For us, here in Togo, we celebrated semi-German-style. That means we went to the church service on Christmas Eve and then opened presents in the evening. I wanted to celebrate on Christmas Day so that there would be a day between Sydney's birthday and Christmas, but Roger wanted a German Christmas. Oh well...
Anyway, we went to the Seaman's Mission for a joint German/French service. We didn't pay attention to the starting time so assumed it was at 6pm. We got there and no one else was there. On the door, as we walked in, we found out the reason, we were an hour early! (Honestly, who starts their Christmas Eve service at 7pm?) We decided to hang out at the "Chinese Wal-Mart" (you think Wal-Mart has cheap-Chinese-junk, you should see this) and at the only posh hotel in town. We bought a $4 bottle of water and hung out until just before 7. As Roger went to pay, he found out that there was a Christmas bazaar of sorts just outside so we went for a look. Of course, that meant we were late to the service (much more our style)--the last ones seated, and NOT under a fan. After sweating thru the service (it just isn't right to sweat thru the Christmas Eve service), we chatted to a few people and headed home. On the way, Roger complained about the car driving funny (it always drives funny, just sometimes it's funnier than others). About half way home, we heard a funny noise and Elena looked out to see a very flat tire. There was no place to stop so we had to keep going until we got to a filling station where it was safe to stop and change it. Of course there were dozens of onlookers and a few even offered to help. The tire was completely ruined by this point. Roger got it changed (glad I wasn't alone!) and at 9:30pm, we finally ate a rather overcooked Christmas dinner, which had been in the crockpot waaaaay too long. It still tasted ok and we had fun opening presents as well afterward.
Today, we have friends coming to eat dinner with us and play games, or watch a movie, or swim in the little pool, or just hang out.
Merry Christmas Y'all!!
The Stolls
Sunday, 25 December 2011
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Trash Talk, the Saga Continues
Well, we finally talked to the head man at the trash company. He says that the mayor won't allow them to dump trash in the same place they were dumping it so apparently that affects why they come only once a week--most of the time. It doesn't really make a lot of sense to us. He said we must just buy bigger trash barrels to put outside so we have lots of space to hold trash while it sits out there waiting to be collected. It might not be a bad idea, but 2 things keep me from wanting to do this. 1.) The new barrels may very well sprout legs and go away, and 2.) is that the guys who pick up trash are REALLY rough and will destroy the barrels pretty quickly, I've no doubt. We'll see. We've talked to another man about collecting our trash starting in the new year. Maybe he'll be better.
Anyway, I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Can't wait until next year when we also get to celebrate in the US!!
Anyway, I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Can't wait until next year when we also get to celebrate in the US!!
Friday, 9 December 2011
Trash Talk
About 2 years ago, the officials who do that kind of thing, decided that there would be various new groups in charge of collecting trash and disposing of it. The big man of Etablissment Ame came to our house and told us that we, as “preferred customers”, would pay 4,000cfa per month (that's about $8) for them to come around twice a week to collect our trash. We realized right away that 4,000 was way more than others pay (“preferred” is just another way to say, “pay more”) so Roger negotiated and we got them down to 3,000cfa per month. No problem, right? They were to come by with their little mini tractor and high-sided trailer on Mondays and Thursdays. Apart from taking 2 months longer to get started than they said, it all went well for the first bit.
For the last year, at least, they wouldn't come at all for 2 weeks. Our trash sat outside the gate on the road all the time. It smelled, collected various trash from anyone else who wanted to add to it and was scrounged thru by anyone or anything who went by. The money collector was very prompt to come by on the first of the month and I finally got to where I would tell him what I thought of his ability to collect money each month, but not trash. One time I even told him I'd pay as soon as the trash was collected, since it had been there for 2 ½ weeks. The tractor came by within the same morning.
Then, I began calling them when the trash sat for longer than the allotted time. The man on the other end was always very patronizing and sometimes even this didn't get results very quickly. (If you want to REALLY get on my nerves, be patronizing to me!) Anyway, I got tired of spending my money to call them 4-5 times a month and decided to just let the trash sit.
Then our war entered a new phase (or whatever wars enter). At the end of October, our trash sat there nearly 2 weeks. The first of November came and the guy hadn't come by to collect his money—very irregular. I realized he was only coming when the trash had been collected. Sure enough, they picked the trash late on the 3rd and, like clockwork, there he was at 8am the next morning. I told him I knew he'd finally come that morning because the trash had finally been collected. He denied it until I said that I knew I was right. He just shrugged and gave a goofy smile. I said that since the trash was to be collected 2 times a week for 3000cfa, but was only collected, on average, once a week—half the service—I'd only pay half the money. You pay for the service you get, right? We argued a while and he said his boss would come that night. He never came—wasn't in town, apparently. Finally, just before then end of the month, we agreed to give him 2000cfa since they had collected trash just more than half the time. I called the boss and he hasn't come round, except once, late and we couldn't talk to him by then. I still haven't paid this month and don't plan to until the boss comes round and talks about it. If it's that big of a deal to him, surely he'll show up some day.
I realize this is a pitiful battle to fight. Afterall, what is $6 a month? However, I get tired of being taken advantage of. When we arrive at the market, prices usually go up. That's just the way it is. Fine, I argue prices just like the rest of them, but these people wouldn't argue properly. They didn't “play by the rules” and used the fact that they are the only business doing this in our area to get more money out of us. I seriously doubt I'll win the battle. Only if the contract actually says they come 2 times a week—which I think it does—will I have any grounds. Oh well, I just chose to fight this time and we'll see how it turns out. I'll let you know.
For the last year, at least, they wouldn't come at all for 2 weeks. Our trash sat outside the gate on the road all the time. It smelled, collected various trash from anyone else who wanted to add to it and was scrounged thru by anyone or anything who went by. The money collector was very prompt to come by on the first of the month and I finally got to where I would tell him what I thought of his ability to collect money each month, but not trash. One time I even told him I'd pay as soon as the trash was collected, since it had been there for 2 ½ weeks. The tractor came by within the same morning.
Then, I began calling them when the trash sat for longer than the allotted time. The man on the other end was always very patronizing and sometimes even this didn't get results very quickly. (If you want to REALLY get on my nerves, be patronizing to me!) Anyway, I got tired of spending my money to call them 4-5 times a month and decided to just let the trash sit.
Then our war entered a new phase (or whatever wars enter). At the end of October, our trash sat there nearly 2 weeks. The first of November came and the guy hadn't come by to collect his money—very irregular. I realized he was only coming when the trash had been collected. Sure enough, they picked the trash late on the 3rd and, like clockwork, there he was at 8am the next morning. I told him I knew he'd finally come that morning because the trash had finally been collected. He denied it until I said that I knew I was right. He just shrugged and gave a goofy smile. I said that since the trash was to be collected 2 times a week for 3000cfa, but was only collected, on average, once a week—half the service—I'd only pay half the money. You pay for the service you get, right? We argued a while and he said his boss would come that night. He never came—wasn't in town, apparently. Finally, just before then end of the month, we agreed to give him 2000cfa since they had collected trash just more than half the time. I called the boss and he hasn't come round, except once, late and we couldn't talk to him by then. I still haven't paid this month and don't plan to until the boss comes round and talks about it. If it's that big of a deal to him, surely he'll show up some day.
I realize this is a pitiful battle to fight. Afterall, what is $6 a month? However, I get tired of being taken advantage of. When we arrive at the market, prices usually go up. That's just the way it is. Fine, I argue prices just like the rest of them, but these people wouldn't argue properly. They didn't “play by the rules” and used the fact that they are the only business doing this in our area to get more money out of us. I seriously doubt I'll win the battle. Only if the contract actually says they come 2 times a week—which I think it does—will I have any grounds. Oh well, I just chose to fight this time and we'll see how it turns out. I'll let you know.
Friday, 2 December 2011
What's in the Bottle
That was a cheap way to try and get comments on a blog post and I thank Jennifer and Rebecca for commenting. To the rest of you who I know wanted to comment, but just didn't get the time, I'll go ahead and tell what you might find in used bottles here in Togo.
Around here, people buy empty bottles that have screw on lids so they can use them for various things. You can buy roasted peanuts, sugared peanuts, roasted coconut, cookie things, whatever little snack-type things fit into a whiskey bottle. Also, people buy gasoline and sell it in these bottles on the side of the road. Personally, I'd be afraid to use them, not knowing exactly how much is gasoline and how much is something else. You could buy kerosene as well. The plastic ones are typically used to sell homemade liquid soap. Sometimes, people sell juices in them as well, or maybe even stronger than juice. I have personally not tasted them so cannot say for sure what exactly they hold. Maybe Saharabecks has some other known uses of the bottles we sell to little girls like the one who periodically comes to our door.
Next week, I'll post about my ongoing battle with the people who collect (sometimes) our trash. Watch this space. (I always wanted to say that.)
Around here, people buy empty bottles that have screw on lids so they can use them for various things. You can buy roasted peanuts, sugared peanuts, roasted coconut, cookie things, whatever little snack-type things fit into a whiskey bottle. Also, people buy gasoline and sell it in these bottles on the side of the road. Personally, I'd be afraid to use them, not knowing exactly how much is gasoline and how much is something else. You could buy kerosene as well. The plastic ones are typically used to sell homemade liquid soap. Sometimes, people sell juices in them as well, or maybe even stronger than juice. I have personally not tasted them so cannot say for sure what exactly they hold. Maybe Saharabecks has some other known uses of the bottles we sell to little girls like the one who periodically comes to our door.
Next week, I'll post about my ongoing battle with the people who collect (sometimes) our trash. Watch this space. (I always wanted to say that.)
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Some thoughts (rather a long read, sorry)
There is a girl who comes by our house periodically. She is somewhere between 10-13 years old—I would guess. She comes at various times during the day so I know she doesn't go to school. She doesn't speak more than a few words of French, so I know she hasn't ever gone to school, where kids normally learn French. She works really hard as well. This girl comes by our house, and any other house she feels like knocking on the door of, to buy bottles. She carries a very large aluminum basin on her head with glass whiskey and schnapps bottles and on that is a huge woven bag full of plastic bottles. I've helped her get it off her head, so I know it's heavy. When I have bottles to sell, I help her get her load off her head and set it in the sand before our front gate. Then I go get all the bottles I've collected. We then debate over the price.
Now here in Africa, one never accepts the first price. That's just the way it goes. Even if you end up paying about the same amount, you have to debate about it first. I have had times where I was willing to pay their asking price but debate anyway, 'cause that's just what you do—and I usually end up paying less.
Anyway, somehow, with this girl, I don't have much desire to try to get more money out of her. I always feel sorry for her. (Besides, she doesn't understand French and I don't understand Ewe—her language—so it's pretty useless to argue.) She usually pays me 75cfa for 3 big, 1.5 l, plastic water bottles and 50cfa for 2 smaller, 1 l , plastic water bottles. That equals around 15-20 cents USA. She will then sell these bottles to other people.
Sometimes I think about things I'd like to have but don't. Then people like this little girl come by and make me feel like a millionaire. This little girl works really hard walking miles each day from house to house buying bottles that she won't sell for a whole lot more than she bought them. It's hot here and her load gets pretty heavy. She, however, is trying to make a living. I don't know her circumstances. I have no idea where she lives and who she lives with. Most likely, she does this for her family, whoever that consists of. I'd like to take a photo of her, but haven't yet decide to ask her. I'd need a translator.
Now that I finally write this down, I find I don't have all the words to express what it is exactly that I feel. It isn't just pity, but I also feel proud of her for trying to do something about her poverty, not just beg. There are 2 words and neither are totally adequate. Life is hard here, not for all Togolese, but certainly for most of them.
One last thing, if you'd like to know what they sell in the bottles this girl collects, write a comment to this blog entry and I'll tell you. ~kathy
Now here in Africa, one never accepts the first price. That's just the way it goes. Even if you end up paying about the same amount, you have to debate about it first. I have had times where I was willing to pay their asking price but debate anyway, 'cause that's just what you do—and I usually end up paying less.
Anyway, somehow, with this girl, I don't have much desire to try to get more money out of her. I always feel sorry for her. (Besides, she doesn't understand French and I don't understand Ewe—her language—so it's pretty useless to argue.) She usually pays me 75cfa for 3 big, 1.5 l, plastic water bottles and 50cfa for 2 smaller, 1 l , plastic water bottles. That equals around 15-20 cents USA. She will then sell these bottles to other people.
Sometimes I think about things I'd like to have but don't. Then people like this little girl come by and make me feel like a millionaire. This little girl works really hard walking miles each day from house to house buying bottles that she won't sell for a whole lot more than she bought them. It's hot here and her load gets pretty heavy. She, however, is trying to make a living. I don't know her circumstances. I have no idea where she lives and who she lives with. Most likely, she does this for her family, whoever that consists of. I'd like to take a photo of her, but haven't yet decide to ask her. I'd need a translator.
Now that I finally write this down, I find I don't have all the words to express what it is exactly that I feel. It isn't just pity, but I also feel proud of her for trying to do something about her poverty, not just beg. There are 2 words and neither are totally adequate. Life is hard here, not for all Togolese, but certainly for most of them.
One last thing, if you'd like to know what they sell in the bottles this girl collects, write a comment to this blog entry and I'll tell you. ~kathy
Saturday, 12 November 2011
A graduation on Saturday
Jonathan graduated today. Jonathan is one of Roger's colleagues. He is also a missionary—works in Togo but is from Guinea Conakry/Sierra Leone. He just finished his Master's in Missiology with most high honors! It was a privilege to be there to watch him graduate and we were glad to have been invited to be a part of it all. However, we had no idea just what this graduation ceremony involved. We got there at 7:30am so that we could be sure to get a seat under a fan—they were already almost gone—and the thing started pretty much on-time at 8am. Roger (I don't know if he was thinking positively or if he really wasn't thinking) said we'd be home by 10am. We got home a little after 1pm.
The girls were actually pretty good thru the whole thing but that was only because their new friends were there also and they could sit and chat the whole time (all 4 ½ hours of the ceremony). Since the only thing we had to tell them was to be quiet a couple of times, we didn't mind.
Afterward, we assembled in groups of students with the people they had invited and had snacks and drinks. This was interesting as the groups were organized according to country that the graduates came from and each group was in some sort of shady spot on the campus. Those happened to be pretty close to each other and some groups were REALLY loud. We had a loudspeaker just behind us and couldn't tell what was going on in our group (Jonathan's). Oh well. This part only lasted about an hour so we didn't have to endure it so long.
Even though it was long and not our favorite way to spend a Saturday morning, it was a real privilege to be a part of Jonathan's celebration.
LtoR: Adrienne and Adama (the cook and other trainer at mediAfrique), Jonathan and his wife Rose (with their two daughters, Maggi and Blessing), and Roger and I. (Our girls had disappeared as far away as they could get by the time we began taking photos.)
By the way, I have no idea who the little boy is.
The girls were actually pretty good thru the whole thing but that was only because their new friends were there also and they could sit and chat the whole time (all 4 ½ hours of the ceremony). Since the only thing we had to tell them was to be quiet a couple of times, we didn't mind.
Afterward, we assembled in groups of students with the people they had invited and had snacks and drinks. This was interesting as the groups were organized according to country that the graduates came from and each group was in some sort of shady spot on the campus. Those happened to be pretty close to each other and some groups were REALLY loud. We had a loudspeaker just behind us and couldn't tell what was going on in our group (Jonathan's). Oh well. This part only lasted about an hour so we didn't have to endure it so long.
Even though it was long and not our favorite way to spend a Saturday morning, it was a real privilege to be a part of Jonathan's celebration.
LtoR: Adrienne and Adama (the cook and other trainer at mediAfrique), Jonathan and his wife Rose (with their two daughters, Maggi and Blessing), and Roger and I. (Our girls had disappeared as far away as they could get by the time we began taking photos.)
By the way, I have no idea who the little boy is.
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
update
Here we go again. It's been a along time since anyone wrote on here. It's not that there's nothing going on, it's just that we don't seem to get round to writing any of it down. Also, I prefer to have photos but haven' learned to edit them on this computer. So, how's that for some excuses?
Yes, we've had a number of things going on here. We met a family with 3 girls who are here temporarily. Unfortunately, it's just temporary, because we really enjoy them. The girls are good friends with Fiona and Sydney and then they have a younger one.
We've also celebrated 2 birthdays. Elena turned 13 on 23 Sept, and Fiona turned 11 on 1 Nov. We now have a teenager in the house!!! Sydney will turn 8 on 23 Dec. Fiona has really shot up this year. She's nearly as tall as Elena, who is only about an inch shorter than I. (Not that that is saying too much, but I guess for them, it's tall.)
One last bit of news is that Roger finished his 3rd year of teaching at mediAfrique, the training center we're here to help get started. There are a lot of questions about the future of the center. Like, do they want to grow? Where can they relocate with bigger facilities? What about more trainers? And so on... Roger, his 2 colleagues and their wives and I went on a little retreat to pray and try to find answers to these questions. There was a definite desire to branch out and offer more courses, maybe in TV, etc, but no solution as to where. God knows the answers and we just need the faith to wait and trust Him to show us those answers.
~kathy
Yes, we've had a number of things going on here. We met a family with 3 girls who are here temporarily. Unfortunately, it's just temporary, because we really enjoy them. The girls are good friends with Fiona and Sydney and then they have a younger one.
We've also celebrated 2 birthdays. Elena turned 13 on 23 Sept, and Fiona turned 11 on 1 Nov. We now have a teenager in the house!!! Sydney will turn 8 on 23 Dec. Fiona has really shot up this year. She's nearly as tall as Elena, who is only about an inch shorter than I. (Not that that is saying too much, but I guess for them, it's tall.)
One last bit of news is that Roger finished his 3rd year of teaching at mediAfrique, the training center we're here to help get started. There are a lot of questions about the future of the center. Like, do they want to grow? Where can they relocate with bigger facilities? What about more trainers? And so on... Roger, his 2 colleagues and their wives and I went on a little retreat to pray and try to find answers to these questions. There was a definite desire to branch out and offer more courses, maybe in TV, etc, but no solution as to where. God knows the answers and we just need the faith to wait and trust Him to show us those answers.
~kathy
Friday, 26 August 2011
Please pray
We just heard that the son of a family we know died of cerebral malaria. Please pray for the Cherry family at the loss of their son, Christopher, who was 10 years old. Please pray for us as well. This kind of thing scares me. I find it hard to trust that God is in control in cases like this.
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
You know you're back in Africa when...
...the African airline you're on bumps you off their overbooked flight and doesn't tell you until you are halfway thru your trip.
...you finally arrive at your destination, and the flight is 2 hours earlier than stated on your ticket. Wouldn't normally be such a big deal but when the time is 3am as opposed to 5am, and your ride is therefore, still in bed, it is a bit of a big deal.
...you get home and everything is covered in mold from the overabundance of rain this year. Meaning that everything has to be cleaned and de-moldified. And, that all the clothes need to be washed because they STINK.
...the new pump that pushes water into the house, doesn't work and therefore the washing machine doesn't work either, just when there are literally mountains of laundry. (I've washed at least 10 loads, when we've had laundry, and still have about that many to go.)
...the washing machine doesn't run properly because of the sporadic water, making it necessary to restart the thing every 20 minutes or so.
...various small appliances, that ran fine before we left, suddenly don't work.
...because of the rain, the temperatures are pleasant. (A good thing since we could only take cold bucket baths for the first 5 days.)
We arrived a day late and 2 hours early from our trip to Germany. We had a wonderful time with family and friends. I think this has made it harder to adjust to life again here, that and the fact that things are in a sort of state of disrepair. It's hard not to compare "there" with "here".
...you finally arrive at your destination, and the flight is 2 hours earlier than stated on your ticket. Wouldn't normally be such a big deal but when the time is 3am as opposed to 5am, and your ride is therefore, still in bed, it is a bit of a big deal.
...you get home and everything is covered in mold from the overabundance of rain this year. Meaning that everything has to be cleaned and de-moldified. And, that all the clothes need to be washed because they STINK.
...the new pump that pushes water into the house, doesn't work and therefore the washing machine doesn't work either, just when there are literally mountains of laundry. (I've washed at least 10 loads, when we've had laundry, and still have about that many to go.)
...the washing machine doesn't run properly because of the sporadic water, making it necessary to restart the thing every 20 minutes or so.
...various small appliances, that ran fine before we left, suddenly don't work.
...because of the rain, the temperatures are pleasant. (A good thing since we could only take cold bucket baths for the first 5 days.)
We arrived a day late and 2 hours early from our trip to Germany. We had a wonderful time with family and friends. I think this has made it harder to adjust to life again here, that and the fact that things are in a sort of state of disrepair. It's hard not to compare "there" with "here".
Friday, 8 July 2011
Holiday highlights
We've been in Europe for just under 2 months. We came to celebrate Oma and Opa's 50th anniversary and the 50th of Radio Worldwide in England. We decided to spend time also visiting people in Europe whom we haven't seen in about 4 years--most of them.
The past week we spent in France. We stayed with our friends, Patrick and Marie-Françoise, and had a GREAT time!! We got to see many other friends and just hung out doing "touristy" kinds of things. The weather was super and we had fun. A special thing is that Roger, Marie-Françoise and Elena go to do parapente (paragliding). They all loved it and when they landed, they hardly had any words for how fun it was. Elena has written about her experience and added photos and you can read it here
Fiona and Sydney got to ride horses thru the forest which was definitely their highlight! Fiona even got to ride by herself. For Kathy just being with friends and having wonderful weather (warm without sweating!) was super.
Now we are visiting other friends in Switzerland before heading back to Germany on Monday. We then leave--after LOADS of meeting other friends and family--on 1 Aug for Togo again. However, we aren't thinking about that yet...
Here are a few photo highlights.
We got to visit many friends in England. Here we are with Steve and Anita Southgate.
Picking wild strawberries in Germany.
Oma and Opa celebrating 50 years together!
Stockbrot (stick bread) with family and friends in Germany.
Patrick and Marie-Françoise in France.
Roger parapente.
View from the parapente take-off over Lake Annecy, France.
Picknicking above Lake Annecy.
A view of Mt. Blanc, Western Europe's highest mountain.
The past week we spent in France. We stayed with our friends, Patrick and Marie-Françoise, and had a GREAT time!! We got to see many other friends and just hung out doing "touristy" kinds of things. The weather was super and we had fun. A special thing is that Roger, Marie-Françoise and Elena go to do parapente (paragliding). They all loved it and when they landed, they hardly had any words for how fun it was. Elena has written about her experience and added photos and you can read it here
Fiona and Sydney got to ride horses thru the forest which was definitely their highlight! Fiona even got to ride by herself. For Kathy just being with friends and having wonderful weather (warm without sweating!) was super.
Now we are visiting other friends in Switzerland before heading back to Germany on Monday. We then leave--after LOADS of meeting other friends and family--on 1 Aug for Togo again. However, we aren't thinking about that yet...
Here are a few photo highlights.
We got to visit many friends in England. Here we are with Steve and Anita Southgate.
Picking wild strawberries in Germany.
Oma and Opa celebrating 50 years together!
Stockbrot (stick bread) with family and friends in Germany.
Patrick and Marie-Françoise in France.
Roger parapente.
View from the parapente take-off over Lake Annecy, France.
Picknicking above Lake Annecy.
A view of Mt. Blanc, Western Europe's highest mountain.
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Falling Apart
Wow! Two blogs in 8 days! It's almost a record.
You know the saying, "When it rains, it pours"? Well, that's pretty much what's happening around our house. (Not that it's really raining, which would be wonderful right now when the heat is making the humidity nearly unbearable.) I'm talking metaphorically here. All our appliances are breaking down. The microwave died about a week ago. It was really old and rusty and we bought it from other missionaries who were leaving--and it's lasted a good 2 years already. It started being weird and only running when the door was open. I didn't think having those little microwaves floating around the kitchen was terribly healthy so have decided not to use it.
The crock pot decided to stop working day before yesterday. I had put 2 chickens in it and gone out shopping. We had visitors coming that evening and I was going to have dinner ready. However, when I walked in the door, there were no wonderful smells of cooking chicken so I was sure something wrong. Sure enough it was only cooked a little bit. What a pain!
Yesterday, the bread machine decided to stop working. I got everything in the pan to make a loaf and the motor just whirred but didn't move the beater in the pan. After taking it apart, we saw the belt was broken. We can potentially fix this but only if we can get the spare part from South Africa--where the machine comes from. We'll see if that's even possible. We got a new pan last Sept. when someone was coming from SA. I must say this machine has been great. I've used it on average around 3 times per week for the last, nearly 3 years that we've had it.
And lastly, our freezer is dying. We got it 2nd hand from people who were leaving and I don't think they got it new. When we come back from Germany at Christmas, it would only freeze up about 3 inches from the bottom. A guy came and put freon in it and it worked for a while. Then the freeze level started going down again. We had it filled again but now it's going down again. Since we're going to Europe in about 3 weeks, I'll just leave it for now. However, it's leaking freon and we can smell it. Ugh!
I guess we'll need to make some decisions about some of this stuff. A microwave is nice to have but we don't HAVE to have it. The crock pot is great and I use it often, but... The bread machine is almost a must and the freezer is extremely useful. With it, I only have to go shopping about once a month! I hate shopping here, it's so difficult with road works and terrifying traffic!
As we used to say in Swahili, "Mungu anajua." "God knows" what is best to do.
You know the saying, "When it rains, it pours"? Well, that's pretty much what's happening around our house. (Not that it's really raining, which would be wonderful right now when the heat is making the humidity nearly unbearable.) I'm talking metaphorically here. All our appliances are breaking down. The microwave died about a week ago. It was really old and rusty and we bought it from other missionaries who were leaving--and it's lasted a good 2 years already. It started being weird and only running when the door was open. I didn't think having those little microwaves floating around the kitchen was terribly healthy so have decided not to use it.
The crock pot decided to stop working day before yesterday. I had put 2 chickens in it and gone out shopping. We had visitors coming that evening and I was going to have dinner ready. However, when I walked in the door, there were no wonderful smells of cooking chicken so I was sure something wrong. Sure enough it was only cooked a little bit. What a pain!
Yesterday, the bread machine decided to stop working. I got everything in the pan to make a loaf and the motor just whirred but didn't move the beater in the pan. After taking it apart, we saw the belt was broken. We can potentially fix this but only if we can get the spare part from South Africa--where the machine comes from. We'll see if that's even possible. We got a new pan last Sept. when someone was coming from SA. I must say this machine has been great. I've used it on average around 3 times per week for the last, nearly 3 years that we've had it.
And lastly, our freezer is dying. We got it 2nd hand from people who were leaving and I don't think they got it new. When we come back from Germany at Christmas, it would only freeze up about 3 inches from the bottom. A guy came and put freon in it and it worked for a while. Then the freeze level started going down again. We had it filled again but now it's going down again. Since we're going to Europe in about 3 weeks, I'll just leave it for now. However, it's leaking freon and we can smell it. Ugh!
I guess we'll need to make some decisions about some of this stuff. A microwave is nice to have but we don't HAVE to have it. The crock pot is great and I use it often, but... The bread machine is almost a must and the freezer is extremely useful. With it, I only have to go shopping about once a month! I hate shopping here, it's so difficult with road works and terrifying traffic!
As we used to say in Swahili, "Mungu anajua." "God knows" what is best to do.
Thursday, 21 April 2011
It's official
SCHOOL'S OUT!!!
After a sprint to the finish--we only had 2 days off after Christmas--we have finished school. The girls all did pretty well this year.
The only shadow on our joy is that in just over a week, we have to say good-bye to Mae. We've had a great year together and are so glad she came out to teach this year.
After a sprint to the finish--we only had 2 days off after Christmas--we have finished school. The girls all did pretty well this year.
The only shadow on our joy is that in just over a week, we have to say good-bye to Mae. We've had a great year together and are so glad she came out to teach this year.
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
The Toothless Wonder (according to Fiona)
Yes, its official. Sydney has lost her first tooth! She is so proud of herself.
By the way, the Teddy-bear she received from the dentist in Germany was a big help.
Now, I'm sure she'll be waiting for the Tooth fairy to come.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
I’m having a cold
Well, this is nothing unusual. But when you consider that we are back in Africa, it might put a twist on my runny nose. We’ve just spent three weeks in snowy Germany, without the slightest cough by anyone in our family. However, on arrival in Togo, my nose started to run. By the way, did you know that when your nose runs and your feed smell, you are upside-down? Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Here in Lomé, the Harmattan wind from the dessert has arrived and brought with it dust and dry weather. We’ve been keeping the windows open the whole day and it is only 30-40% humidity by 26C. The climate is almost perfect, if it wasn’t for the dust.
By the way, it was great being in Germany over Christmas (see the previous post). We were able to spend some quality time with my parents and sister Helga. Well, we can say, ‘mission accomplished’.
On our way back to Togo we had a layover in Egypt. We spent a full day in Cairo, doing what tourists do best: visiting the Gisa Pyramids, riding a camel, eating at KFC, visiting Garbage City and the Church in the Rock, shopping at an Arabian market, sailing on the river Nile and eating dinner with Egyptian friends. Needles to say that everybody loved the experience.
By now, the Kathy and the children are back in school, and I am getting ready for the next school year at the media school. When I’m not blowing my nose.
Here in Lomé, the Harmattan wind from the dessert has arrived and brought with it dust and dry weather. We’ve been keeping the windows open the whole day and it is only 30-40% humidity by 26C. The climate is almost perfect, if it wasn’t for the dust.
By the way, it was great being in Germany over Christmas (see the previous post). We were able to spend some quality time with my parents and sister Helga. Well, we can say, ‘mission accomplished’.
On our way back to Togo we had a layover in Egypt. We spent a full day in Cairo, doing what tourists do best: visiting the Gisa Pyramids, riding a camel, eating at KFC, visiting Garbage City and the Church in the Rock, shopping at an Arabian market, sailing on the river Nile and eating dinner with Egyptian friends. Needles to say that everybody loved the experience.
By now, the Kathy and the children are back in school, and I am getting ready for the next school year at the media school. When I’m not blowing my nose.
Christmas
This year for Christmas, we went to Germany to visit Roger's family. It was the first time in over 3 years that we had seen Oma and Opa. (Three year is waaaay too long--just ask any grandparents)
Anyway, it was loads of fun. We had snow from the very beginning until about a day and a half before leaving. Although the Germans were already tired of snow--it began snowing in mid-Nov--we loved it. It made Christmas seem so
...well, like Christmas should be. It was also wonderful to be with family and to have to wear jeans and shoes, as well as coats, etc.
Anyway, it was loads of fun. We had snow from the very beginning until about a day and a half before leaving. Although the Germans were already tired of snow--it began snowing in mid-Nov--we loved it. It made Christmas seem so
...well, like Christmas should be. It was also wonderful to be with family and to have to wear jeans and shoes, as well as coats, etc.
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