I find it hard to believe that we've been here for 3 weeks now. I still tell people that we are here for 6 months and Jamie has been correcting me for the past few days "Only 5 months left now!". He is leaving on Wednesday and I will miss having his cheek in the Mess. Someone else will need to step up to the plate...
On Saturday morning we moved into Katho 2. I will post a picture shortly but it's a semi-detached one bed, well, one roomed abode. Possibly 2 rooms if you count the shower room, which unusually has both the loo and basin in it. Not that useful when the basin only works for about 5 seconds in any 24 hour period!! But, altogether much better than the old place.
Before the move, Geoff went to do his ward round at 7.30am - "I'll be an hour and a half". I didn't stress but got on with finishing up my packing and doing the communal areas. At 9.30 I enquired if he was still alive - "just 20 more minutes". By a little after 10 the entire place was packed and one rather disgruntled wife was waiting when he finally returned...
With the help of Burrard-Lucas and Sons Removals we make our way to the other side of the hospital grounds. After a rapid recce and fridge filling, we head to Nat and Will's to go to Chipata! To mix things up we decide to go to Spar (as well as Shoprite) so we have a much wider choice of products, including....... wait for it...... Heinz Baked Beans!!! Oh yes, heaven. They also have wine boxes - things are looking up! Or down, depending on how much I drink! We then decided to try the Indian restaurant that everyone had been telling us was great, rather than the tried and tested hotel and pool. This turns out to be a bit of an experience - Geoff's chicken balls were still frozen on the inside!! Eeek, lots of shouting came from the kitchen after we sent them back!
After a slightly less then fruitful hunt for Chitengas (material worn as a skirt, or for carrying babies, or for decorating your room) we make our way back to the car. I say, less than fruitful, but we do have 2 for the walls and one for me to wear at the weekends. This is necessary because it is not the done thing to expose the knee and above for a girl. You can wander around the hospital or anywhere you like with your boobs hanging out, but don't think about showing off a knee. All my shorts are, well, short! Thus I can't go to the Chada shops in them without offending someone or attracting unwanted attention. Nat tells me that the ladies tend to wear running shorts (and nothing else) under their Chitengas.
On Sunday, I got up early and, whilst Geoff was on his ward round (which strangely only lasted until 9am), Nat and I went for the expected run. My training clearly wasn't perfect as I didn't manage to run quite as far as I wanted but I still rewarded myself with a bucket shower (on the floor, not my magic one yet) following Nat's advice - 2 kettles of hot and the rest cold. As I pour the first cup over myself it strikes me that 1) I don't know how big her bucket is and 2) my kettle is bigger than hers. I very nearly became a patient on the burns unit! Doh!
When Geoff returns he says he wants to go for a run. I point out that it's now a bit late and he will probably get too hot! No, no, I'll be fine, it will only take me 20 mins. No, I don't need to take a bottle of water. Fine, do whatever you think. I spend the time sweeping the 'house' with my dustpan and brush on my hands and knees. Interspersed I make him a bucket of warm water (but slightly less boiling than my own). After half an hour I wonder if I shouldn't send a search party. Just as I'm finishing outside on the front step in my shorts - too late realising that the blokes opposite probably think I'm in my knickers!! - he returns. "I've stopped sweating and salivating, I think I'm really dehydrated, can you get me some water?" "I TOLD YO.... . Yes, Geoff". He then proceeds to sit and watch what I'm up to and make helpful comments. "Are you enjoying being a housewife?" "No, not really!" "Thought not". Then he starts to drip sweat all over my clean floor - lovely! A few minutes later there's a massive clatter and splash from the shower room - do you think anyone survives major head trauma here? - he tripped over the bucket and the warm water is now down the drain..... Happy times!
The afternoon was spent much more fruitfully at Nat and Will's bbq, sat in the shade of the Mango tree, sipping wine and fresh orange juice. Perfect!!
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