by I’ve just sent off my New Zealand income tax return. I offset my various expenses against my rental income; my body corporate fees came to more than $8000 for the last financial year, including all the so-called “special levies” that will be the norm until, one way or another, the seismic shit resolves itself. Looking at that enormous figure made me wonder how I get by at all.
I need some more work again. Wednesday has been my only full day this week, and a productive day it was too: five lessons, including three with kids. (How did my mum cope with about thirty kids, all at once, day in, day out?) On the way to Dumbrăvița I grabbed a coffee from a machine in one of those charming little shops (like dairies in NZ) that you find everywhere. The woman behind the counter was lovely, and she reminded me to put the cup under the nozzle of the machine. Outside the shop were benches, and large empty paint cans and tins of olives that were being used as rubbish bins.
As I write this, they’ve just turned on the big screen across the road. The first of the quarter-finals, between France and Uruguay, is about to begin. That shoot-out to conclude England’s match with Colombia was hard to watch: such a fine line between success and failure, with the mood of a whole nation riding on events that are essentially random. It’s crazy when you think about it. I was happy for Gareth Southgate whose own penalty miss 22 years ago will sadly live with him for ever. Just imagine if England go on and win it now.
I had a cancellation this morning, so I popped over to Piața Badea Cârțan, my favourite market, in probably my favourite part of the city. At this time of year it’s just oozing with amazing fruit and vege. One of this evening’s lessons (with three people) has also been cancelled: I was cheesed off with that, not just because of the loss of work (and income), but also because one of my students could have given me some much-needed fishing advice.
My parents are staying at my brother’s place in Poole. On FaceTime it all looked very housey, in contrast to the humble apartment I live in.
Update: I didn’t watch the France–Uruguay match and I don’t think it had much to recommend it anyway, but what an absolute belter the Belgium–Brazil game was! A real cracker of a match. I was glad to see Belgium hang on, by the fingertips of their goalie, but really the final score could have been almost anything.
