We are in Accra waiting for the Martins to get here. They sent a few messages today; they ran into problems at Huntsville airport. They were supposed to fly to Detroit and then on to JFK but for some reason they were not able to take that flight. They had to get new tickets that routed them to Atlanta and then onto JFK. They are supposed to get into Ghana at their regularly scheduled time. We are anxious to hear the ends and out of what was going on with the airlines today.
When we tried to check in for our flight this morning from Tamale to Accra, they could not find our reservations. If you remember the airlines had changed our flight to the last flight of the day for Saturday and we were not ok with that because if for some reason that flight did not fly there would be no way that we would be able to be in Accra to meet our guests. Somehow in all the switching things got confused. It does not help that we are holding 3 different bookings all in November. When we finally got checked in, we went upstairs to go through the security screening. I was stopped and the officer asked if I had a knife or pliers or something like that in my purse. Well, duh! Of course I did! Doesn’t every real woman carry a multi tool in her purse? I asked the guy if I was going to lose the multi tool; he assured me that I would not; I had to go back out of the security area down to the check in desk and ask them to retrieve my bag so I could put the multi tool in my checked bag. They said that they could not get the bag because it had already gone down to be loaded in the plane. I then went to the desk where we purchase tickets and asked them if they would hold it for me until I come back in a couple days. The airport is small and they know us by name. They were very kind and agreed to keep it for me. Now all we have to do is remember to pick it up when we come back to the airport on Saturday.
The mason sent a couple pictures of the cement slabs he cast today that are going to be used to cover the 2 ft square clean out holes on the back side of the toilets; they looked good. I thought that they would have 2 handles but he only put in one. They are going to be heavy and it is going to be difficult or impossible for one guy to pick them up but the good news is that the pits are deep enough to stand up in and it is going to take years and years to fill those pits so the slabs will not be moved often.
We ate supper at the Lebanese restaurant; it was lovely. We were so full when we finished eating but the lady that runs the restaurant wanted to give us dessert; we told her we were too full to eat anything else so she sent it with us for breakfast. How sweet is that?
Steve just checked the Martins plane on “Flight Aware” and they were taxing out of Atlanta airport. I don’t envy their all-night flight! They will get into Accra in the morning at 7:00.
Please pray for their safe arrival and keep us in your prayers as we travel the next few days.
In HIS Service,
Steve, Kandie and Skeeter
P.S. Our niece Lyndie is supposed to get to go home today! Thank you, God!
The Monkeyshines
I have nothing to tell because I have seen no one of importance today; I have had no adventures; I have had no excitement and I have had no quality of life! They have left me again!
Since I have nothing new to tell you I will tell you about my life when I was young. Some of you do not know the story of how I came to be adopted by Mom and Dad. I was born when I was very young! I was born into a polygamist family. Dad had lots of wives; so I have lots of brothers and sisters and lots of step brothers and step sisters. I have no idea how many there are in all; Dad has them spread all over the jungle!
My mom was killed by hunters when I was just a tiny little guy! My teeth were just coming through my gums when she was killed. The people here in Ghana love bush meat and they especially love smoked monkey meat. It was a frightening day when my mom was killed. The hunters snatched me away immediately and said that they were going to sell me for a pet. The first people that owned me were a couple of young men in their early 20’s. I did not have a very good life with them because I did not have much to eat and the only thing that I had to sleep in or with was a black plastic bag. The bag became my security blanket! I would wrap up in the bag and rock myself to sleep! I was hungry most of the time because the guys did not know how to feed themselves, much less a baby monkey like me! They got a baby bottle and gave me water to drink. I drank lots of water in those early days; sometimes when I drank the water, I could imagine that I was full and satisfied. They also gave me TZ (corn meal mush) and rice. Since I had no teeth, I could not eat real food.
One day a fluffy white lady saw the men dragging me along; I had a shoe string tied to my waist. She made her husband stop because she had never seen such a small baby monkey and she felt that I was going to die in the hands of those young ignorant men. She asked if she could buy me and they said “No, not for sale; he is our friend.” Mom asked if I was a boy or a girl; they knew so little about me that they told her I was a girl; how insulting! The green truck drove away! A little while later I saw the green truck turn around and head back down the road. The fluffy lady told her husband that she wanted to go back and buy me. He reminded her that they already told her that I was not for sale. She promptly replied, “There is nothing that is not for sale in Ghana if the price is right!” Her husband asked, “What are you going to do if they ask 100 dollars?” She said, “I will pay it because he is going to die!”
The fluffy lady called my owners over to the truck; they dragged me with them. When we stopped, I sat on my owner’s foot; he did not even hold me in his arms! The fluffy lady said, “I want to buy the monkey! I need the monkey!” He laughed and said, “How much do you pay?” The fluffy lady knew she could make a deal. She said, “I will give you 100 cedis (which is about 10 dollars).” The guy said, “You have to come up small.” She pretended she was not all that interested in me. She asked if I was sick, if I could eat and what was wrong with me. The guy assured her that there was nothing wrong with me. She then reluctantly said, “Well, maybe I could give you 150 Cedis (15 dollars).” What, I am worth more than 15 dollars! He agreed, the fluffy lady had the man paid faster than you could blink an eye and she whisked me away in the green truck. Mom and Dad adopted me then and there, on the spot! It was love at first sight! Well, that first bath was sort of rough!
That was the happiest day of my life! I won the grand prize that day!
Love, Skeeter
