Being Together ... when the roast fails and the shower explodes

The girls and I are feeling a bit sad and sorry for ourselves after saying goodbye to Greg, Hugh, Lyn, Ellie and Pat who have headed off with Tim to the beach before their flight at the end of the week. We have so enjoyed having them with us; it really has been like having a little bit of Tadley here for a while! We do miss you all in Tadley and it has been great to feel part of you all once again! Even sharing in sadness, with friends that are special but so far away. We are sending lots of love back to you all with this great group!


A great farewell meal at Sai Villa together

So today, the day of farewell, hasn't been the greatest day. Clearing up and hitting the books. Failed plumbing attempts and another visit from the vet for the rabbits, this after he just came to put down one of our dogs last week. It all wasn't helped by being stuck in a landcruiser in town for two hours either! This was the third day (for me) to be in town when the main road has been closed off for the passing of the President or Vice-President. Traffic jams at every road. The first time I managed to escape (more on that another time!), the second time we passed the time getting our nails painted, but this time, after finishing my shopping and heading home, I was well and truly stuck. In the landcrusier, boiling hot. I drank the yogurt I had just bought and prayed.

I won't say much today as I am hoping for some guest bloggers to tell of our Tanzanian adventures over the past week or two! But as you know, life here is never dull, and these past weeks were no exception! From the very day our visitors arrived. In honour of their arrival, I had planned and prepared a Sunday Roast Dinner. A very British Roast Beef. But then the oven stopped working properly. I decided to go ahead and just carefully watch things and control the temperature by careful positioning. But then as the joint was going in, the power went out. I scrambled to figure a Plan B. Scrambled eggs? But then, forty-five minutes later, the power came back on. Back to Plan A. Then, as the stuffing was going in, as the potatoes needed crisping up and as the vegetables were going on, the power cut again! I quickly got out the gas ring and started rapidly rotating vegetables. The gas ran out. I cut my finger. I thought I should have gone with the scrambled eggs.

But somehow we salvaged a Roast Dinner and it was good to be reminded that that it isn't all about amazing food, but the joy of being together. It was wonderful! The oven deteriorated rapidly, and it became a challenge to keep up the catering for the nine of us. We ended up like little ants marching up the road with various food and bread dough, to cook things at Angela's house (she and Andy were in the UK for a few weeks). Then there were various toilets and sinks leaking, a shower exploded and it was time to remember again that it was all about enjoying being together and not pristine living conditions! Our visitors were all very understanding and kind! And at the end of the day we were all fed and all clean ... well, for the most part, anyway! And it was good to be together!

It has been wonderful having them ... they have done a lot in a short time with us and so please don't ask them how their "holiday" was! They have been such an encouragement to us and to many others as well. I won't tell you about the other adventures ... car-jackings, party-crashings and the like! But it has been a very good albeit rather busy time! 


Another adventure ... The Puncture in the Village