Sister AM, I read and understand your opinion. Did you read my dear CUZ version of the heart and the garment? LOL. Girl, these people know about dressing. You will be surprised to know that Grenada has a lot of functions where gouyave people dress up. Its not like the days when we had to wait for a holiday or harvest to wear our Dan Dan to go to the dance or ALLDAY in the park. There are little stores like Dawn and others where they can buy clothes from overseas. I don't think that seamstress and Tailor exist no more. I may be wrong. If so, they may be used for adjustments. Many of these young ladies are dressing and hoping that Arthur comes by with the camera so they can be Gouyave models. LOL.. I also read about the food situation. If the families can afford to feed every one on behalf of the dead so be it. My only objection is not everyone can afford to feed people after the funeral. I, personally listen to people talking in gouyave. I spent 21 days. I attended three funerals. Before the funeral took place everyone knew who was having (after hours). Some people may not like my opinion. It's freedom of speech. Every does not like Obama, but he is the PRESIDENT. Girl, you know I love to get in trouble. Don't be hard on me. LOL.

Have you been listening to Grenada news ( GBN, etc) recently? Some tough economic restructuring.
Finally reality is beginning to trickle in- it's about time.
" clothes from overseas".
Probably few if any seamstresses in Grenada.
And we say the employment rate is high there.
So much for self sufficiency- oops, did I say that?
Australia priority is Asia; Europe priority is now Eastern Europe/ Ukraine.

So Merlo, how many of the three happy hours did you attend? lol

But seriously, it is only recently I hear that this happy hour is creating a "problem." I myself hate the term happy hour. Here it is when people get discounted services or goods so maybe people should pay and this is where the suggested coupon would come in handy? teehee In New York it is called a repast but one does not have to attend all repasts and surely you do not have to eat or drink or have too much of anything. People sometimes get offended if you say you do not have time to stay or to eat. I see it as a way to see members of the bereaved family that you may not have seen in ages but for the most part I myself usually have to run off to do something or other anyway .

From a conversation I had with someone who had just buried her mother, I gathered that the more one can deliver at the happy hour the more of a status symbol one can become so I guess it goes both ways?? lol One person I know told me that she was unable to attend a certain funeral as she had been working all day and got home much too late. I told her to go and sympathize but she said that would have to wait for another day because she did not want people to say she had come for happy hour.

Merle, I appreciate your concern, but this is not limited to Gouyave but everywhere. Certainly in NYC. Thing is the Gen X generation is driven by style and fashion, and those young ladies you are castigating might simply be wearing the only little black dress they have, which is fashionable, dress up garb, or they may be wearing their Sunday Best, which is what they go to church in every Sunday.
Either way is a funeral the place or time to be checking out the apparel of the fellow mourners?
Do we prefer that those young sexy things come as they like, or don't come at all? Any thought about what the deceased would prefer, IF ONLY THEY COULD.