Odds and Ends:

--We have had a few people write about our friend Ruth. She is doing well, recovering from her surgery. We have been able to provide for her medicine, and will do our best to make sure that she is able to continue to receive this medicine. Thank you for all who have offered to help; you have encouraged us greatly!!!

--We are completely confused about the power situation here. Apparently, the hydroelectric dams have ceased operating, and for a short while we were cut off from the national power grid, but an airplane landed in the capital city with phony electrical generators, and our power is back to how it has been; the lights come on at 7:00 pm, and turn off around 6 am.

--Unfortunately, the water situation here is degrading too. The lake level has dropped below the main intake for the city water supply. So our part of town has water during the night time hours only… thankfully, our water tank gets us through, and we don’t do baths or laundry during the day anyways, because of earlier mentioned power situation.

--The mangoes are back in season, and the pineapple. This makes us happy.

--Our housing project has us missing Home Depot.

--We are still learning language, trying to catch up to Josiah, who is getting proficient at telling people what to do in Swahili. I think he aspires to do this in every language.

--While eating out at the nicest restaurant in town ($5 a plate), we overheard a wedding reception next door. The DJ was playing such wedding favorites as Phil Collins “Another Day in Paradise” and Wham’s “Guilty Feet”. Almost as funny as my barber singing along to the Indian version of “Karma Chameleon”.

--I was delayed going to language class the other day when the sliding door fell off the minibus I was waiting to board. This is an acceptable excuse here.

--Killed two snakes last week. And a thousand-watt transformer.

--Myth-buster: while some things are cheaper here, most things are actually more expensive, especially when you have to replace everything because it is low quality and breaks easily. A cold coke for a quarter, however, does make a stifling hot day a little nicer.

--Good news: We have moved into a short-term house down the street from our housing project, so we now have room for the boxes and items we shipped from America. I am enjoying getting my books back (coffee and a good book helps with culture stress!) and Charity is unpacking her kitchen stuff. Josiah has his tools. And Elijah has cardboard to chew on, unless he is…

--walking! Taking four or five steps. Then he dances away. Especially if he sees a banana, which are always in season here!