Visit from my friend Billie

7 March 12

Today we had to make the dreaded journey to the children’s hospital L.  Averie is not getting better and her fever spiked to 103 degrees yesterday.  Of course I freaked out and first thing this morning we were off to the hospital. Before I get into the details of that ordeal let me tell you something more exciting.  My friend Billie arrived yesterday!  It was so great to see her as we haven’t seen each other since grad school.  We enjoyed a bottle of Appleton as we talked on the porch. 

Taking Averie to the doctor was an experience within itself.  As an anthropologist I hate to admit this but I realized during that event just how “American” I am. The conditions of the hospital are definitely not what we are used to in the states.  They didn't disappoint us however with the dreaded lines.  To make a long story short, after about 5 hours in the hospital Averie and I found ourselves sneaking out (we ended up calling our pediatrician back home and unofficially received treatment from afar)

9 March 12

Happy Birthday to my niece Italy!!!

What a day here in Jamaica.  We slept in this morning.  I actually did not roll out of the bed until 830a this morning. Once we were up I fixed the kids some french toast and then Billie and I headed out to meet Adrian the coffee man. We met Adrian in Papine where he was waiting with 10 bags of coffee beans. We bought the coffe and chatted for a while, promised we would see him again soon and were off to our next stop.  Our next stop was Tastee Patties where I grabbed the kids some chicken patties and cocoa bread and Billie grabbed a bean and cheese patty. We headed back to the house to drop off the food and then Mr Dennis took me to the US Embassy so that I could pick up my box.

After those errands were run, Billie, my kids, my mama, and I headed to the Bob Marley museum.  It was a great tour of a phenomenal man.  Even my 9yr old son said “I never knew a museum about Bob Marley would be so interesting”.

There was a small café outside of the museum where I got what they call a Yatty (instead of patty).  It was AMAZING.  It was steamed cabbage and other mixed vegetables inside a whole wheat patty.  Even the kids couldn’t get enough of it.  I’m hoping that is not the only place to find them.

Once home, Billie and I walked to the market on campus and returned to enjoy a predinner glass of Appleton.  Around 5p she and I headed out to the Guilt Trip. The food was wonderful.  I had a penne pasta with pumpkin, carmalized onions and a rich creamy sauce. Yum!  Billie had the sea base covered in this garlicky sauce with a bed of rice and vegetables. That was really good too (we shared!).  To compliment diner we both had an Appleton mixer (or two J).  For dessert we shared what was supposed to be a slice of rim raisin cheesecake (but we both believe it was just cheesecake minus the rum and the raisin).

My friend Billie at the Guilt Trip

Smoked salmon "pizza"

 

We returned home to some rowdy kids and I made it worse with the huge piece of chocolate cake that I brought back for them. After an hour or so of winding down the kids, Billie and I enjoyed one more glass of Appleton on the porch.

11 March 12

Not much of an update here… just enjoying the second day of this extremely lazy weekend!!!