My new life in East Africa

I'm a bit late for Our World Tuesday because my Internet went out again (surprise, surprise) I went to market in Shinyanga (34km from Mwadui) on Tuesday and when I returned to camp,I had Internet connection again. Before it disappears, I'm posting these photos of people going to market along the main road. Men and women use bicycles to transport wood, charcoal, vegetables, fruit, chickens, goats. All tied to the back of their bikes while they pedal furiously uphill and down dale, or when the going gets tough, pushing them along the road.

Long lines of people transporting goods along the road to the market

A typical market scene in the middle of town

Thanks to everyone who continues to visit my blog and leave a comment. I firmly believe that soon (well, I DO believe this!) my Internet problems will be a dim memory!

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Fourth weekend in Mwadui

While I was in the city, Mwanza on Friday, I bought my first-ever hair clipper set. I know there are ladies in this world, who cut their husbands' and sons' hair, and many even cut their own hair while standing in front of the bathroom mirror. Well, I'm not one of them. Although I had three menfolk in my family, not once was I ever tempted to trim or style their hair. I cannot even cut my own bangs.

I'd bought the clippers because Grant, who's been growing his hair since last Easter, decided it was time to cut his hair again. There being no barber or hairdresser within a 1000km radius of the camp, Marnitz, the young production manager who started here the same time as Grant, said he would cut Grant's hair. He asked me to use a scissors and cut off the long locks at the back (first photo); afterwards he clipped, snipped, shaved away until Grant looked like a new pin!

Now that's better, dear!

Thanks for the comments about the cat-tree in our lounge. Once it had been brought in, I realised that the cats couldn't jump up from the floor into two of the boxes. So Grant sent Martin and one carpenter here to make suitable adjustments. They added a lower deck below the two "problem" boxes respectively.  On Sunday Grant glued strips of carpeting to the decks, the top of each box and added fitted carpets inside.

You have to live with cats to know how inquisitive they are! Here Shadow and Ambrose inspect the carpet while Grant cuts the pieces

Grant cuts the carpet to size on the deck/step below the box

Last week I posted about a hen and chicken in my garden. I also wrote about a hen who had ten chickens in the adult chicken run at the Guest House and how I'd brought her and the babies home as well. On Friday I was feeding some greens to the Guest House chickens when I noticed a newly-hatched chicken in the run. I called Kyemba, the gardener to help me catch the mother hen. Kyemba then carried the sqawking mama-hen over to my house with me, holding the chicken following behind. We placed the hen and chicken in our small overnight chicken house to acclimatise. When we let her out later on, she was soon clucking and encouring her baby to eat the lovely fresh grass and plentiful insects in the garden.

When I returned to the chicken run, I checked on the second hen sitting on eggs. As I put my hand under her, I felt a fluffy little body. I wondered why she'd already hatched one chicken when still sitting on seven or eight eggs. (The two hens had sat very close together and obviously she'd gathered the first one's eggs under herself!) I left the chicken right there as I imagined that the hen knew what she was doing!

On Sunday I was concerned that the chicken was still under its mother while she sat on her eggs. So  I called Kyemba and told him I wanted to remove all the eggs under that hen and take her and ONE chick over to my garden. Kyemba doesn't speak much English but told me I must not destroy the hen's eggs as they'd hatch soon. So I said I wanted her to get out and show her chick how to eat, when he said, "but this chicken's mother is at your house!"  So I put my hand under the hen who gave me a good peck for my trouble, pulled out the new chicken and together Kyemba and I walked over to my house! 

Edwin, my gate guard,  helped us  catch the first hen and single chick; we placed her and with TWO chicks now, in the outhouse. I gave them a little mashed maize and shut the door.  A while later I peeked in and saw she was sitting on the floor with both her chicks under her! We'll let them out today and another bunch of happy chickens will enjoy my garden!  

The little chicken in the front was left under another broody hen when Kyemba and I brought its mum and sibling over to my garden!

I hope you all have a great week ahead. (We have two very special occassions this week,  but more about this later...)

The Cat Tree

At last I'm able to do another post. My Internet connection is still erratic but to top it all, in between something went horribly wrong with my Upload Editor. It's only thanks to Diane of Adventure before Dementia that I managed to correct it. I also have another modem and hope that this ensures I have better and regular Internet. Thanks to all for still visiting me even though I've been so absent from your posts.

Now for some cat-news.

As many of you know, in Kenya Ginger had the run of Chebutie Camp. We inherited him there and he was known as the Boss Cat. Even after we'd given him a secure home and regular food and love, he'd often disappear for two days and return hungry as the proverbial horse. (He was left behind in Kenya when we departed as he'd gone on one of his "walkabouts" two days before!) When Ginger was home, he spent most of his time lying around in the garden, or if he was feeling energetic, he'd hare up a tree, turn around and slide down again.

Shadow, who lived indoors in Khartoum and later in South Africa, became a garden cat after I spent three months walking him on a leash. (More about this later)  Just before we left Kenya, I'd started teaching Ambrose how to behave on a leash.

Now we live in an enclosed garden which would be ideal for the three cats to roam around and relax in. BUT we have two dogs in the garden too. (I posted about Busta and Toffee recently) And these dogs would chase my cats up over the fence and they'd probably run all the way back to Kenya! Needless to say, all three boys are now indoor cats and seem quite happy.

And, because they are unable to go out and climb a few of the amazing trees in our garden, I asked Grant to  find a dry tree stump and prepare it for the cats. He did; this week the carpenters brought the paka mti/cat tree in to the lounge.

Martin and his carpenters carry the cat tree inside the house

I'd asked Grant to have three boxes attached to the branches. These have since been fitted with carpets inside and on top

The proud craftsmen pose with their masterpiece. Amazingly, they didn't even bat a collective eye at the reason for this project!

Ambrose was the first one up the tree and into a box! The cats were a little put off by the smell of varnish which has since disappeared

Finally later that first night, all three cats were on the tree and inspecting their new toy!

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