Aah Haa!

So there WAS a surprise for me on our Anniversary!  Porks walked in with my "lost" makeup bag!  John had gone to Accra and had found it in the bakkie.  I now know what happened.  On our way to Accra, we stopped on the side of the road as the one seat belt was stuck under the seat.  Porks had to lift the whole back seat up to get it out for me.  When I realised I had misplaced my bag, we stopped again to check under the seat.  Porks looked (I couldn't see around him) and he said it wasn't there and it turns out it was! Either he was "looking like a boy" looks (hey, Pips!) or he deliberately hid it from me in order to give it to me for our anniversary! ("Mmmmmm", eyes squinting and index finger on cheek!!!)
Aah Haa!

I am thrilled to have it back as there were even more items in there than I had thought, so smiles all around again!
(Kelly sent me her own replacements in the meantime.  I was so grateful for those, thanks Kell.)

Gundi does like the smell of me.  When I put him on the bed this time he made a bee-line for my T-shirt!  His hearing is his best sense though as he can hear my walk and starts calling me even before he sees me!

Theresa was eating a sweet potato the other day, so I asked her to buy one for me the next time there were some in Bantama. She managed to get one for me (cooked) for 40 peswas. We were so excited but we were disappointed as it was bitter so we won't be ordering any more. I am so sad about that! 

On Sunday, Porks, Gunds and I went to check on the watering of the young planted seedlings.  We parked and waited as the workers walked towards us.  I had Gundi on my shoulder and they just stopped and stared at us! So I took a photo of them looking at Gundi.

Then they went on their way to water the plants. Each plant is given a cup full of water by hand!

Luckily it was one of the coolest days we have had since I have been here.  It was still 31 degrees but at least there were a few white and grey fluffy things in the sky to block out most of the heat!  The rain is due to arrive in March so we are waiting with bated breath.  (What does bated mean anyway?)

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 This is the pump on the outskirts of the village (just past our house) where everyone gathers to collect their water for the day.

 

The rest of the people wait in line for their turn to collect water.

We bought two colouring-in books and crayons from Accra for Paul and Cynthia.  We gave the gifts to Tony on Sunday morning when he came to visit us.  We went past their house in the afternoon and there they were with all their friends, and the pictures were nearly all coloured in already!  

Here is the tiny little granny - Tony's mother - who is supposedly 81 yrs old.

Cynthia, her friends and the colouring in book.
I was also touched by unselfish these little children were, allowing their friends to help them colour in.

Paul and his colouring in book.  He is standing on the area outside Tony's house where everyone congregates to cook, bathe the children, socialise and eat.

I had my first plate of baby spinach from my "garden" yesterday.  The rest of my vegetables died when I separated them, so I have had to start again! Where are my Dad's green fingers when I need them?  It was delicious though! I could virtually feel the iron and vitamins entering my system! 

This is the second time I have tried this dessert recipe and it flopped both times.  I may have found the problem as I baked a Raisin Loaf at the temperature that the recipe advised and it hadn't cooked in the middle after 50 minutes.  So I think that the temperature on the gas oven is lower than I am used to.  This "Swans Down" pudding has to be baked slowly at a low temperature and it didn't seem to cook at all.  So I will try again at a higher temperature next time.  Uuuuggghhhh!




              The "twice cooked" and nearly burnt raisin loaf that turned out fairly nicely in the end.
                                  

Kelly sent me up some wool and I have finished knitting a baby blanket for my friend Jenni's daughter, Bonnie, who is due to have her baby any time now. I really enjoyed having something to do with my hands and it was really satisfying to see the finished product.  Willem (Hattingh met `n "h") has been here for just over a week and is leaving tomorrow (Thursday) morning. He lives in Pietermaritzburg so we have asked him to take it back for us. Hopefully it will arrive before the baby does!

On Monday we didn't have electricity from lunch time until lunch time on Tuesday, about 22 hours.  It is the first time since I have been here that we were without power all night.  Eish!  Even with the windows open and no pyjamas and no sheets, it was still sweltering and we had a terrible night!  There wasn't a breath of wind and the heat from the day just sat like a heavy blanket on us all night.  Even Gunds lay flat out near me but didn't touch me like he normally does!  We have a very loud generator but we have neighbours with little children and even we battle to sleep with the noise, so we had to switch it off.  We can't understand the reason but the electricity goes off every single day and often a few times a day.  Sometimes its just a surge which messes up the television and any taping we might have or it can be hours and hours at a time.

                                                                               
                                                          These names amaze me!
                                                                (Shaking my head!)