Sunday 4th October

Brilliant sunny morning, it all looked good for the day. Went down to Adeles house about 9.30 to see if she wanted a lift to Kukum Market, but she was still half asleep, after her week at Tulagi. I got the impression yesterday when she got home that the work side of the trip was mind numbingly boring, and the usual waitwait, but the after work stuff was interesting.

The prices continue to drop slightly at the market, I got away with spending $45 and I think I have about the same as last week, when it was $50. I got a variety of banana hands today, short fat red ones, fat little yellow ones and some longer ones a bit like a Cavendish, but with a lot better flavour. Pineapples are $10 to $20 each, there’s a bit of difference between $10 and $20, but not between $15 and $20 ones. Lots of bok choy, spinach, slippery cabbage, the heaps of kumara are getting bigger for the same price, $10 for about 2 kilos. Coconuts are still $1, and lots of mangoes @$2 - $3 each. Although with the number of mangoes all over the ground around my house I don’t need to be paying for them.

The hot weather makes going outside first thing in the morning interesting, as far as the smell goes. If you have ever smelt fermenting fruit, that is what it is like here now. All the ripe or damaged mangoes, (the fruit bats tend to take a bite, then it falls off the tree) scattered over the ground start to ferment in a matter of hours and the smell is rather pungent. It overpowers the frangipani with a sweet sickly smell, it’s almost nice, for a minute, then the vinegary sharp scent hits and I’m pleased to be away for the day.

Went into work to upload the previous post, I was only there for about 30 minutes when the heavens opened and it’s been continuous rain ever since. And heavy rain, not a shower. The roads were flooding when I left to come home, I had a few interesting driving moments in the truck on the way with water over the road and the truck wanting to go sideways in a few places. Never apply brakes in water, it is not recommended, even if a pedestrian does walk out in front of you without looking. I should have hit them and carried on, it would have saved me getting worried when the truck went sliding sideways on Mendana Ave outside the Supreme Court.

I had a quick look at the Arts Centre where the Monks are setting up for tomorrow, but they were looking rather bedraggled in the rain as well, not a lot of activity that I saw yet. If we don’t get a summons for a meeting tomorrow I’ll go down with the camera and get some photos.

Hi to Oisin, about time we caught up again. I’ll email the pics I have of the stained glass church windows this week.

Had a productive afternoon though, I’ve got a dozen herb and garlic buns made, and 2 loaves of herb and garlic bread made, so I’m set for the week. I’ve given up trying to find sardines here, all the ones we can get are the poor quality sardines in tomato sauce, the ones John West don’t want by the look of them. I’m buying Fijian Mackerel in vegetable oil now, not as juicy as sardines, more drier flesh, but better than the sardines in tomato sauce. And cheaper as well. Only $8 to $10 a tin instead of the $20 - $50 for sardines. And on herb and garlic toast they taste perfectly fine.