Thank you!

Three weeks down!
I just want to thank everyone for their love and concern for us here in Ghana.  Many of you have asked for our address so that you can send parcels.......but, really, there is nothing that we really "need" here, we can make do with what we have.  There are many "wants" but everyone has to learn to do without those! I am concerned that any parcels sent will not arrive and I would feel terrible! I REALLY appreciate your support though, thank you.  We sometimes have people from South Africa coming to stay but they will just have to go Ghana-style (no dancing though) when they come!

Some of you have found it difficult to comment on my blog.  I presume, therefore, that you cannot read the other comments either.  Orf has identified the tree for me as a Baobab, so they grow as far North as here.
On that subject though, any advice for first time commenters?

I don't know how good Gundi's eyes are.  Every time we come back from the grass and she gets to  the step, she stops, jumps, and lands on the floor in front of the step.  She miscalculates by the same distance every time. The second time she moves closer,  jumps and manages to get her front paws on the step.  Each time I think, okay, this time she'll learn but no, she misses again.  Its so funny to watch! Sweet little thing!

She is playing so nicely now and I can really understand her. Here is she playing with her piece of log.


 

Then she rolls over and holds it in her paws but I couldn't manage to take a photo of her holding it!

We took her outside for playtime and when she got tired she came in between my feet and screeched.  You can see her little face looking up at me.  When I didn't pick her up immediately she decided to climb up my skirt to get to me.

 

Tony, this one not that one, grows rice as well and these are "bales" of rice in his store room.  The second picture is a close up and you can see the individual grains.  Fascinating.   We didn't know it grew in this way.  I will go to where they grow the rice and take more pictures.

 

These are ground nuts that also grow here.  These have been roasted and are sold for 10 peswas for a tiny little packet but they are delicious and worth it.  We will also find the place that these grow and educate you and ourselves.

 

 

Porks is feeling left out.  I need to tell you that he is a very good Dad.  Gundi loves him too!

 

In this picture, Gundi screeched so I put my hand out and she stuck her head underneath and fell asleep.  She has four different sounds.  One is an ear-piercing screech that she uses to call us or to tell us she is frightened.  Then there is a more gentle, softer screech when she wants to tell us that she is hungry or wants us to pick her up.  Then thirdly,  there is her response talk when I talk to her and she talks back to me, which is a mewing sound. The last one is a sneeze-like sound when she is attacking something or feels threatened. I can speak mongoose!

 

 

This reminds me of all the wonderful plantation houses we have loved and lived in.  These "colour blind" guinea fowl roam around freely outside our house.  When they call I get quite nostalgic.

 

 

 The pictures below are of Teak tree leaves. Massive! You have all heard the rumour about black men?......Then these are what they must have used instead of fig leaves!

 

 

The Ghanaians use Teak trees for electricity poles like we do with the Eucalyptus and Pine trees in South Africa.

 

 When we were in Kwama Danso this morning, Porks told me that Sean and he used to go out for breakfast occasionally!  These are fried hard boiled eggs with some kind of coating.   I chose them above the chicken pieces.  Quite exciting to experience new things and try new tastes.  Not always successful but always interesting!

 

These are Ghanaian taxis.  They fill them chock-a-block with people and luggage, then pile more luggage on top.  Porks has even seen a goat on top of the luggage. In some souvenir shops in S.A. I have seen small brightly coloured little buses like these being sold.  Really quaint.

 

 

I saw this little pink slop but couldn't find the owner....she was asleep!

 

 

These are oranges being sold - more like greens.  The ones in the little stand are peeled, ready for eating.   They were 20 peswas each, so I asked for 1 Cedis worth (5 oranges).  This sweet lady deliberately put 6 in the packet for the same amount!

 

I have made a delicious fruit salad with paw-paw, watermelon, pineapple and these oranges. They are not export quality but who cares?....they are filled with Vitamin C!

 

 

This beautiful home is lying empty between Bantama and Kwamo Danso.  Really a waste when you see how the majority of the people are living.

 

 

THIS is the fried cassava/yam - just like a chip but like blotting paper as one cannot eat this without a drink.  One doesn't produce enough saliva to swallow this by oneself.

 

Porks and I will be alone for Christmas....eish! I don't even want to think about it.  Twenty days to go and no red hats, Christmas trees, twinkling lights, or Christmas carols in sight or in hearing. This is going to be my biggest challenge yet!  I am a positive person but this might just get to me: so, so, so far away from my children.  (Then I have to think of all our friends who have lost their children and loved-ones and it just puts all this into perspective!  Put on your big girl panties and suck it up, Shan!)  

Not a clear picture but this might just be Christmas day lunch.... a turkey!