Gardening, Shopping and the Grauniad

Saturday March 15th

I note that I’ve given up putting the Ethiopian Calendar dates up – I should do this.
This morning I rose early and spent and hour on the garden before Mekdes and the landlord arrived.

Dug another hole – taking out all the rocks and stones. Took them outside of the garden and filled my bucket with some of the dusty soil to put in the hole. Put in this week’s food waste and a little plant food (precious commodity) and planted some basil seeds. Noted the peas are beginning to shoot and the coriander is coming up.

Mekdes took me shopping. I gave her the money, she wrote out a list, collected up the bag and I trailed along behind, beside and sometimes in front. Managed to buy most of the bits and pieces I wanted without breaking the bank. I enjoyed wandering around the market and mostly ignored the children begging until one little boy came up, poked me and said ‘’you give me money’. I gave him my most severe look and said ‘eidellum’ (sort of no!). Gave him a bit of a shock.

Visited the Post Office and picked up my first copy of ‘The Guardian Weekly’ (thanks Sheila) and a letter from Nan Pegs.

The day being exceptionally hot, I spent the afternoon sitting on the veranda sipping mint tea, reading the Guardian and trying my hand at crotchet.

I tried out the local hotel for my evening meal. They had grilled fish on the menu with chips and tomato ketchup! Irresistible.