Ballcock Problems

I've had an eventful fortnight. The ballcock on my water tank failed and flooded my house. The ceiling in my hall is caving in and my wellies have come in really handy. My kitten was defiled by the cat next door and aborted 3 almost full term kittens. I'll probably have to adjust my perceptions of her sexual behaviour having seen her rolling about in the garden this morning inviting all the local toms to sample her services, maybe she is not so innocent. I did go to the so called vet only to find tht it was more of a butchers than a vet and the practitioner was not trained.

I was informed that there was a crocodile in the garden trying to get my chickens. The locals believe that there are land crocodiles. They think that they just don't make it to the water and spend their lives on land. In fact they are huge monitor lizards and have a liking for chickens. I have seen it in the garden and I've called it shoes. If the chickens don't start laying soon it can have the chickens and I'll call it shoes and handbag.

I've got malaria again third time lucky, hopefully its the last. The rainy season is coming to an end so there should be less mosquios around and less malaria. Debbie next door has had it 3 times as well. There is a lot of it in the area.

I suspect a rat has raided the cat food in my larder. The bags were ripped open and food eaten. If it wasn't a rat it was something quite large and I really don't want to know.

4 Christmas parcels have arrived this month. Thanks to Lesley, Jo, Jean and Elsie. Its been great having an extended Christmas. I still put the cards and decorations up when they arrive. Some of the parcels have taken nearly 3 months by airmail. My surface mail has still not arrived. We have quite a good system here of sending mail home with friends and getting people to bring things over for us. Its a lot quicker and safer.

I'm as busy as ever socially and now that the rains are lessening we are planning a trip to the lake at the end of the month. We have a VSO meeting at Mulangie mountain the first weekend in March and we hope to have another trip to the lake at Easter. Time continues to fly and my first visitors from home will be here before I know it. Jane and Mary Jess, who went down the Grand Canyon with me, have also booked flights and are vising in September. Its going to be a very busy year.

The students have ben sitting exams and we have been marking the papers. Its an education in itself. Some of the questions are as flawed as the answers. I have had to refuse to mark some of the papers because of the misinformed questions. Its a real concern for me but does not bother the tutors. You can tell by the questions and marking guides that there is no real understanding of mental illness. However it was the diabetes question that really upset me.

I hope everyone at home is well. Keep in touch.