Life in Mwadui

Life continues on Camp Mwadui and I am feeling a lot better. Thanks to all for your concern and prayers, Skype and e-mail messages.

As usual, mid-week I went shopping in the nearby town, Shinyanga. William collected me at 8.15 and we set off for the fresh produce markets and supermarkets.

Over the past six weeks since I arrived here, William and I have worked out a system whereby he goes about the other chores (like carrying the fruit and vegetables to the car) while 

I continue to the next stall. I'm learning Swahili rather quickly and getting to know the vendors,  which helps me - the Mzungu/foreigner - not to be exploited!

In Tanzania many ladies ride bicycles which is something I only saw once in Kenya.  (Top left photo) Inside the market, I asked "the lady in red"  if I could take photos. I'd spent quite a bit of money so fortunately she said I could (In the bottom left photo, a beautiful young woman was opening her stall and held the cover in front of her face to avoid being photographed)

Before we went off to Shinyanga, William took me to his home to meet his wife and a relative. Their baby is six months old and named Baracka. (I could't change the photos around as my Internet kept playing up. What's new? LOL!) The next four photos are of various shops near the bus terminal . Here we buy water in 1.5lt bottles for individual consumption and 12 lt bottles for the water dispenser in the diningroom. The prices are almost half that of what the supermarkets charge

 

William left me at one of the three supermarkets in "High Street", while he went off in the car to a spares supplier on the other side of town. If anyone knows anything about purchasing mechanical spares, (or any hardware shopping, for that matter) they'd know that I was finished my shopping long before William returned. Leaving my groceries in the shop, I wandered out onto the sidewalk and sat down on a chair. After waiting for about five minutes, I decided to pass the time by phoning my sister, Rosemary, in the UK. As she answered her phone, William returned; He walked towards me, so  I called to him to take my camera from the car and photograph me. My sister, following the whole conversation, was eventually in stitches at my instructions and William's replies ("Mama, the screen's black; I can't see you !" And me: "William pull the silver lever on top of the camera, towards you to zoom in on me") Afterwards I gave him my phone so that he could "meet" my sister. All great fun!  

Sitting outside the grocery store talking to my sister, Rosemary in the UK

William did quite well in working out the zoom feature on my camera. (Both above photos by William)

William, my trusty driver and in his own words, my bodyguard, gets on with loading the groceries into the back of our vehicle

After a hard day in town and having to unpack everything in the stores on Wednesday afternoon, I spent Thursday relaxing with friends...

May you all have a wonderful weekend.

Photos for Auntie Kay of Alberta!

Yesterday I decided to take [more] photos of the cats and post them for Kay of Alberta. As I focussed on Ambrose who was playing with Ginger's favourite mouse, he stopped playing and stared at the lens cap dangling from my camera.

Ambrose more interested in my lens cap than in playing with Ginger's favpourite mouse

Ginger is such a mild-mannered cat. Last week I tried the cat harness on him and he loved it. On Sunday evening Grant and I carried him to the gate wrapped in a towel ( so that he couldn't see the dogs and vice versa) and out into the street. He had a wonderful time in the outdoors for the first time in five weeks.

Ginger revels in being outdoors for the first time since leaving Kenya at the beginning of February

Shadow and Ambrose were waiting for us on the veranda when we returned home with Ginger. They sniffed at him and looked at us as if to say, where WERE you?

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Week ending 11 March 2012

Earlier this week I posted that I had malaria again. I have rested and taken care and feel ready to enter the fray again. Thanks to all for your concern, prayers, thoughts and messages.

I spent the first part of Monday at the hospital being tested and treated for malaria (photo by Sama, taken with my camera)

A belated photo of some of the Guest House staff posing with the snacks they made for our wedding anniversary at the club last weekend. Bottom photo from left to right: Rosemary, Jennifer,Salome, Pendo)

Mid-week I heard activities beyond my house fence. Going into the street I saw that the gardening services slashing the grass verges. I ran back to the Guest House, called Michael, the gardener, to bring a wheelbarrow and rake and, together we approached the garden team. We asked if we could have a little fresh grass cuttings which Michael loaded into the barrow. Returning to the Guest House, I asked Michael to toss a few bunches over the fence around the chicken run. The chickens went wild with excitement and clucked, scratched and pecked away at their fresh dinner.

The caged chickens at the Guest House loved their fresh greens

Above are two of the ladies preparing lunch for the hungry miners. I've taught them to keep their vegetable peelings for the new compost heap which I made with the gardener. The fruit peelings, of course, go to the chickens in the run!

Meanwhile out on the site, the mining continues. Grant and Marnitz photograph the pit and various activities for Grant's weekly report.

The wildlife doesn't seem too phazed about the blast!

Back home, Ambrose does the laundry after which he sits in the window to watch the world go by. This photo is especially for "Auntie Kay" from the Hedges kitties!

And last but not least, I received yet another photo of our beautiful little granddaughter, Abby. She was dedicated in church on Sunday. The parents bring the child to be "introduced to God" in front of the entire congrecation. (Even Jesus was introduced to His Father - ) When the person is old enough to make his/her own decision about faith, they ask to be baptised, also in front of the congregation. Amanda's dad is the pastor, so the dedication and later baptism ceremony is doubly special.

Isn't she just so cute?

Have a wonderful week!