THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS were made on January 2, 2024, by Kira Roberts in Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands, and were posted in the Facebook group, Americans on Bonaire:

“I’m really enjoying this book published in 2017 about a Canadian family and their eleven years spent in Bonaire. It is amazing how much is still EXACTLY as it was in the ‘70s (starting in 1973).”

“Today I was reading about the extensive fireworks displays put on by Bonairians. Listen to this, “There was no point in not celebrating the arrival of the New Year. The island literally blew up! Only the stone deaf could sleep through such a ‘bombing’. Bonairians of all stripes outspent themselves to purchase fireworks because they thought the fireworks would scare away the evil spirits from entering the new year. At midnight, it was a cacophony of pops, BANGS! Oohs! and Ahs! The black sky was pricked and spangled with exploding fireworks popping out in various colors! A sulphur-like smell hung in the blue fog everywhere! Downtown curbs were chucked full of bits of red paper.”

“If you’ve experienced New Year’s Eve in Bonaire, you’ll agree that it still describes it perfectly 49 years later!

The book mentions Captain Don, many of the local landmarks, and customs. I am thoroughly enjoying this book, and living it too! Thanks for the loan, Marianne Nagtegaal!”

Little Dutch Isle is available on Amazon here.

Be on the lookout for the soon-coming announcement of my latest book, “The Caregiver’s Cookbook.”

Why such a book?

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, one of the dilemmas we faced was that my husband, Lloyd, couldn’t boil water without burning it!

I began writing out simple recipes for porridge, bacon and eggs, etc. and labelled the various canisters’ contents. Lloyd tried to follow the recipes, but it soon became evident that the recipes needed to include how-to instructions.

Then it occurred to me:

If Lloyd is helpless in the kitchen, no doubt many others are also who have suddenly been thrust into the role of caregiver – or who are students trying to survive on a limited budget.

Combing through my recipe boxes and cookbooks, I chose recipes old and new that would provide nutritious and inexpensive meals. Tucked in here and there are anecdotes about certain recipes and credits to the friend who shared them with me. Also sprinkled among its 182 pages are inspirational quotes from sages of the past.

A UNIQUE ASPECT OF RECIPES is how they bring back warm memories of the one who shared them with you . . . the one who continues to help you in the kitchen . . . the one who blesses those who put their feet under your table.

Besides a new book, may I encourage you to find out what is coming up in the woods near you. Here is what we found yesterday on our walk with Sparkle – White Dogtooth Violets.

“There’s a robin!” called my husband from the living room.

I grabbed my Smartphone and slowly raised it to the picture window.

The site of perky Father Robin filled me with sheer joy—the last Monday of March!

I clicked shot after shot.

I watched as he bent low, listening for the sounds of a fishworm.

Success! He pulled a tube steak up and out!

While Father Robin doesn’t need a cookbook,  maybe you do.

Perhaps your loved one is sick and you need to provide meals but don’t know how to begin.

Maybe you are a student away from home for the first time and you can’t afford restaurant meals.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2021, my husband couldn’t boil water without burning it! I began writing out simple recipes for him like porridge, scrambled eggs, etc. Then it occurred to me that other caregivers and students might be as helpless as Lloyd. That was the inspiration for creating “Cookbook for Caregivers & Students.”

Watch for it on Amazon later this spring! How-To instructions are on every line!  

A colouring book which I created about the unique Island of Bonaire and her sister islands of Aruba and Curaçao has now been published by Addo’s Books.  The small islands are located in the Caribbean off the northwest coast of Venezuela, South America.  My husband and I served with TWR for 11 years on Bonaire, during which time our three children were educated completely in the Dutch language.  Each of them became avid scuba divers.

John recently obtained his PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer certification, and returns to Bonaire for 9 weeks on January 31, 2015.  He is delighted to now be a member of Worldwide Christian Scuba Divers Organization (WCSDO – wcsdo.org).  Forty eight of their members will be on the island the first week of February, assisting in construction of an addition to the International Bible Church and other missionary work.  In fact, 11 of the divers will be on the same flight from Houston TX as John!  They will give him a WCSDO T-shirt when they meet.  When John booked his vacation months ago, he had never heard of the WCSDO.  How do you explain the timing of their flights?

Below is Addo Stuur’s online promotion of my colouring book, Colour the ABCs:

 Addo’s Books, Toys, Office Supplies

Kaya Grandi 36 – P.O. Box 465 | Kralendijk, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles  Tel: 717 6618 / 786 1418

addosbookstore@gmail.com

4 talen
4 lenga
4 languages
4 idiomas

$ 4,95

Bo ke rondia un keuba di pirata?
Bo ke mira un piská drumi den un mea di sleim transparente?
Pinta bo kaminda dor di e islanan eksitante A B C Aruba, Bonairu, Korsou!
E buki aki a wordu traha net pa bo dor di Eleanor McDonald di Kanada ku a biba riba e isla B for di ana 1973 pa 1984.

Kun je een rovers hol vinden?
Wil je een vis zien slapen in zijn bel?
Kleur alles van de interessante ABC eilanden: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao!
Dit boekje is speciaal gemaakt voor jou door Eleanor McDonald uit Canada, die op B woonde van 1973 tot 1984.

Want to find a pirate’s cave?
Want to see a fish sleeping in a bubble?
Colour your way through the exciting ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao!
This book was created just for you by Eleanor McDonald from Canada, who lived on the ‘B’ from 1973 to 1984.

¿Quieres encontrar una cueva de piratas?
¿Quieres ver un pez durmiendo en su burbuja?
Colorea tu camino a través de las emocionantes islas ABC: Aruba, Bonaire, Curazao!
Este libro estuvo creado especialamente para ti por Eleanor McDonald de Canadá.

28 pages