day 3 in nigeria - we all have days like this

i woke up scowling this morning, and have only just about stopped (it's about midday now). my bad mood persists, though. i woke up before 7am - or rather, was woken up by my mum who decided we needed to get up and clean (first reason for the day's mood, perhaps?).  being made to get up and clean the house at 7am when i'm supposedly on holiday, after a third night of little sleep (once again, combination of the heat, and sharing a bed with my mum).

second reason for foul mood - the other day, my uncle came home with these truly horrible mouse traps - they are basically mini mats of glue - the mice are attracted on to them by some scent thing, and then stick to it.  they're the most horrendous things you can imagine - i walked into the living room this morning to find two mice, stuck and struggling to get off.  and that's it - they'll just stay and struggle there until they starve to death, or give themselves a heart attack from pulling, or just curl up and give up the will to live when they realise there's no point in doing anything else.  i guess one of the things that's increased my bad mood around that particular thing is being angry at myself for not making more of a case against them, or maybe sabotaging them somehow (i didn't even think of that until now).  but that's it - when he gets back, i'm going to show him his handy work, and ask him to never bring those things here ever again. jeez.

third reason - being informed that my (other) uncle was still bringing the guy (that was supposed to come yesterday).  and they actually turned up today. they've just left.  i didn't allow it to be uncomfortable, because i basically spent the whole time between the kitchen and my room, listening to gnarls barkley and flight of the conchords, polite when i had to interact, but underneath brimming baleful belligerence.  i had a chance to talk to my mum very briefly, and tell her how irritated i was by the whole situation, and then to tell my uncle, very politely, but as honestly as possible, that 1) with regards to this particular guy, i was a bit surprised that he would just bring along someone who he knows very little about (i said it a little more forthrightly to my mum), and 2) i didn't see the point in him introducing me to guys here, when i have no intention to ever reside in nigeria long-term (yes, i did use the word 'reside').  His replies? 1) 'i'll bring someone else tomorrow, that i know better'; 2)"maybe they'll want to travel"…  d'aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!
i've spent the past 11 years having to put up with this, falling foul of parents/various 'mosque uncles/aunties'/other people for 'not giving it a go', being 'too fussy', or, my favourite, 'waiting for mr perfect' whenever i have the audacity to tell them i don't particularly want to meet the latest suitor, or deciding after meeting them that we're not compatible.  and on it goes.

as for this guy? turned out he's an insurance executive and looks about the same age as my baby brother (as far as we were able to ascertain - what with my uncle going by his cv, given that he doesn't actually know - he's 26… 26..?).  he seemed like a nice enough guy - but then again, so do most people on first meeting.  saying goodbye to him and my uncle was one of my highlights of the day.
insurance executive. tch!
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about 7pm - have just had an argument with my mum about the mouse traps (and yes, i do realise more and more this whole entry is making me sound like a 14 year-old… deal with it).  my cousin came round earlier, and i asked him to get rid of them.  he got rid of the mice, but brought back the traps. idiot. i told him i didn't want them in this house anymore. so he left them outside the door.  more fool me for not getting rid of them while i had the chance.
 when my mum got back, she noticed they were missing - she asked who got rid of the mice, and then asked where the traps were.  when i told her how i felt about them, and suggested instead we do something a little more practical and less cruel - i don't know, like block the gap under the kitchen door.  i was told i always have unrealistic solutions.  admittedly, my suggestion of a cat yesterday wasn't necessarily likely to be possible, given we don't live here, but then, blocking the gap under the door is quite possibly the polar opposite of unrealistic.  given that my aunt said there's a welder just up the road and we can speak to him in the morning, i'd go so far as to say it definitely falls within the realms of a real thing that could indeed possibly occur.
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8pm - had semi-calmer discussion with my mum. result - we're getting the welder in. i've closed the traps (well actually, got my cousin to close them, disgusting things that they are). everyone's happy (well, as long as my mum doesn't find out the traps are closed…)

tomorrow will resume normal service i hope (i.e. less petulant teenage-type angst, more level-headed adult-type observation… maybe).  plans to leave the house again (after, of course, the suitor visit - oh, how i laughed when i joked about being married off when i came over), and maybe actually see a bit more of town.  can't believe it'll be friday already - no more slow time for me.