Elephants, monkeys and a scorpion in our bed!

Elephants bathing at Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage










Sounds like a good title for a children's book for Joe. He can't make scorpion noises (pincer clipping noises??) yet but does very good monkey and elephant sounds. So, to clarify unlike in the children's books, only the scorpion was in our bed. Makes going to the loo in the night now an ordeal - with flashlights etc looking for other scorpions - especially inconvenient for the 5 month pregnant person who has to get up rather a lot.

I (Sarah) found the scorpion early one morning and was about to pick off what I thought was a piece of thread from the door of our mosquito net, when I noticed the curled scorpion tail. We squashed the little thing between two books to kill it. Apparently they often come in couples, how romantic, but we haven't found the other one yet in our bed. When we in shock told our Sri Lankan friends the next day about our terror and ordeal, they hardly raised an eyebrow. Apparently having a scorpion in your bed, especially only a small brown one, not a big black one, is about as exciting as seeing a wasp in a garden for you or I. It seems most of them have been stung, or found them under their pillows, and survived.








Grandad Dennis, with a cheeky monkey and friends, on a footpath at Anaradapura, an ancient city site













The elephants and monkeys were much more enjoyable. We did our Last Big Holiday, before the new baby comes, and went to the Elephant Orphanage and a couple of ancient cities (past capitals of Ceylon 1000 and 3000 years ago). All of which were very impressive. Grandad Dennis was with us during that week, and we also spent some time on the beaches near to where we live.








It just had to go on the blog - Grandad Dennis in a skirt (visiting a temple and sacred Bodhi tree)












I have started to do some work as an independent consultant for the same organisation Mike is working for. I found it hard to use my brain again after the gap from work, but began to enjoy doing so by the end of the 80 hours' work. I was writing up reports and summarising work that had taken place - so was able to work from home. Got another piece of work in the pipeline - writing a proposal for 1,000 houses to be built for tsunami victims in the north and war-torn part of the country. I like the variety involved in working for different departments, and it's good to feel useful, as I am taking workload off of incredibly overworked people.

Mike is still working up nearer to Colombo two or three days a week, and although the travel is tiring him he is enjoying the closer contact with field staff that is involved. New bosses have recently been appointed who seem likeminded to Mike, and this has unexpectedly made life and communication easier for Mike. He feels like he's learned a lot this year in terms of working in a cross-cultural setting.

Joe at Polonaruwa another ancient city. It was sooooo hot














New baby update: the pregnancy is going well and the baby is doing somersaults, and it feels like dancing, to Joe's renditions of This Old Man etc. Am becoming convinced that we will have to work hard to give the new baby loads of attention, as his older brother is so good at talking and LOVES being the centre of attention. We found out we are having another boy, and of course are delighted Joe will have someone to share his cars and trains with. We also found out there's a problem with nationality particularly of our grandchildren (!) if we have our new boy over here, so in the interests of his future wife and their children, we are coming to the UK. Otherwise, say he married a Sri Lankan, she would have to give birth in the UK in order for her children to be have British citizenship, and she may want to deliver on home soil. We are not planning on being here that long though. So Joe and I will come back about mid-July, and then leave hopefully mid-September, having been joined by Mike in time for the birth - planned for Devon at my parents'. (Or at a hospital in Exeter - I have yet to suggest to them the idea of a home birth.) Still don't know for sure we will have a contract here after October 6th.

Our house helper was sacked as she turned up for only 4 days in 4 weeks, so it was painless in that she understood our point of view, but it didn't leave us feeling great. She received a decent pay-off. Our new househelper turns up, and after having no house help for a while I am more appreciative of her. However, the downside is that she's slower and speaks less English so takes quite a bit of organising each day, and also seems to be In My Space too much. Oh well, the chore of being an expat's wife.