We Were Given Five Years

After living together for three years we decided to get married.

My second marriage; his third.

One of his family members predicted our marriage wouldn't last even five years. And she thought she was being generous!

We just returned home from Sunset Resort in Treasure Beach where we celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary. Many thanks to all of you who sent congratulatory e-mails and text messages to us to join in our observance.

It still amazes me to realize I have spent over half of my life with the same man!

Thank you, Jah, for the past 26 years. I have laughed and cried and prayed thru every one of them with the man I will be with until...

Mi Dere Pon Haste

(Translation: I Am In A Hurry)

I am only beading sporadically these days. I have answered almost no personal e-mails for weeks. The blog hasn't been updated as often as I would like. Pictures I have taken haven't yet been transfered from the digital camera to the computer. But I can't complain. The present situation is an answer to prayers. I asked Jah to temporarily increase the income stream so a specific need could be met. He has answered my prayers with overflowing abundance!

Monday coming will find me in Mo Bay on a site survey for a network project that I will begin after we return from celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary in Treasure Beach the end of next week. If all goes well, it should take about a week to complete that project.

At the same time, three multi-faceted technology projects that have been on various corporate back burners for several months now are all rolling out. A 60-room hotel, a heavy equipment rental company and a soon-to-be-opened casino.

While graphing the project management aspects of these projects, I was delighted to realize that I have been able to create a strong technology support system locally. Website design, web hosting, hardware repairs, network wiring nor equipment sales are of any interest to me. I enjoy sourcing and installing software to meet my clients' needs. I also enjoy training their staff members. For each aspect of technology that I have no interest in, I have found a local source that over time has proven to be dependable, should I need to refer a client to them. Thank you, Judith, of Optimal Computers and Garry, of Island Tech. You both have come to my rescue more than once when a client was depending on me.

I am asking any of my Loyal Readers who are also prayer warriors to put me on their prayer list as I will be traveling on the road more often now and traffic in Jamaica is a constant challenge. Jah is always invited along for the drive and with as many close calls as I have survived in Jamaican traffic, I know He places His angels on each one of my car fenders. Thank you, Jah, for protecting my going out and my coming in.

Mi Cudda Nevah Nyam Dumplin From She Stovetop

(Translation: I could not eat dumplings she cooked.)

Wuk Dun Fi Di Day

(Translation: Today's Work Is Complete)

More Pictures of Home

These plants are on the back verandah where we share our morning cup of coffee together after we come up from the gym.

This is a view thru a vine covered wall that encloses a private space just outside our master bedroom door. It looks out onto a pear (avocado) tree. Actually, it is two pear trees that just entwined at the bottom of the trunks, making it look like only one tree. When I look thru the circle, I can see all the way into the districts of Exton, Delightful, Junction and on up into south Manchester.

Akuaba dolls are a fertility icon. They are in several rooms thruout the house. I wonder if this is why we have thirteen grandchildren! These are on a side table near the front door.

When the fog rolls in like this everything seems to get very quiet. It usually comes in from the south, rolls across the valley, then slips silently away. This happened one afternoon about 4:30.
Jah has blessed us with a beautiful place to live. Don't you agree?

It Was A Long Day

The cellphone alarm jangled at 4:30am, alerting me that I had just 90 minutes to be on the road.

The medical lab opened at 7:00am and allowing an hour for the trip into Mandeville meant that 6:00am should see me driving out the gates. Knowing that eight or nine vials of my blood were going to be suctioned from my veins did nothing to motivate me to hasten the journey.

The pre-test fasting was not as difficult as missing the morning cup of coffee with my husband. That quiet time together at the start of our day is precious to me.

My past experiences with donating blood or having blood drawn for tests have not been pleasant, so my anxiety level was rising, the closer we got to Mandeville. Deep breathing and prayer gave me the strength to push open the doors to the lab. Being the first one there, I was quickly summoned into the Phelebotomy room. Racks of vials and specimen bottles filled the room.

Carol was humorous, competent and empathetic. She found the vein on the first try, made gentle jokes throughout the process and made sure I knew what she was doing and why. Even when I had to return after two hours for additional blood to be drawn, she made me feel comfortable.

Thank you, Jah, for leading me to Carol and thank you, Carol, for your gentle care.

Tattoo Stitch Anklet

This anklet drapes nicely, riding low on my ankle. It looks great with sandals. The beads are size 6 opaque seed beads. The clasp and jump rings are gold-toned man-made materials.

Just A Few Thoughts

I wanted to post pictures of my newest grandchild whom I met for the first time in April, but her father (our son) has specifically asked me not to. Being in the entertainment field, he is concerned about her being over-exposed at a tender age. I understand, but am still disappointed. She is beyond cute and her big sister is adorable, too. But you'll have to take my unbiased word for it.


I have finished two bracelets that I want to post, but I can't seem to get any decent shots of either one of them. And of course, the scanner has chosen to act up just now. Both designs are from the Diane Fitzgerald book, Zulu Inspired Beadwork. I thought I would do something with the SwitchBack stitch first, but instead I used the Square Netting stitch and the Mfungo Chain stitch.


A large network project in Mandeville is going to be consuming a great deal of my time over the next six to eight weeks. No matter how hectic the project becomes, we will find the time to slip away for a few days to a small boutique hotel in Treasure Beach to celebrate our 26th wedding anniversary.

Gotta take some time off to play together, so we can stay together!

Stained Glass

The bracelet really does resemble stained glass when held up to the light, but that kind of shot is still beyond my limited photographic skills.

The pendant is constructed over a wooden bead. The peyote stitch holds the beads tightly against the surface. I have been asked more that once how I was able to glue all the beads so neatly in place. Aaarrrgggh! Stitched, not glued. [(Anything like shaken, not stirred?) Please share a thought if you get that reference at all.]

The bracelet uses the N'debele stitch to create ribs of black opaque seed beads with transparent seed beads between the ribs. By altering the number of transparent beads between the ribs I was able to gently curve the bracelet. The clasp is a peyote stitched toggle.

Wine Glass Charms

This was a special order placed by a visitor from England. She wanted a unique set of wine glass charms. The top photo shows the charms attached to the holder that goes over the neck of the wine bottle. The bottom photo show the individual charms. No more confusion at her dinner parties about whose wine glass it is.

Equadorian Leaf Bracelet

This bracelet is from a design that is an adaptation of a Saraguro beading pattern. The August 2002 issue of Bead and Button magazine featured an elaborate beadwoven necklace that inspired Kelly Lightner to create the pattern for this bracelet.

The clasp is made from two acrylic buttons that I fastened back-to-back. The black accents on the buttons go well with the black seed beads. I am trying to figure out now if I have enough beads to make a matching anklet.

No Jamaican Urination

My Three New Beading Books

Because there are no local bead stores where I live, my bead shopping is restricted to the once or twice a year that I go up to the states. My recent trip didn't yield much in the way of new beads or findings, but I did get three books that I have wanted for some time now. I trust that Jah will provide the beads, if it is His will that I continue to bead.

Carol Wilcox Wells' second book, The Art and Elegance of Beadweaving, from Lark Books, has been on my wish list since it first came out. I have enjoyed her first book, Creative Beadweaving, since 1994. It was my best source for beading lessons, since I couldn't stretch the budget far enough to include the cost of private lessons. Thank you, Jah, for giving me a teachable brain!

Diane Fitzgerald's book, Zulu Inspired Beadwork, from Interweave Press, shows the traditional Zulu beadworks that inspire her modern translations. She has traveled to Africa to study both Zulu and Xhosa beading techniques. I have already learned the Zulu Flowerette stitch and will probably try the Switch-Back pattern next.

Valerie Hector's book, The Art of Beadwork, from Watson-Guptill Publications, keeps me enthralled for hours at a time. The tag line, Historic Inspiration, Contemporary Design, says it better than I can.

No matter how much time I spend on the computer or with my beadwork, I always love to pick up a good book. Especially ones as well written and illustrated as these three.

Faux Pearls with Black Seed Beads

The bracelet is constructed of a netted cage of black seed beads enclosing faux pearls ranging in size from 6 to 10mm.


The pendant uses the same seed beads and faux pearls. The piece includes brick stitch, peyote stitch and picot stitches. It is strung on 2mm satin rattail cord.

Hypocrisy

Hematite and Seed Beads

Feel free to critique the photography as well as the beadwork. I am still learning both.



The centerpiece of this bracelet is a hematite-coloured piece of aquarium glass. It is encased in a netting of pearlized seed beads and hematite beads. The band of the bracelet is a base of 3mm hematite cylinder beads stitched in right angle weave, then embellished with the pearlized seed beads. The clasp is a silver base metal toggle clasp.

This is a gift to a friend. She is very high on my prayer list just now. Life has been giving her some rough punches lately. But she is a survivor and will bounce back to higher heights.

Life Instructions

LOVE JAH AND PRAY

Taxing, To Say The Least

Jamaican payroll taxes are a confusing mish-mash of multiple statutory deductions, nil rates that change with political whims, differing percentages of contributions and little or no public education on how the process works. Why do I believe that it is confusing on purpose as a way to allow working Jamaicans to be samfied (tricked)?

Since January 2006, Jamaican workers have been allowed to earn up to JA$193,440 annually (approximately US$2,764) without paying Income Tax (AKA PAYE or Pay As You Earn).

That seems pretty straight forward, nuh true?

If it were only so simple.

First there is a deduction called NIS or National Insurance Scheme that is paid by employers and employees at 2.5% of the first JA$500,000 earned, with a monthly cap of JA$1,041.66. That amount must first be deducted from the gross emolluments before applying the nil rate. If employed Jamaicans reach the age of 70, this deduction ceases the following calendar year.

Next step is to determine the cumulative nil rate based on where in the calendar year you are and whether or not there were any nil rate earnings from another employer during the calendar year. Now you deduct that amount from the gross amount less the NIS deduction and any pension deductions. That gives you the TAXABLE income for the PAYE deduction.

The PAYE tax rate is 25% of the TAXABLE income for individuals.

The Education tax is also calculated on TAXABLE income at the rate of 3% for the employer's contribution and 2% for the employees' contributions.

Then we have the NHT or National Housing Trust deduction that is paid at 3% of the gross amount by employers and 2% by employees. This ceases the calendar year after employed Jamaicans reach the age of 65.

Employers also have to pay a HEART (Human Education And Resource Training) contribution at the rate of 3% of the gross employee pay.

So we have five statutory deductions, (PAYE, HEART, Education, NIS and NHT) that have varying percentages, one with a capped amount and some that are applied against the gross amount and some that are applied against TAXABLE income.

Is it any wonder most Jamaican employees have no idea if they are being paid correctly or not?

I won't even make mention about the heartless employers who withhold statutory deductions from their employees' pay, but never hand it over to Inland Revenue. (OK, so I did make mention of di rahtid teef, dem.)

The reason I mentioned any of this nonsense is that I will be doing the programming changes for a nil rate threshold change for July 1, 2008 and again for January 1, 2009 for several of my clients.

Thank you, Jah, for gift of beading that helps restore my sanity in the midst of this insanity.

Silver and Gold?

Not really silver and not really gold, either. Just two bracelets that were created with silver-lined gold and silver-lined clear glass seed beads. I remember being told that it wasn't "proper" to mix gold and silver jewelry. As usual, I don't put much stock in that kind of advice. My "style" has never been fashionable, but it has always been mine!

The lobster claw on the looped bracelet is a reddish gold base metal.

This one has a center piece of gold spiral stitch along a core of the clear beads with a beaded toggle clasp.

Buying Gas In America

Coming Home Is So Sweet

Thank you, Jah, for Your guidance and protection of our going out and coming in.

We have returned home to Jamaica safely to find our home standing and all the animals alive. That is one of the things I prayed for each day we were in America. Now I am giving thanks for answered prayers.

There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home. Can you tell I am glad to be back home?

I give thanks to Jah for the four generations of family that got together to hug and kiss and eat and drink and remember and sing and laugh and love and enjoy each other's company. This time, thankfully, there was no death that brought the far-flung family together.

There is so much I want to share with you about our trip, but that will have to come in future posts. Now it is time to start responding to comments left while I was away. Then I need to catch up on what's happening with Sistren Irie Diva. She has been on my mind and in my prayers while I was away.