It's coming up to that time of year....

So

Carnival is in the air once more, and even though I no longer live in Trindad, I can feel it all the way over here. I signed up for my costume two weeks ago but the excitement began well before that.

Carnival is something alien to most non-Trinis. My husband isn't Trinidadian and he just does not 'get' Carnival. He doesn't understand why I want to put on, what is basically a bathing suit, and run around town behind some lorries with a cup of vodka in my hands. He would prefer to sit on the beach with a bottle of Stag and a bake and shark. Sigh!

But I am just overflowing with emotion right now. I'm looking at different options for my boots, and let me tell you, just looking at pictures has me trembling with anticipation. People at work must think I'm crazy because I'm sitting here clapping my hands and grinning like I just won the lottery.

They don't get that it takes a massive amount of co-ordination between friends, months in advance, to work out who's playing in what section (the band was decided years ago!). The don't get that registration is serious business and that you have to be quick on the draw or you'll lose out. They don't get that accessorising is almost as important as the costume you'll be wearing. So the fact that I'm basically jizzing my pants because I think I've found someone who can make me a pair of fab boots, is totally lost on them. Sigh!

It'll all be worth it in the end though. This evening, I'm going to go home and trace the outline of my feet on a bit of cardboard and send it home to my sister. These are the things we do for Carnival.