I just got back from Paradise! I went on a wonderful trip to Tobago with my
amazing friend Lori. There was plenty of swimming and sunbathing and a really
great boat trip with dolphins and fishing (I caught two fish) . We met great
people, had yummy home cooked meals and even went out dancing. Not being needed
for a few days is bliss and the pace there was soothing and slow.

Local food in Tobago was actually surprisingly familiar, with the exception of
cassava, plantain, foot weed and various sauces. Curry , tomato and thyme were
used in many dishes as the main seasoning. While I did bring some Umeboshi
plums, sea salt, miso, quinoa and red lentils, we mostly ate local fare that we
cooked in our little apartment kitchen.

For example:

Rice with sauteed onions, carrots, celery and garlic

Lightly curried/ginger lentils

Steamed pumpkin with onions

Fresh caught fish (Grouper, King fish, tuna, jacks) with green sauce (thyme,
garlic salt and oil) cooked outdoors over smoky sweet grass

Cucumber and tomato salad (no dressing, no lettuce)

Dessert was fresh mangoes, oranges. Once we bought homemade coconut tarts cooked
in a clay oven on the beach.

My friend Lori even showed locals how to make Polish perogies!

Ingrid’s 8th Birthday

I got back just in time for Ingrid’s birthday. We had a royal party. All guests
were requested to dress up in their king/queen, Prince/Princess outfits.

It was such a beautiful sunny day the party was held in the yard. We had crafts
at the picnic table: crowns, paper bag puppets, etc.. I was amazed at how calm
and peaceful all the 8-year old guests were.

After crafts we played games and blew up screaming balloons that we all tried to
let go into the air at the same time.

Party snacks

Watermelon

tangerines

Juice

hummus with carrots, pita and cucumber and olives

chips

We had a yummy chocolate cake with strawberries and tofu cream.

Lots of fun was had by all. One of my favorite moments was running around town
doing errands before the party, dressed as Snow White.

Whew! I wasn’t sure how that was going to go.  I was thinking…eight 10-year old girls… CHAOS! But they were amazing! They were polite, they shared, they took turns. We adults were not even needed! My friend and neighbor Annie and I decided our girls could collaborate and have one party (Khadija and Lucy have been best friends since the day they met 6 years ago and their birthdays are only weeks apart.)

The party started at six o’clock. The girls were all here by six thirty. They had made plans at school to do some kind of secret play. Each girl came with a bag of props. Annie and I were NOT invited, …but we overheard the plot. There was a marriage, a priest, a rock star. We got that much.

 Sounded great! Later we all gathered around the table for a “make your own wrap” supper.

Wraps

-whole wheat tortillas

-peanut butter and jam

-hummus

-pickles/olives

-lettuce

-fish sticks

-mustard , ketchup,nayonaise

-tofu hot dogs

-black beans with lemon and green onions

-carrot sticks

-pan fried zucchini/summer squash

After supper and a yummy cake, we spread out over the living room and made nightshirts. Oversize cotton t-shirts and some fabric markers went a long way!

Then Annie came up with a brilliant game.. we don’t really have a name for it but it starts out with a large cereal box. The kids line up and take turns picking up the box and handing it to Annie, only using their mouths (and also, no hands or knees or elbows allowed to touch the floor – you have to stay on your feet) . After everyone has a turn Annie cuts off an inch of the box. It goes on and on till the box is only centimeters high. The hilarious and amazing contortions these kids made in order to reach the box with their teeth left us awestruck and clapping. We had five winners in the end! …and basically no box left.

At this point it was after eight and we made two huge beds in our basement and settled the kids down for a movie.  After the movie there was some whispering and some giggles but by eleven they were all settled down and sleeping.

In the morning bright and early I heard them at it again with the giggles.  We got them to get up and get dressed and gather their things and to head over to Annie’s apartment where she was hosting the pancake breakfast and a morning Twister game!

What a great party!