Just NB

Today’s post, is all about, complaining. And how some days, things just get to me. Today is a day to rant and complain. I don’t have Facebook access at work or at my new house. Not only does this make for a very uneventful Facebook social life, but I thrive on that crappy website. How the hell am I supposed to know if Jane is going to Costco? Or if Bob is eating vegetarian chilli for supper? What if Sally post a new picture of her three cats????!! What if John sends me a Farmville request??!? These Canadian updates keep me sane!!!! The power went off at work today. Why do I Care? Well, APART from it being like +34*C, I ACTUALLY have work to do. That’s right. I don’t just spend my day uploading pictures to my blog. SOME DAYS I actually work. TODAY is one of those days that I NEEDED to work, and the power is off. Which means the servers are off. AND to top it off the battery on my laptop was low. Which means effectively, that I sit in a hot office staring at black blank computer screen...

The compound I live in has a men:woman ratio of about 50:1. Although some of the guys act like...creepers, I have yet to get a cheesey pick up line -not that I want one - I'm just a little surprised. On to the story...Before I moved here, a few of my family gave me some rocks....to have a Canadian rock garden allll the way in Madagascar. (I had to move them to my window sill because the groundskeepers thought they were garbage.) I noticed something today in my rock garden...that I hadn't seen before. Here's the window leading to my room. Looks the same at first... ... but... look a little closer... Doesn't one of those rocks look a little different? The one with the writing? It's a local phone number!!! Officially the best, most inventive pick up method. Nice work. I am truly impressed. This guy deserves some props, and if I find any single ladies looking...I'll be sure to...pass the rock on.

My national co-workers are all taking English language classes during the week. They are all at different levels, some very good, some not so. Last weekend, at the staff party at Datsahra Village , we were joking that we would have a "Miss Beach" contest. At the time it was funny, but not as funny as today when one of my national co-workers, who is very proud of his progress (so am I), comes and says good morning to me. (spelled pheonetically with his accent). Goude Moore-neeng Mees Bitch. I said, Pardon!!??? (a la Champ , perhaps?). It took me more than a second to remember the “beach contest”. All I hear is him calling me a b*tch. He repeats it again, I take a minute, and it sinks it. Yes , I may be a b*tch at times.....but thankfully, he's not calling me one... I try to explain to him how to pronounce “beach” and try to explain why I’m laughing at the explanation. I tell him “b*tch” is a bad, bad word and he can’t say it. He laughs, but then comes back a few minutes la...

...I want to be an accoutant and work in an office in the jungle?!? Today, I forgot my rain jacket at work. Mother Nature decided this would be a good day to have torrential downpour. I improvised with my safari hat and a running jacket. Seemed to work! Also got the great news this morning that I'm dog/housesitting a different couple's house in a couple of weeks. Very excited and won't be cooking anything this time!!

.... ...didn't go to market .... He went to the BBQ pit... ...And then.... ...into my belly... ...Another great weekend was had by all... I'm off to Canada later tomorrow....and it makes me wonder...how it is possible that I am going to miss this freaking crazy place!?!

I was house/dog-sitting last weekend so I decided to invite a few friends/colleagues over for supper. Four were invites - two accepted...was ready to have a nice night. Anyway, a pasta/bread/wine night sounded nice. I didn't want anything complicated since I haven't cooked since Australia . I just have to say....I've had people over for supper many times....I'm no Martha Stewart ...but I know my way around a kitchen. Or...so I thought... It was a bit umm.... interesting shopping for the pasta sauce ingredients since the grocery store has extremely limited goods. On hindsight...perhaps I should have just bought a bottled sauce...or a can of spaghetti-os and heated them up in the microwave? The night started off nice...it was nice being in a house instead of the camp room... I started to make the sauce. First step, brown the meat. (Thankfully, I ran into an acquaintance in the grocery store....and he confirmed the ground zebu I bought was okay... I'm always skeptical...