Every Tuesday, my colleagues and I at work collect money, and a few people are tasked with ordering food from outside the school. The ordered meals are then gathered in a special room with a large table in the center where we can eat together. I really admire this initiative because it’s a great way to strengthen teamwork among colleagues. While eating, we usually share stories and experiences, which can be very helpful for younger colleagues who need advice and guidance. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures because the setting is sensitive, and not everyone might agree to have their photos taken. Still, these gatherings make the workplace enjoyable and far from boring, as we get to chat and bond with each other.
After work, when I get home, I begin my routine of washing my children’s school uniforms. Even though we have a washing machine, I prefer handwashing. Using a brush and handwashing keeps the clothes from wearing out too quickly and ensures they’re cleaner, especially after soaking them overnight to remove stubborn dirt. While washing, I start planning what I’ll do next. A lot of thinking and planning happened.
I then head to the storage room to get the grass trimmer. Previously, the trimmer had suddenly stopped working, so I had bought a new spark plug and fresh petrol. However, after half an hour of trying various solutions, I still couldn’t get it to run properly. Sometimes, it would start but then stop when I adjusted the throttle. I’m not an expert in this, but I tried my best. I even watched YouTube tutorials, but I lacked the necessary spare parts. Despite my efforts, the issue persisted. Eventually, heavy rain forced me to stop. My arm felt a bit strained, likely from repeatedly pulling the starter cord. The rain was intense but lasted only about 30 minutes, just like the day before.
After the rain, I grabbed a shovel and looked for tasks I could do. First, I cleared tall buffalo grass near the mulberry tree beside the house. There was a lot of grass, but I managed to remove it with the shovel. Near the mulberry tree, we also have pineapples, lime, guava, and lemongrass plants. I worked on shaping steps into the steep slope to make it easier to move up and down when tending to the pineapples later. I took more pictures of today's journal.
The evening felt short. I managed to loosen the soil in our raised bed garden. My wife and I discussed what to plant next, and we decided on corn seeds since the vegetables we planted earlier didn’t grow well. We hope rotating the crops will help. After finishing this task, I felt dirty but couldn’t shower yet because I had more chores to do. I cleaned my feet, washed dishes, swept and wiped the dining table, cleaned the kitchen sink, and finally ironed my children’s uniforms and my own clothes. After all that, I finally showered. Meanwhile, my wife prepared meals and helped the kids with their studies. Tomorrow will be the third day of their exams. We prayed for their best!
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