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.