myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Hello out there,

It must be 'Spring Fever' - everybody's out enjoying the good weather (finally) and too busy to post .

Been busy with all the gardening and planting and the usual nonsense of rebuilding various brick and stone planters and borders. Perhaps that's not a problem in your area because I don't think you have cold enough winters to freeze the ground hard (correct me if I'm wrong). With our repeated freeze and thaw cycles the ground is constantly heaving and after a few years everything is thrown out of kilter so that the nice even borders and square and level planters need to be redone I guess as long as I can still get down on my hands and knees to do this I shouldn't complain too much. Besides it gives me an excuse to have an icy martini or two to ease my aching back and muscles

Bill

Hi Bill,
you sound busy Well, I guess it's not the problem to go down on your hands and knees but to go back up. Thats the harder work, isn't it? I'm happy with my balcony though it is enough work to do with all my plants.

Enjoy sunshine if you have some, here in Germany it's cold and rainy (13°C)

Cheers
Gisela

and here very cold and foggy
Chilly from the Tropics of Cornwall

The moment the Queen is gone, nobody writes in here
Where are you, guys and gals??
Brigth sunshine in Germany and around 21°C today. Still too cold but bwtter than nothing.
Cheers
Gisela

Gisela
Been on holiday and didn't bother to use laptop - too much like hard work ! Arrived home to the garden looking a total mess, apparently terrible winds while we were away so much work to do. Busy weekend socially, head not too good early am. but can now just about focus so thought I'd let you know I am still around !! As Bill has said it's a busy time of year for us gardeners, sure everyone will catch up soon.

Sandra,

Good to hear from you. As soon as you clear up your head and your backlog of gardening we expect to see a detailed report of your trip to Tobago

Gisela,

Busy time of the year for me, and I suppose also for most of the others, but I agree with you that it would be good if all the regulars were to drop in with a brief note.

Bill

Hi all,beginning the count down soon!
Just wish it was warmer here.....gales sleet hail fog rain
David

Greetings my friends and much humility and tearing of hair at my absence of late.
I've been very pre-occupied with other matters and it was only on receiving an email alert that I realised that I've been neglecting you.

I've been away in the glorious Isles of Scilly for my annual re-charging of the batteries, and have returned looking like a ginger cavewoman. Yes really. It was so windy that my hair--never under control at the best of times-- has gone completely wild and has gone from brown to ginger under the bright sun. This has never happened before, not even in Tobago! How very odd. Now, before I upset any Celts, I do like ginger hair, but not on me. It just doesn't suit my skin tone.(She said, going all girly)

I've been up to my ears in various thingies, and, as they say, my head has been all over the place.
And, in truth, I haven't had much of anything entertaining to say. It's been almost two years since Tobago, and the chance to return seems to be getting more and remote, giving me less of an excuse to waffle on here.

Sandra, Let's hear about the hols!

David, you're thinking about counting down already? Where does the time go? We're counting down to a big trip in October. New Zealand no less! Very bad for insect bites in some areas I hear... And there doesn't seem to be a 'My New Zealand' website!

I'll sithee,
Love
Noe
xx

Third try to write ma post1

Hi all,

Sandra, don't do all the hard work in your garden, leave something for OH

Bill, it seems like you love your garden anyway. Even with all this hard work.

A friend of mine rented a garden not too far from her home. Then she found out, that it is not only fun, Bar-B-Q and laying in the sun but cutting grass, planting flowers and weeding... For her bithday I gave her a credit note for three hours of weeding. She was so happy about that, almost crying

David, when are you going again? You don't know how much I envy you!!!


Carol, no funny stories about the Isles of Scilly? Can't believe that! Good to have you back!

Hi Y'All

David, is it nearing that time again? How many months in advance do you start the countdown? Or does it begin as soon as you land back in England?

Busy here too - getting all the veggies growing - tidying the rest of the garden - painting trellis - cleaning & oiling decking - fitting new gate after drunken hoolies kicked the other one to pieces late one night. Started new work - still with same advocacy organisation - have become an IMHA (Independent Mental Health Advocate) - working with people under compulsory treatment orders - mainly in the local secure psychiatric unit.

Dreaming of Castara - counting the pennies - checking the flights - hoping for Jan/Feb 2010. I have two good friends who are there right now - Paul & Ange - staying at Castara Retreats - first timers and I am sure they will be loving it. If anyone from Castara who is reading this bumps into them say Hi from Tony and Janette.

Lovely day today - looks like the wind and rain has passed - keeping fingers crossed.

Spent half an hour yesterday at dusk watching a hedgehog make its way around the garden searching out those pesky slugs and chewing 'em up.

Gotta go - two more people to see in the psychiatric unit today and I'm not even shaved yet.

Love to All

Tony

Hey hey hey!

A mad rush of postings here.

Gisela,
I've just emailed you young lady!

Yes, I may be able to rustle up a little escapade for you!
I am wracked with guilt for neglecting you all; my loyal people, but I have been busy, honest, and there have been other things in my head which shouldn't be there.

And on that cryptic note....

Oh and hello Bruv!

Gardeners, Yardsmen and -women,

as Carol doesn't give you some entertainment, i will try this time.

Please don't complain about some work you have to do in your gardens between May and October

Some time ago i started planting chilly peppers and local hot peppers in flower pots. They line up alongside my house
in Trini. They want water almost everyday. They get mites and want spraying insecticides. They need a particular fertilizer every now and again, at least when they go in the next bigger size pot.
And yes, they need weeding, too.
As if that wasn't enough, my wife said she wanted a lime tree. So we have that now, too. Same as above. Fertilizer, anti-mites-treatment etc.
And my wife likes cherries, too. So we have a small cherry tree. That one is behaving so far
Now we had some other things before. Julie Mango tree in the yard in Trini, needs trimming, branches hanging over the roof. Orange tree in Tobago. Had tons of fruits and needed trimming, branches in the driveway. Tangerine tree in Tobago, tons of fruits here too. Needed trimming, was growing too tall, impossible to pick all fruits.
Well, Julie Mango in Tobago, too. Will need my attention this weekend. Trimming and, hopefully picking of the first
Julies of the season.
Grand Michele Banana plants ... they mostly fall over in a storm, before the fruits get ripe, and damage something like water pipes or whatever stands in the way.
Coconut tree in Tobago ... i can't climb up there so watch out when you walk through my yard
Fortunately no coconut tree in Trinidad. If my wife starts with THAT, she will get a divorce
And my gardener in Tobago says, we should plant one more Julie Mango, one more Orange and a grape fruit tree ... but he never helps me picking, trimming etc.
Oh. i almost forget, the Chives and the Rosemary need to go in bigger size pots this weekend. Or whenever.

And i wanted to go fishing this weekend .......

You see, allyou have NOTHING to complain with your gardens in Europe, covered with snow for months.
Have a garden or two in the Tropics, and you don't need another job anymore

Greetings from Trinidad,

Andy

Hi Andy

D'ya wanna swap?

me too

Hi Andy,

you have a gardener who did not help you? Ok, I'll do the job! (For small money and maybe a little room to live in). I love gardening and would love to do it as a job if I can stay in Tobago for that Do you think it will get trouble with the working permitt?
Where is the contract? I'm already on my way

Tony, David,

now problem. But whoever gets the job, will have to take over a director's job of a small marine services company in Trinidad, too.
Oh, the secretary is making a baby right now (not for me), so you will have to find replacement for her in about 5 months time, somebody who doesn't steal, and who actually comes to work

Gisela, sounds like a plan, but i think the work permit could be an issue, indeed
My gardener Mathew is an ageable, but strong Tobagonian, a nice fella, but he thinks his boss should have some
exercise too, so he lets me pick fruits and trim the trees.
Fortunately he cuts the bush and sees about a number of other things, i wouldn't want to do all of that myself.
Next time you are in T'go, you are cordially invited for a drink and to check out your new job

Greetings from Trini,

Andy

I'll take the secretary's job.

Jill

Andy,

I own a pontoon boat - does that qualify me as the director? Also I can guarantee that I won't have to quit in five months because I'm pregnant

All in all I think I would rather have to deal with an abundance of fresh fruit in the winter rather than shovelling and plowing snow in the frigid weather, but as we all know the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence.

Bill

Andy,

Can you set up a marine services place here?!! I'm fed up with having to go to Trini to get bits for the boat / engine etc!! I don't mind Trini for the odd weekend, etc., but its a long way to go for some boat parts... and I always end up having to get them in MY time!!!

In return I'll... ummmm..... not get pregnant and leave in five months, nor steal your fruit trees or do any work! That WAS the job requirement, wasn't it??!

Lisa.