Originally posted on Facebook - Options 2018- 07-020- 001

Sometimes persons start speaking about what would you do if you had, “no no money” and while the tactful, caring person I should be, should try to understand where they are coming from, there is a part of me which is quick to respond with:

Buy a pound of potatoes, a pound of pumpkin and make a soup. The warmth of the food, the nutrients in the pumpkin will cheer you up and you may forget about the way you may be feeling and you may get through another day with not a lot of money and then

When you get some more money, buy a dozen eggs and have some protein, it will do you good as the nutrients in the food helps persons who may be facing tough times.

No doubt I may be longing for soil mixtures, containers and such to make me feel better, wondering how is it I did not think about those numbers to win some magical amount of money which just may make my life immensely better, but I really have a lot of blessings, some of which are:

Where I work there are two mango trees which coincidentally dropped at least one mango almost every of the three days a week on which I work at that location for about two weeks straight.

Then, this week, the avocado trees which are located at opposite ends of the grass parking lot started dropping small ones. I know that the seeds just may make starter plants which may make a difference in the environment for the long term.

There are lots of produce which I can buy at really economical prices in various places and for the quantities which I need, I can feel like I win a jackpot on each day I can purchase something at:

TT$2.00 (a pound of pumpkin when it is on special) or

TT$4.00 (a pound of potatoes over the last week) or

TT$7.00 (two beets) or

TT$6.00 (some green beans).

Now I know that over the long term, there are other needs which need to be met, however there are persons who just may find a way to provide either additional part time work which may allow for greater savings.

However for now, being able to cook as often as I do, helps me to retain skills and each time something comes out good, I say yea and I forget about the earnings which I could have made “somewhere else”.

So I am really sorry for not being an attentive listener for not appreciating how much good you do and can do and for just being appreciative of how you feel... I really need to work on being a more caring, considerate person and I hope to get there someday....

Originally posted on Facebook - Financial Planning - 2018-04-02-001

Did my budget for March 2018's anticipated pay in February 2018, so that I would have a draft to revise or keep as it was. (It seemed easier to do the budget like that, at that time.)

So in the aftermath of getting paid, the ending of Lent, Payless's shoe sale (Buy one get another at 50% of the price - it is really a good choice for accessories such as inner soles) which continues into next week, here are some of my food choices, for the next month:

Sardines - 6 tins / cans

Mackerel - 4 tins / cans

Tuna Chunks - 1 tin / can

Tuna flakes - 2 tins/cans

Apples

Chicken

Still to get:
Mushrooms - 5 tins
Peanut butter - 2 (1/2 lb)
Pineapple slices - Cuisine
Carrots as needed
Pak Choy - as needed
Cheese - as needed
Minced Meat - as it is needed
Ginger
Garlic
Mayonaise
Potatoes
Beets

Carailli - as it grows on the vines
Mangoes - as it is needed (for currying)
Salmon - goes well with pak choy

So everyone, let me know:

How you are doing with your budget and

Your food choices,

What has been working for you and what you intend to change going forward.

Originally posted on Facebook - Planning Tip 2018-04-022 -001

Having fun in a low cost way in Trinidad:

Here are some places to visit where the cost of transport to get to and from the is the most expensive factor:

1 Botanical Garden - This is located opposite to the POS Savannah and can be accessed from Maraval or via a maxi from Petit Valley which is heading towards Charlotte St. POS.

There are gates to access the Botanical Garden and you can wander along the paths. Due to the size of the Garden, it is recommended that if you are alone that you stay in the Central space or go with a companion if you are inclined to have some company.

There are benches on which you can sit and tents which provide shade, however you can still spread a cloth and relax in the shade of the trees. Here is a link with photos of the Botanical Gardens. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147389-d152621-Reviews-Royal_Botanical_Gardens-Port_of_Spain_Trinidad_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html

2 The Savannah - This is located on the outskirts of POS and can be accessed via Maraval or via a maxi from Petit Valley which is heading towards Charlotte Street, Port of Spain.

If you wish to walk around the Savannah there are persons who walk from about 3:30 pm and either view the buildings which surround the Savannah or walk on the grounds. Here is a link to view some photos of the site:https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147389-d150209-Reviews-Queen_s_Park_Savannah-Port_of_Spain_Trinidad_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html

3 Churches in Port of Spain - Sunday afternoon: St. Patrick's Church, Newtown, close to Ariapita Avenue, Tragarete Road, : 6:00 pm - Mass ; St. Theresa's Woodbrook - near to Pizza Hut (Old Roxy Cinema) Mass - 5:00 p.m., St. Finbars' - Diego Martin - Mass - 5:00 p.m; 6:30pm. https://www.stfinbars.com/parish-information/

Originally posted on Facebook - Reminiscing 2018-11-04-001

Over the years, I have either looked at hotels on the Internet or have stayed in some through work arrangements (abroad). Luckily, I have been fortunate to work on the audit of a hotel in the early days of my career.

However, before the audit of the hotel, many years ago on a visit to Miami, there was a stay for a few days in a hotel which was run by Cubans which had an elevator with a metal grid which was operated by a guy named "Ivan", a tall fellow.

From a "truck" on the street, there were Cuban pastries, one of which was made with a filling of guava jam. Food for those few days were mainly "fast foods" purchased from supermarkets. Of course there was a visit to some theme park which was more "garden" read "jungle air" focused and a stay at another hotel. I think there was a visit to Disney Land at that time.

Years after the Miami trip, there was a short stay in a little hotel on one of the shores of Barbados. Then there was a move to a home opposite to the beach which offered some shared facilities such as a dining room and a kitchen. That was a time of hope, learning and fascination with a culture and the generosity of a people.

Years after, when I re - discovered the site of the buildings, which somehow did not survive the "Tides of Time", I became possibly more broken hearted over the loss of the hotel and then the home than over the state of my life.

Nowadays, there are still hotels which operate as bread and breakfast places and there are those which offer:

"Suite" and "Lock off unit" facilities, both of which offer:

All of the facilities of the resort, such as " washer and dryer" services,

Access to the beaches and pools on the compound.

However, the suite offers:

The services of a small kitchenette where you can either cook on the stove top or bake items in the oven,

While the Lock off unit offers a microwave, a percolator, a small fridge, dishes and cupboard space.

Now, we look at hotels either based on price or based on proximity to stores or groceries or beaches and some times we look at what we can do over the period, rather than what we can do for a few days.

Originally posted on Facebook - Update - Kick Em Jenny - Underwater Volcano

ODPEM

October 5, 2018 ·

Elevated Seismic Activity - Kick Em’ Jenny Informaition Note #1 from @CDEMA

The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center (UWI SRC) has reported High levels of seismicity at the Kick em’ Jenny Volcano. Since the episode began during the afternoon of September 30, 2018 quite a number of events have taken place. The largest of these events occurred on Monday morning at 03:24 a.m., 03:35 a.m. and 03:56 a.m. (local time) of magnitudes 3.5, 3.5 and 3.3 respectively''

https://www.facebook.com/ODPEM.JA/photos/a.246995338670176/1885715924798101/?type=3&theater

Originally posted on Facebook - Reminiscing 2018-03-10-001 ~Treasure ~

Several years ago I would happily looking through a basket of "ends" in a cloth store and every now and then I would find a piece of material which was "enough" to make a sheet.

Let me explain: An end which can make a sheet is approximately 108 or 120 inches wide and may be either 36 inches or 45 inches or 54 inches or 60 inches long. Thus the width is used as the length and the length is used as the width.

How else does it work? Well there are several concepts at work some of which are:

1 The material is usually a cotton or a cotton blend which makes it ideal for layering or for draping or just for hanging as a blind or as a separation piece.
2 The material is usually plain or not patterned.
3 It can be hand sewn or machine stitched if a machine is available.

It is ideal for:

Someone who wants an extra piece either just in case or to experiment with or

Someone who wants to transition or

Someone who may want some everyday pieces to live with while saving the "good" pieces for Christmas, Easter or a birthday or when someone is visiting.

P.S. The pieces became important when I did not want to shop for material at Christmas.

Originally shared on Facebook - Removal of nations from the list of non cooperative nations

EU removes St. Lucia from list of non-co-operative jurisdictions for #tax purposes. Unfortunately, St. Kitts has been added. 


Find more here: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/03/13/taxation-3-jurisdictions-removed-3-added-to-eu-list-of-non-cooperative-jurisdictions/pdf
@slunewsonline @SaintLuciaGov @miaamormottley @thevoiceslu @oecscommission @skngov