Tuesday, October 8, 2013

65. The Best Laid Plans Of Mice and 'Wo"Men


Plans were to up load all of the pictures so far for y’all. But with wifi coming and going I have given up after four hours and not getting one picture- not ONE- all the way downloaded before the wifi went out!!! Plus I have pulled my hair out and called the Wifi server everything but a junk yard dog!! So it will have to be another try here in Kananga area on another day and if that does not work I will try in Kinshasa while I am a “guest” ;). Sorry!  But I have had it!!
Marcia has a washing machine here. She gets up at 5 AM to start it so that it will have the three hours it takes to run and be finished by eight when the guys get here. They hang it all out for her. Then there will be some time to dry it outside-hopefully before the afternoon rains come. If not it is all brought inside and hung on the other mosquito net holder in our room to dry. Really works nicely! ;)

We just had some visitors. He is the Registrar at Marcia’s school- and he and his wife came to welcome us. The other day she stopped by with her baby tied to her back and I asked permission and got pictures. They brought me a gift today. A carving of a Mama carrying her baby and also carrying a jug of water on her head. They were fascinated with our family picture we had taken before we left PK for Congo. They wanted to know about each family. Everyone tells me the same thing when we tell them Clint just made colonel. “Oh,Mama! You and all of your whole family would be rich and well taken care of by all-if you lived here!”
Phew!  Another memory smell. Gag!! Marcia just stepped on a dijinda/black soldier ant. We have carefully looked to be sure there are no more. She has sprayed some poison. She is sure it was not an army or driver ant. Otherwise we’d be vacating the house! I remember them one time at Lubondai. Great Congo version of Orkin! No creepy crawly creature of any kind was in the house after they left!! It’s Congo! ;) I did send you pictures of the Army ants we saw at the Bonobos! Much smaller!

Kids outside are quite frustrated. We have left the privacy curtains closed all day and the front door closed too. So they have not been able to see us. I keep expecting one to climb the mango tree to look in the upper part of the window! Little rascals! They are so precocious!
Marcia and I are getting ready for the trip to Lubondai. Every type of medical stuff you can think of is ready to go. Ten gallons of water plus our water bottles. Toilet paper. Wet wipes. Bug spray. Hats. Cups. Barf bags. Picnic ready in awhile. We are supposed to leave a little after 6 AM. But it is Congo!! We’ll see!! ;)) Unknown to Ken I also have his knee brace. After the trip to N’desha yesterday, I am in a quandary. The homes were not that bad to be between 60-80 years old had had no maintenance. Pretty old Belgian designs. The roofs were rusty. No one had painted the houses in years. But some had flowers in the flower boxes. Others needed a weed eater and mower! I was not shocked or disappointed and neither were Ken and Marcia -and they had lived in three of the homes!! They were surprised at how good it all really was! So. we’ll see what Lubondai delivers. The descriptions have not been good so I guess I am ready for the worst and will hopefully be pleasantly surprised!! Oh well, IT IS WHAT IT IS!! And as Lily Tomlin , from the “Laugh In Show” would say from her big rocker  and sticking her tongue out, “And that’s the truth! Psssaaattt! I will take notes and pictures all day tomorrow and into the night as long as I can see. I’ll then have to transcribe them all. Nothing more until Thursday if all is up and running here when we return.

Take Care!

Love Ya! Me

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