CHAPTER 7: AUNT SYBIL’S
Crossing the Berbice river in a ferry
from Rosignol to New Amsterdam an old town named by the Dutch. We trudged our way down to Saint Ann Street with
our luggage and tattered kite. We arrived
at my Aunt Sybil’s house late in the evening, it was already dark and we were
greeted with lots of love and kisses by my mother and Aunt. Now Aunt Sybil’s
house was an old time huge Dutch style house with a high roof, the ceiling
space allows breeze to flow through the house. My aunt’s house also had lots of
windows and a bottom house which she rented to boarders. The house was also
surrounded by a Guinep tree and a Mango tree and a Dungs tree. The Dungs tree was so close to the house
that with a reach out of the window one could pick the Dungs. After a quick
bath. Cold water mixed with hot water
from a kettle and poured into an enamel bucket. Followed by a quick rub down
with soap from head to toe. A bowl to throw water over your body we hoped out
the bath as soon as possible. Towel off, then on with your pajamas. We head down
to the kitchen for a hot dinner. Aunt Sybil had a huge kitchen with a large
table from which all activity revolved. We sat down to some fresh brewed
hot ground Cocoa with raw Cow’s Milk and
some Bakes with Salt Fish and two Chinese Cakes for sweet. The Cocoa tea the best I vow to anyone in the
world. Roasted fresh Cocoa Beans ground in a hand mill and served with hot
fresh Cow’s Milk; just milked for the cow earlier in the morning it’s a taste
to be savored for a life time.
Attached to this blog painting La Nascostra you may contact
me on this art or through my agent Saatchiart.com. Also picture of old plantation house with
large windows and surrounding veranda. Links to Once upon an Easter on Barnes
and Noble.com and Lulu.com. Any one knows where this house is located and its history?