Letter to a friend

Life here continues without abate. A is still dour and gruff (and typically German) as always. Though it seems to me that all her gruff-ness is directed to me now that certain other players are not on the field. Where are you?

She seems to have made strong friendship with P - two aging partner-less women searching for bonds? Of course P is keen to get going on her work and her keen-ness is reflected in too many inane requests to me. Damn her! Just the other day she asked for a screen door in her kennel but I had to pull a M on her for that - she has a perfectly good screen hanging over her bed, says I. So P has successfully bent the ear of the PC and her keenness remains relentless and supported. I hope one day she 'hits the wall' and we can settle into a less 'Pippi Longstocking' modus operandi.

Speaking of M, seems he has invited himself down next Wednesday. He has been very careful to stroke me and my efforts and so I am getting a sense that his visit is more than simply offering extra hands to the business of logistics. Or maybe he is looking for one last fling in the sack with his friend next door. Oh well, the pool has been repaired and painted and we have a proper cover now so all we need is the H2O and he can wallow in happiness.

In fact this past week has been busy for me and mine. A few truck repairs, some base construction (we now have funky new cushions for the day-bed in the lounge) and an emergency generator/water pump short circuit have given no end to excitement.

We have also spiced up the work in the clinics. Zuluyee latrine (two-hole and one bathing room) is almost finished. We will next week fill in the old latrine pit, fix the broken edge of the organics pit and sharps pit and fence the watsan area properly. Oh and a proper drum burner is on its way. We have clear zinc going over the storeroom and the pharmacy and the old clear zinc will be inspected and replaced as necessary. The re-roofing will happen, but later. In the mean time, we had some major reconstruction activities at Beo yoolar clinic. We built a door based on dimensions given to us by the OIC via Uriah. WRONG! So I took my two carpenters up to hang the door (and bring the table and three chairs) and what did we find? We had to redesign the door, then redesign the wall (good thing it was only mud brick) to get the newly amended door and frame into the hole. What a piss-off, but this is Africa yes? I had to send the guys back to rebuild the wall, re-plaster the wall and while they were at it I had them plaster the floor in the hallway. The clinic should be grateful now? Did you know that all the health business at the Beo yoolar clinic finishes at half-two in the aft? Whilst hanging the door we were the last folks to leave the clinic at 1600 hrs. What is up with that?

The dreaded Cholera keeps raising its ugly head. And with the keenness of P (urged and supported by A) they have been heading out to Lugbeyee and surrounding villages, and into Guinea, checking things out and fixing more wells. I think they have gone out that way four times this past week! They keep doing cholera tests on stool samples but are unable to get a solid result (no pun intended) - seems every effort leaves a spoiled test....or at least test result unreadable. But they are convinced that there is something happening and so they go.

We received our new doctor. Too bad you missed that. He is one hunk of a man, all six and a half feet of broad shoulder, long-leg German. Piss me off, really, he is too much competition for me! He is cracking jokes and making speeches, but I wonder how long that will last? He is kind of pissed at THEM right now as they strong-armed him to come sooner than he has arranged. It was said to him that it was emergency that he come as Philip needed to go home and rest, yada yada yada. Well it turned out that S did get to meet Philip...but only because Philip was on his way to Pakistan as you know. S asks: what the hell? Philip couldn't have needed to go home so badly if he is off to Pakistan so soon...so why twist my life to accommodate him? On the other hand, S, the good young doctor, brought so much chocolate, cheese and, get this, three big fat salamis. Damn he is good. So now we have three Germans on site and I think we other whities are feeling a bit overwhelmed; and misplaced. There you go again, THEM kind of does those things and I am still in a quandary just why it is necessary to treat people like that?

E is good but I think she is suffering from a bit of the "what to do with my life" thing you are struggling with. However, she has a flat and furniture and stuff but without job and prospects in the near works to move onwards. So you see, you got it good baby! What ever your heart draws you to, you are free to follow.

Peace and Love, Chris