A Cake Decorating Class – How Exciting

I am beginning a four-week cake decorating class today, Tuesday 9th, March, which ends on Tuesday 30th, March.  I am very excited about this course and look forward to using my experience to further enhance my cake decorating abilities.  The four-week course is expected to demonstrate new techniques, which will better assist me with decorating cakes, during my many functions at Classique.

The outline for this course which is being offered at Michael’s Craft Store, teaches:  the essentials of cake decorating; the use of cake decorating tools; how to make buttercream icing for future tools, and how to fill and frost a cake.  This is Lesson #1. Lessons 2, 3, & 4 are also available for those students who wish to take their decorating skills to a higher level.  I would like to advance my techniques but need to get through Lesson #1 before making that decision.  Lesson #1 mostly teaches the art of working with buttercream frosting and demonstrates the use of  royal icing, which is taught more thoroughly in the advance classes.

Although I currently decorate my own cakes and enjoy the art of cake decorating, I have never had the opportunity to take a professional course.  While I might not be taught all that I need to learn during the four weeks, I hope to grasp valuable techniques necessary for producing beautifully, decorated cakes, by the end of the four-week session.  Ultimately, this course will be very essential to my line of business, where a wedding cake, for example, is often admired for the uniqueness of its decorations, before its delicious taste.  Nicely decorated cup cakes are also a big plus, especially with children.  Simply put, I need to familiarize myself with the right decorating tools, and learn the art of great cake decorating, from the professionals.

3/9/10 First class went well.  A fun group and great teacher.  I learned a few new techniques which will be very valuable to my cake decorating. 

(The teacher spoke of the importance of using confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar). She gave the example of a student who used regular white sugar and ended up with a very rough icing decoration….. the reason why we should never use regular sugar.  I explained that as a child, I never knew about powdered sugar.  I remembered using regular sugar, adding a small amount of water to the sugar, then placing it over the heat so that the sugar emulsified.  The beaten egg white, lime juice and vanilla essence or any other ingredients would be added to the sugar. The icing sugar came out nice and smooth — as far as I can remember — wedding cakes were decorated using the same method.  The icing decorations looked and tasted great, as well as lasted for a very long time.)  However, those were the days.  Today, using powdered sugar is far more convenient for making the icing.  It is much easier to mix and allows greater flexibility with color and designs.

Need to bake and cover a cake with white icing, in preparation for next week’s cake decorating class.  If I decide to make a character cake, no icing necessary.

Our sincere condolences go out to the family of Mrs. Ivy Burham, of Wesley, grandmother of Cornel James, and great grandmother of Jaheil James, who passed away on Friday, March 5, 2010.   Funeral service for the late Mrs. Ivy Burnham is scheduled for Sunday, March 14, 2010 at the Wesley, Seventh Day Adventist Church.

The Birthday Party (A Very Colorful Musical)

Father:  Celebrating his 50th birthday party.
Lena:  Very excited to see the fancily decorated fruit cake, made by Mr. Joseph Newton, best cake maker in Marigot…. I kept thinking  how delicious it must taste. 
Father:  Invited his usual friends to the party.
Lena:   Must leave to sleep with adopted grandmother.
Father:   Drinks and food prepared and ready for the evening’s party.
Lena:   Admiring cake, wonders if there’ll be any cake left when I return home next day.
Father:   Out of the house at the moment, probably collecting last minute items.
Lena:   Time for me to leave. Looks at the cake, cuts a slice then turns the cake around.
Father:  Guess arrive for birthday party.
Lena:   Enjoying cake while walking to grandmother’s house.
Father: Having too much fun to notice a slice of his birthday cake is missing.
Lena: Never heard about the cake and don’t remember telling anyone about it until I was grown.
Father:  Never missed celebrating his birthday.
Lena: Twenty years later, flew to Dominica, on my father’s birthday, with a cake, for a surprise visit.
Father: Sat playing with his island friends.
Lena:  I came all the way here to personally present you with your birthday gift.
Father: Very surprise, but his heart was strong enough to withstand the surprise.
Lena:  Prepared food and drinks for the birthday party.
Father:  Enjoyed his birthday party, drank and danced while having a great time, then he fell into bed.
Lena:  After three days on the island, I returned to the USA.
Father:  Continues celebrating his other birthdays while living in Dominica.
Lena:  Five years after my surprise birthday visit, I returned to the island one month before my father’s 86th birthday.

Lena:  Very upsetting to see how frail and thin my father has become.  Leaves the room in tears.
Father:  Cries when he sees me.  He’s very sick and weak, barely able to walk, uses a wheelchair, which he has mastered around the house.
Lena:  Within the next few days, I planned a birthday party, invited people in the village and gave him his final party.
Father:  Unable to dance, but strong enough to enjoy his birthday party and cut his birthday cake.
Lena:  That was my final birthday celebration with my father.
Father:  He is very sad to see me leave, starts crying. Knows we might not see each other again.
Lena:  Arrive at the airport, checked in too late, missed my flight. Returned home under bright, blue, sunny skies.
Father: Very happy to see me return and perks up a bit.
Lena:  Sat on balcony admiring the beautiful blue sky while enjoying a cold drink. Spending another night in Dominica with my father, made a significant difference, to the both of us….. incidentally, that would have been our last night together, before his passing. 

This incident occurred when I was about ten years old; yet, the memories are as vivid as they were that Saturday afternoon, so many many years ago. My father celebrated all his birthdays, sometimes the guest were many and sometimes just a few. My father counted his birthday by days and could easily tell you how old he was by days and years. His favorite quote was, “if life be long, I’ll be glad, if short, why should I be sad?” A very serious, yet extremely playful man, he easily got along with young and old people alike. He enjoyed playing dominos and was eager to play with just about anyone who could pick up a domino… including my nephew, Jaheil, who was about three years old at the time, but quickly understood my father’s intense yet childlike love for the game.

The Social (A White Musical)

Mother:   A devout member of the Women’s League of the Methodist Church.
Lena:  Third of three daughters and old enough to perform at a social.
Mother:  Preparing for upcoming social by writing and reviewing notes.
Lena:  Found an interesting little poem in reading book.
Mother:  Lena, you can recite that poem at concert.
Lena:  I am excited about the idea, but my mother is truly over joyed for me.
Mother:  Very excited.  Keeps encouraging me to practice.
Lena:   Agrees to recite poem at concert.
Mother:  Mother promises to make me a pretty dress, which she does.
Lena:  “I am little sad face sue can someone tell me what to do?”
Mother:  Very happy with Lena practicing poem over and over.

Mother & Lena:  Leaves home for church where social is being held.

Lena:  In the church. Time to get up on stage to recite poem.
Mother:  It is your turn to perform. Shoving her elbow towards Lena.

Lena:  Stands up, sits down, stands up one more time then covers her face.

Mother:  Continues shoving me with her elbow while I kept on crying.

Lena:  Crying, I can’t go up there, I can’t go up there.
Mother:  Yes, you can, stop crying and go up on the stage, now. Lena.
Lena:  Crying, crying, I can’t go up there, I am afraid…… continues crying.
Mother:  Very upset and visibly disappointed in her little girl.
Lena:  Very sad and not being able to recite poem, I remained in my seat and kept on crying, looking like “little sad face sue.”
Mother:  Enjoys other performances, but still a bit upset with Lena.
Mother & Lena:  Discusses the incident and wonders what went wrong.
Mother:  Continued her usual Women’s league activities, which included Wednesday’s meeting.
Lena:  Went on to join the girl’s brigade and performed in several short plays.

This is an incident which occurred when I was about five years old, but it has remained with me throughout my life. Now that I am older, I have a picture of myself walking onto the stage and proudly reciting “I am little sad face sue, can someone tell me what to do” with tears streaming down my little, sad face — what a natural and stunning performance that would have been.

Nonetheless, several years ago, after completing two speech courses, I proudly walked onto the church stage and gave a speech in loving memory of my deceased mother and father….. most importantly, I was not afraid and did not shed a tear. According to the famous artist, Tom Jones “Memories don’t leave like people do, they always stay with you, whether they be good or bad it’s just something that we have.” My parents were two wonderful and loving people who are gone, but will never be forgotten, because “memories don’t leave like people do.”

Everyone has a story to tell….. I am happy to share these two favorite stories of memories of my father and mother, though sad at times, yet interesting enough to stay with me for ever.

We wish to express our deepest sympathies to the family of Mrs. Ivy Burham of Wesley, who passed away at the Roseau Hospital, on Friday, March 5, 2010. She was the grandmother of Cornel James, and the great grandmother of Jaheil James. She leaves to mourn several children, many other grandchildren, great grandchildren, as well as numerous relatives and friends, in Dominica and abroad.

Although we are deeply saddened by the death of Mrs. Ivy Burham, we hope that her family and friends will be comforted, knowing that we share in their grief, and will keep them in our thoughts and prayers. May wonderful memories of Ivy, a lovely woman who lived a long and fulfilled life, bring joy to their hearts, during this time of mourning.

I remember Ms. Ivy as a tall, beautiful and generous woman who was always very kind to me, when, as a young girl, I made several trips to her home to either pickup or return Cornel, when he was a baby. She was always very brisk and often working on the land. During my visits to Wesley, Ivy lived quiet a long distance from the main road — that was always a nice hike, traveling to Wesley and returning to Marigot — sometimes walking all the way.

For the past several years, Cornel have been taking his son, Jaheil, to visit his great grandmother, sometime leaving him with her for several days, which he enjoyed. While I was in Dominica last December, Jaheil asked me if I would join he and his father during one of their visits to his great grandmother, I promised him I would; unfortunately, we will not have the opportunity to make that visit together. Nonetheless, Jaheil is a very smart and curious little boy, who I have no doubt, will continue asking questions about his great grandmother, while he cherishes his fond memories of their time spent together.

A funeral service for the late Mrs. Ivy Burham is scheduled for Sunday, March 14, 2010, at the Wesley, Seventh Day Adventist Church.

May her soul rest in peace.

Dominica is finally moving in the right direction. Rehabilitation of roads and a state-of-the-art hospital for Roseau. More information to be made available soon.

We are finally experiencing the anticipated rehabilitation of roads from Roseau to the Melville Hall Airport, and from Roseau to Portsmouth. Fast and furious was the groundbreaking event, which took place today, with the immediate commencement of work on the Portsmouth road. According to (DNO), the work will be conducted by a Chinese team, but several Dominicans are expected to be employed. This $100 million project is a great economic boost for the island as a whole. The project is expected to last almost two years…. that will certainly be a good, steady period of employment for those Dominicans who have been employed, to assist with the Portsmouth project.

Development of the island is well on its way, and we look forward to the safe and continued efforts of those who are involved in the process, to see these many projects come to fruition. We are all anxious to see Dominica move up to standards with other developing islands, especially in the areas of safe and accessible roads, better paying jobs and increased economic growth. The standard of living has improved over the many years; therefore, news of continued development is very encouraging to those who are willing to remain on the island, or return to the island to live and participate in the forward movements of our nature island.

Better roads as well as additional roads are necessary, but emphasis must be placed on providing proper drainage, because the island is prone to a lot of heavy rainfalls and frequent landslides, as well as ocassional sea erosions, which are usually very destructive to the roads. The Chinese builders are professionals, who we trust, will not take shortcuts, but will create the best and most durable roads, suitable to our tropical climate and eminent storms. Ultimately, proper road maintenance by officials as well as travelers, will also be necessary to ensure the safety and longevity of the roads, after they have been constructed.

I am thankful that we are finally building better roads, which will lead to improvement in our traveling time, encourage more visitors to extend their stay on the island, increase business development, and create stronger economic growth, while our lovely, nature island continues to improve and become more globally recognized.

Jaheil carefully and excitedly holding his baby brother for the last time, before his brother leaves Dominica, to reside with his grandfather, on the island of Antigua.

Jaheil hopes to reconnect with his brother sometime in the near future; when they do, Jaheil plans to express his feelings of growing up without his younger brother (about 2 months old, 7-year-old Jaheil) and will show him these happy and memorable photographs, of the day they were unexpectedly and quickly, separated from each other.

The artistic, impressive and memorable achievements of Lord Karessah (Greg), and Soul Puss (Dave), determinedly remind us, that the people of Marigot are very intelligent, talented and motivated. It is this relentless motivation which will triumphantly return, and keep Marigot, in its appropriate and cultural place on the map. Ultimately, our goal is to have a beauty contestant from the village of Marigot, compete in the Ms. Dominica competition, in Roseau, possibly for 2011 Carnival.

I am planning to work along with Cheryl Abraham and others, to facilitate the process. Auditions will begin in May. Parents will be notified of the selection process of boys and girls, who are serious and willing to participate in 2011 Carnival activities. Children will be selected for the following events: calypso show, princess show. They will also be invited to join in one of our costume bands for the Kiddies’ Carnival, on Carnival Sunday afternoon. It is very important to begin the selection process early, so that all contestants can be professionally trained, and ready to compete in the pageant shows.

A queen show and calypso show will also be considered, for Carnival 2011.

Hosting our own pageant and calypso shows in Marigot, will increase self esteem, create pride and joy in our village, while contestants showcase their talent, confidence, and intelligence as they compete to win and keep Marigot on the map.

We are determined to return beauty pageants and calypso shows to Marigot; however, we can only be successful with the cooperation of those who would also like to see the beauty and elegance of the village showcased, positively and progressively. If you would like to see the return of beauty pageants and calypso shows to the lovely village of Marigot, for the 2011 Carnival, please support the effort by joining the TEAM, because “Together Everyone Achieves More,”and the results are usually greater.

Additional information will be posted as we work through the planning process.

These are beautiful photographs of an evening’s brilliant and fiery sunset, as it lingers over the Potomac river, in Washington. Buildings on the other side of the river, are sceneries of Arlington, Virginia. A very welcome and refreshing sight, after such snowy and wintry weather, over the past two weeks. As expected, the river is free of snow, has regained its emerald color, as it flows swiftly and sparkly towards the city. Although the river bank is still covered in snow, that should soon disappear, providing there is an increase in temperature and there are no additional snow storms, in the next few days.

As the saying goes “when life gives you a lemon, you make lemonade.” Apparently, being stocked in my 10th floor apartment for almost two weeks, has automatically unleashed my photographic potentiality. Incidentally, this has helped me to maintain my sanity while making the best use of my time, because being in an enclosed environment for such long periods of time, can literally drive you up the walls. I yearn to return to the island where I can practically live out doors.

I excitedly drove my car for the first time today, enjoyed a lovely dinner with my niece, Zakiya, but was truly amazed to see the mounds of snow along the roadside. My main concern was returning home before nightfall when I could run into black ice which is very dangerous and deadly. As reported and seen on various television stations, many side roads are still blocked and will remain abandoned for several days, because there is absolutely no place to dump all that snow. Unfortunately, when it rains, there might be serious flooding all over the city as well as in many other states…… because most states are experiencing an abundance of snow mounds.

I hope you will enjoy looking at my photographs as much as I have enjoyed shooting them. Thanks to modern technology, I was able to use my cell phone camera to capture these picturesque sceneries of this fiery sunset, from my 10th floor balcony.