ONE MEMORABLE DAY TRIP

Rory arrived in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, a week before his wife, Jessica, in order to get lodging in the company housing and start his new job at the Bauxite Aluminum Plant in St. Anne’s parish. While alone, he started and ended each day strolling the hiking trails overlooking the Caribbean Sea and enjoying other amenities like gardens of exotic fruit and flowers. His working-man meals were prepared and served by ‘Dot,’ the house-helper whose real name was Dorothy. The nickname was a left-over from the previous expat who lived there and noted that most of Dot’s aprons had polka dots on them.

A couple of evenings after Jessica arrived, Rory was called to work a few late night shifts. All alone and nervous in a strange place, a knock at the door alarmed Jessica, but she called out, “Who’s there?”

The voice of a young man spoke up, “Wah Gwaan, ello mum, I av yuhself a kitten.” Jessica was taken aback and opened the door to the mewing sound coming from inside the fellow’s button-down shirt.

“Oh my goodness.” Eyes wide and flustered, Jessica stared into the dark innocent face of a Jamaican teen.

“Yuh Dot, say git one. Mi mama say de olda de moon, de brighter it shines. She wise, this yuhs!” There was a Creole twist in the voice that made Jessica recall a conversation she’d had with Dot. She’d released her emotions about leaving her cat behind in Canada, never expecting her tears to be taken that she wanted another cat!

“Mi watchout; fat feral done squat kittens.” The fellow had stolen one when it was old enough to wander

Food Service Opportunity

The NICOLA VALLEY RODEO ASSOCIATION (NVRA) is seeking a catering and/or food service business to operate the food concession for the 2023 season at the Merritt rodeo grounds

The concession holds a Food Premise permit and was renovated in 2019 with updated equipment and finishes. The successful applicant must be able to commit to provide services when required at all (currently 6 – 8) scheduled events for 2023, including the Labour Day Weekend Pro Rodeo and demonstrate an ability to provide a variety of menu items at reasonable prices. Attention to prompt service and compliance with health legislation is essential, including the requirements for a temporary food permit https://www.interiorhealth ca/YourEnvironment/FoodSafety/Pages/Permits aspx#temporary

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Story by Rita Joan Dozlaw

off on its own. It was skinny but not as wild as one would expect. Jessica took it into her arms and thanked the boy.

“Mi mama, Jazz, say, ‘wah gwaan di morrows.’” Jessica took that to be a greeting from his mother. Then, he stammered, “Inna di morrows… bless up” and left.

Rory understood his wife’s need for a pet and advised her to buy a length of twine, make a slip-knot collar and ‘leash.’ With the copper coloured pet, ‘Penny,’ in tow, Jessica crossed a weed field to Jazz’s house. Meeting her was a highlight; they planned a touristy day.

On a minibus out of Ocho Rios, they got to Kingston, then took a Juta Tours shuttlebus and headed up the inland’s snaking Kiyanna Road through the lush tropical and densely-forested Blue Mountain Range. Chatting and listening to the smooth rhythm of Reggae’s slow rock-steady drums and guitars made the tedious route a lot of fun. At a junction, they got out and walked the ‘Potter’s Path’ to Great Pond and came to the Wassi Art Pottery Studio.

Jessica was enthralled by the community of studio potters, and one dedicated artisan/guide greeted her with a hug and a kiss on each cheek, first the right, then the left. Offering stools, she said “Small up yuhself, honies and sit.” After the small talk, she took Jessica’s hand and led her and her friend through the vintage studio where fascinating one-of-a-kind, hand-made shapes and designs of unusual and unorthodox ceramics and stoneware in various stages of completion, drew the women in. Tactile sensitive, in amazement, Jessica ran her fingers over the glazed objects in earth tones and brilliant colours. Each piece expressed the intuitive magic of untrained but exquisitelytalented and inspired artists. Jessica focused on a student at a potter’s wheel tediously handling, with a deft feel, the cool, humid, terra cotta clay to shape the lip of her fine vessel. Suddenly, a whirring echoed to the rafters and, thrown from the potter’s wheel, mud spewed in every direction like something had exploded. The whole vase was gone!

How could that have happened under the skillful and patient hands of that beautiful artist? Jessica was sickened to the point of tears. She reached out to the disappointed girl and, with trembling arms, embraced her and asked her name. Others in the studio looked up from their work stations with empathy for Marlena, then gathered around to comfort her and Jessica like family. Both women were sobbing.

“This happens all the time to all of us!” A teacher assured them, but Jessica could not fathom that they’d all experienced such exasperating moments in their learning curves and even after developing a high degree of skill. “Unfortunately, anything can go wrong at the potter’s wheel. Marlena will start over again; she’ll be alright.” And, she was, but Jessica was not. Taken aside by the thoughtful teacher, she calmed down and, once composed, was ready to continue the tour.

The ladies were impressed with the hundreds of materials stored in the warehouse: molds, paints, brushes, glazes, crude earthenware, green ware, non-functional pieces, and unglazed, unfinished, unfired sculpted forms. They loved the massive gallery where, under revealing lights, finished pieces were displayed on glass shelving for their esthetics, and for sale. Jessica specifically asked to see Marlena’s work and was moved by the shiny abstract 3-dimensional AfroCaribbean craft with the potter’s mark, a stylized ‘M’, on the bottom of each piece kiln fired at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. A magnificent fourteeninch high sculpture of a brilliant tropical fish, swimming among coral and gold-gilded sea horses, with a baby sea turtle hitchhiking on its back, was Jessica’s favourite ‘Marlena piece.’ She bought it and giggled that her new kitten, ‘Penny,’ would love to catch that fish. At a picnic table in a garden near the studio’s impressive signage, Marlena joined the ladies for a photo-op before they were homeward bound.

Down the stunning mountainside, Jessica could hardly wait to tell Rory all about her outing. At the front of the open-air tour bus, a Reggae band strummed guitars, tickled the keyboard, and drummed to the four-beat melodies they sang for the weary folks. Highly stimulated and emotionally drained from the tour, Jessica dozed as the fresh air, music, memories and bus ride rocked her world

Kamloops Mens 55+

League Is Looking For Players

For more information call Dennis (250-319-1669), Steve (778-257-7486), or Jack (250-319-6694).