Goodbye 2005/Hello 2006

You say yes
I say no
You say stop
And I say go go go
Oh no you say goodbye
And I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why
You say goodbye
I say hello

Instead of asking you if the glass is half full or half empty I'm going to ask if you are a hello or a goodbye. Is someone just preparing to enter that door up there or have they just left? Or should I have posted a picture of a revolving door so you can do both at the same time?

I have to say I hate goodbyes. I hate for good times to end. I hate to part from people I enjoy or love. I think I had too many unpleasant goodbyes as a kid. There were too many unexpected and permanent goodbyes that didn't make sense. I'm grown-up enough to know goodbyes are a part of life, and I can deal with it. I still don't like them but I try to let them be natural and pleasant at least. Let's make it as painless as possible.

An abrubt or harsh goodbye is really hard to take. I try to avoid those at all cost. I am compelled to tell the people closest to me 'I love you' whenever they have to leave because God-forbid the worst happens and they don't come back. I want those 3 words to be the last ones they heard from me.

For me, it seems like 2005 had more than its fair share of both hellos and goodbyes. I had a cherished friend die, another withdrew due to substance abuse, and a final one simply told me 'It's been real. I don't wanna do this anymore. Bye.' That last one left me reeling. I never saw it coming. I don't understand it and since this person slammed and locked the door I have to sort of muddle through figuring it out on my own. The other two I saw coming and I at least had time to prepare myself. At the close of 2005, I'd like to bid adieu to the sadness of those goodbyes.

2005 had some really great hellos to it too. Some were first time introductions. Others were a chance to move a little deeper into previous acquaintances. I've been so blessed and encouraged, entertained and delighted by some of these hellos. Since I started blogging this year, a lot of the hellos have been right here. It never ceases to amaze me the way people open a door into their lives here in the blogpshere. I learn so much from so many of you. I love the way some of you make me laugh. I cry with some of you. I enjoy all those folks over on my blogroll as well as others I haven't added yet.

As we say hello to 2006 I want to say thanks to everyone over on the sidebar. Thanks for the open door. Tell me, what are you saying goodbye to in 2005? What are you saying hello to in 2006? I also want to invite anyone who lurks around but has never said hello to take this chance. I'd like to greet you if you come around from time to time. So just give me a little 'Howdy' in the comments and let me say 'Hello.'

Happy HNT

Os has asked us to reprise our favorite HNT shot. I don't have a ton of them to choose from but I think this is my favorite.

I will never dye it. I don't care how grey it gets or if it goes totally white. Of my physical features, I like my hair best. It's a curly, unruly mess but I like it that way. Posting it didn't require the same bravery as posting my hips and it is not so obvious an asset as cleavage. The hair, grey strands and all, has always felt like a crown of glory and the most accurate expression of myself.

I did have something else planned so I will still post it.

A New Year is on its way so new things are to be revealed. Here I am revealing more than I ever have before. Just a few strategically placed bubbles.......



















To see what else is new for HNT click here

Happy New Year and Happy HNT all!

Weirdness Wednesday

Thanks to one and all for the holiday wishes.

Thanks also for the great memories. An Amish wanna-be, CIA operative, beet-loving, talk show host tipping, heavy drinking, war hero with strong arsonist tendencies! Who knew I was so interesting?? I loved them, they kept me giggling!

Now, onto the week's weirdness in the form of Christmas gifts.

This was left in Mr. Lime's stocking.


I gave this to my cousin.

Last year my cousin gave me a stripper pole and fishnets because I told her Limeltte #1 remarked that was all I needed after watching me dance in the kitchen. Yes, we exchange weird things like this in front of the entire extended family, children included. I only wish I had pictures of the horrified looks on our respective children's faces. Mwahahaha!

Mr. Lime gave me this.

I got this, a box of Tastycakes, and a really cheap bottle of wine. I am still trying to figure out what the hell it means.

Merry Christmas

I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas.

Posts may be a bit sporadic this coming week but in the interim I'll steal an idea from Snavy. I'd love to have you create a memory for me. Fictionalize a time we spent together. Make it funny, happy, sad, serious, crazy, whatever. You can leave it in the comments or email it to mountainlime@gmail.com. Thanks to each of you for making the blogosphere so much fun. Peace and love to you all this holiday season.

Christmas Cookies

I've been a busy girl this week. I make absurd amounts of cookies every year (97 dozen this year, yes, I am insane) so I can give them away. I like to have a variety so we can enjoy them but if I make this many kinds just for us it is too much. So I give heaps aways and keep enough for us to enjoy but not gain 300 lbs. by eating them.

Let's tour clockwise from the top.

Chocolate Mint Snow-top cookies: A friend brought me these when Limelette #1 was a toddler. Limelette had some weird intestinal thign going on and I had to collect stool samples for several days. My friend brought the dough to me, chilled and formed in the shape of a turd. It was a good laugh and they tasted really good after we baked the ...um....dough...I still giggle when I make them.

Peanut Butter cookies Loved 'em as a kid, love 'em still. 'Nuff said.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies A different friend gave me some of these one year and I loved them. They are light and have a really interesitng texture. I asked for her recipe, she was sweet enough to share.

Reese's Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip cookies Recipe right off the bag. What can I say? I dig 'em.... a lot!

moving to the center......

Grandma K's Sandtarts I was on the hunt for the perfect cut-out cookie recipe for at least 10 years. It had to be thin and crispy, not cakey. It had to have nice flavor and have a dough that was not a nightmare to work with. A gazillion failed recipes later, I went to a Ladies Tea at my church and there in a basket, with the clouds parting to beam down a heavenly light upon these fabulous things, were the perfect cutout cookies. I asked who brought them, fell at her feet, and BEGGED for her recipe. She very graciously agreed to share her grandmother's heirloom recipe and proceeded to give me all the tricks of the recipe for obtaining perfection. She makes cakes for weddings and on 3 occasions she has asked me to make this recipe for a wedding telling me I am the only one outside her family who handles this recipe properly. I am honored that she'd share. I am delighted she thinks I do so well.

Chocolate Chip cookies Need I say more?

Russian Tea Cakes Time for MY grandmother's recipe. Nana made these every year. Everyone waited with great anticipation. When she died the duty fell to me to provide the family with this little delight. My mom asks for a double batch as her Christmas present every year. My kids inhale them. My husband casts a jaundiced glance if I am too generous in giving these away. For your own baking pleasure here is the recipe

Nana's Russian Teacakes
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cups finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cream sugar, butter, and vanilla. Blend in flour, then nuts. Chill dough. Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but not brown (the cookies do not spread). Roll in more powdered sugar while warm. Cool. Roll in sugar again.

Playing Santa

No HNT pictures this week. Over at Insane Asylime I played by Osbasso's rules for HNT this week. Here I am going to play be my own rules and give gifts to the folks over there on my blogroll.

Breazy gets her car fixed, a healthy family for the rest of the winter, and some general fussing over and pampering because life has been kinda shitty this week for her.

Brian gets to go to the bookstore of his choice and take as many books as he wants. he gets whatever tunes he wants but cannot find for his new iPod. He also gets to skip ahead to the point where 12/24 only feels sweet.

Thom gets a lifetime supply of primo grade catnip and a free pass out of the cubicle. He also gets some peace of mind.

BS also gets a free pass out of the cubicle (airline tickets to the destination of your choice) as well as an endless supply of the beer of his choice and a great big hug for helping me with some of the technical bloggy stuff.

Seamus gets a much needed rest from his recent ordeal and the job of his dreams that allows him to follow his bliss.

Sherri gets a total spa package with makeover and new wardrobe to combat the frumpy feelings. And then she gets a romantic weekend getaway with her hubby.

Fred gets whatever drugs he needs to cope with teenagers at school all day then come home and deal with them some more. After his week with 7 females, 6 of them teens, he gets a week at some primal man camp where he can beat his chest and reconnect with testosterone.

Bantu gets a brand new bike to his personal specs. He also gets to eradicate from existence all traces of TheCoffeeShopWhichShallNotBeNamed.

Ariella I am sending your Alpha Female, Alpha Male, AND Things 1 & 2 to the obedience school of your choice. I am also hooking you up with the adorable Labrador you love so much.

Cricketina gets a speedy completion of her degree and the job of her dreams.

Mel gets what Breazy gets. She sounds like she has had a rough week too and needs a break. Peace to you, hon!

Colleen gets comfort and family harmony after the passing of an uncle. She also gets a whole set of top-notch camping gear and because she loves the outdoors so much.

Osbasso gets an orchestra full of professionals who show up for rehearsals and performances on time and ready to give it 100%.

Damasta gets to own the company she works for and therefore make all the rules and plan the menu at the cafeteria. She gets to eat carbs without guilt too.

Goody gets every novel he has written published. He also gets a national promotion tour. Not that I dig Oprah, she gets on my nerves, but she seems to be able to spike sales so I am going to include having her pick your books too.

Shezzie gets the trog to move out of his cave and start interacting like an evolved human again.

Snavy gets peace and quiet for as long as she wants it. Aaaaaahhhhh.........

Susie gets to go back to India whenever she wants and she gets a backstage pass to the next Tori Amos concert in her area.

Tan Lucy Pez gets whatever HER heart-of-heart's desire is.

Jodes gets a cure for her friend's cancer.

Zombieslayer gets his nation back from the zombies that have taken it over.

Merry Christmas, Happy Channukah, Happy Kwanzaa. May you all have peace and happiness and the warmth of family and friends who love you.

Weird Habit Wednesday

Snavy just tagged me so instead of weird news I bring you my own weirdness.

Here are the rules:
The first player of this game starts with the topic: five weird habits. People who get tagged need to write an entry about their five weird habits as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next five people to be tagged and link to their web journals. Don't forget to leave a comment in their blog or journal that says You Are Tagged (assuming they take comments) and tell them to read yours.

1. I am a lunatic when I put new sheets on the bed. NO ONE is allowed to help me because no one else can do it right. Each sheet and blanket has to be absolutely perfectly straight. Hospital corners are a must. Pillows have to be fluffed properly and facing the right direaction. Mr. Lime tells me I am the only person he knows who needs a T-square to make the bed. I'm not that bad, but I do admit to a certian level of OCD in this department.

2. I am just slightly less neurotic about packing the dishwasher. Only slightly...

3. Never in a million years would you guess by looking at my desk that I can be such a crazed maniac about the neatness of a bed or dishwasher. My desk is ALWAYS an avalanche waiting to happen. And yet, I know where everything is in the impending tsunami of papers, books, office supplies and other debris.

4. I am a label picker. Cans, jars, bottles, magazines, whatever. If it has a label I am compelled to pick, scrap, or peel it off. It drives me a bit nuts if I can't remove every remnant.

5. I totally hate carrying a purse. In the winter I am so happy to wear my winter coat because it has a zillion pockets with zippers and I load them up instead of carrying a purse.

Ok so there is the week's weirdness. I won't tag anyone though I'd be curious to know, Goody's, Bantu's, Susie's, and Logo's weirdness.

Pennsylvania Dutch Tuesday

The last few weeks I have taken you on a tour of the sights, sounds, and tastes of a Christmas in Trinidad. Today I'm going to take you back to where I grew up.

Southeastern Pennsylvania is home to a large concentration of Pennsylvania Dutch, more accurately called Pennsylvania Germans. People in other parts of the USA tend to only associate the Amish and Mennonites with this cultural group. Tell someone you are Pennsylvania dutch and they will ask about black dresses, horses and buggies, and lack of electricity. The Amish and Mennonites are known as the 'Plain Dutch.' The Lutherans, Moravians, and others who live with modern conveniences are the 'Fancy Dutch.'


Among the PA Dutch there is a tradition of a visit from Belsnickelrather than Santa Claus. Belsnickel means 'Nicholas in furs' and the image is believed to be derived from the figure of 'Black Peter' who is St. Nicholas's helper in Germany. Someone would dress up in pelts and rags and mask his or her face. Belsnickel carried a bag of sweets and nuts in one hand and a switch in the other hand.

Belsnickel could visit at any time during December and he always arrived during waking hours, announcing his arrival with a rap at the door or window. Now before you get too excited about seeing this fellow let's remember he is carrying a switch. He's not the benign and jolly fellow that Santa Claus is. Belsnickel was every bit as likely to give the naughty kids a few lashes with the switch as he was to reward the well-behaved with nuts and sweets from his bag. If you were counted among the naughty there was opportunity to redeem yourself by singing a song or reciting a poem to Belsnickel. Unfortunately, there became a problem with some overzealous, justice-oriented Belsnickels and in some places it was outlawed. Today it is rare to actually be visited by Belsnickel but the threat is still made.

Among the PA Dutch there is a paradox. People are very charitable givers but those in need are not often good at receiving since self-sufficiency is so highly valued. In order for charity to be received the giver must make it seem as if the receiver is doing the giver a favor. 'I made all this bread. I simply can't use it before it goes stale and you know it's just wrong to waste it. I'd be grateful if you'd take some.' Belsnickel, however, allowed for widows and orphans to be provided for with no such dance. If Belsnickel brought you food you took it, no questions asked.

Merry Christmas and may Belsnickel be good to you!

Family Matters

It matters when two people start a life together.

It matters when it ends.

It matters when a child is born.

It matters when someone is ill.

It matters when a someone dies.

It matters when someone learns.

It matters when someone graduates.

It matters when someone goes to jail.

It matters when there is a milestone birthday.

It matters when there is a holiday.

It matters when someone succeeds.

It matters when one struggles to succeed.

It matters when they support you.

It matters when they ignore you.

It matters when they hurt you.

It matters when they need you.

It matters when they are there when you need them.

It matters when they support you.

It matters when they don't.

It matters when you laugh, cry, argue, or reconcile with them.

It matters if they are healthy.

It matters if they are dysfunctional.

If it is family, doesn't it all matter in one way or another?

Snow Day Stuff

Another snow day......Well, I guess I will try to put it to good use by enlisting the kids to participate in my annual insantiy that is the 'Cookie Blitz.' Fifty to a hundred dozen cookies get baked. In the meantime I leave you some silly quizzes that promised to analyze me and define my personality.

Carole Lombard You scored 28% grit, 14% wit, 42% flair, and 30% class!

You're a little bit of a fruitcake, but you always act out in style. You have a good sense of humor, are game for almost anything, but you like to have nice things about you and are attracted to the high life. You're stylish and modern, but you've got a few rough edges that keep you from attaining true sophistication. Your leading men include William Powell, Fredric March, and Clark Gable. Watch out for small planes. Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 77% on grit You scored higher than 8% on wit You scored higher than 68% on flair You scored higher than 62% on class

Link: The Classic Dames Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

! You are most like An Emerald !
Caring, giving, - and very emotional. You're the
person
people turn to with a problem. You worry about
everybody,
and genuinely want to help - a little too much
sometimes.
As an emerald, you tend to take a more backseat to
the other
gems, but your inner beauty soon captivates those
who take
the time to get to know you.
Congratulations ... You're the selfless gem
everybody needs as a friend.


?? Which Precious Gem Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla



What kind of kid in high school

Arty Kid

Whether you were a drama freak or an emo poet, you definitely were expressive and unique. You're probably a little less weird these days - but even more talented!

Who Were You In High School?

Everyone have a great weekend!

Bittersweet

Last night I went to a funeral for a 5 year old boy who had more suffering in his short life than most of us will ever know. He spent over half his life on a ventolator and never was able to walk on his own. He frequently spent long stretches of time in the hospital battling pneumonia and other horrendous infections.

His mother has also had more than her share of suffering. Obviously watching her beloved son live a life of pain and limitation and ultimately having to bury him is horrendous suffering all alone. She is only 40 and has already had a hip replaced. She also divorced her schizophrenic, alcoholic husband after he refused for many years to seek treatment for either problem. She recognized that she had a finite amount of energy in the face of many difficult situations and she couldn't spend it on someone who had no interest in his own welfare or the welfare of his family.

Now, lest I leave you all in a state of utter depression my point it not to dwell on the morbid or to bring us all down. Last night there were tears of course, but there was an amazing amount of laughter too. Many stories of the humor and warmth this little boy had were shared. Not the least of which were his love of whoopie cushions and racing around in his motorized wheelchair. There were pictures of the 'Make-a-Wish' trip to Disneyworld and stories of how this boy relished getting each of the princesses to kiss him as he flirted shamelessly. Now how can these things not bring a smile to even a tear-drenched face?

I was also struck by the complete lack of bitterness expressed by the family. Sadness, pain, yes. Bitterness, no. I've known the family many years and never once have I heard, 'Why me?' The aunt eulogized the boy by saying, 'He taught us to love each other better. He reminded us that we can get along. We don't need to fight and argue. We can laugh through the worst of times. We know not to bear grudges. All because of him.'

I'm sure you all can think of people you know who have suffered terribly, unimaginably. Maybe you have been the one who has suffered. Some come out of the trials sweeter and more tender than ever. They now possess a greater sensitivity to people around them who are in pain. Others go through a trial and come out bitter and unable to function. They are quite sure they have cornered the market on pain and damnit......the world owes them something!

We've all had some trial to one degree or another. I don't wish them on anyone and certainly don't go looking for them. But I pray, whatever life brings, may we all be made sweeter.

Trini Tuesday-Black Cake and other Goodies

We generally find fruit cake a food to be joked about. No one in the US really wants to get one. It will be regifted, thrown out or used as a doorstop by those receiving it. In Trinidad they take their fruit cake VERY seriously. As I found on one site while fruitlessly searching (yes, I know, bad pun) for a picture of the Trini version, 'It's a fruit cake. It's a rum cake. It's euphoria!'

They actually call it Black Cake and they often start working on it at the end of October because it is critical to have Black Cake to offer your visitors when they come calling during December. First they have to gather the various dried fruits that will go into it. Each person is very particular about the ingredients they put into their Black Cake. They know which brands of flour, sugar, dried fruits, or rum they want and nothing less will do. Some will make their own dried fruits to guarantee the quality is what they want. Once the have their fruits they start soaking them in rum. Twenty-four hours is the minimally acceptable time for soaking fruits but a week is better, and a month is best.

On bake day there is another important step which is caramelizing the sugar. Those of you who bake may envision a gooey, gently golden syrupy result. This would be entirely inaccurate. What really happens is the brown sugar is cooked in oil until it is black. This is the most delicate part of the whole process. You want the black color the cake is named for, but one moment too long over the heat and the sugar is burnt to the point of inedible bitterness. Once this is done, the sugar is mixed into the fruits and rum. Finally, the batter is prepared, the fruit/rum/sugar mixture is added and the cake is baked.

After baking, which by the way does NOT remove all the rum the fruit was soaking in, the cake is cooled in the pan and it is soaked with more rum. Women will make several Black cakes and as time goes by more and more rum is added to the cake in order to keep it moist and preserved for the duration of the season. The later in December you have a slice of Black cake, the higher the proof! Add to your black cake a cup of Ponche a Creme (local version of heavily rummed eggnog) and you may be staggering your way back home.

To offset the strong flavor of the Black cake, it is always served with a small slice of light and fluffy yellow sponge cake. Spiced red sorrel punch or ginger beer (non-alcoholic) may also be served. I was also really fond of Peardrax, which is a sparkling pear juice drink that is popular during the holidays.

Pastelles are little packets of seasoned meat encased in cornmeal dough and steamed in a banana leaf. These are nice portable snacks that a visitor may be sent home with for a treat later on. Even though they can't be grown in the tropical climate, apples and grapes are considered must have treats during the Christmas season. And now christmas dinner is complete without a ham. A nice smoked ham is even more expensive in Trinidad than it is here so people who may not eat meat regularly due to economics will save all year long to be able to buy a nice ham for Christmas.

Now, if you'll excuse me I've worked up a bit of an appetite!







 

Logo's Reward

For her near perfect score in on the 'Limer/Lime-ade' quiz this time last week, Logo won the prize behind the door of her choice!

Did she choose Door #1, with it's complete collection of K-tel compilation albums? Or Door #2 with a year's supply of Oxy-Clean? No! she chose Door #3 and the right to structure a post! Let's see what she asked for.........








It seems there has been some debate out in Blogland regarding the superiority of one brand of expensive frou-frou coffee over independent brands of expensive frou-frou coffee. Logo asked me to conduct a completely unbiased, blind taste test* of the main franchise brand vs. a basic independently produced brand.

First the challenger......

What is this swill?? I think sewage might be more appetizing!


Next the franchise....

Oh yes! That's sooo good! I think I need a private moment it's so good!


Well, there ya have it folks! What more is there to say? It seems the franchise, evil as it is, does produce better tasting coffee.



*'Completely unbiased, blind taste test' meaning since I can't stand coffee of ANY variety no actual coffee ever crossed my lips during the shooting of this post. No coffee beans or limers were injured during the shooting of this post.

Snow Day

Well, today is our first official snow day. The forecasters called for 6 inches of snow. We got 12 and it is still coming down! I got new boots for the kids 2 days ago, so just in the nick of time! Ya gotta love the enthusiasm a snow day bring s out of a kid. Even Diana, who is normally staid and reserved, burst into my bedroom to ask in a very hopeful tone if school had bene cancelled and danced out happily when I confirmed it had been.

Isaac immediately asked if his 2 best buddies could come over. As soon as we get dug out, yes we will go fetch them and they will sleep over too. Calypso is hoping to spend the day watching movies. Between keeping the cocoa flowing to warm up frozen kids and trying to clean a bit I am hoping to finish up my final assignment for this semester's class. We have an acre of woods through which we built a killer (literally, if you're not careful) sled run last year. Hopefully we can get that all packed down and ready to roll too. Am I completely deluded? Yeah, probably.

So how do you like to spend a snow day?

I am hoping to post Logo's reward on Monday!

Weird Words Wednesday

It's not that there was a lack of strange and bizarre news out there this week. It's just that I found this on my fridge.........



Now the bit about chocolate makes perfect sense to me. What I don't get is the hot dog thing. Is it some weird Freudian imagery? Is it evidence of drug use by the Limelets? Is it some bizarre fetish Mr. Lime has developed? I just don't know. Any theories?

On a side note, Logo has won the quiz. I apologize for completely screwing up question 3. Anyone who said deyas are lit for Divali gets an extra point on the quiz. There were several folks tied at 80%. Logo was among them but the only one of them to get Divali right even though I mistakenly entered Thanksgiving as the correct answer. Thus, she actually scored 90% making her the best Limer and least in need of Lime-ade for this round. She and I are working on her reward which will be posted soon!

Trini Tuesday-Parang

It is officially Christmas season. I was out shopping a couple days ago and heard my first christmas song piped into the store. I am glad I did not hear it until December. I have to admit it really grinds my gears to hear Christmas carols before Thanksgiving. I'm not a Scrooge who dislikes christmas. I love it, I just get annoyed by the crass commercialism of stores setting up displays in October and playing the music in an attmempt to make me spend money.

Last week I told you if I were a proper Trini I'd be scrubbing and panting and sewing like a fiend to get ready for Christmas. This week let me introduce you to some of the sounds of Christmas in Trinidad. I have to admit when I lived there and December rolled around and the weather was still in the upper 80s and I heard 'Walking in a Winter Wonderland' I almost split a gut laughing. When 'I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas' played on the radio I thought, "Keep dreaming." When I was chatting with neighbors I mentioned the incongruity of living tropically and hearing such songs. We shared a giggle over that, discussed real snow, and then they asked me if I had heard any parang music yet. They told me parang was the real Christmas music of Trinidad, not all that Bing Crosby and Burl Ives stuff. Well, now I HAD to learn about it!



There is some debate as to the true origins of parang music. Some say it was brought directly by the Spanish colonizers. Others are inclined to believe it came along with imported cocoa plantation workers from Venezuela. Either way it is clearly a Spanish influence that is deeply ingrained in Trinidad. Parang comes from the spanish parranda. meaning the merrymaking of the musicians. In the most traditional forms of parang all the songs are sung in Spanish even though the language is really not spoken at all on the island. Many of the instruments, though not all, are common to Spanish music.

Parang season (yes there is a season) runs from October (I'm ok, with it being this early, honest I am, it's not crass commercialism down there) to January 6, which is Feast Day for the 3 Kings (Les Rois, a French name that ends the Spanish music season on an island populated by Africans and Indians...I LOVE that). As with so many things in Trinidad, there are competitions to crown the champion parang bands. The competitions were begun as a way to revive a tradition that had begun to die out prior to independence.

In days past, parang bands would circulate through neighborhoods much the way we see Christmas carollers in the USA. The bands would have 4-6 singers and instruments of all sorts. Guitars, violins, mandolins and cuatros, maracas, scrapers and wood blocks, and box basses (imagine a hillbilly instrument, the upside down washtub with a pole and string coming out the top so it could be plucked, box bass is similar)and pollitos (sort of a wooden castanet) are all common parang instruments. The bands would announce themselves with an aguinaldo song and relate the story of Christ's birth. More sacred themed songs would be sung, perhaps later a call and answer type piece of music or a salsa or waltz would be played so all the revellers could enjoy a dance. Tasty treats would be shared. Finally a despedida or departing song of thanks and well wishes would be sung.

Eventually the parang bands became a bit more stationary and parties were organized around a favorite band and the revellers would come to them. Still the music was sung in Spanish and the same styles of songs prevailed. It simply allowed a good Trini fete to go on late into the night. In more recent times, styles have diversified. Soca-Parang, which is sung in English, has become popular especially as a tourist ploy since it carries more North-American themes. And not to be left out, the Indians have added their instruments, themes, and musical patterns to the mix to create Chutney-Parang.


Nosotros Tenemos (excerpts)
Nosotros tenemos un coro especial
Y en esta casa le vamos a cantar.......
Si quiere yo cante en su lindo hogar
un paso adelante mandame a pasar......
Con gusto y contentos vamos a cantar
Este parrandita viene de San Juan

We have a special chorus
and we are going to sing it to you in this house.
If you want me to sing to you in your beautiful home
let me come in.
We're going to sing with pleasure and happiness.
This little parang singer comes from San Juan

Pop Quiz!

It's that time again! Take out a piece of paper and a pencil. Number your paper 1-10. Highest grade on the quiz wins the right to help structure a future post.......give me a list of questions to answer, a topic to blog on, or a PG rated photo request, or make another suggestion (all with my approval). Goody earned a perfect score last time and got to see what a vampiric Lime looks like. Can he keep the title of 'Champion Limer' or will he be unseated?

Take my Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com!

Another reminder as well......if you'd like to get an actual tangible Chrstmas card from me, hand delivered by your local mailman, email me at
mountainlime@gmail.com

A Rant and a Request

Ok, so I have this term project due that I have left go all semester and now I have until Monday to complete it. I started it on Tuesday. Why did I wait? Well, basically I am a procrastinator at heart. Always have been, probably always will be. Why do I procrastinate? Lots of reasons. In this case, it is partly due to perfectionism and letting all the ideas percolate in my head a very long time before I actually put anything down on paper. Also, the project itself on one hand seems simple, on the other, overwhelming. If it seems simple I think, 'Why bother just yet?' If it seems overwhelming I just avoid it.

Basically, I have to stock a brand new children's library, break down the budget by genre, give full bibliographic info for each book title, provide a mission statement and demographic info for the population served by the library. Did I mention I only get $5000 to work with? I helped inventory a brand new children's library in September. Ten thousand brand new books cost $215,000! Ten thousand books and the library still looked kind of empty. For $5000 I should just wear a blindfold and randomly pick 5-10 books off each shelf because that is about what $5000 will get me.

I have been ordering for the RIF program I run for 6 years. Oddly enough I get a $5000 budget for that. The difference is, I am only allowed to spend $5 per book when I do that. More often than not I can get books for $2. I can get a ton of books and have outstanding variety. For this term project I am required to purchase books with heavy duty library bindings and the books are averaging around $20 apiece. I am still required to have outstanding variety but you can see where this is headed right? This is not a project that is firmly rooted in reality. Reality is that a local K-2 school with 200 students spends $5000 a year just in new acquisitions and that is still a stretch.

Ok, I am finished with the rant portion of this post. Feel free to wag your fingers at me for waiting to do this project and tell me what an irresponsible student I am. When you do I will retort that I have a 99% in the class up to this point. I am just full of excuses and justifications! Now on to the request....

I am shamelessly stealing this idea from Brian. I do love to send and receive Christmas cards. There are several of you I have known for a long time before I ever started blogging and several I have just met since becoming a blogger. Either way, I'd love to send Christmas cards to those of you who would like to receive them. I promise to keep names and addresses to myself but I will also understand if some of you are not comfortable with the idea either. If you'd like an actual hard-copy, hand-signed, tangible Christmas card from me just email me at mountainlime@gmail.com with your address.

Ok, back to the books for me.........