It has been a funny old week, alternately humdrum or attending English corners or acting as a judge at contests. I have found myself most evenings too tired to even think about writing but as it has been a while I thought I had better make a start.
This month has been English month, hence the parties, corners and contests. In fact the next one (the final of the speaking competition) starts in two hours and Kevin and I are to be on the judging panel. On the fifth bloody floor. I have lost track of what I am supposed to be doing after that, I know I have a party/corner on Sunday afternoon at which they want me to sing but I can’t remember if I have another on Friday night or what they want from me.
On Saturday I was free and so took Joan to Apricot Village. I didn’t take my camera as there are already photos. She did her best to get my ticket at students’ rates but failed so it cost four and a half times as much for me. I had promised her a trip in one of the boats on the lake but when we enquired we were informed that all the electrically powered boats were broken (great for business) but if we liked we could take one of the ones you pedal.
On inspection I found that all the footwells of those boats had at least an inch of water so ruled them out. Then we were offered a traditional Chinese wooden boat which is propelled by one person standing up and waggling a tethered oar from side to side. Although I am reasonably competent at the wheel or tiller of a boat and can row, I have no idea how to make that one move in the right direction.
Considering a bit of splashing around on the water was going to be the only thing that gave me pleasure on the visit I got Joan to speak to staff again. The solution was that we could take one of the electric boats plus two paddles. I agreed.
Now these boats have rooves with unobstructed sides and a glassless “window” at the stern. You have to go through the latter to board. The last time I visited access to the boat was awkward but this time with three more years on the clock, it was a most undignified affair. I got in though and off we went at a leisurely pace around the lake, during which I taught Joan how to manoeuvre the thing.
She took a great deal of snaps on her phone and near the end of the circuit of the lake we walked after the ride, she went into the concrete maze. She never made it to the centre and indeed had to tag along with a family whose young son was nimble enough to scramble on top of the walls and issue directions to his parents as to which way to turn. I think she was quite glad to escape it. I didn’t go in because by then my foot was killing me.
That day I ate more than I have in one day for weeks - a burger at McDonalds for lunch and then a dumpling, steak and veg platter for dinner. Except I couldn’t eat the steak, that’s the second time I have been to Da Niang and been given a piece of leather so I won’t make that mistake again.
I even went to town and had breakfast on Sunday morning and promptly became constipated again. Plums and cherries didn’t help so I had to resort to medical means. That didn’t do much either and so yesterday, which was another planned Mexican Monday, saw me feeling decidedly ropey and having to cook a bean soup followed by fajitas.
The soup I tasted during making and found it not to my taste (although everyone else said it was fine) and I couldn’t face a fajita. I even refused Ollivier’s pineapple upside down cake and cheese and biscuits. There’s nothing quite like sitting at a dinner party and not eating a thing!
Today I still feel bad but have the opposite problem and I can but pray I can last the two to two and a half hours of the speech contest because if I can’t I am in big trouble. There are only squat loos down there and if I am caught short it’s five floors to descend and a mad bike ride to get home in time. Plus of course it would leave them a judge down.
It doesn’t help that the last thing I ate was Sunday morning either but Ollivier is making pizzas later so with luck I shall be able to eat at least part of the one he gives me. It feels to me that I have been ill for the last three months!
1800
Well that’s the speech contest over and mercifully it only lasted ninety minutes and I never had to do a quick exit stage left. Carol was good but she tailed off at the end of sentences otherwise she would have been marked higher. Anna was in pole position for three quarters of the competition and then another student I had never seen before appeared on stage. As much as I wanted Anna to win I had to score honestly and as such had to award the girl (another Kiki) an extra point - as did all the judges so she came first and Anna second. Anna could do even better if she started working on her speech in good time and not leaving it to the eleventh hour and I hope she now realises that she has the ability to win if only she puts in the work in good time.
Joan had already eaten by the time Ollivier informed me there were two pizzas up for grabs so we will have them tomorrow night. Tonight it will be toasted French stick and cheese for me. I’m not even feeling hungry but I have to get at least some sustenance.
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