A little o' this, a little o' that

This is my village honorary grandmother! She speaks only her local dialect and some Pidgin, so we mostly just hold hands and she says "God bless you my child" over and over. Aren't her cateract sunglasses so hip? She had 9 children, but lost 3; the daughter she lives with had 7 and lost 2. This weekend I decided to give her some some much deserved but rarely received TLC - we did a manicure, complete with massage, nail filing, and a granddaughter grabbing the bottle and spilling red paint on my dress (I can't get near nail polish without accidents, just ask my mother). So worth it though, she seemed tickled pink (or maybe a little overwhelmed) by the whole thing. When I told her we had a date for Sunday morning, and came by at 10, she exclaimed that she had been waiting on this little bench since 6AM. <3

Kelly M.'s froggy bracelet is now her charm of health and protection. She just loves it, but corrected me when I tried to put it on her left wrist. The right hand is the proper hand here - I sometimes hear parents scold little ones for taking something or waving or the like with their left hand, and I have to work to remember it for myself.

These girls came over after "sport" to see if they could do any work in my house (God bless them).  After we cleaned out my little back courtyard, I made them hot cocoa from packets you have sent...American goodies really are like currency here.



Meet Ashley, my nearest volunteer neighbor (an hour away on a smooth day), at least for a couple more months! She is the one who ran a marathon up Mt Cameroon - she's also a fantastic cook and has been tutoring me in best recipes for village life...her tomato soup is to die for.
We have had many invaluable conversations on this balcony of hers - I have her to thank for my sanity, though one of our most recurring topics of conversation is how insane we often feel we are going! When I was just sick with a cold, she gave me a can of Campbell's tomato soup that had been snatched up after the American Embassy tossed it. It had expired in Feb 2009 (so canned in what, 2005?). Disturbing? Only slightly. Delicious and soothing? Entirely.



Kitchen Before #1

Kitchen Before #2

Kitchen After! I did this myself, both the painting and the celabratory mess - such a fun project, especially since I have never painted before and don't have to worry much about perfection. The floor, my face, everything was covered!

See that sheet above my stove? If you have any doubt that I mean it when I say your encouragement keeps me going and means so much, here's proof! My friend Kristy signed off with this bit on a recent email, and I turned it into a daily pick-me-up. I have quotes above my light switches, next to my mirror, and next to my front door too.

And when the power has been out for three days? You make pancakes and have a romantic candle-lit dinner for one. Normally I stay out of my kitchen after dark, not just because I hear it's a good diet plan, but because the cockroaches come out then, and when I flip on the switch they scuttle to find hiding places on my shelves...I'd rather pretend they don't exist. That was difficult yesterday when a huge one ran right up my bare arm after I picked up a dish towel where it was hiding to use it as a pot holder. I was holding the pot of boiling water when I felt it around my elbow - I'm lucky I did not burn my hand right off when I jumped. I swear I remain the biggest threat to my own health and safety sometimes...

Students in my high school Health Club coming up with lyrics for the HIV awareness song they will sing at the Independence Day celebration on May 20th.

Having gotten the words down, dance steps were next. Practicing at my house on Saturday afternoon.

The latest chapter in my water saga. Now that water is flowing outside my house some nights, I need something bigger than a bucket to collect it in while I sleep with the faucet left on. After weeks of searching, this blue bad boy was brought in from the nearest city -- yeehaw! Here's my trusty handy-man preparing to stick a hole in the bottom and put in a tap contraption, then I can fill from the top (also tracked down a piece of hose finally) and use from the bottom. I never dreamed I could appreciate the simplicity of running water so much!

A bit of my town, Tombel - it's a beautiful place