Cruise Ships

Earlier this week I gazed across the Sea and I saw five cruise ships. Later someone told me there were six not five! They sure bring in the business for the shops!! That's the most I've seen. It was very humid and hazy as you can see in the pictures.

Our First Caymanian Funeral

Last Saturday, Dennis had his first funeral here at Grand Cayman. A younger man from the community passed away from cancer and his sister contacted Dennis to have the service. The former Pastor said it was a small funeral compared to most. There was probably about 100 people there and usually there's at last 300 ~ 400 people. WOW!! That's a big funeral. The service was typical to an American funeral, but with lots of singing and many, many tributes. This man had been a well known football player here on the Island during his high school years and several of his team mates were here. I thought that was pretty neat! I had to play the piano. That part went well! At first, I was nervous, but then our friend (the former Pastor) came and played the organ. That was a big relief to me!! He said since the man wasn't from our Church I wasn't obligated to go to the cemetery. Dennis said the graveside service is very, very different from the one's in America. When they get to the burial site they sing and sing and sing. While singing the men apparently who work for the cemetery put the casket in the vault, seal it right there in front of the people with cement and put it down in the ground! That's got to be awful hard on the family!! But that's what they're used to. Just thought I'd share a little about it.

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Part of the crowd who attended the funeral.

(Picture was taken through our livingroom window) When I took this picture, I didn't notice until later that I got the hearst!
Dennis had went to meet the family at the funeral home last Friday when they went to the viewing. Of course, he's always very friendly and started talking to the funeral director. He's down here and owns a couple funeral homes on the Island and is originally from West Virginia! What are the chances Dennis finding someone living down here from West Virginia. He told the man we'll invite him over sometime for ham, fried potatoes and pinto beans!!

A Beautiful Trip

Yesterday, after a very long afternoon in the office, Dennis came in the house when I got home and said, "Come on! I'm taking you away!" He wanted to surprise me when I asked where we were going. We drove and drove! Yes, you can drive for a little while here on the island :o) I didn't remember seeing any of the beautiful scenery before ~ at least not since we moved here. We had been on this road in November when we were here, but I didn't remember it. We weren't near the water but the area was still pretty in its own way! After driving for a little while, Dennis said he wasn't sure if we were going the right direction. He kept driving and said some things looked a little familiar to him. I said to keep going then as maybe he was on the right road after all. Finally, he told me where he was trying to take me. You see, at the beginning of last week he went with our friend, John, the former Pastor, to take a group of the school kids on a field trip to Pirate Caves (which has quite a history here). It wasn't too long after he told me that we arrived there and parked across the road. Right there was the Sea and there's a huge reef of coral way out from the shore that breaks the water. It is sooooooooooo pretty!! I was disappointed because by now it had clouded up and the water just wasn't showing up to see how colorful it really was since the sun was hidden :o( But it was still pretty. I hope we can drive up there again sometime soon!

If only the sun were shining!! This picture with the colorful water would have been beautiful!!

But we'll go there again sometime when the sun is shining brightly!!

A Beautiful Trip To The Lighthouse

After spending some time looking out at the beautiful Sea where the reefs are we continued on our little journey! We soon arrived at our destination ~ The Lighthouse Restaurant. Oh, wow!! The food there is hard to describe how delicious it is!! We both ordered Cajun Chicken Linguine. It was yummy!!!! Here's some pictures of our time there.

These next few pictures were taken from where we were seated right next to the Sea. They were taken through a screen but I thought they were still beautiful!!

A candle holder on the table ~ a lighthouse ~ how appropriate

If only it weren't cloudy to see the sunset

Some people that were there

Behind the restaurant

The Lighthouse lit up after dark ~ so pretty and a great evening!!

A New Friend???????????

I often see these little creatures in our yard! But then they grow into BIG creatures. I'll try to get a picture of the big one's sometime when I'm way out back by the palm tree's!! They don't scare me too bad if I see them right away!

Meet and Greet Time With The Governor

Last Wednesday, January 27 th, our district of West Bay was privileged to have a "Meet and Greet Time" with the new Governor, Mr. Duncan Taylor and his wife. So, our Church lifted it's service so we could join in the celebration. Here in Cayman the government helps the Churches, so it was very proper for all to attend who possibly could! The celebration was held at non other than the popular Turtle Farm which happens to be up the road from us about a mile or so. What a neat place to visit!! Some of the beautiful creatures we saw
There's hundreds of turtles here!!!!!

I love this picture :o)

This guy was playing the Steel Drum! It sounds so pretty!!

Quite a few of our school students were there as it was a big thing for schools and Churches to be present!!

Of course, our own Premier was there (his wife is in the background to the left).

A closer view of Mr. McKeeva

The Governor, a man from the Department of Education, the Premier and Mrs. Governor :0))

Talking with a student

This is my friend, Debbie. She attends our Church and also works in the school. In the picture, she is with her Scout group. We've known her and her husband for several years as they are some of the one's who go to the same Youth Camp we go to in PA.

The Governor speaking with our students and principal (in the blue shirt).

Dennis got to shake hands with him ......

while I continued to take a lot of pictures :o) I was right up there within a few feet of them!! Pretty neat!!

A small portion of the crowd that was there

The Premier's wife to the left

Dennis with a group from our Church/School. I think four of the five ladies are from Jamaica. What sweet people they are!!!!!

When we left the Turtle Farm this is the beautiful scene we saw across the road!!

A Beautiful Sunrise

I am usually up every weekday morning before the sunrises, but am in one of the spare bedrooms working on boxes. I have my own little ritual that I do :o) I always walk out here to the living room first thing and look out the front window several different times across the Sea. The first time I did this morning it was pretty much as usual. A few minutes later I looked out again and these are the beautiful scenes I saw!! One of these mornings I'm going to walk across the road to the water and see if I can get some better shots at the sunrise. Really the pictures don't do it justice but you'll get an idea of how pretty it is and what you'll enjoy when YOU come to Grand Cayman.