It's been a good week in school, on Wednesday, Lydia came in to visit, I've been trying to help her gather her courage to come in for ages and was really glad she made it. She and the Bishop were very involved and supportive of the school, but she hasn't been since his death. She came into my class and thoroughly enjoyed playing with the kids, who also enjoyed her company in spite of B's expression here. B. is a young Brahmin lady always beautifully turned out as is her mum who absolutely adores her. I finished off (again) the final final set of corrections to the Bishop Jason memorial book tonight when Enoch brought them around to me.
The next pic is of S., he used to be a curled up wee boy who didn't interact with people or objects and as you can see he is having a great time here exploring some of my hanging objects while Joel the physio is giving him a good workout.
Joel is my next piece of good news! He has just had his half day post extended to full time, specifically to allow him to work with me in the early intervention class... and at his request... which is a great compliment! He has cancelled one of his hospital clinics each day to stay in school. It could of course be the idea of working with Meti once I am gone, which is the attraction, mind you she is 10 years older and I am 30 so perhaps the kids are the draw really. He had the cheek to comment a couple of weeks ago that when he was old (like me!) he too might need a sleep in the afternoon. He barely escaped with his life I can tell you. There is a lot of laughter (as well as hard work) going on in my class these days. Children as well as staff! Not least when I had Joel help me to clean out the fish tank this afternoon as he was complaining he had nothing to do. Sorted! I did say thank you though. We all got a bit wet, one of the older kids had come in at lunch time, managed to knock the pump into the tank, fed the fish with about 200g of fish food (half a large bag), and got caught in the act by me, trying to hang up the pump again... the same little treasure who brought me the sun-bird nest for those of you with long memories. He's not likely to live to a grand old age either unless I leave India soon. I marched him to Agnes to get a mouthful, it's no fun telling kids off or explaining the error of their ways when they can't make out a word you are saying and smile at you throughout. Mind you he knew I wasn't best chuffed with him! Sarah Jane hope you'll be on your best behaviour when I come back!
It amazes me how impractical people here are at times, it's the story of everyone having someone else to ask to do things right down the chain until you reach the bottom, where presumably they are practical. Working out how to clean out the tank without putting a complete new fill of water in was a challenge until I pointed out the water play fine sieves and large bowls and got stuck in. Mind you Joel and Meti got their revenge later in the afternoon when Joel pointed out with a giggle that my trousers were wet again having just dried out from the fish episode... M. had had a very large Pee on our newly arrived second mat (waterproof cover, well done Sally) and I was in the line of her puddle. Still one advantage of a hot climate is you can stick your whole leg, fully clothed under the tap and it is dry within 30 minutes and not all wet and clammy for the rest of the day as in the UK. Hazards of the job!
The next two shots were taken in Chennai. the first is a street fruit stall. The green things are oranges if that is not a contradiction of terms. The next item is a brand spanking new auto. I've never seen anything like it, the lettering across the front says DVD coach which was what caught our eye. We had a look inside and there, sure enough, was a big round speaker behind the rear seats, just visible. In the front of the cab was a slot for the removable DVD player and screen! The wipers are heavy chrome and had 4 blades (here in Tirunelvelli, autos barely even have half a well used blade), the hub caps... hub caps on an auto..? were heavy polished chrome, and look at those brakes on the front wheel, most don't have any only rear brakes! The whole thing was spotless and absolutely gleaming inside and out. I wonder if you got to choose the in-traffic movie. having see Chennai traffic, you have time to watch a whole movie on the way home! You regularly see coaches here, for inter town travel with 'DVD coach' across the front, but an auto?
These two shots are just general scenes, the lady was in her kitchen in the Leprosy Colony, she is cooking on a gas pump stove, a bit like a modern primus. She has leprosy, you can see that her hand has only finger stumps. One of the problems with leprosy is that areas of the body and skin become numb as the nerves are damaged. This means that if you cut yourself or burn etc, you don't feel anything so either ignore it or don't notice the damage which then becomes infected and develops an ulcer which is very difficult to heal. these were what Prem was dressing at the clinic on Tuesday.
The next is a sign which I see all over the place in all of the towns I have visited and gives a lovely image of an area of road jumping up and falling down a hole, or tripping up an auto or something! It makes me smile whenever I see it... several times a day!
Talking of smiling, I was in a restaurant today reading and having dinner when a lady opposite asked if she could have a look at my book please? !!!!! I handed it over and explained it was light fiction and not anything educational. She said she enjoyed reading fiction herself. It was an Elizabeth George, but not an Inspector Lynley if anyone is interested. I quite enjoy her books but occasionally, as with many American writers writing about the UK, the terminology is sometimes not quite correct and can grate as your brain does a quick translation. This one is better than some of her earlier ones though, for that. Anyway at the end of our literary conversation, the lady said I had a very nice smile! Shucks! 
This last picture, of George the lounge gecko shows him scurrying off guiltily having emerged from inside the packet of biscuits which has been lying there since Wednesday evening! I came in the front door and he shot out of the pack like a bullet, then froze in the faint hope that I would not notice him... unsuccessfully I might add... I had time to grab the camera and take a quick pic before he realised his mistake and (literally) fell off the table, I laughed out loud! I also have Tiny the tailless gecko who lives in the bedroom, he must have had a close encounter with something bigger than himself but hopefully he will be back up to Tiny the re-tailed giant (if you'll pardon the pun) soon!
I have thrown out the biscuits! They were nice ones too, where did you buy them Maggie? The yellow butter crunch pack.
