Happy New Year to everyone. We've a lot to be grateful for in 2018 and a lot to worry about. Let's hope many of our 2018 worries are put right in 2019.
Yesterday I had words with myself and I told myself I should pick up my feet and move on. I had a great day, feeling normal, which is a change from the past two weeks. I borrowed a Lee Child mystery from my Canadian library and I finished it in one day, just lounging on the sofa with my feet up in the air. At the end of the day I'd done around 200 steps on my Fitbit. Since starting this flu business I've taken a perverse satisfaction in seeing that I have hardly walked on any of the days. Here am I, being fed with all sorts of information about the importance of walking 10,000 steps a day - and feeling guilty if I didn't. Now here I am, after two weeks of doing around 200 steps a day, and I feel fine and I'm still here. It's amazing how these gadgets can get me to feel guilty.
I thought I was having a good day yesterday but then the phone rang and Oudom (12) phoned from across the street to say he was coming over for the night. I went over to get him and Ponleu (10) decided to join us. Earlier, Ponleu had made a Lego model of the Titanic and so, to keep him quiet, I told him to make a bridge for the ship to sail under. Because he's Ponleu, it had to be authentic; he wanted a bridge that workers could go up to fix things. It kept breaking and he kept on crying when it happened. Then Oudom got in on the act and started yelling at him to stop being a baby. I yelled at Oudom to tell him to stop being so nasty. It's exhausting.
When we finally made it to bed I gave them an ear full in the hope that it would settle them down. It didn't. Oudom said he'd developed a cold and would be under the clothes snorting all night. This morning, before we even got up, I had to listen to a talk on the Gross National Product of various countries and what the Khmer soldiers were doing in the Congo. I had to be specific about which Congo we were talking about. I wish I could fob Oudom off with any old answer but I can't as he researches everything. Before breakfast he'd put some toothpaste in the microwave to see what would happen. He's a menace.
Kheng, has prided himself on being a fast motorbike rider. In the old days it was fun sitting behind him while he wove in and out of the traffic. Last night he came off his bike and ended up in hospital where the doctors inserted metal rods. I went to visit him but he'd checked out; most likely to a cheaper place. I hope he's learned his lesson.
I've had a "bread" day today. Because of the lads, I had to do toast and peanut butter for breakfast. For lunch I had bread and cheese. At 4pm I was presented with a baguette stuffed with a variety of meats and this evening I went with Vuth and family for a pizza meal. Oudom was very upset when he was told he'd have to contribute. He's a meat and fruit eater so he ate hardly anything but he had to pay the same amount as Samnang who eats like a horse. Oudom said it's unfair to invite people for a meal and to then tell them they have to pay. He has a point.
Cheata (4) was quite upset when someone had a birthday in the restaurant and the staff sang Happy Birthday; she thought it should be for her. To add insult to injury, when she got outside she let her huge balloon go and it floated away into the blue yonder. I was put in charge of two of the lads to make sure they got home safely. This is no mean task as Ponleu does vanishing tricks. The streets were throbbing with loud music and dancing crowds. I'm glad peace and quiet prevails at this end of the street.
I don't like being negative about people but I have to say I am not impressed with my downstairs neighbours. My Mother would say they were mucky and I tend to agree. They've been in the apartment for three months and the broom and mop have never moved. I can see into their kitchen when I use the staircase and it's littered with mouse droppings. The creatures have now started to come to my place which I'm objecting to. I've got everything edible in the fridge but I'm finding their droppings everywhere. I've borrowed a humane, life trap that's quite ingenious. The mouse sees some food at one end and he jumps on a little platform which tips him into the first area where he can have a happy nibble. Then he goes into another section with a one-way pathway to find more food, and there he's stuck until I get up in the morning to deal with him. What I would really like to do is release the darn thing back into the downstairs apartment but if I do that he may come back upstairs. I'll sleep on it!
