We had rain today and it was lovely. It only lasted about 15 minutes but it came at a good time - 5pm. At that time it generally stays cool for the rest of the day. I've just noticed the first cluster of flowers on the Golden Chain tree outside my apartment so I've got that lovely yellow to look forward to until spring.
I went over to the travel office and discussed my return to Canada. This time I'll leave in early April; last time I stayed the whole month so that I could enjoy the Khmer New Year but it really is a scorching hot time of year. Cina keeps joking that I should try business class; she says I deserve it. I agreed with her but I'm not paying nearly $7,000 to have a bed that I will use but not sleep in - I just can't sleep on planes. I am always flying via Taiwan, as it's the best way to return to Vancouver, and to get my Aeroplan points too, but I'd love to go via Europe using Qatar Airways - they really are a lovely airline. Unfortunately, it would be such a long flight and I'd end up in Montreal. While I was at the travel office I met a man from North Korea. It's interesting how most of us have demonised the country yet the three North Koreans I've met here have been very nice to talk to.
I went shopping today and came back with two full bags. I bought fresh and frozen vegetables, fruit, noodles for the boys, hair and shaving stuff, milk, yogurt, biscuits, meat and fish. The bill came to
$26.87. I'm going to copy the bill for you.
I was settling down to watch a movie in the evening when the phone rang. It was the two lads telling me they would be coming over for the night. They were on their way home from Chinese class so I had to go over to their house to meet them. I felt sorry for Cina as she was busy washing the floor. Recently, they had to send their two maids away because of problems. They could have stayed if they'd apologised for their behaviour but they wouldn't. It's sad because they were living and eating with the family and also being sent to school. Later I heard that one of them had put clothes in the washing machine, along with one of 3rd old Cheata's dirty nappies. So you can imagine what came out of the machine.
There's a lovely programme on the BBC about "Why men love sheds." My Dad definitely did. We had sheds all over the place. Some were for the hens and geese and they had to be whitewashed inside regularly with some lime mixed with the paint. That was to keep the fleas down. We also had a large barn-like shed that was full of smaller sheds that contained rabbits. This was during the war years so we never went short of meat. If Dad killed a cockerel he'd hang it up in the dark passageway leading to the kitchen door. It was awful walking into it when we came home from school. We all enjoyed chicken but there was always someone at the table who wasn't enjoying the rabbit. We saw them more as pets. In the 70s, friend Dave was praising his hostess on the delicious chicken. Nothing was said but he kept going on about the lovely chicken. Finally, the hostess said it was rabbit. Later, she asked him about the meal and he said he'd enjoyed it more when he thought it was chicken. I love rabbits; I think they make great pets.
The last shed Dad made was made from doors he collected from all over the place.
Every day I type a couple of pages from my Nigerian diary and today I had a fun time. I was reminded of the time I was stopped on the road by a policeman. He poked his head into my car and announced I was under arrest because I didn't have a fire extinguisher. I'd completely lost my voice so having a conversation was difficult. He thought I was a bit daft so he went off, stopped a bus, and came back with an extinguisher to show me what they were. I gestured, as I could hardly speak, and finally he got fed up and let me go. The students told me there was no such rule. One day a man got on a bus carrying a cage with hens in it and one hen was held in his hand. He put that one under his seat. It made such a racket, one of the passengers got up from his seat, took out a knife, and chopped its head off. The bus was quiet after that.
After picking up the two lads, Oudom said he wanted to go to a shop to buy some snacks to take on a trip on Saturday. We visited three stores and then I drew the line - all he wanted was chewing gum and some nuts. Back home, Ponleu said it was time for a movie and he'd prepare the snacks. He came back with a plate covered with different snacks and a menu he'd written. Oudom entertained himself doing origami, which he is very good at. Their creativity is amazing. When I was young we were able to be creative outside, with the way we played, but not so creative indoors as we didn't have anything with which to be creative.
I'd better stop so we can start the movie; Ponleu changes a movie after 10 seconds so I know I'm in for a long evening before he finally settles on one.
