Sunday was nice and relaxing, I spent the day doing end of month reports and things and then in the evening went to Evensong at Christchurch which, to my delight, turned out to be a communion service. I had a chat with various people at home through Skype which is an absolute godsend, even those without it on their computer cost just over 1p per minute, while to mobiles it is a little dearer at 16p per minute. Having said that though, I don't have to leave my nice warm house and go out into the unbearably hot outdoors to make a call. Having said that my family are probably fed up of hearing from me... it's maybe a little too easy, but it has made being here much more bearable.
I had a look at my kitchen shelf today and just thought that some of my friends would approve... picture below. From left to right we have: washing powder and soap, three mosquito killer refills, toilet cleaner, bleach, scrubbing brush, lizol - antiseptic surface cleaner with bleach, dettol, Colin (see yesterday), washing up liquid, HIT Mosquito killer spray, Mortein all insect killer spray, HIT cockroach killer spray, mosquito coil (for burning)! Not that I don't like insects you understand! Just not in my house!! I am not normally that houseproud either, but any spills instantly attract ants, so I clean up asap.

Today was my promised day off for a government declared public holiday or so one version goes. Anyway I didn't go to school! This morning, Nancy and I went to the local market, I was glad to have company as language in the market is always a problem as the sellers tend not to have much English. Nancy was glad of the company as she had not been for ages and couldn't remember how to get there!!!! I directed her car via the back roads to her great amusement! The fruit and veg are as usual amazing there, we bought fresh mint at a stall which only sold bunches of fresh picked mint, coriander and curry leaf! the smell of the fresh mint was fantastic. This pic is of Nancy buying coriander.

We then walked along to Rajan's (Cursillo 3 and Lay Rector 8)restaurant which is just by the market and had a chat. The restaurant is called Rathna restaurant after his wife.I first met them in 1998 when we went on a Cursillo picnic to some nearby falls. His daughter, Renee spent the entire bus journey on my knee, she was about 6 at the time and is now 17. He wants me to go and speak to some Law Students he runs a fellowship group for. he is involved in about 3 different groups like this, good apostolic action. Nancy is very intrigued at the number and range of people that I know. Having lived in Dubai for 26 years and only returned last year to India, she does not know many people, even though she was born and brought up here. She had told me this but today I realised it was true as I was greeted by people I knew in many shops and as we walked.
We came back home in time for lunch which Nancy made for me and served up on a banana leaf. After lunch down to do some more work then to Mrs Lydia's house. I had promised to proof read the book she is producing in English as a tribute/memorial to her husband Bishop Jason who died 2 years ago on 23rd April. That was a bad spell for us. Jeya died on 15th April, Mary our deacon on 16th April and Bishop Jason on the 23rd. I have about 50 assorted tributes which have been translated from Tamil to English and have to try and make the English better... by Wednesday! Lydia is gradually coming back to life after a period of withdrawal after her husband's death.
After that it was back home for tea, then to Junction to pick up a 6 foot by 3 foot pink, plastic covered, foam mat I had commissioned to allow me to work with some of the more fragile children on something more comfortable (for them) than a stone floor. I also picked up 4 sandbags I had had made which I want to use to help with positioning. It was a new concept to the shop, so I hoped they had understood me. Sure enough, there they were, the auto driver carried them into the auto for me. They weighed a ton. They had got very enthusiastic when filling them with sand. They are for laying alongside a child's leg, to help him to keep it straight... please note alongside, not on top of the leg!
Doctor daughter had an interview in Manchester today, where I hear it was snowing.