The bite situation has calmed down a bit too as I have not received any new bites since my hour in the garden two days ago. I am still getting 'hives' (horrid small red raised bumps) which is quite surprising as it is NOT hot here and they are incredibly itchy, but I have given up on the plaster situation as I am running out of bare skin around my ankles! I now have a tiny glass of neat vinegar which, once things begin to itch, I dab onto my skin to sterilise any scratching I do, plus it helps to cool the area!
Although I am sharing my new life with Pape, we have our own separate homes and am I glad I live alone at the moment, between the non washing and vinegar routine, this place smells divine!!
There is also the faint lingering after-aroma of wood preservative! During the past three days of bad weather, Pape and I designed and built shelves for my main room. 
Once the drawings had been perfected, the wood sourced and brought home, we managed to finish the whole building thing in a day, including the painting. This morning our masterpiece was pushed against the wall and loaded up with my belongings.
I now have a desk with a spot light to work at, Krsna has his own private temple above my head. There is room for Pape's guitar on the top shelf, room for books, Back-gammon, Scrabble, plus Pape's Singer Sewing Machine, which we have decided can live down here!
Before I left the UK, I made three reversible, colourful, collage pictures from travel magazines. These have travelled flat in my case halfway around the world and brighten up the place beautifully. I have also discovered they have Blue Tack here (except it is Yellow!) so glow in the dark stars are slowly making their way across my ceiling!!
The gardening is coming along slowly, more pots have been added to the five I planted up upon arrival. We now have French beans, Mixed Lettuce,Courgette, Squash, Egg Plant, Tomato seeds, Chives, Spinach, Green cabbage, Spring Onions, Red Cabbage and Leeks planted up!
And today I noticed our first Babies peaking their heads above the moist compost!! French beans, mixed lettuce and Courgette have all broken loose and are on their way. The raised beds, that Pape built, are ready and eager to receive their new arrivals. The wild chickens need to be deterred, but I am sure we can train the dogs to protect our children, if necessary!
Our other common interest, in this quiet laid back country, is singing. Pape makes his living from singing in the local Hotels. It is something he loves and is very good at. He sell his CD's regularly at his gigs, his book is also popular. Today, once we had finished the final touches to the shelving and wiring down here, we moved upstairs. Pape likes my voice and during his afternoon nap he came up with an idea to introduce me slowly (very slowly if I have my way) into his act. I will begin by just joining him on one or two choruses.
We spent a few hours this morning just singing and trying to find out where my 'key' is. Pape, unfortunately, sings right at the extremes of my range. If I sing in his octave I cant reach the low notes, if I sing an octave higher, I find I squeak on the high notes. We moved a few songs up or down a note or two, messed about with a few others that I knew and eventually I learnt three choruses that, if I practice every day for the next week, I will, possibly, if we both feel comfortably enough, join him 'on stage' with.
We are also working on a version of 'It Ain't Me Babes' for me!!!! It is the only one we could find totally in my range, lol! Whether this ever works out or not is not an issue, it is simple good to sit around playing music and singing as the day passes by.
The Internet is still an annoying issue. Photos for the Blog take about four minutes each to load up! I have updated the 'Arrival in Tioman' with Photos but have only managed 4, I think, for the 'Life Continues' bit! As for the latest stories I haven't even started!! The photos are ready, named and filed, but time is an issue. I have explained this to Pape and we will hopefully begin work on finding me an aerial soon. Also our neighbour is leaving the country in about a month! As it is his internet connection that we are using, I'm not too sure what will happen then. Pape has no phone line, so having a unit here is not an option. But I'm sure things will work out as he likes the internet as much as me – well nearly as much!
And so the days begin to form their own routine once again. Breakfast, singing, shopping/gardening, sleeping, singing, supper, conversation, sleep.
And the sun IS threatening to come out again soon!! So they say!!!
I am smiling reading your blog:) Pani oil from the Marquesas (not sure you can buy it in Moorea) will do the trick to prevent those nasty bugbites. Rub on all exposed bodyparts before venturing into the garden. A phone would be nice. I had one while I was there and it was affordable. I am thinking about a care package for you:)
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