Missing it

Every Year in the downtown area here they have a Caribbean Carnival. I like it but it doesn't compare to the real thing. The festivities that are taking place right now in Trini is the real thing.
So I am missing it. A LOT!
On the day after Christmas, they stop all the 'holiday' music and start playing calypso and soca on the radio. All the band launching and fetes start, which means that all the parties are definitely on.
Once the band launching starts then you get to choose your costume (the cuter the better), pay for it, then attend all the parties that you can. It is getting to be an expensive business to go to these 'all inclusive' fetes so you really have to pick and choose.
For all my friends at University that celebrated Ramadan, it always sucked for them because they could never go out during that month and it always fell (by accident or design), in carnival month.
So you go to all these parties, steel band concerts, Calypso reviews, shows, art shows (art is the least of it), then you get muddy for Jouvert, wear half your coustume on Carnival Monday, and wear your full costume on Tuesday.
Then Tuesday night you hope you still have some of your costume left for last lap (the last party bash before Carnival is over).
Wednesday is Ash Wednesday (a holiday), and the beginning of lent. So the diehards go to church for ashes and the rest go to the beach for some rest and a little more party.
So I am really missing two months worth of fete.
But not to worry, though, a month after all this hapens, my sis will send me cds of the stuff I missed :( , with a magazine attached.
Hugs M