New Niche

As we are putting the finishing touches on the largest projects in our house I am wishing I had more houses to decorate. I keep coming across beautiful materials and fun ideas as I search for just the right ones to complete our rooms... but then I see so many that give me great ideas for rooms we don't have! Any one need a personal decorator?

Woman at the Well

At our home, we installed a rain-catchment system. Gutters around the roof filter the water into a large 5,000 L tank in the backyard. With Uganda’s regular rainy seasons, it is often loaded with plenty of water. So we have freely opened up the water tap to all our neighbors who come religiously each day.

But there are some days where the rains stop and the tank begins to dry up. That has happened this week. And we are without water in our house. We have to carry it in jerry cans to do dishes, cooking, washing and refilling the toilet. It is not easy or fun. And now the rain tank is virtually empty. So how do you live with extremely little water? I have tried to imagine it on the sandy slopes of the Sahara desert in northern Africa, but now we are experiencing its reality. Everything is calculated: frugal attempts to conserve as much water as possible. Ugandans have a proverb: “Amaizi n’amagara” – Water is Life. And it’s true. You can live without electricity for years (we attest to that), but without water you can survive only a few days.

So this week, we are struggling… but neighbors still come to fetch their own water needs at our well. In the middle of this situation a neighbor came, put her jug under the tap, turned it on and walked away. Some time later, I discovered water spilling out over the full jug, wasting away on the ground. I saw no one around. It made me angry, this water is so precious right now. I picked up the jug and put it in the entry way of our home in order to confront the guilty party. A younger lady arrived a few minutes later, with a headscarf declaring she was muslim. I was inside cooking – she asked for the jug. I reprimanded her… in english. She stood there, looking down in a long pause. I didn’t want to wage a staredown competition, so back to my vegetables I went. She left and returned after an hour. By that time, Wellen was around and helped to translate. She again demanded what was hers. I refused, shocked by her rudeness. She insisted on her water jug. Finally, I told Wellen what I was bartering for – a simple acknowledgment of the mistake; promise to care for the little water remaining and an apology. Then she could have her water and jug. After the translation was completed, she paused again… then walked away empty-handed. As I type this, the water jug remains at my doorpost, waiting.

Strange Plant

Imagine this: You walk out of your front door and smell something ghastly. There are flies buzzing and swarming around. And all of a sudden you see this "strange" thing sticking out of the ground. It looks so oddly similar to a circumsized... and you have never experienced anything like it.

At first I freaked out. What the crap is this? Is it some sort of witchcraft? I had heard of people using body parts for ceremonies and curses. I dared not believe my first judgment. Later I discovered it a strange, smelly, and rare plant that apparently grows in Uganda. The picture above is the second time I saw it come up from nowhere near our garage. Hilarious! It was so odd I just had to share it with the world.

Tip Top

Bread in Uganda is a challenge. But a new company has started to make fantastic loaves, which are actually soft and sliced well. We are enjoying the new found pleasures of Tip Top bread. Thank you Jesus.

Refrigeration

It is truly amazing how long things can stay edible. Most Americans would be surprised to find out that you don’t need to keep most things in the fridge. And it is only when you must stretch the limits that you find out the mold/salmonella threshold. Even then, you can just trim off the edges!

Expedition Stove – Flashback

During the last few months our gas cylinder provider was out of stock and they didn’t know when they would get a new order. We still don’t have electricity. But we thought “At least we can cook on a gas stove.” However, during the butane drought our tanks ran out and we were stuck. So for a few days we took out our expedition camping stove that runs off of many types of fuel until our friend came back from 5 hours away to get refills. We used this tiny single stove for all our cooking purposes.

It was awful, but reminded us of our first days in Uganda – we used this stove (above) for almost three months as our only way of cooking. Man, we were young and crazy then… and didn’t have any children. Recently we were able to get the gas cylinders refilled and are now back to normal - if it can be called that.

Moonlight

During the nights of running our generator and lifting it back into the wooden shack for storage, I often marvel at the beauty of Ugandan nights. There are special late evenings with a vibrant full moon that cast sharp shadows as if it were the sun. It is amazing. With a softer beam the moonlight is obviously less powerful, yet it seems to have an intense contrast as the sun. Gorgeous! And no need for flashlights.