2011 day 5, installment 6

I think that I am getting over the time difference. I stayed up until almost 10 pm last night and got up at 6 today. For a guy my age, that seems to be good. The day starts a bit later than it did in October… well not the day, daylight, and it stays light for about an hour longer than it did then. I thought that the equator had moved, but Carla said that they went on daylight savings time at the end of Oct. Daylight savings,,like they have a bank somewhere that saves daylight…if that’s true, I’ll be willing to wager that Alaska would like to make some withdrawals about now.
Last night it rained most of the night….like it’s still the dry season….yada yada yada. I’m convinced that there is no dry season…just a ’not so wet’ season and a wet season. I will admit that they have put the life boats and floatation devises away for now. The ground absorbs the water now and there is little mud after the rain stops.
It is a good thing for me that Friday is a school day and the kids are in school for most of the day, so I am able to come out of hiding and work on some projects. I have found it is easier to work without additional body parts hanging on me. Today I finished nailing down some metal roofing over my work area…did I tell you that when I was here before, it rained every day…so I couldn’t work in the afternoons. Evidently this did not go un-noticed by Jeff, as when he heard that I was coming back he quickly put up a roof over the area that the saw was in. He said he was just looking out for me….but casually mentioned that I would be able to work all day….I think he is beginning to like me, as I have not felt so cared for by him before. Not wanting to disappoint him, I worked all day and built some storage boxes. Meanwhile, two of the metal doors into the buildings had broken hinges and Jeff got out the welder to mend them. He said he knew what he was doing…I wonder tho, as he was taking out the paint spray to do the “welding.” The broken hinges do look nice now however.
The kids have been going through the chicken pox and there are some new cases. I couldn’t figure out how they knew when a kid gets pox….with us mzungu, we get red spots that stand out…not quite so noticeable on the black skin, but the affects are the same. I’m continually amazed at how on top of the kids J & C are….well not really on top,,,it’s really the other way around…them under a bunch of snot producers… but, you know.. aware of the kids needs. TB is back and there are some of the older kids that have active TB and are getting treatment. Haven’t seen much malaria or typhoid, but it’s always here. Knowing all what is lurking around, it makes it interesting to be hugged and slimed… there was a reason I didn’t do babies. Carla had one throw up all over her as we were talking… “want to hold her?” Carla quiries. “Oh, can I, please!” I reply, “I’ll be right back after I puke my guts out” I say heading for the door….what’s with these kids…no respect for MY feelings.
The older kids can watch a movie on Friday and Sat nights, and sat down to watch Sahara with them….well as it turned out, ‘under’ them. I did see some of the movie tho, as they would jocky for position of top mzungu sitter occasionally and open up a hole for a few moments. As the pile grew, I soon squirted out the bottom, as snot also has lubrication tendencies, and snuck out.
Tomorrow is Saturday for us, and will eventually be for you too. Jeff, Carla and I are taking some of the older kids to town and will stop off to see the architect for the new buildings and move the projects along a bit.