Days full to overflowing

Yes, we're staying busy! I'll try to catch you up on a few things that have been going on around here.




Saturday afternoon Anita and I went to the neighbors' to watch them cook. They're a little more well to do than many, and there were a handful of forlorn little urchins standing around when we got there. Surprise--it was candy making day!

Here is Madame Claudne's Coconut Candy in the process of being set into patties to harden, so she can sell it later.

 

Two of the little ones who came to see if they could get a few crumbs to put into their hungry tummies. Yes, they're as neglected and unkempt as they look. Both had some sort of scalp infection/disease/fungus, and obviously hadn't been cared about for far too long.

 

Anita, teaching the one little girl how to clean her fingernails.

 

We sat there and watched them making the candy, then making the food for supper. There was also an old lady who was doing the family washing. We had an enjoyable time!

 



Our supper being made. On the left is bean sauce, and on the right is the rice. Yummy!!!

 

The laundry hanging on the lines, accompanied by some citrus peels--possibly waiting to be made into jelly?

The washer woman.

 

Yesterday morning we went to church, and stayed the whole way through. It got a little long sitting on a hard, narrow, uncomfortable wooden bench, not understanding a single word, with three childen. Janelle went along with us, as an "emergency" of sorts had come into the clinic and so the others stayed behind to deal with it. I spent awhile standing outside with Leanna, and finally got her to sleep as well as giving my back a break from the bench, and my ears a break from the noise. Let's see, that calls for a rabbit trail. . . In order to sleep here with all the noises around (the Haitian roosters never learned their manners and crow at all hours of the day and night, dogs bark, cows bellow, people at the clinic talk/sing/shout/scream, depending on the occasion) I've spent a number of night with ear plugs in my ears. Which hasn't gone over too well with my ears. I wake up most mornings after being plugged with sore ears and a headache. And then on Saturday morning my right ear stayed plugged despite pulling the plastic plug out. It had gone a little farther in than normal, and there was more than the normal amount of wax since I've been wearing plugs, and together it made a blockage. So loud noises make my head ring, and the Sunday morning sermon was no exception! The trail home was a slippery, muddy mess, due to lots of rain recently, and it's a wonder none of us were set down on our rears. I was very glad I'd chosen to wear my hikers instead of sandals!

Sunday afternoons get rather interesting. Pastor Levy's room is in our house, and when he's around as he is most Sundays, our porch is FULL of people wanting to talk to him. Which means we have people popping in and out wanting to use the bathroom or needing a drink or borrowing a plate so they can eat--or washing their plate up again. Forget any privacy, or Sunday afternoon peace and quiet! As usual, we had lunch at Steve's, so that got us out of the middle of things for awhile.

About 6 o'clock we all got in the Land Cruiser and went up to Reinfords again as is usual for Sunday evening. Again, all the noise made my head ring pretty good! But oh, there sure was a feast! Hot dogs and real cheese, rolled together inside of soft pretzel dough, popcorn, and banana pie pudding. There were too many cooks and not enough to do, so I got out the camera and took pictures!

 

So, that was our weekend! Now I feel like I need to recover from it! :-)

 

Today I think Anita plans to come and flush out my plugged ear. I'm looking forward to having that over with! Jere took Jaron and went on some errands to Ti Guove, so I probably won't see them till later afternoon again. I need to head over and help Shana with lunch, since we'll be over there for it. Only, Leanna woke up too early from her nap and won't go back to sleep! Speaking of Leanna, she's starting to really try to talk, inspired I'm sure by Cherie, who already says qauite a bit for not even being a year! She's beens saying "Dada" for a few days in a deliberate fashion. Saturday she said "Hallelujah" (Cherie's favorite word!), Sunday she tried out "sandal", and this morning she was attempting "Teddy". And from the way she's acting, I'm guessing she's trying at words we aren't catching as well. So that's been a lot of fun!