Orville's Funeral

Yesterday was our friend, Orville's, funeral! It wasn't quite as long as some of the previous one's as two of the tribute's were done by way of song which made it a lot shorter. I was playing the piano before the funeral service started for probably 15 minutes or so. The two funeral directors always walk up the center aisle when it's time for the service begin (after the line of people waiting for the final viewing have finished). They closed the casket, turned and walked out and then Dennis got up to start the service. He had only said a few words when he stopped and I saw one of our Church members get up and go up toward the casket. Then two or three more men got up and then one of Orville's daughter. Unfortunately for me I can't see, because we have a Grand Piano and the way it is situated on the platform my view of quite a bit of the Church is blocked. Well, I leaned over on the piano bench to see what the action was all about. Here the beautiful casket spray of flowers had slid off on to the floor and these people were trying to get it back on top and in place. Dennis quietly said, "It's over this way to far and is going to fall again!" The daughter finally got it on there so it wouldn't slide off. It was terrible! So, the service continued on. Let me mention that I've never, ever played a piano solo in my whole entire life at a funeral or any other service except for the congregational singing when there was no organist. The night before the funeral (Tuesday evening) Dennis told me in passing that the daughter wanted me to play "Be Still and Know That I Am God". I sort of forgot about it since it's a very simple song until a few hours before the service. So I went rather quickly to the Sanctuary to play over it. But as the service went on the more and more nervous I got until I was pretty sick in my stomach. Then my hands were very, very clammy and I kept wiping them on my dress as the time was rapidly approaching when I had to make my debut at a funeral, no less!! I was so nervous and praying and praying that God would help me to get through the song and not make a blunder. After all, we were at a funeral and I wanted it to be perfect!! When Orville's brother was finished with the only tribute that was read, it was my time. I didn't think I could walk to the piano bench. I'm thinking to myself ~ "Self, what if you go to take a step and you fall down because your knee's are shaking so much? Then what are you going to do??????????" But thankfully God helped me and I made it through. I did ask Dennis to never volunteer me again like that. Just make it a Congregational song instead. The service finally ended and Dennis wanted me to go along to the cemetery as the family wanted us to go to the hall for the meal following which I did. When we got to the cemetery, the funeral directors nor anyone else had bothered going ahead of time to take off the cement cover that fits over the vault which gets cemented in. When a group of guys went to take it off it cracked and broke in several pieces. It was horrible!! Finally, they removed it and got the casket over to the grave. As the pallbearers were carrying the casket to the grave they turned the casket just enough that the spray of flowers fell off again. Oh, my!! There was a lot of dried cement around the ledge where that lid goes, so what does the funeral director do while Dennis is trying to have the committal service, but get a big iron thingy and begin to chisel the dried cement from where it's not supposed to be!! It was unbelievable to say the least as all that loose cement was falling right down on the casket. Then these older ladies stood right in front of the family who were sitting down on the chairs and blocked their view of what was happening. Someone finally told them to move out of the way! Just let me say it this way ~ things are a whole lot different here than in the States when it comes to funerals and the burial!! Just a way of life here. Of course, Dennis has to stay at the cemetery until the grave is completely sealed with the cement and then sign papers. It doesn't matter how long this takes and believe me, yesterday in that hot, hot sun it took a long time to do all that. I forgot to finish my story about the lid of the vault. One of the funeral directors looked two graves over and pointed. He said to the family, "Would it be okay if we use that one there (referring to another top/lid for the vault)! It happened to be a brother~in~law or uncle's grave. I about fell over myself when he asked this poor family that!!

When we left the cemetery, we came home as Dennis was so hot and sweaty that he had to change clothes before we went to be with the family. We arrived back with them and most of the food was gone :o( Dennis told them he couldn't eat anyway with just doing the funeral, which is understandable. We stayed a little while, came back home to get ready and go over to Wednesday night service. We both were exhausted from another crazy, busy day. After Church, we came home and were relaxing. I wanted to go to bed earlier than when I got around to it! ha! It was almost 10:30 and the house phone rang. I thought who would be calling now at this time of the night?!?!?!?! You see, the people call you anytime almost. (The phone rang this morning before 6:30!!) It's pretty unbelievable at times, but they don't think a thing of calling whenever. Anyway, when I answered the late night call, I heard someone crying. I'm thinking ~ oh, no! Now what!! The lady at the other end of the phone was crying so hard that I could barely understand her. She asked to talk to Dennis. I was pretty sure I knew what had happened and I was right. Her brother has been in the hospital most of the time since we came in January because of cancer. Last week he had some very, very low days and they had to give him over a period of time 6 pints of blood. Yesterday when Dennis was in to visit with him, he was having a half decent day for his condition. We were told that while he had his dialysis that he ate a chicken dinner. Well, last evening, he passed away! We don't know when the funeral is yet, but Dennis will be doing it. Several of the people Dennis has made friends with in the hospital are relatives of people in our Church congregation, but have never made it out to Church since we're here because of their sickness. There are two or three more people in the hospital who are very low. Today another lady and I were talking about these who have passed away and those who are very sick. She said she doesn't remember a time like this!! So, we never know what a day will bring forth!!

Short Up~Date

Life is passing us by! It's hard to believe that it's June already!! Where does time go? This is the last week of school here and so it's like I'm swamped with last minute things. I told Dennis last night I can't wait until school is over, but he reminded me how quiet it's going to here with no kids around and the teachers gone. All the teacher's go back to their homes whether to the States, Jamaica or their homes here on the Island. Our Principal will go home for two weeks vacation and then will return although she doesn't live here on the campus she will still be here working everyday. I'm looking forward to the quietness and slowing down for several weeks before it starts all over :o)

This past week we had two of our senior friends from Church pass away. Mary, who was a sweet lady, got to the point where she wasn't able to walk back in April. They flew her to Miami where they discovered she had a tumor on her spine which was cancer. She went down hill rather rapidly and passed away last Wednesday. Her funeral was on Sunday. Whew! What a busy day that was. We went to Church Sunday morning and had the Special Olympics Team visit with us. After the service we fed them lunch. They said there would be about 35 of them and there turned out to be probably 50 ~ 60!! So, we went to the cafeteria and I helped serve our guests, got my plate of food and came home. A short time later, we went to the Church for the service. The viewing started at 2:00 with the funeral service beginning at 3:00. I played the piano a short time before the service began. Now until you've been to a Caymanian funeral you have no idea what it is like. There's usually quite a bit of singing ~ by the Congregation and also special songs by family/friends. And then there are the tributes! Well, you want to be sure wherever you are for that that you have a soft, comfortable seat, because these can go on and on and on. Usually a funeral here lasts at least two ~ three hours. And then you go to the cemetery! I decided I would go with Dennis to the cemetery this time since Mary was from our Church. He had told me their custom here for burial and it would be so hard for the family! When we got there, the pallbearers of course carried the casket to where Mary was going to be buried. This particular spot was like wedged in between a lot of other graves and as the pallbearers were carrying the casket in between these narrow places, they almost dropped it and one of the ladies hollered. Finally, they put it at the appropriate place. Dennis was reading Scripture as they were carrying the casket to it's resting place. After they put it over the grave, the people sang and sang and sang!! And then they sang some more. While the singing was going on, the funeral directors were mixing up a bucket of cement. A lot of the men helped put the cement lid on the vault which took several minutes as that thing is huge and very heavy! Now, remember that the grave isn't totally under the ground! After it was in place, the funeral director's began using the mortar to seal the vault into place. Oh, the poor family!! So, so final! And yes, this takes time to go around all four sides to seal it. Again, all the while songs were being sung. Finally, after probably 20 ~ 25 minutes later, Dennis does the committal. Some of the men who I assume were the pallbearer's had boutonnieres and took them off and threw them on the grave while other's took handful's of sand and threw. They do put up the tents for those who want to get out of the sun, but there were a lot of people not even under there. Let me tell you, until you've been out in this tropical sun and heat you have no idea how hot the sun can get. Poor Dennis for a while was standing out by the casket and then later was able to step under the shade. I felt so sorry for the funeral director's. While they were doing the mortar, sweat was just dripping off of their faces. It's unbelievably hot!! We left the cemetery and got back home about 5:45 and our evening Church service begins at 6:00. Poor Dennis!! A very close friend of Mary's family asked me to go visit with the family for a bit as they were getting together. So, I went with her and was so glad I did. I got to visit with the family. This family has been through so much over the past few years! Mary had three children ~ a daughter and two son's. Both of her boy's passed away just within the last two years or so from cancer and now she is gone because of it. She has a granddaughter who lives in England and is a lawyer. I talked to her quite a bit. And then we came back to Church for the last few minutes of the service. I came home and crashed as did Dennis! What a long, long day!

As I said at the beginning of this post, this is the last week of school. That means I'm getting company ~ again. Our friend from Ohio who will be speaking at Commencement will be coming in on Friday. Then Saturday evening, we have our Kindergarten graduation. Oh, my! You talk about funny ~ those kids are just hilarious. I'm playing the piano for their program and had the privilege to practice with them everyday and they are a hoot!! After their graduation, we have our Awards Program where all the grades are presented with trophies and awards for their achievements. That sounds like it will be an exciting evening. Then Sunday, is our Graduation. We have seven students graduating this year! Two of them are planning to go on to law school and one is going to be a pilot. I'm not sure about the others, but wish them all the best. Then our company will be leaving on Monday.

But before all the hoopla for the end of year activities comes, we'll be having another funeral for our friend, Orrville, who also passed away last Wednesday. His services will be on Wednesday. Most of the funerals here are either held on Saturday's or Sunday's, but with school activities this weekend that wouldn't work. So, tomorrow will be another busy, busy day. Go to the office and work several hours ~ run home to change clothes ~ go to the funeral ~ go back to the office and finish up ~ rush home to make dinner ~ go to Wednesday night Church ~ go to bed and crash :o) Just a busy time in our lives right now. But death waits for nobody and you make time for these things and the living go on!!

Festival of the Arts ~ SPEECH

Yulianna did great with her little speech at the Festival of the Arts. She got a bronze medal!! Perdita is here from England and has won my heart!! She was too shy and cried when it was her turn to perfom. Her parents were there and tried to coax her to do her speech but to no avail!!

Julissa came away from the Festival of the Arts with a Gold Medal!!

Way to go, Julissa!!

Ashley placed third

Alikie placed third

The Speech Choir placed 3rd and came home with a bronze medal

And What's On Your Roof?

How many do you see?

This guy was so funny! I was watching it off and on for probably an hour or more. One time when I looked, he'd be there. The next time he was gone! Finally, I figured out that he was going in and out of the rain spout! You can always tell when they're in there as you can hear their claws on the metal!!

International Student Convention

Once a year, a large group of students from all over the world convene somewhere in the United States for the International Student Convention. This year there were, I believe, 17 of our high students that were privileged to attend. To be able to go, the students must be on target with their work, at least 13 years old and raise $1000 toward their air fare and other things they do. Also, three teachers went with them. The Convention this year was held at a University in Bowling Green, Kentucky and there were almost 2500 students there from many different countries. There are many, many categories for the kids to enter in. I was really surprised to see so many different areas for the kids to show their talent!! Here are just a few of our kids performing for us in Church the Sunday night before they left.

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Kendra playing her clarinet Melissa her flute
Two from the girls trio

Nikita, who is a senior, playing her clarinet

Lloyd!! He is one awesome young man. Here he was giving a speech. He also sang a solo and ran the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash. We are so proud of him, because at the International Student Convention, Lloyd got a silver medal for his speech, I believe 4th place with his solo and 2 silver medals in the running events. What talent he has!

Here is there Small Ensemble

Another of the girls, Kaitlyn, received a silver medal in photography. Her picture was of an iguana. She, too, did very well!!
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In this picture, Dennis is getting ready to pray for the students as they go on their trip.

While the above students were gone to Convention, the one's who couldn't go for one reason or another, still had to come to school. One afternoon I had to go down near where the high school classes are held and I walked by our computer lab. When I looked in there I cracked up and ran to get my camera and capture the sight. These students were watching by way of the Internet, the International Student Convention. I thought this was pretty neat! They had no idea I was going to take their picture!! This was the morning that the awards were being handed out!

No, the bald man is not a student but substitute teacher :o)

Next year the Convention is being held in Virginia. Dennis and I plan to go with the group that goes. It is a very exciting time BUT busy!! I can't wait to see for myself :o)

A Good Breakfast To Start The Day

Click on the picture and read what it says on the bottom right hand corner of the box of pancake mix!

At least we can get Aunt Jemima here :o)

Discovery Day Holiday Pictures

On May 17th here in Cayman Islands was Discovery Day which is a holiday. We took our Jamaican teacher friends and went out for a ride and then on to Burger King by the Sea for dinner :o) We had a great time together ~ as usual. There is a little village here called Cayman Bay which is really unique and has some rather exquisite shops. Our friends, the Heath's, who were here a few weeks ago went there and told us about a tower in the middle of the village. Here are some pictures from atop the tower. We were probably up there for an 1 1/2 - 2 hours just talking. Fortunately, it was a cloudy day so it wasn't quite so hot and there was a nice breeze blowing.

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They have these fountains where the water shots up out of the sidewalk areas. There were a lot of little kids running through the water having a blast. When Caden comes down for a visit, I hope to remember to take him there as he would love it!!
Here's a picture of the Sound that goes out to the Sea on one side

Here's the fountain again! Oh, how cool that would be here on a hot, humid summer day! I may just have to try it myself sometime :o) (A kid at heart!!)

Inside the tower is a huge mosaic tile mural that goes from the top of the tower clear to the bottom on just the one wall. I can't imagine how long it took to put it together!!

Miss Samms and Miss Blake

Dennis with Miss Maisy

Way out there is the Sea

A close up of the mosaic mural ~ a stingray

A fish ~ in case you couldn't tell :))

Looking down the stairwell

Through the shutters

A boat coming in

What a quiet, relaxing time we had together with wonderful friends!!