April 1st (2020)

 

April 1st

Today is April Fool’s Day.

April fool me. I wanted to cook a Catalan type pork casserole (or cassoulet) but when I saw the price of the tinned beans (more expensive than the pork) I switched to a different version which now includes okra and green beans. Oh, and there is no way that I could afford the preserved pork meats, or chorizo. So mix and match today.

Today’ spend at Thai Huot Market is $21.10 for........Bread, Pork, Okra, French Beans, Tomatoes, Eggs, Water, Butter, Garlic, Baby Potatoes (which I admit to buying because they reminded me of my friends in Bangladesh), White Pepper Powder, Onion, Garlic Powder and Dried Thyme. The additional water, today, was for slow cooking the pork dish.

I’m still trying to figure out Zoom. Is it my situation, or my age, which makes me hesitate with technology now. Having not been entirely successful with Classroom, WhatsApp and Discord apps, I am wary of Zoom.

I understand that in Kampot, a city on the Preaek Tuek Chhu River in southern Cambodia famous for its pepper, black especially, all bars and restaurants have been closed, except for take away food. Belts are tightening. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Cambodia, there is serious talk about a State of Emergency. Oh dear. And then...

I have been shopping, cooking, eating, and yes, sleeping. Meanwhile Phany and the Advanced students (sounds a bit like a 60s band) have been sketching in the burning Cambodian sun. The results are spectacular as usual. 

Siem Reap is a tourist town, now with few tourists, it has the feeling of Southend on sea, Margate or Paignton in the winter, only without the cold, fish and chips and drab pensioners wishing they had stayed at home. The ‘amusements’ are rapidly closing here

While I seem to be less motivated day by day. Waves of ennui wash over me. I spend more time sleeping daily than I would normally. Upon waking, and wanting to leave the ever-present bed, I think, actually, what’s the point. But leave I do, eventually. There are things to do.

I spend time trying to familiarise myself with Zoom. There will be a trial run on Friday, another on Saturday, so we’ll see how we go. I try the app. out. It is still limited though. I will sleep.