Life after the Peace Corps. The next chapter begins.....

...At My New Home at Heritage Point

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Derby is Alive and Well in Belize!

Friends in Florida know that going to Karen and Denny Somers' house on Derby Day is a tradition I look forward to, and have enjoyed for many years. So, it was very bitter sweet when I got the invitation to this year's party and knew I wouldn't be able to go. Then, I thought, "Why not bring the Derby to Belize?" So, I invited a few friends and began planning my Derby party.
But wait, no one in this country even knows what the Kentucky Derby is, don't even think about finding any Derby decorations. I couldn't even find anything with a horse on it - and forget red roses!! So, it was a bit of a challenge, but I perservered and finally found some small plastic horses at a school supply store. I put on the numbers of each Derby entry, so we could draw them out of a hat for a dollar chance to pick the winner. I drew a horse on poster paper, colored it with crayons and cut out tails to play pin the tail on the horse. The third game was a grid for a pool to bet on each horse to win, place or show. Now, remember most of us are Peace Corps volunteers, so the stakes were just a little light - 10 cents US for each square, but we had fun none the less. The next challenge was the traditional Derby arrangement that I always take to "Somers Downs" for the party. Since real roses weren't an option, I found silk roses and made a "respectable" arrangement for the table, but it was definitely lacking the Derby horse that always adorns my arrangement wearing a blanket of roses around his neck. I also found some bright pink roses to make my hat. I had encouraged everyone to make a hat, but honestly I don't think many of the Peace Corps volunteers knew about the traditions of the Derby, so I wore the only hat this year. However, all the girls said they would be working on a hat for next year's Derby. (So I guess I'm down for the party again in 2012!)
We had Burgoo Stew, Hot Brown sandwiches and Southern potato salad - all Derby traditions I found on the "Official" Kentucky Derby Party website. And one of the volunteers brought chocolate covered Bourbon Balls for desseert! A friend of mine made a trip to the US and was kind enough to bring back two bottles of Makers Mark from the Duty Free shop. I went to a nursury and bought a mint plant, and voila, one batch of simple syrup later, we had Mint Juleps!
Just before the race began, one of the volunteers went outside to have a smoke, and a bird pooped all over his arm. He came back in the house in a fit, of course. But after a good laugh, we told him it was good luck, and sure enough five minutes later, the horse he had drawn out of the hat won - and he took home the big prize for the day - $9.50 US! Now Pat is wondering if he should bring his own bird to the party next year!!