Meanwhile, back on the island...

@ Lapeyrouse Cemetery

My family recently made the trip to Trinidad for my husband's grandmother's funeral - as much for that event as for some face time for my son and my father who have not seen each other in person in about 18 months. It was a short trip, just four days. 

  

I was also able to visit and lay flowers at my grandfather's grave which is located in a very small unkempt cemetery in Petit Valley. I tugged futilely at the tough grass - unable to get even one tuft out with my hands despite all the rain that had fallen (and was still falling) that day.I needed a hoe and an afternoon, and I had neither. I put the flowers anyway - I bought and arranged them myself: pink, white and red ginger lilies; red, pink and white anthurium lilies and Andromeda heliconias. I arranged them in a cut out 2-liter soda bottle full of water. They are good hardy blooms and should have lasted at least a week - if no one removed them.

 On the way home from the cemetery I passed a high-school friend walking along the road. I backed up and stopped to talk to her. She was just finishing up her chemotherapy for a 'tiny lump' which she'd had removed. She was bald but she was bright and optimistic about the future.I had last seen her in 2001 at our high school reunion.

We had one beach day which was rained out - but still lots of fun, and (I thought) beautiful. The rainy season tends to feature days with bright sunny mornings followed by mid-day showers and wild-card afternoons. On our beach day, the afternoon never cleared up.

We made up for that with two lovely mornings of breakfast on the water at one of several boatyards in Chaguramas.

On the way home from breakfast, we passed by these church ruins, (St Chad's Church), a favorite spot of mine.

We rounded out the four days with the purchase of these two paintings.The artist was set up right next to the lady selling flowers by the side of the road. So,I bought my grandfather's flowers and some art in one roadside stop.