After baking choc chip muffins yesterday I also prepared a veggie stew for dinner which turned out to be the tastiest yet! Our friends who recently left the island, kindly gave us a blender, so I thickened the stew up by blending some of the potatoes & veggies (Rosie, you would have been proud of me). Simon, after his long and tough day, enjoyed it, so that's all that mattered.
Anyway, this morning I woke up in a productive mood, so changed the bed sheets, swept the floor and opened all the windows to air the bedroom and then ventured upstairs.
Glancing around the kitchen, there were a few odds and sods to wash up but before anything, I thought I'd make good use of our new toy, the blender! So poured the remainder of the stew into the jug and blended. 30 secs later, I'd the perfect soup of which half went in the freezer, ready for a rainy day. The rest I think I might have for lunch tomorrow :-D
After washing everything up, I gave the kitchen a blitz and then got the shock of my life. Si had come back for lunch and a change of clothes. I thought it was a lot earlier than it was, Id been so engrossed.
After Si had left, I jumped on my bike and went to the clinic to get my ear checked. They Dr said it's badly inflamed but not sign of an infection and not to dive for at least 2/3 days and suggested I took some antibiotics just in case it does get infected. So I thought Id make out that I have some at home and get some at the pharmacy, where it should be a lot cheaper. So I popped next door to the pharmacy to got some Penicillin at a cost of 120bht which I thought was reasonable but then I went shopping elsewhere and saw the same stuff for 35bht ...I cant believe the difference in price. I think I'll try my luck and take them back tomorrow.
Now I'm back home, typing away, happy to have been out on the bike, managed to get a water delivery and now I'm going to make myself a nice cuppa and have one of Si's chop chip muffins :-D
Thursday, 31 July 2014
Wednesday, 30 July 2014
30th July 2014
Today, I made some chocolate chip muffins for Simon and here they are!!
As this muffin was slightly imperfect ..I had to have it with my cup of tea :-D
Tuesday, 29 July 2014
28th July 2014
Jen here ...I've taught an Advanced open water and have been off since with an ear infection and now I've got a poxy cold. Would you believe it?
Simon started a new Open water this afternoon, so did surface cover this morning, so was up at the crack of dawn. Luckily he came home at lunch time and I made him a couple of rolls for lunch.
I didnt get up tilll 10.30 this morning, lazy I know but I have sorted out all the washing, cleaned the lounge, kitchen and reorganized the furniture a little. So I have been sat doing nothing.
It's really annoying not being able to teach. At least I've got my bike, so I'm not stranded at home.
We went out for a Sunday roast last night with a few of the Crystal staff and I must say that it was really tasty. I chose Beef and I had so much meat that I couldn't finish ..very unlike me :-D Si had a veggie nut roast, which he said was pretty good.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring?!
Simon started a new Open water this afternoon, so did surface cover this morning, so was up at the crack of dawn. Luckily he came home at lunch time and I made him a couple of rolls for lunch.
I didnt get up tilll 10.30 this morning, lazy I know but I have sorted out all the washing, cleaned the lounge, kitchen and reorganized the furniture a little. So I have been sat doing nothing.
It's really annoying not being able to teach. At least I've got my bike, so I'm not stranded at home.
We went out for a Sunday roast last night with a few of the Crystal staff and I must say that it was really tasty. I chose Beef and I had so much meat that I couldn't finish ..very unlike me :-D Si had a veggie nut roast, which he said was pretty good.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring?!
Tuesday, 22 July 2014
23rd July 2014
A day off !!
Both of us have a day off.... which means cooking breakfast for Jen while she watches multiple episodes of Eastenders, having gallons of filtered coffee... and generally chilling out for the day.
The weather is changeable... but actually quite cool and mild, which makes a pleasant change... Here's a photo from the night dive 2 days ago...
So today will be a catch up day... with emails, tv, facebook, skype, etc etc... Add to that , I plan to cook a good old Roast dinner too....
Yum yum...
xx
SD
Both of us have a day off.... which means cooking breakfast for Jen while she watches multiple episodes of Eastenders, having gallons of filtered coffee... and generally chilling out for the day.
The weather is changeable... but actually quite cool and mild, which makes a pleasant change... Here's a photo from the night dive 2 days ago...
So today will be a catch up day... with emails, tv, facebook, skype, etc etc... Add to that , I plan to cook a good old Roast dinner too....
Yum yum...
xx
SD
Saturday, 19 July 2014
20th July 2014
My first day back at work today.
I was down at Crystal around 7.50am due to start a Rescue course with one chap but manage to put him off until tomorrow as there's someone else starting. So rather than earning the minimal, I can at least boost my wages a little, seeing I missed out on the full moon madness.
This guy (Valentin) is going on to do his Reef Check, so after convincing him to start a day late, I took him for a one on one dive to Junk Yard, showing him all our coral transplants, structures and pointing out Algae, sponges, hard & soft corals. So at least he has a little heads up.
He seems pretty switched on so I think Rescue will go pretty well.
As I don't get paid for this morning or if I stayed in the office, wouldnt get paid for that either, I cycled home, stopping on the way to get some milk, rat poison and a rat trap as we have an unwelcome guest at the moment.
I've set the trap and put down the poison, it's only a matter of time.
I was down at Crystal around 7.50am due to start a Rescue course with one chap but manage to put him off until tomorrow as there's someone else starting. So rather than earning the minimal, I can at least boost my wages a little, seeing I missed out on the full moon madness.
This guy (Valentin) is going on to do his Reef Check, so after convincing him to start a day late, I took him for a one on one dive to Junk Yard, showing him all our coral transplants, structures and pointing out Algae, sponges, hard & soft corals. So at least he has a little heads up.
He seems pretty switched on so I think Rescue will go pretty well.
As I don't get paid for this morning or if I stayed in the office, wouldnt get paid for that either, I cycled home, stopping on the way to get some milk, rat poison and a rat trap as we have an unwelcome guest at the moment.
I've set the trap and put down the poison, it's only a matter of time.
17th July 2014
I'm still off work and apparently it's crazy down at Crystal. Classrooms packed, late evenings, and not enough equipment. Si doesn't want me to go back yet as I'll just make myself ill again but I'm going crazy not doing anything apart from watching various TV series and playing Candy Crush.
Yesterday was the first time in over a week that I've actually been out of the house. It felt really odd but it was good to be out and about. I walked into Chalok and sat on the beach for a short while and then went for a massage. By the time I got home, I was ready to sit and do nothing. It's amazing how lazy you get by doing nothing.
Simon has been working hard. Teaching non stop and as well as coping with issues arising at Crystal Images. I really dont know where he gets his patience or energy from.
Yesterday was the first time in over a week that I've actually been out of the house. It felt really odd but it was good to be out and about. I walked into Chalok and sat on the beach for a short while and then went for a massage. By the time I got home, I was ready to sit and do nothing. It's amazing how lazy you get by doing nothing.
Simon has been working hard. Teaching non stop and as well as coping with issues arising at Crystal Images. I really dont know where he gets his patience or energy from.
Sunday, 13 July 2014
10th July 2014
(A draft blog that Jen wrote and forgot to publish).
We've been busy ..I've been Team Teaching with 6 Chinese. A pretty easy time for me but very frustrating too. As our Chinese instructors are only take 4 students by themselves ..I jumped on to increase numbers. The confined pool session was interesting. Visibility was only around a one and a half meters and for such bad conditions, they did pretty well, the 3 students that I could actually see. I wasn't too impressed with some of the skills though. I find that most of the Chinese instructors are really aggressive and heavy handed with their students which I don't think is necessary.
Anyway, in the Open water ..we all started the dives together but as soon as the skills were done, I was off. The students weren't bad, a few issues with bendy legs but all n all, pretty good. The biggest issues was that they were all over weighted, so after stopping and taking weights off every student, things were much better and we had a pretty good dive. By the end of the course, they'd improved considerably.
Back off the boat, I only had a few minutes before I found out that I was straight back into the classroom, teaching OW again with 15 students. Thankfully I was sharing the academics with an other instructor which made things easier.. Day 2, I was scheduled for academics in the morning and the confined pool session in the afternoon. I managed the morning classroom session pretty well but struggled in the pool, I was freezing, which is not like me at all. By the end of the session, I was so cold and tired that I could have cried.
...That evening, Si dropped me home and I've been in bed ever since ..sleeping 20hrs or so for the last couple of days
We've been busy ..I've been Team Teaching with 6 Chinese. A pretty easy time for me but very frustrating too. As our Chinese instructors are only take 4 students by themselves ..I jumped on to increase numbers. The confined pool session was interesting. Visibility was only around a one and a half meters and for such bad conditions, they did pretty well, the 3 students that I could actually see. I wasn't too impressed with some of the skills though. I find that most of the Chinese instructors are really aggressive and heavy handed with their students which I don't think is necessary.
Anyway, in the Open water ..we all started the dives together but as soon as the skills were done, I was off. The students weren't bad, a few issues with bendy legs but all n all, pretty good. The biggest issues was that they were all over weighted, so after stopping and taking weights off every student, things were much better and we had a pretty good dive. By the end of the course, they'd improved considerably.
Back off the boat, I only had a few minutes before I found out that I was straight back into the classroom, teaching OW again with 15 students. Thankfully I was sharing the academics with an other instructor which made things easier.. Day 2, I was scheduled for academics in the morning and the confined pool session in the afternoon. I managed the morning classroom session pretty well but struggled in the pool, I was freezing, which is not like me at all. By the end of the session, I was so cold and tired that I could have cried.
...That evening, Si dropped me home and I've been in bed ever since ..sleeping 20hrs or so for the last couple of days
Saturday, 12 July 2014
12th July 2014
I know posts are not coming very regularly at the moment.
This is because of various things..
1. I am busy! In between teaching, sort video work out, being everyone's agony aunt, and having a sick wife... I seem to wake up go to work, then bed... It may sound like I am moaning... well ok a little.
2. Internet has been crap. For the last week, we feel like we have been living in England.. Its been rainy, windy, and generally rough weather. Rough seas make teaching courses that little bit harder too... but thats our job..
3. Home plans.... When I haven't been working, then I have been arranging our return to the UK... We now have a definite date and I am glad to say that we get home just in times for Roy's birthday !!! YAY!!
Jenny and I will be leaving the island on August 15th to travel to Bangkok for 2 weeks. 2 weeks of hell for me as I am sure most of you know my general impression of Bangkok... so I will be getting back into the gym to occupy myself. Jenny has to have a couple of dental surgeries (hopefully the last)... and once completed we shall be flying back to the UK for at least a month.
I hope thats good news to most of you... and I can't wait to have a beer with Broski on his birthday (you better have the day off Roy!)
x
SD
This is because of various things..
1. I am busy! In between teaching, sort video work out, being everyone's agony aunt, and having a sick wife... I seem to wake up go to work, then bed... It may sound like I am moaning... well ok a little.
2. Internet has been crap. For the last week, we feel like we have been living in England.. Its been rainy, windy, and generally rough weather. Rough seas make teaching courses that little bit harder too... but thats our job..
3. Home plans.... When I haven't been working, then I have been arranging our return to the UK... We now have a definite date and I am glad to say that we get home just in times for Roy's birthday !!! YAY!!
Jenny and I will be leaving the island on August 15th to travel to Bangkok for 2 weeks. 2 weeks of hell for me as I am sure most of you know my general impression of Bangkok... so I will be getting back into the gym to occupy myself. Jenny has to have a couple of dental surgeries (hopefully the last)... and once completed we shall be flying back to the UK for at least a month.
I hope thats good news to most of you... and I can't wait to have a beer with Broski on his birthday (you better have the day off Roy!)
x
SD
Sunday, 6 July 2014
4th July 2014
Time is just flying ...I don't really know where the rest of June went to be honest and we are already on the 4th July.
It's been pretty quiet at Crystal ..I've been teaching a 2 person Open Water course with some English girls who are very good in the water but very ditsy on land and Simon has been teaching Marine Resource Management for a gang of Eco students.
I've cycled the odd evening but not enough by all means.
Tomorrow I have the day off, so I think I'll clean my bike and might venture out with Kirsty to find a new hotel and pool to take advantage of :-D
It's been pretty quiet at Crystal ..I've been teaching a 2 person Open Water course with some English girls who are very good in the water but very ditsy on land and Simon has been teaching Marine Resource Management for a gang of Eco students.
I've cycled the odd evening but not enough by all means.
Tomorrow I have the day off, so I think I'll clean my bike and might venture out with Kirsty to find a new hotel and pool to take advantage of :-D
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