middle class family;  at 29 was one of the youngest Barbadians ever to hold a ministerial portfolio, a political lineage to equal that of Errol Barrow and you say she is seeking attention .... I don't think so.

No, Mr. Minister, if she does not become the next Prime Minister of Barbados I’ll eat my hat; ooops!  So maybe you should go and wash your mouth out with soap. 

 

Any more disparaging remarks towards women and my female friends and I may just vote Sisterhood!

Ferntrail Garden Centre



Hmm, nice framework.

 

Well, my girl finally threw in the towel (along

with the stress) on her 9 to 5! 



 Faith now resides in her beloved garden developing into the income generating vehicle its capable of becoming. 

Fewer people get the opportunity to work until retirement age, they don't get that gold watch and don't pass Go.

So many stumbling blocks, company restructures, going out of business, stress, poor health, something or somebody seems to get to you. 

Congrats to the brave ones who stop the madness and make do with what they have.

I'm gonna be a brave one, just watch me!



Seriously? I guess I could lend a hand!

The garden needs some work but she has a lot to

work with.



Mussaenda and Acalypha
complete for space

Dee's passion is ferns (ferntrail.com) but she's also

an expert with orchids and cacti. 

Dee is our go-to person for plant identification, botanical or Latin names, plant species, pest control, basically anything 'plant'.

One of the fern houses.



Different shades of Desert Roses.



Ooh! a big boy Staghorn Fern.

Princess Magogo - The rise of a Star





Thobekile Mbanda, playwriter and artist

If you weren’t at The Steel Shed in the historic Queen’s Park last Wednesday night you missed a fascinating show. 





The all Bajan cast





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 A group of local actors took on the character and spirit of the Zulu people in a play written by the South African play writer; spoken word artist, story teller, teacher and community activist, Thobekile Mbanda.

She  is a granddaughter of Chief Dlokwake Mbanda from the Inchanga Village in Kwa Zulu Natal South Africa.  She is well travelled as an artist and known as Thobs the Zulu Queen.

 

Princess Magogo preserving the tribe's stories in song.

 

The play is based on the true story of Princess Magogo Dinuzulu, the Zulu Princess who revolutionised Zulu tribal music long before apartheid and Nelson Mandela and describes how she was able to bring about an empowering change for women who  were never allowed to become praise poets and singers. 

 

She is like the Bob Marley of Zulu music and inspired such artistes as Mariam Makeba.

 

The play explores the culture of the Zulu and through the eyes of Magogo’s takes the audience on an enchanting journey of Zulu expression and song. 

Princess Magogo being tormented by her sisters
because of her passion for singing.

The Bajan cast did very well, the affected accents bought some authenticity to the play. 

Princess Magogo was played by the lovely Ayesha Gibson-Gill who has a lovely singing voice and bought credibly to the role.

King Zinizulu and Queen Mandlovu rejoice that the Princess has
chosen the family and marriage tradition before her singing. 

 

The evening was rich and great value for money.  After the play ended we were entertained by a hastily put together girl band, Thobekile herself on guitar, other girls on bongo drums, steel pan, drums, and electric guitar, most of the music was original and good.  A few other artist performed including Adrian Green, the lyricist and spoken word artist.

 

Thanks to Thobekile Mbanda for sharing this experience with us, for giving local artist the opportunity to perform their craft. Gracious thanks to Sonia Williams the play director (and general factotum), your hard work paid off.

We see the production of plays less and less plays each year so it was uplifting to see the theatre folks catching up with each other.  Wednesday night's performance was sold out to a mostly young audience which is very encouraging, clearly they too are yearning for more cultural events.

 

 

 

Flawless Skin

I just happened to pop into a department store and walked into a makeover demonstration.  Now, I’m not one to give this neither thought nor time but I was in no rush and sometimes its fun to step out of the box. 

Some beauty consultants (or do they prefer to be called makeup artists) can be quite condescending but this young miss was very nice and inviting.  It helped that her model was full of nervous laughter which was infectious.   As the banter was light and easy I hung around.  

The process started ...... she cleaned the model's face, applied primer, liquid foundation, pressed powder, highlighter, blusher, layers and layers of stuff, tweaked here, dabbed there and on and on .... It was taking a bit long for my liking and I was anxious  to move on to my real love, designer handbags!

In the end the model look lovely and surprisingly quite natural.  Great for her but I certainly don't have the time or inclination for ritual.  I quickly apply moisturizer, sun block, my never to be seen without lipstick, bit of eyeliner, pencil my eyebrows and voila! Done.

 

I'm a child of the 70's and as I stood there I reflected on my early days experimenting with make up.

 

Remember Biba and the stagy look of the 70's makeup?

 

 

Being sociable I had a mini consultation and the consultant said (no lie) that I had flawless skin (it's the genes my friend, not the regime) and recommended only two of the multitude of layers.  Just as well because 10 minutes in front of the mirror is too long. 

 

Back in the day I spent most time was plucking and shaping my eyebrows to get the rounded thin pencil look.

 

70's brows.

 

 

Other 70’s hot picks.

 

Charlie, brilliant for work.

My best party perfume, so heady.

Loved platform shoes.

 

Before the mortgage I frequented the Lancôme, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden, Fashion Flair, counters, thereafter it was a bit of this, bit of that, and high street specials!

 

So, it's a wonder and a blessing that I ended up with flawless skin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Show of Floral Art

 

I spent a joyful evening at the

Barbados Association

of Flower Arrangers’ second

Annual Flower Show.  

Celebration time.

The floral show was indeed an art, the talent and creativity was overwhelming.  It was evident that the arrangers were not afraid in their approach to themes such as Expectations, Horizons, Suspense, One world, Rhythm, Neptune, Celebrations,

Welcome, Aaaaah … Surprise and Reflections.  

 

Psalm 150. Praise him with stringed instruments.

A cute lamb!

A personal favourite!

 

Height optimized.



Reflections, A miniature exhibit.

Another miniature.



A dried exhibit.

Featured local plant material.

Horizons - a First Place.

Bible theme with harp.
 

Overall, an excellent presentation of exhibition.

Easy like Sunday morning

 Sunday morning snaps.

Ooh, that's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning
That's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning

   

Why in the world would anybody put chains on me?
I've paid my dues to make it
Everybody wants me to be, what they want me to be
I'm not happy when I try to fake it, no

 Ooh, that's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning

  

That's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning

 

  

I wanna be high, so high
I wanna be free to know
The things I do are right
I wanna be free, just me, babe

 That's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning
That's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning

 

 

Because I'm easy
Easy like Sunday morning
Because I'm easy
Easy like Sunday morning

 

Song lyrics Lionel Ritchie

At the beach this morning enjoying some R&R, drinking a Banks (beer, as you do!) when I was approached by a precocious 6 or 7 year old, whom I didn't know from Adam. 
 
'You drink beer,? err yes! I thought only men drank beer, blank stare.
You smoke? No.  You go to church, yes, you, No!
You ..........' by this time, little girl picked up on my get lost look
and ran off.

Years later she may reflect on an encounter with a loose woman.