Me and My Big Mouth



Sunset over PP on Christmas Day magical!

 Well dear bloggers I tempted providence in my last blog and was not let down since bragging about how to stay safe and well in Phnom Penh I have had
 3 very nasty mossie bites on my leg it seems the little bugg....s can read as well as spot rich pickings at 50 paces....
I broke a tooth and have had to have some very expensive dental work done....
Had a tummy bug the details of which you would not wish me to share.....
and now to cap it all off have got the worst cold I've had for years with violent sneezing fit to blow my head off and a very tight chest so just hoping that doesn't progress into any thing worse so a great way to start the New Year and a lesson in how not to brag in future.
Well since we last spoke the weather here has been a little cooler on the whole it has been very pleasant especially walking down by the river where there has been a breeze most times temperatures I would say averaging 28oC we have not had any rain since the 16th of December and its unlikely now to see any more before Sept The temperatures will start rising after February and I've been told to brace myself as once April comes the temp will rocket into high 30's I can feel a trip to Ratank kiri coming on by then.
We have just had two more public holidays the one we shared for New Year and last Friday January 7th was "Victory Over Genocide Day " This was the day that the notorious Khmer Rouge regime was overthrown In the papers reports about this event seem very divided should the date be celebrated or not ? as there is a view that it just marked the invasion of Cambodia by yet another country Viet Nam. but no one disputes that to be rid of the KR and putting an end to the genocide was a great step forward for Cambodia.
Since December when we had CMA's annual conference not much has been happening on the work front write ups have been completed on the event and I am waiting for our President to organise an exec meeting so that we can agree how to take members views forward into the future. Since then I have attended a few interesting meetings one called the 'Quality Improvement Working Group' Now where have I heard that before ?that meeting was in K'mai so I struggled a bit there although the power point presentations were in English so that was OK and another involving NGO's in health which was extremely interesting as they were talking about things like workforce planning and strengthening education I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!!!!!  somethings just come back to haunt a body
I do wish sometimes though that I had trained to be a plumber I would be far more use to this country is it too late to train do you think?
At the weekend going to have my hair done always a very stressful experience here last time my hair was coloured I asked for light brown and got vivid almost fluorescent red!!!! they had to pick me up off the floor Carmen my hairdresser at home would have had a dicky fit but its all part of the fun
Next week I'll tell you about Cambodian food Oh  on the subject of food I managed to find some weighing scales in a chemist last week I have lost about 22llbs!!! beats weight watchers any day
Kath


Here are some fellow volunteers at the Khmer Surin for Christmas Lunch

 





Christmas morning at Chris's house just before opening my presents thanks again to my old SHA buddies and Denise / Vicky whose parcels made it through

Dressed to the nines Anna Chris and myself setting off in our tuk tuk for Christmas lunch

 PS Thought that I would post some pictures of Christmas here in PP