When you need a toilet, you just need one!

I am having a difficult time paying attention right now to what I am writing because I have to go to the bathroom REALLY bad...but I know that trying to find a decent toilet in town is almost impossible so I am going to suffer through this for another hour or so and try not to embarrass myself and my friends with me. It didn't help matters to read the email that Georgetta just sent about ladies toilets...I should write an African version of the same email! Think about finding only a toilet that is a hole in the ground with a broken door and many armed men around you who want to use the same toilet....no where to hang the purse, no toilet paper cause why would there be, and having to stand up just to make sure no one barges in on the awkward situation....then no running water, only hand sanitizer....I could go on about the experiences here but I probably shouldn't cause it is actually only making me notice more my need to find a toilet.

On Thursday night we had a grand adventure! We took the mini-bus into town and ordered some food at the only restaurant here in town, lucky for me it is Indian food and I love Indian food. We ordered take away and then did some emailing, but only half the time at the cafe did the email actually work. We went back to the restaurant after we were finished, about a half hour after they said the food would be ready only to find the owner very upset with us because he closed his store almost 45 minutes before we arrived. When we paid the total was K69,000. We gave him K80,000 and we waited for our change. He looked at us with intention as he counted our money back...well, he didn't count our money back, he kept saying K69,000 and, and...and holding onto our change as though he wasn't going to give it back, as though he was going to charge us extra for his time. It was strange, very bold on his part, but I suggested that we just give him the K10,000 that he was very hesitant to give back to us. So we left him with the tip and ran to the station to catch the last mini-bus that would take us to our home. We arrived home to find that the power was out as it usually is on Thursday nights. We lit a couple candles and placed them in the only candle holders I have...empty water bottles. We made a table out of the floor since I don't have a table in my house and we ate by candlelight in true Indian style on the floor. It was great, we joked around and enjoyed the most delicious food I have had in a VERY long time. Naomi and Joe came over and I shared my dish with them, tricking Joe into eating a very HOT bit of something that came with the food. It was a good time. a bit later Jacob and Annie came over as well so the 7 of us sat in my candle lit sitting room and talked. It felt wonderful, natural and it was a lot of fun. After our visitors left we stayed up late and played cards. It has been so good to have friends in the house and to have a touch of something a little normal. I keep reminding myself that these gifts are from my Father who loves me.

I made Banana bread last night but you could more correctly refer to it as a lump of charcoal! It is a process to figure out the stove that I am using...nothing has turned out so far. I tried to make another batch this morning after I made a silly move and woke up at 5am to put out the trash for the trash collector that I was told comes early in the morning. I couldn't go back to sleep so I made another loaf that turned out a bit better but the top is still burnt a little. The trash men didn't come until 10am...Africa does not know Early!