MIDDLE INDIA 3
I Said I’ve Got This But I’m Not Quite Sure
Flower plucking, pugs and pissy (Oztraylian for tiny) jars of coffee
Guess what — I’ve stalked and lurked and someone came to talk to me. I decided to head out on my walk, changed my routine, and went earlier. Said “Good Morning” to an Indian lady who is also staying in the guest house. I do feel for her, she has a little girl who is about 2 years old. It’s bad enough for me — I can’t imagine being cooped up in a room all day, with a toddler. Today she had an older couple with her, whom I am assuming may be grandparents. Could be 5 in the room — not sure. Anyway, today she replied “Hello” which was like a breath of fresh air and I was pretty chuffed with.
Two pugs would give you a pair of slippers
Started off in my usual direction. Old Puggalugs, that snarly little brick shithouse (Oztraylian for built solidly) pug wasn’t around. Vicious little shit it is anyway. If there were two I could have a perfect set of slippers. They do say there a big pythons here so he better not snarl so much and attract attention to himself. Crikey! (Oztraylian for oi wake up stupid) The dog could end in a good squeeze and lunch if he isn’t careful.
It was pretty quiet, really no one around. I haven’t quite worked out if everyone just sleeps in or maybe they just all stay inside all day, watch telly or what the hell goes on. Spotted a few interesting structures that have been overgrown with vegetation. One looks like an old shade house, quite big and it turns out it is pretty much opposite our Luxury Executive Villa, which we are waiting on. I have my thinking cap on, maybe I should look into trying to get a greenhouse going, food for thought and would give me something to get involved in for the time we are here.
Arrived at the villa hoping to see if we are any closer to being able to move in. Jack shit (Oztraylian for nothing happening) seems to be the state of play. Sigh. We are getting a bit sick of staying in the guest house, at this rate I will sleep on the damn floor, or at least let me use the washing machine to get some washing done. Don’t need the good old Hills Hoist (Oztraylian for our fantastic famous washing lines) just need a washing machine, and I know there is one in our villa (as I’ve stuck my nose in the back window) just waiting to be loved and used.
My knickers have gone astray
They do have a laundry “service” in the guest house but when it disappears it seems to take ages for it to return. We’ve been waiting 4 days for something to come back, anything would be nice, I’m running out of knickers. Ah, but that’s a lie, as I have now decided to hand wash my SMALLS (which are really quite BIGS). No one — I mean NO ONE needs to see my Bridget Jones undies. Buggalugs is running out of work clothes and again NO ONE and I MEAN NO ONE needs to see Buggalugs with no work clothes. We might have to start our own folklore tale — Buggalugs’ New Clothes. God forbid.
After the disappointment of “still no action at the villa” I kept skedaddling along coming up to the school — OMG so excited — it looked like they were doing some sort of Sports Carnival — I used to love the kids’ sports days when they were little. They seemed to be doing all sorts of little activities, looked like fun, I slowed up and just lurked by a tree (in the shade) watching. I spotted bloke coming towards me — my first thought was he’s going to ask, “What are you up to?’ but he just wanted to come and say “Hello” and practise his English. He was a teacher.
Isn’t it a sad state of affairs, and a sad way the world has become, that we immediately jump to the conclusion that someone just watching children having a great time might be up to something sinister? I immediately put myself in that basket thinking he was going to ask me to bugger off (Oztraylian for go away). I asked if it was a sports carnival or field day and he explained it was Children’s Day where the children get to play, have fun and then get special gifts.
Very quickly a group of older kids came up. High school age, and same again, they just wanted to ask where I was from and talk to practise their English. They asked a few questions and we discussed pronunciation — I did explain that I have a very Australian accent and we worked out I say it as Oztraylia and they say AWstralia. As my friend, Denise, Says — In OZTRAYLIA we say …..
As I was about to leave the teacher mentioned “Stop any time and chat with the kids,” which was a lovely, friendly gesture. But like I said earlier, I was like “what — at home I’d be jailed for being a weirdo.”
Personally I think they need to learn tunnel ball, pass ball and leader ball. It could be interesting trying to teach a group of kids with a language barrier. Considering the last time, I actually had fun with these activities, was at my gym, at home, only a few months back, it could end in tears. Talk about hilarious, it’s an over 50’s type set up, we couldn’t even get it right, no one could follow a simple instruction. We had bums in faces, people not moving or moving too much, and balls going everywhere. I feel for our instructors, lots of raucous laughter, but not what they were trying to achieve. But back to Middle India…
Volunteering is a great idea
I even had visions of the little ones doing the little hurdles like my kids’ primary school used to set up, so cute, just like me (as I mentioned previously). I will definitely go back and try and get involved. It was just lovely to have someone stop and talk to me. I impressed them greatly with my first Hindi word Sue-crea. I have no idea how to spell it, but I’ve written it down phonetically. Sounds like Sue Chia but with a R — means thank you. There is your first Hindi word lesson folks.
This has been it for today’s happenings — oh, I have started watering all the pot plants around the guest house as they looked very sad. It’s so boring I’ve started doing odd jobs around the place, but I noticed today someone else has jumped in ahead of me. I think maybe I have shamed (which I didn’t mean to do, just wanted something to do) someone into it — either way they look very grateful poor limp things.
I did venture out to the little cupboard shop last night and YAY he was open — but as for coffee it’s not looking good — I managed to get 2 mini mini jars and when I say mini mini, I mean it, holds about 8 teaspoons.
“Don’t you have anything bigger?”
“No ma’am.”
Like what the? So I asked for 4, he gave me 2! Not sure if he was rationing me or just saving for someone else. The two should last me a little while, so fingers crossed he’s realised he can make money off the westerner and get more in. Oh, and I found some tasty crackers (just thought I’d tell you that).
Ah, and another thing that I was excited about, Box 2, has now joined Box 1 of our shipment of 5 boxes. They were all supposed to be delivered shortly after we arrived — inshallah — I have no idea where the other 3 are, we are now 3 weeks in, no use stressing hopefully they will turn up.
The story with these is a rort — we ended up using DHL to get a very small shipment sent over. Each box cost us about $350 Australian to send from Perth to our door, but as it now seems, things have been held up. We have to prove things are for personal use, they have started charging us storage and all sorts of fees — today's one cost us an extra $185. This was also the case for Box 1. I’m sure the next 3 will also have this charge, or more. So you can imagine I am a bit pissed off (Oztraylian for this sucks) but there’s not much we can do, breathe, just for them to get here I will be grateful.
During my wanders I have snapped happy snaps, one being the water fountain which is very near the cupboard shop and the cheesy/milk man — my own little utopia. The cupboard shop was open bright and shiny — these are my two coffee jars — put a teaspoon as a size guide — things are grim — oh, and please don’t pluck the flowers (which I am currently giggling to myself as I type this — just tickled my fancy.
Stay tuned so I can tell you about our mood lighting saga in this room (I really hope I can upload little videos here), my Resident Rat and those Opaque Sucker-Toed Mini Dinosaurs…
Hoo roo… (Oztraylian for cya)
