A new year

Hello again!  I have been off air for a number of reasons.  The first is because I have had nothing much to tell you as I haven't done anything exciting.  Secondly, I have not had the best week emotionally but am pleased to say that I am back on track.  Thirdly, I have had a trouble downloading my pictures but that seems to have been fixed again, thanks to my personal IT guru, William, who helped me today. I have also noticed that when I "preview" my post before I publish it, some of the photos have moved around on their own mission - I don't always place them like they are viewed!


We celebrated New Year's Eve with tasteless fillet and mushroom sauce. (The mushroom sauce was okay, the fillet was like chewing meat that had been drained of all flavour.) The meat that we have here tastes nothing like our nyama back home.  I was telling a friend that the only thing that is nicer than what we can buy at home is the pepper, called Batia and that's made in USA - Haylee and Ronnie! - (separately)  We made real home made potato chips and sliced tomato. Adequate.

The electricity went off again. (The electricity is very temperamental and we either have power surges that mess up the TV and my computer or it goes off for hours at a time.)  We have a generator but are reluctant to start it as it is a palaver and also sometimes only takes 5 minutes and the electricity is back!  So we decided to have a candle light dinner! Very romantic!




A toast to you all - I put the normal sized wine glass in so that you wouldn't think that this was a large bottle!  (I had a Jager to you Bev, but there was no "bomb" to be added!)



 

We went to the office to check on some things this afternoon (New Year's Day) and I sat on the verandah with Gundi.  I was like a meercat (or a Gundi) - my head jerking up, left, up, right, up, back, right, up, behind, watching this "murder" of crows flying around above us.

We drove into Bantama afterwards to go and see how they celebrate New Year.  Under the closest big tree to us there was the party.  Little children dancing in the middle of the circle.

The little ones do get dressed up like they do for Boxing day but it doesn't seem to be as important.

















See the little girl in the back carrying wood for her family.  She is probably about 7 yrs old.  Ghanaian children all do their bit to help the family.  (The little 4 year old next door to our house sweeps the ground before 6 am and the 3 year old on the other side is often seen piggy-backing her 1 year old sibling.)


It makes no difference what day it is, the little children and the rest of the family still have to collect water no matter what their ages. They have to go to a central borehole and pump their own water. I am so grateful to live where I do (here and there) and just open a tap.

I haven't written for more than a week and every single night until two nights ago, there has been an all night party!  Apparently that's the end of them until next Christmas but boy, they are certainly in credit until then!
Then, not to be disrespectful but the Muslim calling starts at 4 am (and again at 5am) and having just fallen asleep, it is not a welcome sound in the early hours.  I have been stuffing cotton wool in my ears and it just takes the edge off the cacophony!




We made "vetkoek" for a snack but again, not as nice as we make at home as the flour is different.

Oooopsie!  Unfortunately this cannot be "godiva"d and we will either have to wait until we go to Kumasi or send it back to South Africa to get fixed.  Porks has had to borrow my spare pair of reading glasses for his office work! I am so organised! (Eyes rolling!)

On Sunday, we went on another outing!
(Shhhhh! Whispering.....another double cab arrived and I think its meant for us!)
We drove North to Yeji - another little village on the Volta Dam - to buy more fresh fish with Tony.




On the way we passed a yam market.  All the traders bring their yams to one place and trucks come from as far away as Accra to buy in bulk and then sell in their stalls.

Not a feel-good thing to tell you but it was interesting to us!  At a little village called "Prang" - sadly ironic - there was a huge crowd of people and the fire department.

There were 2 men, 5 women and 2 children in this Renault.

The cement-carrying lorry on the right must have driven over the car and then continued and crashed into the charcoal-carrying lorry on the left, pushing it over.  Everything burst into flames and as expected in Africa, the driver of the lorry ran away.

(By the time we had bought the fish and were on our way back again, the funerals for the 3 recognisable bodies were being held - that's all they could find.  Not only because they were Muslim but also because there are no mortuaries in these villages, the funerals are held on the same day. It was really upsetting and I didn't sleep well (again) last night !



We continued on to Yeji, and Tony directed us to a lady who came with us to buy the fish.  I needed the loo and so he took us to the local guest house for me to go.

Tony was so excited that he had found a good place for me to relieve myself. (Smile.) I was grateful.







We arrived in the middle of Yeji and at the main traffic circle, we found THIS!

Aaaaanndrrreewwww!!!

I think these signs must have been erected by the British.

Right at the dam, there were traders with fresh fish, so we bought 3 tilapia for R100, and some for Tony and his family too.  As soon as they see bronys the price goes up.

Walking towards the edge of the dam.

Tony said that this dam is so big, its "the brother of the sea."




This motor-boat travels with passengers and their goods 14 kilometres to the other side of the dam - you can see the land on the other side.

There is also a ferry that comes at about 12 noon, but we had left before it arrived.  Perhaps next time!
(Not to go on it...but to show you!)

We stayed for a while in one place and watched them loading the boats,


...... collecting water,









.......... washing the motor-bike,

...... washing their clothes,

.....and placing them on the ground to dry. (I thought at first that these clothes were being displayed to be sold.)

And bronys come in and educate the locals on pollution, healthy eating and saving wildlife and wetlands.  These people survive on a day to day basis.  They have to walk, ride bikes, or motor bikes to collect water, wood and food and the daily struggle just to survive must be enormous.

I supposed I could have waited for this!

On our way home, Tony told us of another company that has opened up planting trees to make bio-diesel.





So we thought we would pop in and see how it was going.

Nothing much seemed to be going on but there has been some construction work happening.

Fred, a really friendly Ghanaian (Whaaaat, again?) helped us and explained what they do.  

They plant Jatropha Fruit trees and then use the seed oil to make bio-diesel.

You can see the seeds on the tree.

The husks are used as fertiliser.

Fred opened up a seed for me and squashed the nut inside to show me the oil.








We had visitors last night.  Tony brought us some roasted groundnuts that we had ordered from him.  We put on the wildlife channel for Cynthia and Paul! They were fascinated.  Even Tony who is high up in the community has very little idea about anything other than Ghana. He too was like a little child giggling and pointing!

 

Gundi sleeps most of the day and night and is awake for only 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Because we had visitors until quite late, she was wary (and weary) and she did not sleep while they were here.  You are not going to believe this but when they left, she got off my lap, shuffled (she battles to walk on the slippery floor) to the door of the lounge, turned around and screeched.  I said to Porks, "She is wanting to go to the bedroom to sleep!"  I promise!  I know I am a proud and biased Mom but she really did this!........  She did!     .............She did!

He then went to shower and as she spends all day with me, I gave her to him to take to the bedroom. (He has to do his bit for the family too, you know!)  She came back into the lounge to fetch me.  I then went to shower and she followed me so I put her on the bed and she curled up next to my pillow and fell fast asleep.

Sigh!  What would I do without my precious little girl? Thanks again Sean!