The Usual, With a Few Exceptions

A fairly normal day. I got up at 6:45 and got breakfast ready with a bit of guidance from Phil. The food centre was rather entertaining this morning--I was humming songs as usual and then I started singing "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (the version from Across the Universe) and suddenly one of the villagers started singing along! Magdalena was very surprised, as this was quite unusual coming from Julie. A few minutes later, when we were all quietly working on cutting apples, Howard burst into song! It was so cute, Angelica and I clapped for him. And Andrew, a villager who frequently wails a high pitched noise that sounds to me like wind whistling through a door, or a kettle boiling, was back from a short holiday, and back to his wailing ways. He was in the kitchen making tea and then cleaning up, and all the villagers were laughing and saying he sounded like an airplane landing and taking off.

I walked briskly home and on high alert so as not to run into Ettiene or Midgley. Lunch was nice, pork and red cabbage and mashed potatoes and tomato broccoli salad. Speaking of broccoli, Paule has the same two Moosewood Cafe cookbooks we do: The Enchanted Broccoli Forest and...that other one.

On the farm we worked on clearing more brambles and branches and such from around above and in a small run of water that goes into Danby beck. Nice rough work. Luke of course did his fair share of standing around, as did Neil, while Luis (I discovered how he spells it)and I did most of the hacking and slashing and pulling and splashing and falling.

On Monday's after supper there is always some sort of neighborhood gathering, and tonight we played skittles, which is basically bowling with three small balls and you have to knock over the middle pin to get any points. I was a bit late cus everyone left without telling me, so I walked in and sat down near Anthony and Katie and almost instantly Ettiene comes over and sits down next to me and keeps patting my back and then starts rubbing my shoulders and saying, "give you a massage!" and Anthony, bless his heart, says, "stop it, she doesn't like that! stop it!" But I just couldn't bring myself to do anything but move away. I didn't want to make a scene by yelling "Get you're hands of me you pervy old man!!!" So I went and sat next to David and a large post, hoping Ettiene would get the picture. And of course, the frenchman moves with me. He tried to touch my shoulders again and I put up my hand and said, "NO. Nonononono." And he backed off. It was every house for itself, and we (Bracken) came in second. I was pleased, because at least we beat Honey Bee Nest and I could rub it in Luis's face.

Luis and I were hung out outside the hall afterwards and I told him about Ettiene. He hadn't noticed it happening during the game, but then Ettiene came outside and came over to me and tried to do it again! Luis saw and came over and I totally just hid behind him, I was so embarassed and grossed out. Neil came out and started talking to Luis and Ettiene cornered me again and I was up on a wall and he said goodnight and reached for my hand, so I stuck it out for a handshake and he tried to kiss my hand but I just kept shaking his hand and even said, "Handshake!" but he was rather determined and in the end kissed his own hand. It has gotten to a point where I need to talk to Paule immediately. I know this is a bad comparison, but you know how rape victims don't tell anyone because they're embarassed that they got raped? I'm always like, that's so dumb, it's not your fault you got raped, but now I'M embarrased about THIS situation! I think partly because it's like saying, "Ooh, I'm so pretty this dude won't leave me alone," which just feel dumb to me, but I really want this shit to stop without creating a whle big scene. I thought maybe I could hide behind Luis on a regular basis. And Beth, a villager from Luis's house, is very protective of him and considers him 'hers' so when she saw us together I think she assumed we're more than friends and said she would no longer be Luis's bodyguard because he was flirting with me...which he wasn't but the GOOD thing is that perhaps Beth will just perpetuate a rumor that I belong to Luis or something and then these male villagers won't treat me like a piece of ass. Whatever, this shit is so fucked up and creepy and annoying and grosses me out. I'll talk to Katherine first and make a plan of action or see if she's experienced similar things, etc.

Those reading this, rest assured I will take care of this situation, and myself. And if worse comes to worse I'll just take him out. I think I've watched enough Alias to know how to bring someone down...