35. Information and Memories From Y'all That I'll Share

35. Information and Memories From Y’all That I’ll Share

From Ken’s sister this morning:

“Yes, I remember swimming in Lake Fwa but it was before it was off limits. Ken, I'm not sure if you would remember it as it was before Betty Lou died. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was before the furlough in San Antonio. The Hotel there was still in use and we had drinks on the porch and ate there. If I remember correctly, we were with the Joe Rays from Mutoto and Texas. Jo Trent was about Amelia's age or a year or so younger and David was Betty Lou's age. There was a "kiddy's" area with kind of a stone/cement "wall" around it in the water and then the real swimming area on the other side with a big tree hanging over it with a rope to swing out on and drop into the water. I remember going out years later and seeing the buildings all going/gone to ruin and taking a canoe trip out on the lake. Parts of the wall in the water were still there (if I remember correctly). The hotel was all grown over and going back



Jigger- a sort of flea. Gets in your feet lays eggs and they eat on you once they hatch.
 As kids the Tatu's were better at getting them out of out feet than parents.
And we did not scream- as loudly for Tatu! ;) Found a picture on line!

Larry Sthreshley and I told Beth Schwaab about jiggers (sp?) "tubuasu". Well, I found one in my heel Sat. and my workers confirmed that that is what it was this morning. I hadn't felt it as it didn't itch when it went in (or if it did I just thought it was one of the usual bites I get on my arms and legs as I don't think to use my "off" until after I get bitten) and the only way I found it was feeling a "bump" on my heel. It must have been there a while to get so big. So, I'll have to get them to take it out as it is awkwardly placed for me to be digging it out!

Tatu Kangudi (cook) took my "kabuasu" out with a palm frond thorn like Tatu Shamba Bimwengi and Tatu Shamba Ngentshi used to (Tatu Kangudi said Peggy Rambo used to get them in/on her heels too). He got it all out without breaking the egg sac and it was a BIG one. No pain as my heel had a lot of tough skin it had gotten into. Luckily I found it before the "babies" hatched! Larry says "tubuasu" are only around where pigs are and there are at least 2 families of pigs that roam the station at will. They have not been in my yard since the fence was finished but they were certainly around daily before that. Pigs have been getting in the Fletchers' yard next door by digging under the fence (mostly the little babies) and ruined the garden they had started. I hope they don't find a way under my fence as it is more fragile (but smaller) than the Fletchers' and I have a much bigger garden area planted than they did. :)

Well, we had a big heavy rain Saturday night that lasted from 1:30 a.m. until almost 5 a.m. So, some people are saying dry season is over and others are saying no, not until after the next rain. Unfortunately, the rain just showed how poorly the roads have been fixed and how ineffective the drainage ditches they put in are. They are nothing like the pre-independence ones and look like the Kinshasa drainage ditches but they don't drain "into" anything! In fact they have built lots of deep holes but nothing connects to them! Also, in the villages, where there are houses the ditches stop for a walk way and then pick up on the other side. One rain and some of them are almost filled back up with sand and mud! As Lenore says "C'est le Congo!”

Guess my desire for a Southern Living Magazine fix got Gail North to send me the following. Now I am all fixed up with Southern “warm fuzzie-isms!”

"Suthnuhs"

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW THE RULES

Southerners know their summer weather report:
Humidity
Humidity
Humidity

Southerners know their vacation spots:
The beach
The rivuh
The crick
Southerners know everybody's first name:
Honey
Darlin'
Shugah
Southerners know the movies that speak to their hearts:
Fried Green Tomatoes
Driving Miss Daisy
Steel Magnolias
Gone With The Wind
Southerners know their religions:
Bapdiss
Methdiss
Football

Southerners know their cities dripping with Southern charm:
Chawl'stn
S'vanah
Foat Wuth
N'awlins
Addlanna
Southerners know their elegant gentlemen:
Men in uniform
Men in tuxedos
Rhett Butler

Southern girls know their prime real estate:
The Mall
The Country Club
The Beauty Salon

Southern girls know the 3 deadly sins:
Having bad hair and nails
Having bad manners
Cooking bad food

Only a Southerner knows the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption fit, and that you don't "HAVE" them, you "PITCH" them.

Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up "a mess."

Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of "yonder."

Only a Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is, as in: "Going to town, be back directly."

 Even Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular, sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.
All Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is. They might not use the term, but they know the concept well.
Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad. If the neighbor's trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin'!
Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference between "right near"
and "a right far piece."
They also know that" just down the road" can be 1 mile or 20.

Only a Southerner both knows and understands the difference between a redneck, a good ol' boy, and po' white trash.

No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with the flashing turn signal is actually going to make a turn.
A Southerner knows that "fixin" can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.
Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines, .. Put 100 Southerners in a room and half of them will discover they're related, even if only by marriage.
In the South, y'all is singular, and y'all is plural.
Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.
Every Southerner knows that tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits, and coffee are perfectly wonderful; that red eye gravy is also a breakfast food; that scrambled eggs just ain't right without Tabasco, and fried green tomatoes are not a breakfast food.
When you hear someone say, "Well, I caught myself lookin'," you know you are in the presence of a genuine Southerner!
Only true Southerners say "sweet tea" and "sweet milk." Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it -- we do not like our tea unsweetened. "Sweet milk" means you don't want buttermilk.
And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway. You just say, "Bless her sweet little heart"... and go your own way.
To those of you who are still a little embarrassed by your Southernness: Take two tent revivals and a dose of sausage gravy and call me in the morning. Bless your little heart!
And to those of you who are still having a hard time understanding all this Southern stuff...bless your hearts, I hear they're fixin' to have classes on Southernness as a second language!
Southern girls know men may come and go, but friends are fah-evah!
There ain't no magazine named "Northern Living" for good reason. There ain't nobody interested in livin' up north, so nobody would buy the magazine!

Now Shugah, send this to someone who was raised in the South or wish they had abeen! If you're a Northern transplant, bless your little heart, fake it. We know you got here as fast as you could!”

 

My grandmother, Bonka, used many of these as her usual South Carolina patois. Loved every moment I was lucky enough to spend in her wonderful company! Daily, I miss her wisdom about life! What a lady she was!  Thanks, Gail, for the memories!

Beth Reinhold Gold wrote:

“I loved the picture of the tents in the hall way. Seeing them lined up and remembering Lenore's discussion of the BLACK dust...reminded me of exercising in the hall way my junior year in high school '70. One of the exercises we would do was to sit down at one end and inch our way forward slapping our thighs and legs on the floor...at the end, our thighs would be black! and there would be streaks down the hall from where we went. If those walls could talk!! Thinking of you folks every day.”

Thom Mccutchen shared parts of his Mom’s journal as they fled Kinshasa after Independence. It involved the Murrray family as neighbors and was very interesting. Thanks for sharing Thom! We were mesmerized as we read it! Since it was a personal journal I did not share it here without your permission.

Our life at MPH is the same for the most part. Meetin’ and a Greetin’, Washin’ and a Foldin’, Cookin’ and a Cleanin’, Grocery Shoppin’ and a Eatin’ out!

 Have a GREAT weekend!  I’ve got a date with my guy Friday night at La Piscine - he wants the sole again!! Heard of a fondue place from the Indian Owner of the restaurant where we ate lunch after grocery shopping. Also while there we met a group of Embassy folks. His family had just arrived from Kansas. Girls will be going to TASOK across the street from MPH.  They are in 9^th and 12^th grades. Girls came willingly. Mom came kicking and screaming. She had found it better than she thought it would be- “so far.” Husband just smiled.

Enjoy hearing from all of you.

Love Ya! Me