April

It’s been a good month so far. Granted we’re only 6 days in, but I’m thankful nonetheless. The week has been busy but good.

• The first week post Stephanie has not been a total flop like I was thinking it could turn out to be. Stephanie left one week ago today, and we have missed her, but she’ll be glad to know that kids are still getting food, and the books are still being kept and so on and so forth.

• 51 goats (minus about a dozen who have owners who have not come to claim them) arrived around 3am on Wednesday morning. Pat woke me up (I’d asked her to but believe it or not I was already awake and had heard the truck coming up the hill to the Masso’s house) and I went out in my PJ’s (with a Kitenge wrapped around my waist on top of my pants so as not to be immodest even at 3am when I’m sure no one could have cared less) and we unloaded goats one by one in the dark and carried each of them to the goat pen where they rested for a day or so until they were given away to new owners (HIV+ mom’s, caregivers of motherless infants, etc) on Thursday. When I went up to the back of the truck so Lemech could hand my first goat, he said “I think this is your first time?!” as he bent down and put a goat into my arms which I was holding much like I used to hold my arms when standing at the back of the Uhaul/borrowed pickup truck when my brother and I used to stack fire wood on the front and back porch of our house in Pittsburgh. This city girl was definitely a first time goat carrier (and Lemech could tell) but I did pretty well if I do say so myself, especially given it was 3am and those of you who have had to wake me up for anything can imagine the sleepy stupor I was in.

• I successfully and safely rode to both of our extension nutrition programs this week, on the back of Basime's motorcycle...he's new to driving and I'm new to riding, so we're quite the pair. He's careful and for that I'm grateful. Because he's new to the driving thing he's asked me to ride conventionally (ie. not side saddle) which means I put a pair of pants on under my skirt for the outings but so far no one has stared any more than usual.

• My friend Dave from college arrived safely in Bundibugyo on Thursday evening, just in time for hot pizza's coming out of the oven and a cold beer. It was so good to have him here for a few days, someone that knows me from my prior life, it was refreshing. Not sure if he knew how good it was for me to have him here. We drove him to Bundibugyo Town this afternoon after church and he sent an SMS saying he got to Fort Portal safely. So Carol, if you're reading, your husband is safe and sound for as much of the Uganda portion of his trip as I can do anything about!

• Since Thursday it has been really beautifully clear here, Dave thinks it was his arrival here that brought the weather through, in any case we're thankful. It has been really hot but really clear...4 days straight of views of the snow on the mountain tops of the Rwenzori's...absolutely beautiful.
  

• Shhh...don't tell my mom, but I drove home from Bundibugyo Town this afternoon...yep, driving on the right side of the stick shift 4 wheel drive vehicle, shifting on the left side of the steering wheel and driving on the left side of the road...it was fun :) Pat gets tired of driving all of the time, so I'm looking forward to providing some relief for her every once in a while...Now I've just gotta get my hands on a drivers' license :)

more later, I'm out of time!