predencia

The long silence has been the result of getting my head down and focusing on completing 3 major pieces of writing.

Love is Not a Reward – Stories and Sourcebook

I’ve come up for air. I’ve been going through the proofs of the two Love is Not a Reward books – text and source books. They will be available for sale soon, just a few more corrections and they’ll be on the shelves.

Also, I’ve just completed the first draft of a play. I won’t mention the title at the moment because it might change. It’s out to readers so I can breath for a few days. Initial responses have been very favourable, though the indications are that more work will be required to make it ready for stage. 

I am, however, very excited by suggestions that it would work as a radio play, and also as a book (narrative)…

Brief Encounter plaque at Carnforth Station

It’s my last night in the land of lakes. The weather today is a reminder as to why there are so many lakes, but it’s been perfect for writing. I wrote 4 scenes of my play while the lake shimmered and swelled and swans swam gracefully by. I need a writing retreat like this on a more permanent basis.

Luggage as it used to be on Carnforth Station

Reflected on the trip to the Carnforth Railway Heritage Centre that I visited on a sunnier day.

Carnforth Station and Heritage Centre

It was renovated to its former glory when it was used in the film ‘Brief Encounter.’

Tuesday 29th April 2014

Never on Sunday by Penny Dixon

I’ve just had some good news. A pastor who read Never on Sunday is going to be using it in the relationship ministry in his church.

He said ‘It is a timely book.’

Buy it here Never on Sunday

Wednesday 19^th March 2014

While in Clarendon I went to visit the graves of two recently departed relatives, my Aunt who was 101 years old when she died and my nephew who was just 55.

St Peter’s Church, Alley, Clarendon, Jamaica

As I sat on my Aunt’s grave in St Peter’s Church in Alley a gentleman rode past on a bicycle. He looked across at me and asked jokingly ‘Are you reasoning with the duppies?’*

Reasoning with the duppies

‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘they seem to make more sense than the living.’

He laughed as he carried on his way.

I was struck with the beauty and tranquillity of my Aunt’s final resting place. Huge trees provided shade as well as food (if they needed it). There was an ackee tree laden with fruit a few yards from her grave. Herons stood respectfully to one side. It was hard to…

Wednesday 19^th March 2014

I arrived as my uncle was repairing his saw

In the last post Brandon Hill by the scenic route I described the journey to Clarendon. This was not just a tourist outing, but a journey to re-connect with my family, some of whom I’ve not seen since I was eight years old – many of whom I have never met.

This trip was also a response to spirit guidance (mainly my maternal grandmother whom I’ve never met) to come home, as there was a role for me in healing the generational pain in the family.

I arrived tired at my uncle’s house, but was instantly refreshed by his welcome (he didn’t know I was coming). He is the keeper of the family’s history. Imagine my amazement when he pointed to the land next to his house and said ‘that’s the burial ground’.

Graves marked by…

Wednesday 19^th March 2014

Stunning views from the road at Casava Pond,St Catherine, Jamaica

After 2 days on the road going from Kingston to Clarendon and back by public transport, I’m feeling jet-lagged again.

The journey went something like this. Kingston to Spanish Town by bus. Spanish Town to Linstead (yes, of the famous song) and the rest of the way by taxi changing at each stop. This is not taxi as we know it in the UK, it’s more like a bus with five seats, so anyone can get in with you. Linstead to Ewarton,  Ewarton to Kellits, Kellits to Brandon Hill, our final destination. This distance of approximately 39 miles took just over 3 hours. I’m told that without the road block created by residents of Casava Pond in St Catherine,protesting against the lack of piped water, it would have been two and a half hours.

Part…

Sunday 16^th March 2014

Hellshire Beach

After the 90 minutes bus and taxi journey to get there I was a little apprehensive to see that we were about to enter Hell – even if it had ‘shire’ tucked on the end.

If you don’t want to be bothered by loud music (mostly dancehall), don’t like the smell of roasting jerk pork, frying fish and festivals, can’t stand the sight of horses giving rides on the beach like donkeys at Weston-Super-Mare in the UK;

if you don’t want to be disturbed by beach hawkers selling all kinds of wares from peppered prawns to instant photographs; if you don’t want to hear children laughing, splashing and generally having fun and don’t want to bask in the warm, warm, turquoise Caribbean sea, then it could indeed be hell.

I’m not a great fan of dancehall music, but found myself trying out some…

Sunday 16^th March 2014

The Golden Macca Fat – this season’s pantomime at the Little Theatre in Kingston – was for me, not so golden.

The Little Theatre – Kingston

It pains me to write that I was so disappointed with the production that I fell asleep at several points. I found the story too complicated for a pantomime. There was no central character to focus on, and no one of the nearly 20 strong cast made any real connection with the audience. There was too much screeching by the characters and the dances were too samey.

The Golden Macca Fat

Despite the lavish and often beautiful sets, and some lovely touches – such as the street secne, the patoo and ‘poetry’, the performance lacked coherence and any real sense of purpose.

This was so different to the last time I was at the Little Theatre where I was…

Saturday 15^th March 2014

Fruit cart in downtown Kingston

Still somewhat jetlagged I went to downtown Kingston to buy fresh fruit and vegetables (trying to support the small people and not just shop in supermarkets).

Dee negotiates on the lettuce

I went via uptown Kingston where I waited in long but organised lines to change my money into Jamaican dollars, and to buy a local sim card.

Street vendors in downtown Kingston

Downtown Kingston has more in common with Bamenda in Cameroon than it is probably aware of. Bustle, music and street vendors of all kinds. I wanted to take a picture of the one-legged man who weaved in and out of traffic on crutches hoping for donations to his cause, but it seemed inappropriate.

Jamaican bus

Got some great deals on naseberries, watermelons, calaloo, and plantains. Yum! Yum!

Thursday 13^th March 2014

BA flight 2263 touched down smoothly at Normal Manley International Airport at precisely 16.25, its expected time of arrival to applause and cheer from the predominantly Jamaican passengers.

Back on Jamaican soil with my niece

I felt a small flutter in my stomach and a wave of anticipation washed over me. What would I recognise after 16 years? (In fact when I did the maths properly I realised that it’s actually 17 years since I was last home).

I was pleased my niece recognised me – because, despite the photo she’d sent I didn’t recognise her. We hugged and hugged and hugged some more, and people around us watched and smiled. One man cheered as though he felt the connection I was making with this family member that I had not seen in years.

My niece Dee and her son Nick

I didn’t care how…