The mason’s closed a little earlier than normal today; I guess they noticed that it was going to rain and decided that they did not want to have to cover the walls again! They finished setting the blocks on bath house #4 today. We had to buy 85 blocks to finish it. The top edge of the building is so crooked! When we brought the crookedness to Dawda’s attention he said that he would add extra mortar to the top and straighten it as they did the plaster. We will see how well that works. He said that he could break some of the blocks if we did not want to add mortar. Wouldn’t it have been easier to set a line on the first row of blocks and make them straight and then check each row as you went?
We are going to get a little reprieve from the building project because tomorrow is the beginning of the week-long Damba festival. Donkey was supposed to have gone today to “pick rice” but he was working. We told him that if he wanted to go he could but he would have to make up the day because this is a Dagomba festival but not a national holiday. He said he would rather take off tomorrow. Dawda and some of the masons are going to dance tomorrow during the celebration so they will not work tomorrow either. That will work out perfectly for us because it is very difficult to get everything ready for them when we are going out for worship.
Steve worked outside a good portion of the day. He made a new bench for the back of the pickup. We had one but someone took it out of the truck and set it behind the truck. Steve did not see it and ran over it. It was in such bad shape that it could not be repaired. I was excited about getting a new bench because I wanted it designed so that it would was big enough to cover the whole length of the truck bed and I wanted the legs positioned so that they fit between those humps (wheel wells per s.t.) in the bed where the wheels sit and I wanted it to be tall enough so that it would sit over the edge of the truck bed; this will make it comfortable for at least 3 people. The other one was only for 2 people and it was not very stable; if you got over too close to the outside edge of the bench it would try to tip over which was murder on these rough bush roads. It turned out to be exactly as I pictured it in my mind! It is always difficult for Steve to figure out what is going on in my mind! Ha!
On one of Steve’s trips to town he stopped at the lumber yard and ordered 10 benches for the churches. We went to pick them up this evening but it started raining heavily so we aborted the mission. If the rain stops we will try later this evening.
Steve changed the oil in the motor king. Solomon the mechanic said that it needed to be changed after 1 week of driving it with a half load. The guys were surprised that Steve knew how to change the oil! Earlier this morning he trimmed some of the bushes around the compound.
Have a great day!
In HIS Service,
Steve, Kandie and Skeeter
The Monkeyshines
When Mom sews she takes one of her shoes off; she uses that foot to run the machine. She sewed outside again today and when I got bored climbing around in the trees and tormenting Dad I would sneak under the sewing table and steal her shoe. Once I stole the shoe I made a great game out of killing the shoe! I would throw it up in the air; it would come down and hit me which made me think that the shoe in turn was attacking me! I drug that shoe all over the front yard! I love it when Mom decides she wants to get up from the machine and has to come get her shoe! It is great fun to hear her fuss at me about running off with her shoe. She always asks me if I think that I am a dog! Now that is insulting. Who wants to be called a dog?
I discovered a new fruit that I absolutely love! It is a pawpaw! Mom said that the real name is a papaya. I don’t care what you call it; it is delicious! Dad found it in the market. I even love those little black seeds on the inside of the pawpaw! When I first saw it I thought it was a mango; I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be something new!
I told you that I love to play in the dirty clothes basket. I have figured out that I can carry the small pieces of dirty laundry around with me in my mouth. Did you know that it perturbs Dad greatly when he finds underwear in the living room! The more he fusses the more fun it is!
I am not a DOG!
Love, Skeeter
