WILL YOU STILL BE DANCING AT 84? - by Charlotte

Shortly after we moved here last year I was invited to Ladies' Nite Out. A group of ladies get together once or twice a month for a little fun. We play nickel stakes (2 1/2 cents US) with poker dice. A little like liars' dice, but different.  You HAVE to roll three times. The goal is to get five of a kind. But if you get really lucky and roll five of a kind the first time, you have take at least one die and roll it two more times. I have gotten five of a kind two times. Everyone brings something to eat or drink, and we play, and eat and drink and laugh and giggle a lot. Everyone takes a turn at having the party at their house. We usually start about 7p.m. and go till about 11 or 12.

At the first party I met Miss Donna, age 84. She is a little tiny thing, under 5', maybe weighs in at 85 pounds. She always dresses up and wears little high heeled shoes most of the time.  She is sharp as a tack and full of fun. She and her husband moved here 30 years ago. She was in the movie industry but I'm not sure just what she did. I hope to find out one day. Her husband was instrumental in getting the Rotary club started here in Corozal as well as in the rest of Belize. They built a house just 3 blocks from us and added on a big party veranda for Rotary meetings. It is all screened in with a bar, lots of tables and chairs and hanging plants.  Donna's husband died about 5 years ago but she has continued to live in the same house. She lives alone with two dogs for company

Last Sunday we had a party for Connie who was leaving to go back to the states for 6 months. This time our husbands were invited.  Miss Donna was the "hostess with the mostest" this time. Everyone brought a dish or a bottle of Rum and we started early (3 in the afternoon). Belizeans party hard. They start off with chips and dips and after a hour or two another snack is presented. The serious food doesn't come out till quite late in the party. 

As we all sat around talking and laughing the music started up. I assumed it was the boom box sitting on the corner of the bar, as did everyone else. Then in walked the band. They are called the Mahogany Chips. This was Miss Donna's big surprise for the day. Connie had heard them play before and really liked them so as a special treat Miss Donna got them to come and play for her. 

They are all older gentlemen and play the Caribbean "oldies but goodies." Concha said she used to dance to their music when she was a young girl.  The instruments were something else. First in was the accordion player, then a banjo, then turtle drum, the bongo drum and the tambourine. After the first song they set up for some serious playing. The turtle drummer had a special stand to hold two turtle shells of about 12". These are the complete shell not just the backs. Then he had a part of a wheel (suitably aged) as his bell.  The banjo was well worn and it was a 5 string banjo with only 4 strings. They played and sang for us for over an hour before they took a break. Miss Donna led the group in a dance. She's still active, goes to Mexico to shop etc. She's a little slow and looks really frail. but she still has the gusto and showed us how to dance to old style punta rock. Little by little everyone including the gringos joined in the dancing. Lots of giggling, clapping and cheering went on. 

I hope that when I reach 84 that I will have the pizzazz that Miss Donna has. She is cheerful, active and fun to be around. She has had some minor health problems but it doesn't slow her down very much.  When we play poker we have to watch her as she loves to put one over on us. Instead of putting in her nickel she put in a Peso and then acts all innocent. Other times she will just pass the dish on and not put in her nickel if no one is watching.  Sometimes she will take an extra throw of the dice if she thinks we are too busy talking and not paying attention. It's all a big game and we have fun catching her out as much as she has fun putting us on. She has captured the hearts of many and we hope she will have many more years with us.

Charlotte

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