Happiness is Underrated

There are many tips and much practical information out there on how to get through this Coronavirus Pandemic. Lately, I have noticed there has been more pandemic generosity among the island dwellers and it is spreading.

I have hired a handy tour guide I trust who was out of work, to do a small job. He gave masks to two friends, food to a family in need, along with a few household items I knew would be enjoyed.

I have also been receiving great gifts from friends. Everything from Bomba (mainland village) fruits and chocolate brownies, to tamarind from North Ambergris, and fresh-baked bread. The picture below is of tamarind pods, inside and seeds. As for what it tastes like I would say a cross between the inside part of a date and a sour patch kid 😀

Instinctively many of us are tuning in to the same gifting wavelength for a reason. It’s about making each other happy to help each other navigate these stormy times. It really does go along way too and it is not always material either.

Last night we got massive lightning, thunder, and downpour. For me, it was particularly unnerving because the rain was seeping in under my office door big time. I randomly made that discovery at about midnight. Just what I wanted before bed, a challenging mop job – not.

Even this girl knows outside tiles should be shimmed/sloped slightly away from doors for a reason. Time to figure out a fix and find help to make my home better waterproofed before it rains again.

Needless to say, I was not amused, and I could have easily slid into downright grumpy, but one thing stopped me at the time—the gift of conversation. I was chatting with a Caye Caulker friend when I made the discovery, and I did not want to trade the content feeling I had for the one I was getting as I started laying old sheets and towels down to stop the small lake on my floor from expanding while I slept.

After I finally finished late-night damage control, I laid in bed watching TV and thought about how happiness truly is underrated, how lucky I am and what a gift my life has been thus far.

This morning I woke up, peeked out my bedroom window to see the weather, and saw that the guy next door had a new roof tarp under his zinc. I felt happy for the gift of my apartment despite a few construction flaws.

More Presents

Last week was like Christmas in May and I am not surprised as this week marked the end of my 21-day abundance course that my friend Sandie in Merida, Mexico got me to do. That course was a great gift at a time like this. It took a good but short amount of time daily to focus on prosperity and clarity to create what comes next from a good feeling centered place instead of the scary and less than glamorous reality many of us are faced with.

Thanks to tacogirl reader Jane Krtil Jewitt for the gift of sponsoring my writing to help tacogirl.com survive Covid-19 and its cavernous fallout on Ambergris Caye. I try not to think about that too long, and these days – very depressing and more ripples keep coming to light. Now is a time I consciously opt for happiness a large portion of every day. Like the memory of the day Jane met my friend Jack and me for a fun local island-style adventure. Click through and read An Afternoon at the Cottage to find out which characters we hitched a ride with and where we ended up – it was a long but fun walk home.
Jane chose to use RBC bank e-transfer, if you would like to sponsor this or a different post, you can also do so by making a donation to my PayPal account with the following email: laurie@tacogirl.com.

I also got a lovely package from the love nest (Kunahmul Organics) last week. Pandora sent me a small box of yummy treats on Friday. I had gotten busy writing a different sponsored post, and by the time I called to check on my order as I had not heard from Tropic Cargo, they were on their way to closing. I know I am not the only one losing track of time and days. Whoever I spoke with was very helpful and said if I could hurry, they would wait. I grabbed my gold transistor radio & mask, flew out the door, and speed-walked to make sure my produce did not stay out of reach over the weekend.

Gift Yourself

Treat yourself to some healthy organic fruits vegetables. Below is this weeks available selection.

Malabar spinach 225g $7.50, collard greens 1/2lb $5.00, Callalloo, okra red/green 230g $4.50, Swiss chard 1/2lb $7.50, assorted hot peppers 230g $4.50, sweet Thai basil 25g $4.00, Purple basil 25g $4.00, Lemon Basil 25g $4.00, oregano 30g $4.50, lemon balm 30g $4.00, culantro 45g $4.00, kennikura edible flowers 20g $4.00, moringa flowers 20g $4.00, moringa leaves, Amy’s salad mix 250g $10.00, red lettuce 250g $10.00, romaine lettuce 280g $10.00, eggplant medley 230g $4.50, turmeric 230g $5.00, Pineapple $1.50 p/p, cambodiana mangoes 2 for $1, watermelon (limited), callaloo $5.00 per 1/2 lb, Moringa Drumsticks $8.00 per 1/2 lb, poblano peppers, Mexican sweet peppers $3.00 per 1/2 lb, chilaca peppers, serrano peppers, white radish.

To place a custom order, email Pandora at kobelize@gmail.com or WhatsApp +501-610-5115

Or if you like surprises, ask for your $50 or $30 tacogirl vegetable box. *Note sometimes their internet goes in and out. In this case, texting or calling can be the best way to reach them if you do not hear back quickly about your order. I also get an occasional treat when you order mentioning my blog. Farm pics courtesy of Pandora.

As promised in last weeks Whose Handling the Food? write up which had produce and field shots, a crate of fresh-picked fruit moving to the processing and cooler room. In honor of my gift of dyslexia, I ordered Pandora’s picked and packed pictures backward from right to left 😀

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A Gift For You

I am giving you the gift of sight. Since so many of you want to be here now but cannot and for those who are here but trying to stay home as much as possible.

First off, A&R is giving you the gift of convenience. To help people one-stop shop when possible, they did grocery store conversion in the front part of the store. The pic is (of course) before the shelves were stocked.

Secondly, for those of you who are ready for a little sun and sand. The pic below is looking north by the SPBE Water taxi. And for those of you who want a bit of news with your beach, there is major controversy happening in regards to where the water taxi should go. So far, no one has stepped up to say it is a good idea to put it smack in the middle of town at Ruby’s Hotel. However many people worldwide are stepping up to say it is not ok, please sign the petition and read more about why we need to join together and Stop a new water taxi facility at the old Ruby’s Hotel located in the Town Centre.

One last shot of Back St. bicyclists that I took while on an essential errand run. I cannot imagine riding a bike wearing a mask, even on Caye Caulker which is where my blue beach cruiser bike is 😀