all in a week ... well since montag anyway

The week so far:

• Driving is about CONTROL. I know that now. Anyone can drive fast, but it takes skill to be able to control your vehicle in any condition and on any road. Ricebag has been whizzing around town with her cousin Luca smoking and buai-ing in the passenger seat beside her as her designated babysitter as she drives L-plated. And it's been really good. Because I am forcing myself to do things I hate, like reversing from park onto busy road and on a hill (!!) amongst others. And he has patience although he keeps telling me to change my gears when I KNOW when to change my gears. All in all tho - thankyou Luca - without you I wouldn't even be thinking of taking my drivers test next week - and I am, ricebag will be taking that test (parallel parking practice on Sunday permitting).
• Someone died on Tuesday. A Ki woman from Terpmund (outside of Wabag, Enga), a supporter of OurHero and popular woman was found dead on the toilet seat at the house of OurGovernor (the Governor of our province) … in the same room where the Governor's wife committed suicide not 3 months ago. Suspicous circumstances - definitely - post-mortem shows broken rib and internal bleeding. So we had haus-cry and then funeral and her body was flown back to Enga yesterday - doesn't seem like there is going to be a further investigation into what might have happened to this woman.
• OurGovernor on trial. OurGovernor (and my cousin) has been suspended from office on several counts of corruption and this week the trial started with the Public Prosecutor … seems like EVERYONE from Engas has flown down for the trial and daily there are hundreds of people at the National Court to observe the trial. Engans know how to do it en masse!!
• Poor Ces-la. Ricebag's cousin Ces-la (who is 6 months pregnant) was admitted to hosiptal with high blood pressure and after a week of isolation is in danger of going bananas … poor baby!! Ces-la I love you and hope you know how much we are thinking of you! Being in isolation means she is not allowed to talk to anyone or hardly see anyone and appearently has been told "not to think too much" - which I am not sure how you can avoid that when youre in a room by yourself all day without ANY other stimulation except for a few 1993 New Ideas and Womens Days. All in all though, she's been in for a week now and they think maybe another week as her BP is going down gradually. We'll see you home soon big C!!
• Poor Dundu. In other family reports of ill health, my little cousin Dundu has pneumonia - poor beautiful boy - we love you baby and sending lots of soup and kisses. He's not the only one … POM has been inundated with RAINRAINRAIN and the result is that there aren't even enough beds for sick kids at out biggest hospital … they're sleeping on the floors and out the doors … babies with pneumonia and malaria (all this out-of-season rainfall rain breeds mosquitos and sux for wee baby immune systems).
• Least Developed Country. In PNG news, the UN has decided to downgrade PNG from "Developing Nation" status to "Least Developed Country" status (I didn't even know that existed!!). Our PM has cracked the shits but really, WHAT DOES THE MAN EXPECT?? Despite good amcro-economic performance, we still have serious issues in health, education and the basically shitty quality of life. Most people in the rural areas would agree with the UN.
• Robbing our oceans of fish for a quick fucking buck. In other PNG news, our Fisheries Minister is doing nothing to create jobs for PNGns in the fisheries sector with his continued signing of access agreements with Japanese fishing companies. The fisheries sector is one which can create thousands of new jobs for our young people whose numbers are rapidly increasing every year. This country needs to boost its industrial development and one sure way of accelerating this is for ministers to think more about creating jobs onshore rather than exporting PNG jobs to other countries. We must insist no less than 80 per cent of all tuna caught in Papua New Guinea waters are processed onshore so that Papua New Guineans are employed. By signing this access agreement with Japan, we are giving away jobs to the Japanese people. But the fisheries minister can only exercise extreme short-sightedness - the 2,250,000 tonnes of mostly skip jack tuna which the 30 Japanese purse seiners will catch in PNG waters will ensure Japanese citizens keep their jobs while our young people remain jobless. The revenue of K10 million is absolute peanuts compared with the revenue that will be injected into the Japanese economy and the jobs that will be created for Japanese citizens. When will ministers flex their political muscle and stand up to pressure from foreign governments for the sake of creating jobs for PNG children.
• Jill Dupleix's fluffy cheese omlet. Ricebag tried and it was yum yum. The "omelet souffle" is a miraculous thing that first cooks in a frypan, then puffs up like magic under the grill. Preheat an overhead grill. Separate the 4 eggs into two bowls. Whisk the yolks with the milk, salt, pepper, chives and 2 tbsp grated parmesan. With an electric beater, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Melt butter in a medium non-stick frypan. Quickly fold the whites into the yolk mixture and pour into the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes over gentle heat until you can run a spatula around the edges. Scatter remaining cheese on top and place under the grill for 2 minutes or until puffed, lightly browned (watch for burning) and set. Slide onto a warm plate and cut in two. Yum yum.
• Ricebag's soul. In a fit of boredom Ricebag did one of those on-line tests … "WHAT SORT OF SOUL ARE YOU" no less. Interresting!! Apparently Ricebag is a Seeker Soul and a Dreaming Soul:

  You Are a Seeker Soul
  You are on a quest for knowledge and life challenges. You love to be curious and ask a ton of questions. Since you know so much, you make for an interesting conversationalist. Mentally alert, you can outwit almost anyone (and have fun doing it!). Very introspective, you can be silently critical of others. And your quiet nature makes it difficult for people to get to know you. You see yourself as a philosopher, and you take everything philosophically. Your main talent is expressing and communicating ideas. Souls you are most compatible with: Hunter Soul and Visionary Soul.

  You Are a Dreaming Soul
  Your vivid emotions and imagination takes you away from this world. So much so that you tend to live in your head most of the time. You have great dreams and ambitions that could be the envy of all...But for you, following through with your dreams is a bit difficult. You are charming, endearing, and people tend to love you. Forgiving and tolerant, you see the world through rose colored glasses. Underneath it all, you have a ton of passion that you hide from others. Always hopeful, you tend to expect positive outcomes in your life. Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul, Prophet Soul, and Traveler Soul.

  Hmmmmmmm … ricebag does tend to get swept away and not just within her own mind ... also by prophet-traveller types.

• Furniture. In other online excursions during my leaa-than-productive moments, ricebag has been scouring the sites for info regarding concrete floor finishes - specifically regarding how to lay it yourself with chemical staining and scoring. Why?? I'd like to lay my own concrete floor ... don't worry ... you'll see ... you'll see.