Another mish mash this week – news of progress at the health clinic in Palmetto Point and news of some cooking parties at Colman Towers !
First the cooking parties – always when Jane comes to visit we cook a Sunday roast dinner together. And so we did last weekend. When the two of us are cooking together it is always a jolly occasion and this was a particularly jolly one.
Roast chicken with Jane’s secret recipe – made from scratch – stuffing, yorkshire pudding or as they are called in the US – popovers ! , roast potatoes and parsnips, cauliflower au gratin, buttered baby leeks from the garden, peas, carrots and gravy all followed by delicious apple pie baked that morning by my Mum – Mary . …. There’s nothing like a nice light lunch and believe me this was NOTHING like a nice light lunch !
So while we preparing it we had Abba’s greatest hits playing and we danced around and drank a stellar Bloody Caesar as well. Such a great time – nothing that special really apart from precious time together , making delicious food and having fun – all my favorite things ……
Monday was a holiday here in The Bahamas – Emancipation Day – and we spent it in the kitchen again – this time making 2 curries to share with good friends that evening. Jane brings me out jars of Waitrose curry paste as I know I have mentioned before and I use this as a base for the curries I make. One was with lobster and shrimp and the other was vegetarian with mushrooms, potatoes and spinach. We had poppadoms with cucumber raita and a delicious onion tomato and cilantro salad. All followed by individual fresh fruit pavlovas made by Jane – totally decadent and divine !
We did forget to take any pictures of the day or the meal so you will have to take my word that this was not a figment of my imagination !!
Now on to the progress at the Eleuthera Community Healthcare Initiative ……. I was asked to help make the clinic a comfortable setting for people visiting it. It can be a very stressful experience seeing a doctor when you have health problems so after a discussion with Dr Arlington Lightbourn my brief was to make visitors feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible instead of sitting there with blood pressure rates rising by being in too clinical and spartan an environment.
So my brilliant contact in the business section at Ikea in Ft Lauderdale worked her usual magic to get the items I had ordered – drapes, mirrors and pictures – shipped out here in record time. A huge thank you to the lovely Pauline St Hilaire who gives the very best service imaginable ! The drapes had to be pre-washed and pressed before having to avoid future shrinkage. And a couple of the large pictures came rolled in tubes with a frame they had to be fitted around.
Dear Jane made short work of both interpreting the instructions and actually putting them together – another huge thank you to her as well …..
I designed a shelf unit to fit around the TV screen and again to give the waiting area a more relaxed and domestic feel and this was made up by Bob and our carpenters on the holiday weekend. Now it has to be painted in situ – getting this large piece in was a real team effort. It was very very heavy and at 82″ wide just fitted through the front door which is barely 83″ high !! Many thanks to Cecil Petty and the laborers who worked with him to get it inside and in place …..
So this really is a community project – people helping to make this place a success – coming together to make it all happen. Not long now until opening time – watch this space for details ……
‘Most of us can remember when they were inspired to that first creative thought – that moment of fear and anticipation when you tread a new trail of thought and the exhilaration when it becomes manifest.’ – this is a quote that Bob has on his website and it seems particularly apt for the creation and manifestation of the new clinic……
We look forward to many people supporting and using this wonderful new facility…..
9 thoughts on “Cooking parties and the new health clinic progress.”
Hello Kathy,
Wonderful news to hear of the new Clinic for Eleuthera.
My husband was born in Rock Sound.
I am Canadian we married in FPO moving from Freeport back to my home town Toronto.
We visited the Eleuthera yearly in our retirement, taking his brother to the clinic in Rock Sound.
We were shocked at the state of the clinic , the lack of supplies , one single glucose monitor to check blood sugar readings.
My husband suffered from years of high blood pressure and diabetes. He died this past year from kidney failure as a result of those two terrible diseases.
I know diabetes and high blood pressure chronic in the Bahamas.
Recently in Toronto we had a wonderful celebration of 45 years of Independence .
My husband recognized at this celebration for his contributions to the Bahamian Community in Canada.
I spoke at length with the High Commissioner Mr. Alvin Smith who is from Eleuthera I believe Hatchet Bay area .
The National Association of Bahamians in Canada looking to do some charitable work to help with causes in the Bahamas .
I mentioned the clinic in Rock Sound and the need for resources to update and keep supplies available for local people to stop the costly trips to Nassau to receive care.
He mentioned he had never given any thought to the medical situation in the out islands. The focus on fund raising more on scholarships for students to come abroad.
He seemed very interested in this cause. I will continue this discussion with him by email and at future meetings in the Toronto area.
Planning to come to Eleuthera in March 2019 bringing my daughter to visit her fathers birth place . One of your homes on our list as a place to reside .
My husbands cousin and his father run the Sunset Inn in Governors Harbour.
Love your blog always a happy moment to read each week.
Cheers!
Suzanne Taylor
Thanks so much for this …. It is always lovely to hear the stories of people who read the blog as so many are connected in one way or another to Eleuthera. Thank you so much for bringing attention to the state of the government clinics – that was a great thing to do…. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you and your daughter hopefully in March – thanks again…..
Yorkshire pudding is essential, literals an essence.
Share recipe with me, else will activate the el Bar’s credit card machine.
(Clinic looks wonderful; you re both so skilled at giving back.)
I will get the recipe to you – although my sister Jane made these without measuring out anything – just going by the consistency of the batter ! I have to tell you more often than not mine are rubbish !
I tried once. Disaster. BUT have had drinks with a trolley man from Simpson’s on the Strand, who believes that one should not be shy about the roast beef drippings.
When we were kids bread and dripping – the set fat that came from roasting a piece of beef – was a great treat – can’t say I crave it now though !
I had yours Christmas a few yers ago, and they were perfect. As were the potatoes. Then plant-based tofurkey needed truck loads of gravy.
I had forgotten that I did them that Christmas ! That was a great day…..
Stu and I used the GHB clinic twice during our stays. This upgrade is super. Both staff and patients will really enjoy this…so much nicer to have a place that is not OLD and reeking of bleach all the time!
Ate with you at your home and I KNOW how sensational you are with your feasting…your gustatory delicacies. Still using the recipes you sent!
We might as well be down there! And, can’t wait. Our weather here in western Mass. was miserable for about a month. Rain every day. Like a jungle! Upper nineties…116 out back of the house…100% humidity. As you say, thank you Carrier! Having relief in the upper 80’s now. BTW, what did you do for International Cat Day 8/8?