My neighbourhood

Bit of a breakthrough at aerobics tonight. I actually felt as if I knew what I was doing for more of the time than I didn't (if that makes sense!) and I didn't feel quite so utterly exhausted at the end of it. I still ended up facing the wrong way a few times, and I always lift the wrong knee on the mambo-cha cha cha- knee lift sequence.

I had hoped to be in my own house by now. However, the landlady, having had over a month when the house was empty to sort out the jobs that needed doing, left it all till the last minute, so there have been some delays. Hopefully I can move in this weekend.

This week we have been visiting the first of the four Child Care and Development Centres (CCDCs) we will be working with. It is a fairly large centre that takes children from about 18 months to 4 years. We will concentrate our efforts mostly with the 2 1/2 - 4 year olds. We had a very good chat with one of the teachers, who is very passionate about early years education and already has lots of ideas about how she would like to be able to do things differently. If we can support her with that, and encourage similar development throughout the centre, that will be really rewarding.

At the weekend we had some lovely sunny weather, so I went out and did something I have been meaning to do for a while - took a few pictures of my neighbourhood.

The little shop at the end of the street where I get my drinking water from. Purified water is sold in large barrels for about 25p. I'm not sure how many litres they hold, but I am only just able to stagger back to the house carrying it!

 

The laundry where I get the clothes washed that I want ironed. There is always a lovely fragrance of spring fresh fabric softener when you go past one of these laundries!

 

 

The wash-your-own laundry where I do the rest of my washing. There is just time to go and do a weekly shop in Tesco while the programme is running!

The little mechanic's shop where, for about 5p, they will put air in your bike tyres for you.

 

  

My street. My new house is on the left.

This patch of waste ground between my street and Alice's was completely dry and dusty a few weeks ago. Now, with the rain, it is a lush field, complete with grazing cow!

Alice's house and beautiful garden - all her own creation!

 

If this were a multisensory blog, I would also at this moment be able to share with you the sound of the dogs howling and barking in the street outside, and the rather unpleasant drain smell that has started to appear at this time of the evening for some reason, probably to do with the rain. Or maybe it's for the best that I can't share those things!