THE PROMPTS FOR THE MONTH
TUESDAY 1st HELLO: Only one thing on the agenda today and that’s to say “hello” to 2019 by reading over the memorable moments of 2018. I record them all year and delight in the recollections and reflections as the new year begins. Just one of my gratitude practices
WEDNESDAY 2nd NEW: Each of the three, spindly, little orchids I bought has now flowered prolifically and each one also has three new shoots. This determined, new shoot broke through the thick husk of the very faded coconut shell hanging basket
THURSDAY 3rd CURRENTLY READING: It’s now immediately after the little monks’ class and I’m currently reading the writing tasks from today, having just created a new worksheet to consolidate the phonics we are working on
FRIDAY 4th YELLOW: A grey ole day in Kep today but I did buy one yellow capsicum at the market and discover a few naturally yellow leaves in the garden
SATURDAY 5th A FAVE THING: Taking our first hike in Kep National Park for the year and admiring this amazing tree
SUNDAY 6th BREAKFAST: After years of only muesli or fruit and yoghurt, with Sundays or celebrations as the special exceptions, this is our regular daily breakfast. Oh, the joys of living in a French expat haven with access to real baguettes
MONDAY 7th LOOK UP!: After swimming today we stopped to look up at the coconut palms along the foreshore at the Crab Market
TUESDAY 8th QUIRKY: This statue is in one of the small offering-altar rooms in the pagoda where we teach the little monks. It is certainly quirky and I have no idea of its significance. Perhaps it’s meant to be a devotee but it doesn’t look in the slightest bit Cambodian to me
WEDNESDAY 9th THIS OR THAT: It shouldn’t be this hard to decide this or that combination of colours and clothes for three nights in Phnom Penh. Ha! Having seen it like this I think two pairs of shoes and both is the only answer
THURSDAY 10th PLAY: We used to play Dicewords lots more when we first arrived in Kep but we do still occasionally play. We also play ziltch, 10,000 and Yahtzee with the number dice
FRIDAY 11th PINK: roses at one of the flower stalls in the Central Market Phnom Penh today
SATURDAY 12th BEGINS WITH T: Tasty dim sum at Emperors of China. Tasty treat for us today courtesy is Yary - not that this was our lunch but ours was equally delicious. We’d eaten it before I remembered to take a photo
SUNDAY 13th LUNCH: 7am train to Kampot from Phnom Penh and beeline to Expresso for coffee but Simple Things is the only choice for food. Open tempeh sandwich to die for
MONDAY 14th HANDFUL: On our first visit to Orussey Market in Phnom Penh on Saturday, I bought some of this handful of paper decorations to put up for Chinese New Year or Spring Festival. I remodelled last years’ Japanese door decoration with pigs to replace the dog this morning. Having lived in China for five years, we always cook a banquet for friends and this year will be no exception. We have Year of the Pig decorations to hang and will prepare a Chinese/Japanese fusion feast
TUESDAY 15th PAINT: In our little monks’ class this morning, they were using the alphabet sets I painted for them. They were racing to get the alphabet in the correct order and spelling words today. Having manipulatives is a huge motivator and they love using them. I also can’t believe we made it to the middle of the month and this is the first little monks shot for 2019
WEDNESDAY 16th GLASSES: Couldn’t decide which glasses to go for, so both - my transitional multi focal glasses and one of the etched glasses I bought from the second-hand, Japanese, recycle shop in Kampot
THURSDAY 17th CORNER: The old hippie in me just loves locally made cane furniture and we have 6 of these stools. I use them as bedside tables and side tables and love that we will always have extra seats for parties. The clever weaving rounds the corners off and you never get hurt if you bump into them
FRIDAY 18th TURQUOISE: A fabulous, turquoise, weatherboard, stilt house in the fishing village at Kep, with a stunning sunset view of Rabbit Island and a gazebo on the outside deck. Dear friends lived here last year and now it’s a BnB
SATURDAY 19th FENCE: One of the upmarket resorts on the foreshore at the Crab Market in Kep has this fence concealing their pool and offering privacy. The spirit house is clearly visible
SUNDAY 20th DINNER: Build your own Buddha Bowl for dinner tonight. A base of buckwheat noodles, with roasted, raw, blanched and pickled vegetables, spicy chickpeas and marinated tofu topped with holy basil Peso. Doesn’t get better than that!
MONDAY 21st NICE: A nice new guesthouse has recently opened in Kep and it is managed by a really nice couple but the views from it are the nicest aspect of all. That is one magnificent tree
TUESDAY 22nd I WENT HERE: First archive shot in nearly 2 months! It’s Taktsang, a sacred Buddhist temple in Paro, Bhutan. I first went there on this day in 2011 and returned three times during the time we lived in the kingdom. We hope to have the opportunity to go back again this year. It’s a truly magical environment. I think I left a part of me in Bhutan forever
WEDNESDAY 23rd A DRINK: my regular pre-dinner drink of Vodka, lime and soda. After 24 kilometres on the bike and almost a kilometre and a half in the pool today, I feel I’ve earned tipple
THURSDAY 24th LANDSCAPE: Well more of a seascape actually but then again that’s Kep
FRIDAY 25th WHITE: smoothie made with coconut water and green coconut flesh. Perfect refreshment after cycling and swimming
SATURDAY 26th WHAT I WORE TODAY: my every day, silver “om” pendent and a lacquered razor fish shell pendent I bought in New Zealand a decade ago. Two of my favourite pieces of jewellery
SUNDAY 27th SIGN: Kep’s iconic crab and welcome sign
MONDAY 28th THE SKY: was pretty grey and overcast all day but while were swimming the blue appeared and by the time we were cycling home sunset was giving out it orange hues
TUESDAY 29th EMPTY: When it’s sweltering outside, the hotel is booked out, there is shade and a lush tropical garden environment how can the pool be empty?
WEDNESDAY 30th MONOCHROME: Buddha at our living room altar
THURSDAY 31st MORNING: After this morning’s English lesson our little monks had some new toys to play with but some still preferred to create their own fun with the wheelbarrow. Morning playtime is always a highlight
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