It has been 10 days since I last Blogged! Sori tru! What a week or two. Above is a picture of our two trainers for our HIV/AIDS workshop, quite an act but although they do all the work it was a tiring three days. Attendance was poor from the secondary schools but also from the Upper primary schools but those who came went away confident to teach this tricky area in a culture like theirs. Last day was Thursday and I went home to chill but two friends from Good Shepherd school, Mary and Tony, turned up!

Arranged to meet with Mary [above] to go and buy bilums [bags] as she didn't want me going alone!!! When we got to the market she insisted on walking round as I got my fruit and veg and then Clara [market lady from Chapel] also wanted to come round with me!!! I pointed out that for the last year I had done it alone!!!

Sunday walked to Chapel and found that the usual Pastor wasn't speaking but Pastor Exekial was [he shouts and is long winded!] So after the first service I told them that as my backside made it difficult to sit for long, I would walk home!!! Was true honest. I probably also made the decision because half way through the service a huge rat wlked across the beam behind the lecturn! The 20 minutes later a little one followed!!!

Monday was my full day workshop for new graduate teachers. Woke early and decided to do some coping for the session. Good job as there was no power in our resouce centre [ERC]!

Wasn't happy to see rat droppings on the verandah either! Walked up to the ERC and going under a big tree where all te bats hang out, they seemed louder than normal. So wasn't surprised to see a man with a sling firing at them!!!

Set out the room etc ready to start when I rubbed my neck and had a handful of brown gundge [sp??] I rubbed it off with a towel as best I could just as the first person arrived! By 9:30 I had three so decided to start and had a good session with them although had to adapt the programme somewhat. Then at abou 10:45 three from the local school turned up!! I think that someone had forgotten about it and then when they remembered pulled them from classes! So at least we had 6 which was good to work with.

Power was on/off all day but that is usual and I got interrupted too many times as the Programme Manager was trying to complete his report so will certainly tell him off when we have our meeting shortly!!

Then I looked down and found that the back of my WHITE skirt was smattered with mud even though when I had walked up it wasn't raining. I had to apologise to them!!!

Good day anyway. Walked home feeling "job well done" and as I opened our front door the ERC key fell out of my purse and straight through the verandah slats!!! Went into the bedroom to change and saw that my hair had brown gundge down one side!!! So to end this perfect day I had a shower and ate at the Lodge! What a sight I must have looked all day!!

Next day though, even though the gardener couldn't find the key our housekeeper Kalina, crawled under the house and found it! She also had the fly screen mended, the A/C repaired and the rat people out, a lovely girl.

Tomorrow is my first subject workshop but my favourite group.

Home news. Sara ended up in hospital over the weekend but is home now. Ken is miserable! Locked himself out of the house he is staying in whilst putting his washing out. In the snow and in shirt sleeves so had to walk to a friend's house to use the phone to call the locksmith out!! That cost him 85 pounds!!

But that afternoon the tax man gave me a lovely BIG present.

Missing you all.