Bermuda Cupmatch Weekend 2015

In the five years we've lived on this island, we've spent every summer trying to demystify the four day holiday known as "Cup Match."

The commercial activity basically shuts down.  There's a two day long cricket match involving teams from opposite ends of the island.  There's loads of outdoor activities like camping, concerts, and water sports.  There's tons of food involved, of course.  Of course, there's also commemorating Emancipation itself.

This article from Larry Burchall provides some historical insight on the origins of the holiday.  Very informative.

This year, we actually made it to Cupmatch proper, as I will call it.  We got to the game, enjoyed the spirit of rivalry between St. Georges and Somerset, hung out with our ACE crew, and reveled in the best of summer, Bermuda style.  It was a fantastic weekend.

Some scenes:



Turquoise water of St Georges.



Camping tents set up by the water.  Notwithstanding the historical reasons behind the camping, I think it must be like having an island wide block party/tailgating party.  It's kind of like the Superbowl, but with cricket ... and Soca/Reggae music ... and rum swizzle. 

Which I made for the first time too.  Oy my head.



Theo hits the ocean for the first time!



BBQ and leaving party for friends.



So much great food, and such perfect hosts!  (photo - Sonia Jabon).



Water sport.



Cricket!



Seating at the Cricket Field.



Relaxing in the shade at the game (wearing our team colors!)



Theo's first cricket match!



High fiving Ms L, a very loyal Somerset girl. 

Congrats Somerset on claiming the cup this year.

"Question:

Why is St Georges drinking out de bottle?
Because Somerset stole de cup!  Bwah hahahah!"

Sorry, some Cupmatch humor courtesy of Ms. L.



Oy, the parking!

All in all, a great, fun, holiday.  Can't wait to celebrate it again next year!

Off to camp!

The big kids are off to camp, and we had the usual routine:

Loads of packing to get us through the month.



Travel adventure stories made more memorable with the arrival of this guy.



Reaching home base at Grandmas and waking up to this.



Loads of food.











Family Game night. 


And finally, drop off.

To make it easier, we split up this year.  Jeff took Mina. 



And I took Jordan.



Saying goodbye was not easy.



And I am already weepy thinking about it.  They've only been gone three days.  I really don't know what I am going to do when they go off to college.  I told Jeff maybe I would feel differently by then since they will be teenagers, and I'll be sick of them. 

But I doubt it.

June Happenings, a/k/a the week I home schooled my kids

June.. the last month of school. With only a few weeks left, and nothing but endless class parties and beach trips to look forward to, I was gearing up for the final stretch. Unfortunately, the universe was not on board with my plan, as I soon discovered.

"Mrs Trimarchi, can you please call me back as soon as possible? We need to discuss something urgently. There's been a confirmed case of chicken pox in your daughter's class this week," said the chirpy voice on my phone message.

Most kids these days get the chicken pox, i.e Varicella/varivax vaccine early on, and a booster at roughly 5 or 6.  Mina had both of them before we moved to Bermuda.  So I wasn't too worried about her. 



Unfortunately, there's this guy to worry about.  He can't have a live virus vaccine like this one.  As a transplant patient, chicken pox is considered "life threatening" according to his cardiac transplant team, whom I immediately consulted.



"You'll have to pull him out of school, to be completely safe.  If he is exposed, he will have to be hospitalized and given antibodies to fight it off.  It's preferable to keep him home."

And so we did.  In an abundance of caution, we kept Mina home too.  Just for a week, to see how severe the virus was spreading in the school.  The lower primary school had 16 confirmed cases, which then made it up to the upper primary through siblings.  Jordan and Mina are at the upper primary, so I was hoping their exposure during the incubation phase was minimal.



Of course, I was also worried about this guy, who is too young to get the shot.




So, with all three kids at home, and unfortunately no sitter that week, I created a school plan:

Reading
Math
Science/I.T. (computer work)
Practical skills
Music
History
Art

Each day, we got to it.  It wasn't easy, but the kids rallied and actually did the work.  They read daily, practiced their instruments, worked on art projects, including one Mina had due in school the next week.  We studied a history lesson (Bermuda Heroes Day) and learned how to research a topic online using multiple sources.  The kids learned about the history of vaccines, and as part of their computer work, created a narrated power point presentation which we sent to their teachers.  We got a field trip in as well to the local aquarium (a first for Theo).  For practical skills, they learned how to do their own laundry and read a recipe and make it from scratch.  And to celebrate, had a beach day on Friday.

Best parts:
No rush out the door in the mornings, so Mina could sleep in.  No lunch packing or yelling to "Don't forget your water bottle!"  We got to decide when we wanted to do what lesson, and the kids could choose what they felt like working on.  If they wanted more time on something (Mina's 3D chair construction) then they could do it, as long as they worked on the rest of the items later.

Worst part:
Having no real clue what I was doing and winging it.
Nagging, as usual.
Juggling baby through various tasks while supervising big kids working.  Still finding time for the daily grind of grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc.

But, we survived.  Kids are back in school now for the final days.  A couple more cases of chicken pox, but I think they made it through the worst of it (fingers crossed.)

God bless the teachers, and especially those who manage to do it at home with their kids. 

You are amazingly patient human beings.  One week was fun, but I can see the novelty wearing off very quickly.

Theo food

Things have changed in the world of feeding since I had my older kids. Back when Jordan and Mina were babies, I was told not to introduce potential high allergy foods like nuts until two years. Since then, the thinking has gone back to early introduction (ie nine months for us.)

My reaction was disbelief. 

"So, you want me to bring him into the office and try out peanut butter here?

"Oh no, Mrs Trimarchi. Just put some on bread and give him a little at home and just watch him.  He'll either throw it up immediately or it will be undigested in his diaper. Don't worry. He won't stop breathing."

Fast forward, Theo has been pretty much eating everything that winds up on a plate. 

Father's Day cinnamon rolls were a big hit. 

So was the chicken tikka masala and rice, the broiled halibut with butter and herbs, hamburger, ice cream, apple butter spread, pancakes with chocolate chips, cheese sticks and French toast. Not all at once. 

He's also happy to eat my daily English muffin with peanut butter and some basic things like bananas and nectarines. Pretty much any fruit is a big hit. 

Having lived through one very picky eater, I am over the moon with this new relaxed approach to eating. Fingers crossed it lasts! 

I think back to when Jordan was this age.  Oy. The tears, the sighs, the eye rolling, the weepy visits to the pediatrician. 

That was me. 

Jordan would just turn his head every time the spoon approached his mouth.

Gratitude all around for the third baby charm.