Grey day; man with maize out round his walls spraying his vines. Yesterday he was harvesting his maize plants with help of 3 others and pickup truck. So plants will now wither and brown.

Off shopping; this afternoon a barbeque with locals, not my thing, but good for public relations; tomorrow my only friend here - tough, not so tough, bottle-blond M -and her husband to lunch so little free space. No pleasure in this. No more news from crisis at either end. Beloved and self at peace with each other. Good.

Off to hang out washing in the wind. Then out. Grannypxx