Sympathetic Soutie

I'm not even going to try and convince you to forgive yet another long absence from these pages. Don't get me wrong -- I compose at least one blog post a day in my head, but - just as you probably are - I've been busier than a one-legged cat! But, happily so.
For example, I've been spending time with two new friends I met through Layla's new little school buddies. One of the families are freshly arrived from Korea (9 months ago) and the other has been in South Africa since August last year: an Indian family direct from Delhi with a prior 6 month stint in Newcastle, a la Muddy Isle.

Visiting Younju yesterday, she asked me why I don't write on my blogs anymore (a question, and I know it sounds like I'm blowing my trumpet very loudly, that I get asked very, very often.) It always ends up with the usual two excuses of 'too busy' during the day and 'shattered/buggered/nattered' at night. If my li'l princess wasn't such a nag-apie (Afrikaans word for 'night-monkey' -- see pic below) I'd probably be able to get in an hour or two's writing a night. But, I have always preferred to spend the evening with my little Layla than whip her off to bed hours before she's ready. It's also that I sympathetically identify with her night-owlishness; I spent many hours of my childhood nights beneath my duvet, torch lighting up the hungrily devoured pages of my latest copy of The Famous Five, praying the torch batteries wouldn't die before I got to the end of the chapter!) Anyway - I digress as usual...
What I was saying was (9 minutes left to write before leaving to pick Princess up from school *sigh*) that it was such an honour when Youngju revealed that she was reading my blog! With only 9 months of English under her Korean belt, it's absolutely mind-boggling that someone would be prepared to sit down and patiently decipher each of my usually-too-long sentences! Wow! I promised Youngju I would update my blog last night. Better late than never? I hope so, Youngju.

What I am especially enjoying about these two new friendships is the reverse sort of Soutpielism - and my ability to encourage and help them where I can. Sometimes it's with explaining South African culturalisms or answering a telephone call to clarify specific details with the often impatient caller. HOPEFULLY, and all my fingers crossed, I'll find a bit more time to write - even if it's in short little snatches? (This'll peeve my 'greatest, most loyal and most pushy fan', no doubt - eh, Mrs Melrose Cheese? *cheeky wink*)

Adios, all my amigos
x x x

O wat 'n skande, Mevrou Oosthuysen!

Today the sun has won its fierce battle against the predicted days and days of atrociously grey, wet weather! And only because I can, did I spend the morning in bed, listening to music and sipping tea and dismantling Sunday's newspaper - hunting for anything that would tickle my fascination - but more particularly, for something that I could use as a departure point for my next Soutpiel entry. All that really related to South Africa was a paltry side article on the British government wanting to clamp down on immigrants coming into the UK and a more elaborate section with full colour photos of (gasp!) a scandalised South African-born MP! One Ms Oosthysen and her lie through omission: "They never asked me if I had a police record. I would have told them had they asked!"

Her crime? Scratching her ex's car with her keys in a bit of a rage -- but unfortunately caught in CCTV camera...

Having thought my registration and application with Protocol Education was complete, and waiting as patiently as possible for work - I was mildly annoyed that they needed yet another certifying document: this time, a South African police record certificate (something I have NEVER been asked for! And which, rather stupidly, left me feeling blushing and indignant!) But, seeing as Protocol Education are one of the top employment agencies for teachers and supply teachers, with international offices in Cape Town, Canada and Australia, their standards are impeccable: they have to see originals of every single document! Thankfully, my mom could just zip over to the Cape Town office to show them my original university degree certificate: very, very handy indeed!
Their Cambridge office is a claustrophobic 6 miles away from Soham - the school janitor, Ian Huntley, who abducted and murdered two young girls a few years ago. There was a huge uproar - not least because his criminal record, which had plenty to worry about, hadn't been checked...

Tonight is a TV night - a rare occurrence for me because I usually steal off to bed to luxuriate in whatever novel I've got my nose stuck in! After a supper of a pasta I'm yet to feel excited about (neighbour Ang joining us), we'll watch Gok Wan's Miss Naked Beauty, followed by what looks like a fabulously detailed and glossy documentary about British fashion (bring on Galliano, Vivienne Westwood et al) and then another documentary: this time, an investigation into what women will resort to for love - looking this week at polygamy in the United States!

Tomorrow will be a day dedicated to writing, writing and more writing - so expect more news, epic sagas and tall tales very, very soon!