The Spirit of Christmas

In this post – Soto Family Gatherings, The Spirit of Christmas, Caribbean Christmas Music for you, Santa Run, Hot dolls,  and Fire on Mount Trashmore.

Here de official Rum Point Song (http://youtu.be/v4HX0sViGrc) .   If you want to know what Rum Point looks like, see under in the blog.

One of the highlights of our visit here is to meet Mark’s extended family. We did it in two stages – Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  It has been extremely touching to have been so warmly welcomed into this extended family – we feel truly blessed.  We are doubly blessed with a wonderful daughter, partner and “bump”.  It doesn’t get better than this. Here is Sherrlyn’s (Mark’s Mum) beautiful Christmas tree.

Mrs K cooked up a storm for the two occasions – a ham on the first visit and the puddings for the second – white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, sherry trifle, cranberry and pistachio biscottis, ice cream Christmas pudding with chocolate sauce pavlova.  Kidner Jeremy really feels the Good Lord has been kind to him.  The trousers have been stretched to the limit.

Has Santa had too much?

This week has been a real Blow Up Santa Fest.  Here’s one interpretation of the Christmas Spirit – happy soldier and perhaps Santa has had too much?

Here is a selection of garden displays – we love it that people take the time and spend the money to give us such a wonderful spectacle.

Santa keeps an eye on the Nativity

Made with plastic cups in a wire fence

School view Cayman style

The Spirit of Christmas was strikingly captured by James’ Santa Run to two schools on the East and North sides which are less populated and are traditionally fishing villages.  James runs a (free) running club and boot camp and the respect and affection in which he is held was amply demonstrated by a deluge of presents donated by people who attend the training.  Good on 'Yer James. This is the view from one of the schools. 

And here are the kids, or at least artistic self-portraits.

Our contribution was wrapping, labelling and sorting for two nights.  We must have packed 300 or more toys generously donated by James’ running club/boot camp attendees.  There was one mistake. Guess who?  Kidner Jeremy got a girl’s name for a boy’s name and the poor lad’s face fell a mile when he opened his present, but, good on him, he didn’t complain and was rewarded with a proper boy’s pressie.

Kidner Jeremy was tasked to wrap Barbie Dolls on his first wrapping night and came across Cat Barbie. A perceptive 5 year old little girl duly informed Kidner Jeremy in front of the assembled wrapping throng “You can’t take it home with you, you know”. Perceptive little girl that.

Cayman is on fire at Christmas, literally. I mentioned the problem of a consumer society on a small island last week; well take a look at this.

  

The response from the government was pure Cayman. “A request for proposals to deal with the problem will be issued in the next few months”.   Source: http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2013/12/24/Firefighters-battled-landfill-blaze-for-nearly-20-hours/

This sign sums up the approach – “Coming Soon” and “soon Coming” means “We have no idea when”.  We had a lunch at the Red Snapper Bar right next door to the restaurant which is coming soon and very good it was too.

I mentioned Rum Point, a local landmark.  Well, we had lunch there this week.  Here is the view from our table.  Mrs K didn’t want to spoil the view with KJ in it.  By the way, the menus are attached to the nuts. Well, they had to find some use for them…..

Next post “Coming Soon”.

Keep Well, Stay Safe.

Kidner Jeremy and Mrs K