Independence Day

We went for a drive on Sunday afternoon to the houses to see how they are going and saw that three more two-bed roomed houses have been started. We took Gundi and Genie with us.

Jose` and Arno came to see us there and Arno fell in love with Genie. I would have let him have her (I do love her already but am worried about the relationship between her and Gundi when they get older) but he is still at the hotel and it is impossible for him to look after her there.

Porks tries to be a good dad and often picks the "kids" up and walks around with them on his shoulder.

They are both happy to balance there for some time.

This was the first time we took Genie out for a stroll in the bush.  We have only had her just over a week and when I put her down and walked away, she caught up to me in no time.  This little creature is fast!

She can climb well too. She climbs my leg even when there is no material to cling to.....ouch!

Well, on Sunday night the lights went off at 10pm and came back on at 11pm, so I was incorrect, they do come on in the middle of the night sometimes!  We have to use a remote control to switch the air-conditioner back on again after the electricity goes off as it doesn't come on automatically.  It tweets when it goes off (and wakes me) and tweets when I switch it back on again.  It went off so many times last night that I eventually fell asleep holding the remote in my hand, waking every now to check and then pointing the remote at the air conditioner to turn it back on again. We can see the hotel lights through the curtains, so know when the electricity has come back on. I didn't bother to open and close the windows this time as it had rained and cooled the air somewhat.

On Monday morning a lovely storm started at 6am!  Pouring rain, fairly strong wind and cool, cool air. (I thought of that little school Haze!) I stayed in bed with both my critters reading a book on my iPad until 8am.  The rain had stopped, the cement was dry, but there were still dark clouds around.  As I circled the house, the drizzle came again and after 20 minutes it was pouring!  What a pleasure exercising in the coolth! 
By the end I was wet as usual but this time my perspiration wasn't as salty!

Putting on my moisturiser after a shower was a pleasure!  It penetrated my skin this time and didn't swim around on top of my perspiration!  The sun only burned through at about 11am and still then it came and went throughout the day.....what a relief ....first "cloudy" day for me.
Tuesday was even better - cool all day with only a few electricity outages.





Genie has taken over Gundi's "house" now that Gundi is in bed with us.








When Genie is hungry, she squeaks like a squeaky toy - a short sharp sound, so cute, but insistent.  She sleeps most of the day and night at the moment so is quite easy to look after.







They seem to be getting on fairly well although Gundi is a little rough with Genie. I am not too concerned as Genie is already a faster runner and will eventually get bigger than Gunds. Then perhaps the tables will be turned. So I am giving Gundi his chance while he's got one.

They both eat the same thing at the moment. Genie has only baby teeth so the chicken has to be cut "small small" - as the Ghanaians say.

Then I add milk and sometimes an egg.

Genie still prefers us to feed her though rather than to take the food out of her lid on her own.


Wednesday 6 March was Independence Day.  Ghana became independent from Britain in 1957. (Great year that!)  There was no-one at work so we drove to Kwame Danso to buy some fruit and vegetables. 

In Bantama, the school children were marching in their neat little outfits to a live band.

Smart little girls in their uniforms.                

Marchers marching in March!

When we arrived in Kwame Danso there were huge celebrations.



 





The gloves were white socks.
A Ghanaian "maak `n plan" this time. (Hey Deidre and Louwsburg?)

Porks told me that those are wooden rifles.

These are the white gloved drum majors and  majorettes.



Saluting and standing to attention to the Ghanaian flag.

Another amusingly named beauty saloon! 

Its actually a salon.

 

                                    Obviously this time "Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

"Where Determination Exist Failure Can Never Dismantle The Flag Of Success.   In Jesus might."

Small business enterprise .   Ladies (in uniform nogal) sewing on their machines.

We managed to buy cabbage, onions, tomatoes and some "garden eggs" - the size of a chicken egg - tasting and looking similar to a brinjal.  I cooked them with garlic.  Not too bad. Another vegetable for us.  They reminded me of tree tomatoes.






The "wild sea" road is gone! See the hi-way to Kwame Danso. It is a pleasure driving on that road already and its still not finished.

Although we have been told that the rain we have had is a "false rain" and the rainy season really only starts in April or May, the farmers have started to plough their lands again, ready for planting.

 



This land is just off the main "hi-way".

 I couldn't find the Gunds.

 

So I looked in the bedroom............






I found him sleeping under Porks' just washed shirt.

I am thrilled that he is independent (well, it is Independence Day, silly!) and can move around as he pleases.

 

Gundi found a spider under the curtain. I moved the curtain to have a look and he growled, just like a dog! I don't think he was growling at me necessarily because even when I moved away he continued to growl.

He ate it and then immediately went to sleep.  I was a little concerned but he was fine.  Theresa found him another one this morning and he gobbled it up and went to sleep again!?

I made jam buns for Porks today.
This grosses me out (probably not good English but descriptive!) but even after thrice sifting my flour, there are still worms in it! 

I have to be careful of the cereal, the noodles and anything that can grow weevils and worms. 

The only reason that I keep using it is one: that I have no choice and two: they don't wriggle and are dead after being cooked!

I should keep the flour in the refrigerator but we have so many other items in there that there is no space.

                                 
Gundi does not like to be in a room when the air conditioner is on - its too cold for him.  Sometimes he insists on staying with us though, that is why I made him that little blanket and why he sleeps inside the bed with me. If he is with us in a cold room, I cover him with whatever is around so that he is happy. 
                                        I often get told....."Take a photo, Shan", so here is...

                                                             Little Gunds and Porks!