Sunday 22nd December

Right.

To start with yesterday morning, got up and had breakfast (at 9 am). came back at 9:30 and guess what? C.'s in the shower. I pounded on the door, no reply. At 9:55 I called to him to remind him that we had to go to the bank and were leaving with the TIM team at eleven. I hate reminding C. about things, I never know if he's already thought of them or not. I get really annoyed if he does it to me. So at 10:15 he comes out, I rush in (still feeling a bit dodgy) and we zoom off to the bank. I am fuming by this time and the speed in the heat of the morning did me no good at all. On the way back (11:15) C. said something about me being quiet.

I said I just don't like rushing around when I'm ill. He said, Oh, so I'm not allowed to have a shower now am I? No No NO it's not that at all please don't start again please please please... Anyway, later he said sorry he should have thought and I said it was okay but I was really thinking Yes, you should.

So everything is alright again.

The Bishop came at 11:30 with a minibus full of TIM's. There was someone from England, Korea, Madagascar, Jamaica, The Netherlands, Zambia, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Guyana and a huge bloke from Samoa called Hendry. We had to sit through some Tamil diocesan meeting during which Bishop David Eames was called away for an emergency. We sat with the TIM's, were introduced with them and sang a song with them called 'Thuma Mina Somandla' (send me Jesus, send me Lord). I must remember the tune! I spoke most to the Zambian chap, Benny about the culture, England / Sellyoak (they had three months there) and Zambia. He told me that the Indians in Zambia didn't respect the Zambian culture. They don't really in England either (English culture, not Zambian) preferring small cultural pockets – both a result of the Home Office and safety in numbers I suppose. It's interesting really, when we're here trying so hard to join theirs. So the TIM's are here for six months as well, doing all sorts of interesting churchy things.

We bought Aunty Fenn a Sari and six metres of cassock cloth for Uncle, which the Bishop said would make a good gift.

The family service was in the evening, it was pretty good considering the choir were together after only one practice. I didn't join in, but enjoyed watching!

We were visited by a chap called Anandaraj whose wife was at Sellyoak last year, where C. had met them. We went to their house today. She recognised me from my guitar playing after the Commendation service at Sellyoak. She spoke to me back then, telling me about her son in India who also played guitar. Apparently I also met Anandaraj then and had told him no, I'm not going to India, that's C. – he's over there! Their house is right on the outskirts of Madurai, with fantastic views of the countryside from the roof.

There was a big Christmas party-type do here tonight, starting at four-for-seven-ish. Fun and games, a bonfire, songs, mutton biryani and a strange Scottish bloke called Tom who spoke like Sean Connery. It was all good fun and we met some more wonderful people who've invited us to lunch tomorrow. They've promised us roast chicken and mashed potatoes! We'll see...

Everyone's been so fabulous here, they keep trying to get us to stay for Christmas – one woman wants us to stay in Madurai permanently and forget about Ramnad!