This morning Steve started gathering all the documents that we will need to renew our resident visa. One of the documents that we have to submit is the contract between Steve and the GNCDC (Child Center). The present contract only had about 6 months left on it; we are applying for a 3-year visa and we are afraid that they might not want to renew it for 3 years if there is only 6 months left on our contract. We had little choice except to have a board meeting and draw up a new contract. There are only 4 board members, Steve, me, Timothy Niligrini and Divine. Fortunately, today is market day; Divine is usually in town on market day. Divine was buying Shea nuts in Gundogu ;the village next to Yendi. We drove out there and had a short meeting. Timothy was on the phone so he is aware of what is going on and he will sign the renewal letter tonight at Bible Study. Steve then has to write a letter accepting the position. Really! This is the same position he has had for over 20 years. The Ghanaians love their paper work!
The green truck has a leak in the radiator hose. We were happy that we were not out in the bush somewhere when it started leaking! Steve called Gomda, the mechanic, and he said that he would be able to look at the truck tomorrow morning; Steve also wants him to check the brake pads; it is making a sort of grinding noise at times. Steve cannot tell if it is the brakes or the bearings; no matter what it is it has to be fixed.
They ran out of water at the jobsite this morning. It is amazing to me that no one alerts us to the fact that something is running out until it is completely out! You know the mason knows he has to have water. Then the water tanker said he would not bring water to the jobsite unless we had two water 4×4 foot containers to fill. Now that is just silly! The river is at the edge of Kulkpeni. It is not as if they are driving 20 miles to give us water. We have a couple of extra containers but when they called, we were in the middle of the Child Center and Mr. Adams, the fix it man, was here working on our washing machine so Steve was not free to take them another container and by the way they were also out of cement! Steve sent Timothy the money to pay the water tanker and to buy more cement. Timothy is a good egg; he was able to organize a motor king to haul both the water container and the cement.
Yes, my washing machine would not come on this morning! I got up early to get a load of clothes done before we went on our walk but when I turned it on nothing happened, not even a hum! This happened once before at least 10 years ago, it was a wire of some sort that was not making a good connection. When we got back this time, we found evidence that a mouse had been in the kitchen. We figured the mouse chewed on the wires. Sure enough, it was a wire and Mr. Adams said that a mouse had been at work. Fortunately, it was not a hard fix and the machine is up and running again!
Take care,
In HIS Service,
Steve, Kandie and Skeeter
The Monkeyshines
The parents have fixed a run for me from the mission house to a small mango tree. I love it so much; I love the freedom! But I don’t like always getting tangled up. Now I can get some of the small tangles undone but I have to call for back up for the big ones!
The collar that I am wearing around my waist is new but it has a very weak clasp! This morning I figured out that if I take a mighty running start and pull on the leash the clasp will come undone and I will be free to run all over the compound and no one can catch me! The only way they can catch me is if they chase me into the house and then into one of the bedrooms. Mom thought that I had slipped out of the collar instead of breaking the clasp loose so when she caught me, she put the collar back on and I took off in a dead run and broke free again. It took them longer to catch me the second time because I was really enjoying my freedom!
New food tonight and I am not a fan! Mom says that she has given it to me before but I don’t believe her! Cauliflower, now doesn’t the name sound pretty? Cauliflower! Well, it is weird and has nothing to do with flowers! I took a piece from her and took the tiniest nibbles that I could manage and then when she turned her back, I threw it on the ground! She picked it up and said, “Oh! Skeeter, did you drop your cauliflower?” No, I did not drop it; it was not an accident that it was on the ground!
Save the cauliflower for the vegetarians!
Love, Skeeter
