I don't have a picture for today's blog; on the other hand, maybe I should look through my photo library for a bit of blue sea.
This morning I did my morning walking, wearing my headphones and listening to the BBC World Service's broadcasting on the US elections. Every evening I listen to American broadcasters and the British, to me, are so different. For one thing, they are polite. People kept apologising for butting in whereas in the USA it seems to be parr for the course. The Democrats have won the House of Representatives so they have the opportunity to block any of President Trump's plans, if they don't like them. I also heard that one of the first things they will do is to ask for the President's income tax statements. Now that's going to be interesting; we'll all be sitting, with baited breath, hoping for the worst - if we happen not to be Republican.
I've been dealing with changes the dental NGO have been making to their travel plans to Cambodia next year - changes to the equipment and to where people are staying. I've told them the paper trail has started and I can't make any changes. Each page ends up covered in official stamps and signatures. If I want to make a change to any particular page it means going right back to the beginning and getting the stamps all over again. I've told the NGO, if we have any problems when they arrive, they have to smile sweetly and say, "Whoops!"
I tried to multi-task at lunch time and it was a flop. I decided to use Heang's pumpkin juice drink to make a soup. I thought I'd add potatoes and onion to it so I decided to cook them first. I planned on leaving them on low heat for 10 minutes. Half an hour later I left my computer to check on the pan and found it past redemption. It took me as long to clean the pan as it did to cook the meal. One of these days I'll realise I'm past the best buy date and can only do one thing at a time.
I set up the Skip Bo cards to play with Phearak and Srun at 12.30pm but they didn't appear. I found out later than Phearak had decided to take the day off as he wasn't feeling well. Srun ended up doing his messenger work. Here in Cambodia, if you want any documentation done, you take the paper work to the office and then messengers deal with it for a small fee. It's a lovely idea as it gives people employment and it saves the rest of us from sitting around waiting for things to be done. I never understand why people take one day off; for me a sickness lasts a bit longer than 24 hours. When I was teaching we were allowed 1 1/2 days a month for sick leave. In all the 12 years I was in the north I never used a single day of my sick leave. When I decided to retire I wasn't rewarded for not using the days, nor was I given an earlier retirement date. I'm a slow learner - I realised at that time why teachers took their entitlement.
Samnang came over to cook my dinner - an English breakfast. Khmer dancing is like watching something in slow motion and Samnang's cooking is the same way. He carefully put each slice of bacon in the pan and stared at it intently, moving it around a bit. He told me to go and sit down. I'm glad I did as I was getting totally frazzled. The meal did appear, and it was good, so no complaints.
Later, I went over to the travel office to help Vuth with some computer work. I came away blessing the fact that I did my work on my own. The three boys surrounded me. Ponleu kept lowering my typing chair until I gave him a clip. Oudom hugged me while Samnang tried to grab the keyboard.
I've got my suitcase on the spare bed and I'm slowly filling it. "Filling" is the wrong word as I rarely take many things. When the temperatures around 30C there's not much need for anything in the way of clothing. I take the attitude, if I need something I can buy it. Tomorrow morning I have to be across the road by 8am. I think I'll have breakfast on the street at my neighbours' place. They do a lovely meal of bbq'd pork with rice, along with pickles and a small bowl of soup. All for around $2.
I've just listened to a fascinating podcast about the "Unknown Soldier" who is buried in Westminster Abbey. It was the idea of a British clergyman who served in the First World War. The body was buried in a state funeral on Armistice Day in 1920. The telephone people said not a single call in the whole of the country was made during the two minutes of silence. All trains, cars, boats and even planes stopped - the aeroplane mentioned switched off its engines for two minutes and glided. It's a wonderful half hour - just go to your search engine and type in 'BBC podcast Unknown Soldier'. I love the radio as it gives our imagination a work out.
Bali here I come!
