Island shortages again

Mondays are usually a bit of a blah day, and today was no exception. I think that the boys are tired from Sunday night’s late night with church, so they are not on their best behaviour on Mondays. And then we’re doing school again, where they’ve had a break over the weekend and they don’t feel like it, so I have to fight them to get them to co-operate. I went to town during the morning (on my own), and walked around all over trying to get what I needed. I was half successful with my purchases, but could only get powdered skim milk. There is no boxed milk until the ship arrives next week (and no onions, potatoes and I’m sure a whole lot of stuff I haven’t realized is in short supply). This makes supper dishes very tricky – can’t make anything with a cheesy sauce (macaroni, lasagna, tuna casserole) or anything requiring onions (mince dishes, tuna bake, lots of others). Bother. I vacuumed the interior of the car, can’t have it dirty next week, and managed to drop the vacuum cleaner off the outside wall onto the road, so now that’s broken. It still switches on, but sounds like it’s spinning too fast and may well take off or explode. There was another dead mouse in the pantry this morning, but the boys sorted it out for me. The babies are getting caught now – mum and dad are gone, so they have to find their own food. One can almost feel sorry for them, particularly when you see their little paws holding onto the nut, unaware of the surprise that awaits… The boys are constantly hungry, but I have little to offer them other than peanuts and raisins, or chocolate easter eggs. They had bananas, but I can’t think what else to give them as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack that doesn’t contain sugar, sodium or fat. Nick and I are trying to watch what we eat, so are cutting down on the junk – which doesn’t leave much! Poor kids. Maybe cream crackers with Bovril will satisfy. Last night was one of the windiest nights I think I’ve ever experienced. The wind blew hard and long, such that it was noticeably quiet during the few times it dropped. Lots of rain last night too.

Our water is currently discoloured. It’s brownish. You notice it mostly in the bath, but it’s not a pleasant thought knowing that you’re drinking that dirty water too. It’s perfectly harmless, just gross. I think it has something to do with when we were quite dry and the reservoirs almost empty, that the bottom of the dam has gotten mixed up in the water system. Something like that. Apparently they can flush the lines, but are in no hurry to do so (being St Helena).