Tom

First massage up here this afternoon. He doesn't hit the spot like Kathy does but he's way better than not having a massage at all.
Tom is a beautiful man. As always, he greeted me with a double handshake and bow, then quadruple kisses on the cheek. Ordinarily, that would make me feel rather uncomfortable but coming from Tom, it just feels warm.
He is Chinese and his English is very limited but we communicate quite well. I point at a particularly sore spot and Tom says, "Ahhh" in sympathetic tones! We discuss dates and appointments using the calendar, and our families using photos on his wall. I don't believe I ever made him understand when I went skydiving in 2007 ---- despite my charade of a plane, a parachute and a head first dive off the massage table.
Tom works 7 days a week, at times to suit his clients. He doesn't keep an appointment book but always remembers. How??

Man at Work

Despite the continuing drizzle, Nev is working on our en-suite. He removed the toilet today and sat it in the shower. There's no wood left now -- only steel beams.
He seems to be finding more termite nests and dumping them outside. I keep wondering if they will find wood to chew up elsewhere. The piece of cement sheet is at the right.

I have completely forgotten how yukkingly annoying MUD is! It has been years since I've had to navigate mud and pools of water. Of course, I wouldn't be nearly so annoyed if the mud was at home! I hold an illogical and optimistic hope that when we return, there will have been enough rain to restore my driveway of nearly 100 melaleuca trees.