Apparently soup has a gender!

Just finished getting everything ready for teaching on Monday and done all my marking so I can head off to Nyanga first thing in the morning - need to quickly go pack. Today has been interesting. In language one boy decided that according to him soup has a gender. His reason being that if it is, say chicken soup, the chicken would have had a gender ... therefore soup is not neutral! Ah. The other highlight or rather low light of my morning was when I spotted two of my grade sevens who were supposed to be getting on doing a mock high school entrance exam paper, passing a note back and forth. When the one saw I had seen he started trying to rub out what was on it, but I was able to see quite explicit drawings of male anatomy and rude comments about a girl in the class. And the other teachers think these kids are too immature for sex ed?! I guess though I have a range in the class from those who watch Game of Thrones to those who are happily watching Peter Rabbit.

Went home to get together my water colours and sketch pads to take with to Nyanga and saw my dogs. I do feel bad that I don't see them very often whilst house sitting. We had a good romp in the garden and I gave Elsie lots of tummy tickle time. Jasper pretends he's not interested but gives me a look if I spend too much time on just Elsie. Had thought about getting my water-based oil paints but even without turpentine it is still messy. I also went to look at getting a canvas in Borrowdale and the size I usually go for now costs $29! Eeeek. Am not sure if it would be cheaper still at BAMM but I didn't really have time to go look.

Popped by to see the person I will be house sitting for next, this evening and chatted to her son, who is a good friend, who is currently in Sri Lanka. The friend in Nottingham who just got married has also just been to Sri Lanka on honeymoon. Have never really thought about it as a country much before now, but it seems to be the place to go apparently. Did see the video below on the smallest feline in the world that lives there. My friend working there said he helped set up camera traps this week and they spotted some of the rusty spotted cats, as well as leopards.

OK, need to quickly pack and go to bed. Feeling a lot better but my voice is still funny. Teaching all day doesn't help - you don't realise how much you use your voice to teach until you lose it. I have the line the sea witch sings in the Little Mermaid stuck in my head - "It doesn't cost much, just your voice!"