Circular No 989

 

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 17 of October 2020 No. 989

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Dear Friends, 

As we are going to reach issue No. 1000, I must prepare for the next goal, so I am posting the following question, what do you think that I should do after that memorable number???

The facts are: many of the prolific old writers and collaborators have either died, or are in the process of melt down.

My friend Don Mitchell, keeper of the Blog site, has suggested to reduce the output, and only prepare a new issue if there is material.

Do you agree? please keep me informed.

I would hate to convert the Circular to be a bearer of bad news, cloning the newspapers, in their classified ads and the pages of the diseased. 

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idmitch@anguillanet.com

Fri, 16 Oct, 05:08 (8 days ago)

Hi, Geoff,

No, I’m not really a nudist.

It is just that there is no one else living for some distance around our house. 

We don’t need to be discreet when we are in our house or yard. 

Over the years I have grown careless. 

When I walk from my bedroom upstairs to my computer in the dining room downstairs, I often forget to dress for others. 

Above is the Google map picture of our property.  See attached.

It is the one with the blue teardrop. 

The main house is the one in the middle of the picture with the swimming pool to the south. 

The guest shack is the building to the east (in the yard). 

The larger house to the east with the straight access road furthest to the south and coming from the west is a neighbour. 

I did not see Don and Maggie anywhere nearby. 

It may be in the wrong place.

Our address is

PO Box 83

North Hill

Anguilla

British West Indies

Telephones:

Don: 264 235 8654

Maggie: 264 235 7896

I’ll give you a call later today.  It is a bit early now 

Best,

Don

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From: GEOFFREY GOLDING <geoffreygolding@rogers.com>

Sent: Thursday, 15 October 2020 18:55 

Hi Don,

I did not know you were a nudi! 

Also, I misunderstood your reference to the guest shack and Guest House.

I thought they were two separate buildings.

No worries, I must have had a senior's moment.

With respect to the Google map.

When I zoomed in to your location, up pops a red label "Maggie & Don" lodging.

I can see a house but not the shack as the label is over the trees. 

I don't have any plans to move to another place but keep all my options open.

I moved to a condo four years ago to get away from shovelling snow.

Winter here is no fun - 6 months in coats is becoming increasingly unbearable as I age (77).

I am now looking at spending up to six months in a warm climate from November to the end of April.

I could not do that for the last ten years because my folks depended on me. 

Trinidad's hot climate is in my blood and that's how it will always be.

We were looking to go to Aruba this winter but COVID has spoilt our plans.

Unfortunately, it is becoming very expensive as Americans are visiting the place in droves and driving prices through the roof.

I have both a British (European Union) and Canadian passport so it gives us some flexibility to go to a number of places.

I will certainly Google the Anguilla info you suggested. 

One thing I forgot to ask: what is your address and phone number. Here is mine:

6 Toronto Street - Suite 303,

Barrie,

Ontario,

Canada

L4N9R2

Phone: (H)705-252-8881.  (C) 705-327-9343

If you are up to it we could also Facetime at some point.

If you ever come to Canada please look us up.

We have lots of room.

Anyway, that's it for now.

Will continue to keep in touch.

I am trying to reconnect to old Mounts boys.

I have been talking recently with Richard Galt in Naples, Florida, Peter Laughlin in Sarasota, Florida and Nigel Boos (here in Toronto).

Nigel isn\t well.

All the best,

Geoff

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idmitch@anguillanet.com

Thu, 15 Oct, 17:07 (9 days ago)

Hi, Geoff,

There is no contact information, or process for staying at our guest shack, other than you contacting me and confirming that there is no one staying there and it is available for you and family to use. 

We built it for our visiting family and friends to stay in, so they don’t have to be in the main house. 

I like to wander around my house with little or no clothing on, given the excessive heat nowadays. 

I figured our guests would prefer not to have to put up with the sight, so we built the shack a sufficient distance away at the foot of the yard in the back of our house. 

It has worked fine, but is seldom in use as we only have one or two visits a year.

I did not realise that Maggie (or somebody else) had put our house on a map. 

How extraordinary! 

Still, if you saw it on a map on the outskirts of North Hill Village, then that is indeed us.

The law and rules on taking up residence in Anguilla would require a ten-page essay, which you do not need to read at this stage. 

Just come visit, once the virus permits, and take it from there. 

If you really have time on your hands, there are websites that explain what the rules are, you just need to do a Google search 

Best,

Don

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From: GEOFFREY GOLDING <geoffreygolding@rogers.com>

Sent: Thursday, 15 October 2020 08:32

Hi Don,

Great to hear from you.

Yes, it has been a long time. 60 years!!!

I will certainly remember your recommendation for the guest house when we do travel again.

What is the contact information and process for staying there? Sounds interesting!

It is funny how our times in the UK run parallel to each other but we never met again.

I spent most of my time in London.

We also got married in the UK in July 1972.

My wife, Heather, is from Trinidad also.

We first met in 1963 before I left for the UK but met again in 1969 when I returned to Trinidad on a one year construction contract.

We have never been apart since then!! 

We left the UK in December 1973 and came to Canada.

I was hired by Texaco Canada Inc. which was taken over by Imperial Oil (70% owned by EXXONMobil) in 1989.

I stayed with them until I retired in 2008.

We have two daughters and two granddaughters and live about one-hour North of Toronto.

Since retirement I spent a lot of time looking after my father and mother's affairs.

Dad entered a nursing home in 2009 and passed away in late 2012. 

My mother also entered the home in 2012 and passed away in February this year, age 98!

Gross negligence caused her death.

Every year we tried to have a vacation.

Been to Aruba three times (our favourite so far), Portugal in 2018 and Italy 2019. COVID has put a road block on further travel at this time. 

I looked at the island map but could not find the guest house.

I saw a spot labelled "Maggie & Don". It that where you live?

Is Anguilla still a British Territory? What are the requirements to take up residence there?

That's it for now. Please stay in touch.

Geoff

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idmitch@anguillanet.com

14 Oct 2020, 21:11 (10 days ago)

Hello, Geoff,

How good to hear from you. 

It has been a very long time.

Yes, I was in the UK between 1964 and 1971. 

I did some of my O Levels, my A Levels and my law studies there. 

I also met Maggie, who later became my wife. 

We have been together since November 1968, but officially since we married in April 1972.

If you ever do make it to Anguilla, you and family must stay at the Mt St Benedict Old Boys Anguilla Free Guest House located at North Hill. 

Above is a photograph of the Guest Shack taken from the roof of our main house before Hurricane Irma hit in September 2017 and chopped back much of the vegetation. 

It is self-contained with two bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms. 

So far as I can recall, only Brian Goddard has ever taken up the long standing invitation. 

Our house is in the dead center of the island, as far as we can get from the corrosive sea blast.

However, the island is so small that It takes just five minutes to drive to the best beaches on the island.

Meanwhile, my principal activity since retirement is gardening. 

Maggie’s kitchen herb garden which I struggle to keep free of caterpillars and white fly. 

In all, there are about 120 pots. 

I have installed a drip irrigation system, so watering them involves no more than turning on the garden tap and setting the timer.

Look forward to hosting you once we are permitted to travel again. 

Best,

Don

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From: GEOFFREY GOLDING <geoffreygolding@rogers.com>

Sent: Wednesday, 14 October 2020 13:00

Hi Don,

A few words from an old school buddy a long time ago!!

I read your comment on Linkedin and have to agree with you about the agriculture initiative that should be pursued.

I looked at the summary BIO you included and see that we were both in England at the same time.

I did my "A" Levels from 1963-1964 and went on to get my engineering diploma in London 1965-1968. 

I have lived in Canada since 1973 and retired 11 years ago. Have never been to Anguilla but hope to do so at some time in the future.

How are you doing and what are your plans going forward?

Jon, my late brother, spoke highly of you when you both were participating in the old boys reunion at Mount.

Keep in touch and all the best

Geoff

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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz,  kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to be in the circular’s mailing list or any old boy that you would like to include.

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Photos:

58RB0003C2, Elias Farcheg, Fr. Francis

16LK5563FBLCH, Lindy Chu Cheng

49LK0010NBLTEV, Norris Blanc, Trevor Evelyn

20DM0111DMIEDI, Don Mitchell´s Home in Anguilla