Vigie beach

This is Vigie beach where I walk the dogs. Vigie airport is behind and to the left with the runway parallel to the beach and there is a cemetery between the beach and the runway! You can sometimes just see Martinique on the horizon. We walk up one end, rest for a while under the almond trees and then walk back. David and I brought the dogs here the morning he left and Sefton came here with us too.

Whose Bed Is It Anyway?

Burn out

Pia sent me a gorgeous box of watercolour paints for my birthday. They arrived a couple of days ago and I was itching to try them out. Yesterday afternoon I sat down and painted this. It would never have hung in the Tate, I painted it from memory and didn't take too much trouble over it, but I think it's instantly recognisable to anyone who knows the subject - David. As soon as it was dry I took it outside, set fire to it and put the ashes in the dustbin.
Very therapeutic!

Cross Cultural Cookery

On Sunday someone brought me my first breadfruit and last night I cooked it. I decided to boil it and mash it with butter and black pepper, the way I do with swede. As I shook the pepper I could smell something spicey. Looking at the label on the jar I realised I had picked up garam masala instead of pepper. Thinking this could be interesting I stirred it in and tasted: delicious!

There was far too much to eat at one sitting so I put the rest in the fridge. This evening, needing something quick and easy for my dinner, I wondered if I could saute the breadfruit. I chopped some onion and put it on to fry in dripping (yes, I know, but I didn't care!). When the onion was beginning to brown I added the breadfruit, then a beaten egg to add some protein.

As it was cooking it began to remind me of something. My late sister was married to an Italian and I suddenly remembered her showing me how to make a frittata. I was doing exactly the same thing - if I had just had some cooked mix veg. to add I should have had a perfect hybrid - a St Lucian frittata!

It was even more delicious than the creamed breadfruit yesterday and, pig that I am, I ate it all! Lovely grub!

My First Birthday in St Lucia

These pictures are of my first birthday party in St Lucia! On the left are, clockwise from left, Lincoln, Renita, Fabian (her fiance), Merle and George. In the kitchen and thus missing from the table were Julius the chef and Robert, Lincoln's brother, who is also Julius's brother in law. Julius's photo is on the right but Robert's didn't come out. Sorry Robert!

Clouds over Mont Gimie

I went onto the balcony to hang out some washing, saw this, dropped the washing and ran for the camera! (For those who don't already know, Mont Gimie is the highest mountain in St Lucia and this is the view from my balcony. It changes so quickly that I'd love to set up a time-lapse camera!)

My Family Of Other Animals

This is the first pic of all three together - not very good but better ones will follow. Lukas has been an absolute star and now plays riotous games with Fifi - good for his waistline as he's missing the 2 hour walks over English fields.

Fifi is a little love but although she has her own collection of 'chewables' she doesn't stop there. She chews absolutely everything, excelling herself on Monday by totalling my cell phone! This evening when I took them outside after their dinner, I thought it had been snowing - the whole of my garden was covered with torn up toilet paper! Feeling ignored because I had a visitor, she had stolen the spare loo roll from ON TOP OF THE CISTERN in the guest loo, taken it onto the balcony and chewed the whole thing up. The wind had blown it all down into the garden which bore a decided resemblance to what you might find behind a thick hedge if you make a 'comfort stop' on a French country road!

When she went to the vet on Wednesday for her heartworm shot he said she was only about 8 months old, much younger than I'd been told, so hopefully she will grow out of it once she realises it's classified as antisocial behaviour!

My First LooshanTomato !

The tomatoes I planted in the garden didn't survive. I had two seedlings left and carefully grew these on, then put them into a tub in front of the house where I could keep an eye on them. One of them actually has a tomato on it!
I need to pick it tomorrow before anyone else does!!
(These are Moneymaker - a small but delicious variety I used to grow in England. I can't wait to taste it - hope it doesn't disappoint!)