"Normal" service resumes

Well, the shipping agent didn't show. Calling on the phone at first got an engaged tone, then no answer at all for several attempts (it must have been prayer time). Finally having got an answer from the agent, he told the Gnomad that he would have a price "After half an Hour". The fact that he had furnished the Gnomad with a price and indeed an appointment only the day before seemed to have slipped his mind. Oh well, they are now re-booked for tomorrow at 5pm

This is a nuisance as some of the Gnomads' chums were taking them for dinner at 6 tomorrow. This will not now happen. The dinner cannot be done later as the aforesaid chums fly out at 11 that night and need to get to the airport.

The Gnomads have the privilege of Filipino television, getting abs-cbn via satellite. Now the Gnomad, having completely flunked "polyglot 101", understands almost none of this, but it pleases the Gnomadette and this is A Good Thing.

One programme that the Gnomad's extremely poor Tagalog can usually cope with glories in the name "Adobo Nation"*. Partly this programme keep the Gnomads attention because it is a cookery programme, but mostly it is because it is intended for an Filipino-American audience and therefore has, comparatively speaking, quite a lot of English spoken in it. In a recent episode Lechon was the dish being discussed. Lechon is basically roast pig. To the Gnomads amusement the Magic Kingdom authorities had felt it necessary to blur out all the bits of animal that were identifiable as pig, whenever they came into shot.

Surely these people must have something better to do?

Only one more day of work and three more days in the Magic Kingdom to go until the Gnomads are back in the Philppines. Woohoo!

Fortunately the weather is improving there, so the flights should be OK. Thank you to everyone who enquired after the loss of the "MV Princess of the Stars". None of the Gnomad's or Gnomadette's family or friends were involved in the disaster, nor were any adversely affected by the typhoon that caused the tragedy.


*depending where you are in the Philippines this can be translated as "Cooked-In-Sauce Country" or as "Fried Food Land". The Gnomadette makes a particularly yummy Chicken Adobo, which is chicken with onions and garlic stewed in a rich, peppery sauce.