There's another holiday today. I think it's religious and to do with Buddha doing something.
I had a jolly time walking this morning because there was a BBC programme about the creation of the Disney musical, "Mary Poppins". It was fun hearing about the two brothers who wrote all the music and the battle they had with the British author who wasn't amused at the idea of her book becoming a musical. It was interesting that Disney's favourite song was the one about the lady who sold crumbs for two-pence a bag to feed the birds. The writer said he used to go into Disney's office, after he'd died, and just sit there and play this song.
Before I became a teacher I was one of the world's best filers of files. I was spot on and organised. I therefore fretted when someone questioned my ability when I was clearing out old files. I paid him back by filing all the files neatly on his desk and surrounds until there was just a place for him to sit - and then I woke up.
I'm sort of blocked in, in this apartment by buildings on all sides. At the front I look across the street to my landlords' home. At the back I look over the roofs of some smaller homes to another row of apartments like my own. Every morning around 7am a wooden door opens and I can see a European man standing there, checking his emails. A few minutes later he closes the door and presumably goes to work. It's strange he's so close yet most likely I'll never meet him. Inside these blocks of buildings it's like a rabbit warren of small alleys and he could appear from any one of them when he leaves for work.
The BBC had a programme today on eradicating rats from a French Polynesian island. They said they most likely came in on boats along with mosquitoes and other pests. At the same time, throughout the island, the scientists had to lay bait. They said they were 99.9% sure they'd killed all the rats. I wish someone would come to Cambodia and eradicate all the rubbish along the main highways; it's not dumped by local village people but by people in cars and trucks. Another thing I'd like to see eradicated is the eucalyptus tree which was imported from Australia. I don't know why they bothered. It provides little shade, it's wood is useless and the leaves, when they fall, poison the soil so nothing grows under the tree. I felt a bit guilty because, when I was in Nigeria, I went to a local nursery and bought three eucalyptus saplings. Within three years they were over twice as tall as my bungalow. They are awful things as they suck up so much water without doing anything that's useful.
I had to laugh when I was introduced to the new maid across the road. She's worked in Malaysia as a maid for 13 years and so she speaks English, but in a Malaysian fashion - I don't think she's going to understand me. The food is extra good in the home and so there's always a joke about new staff putting on weight. The cook, who has been there for a while, is now 9kg more than she was when she first came to the house. The family is now wondering how much the new maid will put on.
I had a letter from my Indian friend Kannan, who is now working in Cincinnati, USA. He's very much into self discipline and is now taking cold showers every day and once a week he walks, barefooted in the cold. Last week he managed 14 minutes in -2C. I couldn't help saying "Ouch!" He's an interesting character as he analyses everything he does. He has a 'master' who helps him along the path he's chosen. When he writes, his letters are full of news and thoughts about his self development, how he's feeling, his successes and failures etc. I've known Kannan since 2004 and it's interesting seeing his progress through life. He's applying for permission to live in Canada.
I decided to have a day without procrastination. It worked quite well and I managed to do quite a bit of work in the earlier part of the day. The big job was sweeping and washing the 38 steps up to this apartment. I would have thought that the people below me would do their fair share but they can't even be bothered cleaning their kitchen. Because of the layout of our apartments, I can see the floor of their kitchen as I go down the stairs and it's disgusting.
Just after 5pm Samnang appeared and announced there was no Chinese class this evening because of the holiday tomorrow. I never know whether to believe him or not. His favourite room is the kitchen so he dragged me into it to bake potatoes. I'd already planned on having the soup I made yesterday so he mucked up my plans. I enjoyed the potato too. Terry posted a photo of potatoes he was taking to the Sunday Supper group and I muttered that I'd love a potato, and there I was eating one a bit later. His dad phoned to check on the Chinese class and, because he doesn't trust Samang, he walked over to the school. Samnang must have already known the answer because he immediately packed. his bag and left; a few minutes later his dad phoned to make sure he would leave for school. Samnang may be back because he hinted at a sleep over. That means no toast or simple porridge for breakfast tomorrow - it'll most likely be an omelette or scrambled eggs. I don't mind - as they say, a change is as good as a rest.
Samnang didn't come; I've got Oudom (12) instead. So no kitchen work and it'll just be peanut butter on toast for breakfast. Instead of talking about gaming with Samnang I've been hearing all about the life of Putin and about a book he's reading that's all about Apollo who was punished by his dad, Zeus, and sent down to earth as a teenaged boy. Oudom said he's going to read 20 pages before bedtime so maybe I'm in for a quiet evening. Whoopee.
