Taking you back to 22nd March 2007

Day 5

Current mood:tired

We've been working at the orphanage for 3 days now.  We work from about 7.30-8am until the kids fall asleep at naptime after lunch - about 12-1ish.  That feels like a day in itself, it's that tiring, and the afternoon is a new day where we do what we want.  Monday and Tueday afternoon, we spent hours preparing colouring sheets with both the Waray-waray and English words on it, and wordsearches, after the panic from one of the orphanage staff telling the children to sit down and listen to Ate Joy and Ate Grace!  We had nothing prepared that first Monday morning and both stood there speechless.  It's pretty hard to communicate with the kids when they don't know much English and I know very little Waray-waray (the local dialect).  We've had a couple of Waray-waray lessons at the centre with Ethel and Lorena so have learnt a few phrases such as "good morning", "you're good!", and some necessary childcare words such as "don't!", "no!" and "stop!".  Anyway the colouring sheets and wordsearches have been going down a storm and have kept them entertained for about an hour or so every day.

I've just realised that I haven't yet mentioned the bathroom situation just yet...  Well, remember I said I would have to prepare for a tub and a bucket?  It's worse than that.  The bathroom is a simple small downstairs toilet with tiles on the floor and a dim light.  A low down toilet with no seat/cover - and, more importantly, no flush!  The shower (I use that term very loosely) is a bucket underneath a low down tap and a small scoop.  This doubles as the flushing system - you have to put 2 or 3 scoops of water down the toilet after you've been...  For a shower, you have to brave the cold water (well you didn't think it would be warm water did you??!) and just pour it over you.  It certainly wakes me up in the morning (and Evan, whose bedroom is above the bathroom, can probably hear me yelp) but in the afternoon, it's really nice and cools me down after sweating buckets at the orphanage.

Other news:
Natasha has left the Philippines and returned home to Dubai after having to go to hospital with stomach pains.  Hopefully she gets better soon and continues her travels in Cambodia etc later in the year...
Oh and we're getting the hang of the jeepneys!  I can confidently pay the driver, tell him where to turn left and when to stop!
And I finally had pancit yesterday, hooray!  My favourite...

And they lived happily ever after...

As mentioned in my earlier post, my sister recently found one of my favourite childhood books amongst the stacks of ancient Ladybirds that had been handed down to my niece.  I was distraught when I thought it had been lost forever - particularly when I saw how much they are being sold for on ebay!  Not that I'd ever sell it, it's a classic.



Here's why I liked it so much: Cinderella got not just one fabulous dress in this particular fairytale.  She got THREE!  Plus her wedding dress!



Oh and of course they lived happily ever after!

4 days and counting...

I must spend 3 weeks every month, browsing ASOS, ebay and various online stores looking at all the pretty dresses, shoes, bags etc I can't afford but vow to get once I've been paid.  Then the highly anticipated day arrives and do I get everything I've been hankering after?  Hell no...  I'd have to be a highly paid executive to fund my shopping habit.  I end up getting a few pieces that ultimately do not excite me.  What is up with that?! 

Here are the bags I've been oohing and ahhing over this evening (and no I don't work for Dorothy Perkins!):


This sunny ochre chain cross body purse - I also have strong urges to buy it in all the other colours: berry red, green, and camel!  18 pounds is a bit of a steal but maybe not when you multiply it by four!




Coral Twist Lock Bag (also with a chain to be worn across the body)


Cream & Coral Twist Lock Bag


Blue Croc Twist Lock Bag (again, with a chain to be worn across the body - sense a theme??)

Ok, a different style:

Coral Tab Corner Clutch Bag - this is oversize and I'm a big fan of oversize bags and clutches as I read a while ago that the bigger the bag, the smaller you look.  I need all the help I can get, especially when I go out with my super slim friends!  I do see some logic in it though, with the proportions - I can hide my belly behind a large clutch and a tiny wrist purse is only going to make me look larger.  I have a couple of Dorothy Perkins oversize clutches and I love them so I think this will be number three in my collection.  Adore the coral colour and suspect it will be used often in the summertime!

Forgotten smiles

I have been a bad bad blogger recently, with no posts to speak of.  Truly sorry ladies.  I'm sure some of you can sympathise: going to work when it's dark, getting home when it's dark therefore no light for taking photos and no sunshine for inspiration!

So what IS making me smile at the moment?  My new Blackberry Torch for one...


My gorgeous little niece who I'm babysitting tonight...

Making my hubby breakfast in bed on Valentine's Eve (we make a point to celebrate not on Valentines Day!)


Being pampered for a day at Whittlebury Spa with the girls, for part 2 of my friend's hen do...

Finding one of my favourite childhood books that I thought was lost forever...

The return of The Good Wife...


and the introduction of a new character, the delicious Michael Ealy (from Barbershop and more recently Flashforward)...

And the anticipation of PAYDAY!  Cha-ching!