Welcome one and all!

 Howdy! (as Auntie M. would say!!!).

Imagine if, when travelling, you could stay in somebody else home instead of a hotel.

I do it a couple of times, in seaside towns, and y'know, it was real interesting every time. 

One colonial-era small home even had a jumbie!!! A ghost!!! Seriously! I ain't lying. It was a groaning ghost going: hhhhh hhhhhh hhhhhh. (Long story for another time).

Wasn't no fancy amenities in them homes. Plain. But super clean. Get you' own meals.

In the jumbie home, we sit in the verandah, facing the sea, with the hostess and other guests, and we gyaff...chat...before heading out to eat with some friends.

.................................................

After I return to me homeland, I useta day-dream, suppose we offer we home as a li'l stopover for foreign visitors.

All body (except murderers and teefman...thieves) woulda been welcome, though how to screen good from bad, I ain't know.

Welcome, Cowards.

Welcome, Relationship Experts.

Welcome, Environmentalists, Herbalists, Recyclists.

Welcome, Folklorists.

Welcome, Plant People.

Welcome, Ghost Hunters.

Welcome, Linguists.

Welcome, Nature-Lovers.

Welcome, Sassy Mamas.

Awwwww, waitaminnit, we can't travel these days.

Oh! Hold on! Who say you can't?

Never say never.

With one click, you can, no airplane fee, just sit in you' cosy chair at home and visit this tropical palavering place.

The book is out now, friends.

It is at:

Barnes and Nobles

Apple

Kobo

To get it on mobi (Kindle) and other kinds o' format, please see Smashwords.

It is also free in libraries (ask for it).

I promise you hours of fun.

Welcome,

xx neena.

Welcome Feminists, Feisty Ladies & Fierce Gals.

Hello everyone!

You like okro? I mean, okra (we say 'okro'). I cook it yesterday. Fry-okro. 

I had it with daal and rice and smoke fish. Mmmm.

You got to wash it clean, wipe it dry-dry-dry. Then slice it thin-thin. So you end up with pretty little circles. 

Then, I stir-fry it with a li'l bit o' olive oil, garlic, onion (chop up small-small). You can add a pinch o' turmeric powder and hot pepper too...but I don't eat pepper at all! 

While cooking it, you got to keep regulating the heat, from medium high to low so it don't burn before it cook through and through. Cover the pan every now and then, stir it so it don't stick in the pan.

Don't add salt until almost near the end. The salt can make it slimy like crooks and politicians.

Y'know, every time I cook okro, I remember a' incident my mother tell me about in the...oh...wait...no...

...you can read it in the book, Big Ole Home By De Sea.

Here...look...a hint!

Welcome feminists, feisty ladies & fierce gals!

So tell me...you ever eat okro...okra...in any way, shape, form? 

If you want to try cooking it, ask me right here, I can share easy recipes with you.

Cheers for now.

Stay safe xxx

Welcome Home Owners

Yesterday, dear Friends,

Me an' Ma been deep-cleaning the tv section of the living-room like a dentist scraping you' teeth.

Every day, we gon clean a section of the house until the whole house is spic 'n' span like if queen visiting.

I so tired, I can't even remember me name. I want to lay down and snore like ole man on the roadside. On second thoughts, instead o' cleaning every day, I gon clean twice a week.

Haha, the doorbell just ring, and them two cats running to hide under the settee. Even if a doorbell ring on a tv show, these two cats does slink down, bend they head low, and flee. Dunno what calamity they does imagine coming.

What a thing, you in you' home, when baddang...

...remind me of a scene in me book!

WELCOME HOME OWNERS!!!

How y'all keeping up your spirits? Everything okay? I trying to stay merry, but I feeling a li'l bit like that driver in the car......

Stay safe and stay well. xxx

Welcome Foodies.

Hello Dear Friends,

Today is Thanksgiving Day in America. Or as we-the-people say, T'anksgiving Day.  

Dat 'th' sound is so difficult to make.  And too besides, who need a' extra H, eh? Everybody know what we mean when we say, "We got t'ree trees in we yard."

Anyway, with the way everybody tanking up on food, T'anksgiving might be a better word, if you ask me.

Turkey roasting in almost every house in America, even in homes of people who never eat turkey in dey previous homeland.

I NEVER had turkey while growing up, and I did never meet anybody who eat it then either. But I can bet you any bet, the people who eat it Back Home would curry it, bake it, fry it cripsy with plenty spice. 

I won't be surprised if they make pepperpot with it too.  

Pepperpot is a wicked-delicious stew. To cook it, you need cassareep, a sauce that the Indigenous People make with grated cassava. 

Speaking of wicked!

Here is something straight outta me book!

WELCOME FOODIES!

Big Ole Home By De Sea on Apple.

Big Ole Home By De Sea on Kobo.

Big Ole Home By De Sea at Barnes and Noble.

Big Ole Home By De Sea on Smashwords.

I been working on dis for a good while, trying to sketch tiny scenes from the book. I hope it tickle you' curiosity.

Cheers and stay well.

Plenty love,

neena.

 Ahhhh, me Dear Friends,

How life treating you all?

Remember the last time I been here? Struggling to format me manuscript to publish it online? 

Remember me saying that trying to understand the manual on how to format was like trying to get water to seep into a stone?

Guess what!!!

I give you three guesses.

Or as we-the-people say, as we drop the h from three...

...t'ree guesses.

The stone break, water seep in and the tree grow.

It feel like a miracle.

I in shock.

I...me...I learn how to format me manuscript. All by meself.

And I upload it.

And they approve the formatting.

Lemme pick up me jaw from the floor!

Look!

Big Ole Home By De Sea.

You can go here and read a sample on the Online Reader link.

The lesson for me is this...no matter how small I feel, no matter how hard the ground...

...if I keep going, I can make it.

:-)

Ever had a tough task, a difficult phase in life, but you persevere until...?

Nuff love,

neena.

Stone.

Dear Friends,

Ahhhh, me dear, dear friends!

What I can say? How to explain these past few months without being dramatical?

I been struggling with trying to learn how to format me manuscript. Lemme explain what I mean by struggle.

Ever try to pour water into stone? 

I ain't mean the stone got a hole and you pour the water into the hole. 

I mean you pour the water on the stone, and you wait for the water to seep into the stone.

And I ain't mean a porous stone that soak up the juice. I talking about a pahticular type o' stone...it is a pale blue-ish grey, with glints o' silvery-white-crystally type o' shimmer in it. It is a stone that they build house with. Hhhhhhard.

Me head is this stone.

I read the instructions on the manual a trillion times...the rest-of-the-world trillion, not the American trillion, which is less than the rest-of-the-world trillion. And I still struggle to understand what going on. I had to take a drill and work it into me mind. And finally, I understand a li'l bit.

So, that is where me is right now with the formatting. 

On top of all this, there was The Election Drama that been absorbing the attention of all and sundry of this here land.

March 2, the people vote.

Five months later, up to last week Sunday, the people couldn't get the results...even though all the observers...local, regional, international...could see that the guvament lose, and the opposition win. Some supporters of the guvament admit openly that the guvament lose.

The guvament throw tantrum, and create story so fantastical, the people start to say it could be a Netflix series. It been more dramatical than the Housewives Of series, that American show where rich ladies scream at one another.

If y'all coulda see the screaming that went down in Georgetown! Guvament minister ladies, shouting at media, and at opposition people, giving the Housewives ladies strong competition.

It get to a point where ambassadors, EU people, Caribbean leaders, plead with the guvament to step down. The pleas fall on ears hard like the stone I mention up there.

Every day was a different episode. People forget they cow and cat to watch the show.

Finally, after threats of personal sanctions, last Sunday, quiet like lamb, the past president concede. Drama done.

I hope y'all staying safe from bad politicians and other types of covid.

Plenty love xxx

Oh, those vain poets.

Dear Kim,

I just done read you' thoughts about the role o' art in these here troubled times:

https://kimayres.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-call-to-action.html

Me can't believe that we got people who feel that art is a frivolous past-time, that it unnecessary right now. They couldn't be more wrong.

I must say though, negative people does serve a good purpose. They stop we in we tracks, make we take a second look at we role as creative people.

Look, a quick thought from me:

Art is the language for those who can't find the words, for all who need release. It helps us to dig our way out of the dark self, the frightened self, to seek a way out of it, to find that light we all so need in good times and bad.

I'm busy reaching out to people in Guyana, they are so scared...what with the virus and the threat of dictatorship looming.

I'm so busy trying to calm others, I almost forgot to calm myself.

Art helps me. I must sit still and think.

Dear Reader, if you passing through this space, or if you visiting Kim, share you' thoughts, nah?

Love ain't money, you can give away a lot.

Dear People,

I been thinking how, as a creative, cheerful, sunshine-wala, it is me duty to cheer you up.

I must show photos of flowers.

And food.

Lotsa food.

Cats.

Dogs doing clever tricks.

Adorable babies.

I been watching Internet folks being witty, posting jokes on social media with emoticons crying from laughing too much. I share them too, these li'l bits o' candy.

I been watching intellectuals channel they anger and fear into fine, sharp words, to motivate governments to do the right thing for people in this dreadful time.

I must jump on me soapbox too.

And be passionate.

Unleash words that gon get hundreds of likes.

But feeling in me heart that nothing don't get done.

Or maybe, something.

Our leaders might hit the jackpot and everything gon work out lucky.

(Unless they in South Korea, or Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong or Taiwan, where they ain't playing, they behaving more like loving parents with discipline).

And we...

...we gon weep 'cause of the arrogance of The Grand Shepherds so careless and callous, look how they fumbling and lost more than the lambs they was supposed to care for.

How they gon write we history, I ain't know.

They gon say what a valiant fight we put up?

They gon say how much money we businesses did lose, but we bounce back?

They gon pat one another backs when is safe to do so again?

Drink champaigne?

Or whatever they drink when they flatter each other?

I ain't know what to do or say to comfort you, dear aching, lonely people...

...you who ain't hip and healthy and young and cool...

...you who others neglect, forget,

you with skin that tell ancient stories, who don't have university words, flowers, pies and pastries to pose online,

stew and other mouth-watering

Things.

I ain't know what to say to comfort you, but believe you me, I love you and wish I could hug you too.

Welcome weary wanderer.

When this whole world feel like there ain't nothing to be joyful about...welcome!

Here, you get heapings o' light and delight!

Book to come later this year, August 11.

In the meantime, see you on your blogs.

Pssst! Y'all can spot the monster in the picture? Hint...no, it ain't the parrot.

An old interview.

Hello Everyone!

Howdy-do-dy?

Sundy again, and what a day! Sunny and warm with a cool breeze making them trees go we wish-dis we wish-dat. It did feelin' like one o' them Enid Blyton-days, you know when she describe pixie and fairy village, and when you was a chile, it feel like something different and wonderful?

(I really need to grow up and stop being so childlike or childish, choose the adjective).

Me and Mum been for a walk and coming back, I stare at them sheep-clouds plodding in the blue scene up there, and the sunlight lick me face. I smile wide like the sea, then I think, "Shees, imagine what the people driving by must be thinking."

Me 'n' Ma been proper mellow. Now and then, when the moon full, we does have a li'l misunderstanding, y'know. Tell me who don't. (Between you and me and these four walls, Ma is a Very Stubborn Oldster! Stubborn as a Teenager!). But we don't stay vex for long, thank goodness.

Anyway, I come home, and been going through some old stuff, and find this link, a' interview I do back when we been living in the big ole family home by the sea:

https://globalvoices.org/2005/12/29/a-conversation-with-guyana-gyal/

Ahh, them was days, when blogging was the thing.

I want to go and read blogs, so see y'all soon....

Au naturel.

My dear friends,

How you all doing?

Yesterday morning, I been thinking how, if I been back home, I woulda been tripsing out with the sunrise to the market.

The morning fresh like the world start over, the sun and dew-in-the-long-grass and birds and earth and everything in between feel like they singing. Hardly any traffic.

At the market, I meet and greet and gyaff (chat) with vendors, and I give change to beggars who, when they collect enough money, buy hot breakfast, complete with tea. One o' them does probably feed he drug habit, but who is me to judge, what if the man is buying food instead?

Going home, I drive into the rising sun sitting in a sky full o' orange and pink, tangerine and grapefruit and peach colours. I does find meself singing loud-loud.

After breakfast, I empty me basket, wash the earth off everything cos, yes, it is produce straight from the soil. Everything come in they own natural skin, not wrap-up in plastic. And too besides, I like to support the market vendors.

That ain't a banana...is a plantain.

One o' me favourite food that I buy is breadfruit. It taste like potato and sweet potato mix-up together. but the texture is not so soft.  You can make chips with the green one, curry with the half-ripe one, pie with the ripe one, milk-shake with the super-ripe one.

Breadfruit!! How me love breadfruit.

If you come to visit me back home, I gon make a good ole-fashion fish-soup like the one I make last week, right here in Merica, for me and Ma. Plenty onion, garlic, celery, yam, sweet potato, potatoes and spinach. And fish, naturally.

SLUUUUURP!!

And for dessert, I would feed you fruit. I hope you don't mind. Honest, we fruit taste like bliss. They gon make you' eyes roll over in you' head in ecstasy.

Sweet, milky star-apple gon drive you wild.

Papaya ripe in the sun.

Sapodilla is like caramel and butterscotch.

As you can see, I like me food all natural, none o' that artificially-inseminated-flavours.

Oh! If you don't like fish soup, I can make something else.

What you like eating?

Hammock or chair?

Dear Friends,

You ever, while travelling past homes, get curious and want to know what they got inside?

Confession...hehe sheepish grin...

...when I see the local people photos on social media, I don't look at the people. If the photos is of the people in they homes, I does check out the background.

I want to know what they table look like, what they got on it, how much plastic flowers they got in they living-room, what kinda decoration they put up. I stare at they ceiling...look, look, blue zinc roof, hammock in the kitchen, wow...

...yes, I got insane curiosity about people homes.

So, anyway, I decide that if I's so fass (curious...nosy), you might be too, and I decide to share with you a couple o' things I useta have in me li'l apartment by the sea.

You don't mind leaving you shoes at the door? 

Like I explain in a mo' early post, we leave we shoes at the door. If you squeamish, scroll past while I explain again why...

...them streets got...

squash-up dead frogs
cow pat
horse pat
and I don't mean you pat them on they head
dog poo
mud
man wee on the roadside, ewwww, think of the dust drying on that.

See now why we leave we shoes at the door?

Okay, look we here, right inside the door, sorry, no plastic flowers, only these:

From Ikea. I paste them on the door instead of the wall.

Fresh frangipani on the bookshelf.

More books. And things from other parts o' the world.

Anyway, if you not interested in them-these things, we can gyaff...chat. Everything you tell me, gon stay with me. I gon be like these 3 bears.

I ain't see nothing, I ain't hear nothing, I ain't repeating nothing.

We can sit in the living-room, but most people prefer the verandah.

Like me purple plant from Mars?

If rain start up, we can go into the kitchen and, as the locals say, skin we teeth...laugh-laugh-laugh...while I warm up the food on the stove.

Laugh 'n' gyaff (chat)

Y'all don't pay any attention to this frog here, he always trying to get this lady to kiss he. He ain't turning into no prince. He is me servant, let-we full up he belly with tea and put he in hot water.

What kinda tea you want?

Hungry?

Hold on a sec. while I put some food to eat.

Coming up...food....