Friday...

Friday March 3, 2006

I was really looking forward to having some time to myself today and then having my language lesson in the afternoon, but Candice ended up “working from home”. She seemed like she needed a bit of a mental health day. Fair enough, it's been a busy few days.

I went out and did my thing, popping in and out between going to the bank and picking up my ATM card from my new bank, Vietcombank, doing some more shopping for supplies and wandering about checking prices for this and that.

Candice had begun cleaning the kitchen, which was totally filthy, when I arrived back but I had things to do and we’d planned to do the cleaning on Saturday, so I helped after my language lesson. She’d been here for three weeks already, I was still trying to get used to everything and just get my bearings! I spoke to her about the fact I hadn’t planned her being home, let along cleaning today – and she was cool. She just wanted to get in and scrub those cupboards. If you’d seen them, you’d understand why.

Gross moment of the day: Walking through our local markets to cast my eyes upon two whole, I mean completely whole, cured dogs. They looked like greyhounds had a vat of candle wax poured on them at the exact moment they sat looking lovingly up at their master in that “take me for a walk”, or “feed me”, kind of way. In that exact position! Hmmm, sure that won’t be the first time I see the waxy dogs. I’m sure Ben would have liked to see those dogs that chased him on the beach at Goa in a similar position. If they had bit him, I would have as well.

But despite the cured dogs, our little markets are very cool. They are two long alley style undercover streets that sell everything from clothes to flowers, fruit and lots of different cuts of meat. Gotta love our location!

After my lesson with Le, who is such a lovely person and a very patient teacher, I got changed and began to get into the kitchen cupboards myself. I must say – the kitchen is looking 100% from the day before. There Candice and I were, scrubbing every centimeter of the kitchen so we felt we could begin using it properly. Believe me, we weren’t being silly or fussy.

Had beer, toast and crackers for dinner and then took myself up to my room to sort through crap and get the blog running again. Phil and Candice went out with Paula – I gave it a big miss. I was just happy to have some quiet time to myself to reflect and try to get my head in some kind of order.