Marmalade Cordial and the Queen

Duncan has been away this week, so I have had to get used to being here on my own. He will be home in about two hours and my conclusion for the week is that I prefer it when he is here. Obviously. However and somewhat surprisingly, I have still had a good week.

I won't bore you with all the details, but it seems that life has suddenly got busy. Let's take yesterday as an example.

I was up at 6.15 in order to go to market. Local people come onto the centre and sell fruit and vegetables to the community three mornings a week. The biggest thing I noticed about it when I first went, was how quiet it was. There is no bartering, so you just choose and pay. Juggling all the bags is the biggest challenge for me! Having entertained some local ladies with my antics in past visits, I was determined to do better this week. Experience has taught me that the best equipment is a large bucket and a large string bilum (bag) filled with plastic bags for keeping small, squishy things (like strawberries, which you buy in piles) from going everywhere (not that that has happened to me...well, maybe it has, MUCH to the amusement of those around.) As long you buy your pineapples and heavy veg before your tomatoes all goes well - obvious you might think, but I have learned the hard way. In my defence, it is difficult to be organised when you are half asleep and easily distracted...but, I am happy to report that I survived market without incident yesterday, which makes for fewer entertaining stories, but made me happy. Pride goes before a fall, so clearly I will have a story to tell next week!

I struggled back up the hill with my purchases and began the process of bleaching, washing and zip-lock bagging. It's a bit tedious, but I must say that it is quite pleasing to behold your fridge full of neatly (well ok, maybe not that neatly) stacked bags full of clean food, all ready to undergo the undoubtedly exciting process of being cooked/chopped/manhandled by me.

Then I walked back down the hill for school. I have Grade 8 first thing and we started work on 'Literature Circles'. It involves the students choosing books to read and then forming small groups to discuss and log about their reading experiences. Should be fun. I wish I could be in a group... Next was Grade 8 again, but this time for drama. This term I am helping the drama teacher get the class ready to perform a play in 5 weeks. It's a short one based on fairytales, but with lots of amusing twists. The students are really excited!

Back up the hill and home, in time to have lunch with lovely new friend and Tok Pisin teacher, Leon. She taught me the days of the week and the months of the year and we even looked at a few pages of 'Hello' magazine (thanks, mum).  I tried to explain that my mum had sent it to me, but I don't think I said the right thing, because Leon pointed at the photograph of the Queen on the front cover and said, "Mama bilong you?" (which means, "Is that your mother?") I told her who it was and we laughed for about five minutes. Good times.

Back down the hill (are you sensing a theme here?!) for school again - Grade 7 this time. They are great fun and we always laugh far more than I am sure we should!

Back up the hill again (!) to clean, cook and get ready for having a girls' supper party (I won't say 'dinner party' because that makes it sound grand and as though it was 3 courses and I only did 2. Lazy I know!). I had a similar event on Monday and apart from making orange cordial that undeniably tasted like marmalade and inviting the guests to come at different times (I think baby-brain is striking), it all went surprisingly well! So I was excited about take two, although wisely left the remains of the marmalade cordial for another day. We had fun, but there had to be a dodgy moment and it happened when I nearly spilled cream all over one of my guests. Amazingly she didn't get any on her. You see - God does care about the little things! Once we had all got over the shock it became a laughing point for the rest of the evening, so I think I survived!

I flopped into bed at about 10.30pm, which is late for a good missionary wife (I'm SUCH a rebel) and reflected on a busy day. I hate being apart from Duncan, but God has been with me and I have had a busy, fruitful time. As to what he has been up to, I will leave that for him to tell you, but needless to say, more adventures have been had. I think I hear his footsteps... : ) : ) : )