Reflecting on my week #111

Well, happy new year. Hope yours was everything you expected it to be, and more. I finally went back to work today, and it was just as full on as I remembered, if not more, and while that’s nice I could quite happily have at least a few more days off, but couldn’t we all?

I had plenty of plans for my time off, and some of them I even put into action. Of course my list was way bigger than I could ever really achieve and I’ve realised that while I like a plan, I also fall into the last minute category too. One of my biggest successes, apart from some fantastic bargain hunting, was getting back into my colourful Vintage Sweetheart crochet project again. I’d forgotten just how bright it is, but I’ve made headway with another two and a bit of the granny square motifs completed. As the CAL (crochet along) has long finished instead of completing it by section I’m taking a more industrial approach and finishing all of one type of design before moving onto the next.

My crochet wasn’t the only colourful thing though. Holiday washing and some new colour in my hair have also brightened my days. I think I’m just about through all the holiday washing, though our suitcase isn’t quite empty yet - it’s one of those post-holiday jobs that I never seem to quite get through in one go. The upside about holidays though, apart from the obvious, is the opportunity to read more. And with no work to go to since I’ve been back, that’s continued so look out for a post on what I’ve read lately soon.

I’ve also realised that I’ve become a stripey top kind of girl, with at least three new striped variants being added to my wardrobe since I last wrote a weekly post.

I’ve pulled out my lettering kit and tackled some projects, aided and abetted by a couple of Christmas presents but more on that tomorrow. My patchwork quilt almost made it out of it’s work in progress storage, but not quite. I’m still cutting it out - yes, still - and it’s one of those tasks that in my mind is probably much bigger than it actually will be in reality, but for whatever reason I can’t quite get myself to start, just yet.

The final good thing about an extended Christmas break is being able to get our gin and cocktail game on. We’ve had some great negronis, gin and tonics and at the weekend our most recent craft gin box arrived, it’s a tough life.

It must almost be time to book another holiday, yes?

Christmas trees in Bridgetown

We got braver for our second trip into Bridgetown, skipping the taxi and taking the local bus instead. If you’ve been to Barbados you’ll no doubt be familiar with the Reggae buses, which seem to have multiplied since our last visit. We used these regularly to head up to St Lawrence Gap and visit one of the many restaurants there, but they go all the way into Bridgetown, and for the same fare too.

That fare was 7 Barbados Dollars for the both of us, which is quite different to the forty US Dollars for a cab back from the port, which was our first trip to the capital - I’ve not shared that here yet, but will share more from our day on the Spirit of Discovery later in the month. The Reggae buses vary in age, decor and friendliness - while none are unfriendly as such, some are more welcoming and used to tourists. The one we flagged down for our Bridgetown trip, was friendly, newer than most and had the most ornate interior we saw.

So we lucked out. In many the windows are wide open and the breeze is welcome in the 30 degree heat, though in one I was convinced if the driver were to brake quickly I’d more than likely be out of the window. Thankfully there isn’t too much braking quickly, unless of course, a new far is spotted!

The buses turnaround in Bridgetown and the advice from our hotel was that we were there when everyone else got off. Not bad advice really, though we weren’t 100% sure as there was that stuttering of people getting off earlier as the traffic slowed. It’s true you can never get lost on Barbados, not just because it’s a small island (it’s just 21 miles long and 14 miles wide) but because the Bajans just won’t let you get lost.

Once off the bus we were heading towards the Mount Gay Rum Distillery, which we knew was on the sea front and further along from the port, and so we followed the crowd mostly and kept the sea to our left.

Simple as that.

And along the way we saw some great buildings (see above), walked through the commercial centre heading into a department store briefly - it was just like a department store at home, and just like the stores at home, MOH coughed and spluttered through the cosmetic and perfume department on the ground floor.

In Independence Square we wandered around several of the Christmas trees on display - there were over a hundred 10ft trees set up by the Barbados Defence Force, with each tree representing a Commonwealth country. Given the heat, not even I was up for wandering around them all, which I know MOH was pleased by - and remember, we were also on our way to a rum tasting at the distillery, so other things might have been on my mind.

We did stop and admire some of them though, and notice their similarities and differences to each other, and to our decorations at home, which this year stayed firmly put away.

THE GAMBIA

CAMEROON

BARBADOS

LESOTHO

Looking more closely at the decorations on the Cameroon tree, the stars looked to be made out of cardboard tubes, squished into shape. The wooden ornament wouldn’t look out of place on our tree, and had we seen any decorations like these to buy, I’m pretty sure we’d have left with some.

I was intrigued by the figures on the Lesotho tree, which were large - though admittedly on a 10ft tree you can manage with large decorations. On closer inspection I realised they were Kings, several more than the three Wise Men in the nativity, but again, how many of our tree decorations are factually correct in numbers?

On even closer inspection I spotted a headless King, which while a shame, showed just how they were made. A two litre fizzy drink bottle painted and clothed in fabric. Who’d have thought such an everyday item would be given such a regal makeover?

My garden in December

There has been very little gardening in December, and not that many trips past the back door in all honesty. Those that have taken place were mainly to collect herbs, like this sage, to add to cooking, including my own sage and onion stuffing. The plant is still going strong, so there could be plenty more of that to come too, which is good news.

The cover on the agapanthus is providing a new visual spectacle in our garden, with the raindrops it looks quite pretty. Who knew, gardening fleece could look so pretty?

Outside the shed the ferns seem to be doing well.

Though there are more leaves, and slimy ones at that, in the slate outside the shed. Another job for MOH!

In the rear bed, these white berries shone against the plant’s bare branches - I think they’re a kind of myrtle, I’ll have to look them up to see what they are.

The days I’ve been outside have also been grey and dreary, and uninspiring. I think that shows in the photos this month, but I guess that’s what we’ve had this December.

There was one photo that was a little unusual - I’ve no idea how I managed to take it - and while it’s blurred I kind of like it too.

I think I’ll call it leaves in a whirl!